From the September/October 2008 Issue [55th]

Lewis M. Gediman and his son Paul Gediman '86 recently published Semantricks: A Dictionary of Words You Thought You Knew, a book of creative and humorous definitions for ordinary words.

From the July/August 2008 Issue

Doris Eisenberg Epstein writes: "After many years of telling people we have three grandcats and one granddog, we are about to experience being grandparents for real. Our daughter, Beth, and her husband, Craig, are adopting two brothers, ages 9 and 11. They live in Oregon."

Celia Richmond Meyer writes: "Sorry to miss all the reunions but Jack had a severe stroke in 2004 and we don't travel far from home. We did go to our granddaughter's wedding in Illinois and to see our oldest daughter in Fulton who raises, trains, and competes in shepherding with border collies. Our youngest daughter is a registered dietician and very interested in allergy counseling, especially celiac disease. I keep busy with gardening, both veggies and flowers, and caring for hubby, house, and yard. My best to all my college friends." Contact Celia at (636) 227-5019.

Robert Wals (see Emily Joan Wigod '88).

Robert M. Wigod (see Emily Joan Wigod '88).

From the May/June 2008 Issue

Class secretary Marshall Cohen reports: "In anticipation of our 55th reunion in May 2009, the class will hold a mini-reunion September 25-28, 2008, our fourth in recent years. This time we will be based in Boston. In addition to taking advantage of the city's many cultural activities and historic sights, we will tour Lexington and Concord, and be bused on Saturday to the Brown-Harvard football game in Providence. We will also enjoy the hospitality of Bostonian classmates Frank Wezniak and Herb Cohen, who have agreed to host cocktail parties in their homes. Classmates will be receiving more detailed information.

Also,the class expresses its sympathy to classmate John Leahy and his family on the loss of his beloved wife, Nancy, who passed away following surgery in January 2008."

Allister Fraser '62 ScM writes that he is retired following the sale of his share of AEC-Able Engineering Corp. Allister designed and manufactured many hardware subsystems for satellites, space probes, and space stations. He also enjoyed acting and singing in many amateur theaters, including the Gilbert and Sullivan Co. of Santa Barbara. His favorite role, he writes, was Bill Starbuck, the title role in The Rainmaker. Allister keeps busy writing screenplays and novels. For more information log on to Fanstory.com.

Bruce Mansfield writes: "In 2006 I founded Americans for Action, a nonprofit organization with such active agendas as veterans' benefits and housing issues. I also completed a novella called The Chameleon. The book has received favorable acknowledgements from President Ruth Simmons and others. My son, Robert '80, is senior vice president at HUB International."

Bill Peace writes that he is enjoying retirement and extensive travel, including such destinations as the Irish countryside, St. Simon's Island, Georgia, and Maine. In August '07 he and his wife, Patti, celebrated their 50th anniversary in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with children and grandchildren. Contact Bill at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the March/April 2008 Issue

The class expresses its sympathy on the passing of our dear classmate Frank Anzivino Jr. to his wife, Ginny, and son, Frank III.

Edwin Ballard is a trustee of the Carpenter Historical Museum in Rehoboth, Mass., and of the town library. He is a member of the executive committee and treasurer of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society and the Robbins Museum of Archaeology. Edwin continues to perform field research on Native American ritual sites in southern and eastern New England. He co-wrote a report detailing his research on a Native American site in Sharon, Mass., that assisted the town in establishing the site as a conservation/recreation area. The report was published in the New England Antiquities Research Association Journal. He looks forward to the 55th reunion year.

Sid Baumgarten is busy with his law practice and watching the grandchildren grow up.

William Brigden reports that he and his wife enjoy retirement in Windham, N.Y., a ski resort town with a nearby golf course. His talented children are Adriane McDermott '91, who works for Nike; Nicholas, a TV documentary producer; and Tracy, creative director at the City Theater in Pittsburgh.

Gerard N. Burrow retired as CEO of the Sea Research Foundation on Dec. 31. In recognition of Gerard's significant contributions to research and education, the trustees of the Sea Research Foundation have established the Gerard N. Burrow MD Research Fellowship to support research at the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration in Connecticut. Gerard will continue on the organization's board of trustees.

Al Corney and his wife, Judy Robinson Corney '55, are residents of Longboat Key, Fla., but spend summers in New Jersey. Al enjoys volunteer work at the Florida Maritime Museum in the little fishing village of Cortez. He restores old wooden boats, builds new ones, and does anything else to promote the local fishing culture. "Life is good and we are lucky," he writes.

E. Aubrey Doyle retired in 1994 after a 38-year teaching career. He celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary in August 2006, and has six children and twenty-one grandchildren.

Paul Frontiero, a retired IBM engineer, received his music degree from the Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 2006. His band, Who's Your Daddy!, is, as he reports, "a sassy brassy jazz" group that aspires to jazz up a World Series at a Red Sox game one day. Paul reported that during the 2007 World Series he and his wife, Dottie (RISD '55), joined a local Red Sox Nation group, the largest outside New England.

Al Gerstein is completing his 12th history course at Penn and learning to read and write Arabic. He writes: "It's wonderful sitting in on lectures, doing the reading but not having to write papers or take exams. Learning for the sake of curiosity helps exercise the dendritic connections in my brain so they won't decay too much or too quickly. An interesting aspect of the teaching approach is that the vocabulary is taught from Arabic to Hebrew. If I put the most positive spin on the task of learning two languages simultaneously, it's that I'm getting two for the price of one. I've also stayed active in alumni affairs, interviewing as the BASC regional chair for New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Puerto Rico. Naomi and I are doing fine, as are my four daughters and five grandchildren. I've received a clean bill of health."

Ed Giberti spent ten days in August at a family gathering at Harwichport on Cape Cod, sharing experiences with relatives and friends, including four grandchildren, as well as dining at fine Cape Cod restaurants, celebrating birthdays, and enjoying the Hyannis-to-Bourne dinner train. Ed also recalled the dramatic memories of his meetings with the British Royal Family in London in March and the regal members of our class in Williamsburg in April. If any classmates are passing through London, contact Ed at 01707-394-884; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Ethel Barrett Graham writes: "My husband and I took a Great Rivers of Europe cruise during most of October. We loved every minute of it. Grand Circle Tours surely gave us the value for our money; I'd recommend them to everyone! I'd love to hear from classmates with their news." Contact Ethel at 125 Coots Trl., Hampstead, N.C. 28443.

John Greene continues to exhibit his paintings in galleries throughout the Northeast. He completed a well-received show at Kasten Fine Arts in Great Barrington, Mass., and in Windham, N.Y., in January. His next show will be at the White Gallery in Lakeville, Conn. Find contact information on his Web site at www.jdgreeneart.com.

Bill Hall enjoys a leisurely pace in New York City, including readings of Shaw's plays, visiting the Metropolitan and other museums, and bargaining at antique shows. Bill lives in Shaker Heights, Ohio, where he can be reached at (216) 991-4736, or in New York at (345) 266-3403 (cell).

Robert Jenks writes: "I had a very interesting summer in the Boston area, including attending a Red Sox game and touring Fenway Park. While performing my summer jobs (Harbor Master at Hingham and launch driver at Scituate) I was involved in the rescue of five people. One individual, a sleepwalker, had walked off the boat in the middle of the night."

Kenneth J. Kessaris proudly announces that the latest of his seven grandchildren will graduate from Columbia. Others are graduates of Providence College, Framingham State, Wharton College, Wheaton, St. Anselm, Franklin Pierce College, and Princeton.

Mike McSherry and his wife, Joanne, spend Oct.-May in Charleston, S.C. and June-Sept. on the Cape in West Falmouth. "This is practically ideal as our four sons and their families live within 75 miles of our Cape house." Frank and Joanne have ten grandkids. "It sure keeps us young."

Ken Moffat writes: "As residents of Florida (and Rhode Island), we enjoy the weather and playing golf. Al Fletcher lives three miles away in Florida and Jack Wallace about six miles away in Rhode Island. It's nice to see that Brown's baseball team won the Ivy championship—the first team to do so since our 1952 team won the EIBL Division."

John E. Orton III retired from the R.I. Superior Court in 1991 as Acting Presiding Justice and rejoined classmate Phillip W. Hall in the practice of law. John and his wife, Denise, were married in May 2000 and live in Narragansett, R.I.

Tom Simon writes: "Carolyn and I spent New Year's in Quebec City, followed by Botswana and South Africa and later China. We also squeezed in a wedding in Kentucky (Carolyn's daughter) and a Simon Centennial in New York City, celebrating my dad's arrival through Ellis Island in 1907. We have five children and seven grandkids."

Anne Barr Wenzel and husband, Howard '53, are considered the oldest certified divers to dive at the Heron Island Resort on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. They have been diving at Heron Island for more than 45 years. Contact them at Apartado 823-00991, Panama City, Panama.

From the November / December 2007 Issue

Sidney Baumgarten writes: “Terry and I just returned from a trip to Brazil visiting her family in the deep south. It was winter there, without much sun, but we had a good time with lots of barbecue. I have been elected chairman of New York Therapeutic Communities Inc., a drug rehabilitation program. I have been on the board since its founding thirty years ago, and this is my second tour as chairman. My daughter Julia just adopted a baby, grandchild number six. I am being presented with the 2007 Community Service Award by the Battery Park City Neighbors Association. It’s a nice recognition and I greatly appreciate it.”
Martin Kantor writes that his new book, Lifting the Weight: Understanding Depression in Men, Its Causes and Solutions was published in August 2007 by Preager.

Paul L. Rosenberg writes that he and his wife, Suzy, recently celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary. They have been living in Los Angeles since 1959. Suzy is the head of promotion for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Paul is president of PLR Investments Inc., a real estate development company. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

D. John Seibert writes: “My wife and I celebrated our 50th by working with rural farmers in the mountains of Honduras. This was my sixteenth trip to those villages and as always a satisfying contrast to my experiences in crisis medical care in such places as Albania (refugees), Kosovo, Liberia (civil war), Pakistan (earthquake), Indonesia (tsunami), the Mosquito Coast (Hurricane Mitch), Nicaragua, and San Antonio (Survivors of Katrina). After twenty years in the Vermont Legislature, Ann decided not to run again and to enjoy herself by traveling to exotic places. I am not sure that the mountains of Honduras are what she had in mind, but she is a great sport, and it is nice to be able to do more together.”

 Doug Turner writes that he and Howard Wenzel ’53, co-captains of the Brown men’s crew in 1953, held their annual reunion in Washington, D.C., in August. Brightening the table was Anne Barr Wenzel.

From the September / October 2007 Issue

Following our successful visits to Charleston, S.C., and Santa Fe, N.Mex., in recent years, class participants agreed that the recent mini-reunion in Colonial Williamsburg from Apr. 28 to May 2 was the best yet. An unprecedented forty-five classmates and spouses joined to explore the nation's most significant historic renovation, whose principal benefactor was John D. Rockefeller Jr. of the Class of 1897. The group made side trips to plantation houses dating to the early 1700s, revisited the battle of Yorktown, and celebrated the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown (paving the way for Queen Elizabeth II's visit later the same week). George Washington was a surprise guest at our first dinner! Participants included Ron and Gladys Abdow, Joan "Denny" Sherman and Fritz Albershardt, Shirley and Hank Atwood, Mary Francis and Ed Bishop, Leo and Joanna Slesinger Caproni, Karen and Herb Cohen, John and Joyce Larkin Defandorf, Diana Coates Gill, Maria and Tom Gagliano, Naomi and Al Gerstein, Ed Giberti, Marjorie and Jim Gorham, Bill Hall, Roz and Sandy Hollander, Virginia and Bob Jenks, Charlie and Nancy Kaufman Judkins, Felice Rinder Kirsh, Stan Miller, Diane Lake Northrop, Jean Nostrand and George Kirby, Dick and Jane O'Hara Page, Alan and Sally Donaldson Sloan, Peg Tuite, Chat and Nancy Lord Watts, Nan and Frank Wezniak, and Suzy and Bob Wigod.

Hank Atwood and his wife, Shirley, are still living in Virginia Beach, where they have spent the twenty-three years since Hank retired from the U.S. Navy. They plan to move to western Mass. next April. Their daughter and her family (two grandchildren) live there. It's also 450 miles closer to Cape Cod, where they will be spending part of each year in the old family homestead. Hank and Shirley wrote that they loved seeing Hank's classmates at the Williamsburg mini-reunion and can't wait for the next one.

Ed Bishop writes: "On July 1, 2007, my six children, three step-children, fourteen collective grandchildren, and assorted friends boarded the Rum Runner by our beach house on Rhode Island's Prudence Island and ran with the Tall Ships as they paraded out to the ocean. The get-together marked three important life events: my 75th birthday, my oldest child's 50th birthday, and my fifth wedding anniversary to my second wife, Mary. She and I enjoyed the mini-reunion in Colonial Williamsburg, which gave Mary an opportunity to get to know my classmates and their significant others. As always, my house will be open for meetings or get-togethers for the Alumni Leadership Weekend in September. We hosted R. Tyler Day '52 and David Jeffers '82 during this year's Commencement weekend."

Marshall Cohen writes: "Doug Turner, recently retired Washington bureau chief of the Buffalo News, and I, a photojournalist, were recently inducted into the National Press Club's prestigious Silver Owls class, which recognizes twenty-five years of club membership and loyal service. In twenty-five years we will become Golden Owls, the wisest hooters of the club, earning unrestricted license to say and do as we please and make public and private commentary on any subject without penalty or censorship. This license has not yet officially been recognized by the National Press Club."

Fred Frigoletto writes: "Martha McKay Frigoletto '59 and I are celebrating the birth of our sixth grandchild, as well as our forty-first wedding anniversary. I am still working full time directing a busy OB/GYN service at the Massachusetts General Hospital and am thankful for the heart transplant I received in October of 2003. We're heavily into family at this time with all these little ones keeping us on our toes."

Al Gerstein writes: "Naomi and I attended the recent mini-reunion at Williamsburg, where the activities were well planned and the facilities were quite comfortable. Even more gratifying was the opportunity to get to know classmates with whom I had scarcely passed a word in my four years at Brown. I guess one of the fringe benefits of aging is the diminishing importance of gender, career choice, religion, and all those other things that kept me as a somewhat shy undergraduate who might have made more of his four years at Brown."

Steve F. Honan writes: "With granddaughter Sarah Bird '07 graduating from Brown this past May, two others currently attending Virginia Tech and the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), plus three more entering Wellesley, USNA, and NYU (Tisch School) this September, Fran and I are thoroughly enjoying the high-school-to-college transition process. Why not? The parents do all the work. This spring we attended four graduations in four different states, and we have new campuses to explore this fall. We enjoyed seeing classmates at our granddaughter's commencement."

Ernest V. Klein writes: "After almost forty years as a practicing lawyer, I have embarked on a new career as a founding member and executive director of Boston Midsummer Opera (BMO). BMO's goal is to introduce Boston audiences to young singers of exceptional talent through a fresh inventive approach to opera. Sung mainly in English and simply yet imaginatively staged, BMO productions aim to make opera both accessible and affordable while adhering to the highest musical and dramatic standards. Our goal is to widen the audience for this beautiful art form by mounting witty productions with exciting young singers that will attract new listeners as well as appeal to discriminating opera fans. Check us out at bostonmidsummeropera.org. I have four grandchildren who range in age from 6 to 11, and Sue and I have a 7-year-old daughter! We live in a house in the heart of Boston that I bought in 1968. It is a great city to be in and only gets better every year. I can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ."

Jacques Lipetz writes: "Casting aside the attempted ravages of age, I have recently started to move my psychology practice closer to home. I have a general practice concentrating on pain management (treating it, not giving it). I am ever grateful to Brown for allowing me to drink deep and wide from the liberal arts fountains. It is largely a result of that exposure that I was able to change fields from biology to psychology. In May my beautiful bride, Inez, and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. Those of you of the Jewish faith know that 18 is a significant number (meaning life!). Between us we have four children, all doing well, and eight grandchildren."

Joe Meschino took his wife, Gloria, and third granddaughter, Lauren, to Italy for two weeks in June.

Matthew Scharff is a professor in the departments of cell biology and medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. He spends most of his time conducting research in immunology related to cancer and biodefense. During this past year he was made a distinguished professor and was awarded the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Marshall S. Horwitz faculty prize for research excellence and the Albert Einstein Faculty Mentoring Award. He has three children and four grandchildren and lives with his wife, Carol, in Larchmont N.Y.

John E. Semonche writes: "I am still teaching full time as a history professor at the Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and celebrated my 45th wedding anniversary in June with my wife, Barbara, who is the director of the library at the university's School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Our daughter and her husband own and operate Migration, a gallery in Charlottesville, Va. My fifth book, Censoring Sex: A Historical Journey Through American Media, will be published in July 2008 by Rowman & Littlefield. It deals with books, magazines, fine art, movies, music, dance, radio, television, and the Internet. One prepublication reviewer called the book fascinating and eminently readable.' I hope others agree; certainly I found the research and writing an engaging departure from my previous work."

From the July / August 2007 Issue

Anne Dufour Clouser (see Scott Cannon ’85).

Ed Giberti writes: “I received an invitation from Buckingham Palace to attend a reception on March 27 for Americans Working in the United Kingdom, hosted by Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. The invitation was a total surprise and caused much interest with family and friends here as to my good fortune, as it turned out, to be one of 400 Americans selected by U.S. Ambassador Robert Tuttle to meet the royal family before their departure to Washington, D.C., New York City, and other points across America during the month of May. The atmosphere during the reception was regal, and the conversations with the Queen, Prince Philip, and Prince Andrew were quite personal and individual. Brown was the topic they were most interested in knowing about, and my role in the U.K. The guest list comprised a cross-section of American business, academic, military, and diplomatic communities. I guess I can say another once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me came out of the blue. It truly was a special occasion.”

Walt Halperin writes: “The latest news from Seattle is that we are still alive, but as my wife says, ‘If you get up in the morning and nothing hurts, you know you’re dead.’ We are fighting off decrepitude by continuing to bike over the local hills to work out in a gym every day and also take our usual month-long cycling trip in Europe (this year in Sicily). But the days of camping and sleeping in bushes are over.” Walt can be reached at 4228 N.E. 92nd Street, Seattle, Wash. 98115; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Steve Honan writes: “With granddaughter Sarah Bird ’07 graduating from Brown in May, two others currently attending Virginia Tech and the U.S. Naval Academy, plus three other grandchildren entering Wellesley, Cornell, and NYU’s Tisch School of the Performing Arts in Sept., Fran and I are thoroughly enjoying the high-school-to-college transition process at four graduations this spring (in four different states!) and new campuses to explore in the fall.” Steve can be reached at 491 Hayward Mill Rd., Concord, Mass. 01742; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Doug Turner shares the following keen observation with his classmates: “Does ‘Deus’ have a sense of humor? I have been wondering what happened to Brown’s Latin motto In Deo Speramus. It was on the alumni license plates I bought two years ago, but missing from a Brown drinking mug. In place of the Latin motto, there are in big capitals ‘BROWN,’ for the man who laid the cornerstone of University Hall, the treasurer of the College at the time, a member of Congress, and as it developed in recent years, a gentleman associated with the business of slavery. In response to an e-mail that was referred to the alumni office, I was told that President Simmons and the trustees had decided to drop the motto in the interests of compactness and simplicity. I still don’t know if the official seal of the University has been altered.” Doug can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Ron Stark writes: “I’m on Cape Cod still consulting on refractories and melting metallurgy. Ginny does antique jewelry, glass, and china.” Ron can be reached at P.O. Box 869, 105 Uncle Venies Rd., South Harwich, Mass. 02661; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the May / June 2007 Issue

Chuck Burdick writes: “As of February my wife and I have made our permanent residence in Bradenton, Fla., after forty-five years in Pennsylvania. Old age has crept up on me and I am sporting a new right hip and a new cane with which to stroll the Bradenton and Anna Maria Island beaches. It feels good to be ambulatory. On November 11, 2004, I became the great-grandfather of Alexander Charles Burdick, the fourth living generation. His grandfather, my son Charles, lives with his growing family in East Wareham, Mass. My daughter and her husband live in New Freedom, Pa., with my other grandchildren, Ryan, 9, who is currently pursuing the violin; Collin, 6, currently pursuing mischief; and Katie, 3, currently emerging from the terrible twos. New Freedom is a little closer than Cape Cod, and for the past two Thanksgivings, they have been able to spend a few days here enjoying the Florida sunshine and beaches. My grandsons Matthew, 19, and Christopher, 22, attend the Univ. of Massachusetts at Hyannis. Both are Civil War buffs and are pursuing degrees in U.S. history. Their sister, Eileen, 16 , attends a charter school in Hyannis, and is currently touring Greece and Italy with her junior Latin class.” Chuck can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Carroll “Beano” Cook, who is currently employed by ESPN, writes: “When I entered the workforce in 1956 you could stay with the same company for your whole career. There is no such thing as job security any longer!” Beano also added, “Don’t work just for money, and for heaven’s sake, don’t show home movies!” For the full text of Beano-isms write: C.H. Cook, 643 Liberty Ave., Apt. 1106, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

Tom Donaldson writes: “I seem to have fallen off the map, but all is well in Maine-land. I’m in very good health with the caveat that I believe seven of my fraternity brothers have gone to the promised land—very unusual for Psi-U’s. Latest to go was Quentin McGown of Fort Worth, Tex., in December. Quentin had been in bad health for some time. Still working managing money, and have been playing tennis and painting (watercolor) for about six years now. It’s very therapeutic. The classmates seem to be doing much better than my brothers!”

Bob Furman writes: “I have a great significant other and we have done a lot of travel in Holland, Denmark, China, and we plan to travel to France and England in May. I still work every day as an investment counselor. I now have five grandchildren, ages 2 to 13 years old.”

Ed Giberti writes from the United Kingdom: “The British winter has been mild; politics, Iraq, and global warming grab every headline; and David Beckham has more media coverage than Tony Blair, current prime minister. Sport is the main concern of most, currently soccer and rugby. The Anglican and Catholic churches are talking about a new relationship jointly with Rome, while social events such as British Fashion Week are of primary interest to young women under 50. Over 2,000 managers in the city of London received 2006 year-end bonuses topping a million dollars each. The Brown Club of the U.K. continues to build closer alumni links to Brown. Family-wise, we are all fine at home. My health continues to improve; the doctors now say golf is on the horizon after Easter. Grandchildren are taking over the family. I will be in Boston/Cape Cod the month of April and hope to join the Class of ’54 for our mini-reunion in Williamsburg.”

Joe Malkary writes: “My wife and I have moved to a new home in Valencia Palms. Our new address is 6599 Capistrano Beach Trail, Delray Beach, Fla. 33446. Our telephone number remains the same: (561) 638-0191. I have been enjoying life since retiring nine years ago.”

George Morfogen, the Duke of York in the Classic Stage Company production of Shakespeare’s Richard II, received the annual St. Clair Bayfield Award presented by the Actors’ Equity Foundation to honor the best performance by an actor in a Shakespearean play in the New York metropolitan area. He also played one of the main characters in The Madras House, a Granville-Baker play about sexual inequality in Edwardian England. The show played at New York’s Mint Theater through March 11th.

Jane O’Hara Page and Dick Page write that they just returned from a safari in Tanzania with Nancy Kaufman and Charles Judkins. “We experienced everything from being stranded in the bush for four days due to a swollen river, to the big five (lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo, leopard), to a hippopotamus pool complete with crocodiles, and much, much more. What a great experience!”

John Semonche, a professor at the Univ. of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, is taking a respite from his work on the U.S. Supreme Court to publish a book titled Censoring Sex: A Historical Journey Through American Media. It is due out in July with Rowman & Littlefield.

Douglas L. Turner has stepped back from his full-time job as Washington bureau chief, since 1989, of the Buffalo News and is now the newspaper’s senior correspondent in D.C., a part-time post that allows him to write news and a column for the newspaper.

From the March / April 2007 Issue

Edwin Ballard is an avocational archaeologist who recently completed an eighteen-year study of a class of above-surface remnant laid-up stone constructs that remain in the high-ground backlands of southeastern New England. They are connected to pre-contact Native American ritual practice. His paper on the subject was presented in the Archaeoastronomy session at the November 2006 meeting of the Eastern States Archaeological Federation.

From the January / February 2007 Issue

Class secretary Marshall Cohen reports that Matty Scharff, Manny Gerard, and Stan Miller got together for dinner in New York City in September. The conversation included recollections of the first meeting of the Brooklyn-based trio at the “Welcome to Brown” dinner in the city in the spring of 1950. They were joined on that memorable subway ride by the late Tom Gold.

Sid Baumgarten writes: “I retired from the New York Guard as a brigadier general and have been busier than ever with my law practice. We started an emergency response team here in Battery Park City (remembering our 9/11 trauma) and now have the largest in the country with 250 trained volunteers. All civilians, all devoting their own time to learn medical triage, search and rescue, traffic control, fire suppression, and more. It’s been interesting and has energized the neighborhood. Part of the group (our Marine Rescue Unit) went to New Orleans immediately after Katrina to assist with search and rescue and were awarded a citation by President Bush. Terry and I adopted a Katrina dog—a beautiful black lab found on a rooftop in New Orleans. Kids are all doing well, and we are in good health.”

Barry Brown writes: “I’ll be teaching skiing at Diamond Peak at Lake Tahoe for the sixth year this winter. I’m one of the oldest instructors in PSIA (the Professional Ski Instructors of America) and NZSIA (that’s the New Zealand Snowsports Instructors Alliance) and probably the only instructor in the class of ’54. Fortunately I have better sources of income than an instructor’s salary.

Helen Deuell Carter has recently moved from Miami to New York State. She can be reached at 214 Harriman Dr., #1029, Goshen, N.Y. 10924.

Paul Frontiero writes that he used his engineering degree from Brown and his MBA from Duke University to complete a successful career in product development at IBM. These days he is pursuing a career as a trombonist. In the process he has just been awarded a bachelor of music degree from the Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Along the way he has studied with trombone greats Phil Wilson at Berklee College of Music, Steve Turre at Stanford Jazz Institute, and Scott Hartman at Tanglewood Music Center. He is an annual participant in the Brass Chamber Music Workshop at Humboldt State University at Arcata, Calif. Paul performs in two area concert bands and directs and performs in his own band, Who’s Your Daddy, featuring “sassy brassy jazz.” He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Charles Genovese writes that he is in his tenth year of retirement from Kent (Conn.) School. He and his wife are enjoying life “Southern style” in Marietta, Ga., near their daughter in Atlanta, but are still spending summers at Schroon Lake, N.Y. Their son David ’86 lives in Stamford, Conn., with his family.

Al Gerstein reports on the news! The bad news—I broke my foot two weeks before summer vacation, which reduced my activity to sitting on the deck of my cabin in Maine instead of swimming, kayaking, and hiking. The good news—being healed sufficiently by Oct. 15 to enjoy two weeks in Greece. Other news—my daughter Hilary ’03 has started a doctoral program in neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. See you at Williamsburg.”

Ed Giberti reports on the U.K. Brown Club: “The Brown Club of the U.K. (BCUK) has been involved in supporting the planning and execution of the ‘Boldly Brown’ Campaign for Academic Achievement, launched in London this fall by the team of President Ruth Simmons, Chancellor Emeritus Artie Joukowsky, Professor John Donahue, and the campaign leadership. U.K. alumni attended a high-tech presentation by Professor Donahue on ‘Mind over Matter’ via an amazing satellite linkup with Providence, followed by a reception and talk by President Simmons at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The gathering was the largest ever held by Brown outside the United States. Alumni (including Brown’s young alumni studying and working in London) were also invited to meet with President Simmons. The new BCUK Web site is www.brownuk.org.”

Stan Jaffe writes: “Laura and I have been ensconced in South Florida now for just over a year. I’ve been retired from shopping center management since 2001, and Laura is very active as a Realtor and partner of the Jaffe Seal Realty Group. I’ve been keeping myself busy by volunteering for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum doing research for its library over the Internet. I also volunteer for the Judaica Sound Archives at Florida Atlantic University a couple of days a week. We have a guest bedroom and love to put up ‘old’ friends. So if you’re in our area, let us know.”

Bob Jenks writes that he has just completed his thirty-second year as assistant harbormaster for the town of Hingham, Mass. “As usual I thoroughly enjoyed this summer job and have now returned to my home in North Carolina. Looking forward to seeing everyone in Williamsburg.”

Tom McCormack made his New York debut as a playwright (at the unseemly age of seventy) with Endpapers, which had the legs to be the longest-running new Off-Broadway play of the 2002–03 season. It has now been published by the Dramatists Play Service.

Joe Meschino will be retiring soon as chairman of the board of trustees of Cape Volunteers in Medicine (VIM). VIM provides totally free health care and medicine to citizens of Cape May County, New Jersey, who have no health insurance and cannot afford to pay for health care services. He writes, “After six years, it’s time to pass the baton to another capable board member.” Joe and his wife, Gloria, spend their leisure time on their boat, The Jetty Jumper, fishing in the bay and ocean waters around southern New Jersey. Joe can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Bob Wals writes: “Our son Ken was married in Miami on Nov. 5 to Beatriz Wong (known as Titi). She is a banker with Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria. She comes from Venezuela and lives in Miami. We expect to have our own class of ’54 micro-reunion with Suzy and Bob Wigod and Naomi and Al Gerstein at the wedding. They have known Ken since he was a baby. Ken lives in Pittsburgh right now. He is a fellow in retina surgery at the Univ. of Pittsburgh Medical Center for one year. Our daughter Jane, Ken’s older sister, returned to work in Manhattan in September as a teacher of computer graphics at Pelham High School. She has recovered from back surgery performed last spring.”

Frank Wezniak and his wife, Nan, have recently returned from a ten-day biking trip in Tuscany. “Fantastic pasta provided enough energy to power us up the many hills. Every town and fortress is at the top of a hill, and it’s a long, slow process to get up there on a bike! Looking forward to the mini-reunion in Williamsburg this spring.”

Caleb Woodhouse writes: “My wife, Sandy Schmidt Woodhouse, and I have at last made our ‘cardiac-event delayed move’ to Little Compton, R.I. Though our renovated house could be more organized, my own recovery has gone very well. This past summer I gave group and individual lessons to adults in tennis. Please, no gratuitous comments about those who cannot do, teach.”

From the September / October 2006 Issue

Class secretary Marshall H. Cohen writes: “The class officers have made an adjustment to the dates for the 2007 mini-reunion. We will arrive in Williamsburg, Va., on Saturday afternoon, April 28, and depart on Wednesday morning, May 2. We have reserved a block of rooms with queen beds at the Williamsburg Lodge at a special group rate of $179 a night. Rooms with either king-size beds or queen-size twin beds are both priced at $209 a night. Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-261-9530 and telling them you are with the class of 1954 group. Our booking code is BRODO7A. Although the mini-reunion is not until next spring, classmates are encour­­aged to make reservations now, as this will be helpful to our committee for planning purposes. We will be required to release all rooms not reserved by Jan. 26. All individual reservations must be accompanied by a one night’s deposit for room and tax, refundable upon cancellation. Classmates will be receiving more detailed information at a later date regarding group dinners and receptions, as well as the scheduled tours of Williamsburg, James­town (celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2007), Yorktown, and the Virginia plantations. Classmates wishing to play golf are encouraged to make golf reservations in advance. Some golfers may wish to consider the possibility of planning an extra day before or after the mini-reunion.”

Gerard N. Burrow writes: “In addition to my regular job as director of the Mystic Aquarium and the Institute for Explor­ation, I am chairman of the board of the Univ. of Connecticut’s Health Center and a trustee of the Univ. of Connecticut.”

Tom Gagliano is senior vice president at EPS, Tinton Falls, N.J., a telecommunications defense contractor with more than 700 employees worldwide. He works with his son, John ’85, who is EPS’s senior vice president and general counsel. Tom writes: “I’m pleased to report that my children, John, Bob, Jim, and Susan, have blessed us with eleven grandchildren, which makes for great family get-togethers. Maria and I thoroughly enjoyed the Santa Fe mini-reunion and look forward to the next event—and the opportunity to announce at dinner that Red Judkins will buy the after-dinner drinks for everyone!” Tom and be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Ed Giberti, of London, writes that his family lives on both sides of the Atlantic—his son, John, and daughters, Lee Ann and Lisa, and their families reside in eastern Massachusetts. Brother Paul and family live in East Sandwich, Cape Cod, and Ed’s wife, Jackie, and son, Jamie (Univ. of Greenwich), round out the family in England. Ed reports: “I was a member of a Brown volunteer team that created the Brown Club of Japan in 1980, and later served as president and vice president of the Brown Club of the U.K. A recent high was hosting and arranging details for the Brown class of ’54 mini-reunion in London in 2003. The class reunion in Santa Fe was just a very special experience for me to be with classmates and friends over that long weekend last October.”

Joseph A. Meschino and his wife, Gloria, traveled to China last spring. He writes: “The trip included three days in Lhasa, Tibet—a most intriguing city, in spite of our altitude sickness.” Joe can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Doug Turner, the Buffalo News’s Washington bureau chief, received the following media citation from Buffalo’s Erie County Bar Association: “His work as a reporter and columnist has aided in keeping the western New York public informed about the impact of Beltway affairs on our region. He is recognized for his notable devotion to equal rights, which reinforced the importance of the protection of our liberties under the Constitution.”

From the May / June 2006 Issue

Class secretary Marshall Cohen reports: “On behalf of all the classmates and guests, hearty thanks to classmate Robert R. Jenks for his thoughtful gift sent to the attendees at our class mini-reunion in Santa Fe, N.Mex., last October. Robert created an original handcrafted wooden puzzle especially for the reunion participants. Robert uses a 140-year-old foot treadle jigsaw, owned originally by his grandfather and passed to him from his father, to shape the wooden pieces of his original puzzles. This one, called A Santa Fe Memento, contains fifty plywood pieces and will be a lasting reminder of the fabulous reunion. Robert begins his projects using artwork such as photos, calendars, posters, and catalogs, and mounts the image on plywood. Then the foot treadle saw does its work, twisting and turning out the pieces of the puzzle. Using this antique saw, Robert has developed his own home-based business, RJ Puzzles. For details, contact Bob at (252) 946-2535; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

“Classmates who have changed their e-mail addresses in the past year or two and have not corrected them with the University can do so online by logging on to the alumni Web site at alumni.brown.edu. Please do so in order to receive e-mail announcements from our class site on Bravo (https://alumni. brown.edu/alumni/bravo). All changes must be made through the University and not the class secretary. They are corrected and distributed to the various linked Web sites, including Bravo. Of course, continue to correct your addresses and e-mails on our class mailings as well, and if the University changes the system, we’ll have copies on file. Your respective class secretaries can also provide e-mail addresses for classmates.

“Al Gerstein described ‘starting over’ as an undergraduate at Penn for the past four years, explaining that he can take any course open to undergrads for no credit, ‘but who cares ... one doctorate is enough!’ As an undergrad, Al gets gym privileges and plays squash with colleagues. ‘The Penn squash coach is sympathetic to our efforts and kindly refers to us as his protégées.’ A further benefit is that a local Indian restaurant offers an all-you-can-eat buffet and a 20 percent discount to undergrads. Al, along with Bob Wals, Bob Wigod, and their spouses, also enjoyed Brown’s ‘delicious victory’ over Columbia to clinch the Ivy crown. ‘This year was a far cry from the level of football when we were there and were lucky to win more than two games a year,’ Al recalled. (Brown did beat Harvard at Homecoming ’53, however.)

“Jon Berberian writes that with the support of the mayor’s office, he is establishing his Columbus Theatre as a much-needed and affordable performing arts center for organizations such as Opera Providence, the R.I. International Film Festival, the Latin American Film Festival, ECAS Theatre, Cinerama Latino, the Jewish Film Festival, and other groups using the facility for worthy fund-raising activities.

“Congratulations to Walt Stern and his wife, Nora, on the birth of their new granddaughter, Haydn.

“Rear Admiral Albert ’Al‘ Gallotta Jr., U.S. Navy (Ret.), writes that he remains active in defense-related assignments and that living in Fairfax Station, Va., near ‘ground zero’ and the nation’s political center, is still fun after thirty-five years.

“Vincent Love retired in 2004 after twenty- one years as vice president of New York City’s Mayflower Hotel. Vincent now does volunteer work at New York City’s South Street Seaport, the American Folk Art Museum, and the Metropolitan Opera.

“Congratulations to Henry Atwood Jr. and his wife, Shirley, on their 50th anniversary in 2005. They are retired in Virginia Beach and in good health. Henry’s new e-mail is This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

“The class expresses its sympathy to the family of classmate Judd A. Payne, who died Oct. 19.”

Joanna Slesinger Caproni, of New York City, is a consultant and representative for software for direct marketing and client-base magazines. Her husband is also a consultant. Their family is scattered across the country, representing fields from nursing to neuroscience. They travel as much as they can, she reports.

Jettabee ”Chris“ Christenson Edman’s husband, Silas Ward Gould Edman (Hotchkiss School and Amherst), passed away on Nov. 5 at their home in Lake Wylie, S.C. Other survivors include his daughter, Lisa Christenson Caswell ’78; three sons, Austin, David, and Silas; and six grandchildren. Silas’s career included work with the New York Philharmonic and Chicago symphonies and development of the Nassau Coliseum and Children’s Medical Center (both on Long Island). Services were held both in Lake Wylie and in Hartford, Conn. The class sends its sympathies to Chris’s family and friends.

Ethel Barrett Graham writes: “My husband and I are still located in Hampstead, N.C. We’ve been here for thirteen years of golf so far. Our three children and grandchildren visit from New England periodically, and we spend our summers in New Hampshire. We enjoy traveling and try to do as much as we can. In September we are visiting Italy and have rented a villa overlooking Capri and the Amalfi coast. We can’t wait!” Ethel can be reached at 125 Coots Trail, Hampstead, N.C. 28443.

John Greene is exhibiting his paintings nationally, with a show at New Arts Gallery in Litchfield, Conn., from April 22 to May 15. His work can also be seen at the Kouros Gallery in New York City, Eckert Fine Art in Naples, Fla., SKH Gallery in Great Barrington, Mass., and Windham Fine Arts in Windham, N.Y. Please visit his Web site, www. jdgreeneart.com.

Edith Veit Johnstone of Killington, Vt., writes: “I keep busy with my original design artwork that I sell in local shops. I am an avid reader, enjoy my granddaughters, play lots of tennis, ski, and snowshoe!”

Jean Nostrand enjoys wintering in Naples, Fla., and attends meetings of the Brown Club of Southwest Florida. Otherwise, she’s at home in Cranbury, N.J.

Dean John Seibert is an active professor emeritus at Dartmouth Medical School. He is involved principally in the International Health and Crisis Center. He can be reached at 386 Main St., Norwich, Vt. 05055.

From the March / April 2005 Issue

Class secretary Marshall H. Cohen reports: “The class of ’54 now has our own Web site thanks to the high-tech skills of Barry Pearce. Simply log onto the Brown Alumni site, alumni.brown.edu, and click on ‘Connections,’ ‘Classes,’ and ‘1954.’ If you have not registered on the alumni site, do so first. Once in the class Web site you can view images of the campus, newsmakers at Brown, and classmates, as well as read about planned events. You will also be encouraged to send in photos (to Barry Pearce), and class notes to respective class secretaries: Marshall H. Cohen (Brown) and Marge Gould Sharp (Pembroke). Please bookmark the site and send in news and images!

“Ed Giberti returned home to the U.K. following two cardiac procedures in Boston: a triple bypass, which prevented his attending the 50th reunion, and in September a new pacemaker implant. His doctors predicted a complete recovery and Ed’s return to Brown for a decade of reunions. Ed was able to attend Leadership Weekend in between surgeries and met up with classmates Marg Jones Stenberg, Diane Lake Northrop, Bob and Diana Coates Gill, Marshal Cohen, Ed Bishop, and Frank Wezniak.” Ed can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the November / December 2004 Issue

Class secretary Marshall Cohen reports: “The 50th reunion gift committee was advised that our 50th reunion gift has been augmented by $3,462,383, raising our total to $9,456,559. This represents a new Brown record for a 50th reunion gift, easily surpassing the previous record of $6,665,000 set by the class of 1951.

“Bruce Mansfield wrote that serious injuries from a motor accident prevented him from attending our 50th reunion last May. Bruce is recovering at home in Wellesley, Mass. He forwarded the sad news of the passing of classmate Charles Starr in 2000. Charles leaves his wife, Nancy, and four children. He enjoyed a long, successful career in business in the Florida area. Bruce’s letter also initiated telephone conversations with William Considine and Gerry Haverty (former captain of the Brown football squad). One topic was finally clarified, namely the meaning of the term X-back, coined by the 1950 freshman football coach, Jack Heffernan. According to Captain Haverty, X-back referred to a ‘halfback.’ The above football enthusiasts would like to find former team member Levi Thomas; make us happy, Levi, and send a note to bigmarsh@ erols.com.”

From the September / October 2004 Issue

Class secretary Marshall H. Cohen reports from the 50th reunion: “ ‘We Are Ever True to Brown’ was the chant heard among the spirited members of the class of ’54 returning to the campus for four days of nonstop activities. Prof. Josiah Carberry and his heavenly contacts arranged for sunny skies and fair spring breezes, enabling everyone to enjoy an outdoor jazz reception, cocktail parties, a city tour, the Campus Dance, a Sunday clambake, and, of course, the Commencement exercises.

“Nearly thirty percent of Brown and Pembroke classmates returned for the reunion, a record for a 50th. Classmates were highly visible throughout the weekend, donning red-bannered ‘ranger’ straw hats and colorful beads containing Brown and Pembroke icons (The beads resembled those the chancellor wears at Commencement, and President Simmons wore our beads over her cap and gown for graduation. Thanks to Marjorie Jones Stenberg for conceiving this gift, which was the talk of the campus.)

“The generosity of our classmates and the enthusiasm and hard work of the reunion gift committee cochairs Diane Lake Northrop and Bob Wigod resulted in a generous class gift check for $6 million (well above our $5.4 million target), which we presented to President Simmons at a morning ceremony. This extraordinary gift included fourteen contributions of more than $100,000 and ninety gifts of $1,000 or more.

“Classmates Gerry Burrow, Joanna Slesinger Caproni, Manny Gerard, and Frank Wezniak were panelists at a Commencement forum, informing and entertaining a full house on the topic of ethics and the rise (and fall?) of corporate America. Prof. Paul MacAvoy of Yale was the nudging moderator. The class enjoyed many eating festivals—at the Hope Club, Alumni Hall, the Westin, the Ratty—and tours of the new Providence and a clambake in the Squantum bakehouse. We also paused to recall departed members of the class in an All-Class Memorial Service in Sayles Hall.”

Marshall reports that chief marshal Norma Caslowitz Munves led the Commencement march, with “a few hundred beaded classmates…enthusiastically applauded by the fresh crop of Brown graduates.

“The class expresses its sincere gratitude to all the members of the reunion committee, and especially Ed Bishop and Marge Jones Stenberg. We also express our thanks to all the outgoing officers and our best wishes to the incoming officers. Outgoing presidents Frank Wezniak and Chris Edman passed their gavels to copresidents Herb Cohen and Bob Wigod, and Diana Coates Gill. Tom Simon (treasurer) and Marshall Cohen (secretary) stay on as officers, and Charles ‘Red’ Judkins is the new vice president. On the Pembroke side, Marge Gould Sharp will remain secretary, with Felice Rinder Kirsh vice president and Nancy Kaufman Judkins incoming treasurer. We sorely missed the good company of Ed Giberti, who unexpectedly had bypass surgery in Boston in lieu of serving as an aide in charge during the Commencement—we wish Ed a speedy recovery.”

From the July / August 2004 Issue

From class secretary Marshall H. Cohen: “Norm Sprinthall ’59 AM writes that North Carolina’s beaches in winter and mountains in summer make perfect settings for leisure and travel activities. So far, Norm reports, his recent pacemaker is like the old Timex ad: ‘It takes a licking and keeps on ticking.’ Norm can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Ted Ballard, an ‘avocational archaeologist,’ presented a paper at the spring meeting of the New England Archeological Association at Dartmouth titled ‘Astronomy and Myth in Precontact New England.’

Stan Miller writes that he and classmates Manny Gerard and Matty Scharf plan to attend the reunion in May. Stan also reports that his wife of forty-three years, Barbara ‘Bobbie’ Mesirow Miller, passed away in 1998. Three of his children are Brown grads living in the Northeast, and another son lives in Los Angeles, where he writes for E.R. Stan works full-time producing projects for theater, film, and TV, and he travels extensively to his company’s subsidiaries in London, Madrid, Toronto, Sydney, and São Paulo. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ”

Al Gerstein writes: “Nothing like father-daughter bonding. On Nov. 17, Hilary Gerstein ’03 and I represented Brown at two college fairs. It became quite apparent that the students preferred talking to her. My ego was assuaged by the fatherly pride in seeing her hold forth.” Al can be reached at gerstein@ verizon.net.

From the May / June 2004 Issue

Reunion weekend is May 28–31. For more information, contact reunion headquarters at (401) 863-1947 or This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the March / April 2004 Issue

Your 50th reunion plans are complete, and we hope to see you back at Brown on May 28–31! Join fellow classmates for a great reunion weekend. Registration information will arrive soon, so please make your reservation early. Register online at alumni.brown.edu. Contact reunion headquarters with any questions at (401) 863-1947 or reunions@ brown.edu.

Class secretary Marshall Cohen reports: “The following classmates plan to attend the reunion in May: Al Corney, Wes Roth, and E. Aubrey Doyle.

“Congratulations to Sid Baumgarten on his promotion in July 2003 to brigadier general in the New York National Guard and on his being recalled to duty as an adviser to the adjutant general. Sid is also active in the medical-device business. His wife, Terry, runs a high-end lumber import business. Sid and Terry have four children and six grandchildren, who are spread out from Colorado to Washington, D.C. Learn more about Sid at the reunion! Sid can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

“Tom Gagliano writes that he is a senior vice president at EPS, a telecom company, in Tinton Falls, N.J. His son John ’85 is also a senior vice president and general counsel at the same company. Tom has four children and ten grandchildren. Tom and Maria look forward to attending the reunion. Tom can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

“John D. Greene spent his ‘first’ career on the floor of the American Stock Exchange as a specialist in stocks and options, retiring in 1987. Since then, John has been enjoying a second career as a sculptor and painter, exhibiting throughout the Northeast. He invites classmates to check out his work at jdgreenart.com. John’s wife, Gwen, is a stockbroker for Bear Stearns and Co. The couple raises Belted Galloway cattle on their farm in the Hudson Valley. John plans on attending the 50th.

“Congratulations to Stephen Honan and his wife, Frances, whose oldest granddaughter, Sarah Bird, is a member of the class of ’07. Steve retired from a career in printing and publishing in 1996. Steve and Frances live in their home of thirty-one years in Concord, Mass., and plan to attend the reunion in May. Stephen can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

“Bruce Mansfield, who also plans to attend the reunion, comments, ‘I always felt that two years at Brown was as good as four years at any other college.’

“Mike and Joanne Webster McSherry ’53 canceled a planned cruise to St. Petersburg and Moscow one day before their scheduled departure due to Mike’s emergency gallbladder surgery, Mike is fully recovered, thanks to prompt medical attention and trip cancellation insurance. He plans to attend the 50th in May.

“Bill Peace writes that he enjoyed two Brown football games this fall and met fraternity brother Tom Snow at Dartmouth. Bill spent the Christmas holidays in Calgary and Banff, Canada, and expects to return to Brown for the reunion in May.

“Cameron Sanders is president of the Washington Society Chapter of the Archaeological Institute of America (the Joukowskys are great mainstays of the organization), and Cameron keeps in touch with Edward ‘Happy’ Castleberry. Cameron’s two kids and daughter-in-law all are Brown graduates. Cameron lives in Washington, D.C.

“Doug Turner is at home in Virginia recovering from left-hip-replacement surgery. Doug still works full-time as Washington bureau chief for the Buffalo News.

“Class president Frank Wezniak plans to recover from recent hand surgery and angioplasty with a bicycle tour in Morocco with his wife, Nan. All the class officers from both the Pembroke and Brown team wish Frank a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing Frank, Nan, and all the classmates at the big 50th reunion in May!

“Class vice president Bob Wigod and his wife, Suzy, traveled to Israel for Thanksgiving, where they visited with their daughter, Emily ’88, who is spending the year in Jerusalem as a cantorial student at Hebrew Union College. They were accompanied by their son, Dewey ’85, as well as Ardell Kabalkin Borodach ’57 and Jerry Borodach ’55. The group toured various archaeological and historic sites throughout the country. Thanksgiving dinner was eaten overlooking the walls of the Old City with Emily’s classmates, who spontaneously began the meal with a rousing rendition of ‘God Bless America’!”

Devra Miller Breslow (see Louis Miller ’29).

Felice Rinder Kirsh (see Michael Kirsh ’91).

From the January / February 2004 Issue

Report from reunion headquarters: “The countdown has started for reunion weekend, May 28–31. Your class reunion committee is planning a spectacular 50th reunion celebration. Your registration information will arrive in the spring. If you have any questions, please contact reunion headquarters at (401) 863-1947; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ”

Class secretary Marshall Cohen reports: “Charles W. Burdick retired on Jan. 31, 2001, after forty years with the Westinghouse Transportation Division and its corporate successors.

“Paul Wittreich writes: ‘I have just finished writing and publishing three books on bicycling and hiking: Tandem Bicycling America, Hike/Bike America, and Trans-Canada Chronicle. In addition, I wrote and illustrated a children’s book, The Wooden Soldier.’ ”

Ronald Abdow writes: “When Brown selected President Simmons for president, Brown picked the best person. Period.”

Doris Eisenberg Epstein writes: “We have given up our ‘big’ house in Ames, Iowa, in favor of a downtown apartment within walking distance of the library, post office, etc. We consider this our new exercise plan.” Doris can be reached at 720 Kellogg Ave., Ames 50010; or at 105 Lake Paula Dr., West Palm Beach, Fla. 33411; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Bruce Hunt writes: “Marcia Pickering ’55 and I say hello. We have a slight idea of what the last fifty years have been like. What makes us wonder is what the next fifty will bring.” Bruce can be reached at Box 30, Skiathos, Greece 37002; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Joan Girard Murphy writes: “We are enjoying our ten grandchildren as they grow and surprise us with all their knowledge.” Joan can be reached at 2111 Swinnen Dr., Wilmington, Del. 19810.

vMatthew D. Scharff won New York City’s annual Mayor’s Award for Excellence in Science and Technology in the field of biological and medical sciences. A professor of cell biology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Matthew was honored for his work in immunology. Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented the award on Oct. 8.

From the November / December 2003 Issue

Class secretary Marshall Cohen reports: “We enjoyed a whirlwind tour of the United Kingdom during a June mini-reunion that included ‘a day at the races’ at Ascot, tennis at Wimbledon, and the Brown women’s crew taking three of four races at the Henley-on-Thames Regatta. The group was wined and dined at receptions and dinners with the crew and the coaches, John and Phoebe Manzella Murphy ’82. We met with Misha Joukowsky ’87 and his wife, Jane Joukowsky; Barbara Davies Santa Barbara ’69; and Anthony Santa Barbara ’69 at their respective homes. We also met with Lawton Fitt ’74, secretary of the Royal Academy of Arts in London, for a private viewing of an Ernst Kirschner exhibition. Ed Giberti arranged most of the events, and our tour leader was class president Frank Wezniak. The mini-reunion kicked off the festivities celebrating our upcoming 50th reunion. Details about the reunion will be forthcoming starting this fall.

“Jon Berberian was honored by the Providence Phoenix as the ‘Best Entrepreneur of the Year.’ Jon and his wife, Betty Jane, run the historic Columbus Theater in Providence.

“Don Breslow ’57 Sc.M. spends summers with his wife, Joan, in Falmouth, Mass. He retired two years ago from his consulting practice in motion control and robotics. Don, who is now a volunteer eighth-grade science teacher, writes: ‘2004 will be a big year for the Breslow family as I will be celebrating my 50th reunion and son Richard Breslow ’79 his 25th!’

“Gerard Burrow writes: ‘I have now been president and CEO of the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration for almost two years. We have six beluga whales, although still no babies! On the institute side, we have a major expedition on the Black Sea looking for traces of Noah.”

“Yung Hsuan Chou ’54 A.M. is a retired country parson living in Kingston, Mo.

“Robert diCurcio now has a new Web site, vermeersriddlerevealed.com.

“Emanuel ‘Manny’ Gerard, the founder of the Gerard Klauer Mattison investment banking firm, remains CEO of Harris Nesbitt Gerard, a new group acquired by the BMO Financial Group.

“Al Gerstein and his wife, Naomi, returned to campus in May to watch the graduation of daughter Hilary Gerstein ’03. Al writes, ‘Despite the staggering costs of Hilary’s education, I think she got more “bang for the buck” than I ever did in my four years. Wish I could get another shot at it!’

“Walt Halperin retired from the biology department at the Univ. of Washington. He is now biking, kayaking, and chauffeuring grandchildren full time.

“Charles ‘Red’ Judkins and his wife, Nancy Kaufman Judkins, report they spent three months in Albuquerque with their delightful two grandchildren.

“Louis Pastore Jr. retired in 1994 and is enjoying golf, travel, family, and friends. Lou was a Rhode Island state senator from 1971 to 1976, and administrator of the Rhode Island Liquor Control from 1977 to 1985. Louis and his wife, Elaine Richard Pastore ’58 A.M., have four children and six grandchildren.

“Bill Polleys and his wife, Nancy, of Warren, R.I., write that heavy travels will prevent them from attending the 50th.”

Bruce Mansfield has been trying to establish a nonsectarian Chapel of Peace on San Salvador Cay in the Bahamas as a place “where everyone on the island can come and worship their God and pray for peace in a world full of complications and problems.” For more information, write Bruce at 509-C Washington St., Wellesley, Mass. 02482.

From the March / April 2003 Issue

Class secretary Marshall Cohen writes: “Chris Lutes, a retired surgeon, continues to live in Maine. He enjoys his woodshop and garden in Scarborough, as well as a second house near Bar Harbor.

“Jerry Young is chairman of his family’s brokerage firm near Boston, but with two children in the business he now has plenty of time for other pursuits, including travel. His wife, Abbe Robinson Young ’58, looks forward to her 45th reunion this May.”

From the November / December 2002 Issue

Class secretary Marshall H. Cohen reports: "Don Romano and his wife, Patricia, will celebrate forty years of marriage in October. Don is a partner in the New Jersey law firm Carpenter, Bennett & Morrissey, where he practices labor and employment law representing management. Pat teaches first grade in Millburn, N.J. Don and Pat have two children: Tom Romano '92, who this year received an M.B.A. from the Univ. of Texas, and Anne, a guidance counselor in Towson, Md.

"Irwin N. Hassenfeld '56, emeritus professor of psychiatry at Albany Medical College, published an insightful article in the fall 2002 Psychiatric Quarterly entitled 'Doctor-Patient Relations in Nazi Germany and the Fate of Psychiatric Patients.' The article not only explores the breakdown in doctor-patient relations and medical ethics during the period prior to and during the Holocaust, but also offers the historical background of the legislation supporting atrocities committed by internationally recognized German psychiatrists. Hassenfeld also discusses implications of the erosion of the doctor-patient relationship and professional values for current health care in the United States."

Class secretary Margery Gould Sharp reports: "Roberta Trauger Blackmer, of Scotia, N.Y., has retired from teaching. She is doing volunteer work and spending time with her grandchildren.

"Having missed the 45th reunion, Debbie Belknap Clough and her husband, Dick '52, have retired to a condominium in Charlotte, N.C. They also spend five months of the year in Virginia Beach, Va. Virginia Beach makes a great gathering place for their children and ten grandchildren!

"Jettabee Christenson Caswell Edman and husband, Si, are expecting another grandchild in February. She and Si had a wonderful time at the mini-reunion in Charleston, S.C., in February.

"Judith Wells Fieldhouse and husband Jim have moved from Maryland to Tennessee. They can be reached at 2205 Burbank Ave., Nashville 37210; (615) 256-1335; jjfieldhouse @msn.com.

"Barbara Gingold, of Hamden, Conn., works part-time as a social worker and serves as a volunteer for the Greater New Haven Cat Project. In 2001 she traveled to Hawaii. She lives with her two feline housemates: Ashley Lyn and Lilrose.

"Ruth Finkelstein Ignatoff has moved from South Orange to West Orange, N.J. She can be reached at (973) 736-0771; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

"Nancy Kaufman Judkins, who lives in Rochelle, Md., attended the mini-reunion in Charleston, S.C., last winter. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

"Doris E. Kinder informs us that Anne 'Matty' Matthews has been in a nursing home since suffering a stroke in February 2001. She can be reached at Allied Services Skilled Nursing Center, 303 Smallacomb Dr., Room 242, Scranton, Pa. 18501. Doris sent no news of her own, but she lives in Litchfield, Conn., and can be reached at (860) 567-0285.

"Pearl Schwartz Livingstone continues to work on local political campaigns in Cleveland. She writes that she helped get an African American state representative from Shaker Heights appointed to fill a vacancy on the Cuyahoga County Commission.

"Caroline Kimberly Loring lives in an old house near the ocean in Duxbury, Mass. The house is a lot of work but is much more rewarding than the condo she had moved into following her husband's death. She stays busy with choral singing, sailing, gardening, rug hooking, volunteering, and beach walking.

"Barbara Hobart Mitten and husband Roger '55 have made their home in Paradise Valley, Ariz. They even have a one-hole golf course in their backyard! Barbara was sick with cancer for a while but now is doing well. She is willing to talk to any one who might be facing the same battle. Roger is semiretired from the practice of law. They can be reached at (602) 840-5765.

"Lynn Presbrey Ryan, of Darien, Conn., still pursues her passion - interior decorating. She serves as national program chair of the Garden Club of America. In the winter she and her husband head to Vero Beach, Fla. She can be reached at (561) 388-8844.

"Sally Donaldson Sloan moved from California to Sarasota, Fla. In Los Angeles she was a member of the prestigious Women Painters West organization. She now serves as treasurer of the newly formed Women Contemporary Artists in Sarasota. She exhibits her works at several local galleries.

"Last February, Lynn, Sally, Carolyn Marcy Spears, and Betsey Turner Taylor were part of a New Trier High School class of '50 gathering in Palm Beach, Fla. Later the four got together for a mini Pembroke reunion. All plan to be at the 50th."

Martin Kantor has published My Guy: A Gay Man's Guide to Finding a Lasting Relationship and Passive-Aggression: A Guide for the Therapist, the Patient, and the Victim. He is working on a paperback edition of his 1993 book, Distancing, which is scheduled to come out late next year.

From the September / October 2002 Issue

Class president Marshall Cohen reports: "The reunion committee alerts all Brown and Pembroke classmates that we plan to publish a class book as a gift to attendees of our 50th reunion in 2004. We will be asking for photographs and text from you at a later date. More details will follow our fall meeting, but please start thinking about information and pictures to share with your classmates.

"Gerard Burrow, former dean and ambassador-at-large of the Yale Medical School, has left Yale following completion of The History of Yale's School of Medicine. Gerald has accepted a position as president and CEO of the famed Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration, the research home of Titanic explorer Robert Ballard.

"Norm Sprinthall '59 A.M. writes that a few years ago he edited his last dissertation and became an emeritus academic. He writes: ÔNo more faculty meetings, book references, or "learned" articles to fret over. So far the family, children, and grandchildren are fine. I just received a pacemaker, but I might still be able to pick and roll for Lou Murgo, although a bit more slowly. And imagine the looks I get when I show my grandchildren a Charlie Blankfort set shot - talk about the antediluvian. Anyway, fall and spring on the Carolina coast and summers in the Blue Ridge Mountains make for a great continuum.' Norm can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it "

Sidney Baumgarten, a colonel in the New York State National Guard, served on active duty for four months following the Sept. 11 World Trade Center attacks. On June 22, he was awarded New York's second-highest decoration, the New York State Conspicuous Service Medal, by Gov. George Pataki. Baumgarten, who has also served as deputy mayor of New York City, is president and CEO of a biotech firm in New York.

From the July / August 2002 Issue

Class Secretary Marshall H. Cohen writes: "The weather was more like Iceland than Charleston, S.C., where the class of '54 enjoyed another off-campus mini-reunion in March. Herb Cohen organized this highly successful reunion. Another is in the works for England next year.

"President Jettabee Edman reported that the rain couldn't dampen the group's spirit, as they toured historic homes and visited trendy shops and fine restaurants. Bob Wigod and Herb thank Mike and Joanne Webster McSherry '53 for treating the class to some Southern hospitality, hosting a reception at their house. Also attending the mini-reunion were Maria and Tom Gagliano, Bob and Diana Coates Gill, Bill Hall, Charles and Nancy Kaufman Judkins, Rober and Felice Rinder Kirsh, Allan and Susan Wing Klumpp, Fran and Roy Meeks, Jean Nostrand, Dick and Jane O'Hara Page, Peg Tuite, and Nan and Frank Wezniak.

"Tom Gagliano is senior vice president of EPS COOP of Falls, N.J., and stays active in politics. His wife, Maria, works in the Monmouth County (N.J.) Commissioner's Office and is on the Tax Review Board.

"Bob and Diana Coates Gill are enjoying retirement in Connecticut and New Hampshire.

"Felice Rinder Kirsh and her husband, Bob, are happily retired in Tenafly, N.J. Son Michael '91 was married in December.

"Susan Wing Klumpp and her husband, Allan, live in California. Sue is on the Pasadena (Calif.) Arts League, loves her book club, and is studying the flute. Allan works in developing guidance simulators for a future Mars mission at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab.

"Bill Hall said he is happily retired and is enjoying shopping in Charleston.

"Red and Nancy Kaufman Judkins have finally retired and are enjoying life in Maryland and Delaware.

"Jean Nostrand is a retired school administrator. She lives in New Jersey and Florida. Jean recently traveled to the Caribbean and Disneyland with her grandchildren.

"Peg Tuite, of San Diego, writes that she arrived in South Carolina with a cane and an ankle brace but was thrilled that she could enjoy all the activities. She said the reunion was a dry run for the trips to Britain and Europe she postponed while she was taking care of her mother, who recently died from Alzheimer's disease."

Gerry Burrow '54 (see Dan Kramer '84).

Doris Eisenberg Epstein writes: "As snow- birds, we are in Florida from November 1 through March. We would enjoy getting together with classmates in the area." Doris can be reached at 105 Lake Paula Dr., West Palm Beach, Fla. 33411; deepstein@homail. com.

Tom McCormack is making his debut as a playwright - at the age of 70. His play, Endpapers, opens at the Variety Arts Theater in New York City in June. Tom was CEO of St. Martin's Press for twenty-six years, and Endpapers is set in a publishing house. Tom's son, Daniel '90, is a screenwriter and director in Hollywood, and his daughter, Jessie '95, is a writer and actor in Los Angeles.

Stan Miller, of Stamford, Conn., writes: "I just returned from a trip to Australia with Carol and Matty Scharff. I'm still working at Rosco Laboratories and enjoying our nine grandchildren."

From the May / June 2002 Issue

Class secretary Marshall Cohen reports: "The class expresses its deepest sympathy to Beth Carter and her family on the death of their beloved husband and father, our classmate David Carter. David passed away on Oct. 29 from complications following hip replacement surgery in April 2000.

"Ronald J. Abdow writes that he is still working and playing hard. He has been chairman of American International College for twelve years. He writes: 'Working with a small, private college is fun and very challenging.'

"Don Cottey writes: 'We're spending six months in Colorado and then six months back home in Florida, a great mix.' Don can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

"Howard 'Skip' Fielding writes: 'I am program manager in the environmental division of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. After many years in the petroleum industry as an exploration geologist and manager, I retired and started a second career in environmental geology. Ultimately I ended up in management again and am enjoying protecting public water supplies from contamination.'

"Tom Gagliano and his wife, Maria, are looking forward to the mini-reunion in Charleston, S.C. Tom is happy to report that their children John '85, James, Robert, and Susan are all married and have a total of nine children, with another expected in May. Tom can be reached at 63 Ambassador Dr., Red Bank, N.J. 07701.

"Alvin Gerstein joined classmates Bob Wals, Bob Wigod, Stuart Nevins, and their wives for dinner following Brown's victory over Columbia in New York. Al's daughter, Hillary '03, and fellow Brown Band members were treated to batches of 'Famous Alvin's Homemade Cookies' during the game. Alvin can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

"John Greene, an artist specializing in abstract landscapes, reports that he has enjoyed some good shows and good reviews lately. He and his wife, Gwen, live in Manhattan and upstate New York.

"Frank Lord and his wife, Betsy, have spent half a year for the past six years traveling throughout the country working with Habitat for Humanity. On Aug. 4, they dedicated the first Habitat for Humanity home in Duxbury, Mass., for a young widow and her three children. Frank writes: 'As long as our good health and energy allow, we will continue to do what we love - building houses and visiting with our six grandchildren.' Frank can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

"Bill Polleys writes that he is still teaching skiing at The Canyons in Park City, Utah. He volunteered for the Olympics as a 'field of play' marshal at Deer Valley events.

"Bob Wigod writes: 'Happily retired from the insurance business, Dave West has been dividing his time between Marco Island, Fla., and Bemen, Maine.' "

Warren Bailey, of Plympton, Mass., writes: "I retired March 1, 2001, after forty-three years in the insurance industry. My wife and I are enjoying living next door to our son and two grandchildren. Our other children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren also live nearby."

On Jan. 12, Bill and Marilyn Carlson Simon attended the wedding of their son John '89 and Sarah Locke (Emerson '89) in Wilmington, Vt. Alumni in attendance included Eve Simon Oettinger '78, Elizabeth O'Neill '89, Roddy McRae '89, Bob Kulperger '89, John Herrmann '88, and David Weisman '69. John practices law in Boston and can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Paul Wittreich writes that he and his 21-year-old daughter, Caitlin, bicycled on a tandem across the United States. The pair pedaled sixty miles a day over fifty consecutive days in their trip from St. Augustine, Fla., to San Diego, Calif.

From the November / December 2000 Issue

Class secretary Marshall H. Cohen reports: “Clarence C. Barksdale has served as vice chair and member of the board of trustees at Washington University since 1989. He was board chairman and C.E.O. of Centerre Bancorporation from 1978 to 1988 and vice chairman and director of Boatman’s Bankshares Inc. in 1988–89. Clarence has received many honors, including honorary doctorates of law from Westminster College and Maryville College and an honorary doctorate of public service from St. Louis University. Clarence and his wife of forty-one years, Emily, live in St. Louis.

“Gerard Burrow, a doctor, reports that he is finishing a book on the history of Yale medicine for the 300th anniversary of the university’s medical college. ‘I understand why so many authors become alcoholics!’ he writes. ‘History is a lot tougher than textbooks!’

“Fred Frigoletto energetically continues his medical career as chief of obstetrics at Vincent Memorial Hospital and vice chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Fred was president of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1996 and 1997 and recently received the Presidential Recognition Award from the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine for ‘outstanding contributions and service to the expanding future of ultrasound in medicine.’ He is frequently on TV and is an adviser to the press on issues relating to difficult pregnancies.

“Dan Krivit is busy in his Washington, D.C., legal practice, representing state and local governments and private-sector clients in matters involving the federal government. In their spare time, Dan and his wife, Sandy, conduct circuit-riding visits to their children and grandchildren in Missouri, Michigan, Massachusetts, and South Carolina. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

“Domenic LaFazia, of Roseville, Calif., owns Triad Plus Inc., a wholesale and retail home-fabric enterprise in Rocklin, Calif. Domenic and his wife, Teresa, have four sons and one daughter.

“Bruce Mansfield is recovering from a serious auto accident that left him with a broken right hip and left foot, a few broken vertebrae, and more. Bruce is an activist for better housing across the United States. ‘Funding is a real problem for people in need,’ he writes. ‘I’m trying to help out.’

“Joseph A. Meschino writes that he is ‘unretired’ and working a shortened week for a small Wilmington, Del., pharmaceutical company. An enthusiastic seaman, Joe was recently elected treasurer of the Avalon Yacht Club, where he launched a new yacht, the Pasta Pot.

“Russell K. Shaffer writes: ‘We met several classmates in May at Mark Hopkins’s house for dinner and had breakfast with Bill Simon, John Seibert, Earl Hamilton, Hovey Tyndall, and their spouses. All looked as good as in 1954 with one possible exception: me! We all plan to attend the 50th reunion.’

“Myles Striar retired from the Boston University School of Education in May as assistant professor emeritus. Myles became a grandfather when Emilie Arial Striar Hernandez was born in May. He celebrated his 40th wedding anniversary in August.

“Greg Sullivan, who writes, ‘I’m okay,’ can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

“Robert M. Watters is enjoying retirement near Guadalajara, Mexico. He is studying Mexican culture and the Spanish language.

“Frank Wezniak, class president, writes: ‘I’m still a consultant in Boston, helping small high-technology companies in strategic planning. I taught the subject for a time at Babson College; it was a tough job leadi