From the May/June 2008 Issue

Norman Cowen writes that he and Arnold Kritz continued their successful duplicate bridge partnership at the recent Palm Springs regional tournament where they earned 25 master points. This was followed shortly by another 30 master points at the Myrtle Beach Regional Competitions. The two have been close friends since their time at Brown, but only got interested in bridge recently; however, they are both life Masters. Arnold is a professor of physics at Lehigh Univ. and also a consultant to the United States government on its energy problem. Norman is a retired hand surgeon who is interested in gardening, tennis, and skiing out west. Norman enjoys summers in northern Maine and winters in Pawleys Island, S.C., with many stops in Washington, D.C.

Al Hakam, retired professor of international business and marketing at the National Univ. of Singapore and currently a Singapore restaurateur, hosted his Brown roommate Andy Wojcicki and wife Marba at his family home in December. Andy is professor emeritus of chemistry at Ohio State Univ. Contact Al at 133 Jalan Jarak, Seletar Hills, Singapore 809268; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ; and Andy at 825 Greenridge Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43235; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Roger L. Hale was honored with a lifetime achievement award by Twin Cities Business. Roger also writes that his daughter, Jocelyn Hale '85, was named executive director of the Loft Literary Society, after a nationwide search.

Daniel Hardenbergh has spent the last two years trying to overcome what arthritis has done to destroy the cartilage in his right ankle. He writes: "Wanna talk? Write in." Contact Daniel at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Carl H. Seligson is beginning his sixth year on retainer for the Edison Electric Institute, representing investor-owned electric utilities. He and Bonnie went on safari in October. Contact Carl at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the March/April 2008 Issue

Samuel Adelberg can be reached at 14 Brookwood Rd., Towaco, N.J. 07082; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Roger Bensinger retired to Rancho Mirage, Calif., 12 years ago after a business career that took him to Brazil, London, and Mexico City. Three of his seven children went to Brown. He often sees classmate Paul Brenner, who lives in San Diego. Roger has been married for 39 years. Contact him at 40223 Tonapah Rd., Rancho Mirage, 92270.

Barry W. Blank enjoys playing tennis and golfing in retirement. He continues as a board member of ARI Insurance Companies and a regional advisory board member for Peoples Bank & Trust Co. in Panama City, Fla. With the recent addition of twin grandsons, Barry now has 14 grandchildren. Contact Barry at 18 La Vista Dr., Ponte Vedra, Fla. 32082.

Nancy Turner Bowers enjoys life in Greensboro, N.C., after 46 years in Florida. She especially loves the trees! Contact Nancy at 64 Quail Hollow Rd., Apt. F, Greensboro 27410; (336) 404-5966; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

John Golden writes: "My 16th grandchild arrived on schedule and rounds out eight boys and eight girls, ages 20 to 6 months. I'm starting a new medical manufacturing company in the first quarter of 2008. This is my fifth start-up over the past 40 years. I am loving the south, and winter in the Florida Keys." Contact John at 1312 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta, Ga. 30306; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Dan Hardenbergh writes: "After a wonderful Brown Alumni Travelers trip to Sardinia, Corsica, and Rome, Mary Ann and I returned to Boston for a fun-filled end of summer. After a long, slow recovery from ankle surgery, I've been able to get back into my post-retirement job coaching individuals with disabilities. It can be frustrating at times, but in the long run it is extremely rewarding. We planned a trip to Arizona in late December, then to San Miguel de Allende over St. Patrick's Day with our sister Barbara." Contact Dan at 180 Commonwealth Ave. #32, Boston, Mass. 02116; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Samuel A. Herzog reports that he has two new grandsons: Mason Jeremy Herzog, the son of Jonathan Herzog (Michigan '95), was born on January 31, 2007, and Jackson Wyatt Herzog, the son of Robert Herzog '90, was born on April 27, 2007. Contact Samuel at 1 Fulton Place, Jericho, N.Y. 11753; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Phyllis Stickell Lary writes: "If you don't mind cold, windy winters, and a muddy March, northwest Vermont is a comforting place to live in year-round retirement. I find enjoyment and friends in my garden club, in Master Gardener volunteer work, and in the 'Head Smart' spinning class at my athletic club. One of my eight grandchildren, a six-year-old boy, has been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. I'm interested in hearing from classmates who have had a similar experience." Contact Phyllis at 3492 Spear St., Charlotte, Vt. 05445; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Jenifer Morgan Massey writes: "I had a fabulous year traveling to the Hawaiian Islands, Paris, and the Loire Valley. I stayed with Bonnie Eckenbeck Cobb at her gorgeous home in Provence, then went to Valencia for the America's Cup, and Barcelona, Menorca, Mallorca, and Maine. I'm now back from a month-long Elderhostel in China and Tibet and on the Yangtze. Don't ever stop this world, I don't ever want to get off!" Contact Jenifer at 211 Avenida Valencia, San Clemente, Calif. 92672; (949) 498-2600; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Robert A. Norton can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Ronald Schwartz can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Carl Seligson writes: "Bonnie and I spent three weeks abroad in October, visiting London and Kenya, where we went on a six-day safari. Kenya is a fantastic bird and animal paradise." Contact Carl at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Hank Vandersip thanks all who have sent along words of encouragement. Contact him at 72 Seaview Ave., Cranston, R.I. 02905; (401) 467-8173; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Dodd Wragg writes: "I retired eleven years ago and married (second try) Sonja seven years ago. I am living well at Mission Beach in San Diego. The best of my many jobs as a wrangler on horseback in Washington's Cascade Mountains. I'm rowing for exercise and fun, and our crew won the 60-year-old category in the San Diego Crew Classic this year. I climbed Mount Whitney last year because it was there. Best wishes to all."

From the January / February 2008 Issue

Dan Hardenbergh writes: “I retired from Jewish Vocational Service in Boston as a job coach. Five minutes after I got home from a retirement party, the program director for Services to Individuals with Disabilities called to urge me to continue job coaching as a part-time consultant. I accepted! I thoroughly enjoy working with clients with disabilities who have job-related concerns and issues. In retirement I’m working ten to 15 hours per week, and it’s great. Otherwise, I’ve traveled to Alaska, Arizona, and Florida to visit family and celebrate Mary Ann’s and my 50th anniversary. Also great trips via Brown Travelers to Sicily, Tuscany, Sardinia, Corsica, and Rome. Life is good!” Contact Dan at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the November / December 2007 Issue

Margaret Devoe Gidley hosted a reunion of Pembroke ’56ers at her home in Rumford, R.I., on July 20. Eighteen classmates enjoyed lunch and catching up on one another’s lives. Attending were: Margery Jackson Chambers, Alice Clemente ’67 PhD, Judith Gagnon Davidson, Linda Kessler Fishman, Marjorie Jenckes Fleischmann, Ruth Berkelhammer Fink, Christine Holmberg Freiberger ’59 MAT, Margaret Devoe Gidley, Rosalie Greenberg Goldman ’66 MAT, Sheila Monaghan Harvey, Katherine Cashman Hower, Nancy Dawn Zarker Jones, Jane Hamlett Malme, Jenifer Morgan Massey, Geraldine Weicker McCann, Barbara Perrino Piscuskas, Nevann Winslow Smith, and Hazel Kingsley Turley.

Patricia Hales Laidlaw writes: “Our lives are substantially circumscribed by my husband’s advanced Parkinsons. We do see our four grandsons and their parents from time to time. We are still in our home, forty years now, where I garden assiduously.” Patricia can be reached at 411 Wingate Rd., Baltimore 21210; (410) 235-0756; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Sheldon Siegel and Marvin Wilenzik celebrated their 50th class reunion last year. Then, on June 30, Marvin and Nancy Wilenzik joined Shelden and Lolly Siegel (Wellesley ’57) at the Seigels’ gala 50th anniversary party at the Bethlehem Club in Bethlehem, Pa.

Gretchen Gross Wheelwright traveled to Santa Barbara, Calif., to speak at the July 27 celebration of the life of classmate Phyllis Rannacher Dodson. In addition to making her own remarks, Gretchen read remembrances of Phyllis’s freshman roommate, Geneva Whitney Courtright. Phyllis’s sudden illness had forced her to cancel plans to join classmates Bonnie Eckenbeck Cobb, Jenifer Morgan Massey, Geneva Whitney Courtright, and Gretchen Gross Wheelwright, as well as Nancy Schuleen Helle ’55 and Alice Wheelwright ’81 at a May gathering at Bonnie’s home in Provence, France.

From the September / October 2007 Issue

Joanna Roche Alden writes: "Fifty-year synopsis: I taught English, French, and Latin in public schools for twelve years. I have been organist and choir director at various Catholic churches since 1952. I stayed home to raise my family for ten years while working as a Coppercraft Guild counselor and manager for thirteen years. I am currently office manager at Harvey's Financial Office, a branch of Cantella & Co., in Boston. I've been married forty-nine years to Harvey, a now-retired English teacher and a financial planner and broker representative. Because he is now blind, he does the brainwork while I do the reading and writing. Meanwhile, I dote upon my thirteen-year-old granddaughter, Kaitlyn, a high-honors student and competition dancer." Joanna can be reached at 306 Carver St., Raynham, Mass. 02767.

Beth Zalusky Finkelstein writes: "All is well in Chappaqua, N.Y., where we have been living for the past thirteen years. My husband, Stuart, is a partner at Skadden Arps in New York City; our son, Sam, 15, is an avid lacrosse player; and Julia, 13, is a lover of musical theater and dance. I spend most of my days trying to keep up with them, though I often feel as if I am just running in circles with my hair on fire sometimes. When I do get a minute, I knit, of all things! Would love to hear from old friends!" Beth can be reached at 94 Random Farms Dr., Chappaqua 10514; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Jane Hamlett Malme writes: "Margie Jenckes Fleischman, Dazzle Devoe Gidley, and Noel Field represented our class at the annual all-class-leaders meeting on April 28. For one week at the end of May classmates Geneva Whitney Courtright, Jenifer Morgan Massey, Gretchen Wheelright Harris and daughter Alice, and Nancy Helle '55, were guests of Bonnie Cobb in Provence, France. It was a glorious house party without any spouses! Some husbands met their wives at the end of the week for additional travel. Hank Vandersip is continuing his rehabilitation under the excellent care of Phebe Phillips Vandersip '98. Hank would love to hear from any and all at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it "

Nancy Shuster will teach in Florida Gulf Coast Univ.'s Lifelong Learning Program in 2008. She is a professor emerita and taught at the Brightview Commons facility in South Kingstown, R.I., this summer. She is starting a cochlear-implant support group in R.I. Nancy divides her time between Narragansett, R.I., and Naples, Fla. She is doing ongoing seminars from her book, Hearing Loss and Winning Solutions. Nancy can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the July / August 2007 Issue

Nancy Turner Bowers writes: “After years of threatening to run away from home, I finally did in Jan. 2007. I picked Greensboro, N.C., because of the wonderful cultural opportunities and natural beauty, and it is where my best friend from childhood lives. I am pursuing many new interests, plus a few old ones. If your curiosity is piqued, send me an e-mail and I will provide details.” Nancy can be reached at 64 Quail Hollow Rd., Apt. F, Greensboro 27410-5035; (336) 404-5966; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Richard H. Bower writes: “My wife and I just returned from three weeks in Thailand and Vietnam. It was a wonderful trip!”

Margaret “Dazzle” Devoe Gidley writes: “I’m still teaching at the Community College of R.I., and I have many private students at my studio at home. I have four trunk shows a year selling Doncaster clothes. I’m very involved in Republican politics, trying to restart a Republican Women’s Club. Since there is no two-party system in R.I., corruption is rampant. We are controlled by the unions.”

Jerry Jerome writes: “We had a wonderful reunion—many thanks to the committee, which has a thankless job. It was great to see my fellow classmates, but sad for the ones who passed on. This winter, Pat and I cruised through the Panama Canal—what an experience.”

Dorothy Mancini Lafond writes: “We’ll be celebrating our fiftieth anniversary July 4. Our children are planning a ‘surprise’ party for us.” Dorothy can be reached at 29 Kimberly Dr., South Kingston, R.I. 02879; (401) 783-7885; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Alton Ryder writes: “I am deeply involved with cemetery management in southern N.H., both on the local and state level. Betty and I celebrated our fiftieth this June; three children and four grandchildren live nearby and visit frequently. Life is good.”

John Worsley ’63 MAT writes: “I’m continuing to teach in the Human Services Department at the Community College of R.I., and write for the weekly jazz column. I also produce major jazz shows.” John can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the May / June 2007 Issue

Joan and Bruce Bartsch hosted a mini-reunion in February in Bradenton, Fla. Attending were Peg and Barry Blank, Elizabeth and Caleb Boggs, and Missey and Dick Sackett. John Hines, Jim Lohr, and Bill Pringle were unable to attend, but were there in spirit. Conversation related to Brown included the football Ivy League championship, the great 50th reunion, and the continued absence of NROTC.

Roger Bensinger writes: “I have retired after a forty-two-year career that allowed me to live in Brazil, England, and Mexico working in the sporting goods industry (Brunswick), pharmaceutical industry (G.D. Seale), and communications (Edleman). My wife, Beatriz, and I divide our time between Rancho Mirage, Calif., and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.” Roger can be reached at 40223 Tonapah Rd., Rancho Mirage, Calif., 92270; (760) 770-6860; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Geneva Whitney Courtright writes she has stayed in touch with Phoebe Phillips Vandersip ’98 on Hank’s progress following his stroke last June. She also will be attending Bonnie Eckenbeck Cobb’s house party in Provence, France, this summer along with Gretchen Wheelright Harris, Jiffy Morgan Massey, Phyllis Rannacher Dodson, Nancy Schuleen Helle ’55, and Gretchen’s daughter Alice Wheelright ’81. She visited with Barbara Perrino Pisculkas during her annual visit to Sarasota this past March.

Samuel A. Herzog has a new grandson, Mason Jeremy Herzog, born Jan. 31, 2007.

Andrew B. Martin writes: “My wife and I, through our church, are involved in projects providing hurricane relief to New Orleans. In September we will have a jazz band from New Orleans come to Milwaukee for a fundraiser for the H.O. Musicians Clinic. The clinic provides health care for street musicians. While conditions have improved somewhat, it’ll be years before the city fully recovers. I would be pleased to share information if anyone is interested.” Andrew can be reached at (414) 961-2465; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Herbert Rakatansky writes: “I’m still practicing and teaching full-time. I am a clinical professor at the Brown Med School, and the chair of the Physician Health Program in R.I. I am also serving on the board of the Rhode Island Philharmonic. My ‘blended family’ includes six children and eight grandchildren.” Herbert can be reached at 59 Harwich Rd., Providence 02906; (401) 272-2722; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Carl H. Seligson writes: “I continue to serve as a consultant to the Edison Electric Institute, the organization representing virtually all investor-owned electric utilities, and have decided to return to my own practice as an expert financial witness in electric utility rate proceedings before regulatory bodies—a field I have been involved with for over forty-five years.” Carl can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Nancy Shuster had an article on “The Miracle of the Cochlear Implant” published in the January issue of Prime Time Magazine. The author of the book Hearing Loss And Winning Solutions, she is doing seminars on the subject and would be happy to do a program for your organization as well. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Peter M. Shutkin writes: “I am very proud of my grandson Alex Schwartz, now the class of 2010. He is the third generation. I’m looking forward to the 55th reunion.”

Gail Scott Sleeman writes: “I’m working full-time as a reporter/photographer for the Berlin Daily Sun in New Hampshire—fascinating! We cover everything from weekly selectmen’s meetings to U.S. presidential candidates. Life is splendid, with four beautiful seasons treating our eyes with the constantly changing natural world of northern New Hampshire. My three children are doing well as a lawyer in Denver, a consultant in New York, and a mother/housewife in Mt. View, Calif.” Mary can be reached at (603) 466-5498; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

William A. Wescott writes: “Rosa and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on June 10, 2006. Our son, Drew, and daughter, Pam, had a beautiful anniversary party for us at the Molly Pitcher Inn in Red Bank, N.J. Frank Yanni, our best man and my roommate, was present with his wife, Dolores. We have one granddaughter, named Mackenzie. I have been retired from trust and estate banking since 1999.” William can be reached at 26 Hunters Run, Oceanport, NJ 07757; (732) 542-7905.

From the March / April 2006 Issue

William Wasco writes: “Back in the United States after living in the Bahamas for eight years. We just moved into our home on Leesville Lake, Va. It’s great to be back. We’re very much out of the loop.” William can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the September / October 2006 Issue

Jane Hamlett Malme writes: “As we gathered together at the 50th reunion gala dinner in Sayles Hall on Friday evening to hear words of welcome and appreciation from President Simmons and other Brown leaders,Roger Hale, class reunion gift cochair (with Gretchen Gross Wheel-wright) greeted the class with, ‘There are three stages of life—youth, middle age, and you’re looking great!’

“And we did look great—all 203 of us, setting a 50th reunion attendance record and joining in an extraordinary weekend planned by reunion chairs Jiffy Massey and John Cutler and their hardworking reunion committee. Ever true to Brown, our class gift to the annual fund had reached close to $494,000, with a remarkable 57 percent of the class participating—the highest participation rate the class has ever achieved. The comprehensive total of gifts from the class exceeded $2 million.

“With a total of 346 (including guests) participating in the 50th reunion activities, we were quite a presence on campus, overflowing class headquarters at Goddard (Delta Phi) House in the Wriston quadrangle and at Andrews Terrace for our Saturday class picture.

“The 50th reunion program began on Friday afternoon with an exclusive presentation to the class on long-range plans to meet the campus needs of the University for the next fifty years, followed by an opening reception at class headquarters, the gala dinner, and Campus Dance. On Saturday, classmates enjoyed being part of a vibrant campus and attending stimulating Commence­ment forums. At a moving all-class memorial service at Sayles Hall, in which classmates Ken Golder and Rev. Ann Nelson took part, candles were lit by Geneva Whitney Court­right and Donald Lowry in remembrance of 145 of our classmates known to have died since graduation.

“Always a happy tradition, the Pem– broke Class luncheon was followed this year by the dedication of a Pembroke class of ’56 memorial garden in a shaded corner of the Pembroke campus. A memorial bench and plaque were made possible by Pembroke class funds and the efforts of class president Geneva Whitney Courtright.

“A unique highlight of the reunion was the hilarious performance of classmate Joe Bologna and his wife, Renee Taylor, in If You Ever Leave Me I Am Going With You for our reunion dinner theater on Saturday evening. Many thanks to Joe and Renee for a wonderful show—a truly special gift to all of us there. WaterFire Providence and schmoozing at Goddard House kept us up well past our usual bedtimes as the revelry continued until the wee hours.

“The condensed two-day Commence- ment weekend resulted in a significant number of the class joining in the 238th Commence­ment procession through the Van Wickle gates on Sunday morning. They were led by chief marshal Roger Hale; his aides Henry Baer, Noel Field, Jane Hamlett Malme, and Gretchen Gross Wheelwright; and class marshals John Cutler, Dorothy Mancini Lafond, Jenifer Morgan Massey, and Hank Vandersip. Many others shared in carrying the class of 1956 banner through the ranks of cheering new graduates shouting, ‘You look great!’

“More than sixty stayed on for a dinner organized by Dorothy Lafond Sunday evening at the Faculty Club. The final event was Hank and Phebe Vandersip’s annual Sunday brunch at their delightful seaside home in Cranston, R.I. The class reelected Geneva Whitney Courtright and Hank Vandersip as copresidents and elected a full slate of class officers to keep us in communication and to plan for the 55th reunion in 2011 (to be chaired by Dazzle Devoe Gidley and John Worsley).

“There is too little space to thank all who contributed to this extraordinarily successful reunion, including those who submitted photos and reflections to the reunion yearbook. But thanks to classmate Ken Golder, we now have a Web site, www. brown1956.org, which includes reunion committee members, a reunion picture gallery, class news, and a class blog where we can all post messages of appreciation. Special thanks is due to Paula DeBlois and Brown’s alumni relations office for their superb support and assistance for our 50th reunion and for our 50th reunion yearbook, printed courtesy of Brown and sent to all classmates before the reunion. The lasting memories of the 2006 reunion will be the time spent in renewing ties with old friends, reminiscing about treasured college experiences, and reconnecting with a great university. A splendid time it was, and we did look great. Keep in touch with your new communication class officers, Joel Davis, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it , and Jane Hamlett Malme, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ”

James Griffin writes: “Received my BA in English from California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). On to an MFA!”

Nancy Shuster writes: “Hi. Just an update—we are running out of copies of my book Hearing Loss and Winning Solutions. If you need any additional copies, please send me an e-mail and I will be happy to mail you a copy. You can make checks payable to Professor Nancy Shuster, 79 Boon St., Narragansett, R.I. 02882. The cost for each book is $18, but if you order three or more copies I will cover shipping costs. Thanks!”

From the May / June 2006 Issue

Reunion ’06 weekend is almost here—May 26– 28. Return to campus to renew ties with old friends. Start with Campus Dance and finish the weekend by passing once again through the Van Wickle Gates. Visit the reunion Web site for complete details: http://alumni.brown.edu/news_events/reunions.

From the March / April 2005 Issue

Nancy Turner Bowers writes that she “experienced an amazing recovery from a major illness last spring. Feel (and look) twenty years younger! Am embarking on an entrepreneurial project with great enthusiasm.” She can be reached at 3052 Foxhill Circle, #209, Apopka, Fla. 32703; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the November / December 2004 Issue

Class president Hank Vandersip reports: “On July 20, several members of the 50th reunion committee held a breakfast meeting at the Hope Club. As was the case earlier this year with our other cochair, John Cutler, we took advantage of Jiffy Morgan Massey’s being on the East Coast to hold the meeting. Others in attendance were Geneva Courtright, Jane Hamlett Malme, Margaret Devoe Gidley, Paula DeBlois ’89, Phebe Phillips Vandersip ’98, Jiffy’s husband, John Massey, and I. We were fortunate that Paula was able to attend, since she is our 50th reunion contact in the alumni relations department and came with much valuable experience. We also toured the Hope Club’s new dining facilities, which give the class more options for its dinner arrangements. Jane, Geneva, and I will be working on the 50th yearbook and the multimedia event, and will have a report in the future.”

Katherine Cashman Hower writes: “My husband of forty-four years, Kenneth S. Hower, died on April 10. I’m traveling with Nancy Zarker Jones and her husband, Bill Jones, to Italy in late October for a Brown Travelers trip.” Katherine, Nancy, and about twenty other Pembrokers will attend an annual Pembroke mini-reunion this year at Margaret Devoe Gidley’s home in Rumford, R.I.

Nancy Dawn Zarker Jones (see Jennie Jones Hanson ’86).

Professor Nancy Blacher Shuster will be the luncheon speaker at the November meeting of the Pembroke Club. She will do a program based on her new book, Hearing Loss and Winning Solutions. Her book focuses on strategies for the hearing-impaired, their families, and friends. Nancy can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the September / October 2004 Issue

Jim Lohr reports that he and his wife, Pat, attended the 48th reunion of his marine corps basic training, which was held in Arlington, Va. “We witnessed the sunset parade by the president’s own drum and bugle corps and the silent drill team on the field adjoining the commandant’s residence, which was attended by some 400 U.S.M.C. officers from our era. We attended a reunion dinner with the assistant commandant as host speaker and had as our guests Capt. Charlie Mead ’58, a U.S.M.C. buddy and DKE fraternity brother, and his wife, Mary Jane, who live in Alexandria. We then moved on to visit with Col. J. Caleb Boggs, also U.S.M.C. and a DKE brother, and his wife, Elisbeth, in Lewes, Del.” Jim also attended the dedication of the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C.

Nancy Blacher Shuster reports that she has been busy with book signings for Hearing Loss and Winning Solutions, a consumer-oriented book she wrote from her own experience with hearing loss and from interviews with audiologists, doctors, and therapists in five states. Nancy continues to teach the Writing Workshop in Naples, Fla. Many of her students are now published, and one recently won a book award in Mississippi. Nancy would love to hear from anyone having hearing problems: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Class president Hank Vandersip reports: “As many of you know, Reunion 2004 had the total cooperation of the weatherman, from beginning to end—truly a glorious weekend. Our annual mini-reunion on Sunday afternoon was filled with sunshine and alums celebrating a seventy-five-year range of classes—from Ruth Bugbee Lubrano ’23 to my wife, Phebe Vandersip ’98. Not too far behind Ruth were Homer Smith ’29, ’33 PhD, celebrating his diamond 75th, and Maury Caito ’34, enjoying his 70th with his daughter, Eleanor. Other reunion classes were represented by Peg Porter Dolan ’39, ’43 AM (65th), and Charlene Ingraham Underhill ’59 (45th). Also in attendance were Pat Shea ’30; Helen Cusick, wife of Alan Cusick ’32; Beatrice Wattman Miller ’35; Devara Abramson Poll ’42; Edwin Wattman ’45; Pauline Longo Denning ’50; Mary Holburn ’50; Sheila and Nick Pliakas ’53; Kae and Gene McGovern ’53; Arthur and Janice Swanson Post ’53; Margaret Going Settipane ’55; Linda Kessler Fishman and David Fishman; Marjorie Jenckes Fleischman; Walter and Christine Holmberg Freiberger ’59 MAT; Margaret ‘Dazzle’ Devoe Gidley; Jeanne and Tom Holmes; Dorothy Mancini Lafond; Carole and Jim McGuinness; Emmet and Hazel Kingsley Turley; John Worsley ’63 MAT; Judy and George Rollinson ’57; Mary Beth and Barrett Barnard ’58, ’70 MAT; Ann Thorndike ’58; Rebekah Hill Eckstein ’60; Ernest Evans ’72; Alana Thorpe-Bender ’91 PhD and Tom Bender, and Natalie Fuqua.

“Monday morning, more sunshine greeted the participants in the Commencement procession, with Homer Smith proceeding without assistance (and wearing his traditional beaver stove-pipe hat down College Hill for the 75th time). In due time, Homer was followed by the class of ’56 contingent. Carrying the 1956 banner were Dazzle Gidley, Tom Holmes, Jim McGuinness, and Hank Vandersip.”

From the July / August 2004 Issue

H. Boyd Cameron, of Osterville, Mass., writes that he would be glad to hear from anyone. He’s listed as H.B. in the Osterville phone book and can be found at 23B South St., Osterville 02655.

William Pringle writes: “Enjoyed reading about Florida, Vermont, and Delaware classmates in the March/April BAM. We have lived in Southern Pines, N.C., for about six years—a peaceful place except when the U.S. Open is played, multiplying the population. (The Open will be here again in 2005.) Our last trip abroad was to Brussels to visit our son. Dolores and I keep busy with volunteer work, helping second and fourth graders with their writing skills. I enjoy golf, but have learned that more play doesn''t automatically translate into lower scores.”

From the May / June 2004 Issue

Class president Hank Vandersip reports: “John Cutler, our 50th reunion cochair, was in town recently for a Brown Corporation meeting. We took advantage of his cross-country trip to have breakfast at the Hope Club, which is undergoing major renovations. John and Jiffy Morgan Massey are considering the club for our Friday night festivities.

“My wife, Phebe Phillips Vandersip ’98, and I will again be holding our annual Commencement mini-reunion at our home, 72 Seaview Ave., Cranston, R.I. 02905. We can be reached at (401) 467-8173 or heatroninc @earthlink.net. The party is held immediately following the Sunday memorial service, which ends approximately at noon. Our guests of honor will again be the early reunion classes, but all members of the Brown community who are in town for Commencement are welcome.

“Thanks to all those who contributed to our recent class dues drive in order to be in good financial shape for the 50th.”

Jack Nesbitt writes: “I retired to the heart of Dixie—Dothan, Ala. Family, religion, poverty, the good ol’ South! I love it.” Jack can be reached at 311 Highland St., Dothan, Ala. 36301; (334) 671-7775.

From the March / April 2004 Issue

John J. Hines writes: “This fall, Dick Sackett and his wife, Missey, toured Eastern Europe with Barry Blank and his wife, Peggy. At the same time, Caleb Boggs and his wife, Elizabeth, were in St. Petersburg, Russia, to celebrate its 300th anniversary and then went by riverboat to Moscow. Following these meanderings, Dick, Barry, Caleb, and I met to dissolve our functioning engineering enterprise, passing the torch to a new generation. Dick and his wife will now spend most of their time commuting between Naples, Fla., and Danby Four Corners, Vt., while Barry and his wife reside in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., enjoying its high culture and laid back lifestyle.” John reports that Caleb is essentially a full-time student at the Univ. of Delaware in Lewes, where he is taking the courses he intended to take while an undergraduate at Brown. John continues to live in Atlantic Beach, Fla., which has been his home for forty years. “We all hope to make it to the 50th reunion,” he says, “and wonder what happened to the intervening years.”

From the January / February 2004 Issue

Joel Davis (see Jon Davis ’89).

Phyllis Rannacher Dodson rented a house in Antigua, Guatemala, for the month of July. She and her daughter Holly, a professor of geology and oceanography, attended Spanish language classes at Escuela San Jose El Viejo. Phyllis was also in Central America in January 2003 on a study tour of the Mayas.

Joe Donahue had the opportunity to meet Charles Rushmore ’38, whom Joe discovered was a fraternity brother of his cousin David McGovern ’37. David gained notoriety as Rhode Island’s first World War II flying ace. He later became treasurer for the city of Providence. Charlie retired as medical director for Indiana Bell and resides with his wife, Mary, in Carmel, Ind.

Jim Lohr writes: “Pat and I attended the Princeton homecoming game. It was great to see teammates Dick Carolan ’58 and Jerry Haverty ’54, as well as fraternity brother Hugh Mainelli ’58. We visited with Joan Cronin, the widow of Bill “Crunch” Cronin, my DKE roommate and a three-sport letterman. We spent the next week on the Cape.” Jim can be reached at 523 Montpelier Ct., Fort Wright, Ky. 41011; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Frederick F. Trost writes: “My wife, Joan, and I have spent the last few winters near Brownsville, Tex.” He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the November / December 2003 Issue

Nancy Blacher Shuster writes that she published “12 Tips for Writing Your Memoirs” in the October Outreach Magazine. She enjoyed seeing many of her classmates at the luncheon at the Dunes Club on July 30.

Nancy Whitney Smith (see Maxwell Howell ’51).

From the November / December 2002 Issue

Nancy Blacher Shuster writes: " I just received notice that two articles I wrote will appear in the TIAA-CREF magazine, Outreach, in February. I will be teaching a writing workshop in Providence next October. My book, Hearing Loss, Winning Solutions, will be published in the fall."

From the September / October 2002 Issue

President Hank Vandersip writes: "The following alumni and spouses, spanning seventy-five years of Brown classes, attended the annual mini-reunion at our home on Sunday, May 26: Ruth Bugbee Lubrano '23 (as young and beautiful as ever); Homer Smith '29, '33 Ph.D.; Pat Hogan Shea '30, '35 A.M.; Byron Waterman '32 and his wife, Marion; John Waterman '49 and his wife, Elizabeth; Beatrice Wattman Miller '35; Francis T. Eddy '37; Lois Colinan Counihan '45; Mary Holburn '50; Jan Drake Box '51; Janice Swanson Post '53 and her husband, Arthur; Gene McGovern '53 and his wife, Kae; Nick Pliakas '53 and his wife, Sheila; Margaret Going Settipane '55; Hazel Kingsley Turley and her husband, Emmet; Christine Holmberg Freiberger '59 M.A.T. and her husband, Walter; Margaret 'Dazzle' Devoe Gidley; John Worsley '63 M.A.T.; Hank Vandersip; George Rollinson '57 and his wife, Judy; Charlotte Lowney Tomas '57, '65 A.M.; Ann Thorndike '58; Charlene Ingraham Underhill '59; Caryl-Ann Miller Nieforth '59 and her husband, Dexter; Joan Hoost McMaster '60; Sandy Chang '98; Phebe Vandersip '98 R.U.E.; and Phyllis Hudek '06 R.U.E. and her husband, Dean.

"Many thanks to the following classmates who contributed annual dues: Alan Atwood, James Berrier, Justin Biddle, Peggy Clute, Edward Damutz, Pauline Davis, David and Linda Kessler Fishman, Marjorie Jenckes Fleischmann, J. Robert Foley, Christine Holmberg Freiberger Ô59 M.A.T., Margaret 'Dazzle' Devoe Gidley, Carol Jordan Hamilton, Katherine Cashman Hower, Jerry Jerome, Judy Preston Kimball, Nancy Dawn Zarker Jones, Dorothy Mancini Lafond, Alan Levenson, Bruce Lovell, Jenifer 'Jiffy' Morgan Massey, David Merson, Inabeth Rabinowitz Miller, Ann Nelson '59 M.A.T., Mary Pett, Charles Sandler, Fred Trost, Hazel Kingsley Turley, Hank Vandersip, and John Worsley '63 M.A.T.

"On Commencement Monday, Phebe and I had just swung out onto George Street carrying the 1956 banner when we heard, ÔHey, Hank, wait up!' Sure enough, here came John McGinn and Tom Holmes, fresh from a white-water rafting expedition in Vermont. Five minutes later, more huffing and puffing announced the arrival of Dazzle Gidley, and down the hill we went."

From the July / August 2002 Issue

Mary Jane Mikuriya, of San Francisco, writes: "I am an active volunteer in U.S. Servas as a host, traveler, and board member. I also host for U.S. State Departmentгsponsored travelers for the International Diplomacy Council. Life in retirement is exciting." Mary can be reached at (415) 285-3427.

Nancy Blacher Shuster writes that she has published Hearing Loss, Some Solutions. She has been appointed professor emerita at the Community College of Rhode Island. She still teaches the Writing Workshop in Naples, Fla., and also teaches writing to Rhode Island seniors. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the May / June 2002 Issue

Class president Hank Vandersip reports: "Just a reminder that our class get-together during Commencement will resume again this year, following our 45th reunion last year. As usual, it will be held at our home by my wife, Phebe '98, and myself on Sunday, May 26, immediately following the alumni memorial service in Sayles Hall. For more information, feel free to call Phebe or myself at (401) 467-8173; (401) 785-8200; or (401) 785-8202 (fax)."

From the November / December 2000 Issue

Class secretary Margaret “Dazzle” Devoe Gidley reports: “Due to the death of John Peterson, we have new cochairs—Geneva Whitney and Art Love—for our 45th reunion to be held May 25–28. Save the date! We’d love volunteers to help make this the best reunion of all. If you have ideas or would like to be on the reunion committee, e-mail Geneva at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or Judy Kweskin Greenfield at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Judy has agreed to cochair and edit the class survey with a yet-unnamed alumnus. Please come forward. We need your help! Classmates should e-mail Judy about your comings and goings of the past forty-five years so we can put out a class survey booklet.”

George Caffrey writes: “On Aug. 21, 1999, my daughter, Siobhan, married David Monahan in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. A reception following the ceremony was held at Tavern on the Green in Central Park. Despite the misty day, the festivities were attended by Joe Bologna; Dick Harris; Pete Kohut ’55; Larry Corcoran ’55 and his wife, Donna Hanley Corcoran ’58; and Bud Brooks ’55, ’65 M.A.T. and his wife, Isabel. A fun time was had by all.”

John J. Hines writes: “There was cause for celebration at the Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 9. When Delta Kappa Epsilon brothers Dick Sackett, Barry Blank, and I reviewed the program for the seventh race we found a gift from the racing gods: one of the entries was Class of Fifty-Six. Class of Fifty-Six went off at very long odds, and while it did not win, it was in the money, finishing third. After the race everyone returned to Dick’s new, elegant summer home in the boondocks of Danbys Four Corners, Vt., for a few libations in memory of DKE brothers Breck Chapin ’55 and Reuben Patey.” John can be reached at 849 East Coast Dr., Atlantic Beach, Fla. 32233; (904) 241-2893; This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the September / October 2000 Issue

Class president Hank Vandersip reports: "Commencement has come and gone, but as usual the memories linger. My wife, Phebe ’98 R.U.E., and I were honored to be invited to the class of ’55 reunion (thanks, Margaret Going Settipane ’55). While we could not attend all events, we enjoyed immensely the class dinner at the beautiful home of Martha Sharpe Joukowsky ’58 and Art Joukowsky ’55. Before the dinner we had the honor of escorting Ruth Bugbee Lubrano ’23 and Pat Hogan Shea ’30 to the Brown Bear Buffet. After dinner we picked up Ruth and Pat, then dropped off Phebe, who, after a Clark Kent change of clothes, reported for Campus Dance duty with the Brown Rescue Unit, with which she is now a volunteer emergency medical technician.

"The usual mix of alums and friends attended Sunday’s mini-reunion: Bob and Marie Petrarca; Dazzle Devoe Gidley; Nicoletta Barbarito Alegi ’63 A.M.; Homer Smith ’29; Judy and George Rollinson ’57; Dottie Mancini Lafond; Walter and Christine Holmberg Freiberger ’56, ’59 M.A.T.; Bea Wattman Miller ’35; Dexter and Caryl-Ann Miller Nieforth ’59; Devara Abramson Poll ’42; Chelis Bursley Baukus ’42; Joan Wernig Sorensen ’72; Arthur and Janice Swanson Post ’53; Mary-Beth and Barret Barnard ’58, ’70 M.A.T.; Teresa Gagnon Malone ’39, ’62 A.M.; Pat Hogan Shea; Charlotte Lowney Tomas ’57, ’65 A.M.; Ed Wattman ’45; Ann Thorndike ’58; John Worsley ’56, ’63 M.A.T. and Ginny Hebert; Joan Fitzgerald Golrick ’47; and Tom Brady ’51. Sorry if we missed anyone; we’re sure some did not sign the guest book. Though the skies were threatening, the rain held off and once again we enjoyed our annual Brown day-on-the-bay.

"On Commencement morning Dazzle and I carried the class banner down College Hill while Phebe marched with the class of ’98. Commencement’s pageantry, of course, is legendary, but what I find inspiring year in and year out are the likes of Homer Smith ’29, marching for the seventy-first year and Chet Worthington ’23, marching for the seventy-seventh year!

"Kudos to the following classmates for sending in that old bugaboo — annual dues: John Worsley, Christine Holmberg Freiberger, Dottie Mancini Lafond, Jack Arovas, John Cutler, Donald Uhl, Bruce Abbott, Gilbert Pemberton, Theodore Zinn, William Dyer Jr., George Allgair, Gilbert Alexandre, Henry Baer, Joseph Bologna, Priscilla Strang Clute, Winifred Sibley Coleman, Edward Damutz, John Delhagen, Neil Dickerson, Thomas Doherty, Lewis Eigen, Christa Buhler Fagerberg, David Fishman, Linda Kessler Fishman, J. Robert Foley, Roger Hale, Carol Jordan Hamilton, Sheila Monaghan Harvey, Eveline Portnoy Hunt, Jerimiah Jerome, Phyllis Macchia Johnson, Nancy Zarker Jones, Alan Levenson, Elizabeth Morse Lucas, Leo Marcoux ’64 Sc.M., Jenifer Morgan Massey, David Merson, Ann Nelson ’59 M.A.T., Charles Sandler, Roberta Shakis, Sarah Holyoke Smith, Margery Fagan Tippie, Fred Trost, Dick Williams, Frank Yanni, and Lyman Gutterson. With the 45th reunion less than a year away, it is a big help to get the books in shape beforehand."

Bob Burnham (see Lyndon Burnham ’32).

Carl H. Seligson writes: "I recently retired as senior adviser to Andersen Consulting in New York City and began receiving both Social Security and a pension from Merrill Lynch, where I was an investment banker for sixteen years. This, plus the desire of my wife, Bonnie, to keep me out of the house after 7:30 a.m., has led me to join a start-up e-commerce firm, energyLeader.com, which will help utility companies start e-commerce ventures. I have opened a New York City office for this Washington, D.C.—based firm, and I continue to maintain my contacts of nearly forty years in the electric-utility industry. We are blessed with three daughters, all of whom are married, and a son, who is engaged to marry a doctor in November. We have three grandchildren, ranging in age from 7.5 years to 10 months (the baby lives just across town). We missed our 40th reunion due to a daughter’s wedding, so I’m particularly looking forward to our 45th. Gads — can it really be that long?"

From the May / June 2000 Issue

Margaret "Dazzle" Devoe Gidley reports: "I am busier than ever teaching at the Community College of Rhode Island. I also teach in my studio, accompany singers and instrumentalists in recitals and auditions, and accompany various choruses. I am president of the Rhode Island Federation of Music Clubs, and in general am trying to promote classical music. I urge classmates to join the boards of musical organizations and schools. Our audiences are shrinking.

"Geneva Whitney married Robert Courtright (Yale ’48), on Oct. 2 in a small church wedding in Wilton, Conn. Bob, a retired self-employed manufacturer’s representative, plays the oboe and English horn in several quintets and orchestras in Connecticut. Attending the wedding were Pat Okin Pace, Judith Preston Kimball, Nancy Zarker Jones, and Sally McCarthy Kolber. Geneva and Bob spend winters in Sarasota, Fla., and the rest of the year in Ridgefield, Conn.

"In August Barbara Perrino Piscuskas hosted a luncheon at her home in Sandwich, Mass., for Marjorie Jenckes Fleischmann, Judy Gagnon Davidson, Carol Jordan Hamilton, Dorothy Mancini Lafond, Marilyn Aneyci Stiles, Deena Brodsky Liffmann, Kay Cashman Hower, Anne Murphy O’Brien ’55, and me.

"Kay Cashman Hower’s daughter, Kathleen, who attended our last reunion, married Peter Munter on June 12, 1999, in Hawley, Pa. They now live in Sydney, Australia. Kay works full-time and travels between her homes in Teaneck, N.J., and Lakeville, Pa.

"Last summer Dotty Mancini Lafond and her husband, Dick, traveled to Hawaii and spent nine days visiting Oahu, Kauai, and Maui with their son, Richard, who lives in Maui. Next they visited their daughter, granddaughter, and great-grandson in Riverside, Calif. Does anyone else in the class have a great-grandchild?

"Marjorie Jenckes Fleischmann still happily works in the reference department at the North Kingstown (R.I.) Free Library. She spent a wonderful summer at the beach with family.

"Marilyn Aneyci Stiles retired from teaching first grade in Needham, Mass. She will divide her time between homes in Brookline, Mass., and Orleans, Mass. After a trip to France in September, Marilyn and Curt visited their four children and grandchildren at various spots in the United States.

"Deena Brodsky Liffmann retired in 1998 after twenty-nine years teaching science at Providence Hebrew Day School. She is a docent at the R.I.S.D. Museum, gives walking tours of the sculptures in downtown Providence, and gives tours of the history of Benefit Street and the John Brown House for the Rhode Island Historical Society.

"Judy Gagnon Davidson’s daughter, Anne, gave Judy her first grandchild, Allison Rose, in February. Judy and her husband, Mal, who has retired, have spent much of their time traveling to California to visit two of their sons in Claremont and San Luis Obispo."

Al Hakam (see Sue-Yin Goh ’92).

Dan Hardenbergh writes: "Mary Ann and I enjoyed our best-ever First Night in Boston with our five kids, their spouses/etc., and most of their eight children. It was a wonderful celebration and a thoughtful looking-ahead."

Jim Lohr, of Fort Wright, Ky., writes: "My wife, Pat, and I took the perfect trip to see the Brown-Cornell Homecoming game. We arrived a week early. The weather was gorgeous for our stay on Block Island and in Newport, R.I.; then we spent a rainy day in Boston, and a beautiful weekend in Providence. We said hello to Dave Zucconi ’55, who presented me with a Brown Key cap to wear to the game. We toured the campus, including the fabulous athletic complex, and thoroughly enjoyed the food and atmosphere of the new cosmopolitan city of Providence. On game day I had a great time seeing old teammates Dick Carolan ’58, Richie Crews ’58, Jim Coukos ’55, John O’Brien ’55, and Dave ‘Mr. Brown’ Zucconi. I also ran into the brother of the late Tommy ‘T.D.’ Thompson ’50, a football and hockey great. Post-game, we spent a delightful evening at the home of Gordon Perry ’55 in Barrington, then spent a wonderful afternoon with Joan Cronin, widow of Bill ‘Crunch’ Cronin, my fraternity roommate and a standout in baseball, hockey, and football, who earned nine varsity letters. My congratulations to the Bears’ historic Ivy League victory! My best to my friends and classmates. My daughter, Lece Lohr Albanese ’79, is a division manager for Limited Too in Columbus, Ohio."

Andy Martin (see Margaret Trostel Ayers ’87).

Charles Merritt (see Elizabeth Merritt ’89).

From the March / April 2000 Issue

John Robinson (see Chase Robinson ’85).

Dan Semel (see Jennifer Semel-Concepcion ’88).

From the January / February 2000 Issue

Class president Hank Vandersip reports: "The Leadership and Homecoming Weekend was held Oct. 1-3 with class secretary Dazzle Devoe Gidley and I in attendance. This was the first year that the association of class officers held its annual meeting during Homecoming rather than Commencement weekend, and the meeting was very well attended. The annual Nan Tracy '46 Award was presented to Caryl-Ann Miller Nieforth '59, a regular at the 1956 mini-reunions. Class of the Year Award went to the Pembroke class of 1937. After the breakfast meeting, Dazzle and I attended two very informative workshops. "Making Your Class Connection," chaired by Associate Director of Alumni Relations Paula DeBlois '89 R.U.E., highlighted the positive impact of computers in creating virtual reunions and Web sites. "Event Planning: What's Hot for the Millennium," led by Randy Sherman '75 and Jeanne Lee Cantrill '68, focused on their most successful and unsuccessful programming ideas. After lunch and a heartbreaking loss in the football game, it was time for the annual alumni recognition celebration. This is always a stellar event and a fitting climax to the weekend's festivities. One other item: on Sept. 26, my wife, Phebe '98 R.U.E., and I had the honor of attending the hundredth-birthday celebration of Jack Lubrano '24. Jack and his wife, Ruth Bugbee Lubrano '23, who are also regulars at the '56 mini-reunions, are living examples of the power of positive thinking and action."

William L. Demchak writes: "I met with my legendary four-year roommate, Zane Anderson, at center court at the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., last July. Since they wouldn't let us play tennis in football cleats, we regaled each other with the obvious lies we must tell to make our dreary lives seem more interesting. Zane claims to have been an architect, a professor, and a world traveler who just returned from Cuba. I claimed to be a weight-lifter, a published poet, and a religious zealot. Who knows? That we are still alive is the miracle!.

From the November / December 1999 Issue

Nancy Pollock Stavis (see Hyman L. Pollock '30).

Gretchen Gross Wheelwright married Louis Mayer Harris Jr. (University of Minnesota '57) in Minneapolis on June 26. Gretchen's daughter, Alice Wheelwright '81, was matron of honor. Bonnie Eckenbeck Cobb and her husband, Allen, as well as Lalla "Honey" Peterson Goodwillie and her husband, John, traveled from Texas for the occasion. Gretchen retired from public-school administration in California and has subsequently worked as an adjunct professor of educational administration for Troy State University on overseas military bases. Gretchen and Lou live in Minneapolis. She would love to hear from classmates at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the September / October 1999 Issue

Class president Hank Vandersip reports: "Brown's reputation for beautiful Commencement weather was fulfilled again this year, with blue skies and seventy- to eighty-degree temperatures dominating all four days. Mild weather certainly puts a positive spin on all reunion events, and the mini-reunion my wife, Phebe '98 R.U.E., and I hosted on Sunday afternoon was no exception. As usual, the guests were celebrating their 65th, 70th, and 75th reunions. However, even the 75th reunion class, represented by Jack Lubrano '24, was not the most senior. That honor went to the 76th reunion class, represented by annual attendees Ruth Bugbee Lubrano '23 (Jack's wife) and the indomitable Chet Worthington '23. Mathematics department manager Phyllis Hudek '03 R.U.E. represented the most junior class at the party. Many others attended the get-together, including Gus Anthony '26, Elizabeth Rose '29, Doris Seagrave Warren '29, Louis Miller '29, Ted Giddings '29, Homer Smith '29, Pat Hogan Shea '30, Maury Caito '34, Beatrice Wattman Miller '35, Chelis Bursley Baukus '42, Ed Wattman '45, Joan Fitzgerald Golrick '47, Mary Holburn '50, Janice Swanson Post '53, Mort Gilstein '55, George Caffrey, Margie Jenckes Fleischmann, Dorothy Mancini Lafond, Dazzle Devoe Gidley, Linda Kessler Fishman, David Fishman, George Rollinson '57, Charlotte Lowney Tomas '57, Ann Thorndike '58, Caryl-Ann Miller Nieforth '59, Joan Wernig Sorensen '72, Alana Thorpe '91 Ph.D., Sandy Chang '98, and Tracey Tebrow '98.

"Representing the faculty were Leonard and Barbara Lesko of Egyptology; Ted Morse of engineering; his wife, Edelgard, of chemistry; and Dean Hudek of physics. Peggy Lippka, Bob Petrarca, and I represented the Faculty Club. Including spouses, more than fifty people joined in the great afternoon. Dazzle and I carried the 1956 banner in the Commencement procession, as we do every year. We saw Homer Smith '29, who wound up on the front page of the Tuesday morning Providence Journal. Dressed in his class marshal finery, Homer was pictured walking up, not down, the hill. Homer's comment: 'I wanted to go for the whole ball of wax!' Kudos to all who sent in class dues."

The Association of Connecticut Library Boards named Joel Davis, of Westport, Conn., the 1998 Outstanding Trustee of the Year. Joel has presided over the Westport Public Library's governing body since 1997 and has been a trustee since 1992. During the library's recent capital campaign, Joel arranged a $1 million challenge grant to the library's expansion and renovation project. He is president of Architectural Designs and a partner of Davis/Herschbein & Associates, both in Westport. Joel is trustee emeritus at Brown and a former national chairman of the University Fund, as well as chairman of the Alumni Schools Committee.

John J. Hines writes: "One highlight of spring in Wilmington, Del., is the annual point-to-point races held at the Winterthur Museum at the beginning of May. This year J. Caleb Boggs participated as one of the gentlemen riders. Caleb was able to negotiate all the jumps without mishap to himself or his mount. Cheering him on were two of his fraternity brothers, Richard Sackett and me. After the meet I headed to Ireland with anoth- er fraternity brother, William D. Pringle, where, among other things, we planned to enjoy a pint or two of Ireland's finest at the pub owned by Trevor O'Driscoll '97 (see The Classes, Sept./Oct. 1998). It may be of note that neither Caleb, Richard, William, nor me were tattooed or otherwise physically marked while at Brown, notwithstanding Maureen Dowd's allegations to the contrary in a recent New York Times column about George W. and a school down the road in New Haven."

From the July / August 1999 Issue

Nancy Turner Bowers, Apopka, Fla., writes: "I have finally semiretired to the status of human-resources consultant. I now have time to travel, cruise, and spend more time with my four grandchildren."

Rudy King retired from the office-products industry and is moving from Madison, Wis., to Longboat Key, Fla., with his wife of forty-two years, Nancy. He looked forward to visiting Brown in May.

Pat Libby and Phil Lutes (see Jennifer Cooperman '82).

Louis Ray and his wife, Sandra, have returned from Sofia, Bulgaria, after volunteering one month with Top Management Advisors. Louis assisted the management consulting firm in preparing software for quality standards. He conducted the project under the auspices of the International Executive Service Corps. A retired project manager for Hughes Aircraft Co., Louis can be reached at 3133 Corinth Ave., Los Angeles 90066; (310) 391-5411.

From the May / June 1999 Issue

Class president Hank Vandersip reports: "Save the date! Sunday, May 30, right after the Hour with the President (10-11 a.m.), my wife, Phebe '98 R.U.E. and I will be resuming our annual reunion at our home (72 Seaview Ave., Cranston, R.I.) and hope to see as many of you as possible. We had to forgo this occasion last year because of Phebe's graduation schedule. Remember, this reunion also honors the graduates celebrating their 60th, 65th, and 70th reunions, so come on down and cheer them on! There are many other members of the Brown community who attend this event, so there's no telling who you might run into. Hope to see you there!" A shuttle bus will leave the Faunce House arch at 11:30 a.m. It will be marked "Vandersip Picnic" and is primarily intended for the 60th-, 65th-, and 70th-reunion classes.

Phyllis Stickell Lary has retired from public service work in employment and training, moved to Vermont, and gotten married. Phyl has six grandchildren, as does her new husband, Carleton Tatlock, a retired school administrator. Phyl and Carl live in Charlotte, a community of about 3,400 people. They recently visited Marilyn Beemus Buzzard and her husband, Jon, in Richmond, Va. Phyl writes, "Marilyn's work in nutrition analysis has been internationally recognized, and she's just as hard-working, funny, and generous as she was forty-six years ago when we first roomed together at Pembroke." An enthusiastic gardener, Phyl collects and sells antiques when she is not volunteering at the local newspaper. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

From the March / April 1999 Issue

Report from Class President Hank Vandersip: "Fred Trost and Dick Williams continued their tradition of mini-reunions at each other's homes with Dick and his wife, Joan, traveling this fall from Pennsylvania to the New York State home of Fred and his wife, Joan, for a several-day visit. Sometime in the New Year, Fred and Joan will do the driving, continuing a long-standing Brown friendship. Hank and his wife, Phebe '98 RUE, continued their own tradition of visiting Alan Atwood and Pauline Healey at their beautiful home on Nantucket during the Thanksgiving holidays. All these visits have one thing in common: the conversation always begins with some current matter but always ends with Brown!"

Polly Betts Seifert (see Stephen Smeulders '93).

From the January / February 1999 Issue

Dick Buck and Anne Wivel Buck '57, Wyndmoor, Pa., stayed at the Inn at Brown on their way to Cape Cod last summer. They were visited on the Cape by all six children and six grandchildren. Anne is president of their local heart association and Dick is president of their local historical society. Dick writes: "There is not enough time to do what has to be done!"

Joe Donahue's son, Rob (Northwestern '97), is the director of Northwestern's Chicago civic education project, a program that identifies and develops diverse Chicago high school students in the areas of community involvement, civic responsibility, and leadership.

Nancy Dawn Zarker Jones and husband Bill announce the birth of granddaughter, Sara Dawn Hanson, born to Jennie Jones Hanson '86 and Jeff on Sept. 17. The family, which includes a son, Christian, 31Ž2, lives near Los Angeles. Jennie's brother, Wes Jones '87, and wife Kim live in Chesapeake, Va., and have a son, Connor, and a daughter, Taylor.

Hank Vandersip, class president, writes: "Homecoming weekend proved to be a jam-packed series of events, which, when coupled with the absolutely perfect weather, resulted in a truly enjoyable experience. One of the Friday night events was an evening of jazz at Alumnae Hall, which my newly graduated wife, Phebe Vandersip '98, and I were unable to attend. Instead, we went to a dinner at the president's house celebrating fifty years of Egyptology at Brown, the only university in the country with a full-time department. President and Mrs. Gee are truly gracious hosts, and their newly refurbished home is beautiful. Saturday morning began with a pre-game brunch at Pizzitola Sports Center. Also attending was our class secretary, Dazzle Devoe Gidley, and the indefatigable Pat Hogan Shea '30. President Gee and members of the Watson Institute for International Studies presented a most interesting program, and then we all shuttled over to the stadium, where Brown beat Penn in the last four seconds of the game, resulting in what must have been one of the loudest cheers in Brown football history. The annual alumni recognition ceremony was held in the evening at Salomon Hall, where I was reunited with one of the award recipients, Ed Giberti '54. Ed and I, who were fraternity brothers, reminisced about 'old Brown.' After this, we agreed that we were just too tired to attend the Fall Dance, sponsored by the Key Society."

Richard Williams and his wife, Joan, spent four days visiting Fred Trost and his wife, Joan. Richard writes: "It was a fine visit that we are looking forward to repeat again."

From the November / December 1998 Issue

Class secretary Hank Vandersip reports: The July outdoor wedding of Dazzle Devoe Gidley's son, David, served as a mini-reunion for Deena Brodsky Liffman, Marjorie Jenckes Fleischmann, Judith Gagnon Davidson, and Vandersip. It was a beautiful setting at Beechwood, the former residence of the Astor family in Newport, R.I., overlooking the ocean. Classmates and spouses enjoyed themselves immensely and wish David and his bride the very best.

Judith Gagnon Davidson went on a six-week cross-country automobile trip with her husband, Malcolm. They visited twenty-eight states, including California, where they visited two of their sons living in Claremont and San Luis Obispo. Judy has been coordinator of visitor services at the Rhode Island School of Design museum for thirteen years.

Margie Jenckes Fleischmann works at the reference desk of the North Kingston (R.I.) Public Library and the Willett Free Library in Saunderstown, R.I. "Both jobs are challenging and fun," she writes. "One of my daughters will be moving to Rochester, Mich., for a year or so. Any alums near there?"

Dazzle Devoe Gidley, Providence, still teaches piano and accompanying singers and instrumentalists. She also sells Duncaster clothes and Mary Kaye products. Dazzle has just finished a two-year term as president of the Rhode Island Music Teachers Association and is now president of the R.I. Federation of Music Clubs.

Carol Jordan Hamilton, North Attleboro, Mass., recently traveled with her family to Beaver, Pa., to see Phil Hamilton's mother. "We returned home to a flooded basement, thanks to heavy rains," Carol writes. "We spent the rest of the summer beaching it and seeing friends."

Dorothy Mancini Lafond is a docent at the South County Museum in Narragansett, R.I. "We went to California in June for a granddaughter's graduation," she writes. "Then we went back to San Diego in August for a wedding and more visiting with our daughter, granddaughters, and great-grandson in Riverside."

Mitchell Leaska has published Granite and Rainbow: The Hidden Life of Virginia Woolf (Farrar, Straus and Giroux). He scrutinizes Woolf's memoirs, letters, and diaries, in addition to her novels and short stories, to uncover the "granite" of fact behind the "rainbow" of her writing. Mitchell is the author of numerous articles and books on Virginia Woolf, including A Passionate Apprentice, which was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. He is a professor of humanities at New York University.

Julie Petrarca enjoyed hosting the mini-reunion at her home in Wesguage, Narragansett, R.I., in August. She is still involved in commercial real estate with her two sisters in Warwick.

Barbara Perrino Piscuskas retired in June from the Lawrenceville, N.J., school where she has been library director since 1986. Her work upgrading their library services culminated in the opening of a new building in June 1996. Barbara now lives in Sandwich, Mass., and has taken a part-time position as a reference librarian at the Sandwich Public Library. She's glad to be back in New England and is keeping busy planning for a daughter's wedding in June 1999.

Martha Day Quinn, West Warwick, R.I., got reacquainted with classmates at Julie Patrarca's mini-reunion in August. Martha is keeping busy with her five children and six grandchildren.

Rita Albanese Simonette recently retired from the real estate business. She enjoys activities such as tennis, aerobics, piano, and visits with her five sons. Two are attorneys and another is a commercial banker in New York City; one is an architect in Boston, and the oldest, Anthony '82, is a doctor in Florida. "Visit me in Cranston, R.I., when you're in the area," Rita writes.

Mimi Winslow Smith still lives in Waccabuc, N.Y., where she enjoys golf, bridge, and her work at the library. She spends the summer in Charlestown, R.I. Mimi had a great time on her May trip to Tuscany, "even if we had to go with a University of Washington group," she writes. "The Brown group was full."

Hazel Kinglsey Turley is retired and lives in Jamestown, R.I., with her husband, Emmet, a retired engineer. They are now on year ten of their twenty-year plan to finish their house. They pray that they can begin year one of a new five-year plan and be around to see the house finished. Hazel is also busy working on two books. One is about the summer of 1958, when Hazel, a nurse on Nantucket Island, was involved in the identification of victims of the Northeast Airways crash. The other will be about the history of the Narragansett brewery in Cranston, R.I., which is scheduled for demolition. Anyone with stories or memorabilia should contact Hazel at (401) 423-0727.

From the September / October 1998 Issue

Hank Vandersip writes: "This was a special commencement for me. My wife, Phebe Phillips Vandersip (the class mascot of 1956), graduated from Brown with a degree in biology. It was quite a weekend. A party held in her honor at the Hope Club on Saturday night was attended by a host of friends, fellow students, professors, and alumni ranging from the class of 1923 (Chet Worthington and Ruth Bugbee Lubrano celebrating their 75th year out of Brown) to the class of 1998. The class of 1956 was represented by Dazzle Devoe Gidley, Geneva Whitney, Dottie Mancini Lafond, Christine Holmberg Freiberger, and myself. The tributes given to Phebe by those who knew firsthand what was required for her successful six-year journey through Brown were truly moving. I was extremely proud.On Monday, the class of 1956 held its annual march down the Hill, with

the class banner being proudly held by Dazzle Gidley, Geneva Whitney, myself, and Barry Gottehrer, whose son, Kevin '98, also graduated this year. One classmate who was greatly missed this year was our recently deceased reunion chair and former president, John Peterson. Our class certainly felt his presence, however. Judith Gagnon Davidson, Marjorie Jenckes Fleischmann, Carol Jordan Hamilton, Dorothy Mancini Lafond, and Barbara Perrino Piscuskas purchased a brick in memory of John for the brick walkway at the Maddock Alumni Center. Perhaps this could be the beginning of a tradition by the class of 1956 in memory of its departed classmates."

Dorothy Mancini Lafond is cochair of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Brown Alumnae Club of Kent County (R.I.). (See Eunice Bugbee Manchester '52 for more information.)

From the July / August 1998 Issue

Norman Cowen and Arnold Kritz had a mini-reunion in Cozumel, Mexico, in early January. Together they explored the Mayan ruins at Tulum. Norman writes: "Old reunion hats were the order of the day. Other activities included very competitive tennis tournaments, snorkeling, and reminiscing. Arnold continues as the chair of the physics department at Lehigh University because they just won't let him quit. I continue to reconstruct hands in the Washington, D.C., area. Many of my patients come from outside the United States, where they are unencumbered by managed care. I thank Ira Magaziner '69 for redirecting my patient population abroad."

From the May / June 1998 Issue

Frank C. Dorsey (see Sarah Dorsey '89).

Daniel K. Hardenbergh writes:"Our supported work program for individuals with disabilities at JVS-Boston is expanding into services for chronically mentally-ill people. Old psych majors never die! As most of our Brown friends from the class of '56 have moved south, we'd love to hear from any of you living in or visiting Boston. Mary Ann and I are in the Boston phone book, so look us up and give us a call."

From the May / June 1998 Issue

Frank C. Dorsey (see Sarah Dorsey '89).

Daniel K. Hardenbergh writes:"Our supported work program for individuals with disabilities at JVS-Boston is expanding into services for chronically mentally-ill people. Old psych majors never die! As most of our Brown friends from the class of '56 have moved south, we'd love to hear from any of you living in or visiting Boston. Mary Ann and I are in the Boston phone book, so look us up and give us a call."

From the March / April 1998 Issue

Several members of Pembroke '56, plus Ann Murphy O'Brien '55, had a luncheon reunion in August at the home of Barbara Perrino Piscuskas in Sandwich on Cape Cod. Those attending were Dazzle Devoe Gidley, Judy Gagnon Davidson, Margie Jenckes Fleischmann, Dorothy Mancini Lafond, Margie Jackson Chambers, Jeanne Maxwell Clark, and Julie Petrarca.

Barbara Piscuskas is director of the Bunn Library, a new 47,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art library at the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey. .

Julie Petrarca owns and manages a family real estate business.

Carol Jordon Hamilton has built a new house in North Attleboro, Mass., and invites everyone to visit.

Margie Jenckes Fleischmann loves her work as a reference librarian at the North Kingstown (R.I.) Free Public Library.

Judy Gagnon Davidson is coordinator of visitor services at the Rhode Island School of Design's museum.

Margie and Ken Chambers '55 are authorities on legal, medical, and estate planning for the elderly after handling the affairs of seven octogenarian relatives during the past ten years.

Jeanne Maxwell Clark, Scituate, Mass., has retired from nursing and is self-employed, selling vintage clothing and antiques.

Dotty Lafond and her husband, Richard, are retired and enjoy spending more time with their children and grandchildren.

Dazzle Devoe Gidley teaches piano privately and at the Community College of Rhode Island. She is president of the Rhode Island. Music Teachers Association and the Rhode Island Federation of Music Clubs. "Now that the NEA has cut its funding for the arts, I urge you all to support your local arts organizations." - Dazzle Devoe Gidley, secretary