Princeton University Class of 1969
End-of-Summer Summer Newsletter, 2018
The Charter Bus brought lots of pleasure to many of us during our undergraduate years and the participants have stayed in touch. Getting together and pictured here (photo, left) are Jackson Howe, Jim Waterbury, Russ Johnson, Terry Marsh ‘70, Ron Hockett, and John Hawkins. On a serious note, Ron's devoted stepdaughter, Alex Foley, reports that Ron is in line for a lung transplant. This requires the Hocketts to move to Durham, North Carolina and absorb all of the incremental expenses that move demands. Thoughtfully, Alex has established a gofundme account for those who wish to lend a hand. The link is https://www.gofundme.com/my-stepdad-needs-a-lung-transplant. Those who prefer to send a check can write the Hocketts at: 9204 Bonnie Briar Circle, Charlotte, North Carolina 28277. Ron, a wonderfully talented clarinetist, was the long-time director of the Marine Band.
However, before our 50th, here is a listing of those registered, seen or reported to have been at some or all parts of our 49th. If anyone was missed, harm me! Carolyn Jones-Assini and John Assini; Christy Wise and Bob Axelrod; Jay Bestmann; Marian and Dick Bott with Wendy Goldstein and BF Graham; Susan and Steve Boughn; Bonnie Post and Andy Brown; Ann Brophy and Jim Brown; Reba Beeson and Granville Burgess; Anne and Bill Charrier; Patti Swartz and Bob Durkee; Sam Fager; Hatti Hamlin and Jim Finefrock; Karen and Roger Fingerlin; Kathy and Tom Fleming; Jim Floyd; John Fox; Bruce Freeman; Judy and Chuck Freyer; Lor and Mike Gehret; Jane and Jim Gregoire; John Hanks; Paul Hanle; Marie and Bill Hardy; Leigh and Dan Harman; Brent Henry; George Hritz; Marilyn and Chip Jerry; Lindsay and Eric Johnson; Chris and Rick Kitto; Seva and Peter Kramer; Marcy and Niel Lewis; Allen Liu; Bruce MacDonald; Joe Marshall; Maureen and Jeff Marston; Susan Anable and John McCarthy; Pinky and Clay McEldowney; Angenette and Bob Meaney; Ken Mertz and daughter Stephanie Pollack and husband Ryan and two children and son Andrew and wife Abbey and their child); Chris Meyer; Cathy and Chris Milton; Josefa Rodriguez and Bill Pape; Geoff Peterson; Jeannette and Al Piranian; Marilyn Luber and Bob Raymar; Stephanie Judson and Sandy Rea; Melissa Etlin and Sheldon Reaven; Nell Whiting and Rich Rein; Derek Savage; Jeri and Scott Schaefer, Lou and X Shannon; Kathleen Hursh and Jim Shuey; Betsy and Paul Sittenfeld; Martha and Jeff Sprowles; Marybeth and Brooke Stoddard; Trudy and Gary Sykes; Jean and Tom Weidner; Barbara and Bob Wolfe.
Simply wonderful is the most apt description of Bruce Freeman as he led our 49th iteration of Annual Giving with great success. With 55.7% of all undergraduate alumni participating, an amazing record for any school, our Class hit a level of 57.5% and a total of $247,859. Our participation increased this past year, our dollar total was up 9%, and momentum is in place for a spectacular 50th.
The early June meeting of the Board of PICS was chaired by President Chuck Freyer with great assistance in every way from Executive Director Jeri Schaefer. Highlights included warm memories of Warren Philo Elmer whose leadership in the early PICS years was so meaningful. Elected as new term trustees are Bob Andre and Steve Houck. The Board continues to expand with representation from other classes as the good word spreads and the importance magnifies. Thanked for their years of service and elected as Trustees Emeritus were Sandy Rea, Hayden Smith, and Jeff Marston. Summer activities included Steve Houck hosting a New York gathering featuring speaker Magistrate Judge Cheryl Pollak '75* and a barbecue for those in Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia who were welcomed to the farm of Stephanie Judson and Sandy Rea. Stephanie and Sandy welcomed their second grandchild, grandson Ryder Elliot Amstutz, son of daughter Elizabeth and her husband Dan, in May.
Another Pennsylvania destination is at the Penn State Palmer Museum of Art in University Park. The Museum is currently highlighting the retrospective of Dan Massad's work which will be on view through December 9th. The Museum is also publishing a book tracking Dan's work history which will be distributed by Penn State Press titled "A Small Radius of Light." The Museum has also commissioned Dan's life partner Scott Eggert to do a piece commemorating the 100th anniversary of the World War 1 armistice. That performance is slated for November 11th just steps away from the Museum.
Since none of us any longer qualifies as things of beauty, let’s enjoy the Spruce Head, Maine garden extraordinaire of Rick Belding’s wife Lucy. The iris and lupines are stunning (photo, right).
Significant writings from members of our Class family. Joann Barkan and Jon Friedman enjoyed the summer in Truro, Massachusetts. Jon has completed a portrait of Janet Yellen for the Fed. Joann's piece in the Washington Post addressed "Death By 1,000 Cuts: The Story Of Privatizing Public Education in the USA". Anyone wanting the text of this very thoughtful piece should email me a request.
Another great op-ed piece is Rich Rein’s “Sober Reflections on Princeton Alumni Panels” from his newspaper U.S. 1. Also available to be shared upon request.
Alex Sanger not only thinks about issues but also addresses them. While continuing to serve as International Planned Parenthood Council chair, Alex is a trustee of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, which makes grants to women in the arts as well as addressing issues of women's health and disadvantaged children. He has expressed great concern about the lack of attention paid to distinguished female composers throughout history and up to the present.
Another essay, this by Chris Thomforde is titled “A Commitment to Resistance” which he articulates with great caring and concern as he reflects on the world around us. Again, happy to email a copy of it. Chris will be the homilist at our 50th Memorial Service. Also participating in the service will be Jeff von Arx, S.J. He is currently the superior and director of the John LaFarge Jesuit House of Studies in Cambridge, a center for Jesuits doing graduate work in the Boston area. In a signal honor, he has been named Boston College’s Thomas I. Gasson S.J. Professor for the academic year 2018-2019. This is the oldest endowed professorship at the College.
Granville Burgess continues to make all kinds of exciting things happen. The first book of his trilogy, Stone in the Crick has been followed by the just-published Fork in the Crick, both from Chickadee Prince Books. The novels are set among the Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with Rebecca Zook as the protagonist. The volumes address: "the conflict she faces between the peaceful life in which she grew up, and her yearnings to experience life in the wider world." Meanwhile, Granville's Conrack was part of Piccolo Spoleto Festival this spring in Charleston, South Carolina, and played to standing room only and standing ovation audiences.
The big focus, hopefully for ALL of us, is being together for our 50th. Marian and Dick Bott hosted a warm-up gathering in late May at their Manhattan digs to gather some classmates. Bob Durkee spoke to those assembled with an update on University happenings.
Fortuitous coming together words from Jim Kuzmick, who reports "a coincidence that signals a one-year lead into the 50th." He and Judy took a Smithsonian Institution tour in Maryland and, as they boarded the bus in D.C., they were introduced to their guide: none other than Hayden Matthews. The guys had not seen each other since graduation, but found their paths nearly crossed several times during their years working on acquisition programming for the U.S. Navy. Hayden retired from his Navy work in 2005, and now spends time leading a wide variety of tours. The best news is that both Hayden and Jim and their wives are looking forward to attending the 50th.
These epistles leave us short of news. Please send words to share.
Best wishes to all…
