Banner: The Fifties

Photo: Ned Shenton '54 NEWSMAKERS
Jack Alex '50 is a member of the Visiting Committee of the University of Chicago Law School. . . . David Harvey '53, Jean Pratt Moody '56 and John Ziegler '56 were Colby's representatives to the inaugurations of new presidents at Mitchell College, St. Joseph's College and Kenyon College, respectively. . . . Robert B. Parker '54 was keynote speaker at the Fourth Annual Newport Writers Conference. . . . Chief photographer of the Ice Core Project Ned Shenton '54 has edited a film documentary titled "The Ice Core Time Machine." The project extricated the longest and oldest ice core in the Northern Hemisphere from a glacier in Greenland. . . . C. Freeman Sleeper '54 has been appointed a research fellow at the Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va. . . . Lee Fernandez '55 was elected member of the year by The Theatre Historical Society, a Chicago-based preservation group. Fernandez is a 15-year veteran volunteer at Boston's 1928 Keith Memorial Theatre. . . . Sid Farr '55 was elected to the Waterville Area Boys & Girls Club Inspirational Hall of Fame.

MILEPOSTS
Marriages: Marian Woodsome Ludwig '58 to Wolfe E. Springer in Falmouth, Mass.

Deaths: John J. Miles '50 in Wirtz, Va., at 68. . . . Robert A. Stander '50 in Lafayette, La., at 67. . . . Annalee Nelson Bohjalian '51 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., at 65. . . . Robert F. Staples '51 in Amherst, N.H., at 69. . . . Robert M. Harris '53 in Asbury Park, N.J., at 77. . . . Harold A. Leathe '53 in Danvers, Mass., at 66. . . . Gilbert B. Sewell '53 in Prescott, Ariz., at 64.



The great time we had at our June reunion seems to have spurred on more get-togethers! Gloria Gordon Goldman entertained a group while Barbara Starr Wolf was visiting in the area. Connie Leonard Hayes, Mary Lou Kilkenny Borah, Joan Foster Barndt '51 and I drove down to New Hampshire. Charlotte Crandall Graves and Priscilla Tracey Tanguay also attended. Barbara entertained us with tales of her life in South America, and we all exchanged pictures taken at the reunion as well as some taken back at Colby in our student days. . . . Bill and Elisabeth "Dudie" Jennings Maley spent a weekend with us last fall. They and their two sons, both Colby grads, are running the family business. We also saw Patricia Root Wheeler, who didn't get to the June reunion. Her granddaughter was valedictorian of her high school class, and Patty wanted to attend the graduation. She still teaches at her nursery school in Jaffrey, N.H., but plans to retire from serving on the school board after 12 years. Patty has six children and 21 grandchildren--surely a class record! . . . Another "mini-reunion" took place at the Shaker Village in Canterbury, N.H. Charles '49 and Virginia Davis Pearce, Mary Lou Kilkenny Borah, Richard T. Borah, Jean Chickering Nardozzi, Jim and Charlotte Crandall Graves and Bob and Dale Avery Benson joined for a nice luncheon. Dale was on her annual trip north from Virginia Beach, Va., visiting friends and relatives. . . . I haven't received any questionnaires yet, so I haven't much news of the rest of the class. We want to hear from you--especially those of you who weren't at the reunion.
Correspondent: Virginia Davis Pearce

This column is based on a new questionnaire with only two questions: 1) highlights of your life since graduation from Colby? and 2) what new things do you dream of doing in the future? . . . Highlights for John Linscott, Annandale, Va., include running in 19 Boston Marathons; being a working jazz musician; biking solo 1,500 miles through Holland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. His hope now is to run his 20th Boston Marathon in 1996. . . . Marie Donovan Kent, Canton, Mass., a nurse at Norwood Hospital, has three highlights--her three sons. And, she adds, "I am so proud of them." . . . David Miller, Plainview, N.Y., is on the executive board, Heidewij Environmental Service. He treasures "actually making a living as a geologist." His dream is to survive to attend our 50th class reunion. . . . Oscar Rosen, Salem, Mass., wrote that since 1990 he has been the national commander of the National Association of Atomic Veterans, a nonprofit, charitable, educational organization that seeks to obtain adequate compensation and medical care from the Veterans Administration for veterans who were exposed to radiation while in the service, especially during the atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons from 1945 to 1963. He also has been editing the quarterly Atomic Veteran Newsletter since 1990 and has turned out more than 20 issues. Some of you may recall that he used to write a weekly column, "Yogi Speaks," for The Colby Echo. While at the University of Wisconsin he wrote music reviews for the Wisconsin Daily Cardinal and also began to take voice lessons and music courses while studying history because he really wanted to become an opera singer. He decided to stay with history but sang opera leads with an amateur group in Berkeley and musicals with another in San Francisco until 1964. He says he still sings in the shower, is in pretty good shape at the youthful age of 73 and has recently resumed taking tae kwon do. Much of the inspiration for what he is doing now, he says, is the result of his three years at Colby when Julius Seelye Bixler was president. . . . Deborah Smith Meigs, Danville, N.H., retired after 31 years as town librarian. She lists highlights such as serving for 10 years with the fire department, serving as captain and being the first female certified firefighter in New Hampshire. The family genealogy she has worked on for years has been published, and now she would like to go to England and Scotland to visit birthplaces and do more research. . . . Mark Mordecai, Newton Highlands, Mass., gives his occupation as small goods manufacturer, tennis teacher and skiing teacher. Now he wants to "break 80." . . . Shirley Raynor Ingraham, Clearwater, Fla., has been working with Latchkey Services for Children, Inc. Highlights of her life are the honor awarded her son for putting Colby's endowment information on computer. Her trip to see the Bach Tower in Winter Haven, Fla., was "worth the lifelong dream." Now she dreams of being a great organist, traveling world wide and playing "not only Bach but boogie." With her income from this dream she would establish superior child development centers. . . . Guy McIntosh, Tempe, Ariz., has retired from the Department of Indian Affairs. Highlights of his life since graduation from Colby are the mapping of the United States and Equatorial Africa, working with the Hopi and Apache Indians for 25 years and owning a dude ranch in Colorado. What Guy wants to do now is to travel to Asia and South Africa. . . . J. Edward Martin wrote on his questionnaire that he was a physician and in the antiques and art business. Ed's wife slipped a newspaper article about Ed into the envelope with his questionnaire. From this I learned that Ed has had a family practice for 35 years in his hometown of Rumford, Maine, that he has delivered over 2,500 babies and that three of his children have become physicians. In the article Ed quotes Lou Gehrig who once said, "I think I am the luckiest guy in the world." . . . BJW says acknowledge your highlights, dream of your future, share yourself with your classmates and come to reunion!
Correspondent: Barbara Jefferson Walker

Very recently it was brought home to me that 1995 is the year when many of us reach our seniority: retirement, Medicare, senior discounts, children who are in their 40s (wasn't that just us?). Nevertheless, my mail indicates that the Class of '52 isn't paying much attention to all that! As Carol Leonard wrote from Dover, N.H., "Retirement is wonderful, but I wonder when I ever found time to work." She plays tournament bridge, volunteers as a trustee for a retirement home for the elderly, gardens, cans and freezes and has taken on a new French poodle puppy. . . . Georgia "Betsy" Fisher Kearney sent a letter from Alabama just as she was about to leave for China as a delegate to the International Conference on Women. Betsy has been active for decades in Planned Parenthood and thereby in women's issues. . . . George "Lum" Lebherz travels daily in his capacity as a Massachusetts district judge. He, like many of us, has taken up golf. . . . Many of our number also are building new homes, as we may have done some 30 years ago. Some are fulfilling lifelong dreams of living on the ocean. Bob '51 and Nancy Weare Merriman are in Rye, N.H. Dick and Bev Baker Verrengia have settled in Rockport, Mass. Jim and Janice Vaughan Crump are on the Gulf of Mexico. Dave Morse and wife Joan are in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, where Dave says that he and Joan are active on arts foundation boards. He has started a writer's group about to render a reading of their work.
Correspondent: Edna Miller Mordecai

Dave Harvey is now retired dean of the college emeritus, Mitchell College. He and his wife, Joan (Chandler '55), are enjoying retirement, spending winters in Florida and summers in New Haven, Conn. Dave says they recently climbed in the Grand Canyon.They have three children and two grandsons. Dave does counseling; in fact, just finished as president of the Connecticut Counseling Association. . . . Al Hibbert is also retired, so he golfs every day now. Two of his sons work for the state of Illinois, another son is in the electrical business, and his daughter is a school teacher. Al and his wife returned to New England in May when Al was inducted into his high school sports hall of fame. While there he was reunited with fellow players and coaches who had not seen one another for 45 years. They visited Priscilla Eaton Billington and husband Ray '54. From Somerset they set off for Maine to visit Dot (Forsler '54) and Roger Olson, who had just built a new house in the Monson-Moosehead Lake area, then saw Martha (DeWolf '55) and Phil Hussey, who had just returned from Greece and were repacking to go to China. . . . George '52 and Betty Winkler Laffey enjoy the best of both retirement worlds, spending six months in Chatham on Cape Cod and the remaining six months in Vero Beach, Fla. They recently welcomed their fourth grandchild. . . . John Lee is now a contract tour guide in the Washington, D.C, area. He recently attended the dedication of the Korean War Memorial and now likes tour-guiding veterans and families to it. He also keeps busy teaching part time at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond; and the reserve offers him more activities. John's daughter recently moved to Madrid, Spain, so now he has his own bed-and-breakfast when he has the time and extra money to fly there. John says anyone in the Washington, D.C., area should contact him for expert tour guiding. . . . Bruce McRoy sent a note from North Carolina, saying that he plans to retire by the end of May 1996. His wife, Sandra (Sivert '55), is now a retired third grade teacher. He and Sandra spent a week in Switzerland last May and a week in Chatanooga, Tenn., in June, attending Virginia Tech's annual Civil War seminar. . . . Mike Wechsler Pressman has developed an integrated program of English, humanities and social studies, which she has presented all over the state of New York. On the strength of it, she received several awards and an NEH fellowship to study Mozart in Vienna and was to receive a New York State Teacher of Excellence Award. Mike and her husband love to travel. In 1995 they went to Vienna, Prague and Bratislava and then on to Hawaii. Mike says she is not ready to retire. . . . Art Klein, however, is very happily retired. Art's wife, Marianna, sent him to cooking school as soon as he retired; now he too makes the kitchen his space. They spent a week in Bermuda with his Colby roommate, Roger Huebsch, and he is still very much involved with the N.Y.C. Colby Club. He has twin daughters, both married, and three grandchildren. . . . Ted Lallier lives just 20 minutes from me, and I always pass his office just around the corner from my daughter's home in Amesbury. Both he and his wife keep busy in the business of law. They enjoy their winter trips to the Virgin Islands and summer relaxation in their second home in New Hampshire. . . . I heard from Sally Mathews MacLean, who added that she did some traveling in the South, then headed west to Monterey, Calif., to attend a seminar. She still keeps her hand in counseling and does not anticipate retirement soon. . . . I wrote a note to Craig Bell months ago, and when he answered he promptly let me know he was known as "Pete" at Colby. He said he was an executive director of information services with the National Exchange Carrier Association until his retirement in 1990. Pete says he comes to my neighborhood every May to march with the American Legion Post in the Memorial Day Parade. We hope to get together then. . . . I received news of Folkert Belzer's death recently. He had sent me a nice note about his family a while back but never mentioned the many contributions he had made to the field of transplant surgery. He received many awards for his work. . . . I received so many letters and post cards that if you do not see your news in this issue, it will appear next time.
Correspondent: Barbara Easterbrooks Mailey

There is actually a hint of fall in the California air. The pumpkins are on the doorsteps and an occasional tree has leaves that are turning red, orange and yellow. Not exactly the beauty of a New England October, but we try to pretend. . . . Beverly Barrett Nichols writes from La Mesa, Calif., where she and her husband, Robert, a former professor at SUNY-Buffalo, are "happily retired." They have six children (her four and his two) and a total of 12 grandchildren. She writes, "We decided after living in Buffalo for 30 years or more that we deserved the very best climate we could find. We love San Diego." Bev's son, Bob Templeton Jr., is an attorney in the area. Her other kids are in Albuquerque, N.M. Bev sees Judy Thompson Lowe and her husband about once a year. They were planning to meet in San Francisco in early September, following the Lowes's trip to Hawaii. . . . According to Dot Forster Olson and her husband Roger '53, "retirement is wonderful." She retired last year as district office manager/teacher for H&R Block, and Roger retired 12 years ago. Their three children are all on their own. She said, "We live half a year in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., play lots of tennis, summer in Maine at a new cottage on Lake Hebron and play lots of golf." Sounds like the best of both worlds to me! They visited with Pat and Al Hibbert '53 and Marilyn and Ed Fraktman '53 while in Maine. . . . Dick Noonan, retired USAF, and his wife, Ann (Burger '53), are living in Colorado Springs, Colo. They have five daughters, one son and six grandchildren. Number seven was due in November, and Dick and Ann planned to travel to Seattle for Christmas to meet the new baby. Dick recently has seen Charlie Windhorst and Bob Hudson. . . . Philip Reiner-Deutsch is an Amtrak travel clerk in Los Angeles, "still working in customer services office at L.A. Union Station," he writes, "primarily coordinating motor coach dispatching and arrivals from Bakersfield or Santa Barbara." . . . Thanks for all the news, and keep it coming!
Correspondent: Bill and Penny Thresher Edson

Retirement seems to be a recurring theme for us. Pat Levine Levy says she plans to continue working as a claims person until 1997. Husband Sevy Levy '53 is a respiratory therapist. They frequently see Paul '53 and Estelle Jacobson Ostrove. . . . Many of you remember Anne McGowan Kubic, who lives in Charlestown, W.Va. She writes of her husband (now retired from the U.S. State Department) and six children. Anne left Colby after her sophomore year to attend Columbia's nursing school. She, too, has retired but volunteers for Hospice and raises sheep! As a non-grad, she wonders if she's been long-forgotten by her classmates--not so, I have reassured her. It was great to have her questionnaire. . . . Hugh MacDonald writes proudly of his and Lillian's four children. Hugh is in Brockton, Mass., and is an institutional food service supervisor at a long-term care facility. Model railroading, photography and gardening will occupy more of his time if retirement begins next year. . . . Beverly Mosettig Levesque, Springfield, Va., writes of the memorable experience she and husband Paul (a U.S. government retiree) had at our 40th reunion. She remarks that Paul was impressed by the organization of the event and by the camaraderie and school spirit. She says he'll easily be convinced to return. . . . Moving to Marlborough, N.H., in early '96 is in the plan for retirees John and Dot Dunn Northcott. Their son Evan was in the Class of 1982, and Dot was in Maine this summer visiting Kathy Flynn Carrigan in Rockland. It was a long drive when Dot decided to avoid Freeport traffic and went "around." . . . If you were in Manhattan's Union Square Park one fine summer day after reunion, you might have seen Don Hoaglund playing his pocket trumpet in an impromptu Dixieland jazz gig. From Maine to New York to California and Costa Rica, Don continues to travel, sometimes writing travel commentaries for local newspapers. . . . Pete Parsons continues to enjoy working with students both as a professor at Holy Cross and at a "young people's" camp summers. Like many of us, his travels include visits to children and grandchildren in Arizona and California. He writes, "Life is great with many opportunities, many responsibilities." . . . Judy Holtz Levow used her interior design talents in decorating an 1858 showhouse in Belmont. She praised the cooperation of Hugh Gourley and Lee Fernandez for the loan of several Winslow Homer's (part of Lee's donation to the College) for the library she decorated in the showhouse. . . . Chick Marchand has been mayor of Somerset for 35 years.
Correspondent: Jane Millett Dornish

It is the first cold morning of the fall season, and the day is Halloween eve. June is closer than we think, and it is time to really put some dates down on the calendar for reunion. I hope you have already done so, but in case not, here they are again: June 5-7 Samoset, June 7-9 Colby. Class President Jean Pratt Moody writes that "Plans for the BIG EVENT are progressing well." Jean also has sent me news of Mary Ann Papalia Laccabue. Mary Ann's third grandchild, Michela Anne Laccabue, arrived last September in Dallas, Texas. Mary Ann retired from teaching in June 1995 and is enjoying retirement. She and her husband, Ron, and daughter Andrea toured southern Italy and Greece late in September and early October. . . . Now I don't want you to think I have a one-track mind, but reunion 35 was so great that I am counting the days to our 40th and am enclosing the names of those attending or planning to at this time in the fall. Definitely coming: Richard Abedon, Hugh Anderson, Grace Mainero Andrea, Hope Palmer Bramhall, Jane Collins, Katherine Coon Dunlop, Lucy Blainey Groening, Nori Edmunds Grout, Bill Haggett, Barbara Preston Hayes, Frank Huntress, Martha Meyer Kugler, Don Kupersmith, Mary Ann Papalia Laccabue, Peter Lunder, John and Joan Williams Marshall, Janet Nordgren Meryweather, Shirley Verga Montini-Turiansky, Jean Pratt Moody, Larry Pugh, Robert Raymond, Don Rice, Charlene Roberts Riordan, Liz Russell Collins, Charlotte Wood Scully, David and Rosie Crouthamel Sortor, Dave Van Allen, Kathleen Vogt, Harry and Lynn Brooks Wey, Sue Veghte Wilson, Bill Wyman, Kathy McConaughy Zambello, John Ziegler and Judy Pennock Lilley. Hoping to come: Charles Brown, Joanna McCurdy Brunso, Bob Erb, Sue Miller Hunt, Carolyn Graves Nelson, Karin Slavin Reath, Charles Rice, Ann Stiegler Richards, Ron Sandborg and Gerald Silverstein. . . .  Had a nice chat with Hope Palmer Bramhall, who is on the reunion committee, and there will be something fun planned for sure. Hope and Peter are just back from a barge trip in France. For her 60th birthday she took an Outward Bound eight-day sailing course. Hope was one of two gals in their 60s; the rest of the crew were in their 30s and 40s. Hope's interests are certainly varied. She told me she also manages the Colonial Dames Tate House in Portland, the oldest house and museum run by volunteers. . . . Bob and Dodi Aikman Adel write that they are sorry they will not be able to attend the 40th reunion because they will be on a "Grand Alaska" trip with Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. She said, "The Samoset was lovely the last time and we are pleased you are offering it again." They report that they have been traveling a lot, doing birding festivals and enjoying retirement. Their family is fine--and they are the proud great-grandparents of two. . . . Hope to see many of you at reunion. I still need news, so let me hear from you. Till next time.
Correspondent: Eleanor Edmunds Grout

I've used all the letters I received as a result of my somewhat personalized letter of August 1994, and if some of you still haven't seen yourselves in this column, I think this issue of Colby will remedy that. By now you must have received the new questionnaire. If you respond, I should have enough raw material for another year's worth of columns. Even if you feel you just answered me, humor me and keep me up to date! . . . Tom LaVigne runs LaVigne Press in Worcester, Mass. His wife, Edith, is a homemaker, and they are busy keeping up with daughters' graduations: in May 1995 all three girls received degrees on the same day, one from Colby, one a master's from U of Maryland and a third an M.B.A. from the Johnson School at Cornell. Their son, Rob, was also married in that month. . . . Gail and Robert Hesse are now retirees living in Centerville, Mass. All three sons have graduated from college, one from Colby, one from Bates and one from Washington & Lee. Although "retired," he now finds time to spend with a granddaughter and with Rotary as well as to read (something he has threatened to do since Colby). Bob credits fraternity life at Colby with instilling in him a sense of community that carried over into his involvement with Rotary. . . . Another retiree is Lois Macomber, who does not miss her work with taxes and insurance and instead has expanded her activities at her hostel, overseas travel (Norway from "tip to toe") and volunteerism. . . . One of my best correspondents is John Edes, who lives in Smithfield, R.I., with his wife, Valerie. John is a registered representative for the National Association of Securities Dealers. Since last being in touch, John has a new grandson and new dog. In response to "gaining or losing these days," John replied, "Losing--weight. Strict diet so I can look younger at the 40th reunion." He credits Colby with giving him self-motivation and self-reliance as the result of a knee injury that ruined his senior year athletically. From that experience John realized he would probably have many other obstacles to face and overcome. Colby taught him to be a "survivor." . . . Caroline Hall Hui has been out in Sunnyvale, Calif., for a long time (I last visited her there in 1977) and is an adult education teacher. Her husband, David, is a program manager for Argo Systems. She doesn't consider herself retired, just "puttering." She teaches needlepoint, cross stitch and knitting and feels guilty being paid for doing something she loves. Daughter Kim, a high school senior, is interested in pursuing a career as a ballet dancer and is currently looking at schools. . . . Peter Doran is a professor of health education at the University of Maine-Farmington, and his wife, Lois, is a homemaker as well as the Belgrade town health officer. Last year she received an award for outstanding health service. . . . Connie Rockwell Ward and her husband, Warren, live in Portsmouth, N.H., and have three grown children and four small grandchildren. She is a bookkeeper/ secretary, and Warren is retired. Most of their time now is spent overseeing the building of their new home. . . . That's all, folks. Please do take a few minutes to get to that questionnaire. If the specific questions bother you, don't feel obligated to answer them; just the bare facts will do. I'd like to hear from you. This column would be blank if you didn't answer, so I depend on you. I hope 1996 is a happy and healthy year for all.
Correspondent: Margaret Smith Henry

Wish I could pass along every word of the wonderful responses I received from this fifth of our class, but since that's impossible I'll do my best to consolidate. (Remainder of the class: please take note and try to be equally responsive for our next column!) . . . Insurance account manager Paul LaVerdiere still enjoys those wonderful Maine lobsters and says he's getting younger by the day. Could there be a connection, new-grampa Paul? . . . Floridian Pete Lockwood is executive director of New Beginnings, a junior high renewal program sponsored by the Episcopal Church. Earlier this year Pete returned to Maine for the first statewide New Beginnings weekend. . . . Aaron and Cyndy Crockett Mendelson are fixing up their new home in Longmeadow, Mass., while Cyndy continues to represent The Apple Basket clothing collection and substitute teaches at a middle school. . . . Bruce Montgomery has relocated to Colorado after retiring from Ford Motor. Bruce and Tricia are enjoying their two daughters who live in Colorado, but a time-share in Ogunquit permits an annual return to Maine. . . . Lloyd Cohen keeps in touch with several Colby alums and, with his family, paid a recent unannounced visit to our beloved campus. Imagine his surprise when he spotted "Lloyd Road" just opposite First Rangeway! . . . Mary Ranlett Mossman and husband Philip have made many trips away from Maine. They have children (and grandchildren) in Florida, Connecticut and France. . . . Wendy (Ihlstrom '61) and Bob Nielsen work together at Nielsen and Wigder, their insurance brokerage. Bob says his hair is getting gray; I can identify with that! . . . Bachelor Bob Keltie is a consultant to small businesses and an adjunct instructor at Florida Atlantic University. He still plays ice hockey (impressive!) and referees four or five games weekly. . . . Jim Plunkett has completed 31 years in Peru, where he has traveled through the Andes by VW, owned a small hotel, founded a donut shop chain and directed an overseas program similar to SCORE. Now he's general manager of the American Chamber of Commerce of Peru, a paying job with an organization for which he formerly volunteered. Three of his four children are in the United States while his lawyer daughter remains in Peru. Thanks for a great letter, Jim! . . . My calligraphy business continues to be active, and my chorus is preparing for its annual series of Messiah concerts in New Jersey and at Carnegie Hall. Our daughter Beth, a recent Colgate graduate, sings with the chorus also as well as playing violin in a local amateur (excellent) symphony orchestra. . . . If you haven't written to me recently, how about a contribution for our next column? All good wishes for a happy and healthy '96.
Correspondent: Anne Marie Seagrave Lieber



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