ALUMNI PROFILES
Dorothy Cleaver '48

Janet Grout Williams '60
A Bird in Hand

Kathy McKechnie '79
A Lifesaving Career

Julia McDonald '99
A Desert Discovery

Beth Johnson Searing '99

Todd Miner '01
Opening the Door

Geoff Ward '02

45

Fascinating stuff in a recent article in The Log-Year 2002 by Bill Whittemore, who's a nuclear physicist: "I have had opportunities to meet with interesting individuals and discuss with them scientific problems. In addition to my work with Edward Teller and Freeman Dyson . . . I have had the pleasure to sit with and discuss interesting topics with the Nobelists, Niels Bohr and Enrico Fermi. . . . My meeting with Prof. Bohr took place in June 1959 during the festivities associated with the dedication ceremonies for the General Atomic Facility. The reader may make the connection between Prof. Bohr and the fascinating play, Copenhagen, on Broadway. [An intriguing play indeed, even if you never had a single thing to do with physics--NCP.] It centers on a visit during WWII by Werner Heisenberg, a leading German nuclear physicist, to his former professor in Denmark, Niels Bohr. What exactly transpired between the two of them remains unknown. Did Germany fail to build the bomb before the end of the war out of lack of understanding or for other reasons? What is suggested is that Heisenberg returned to Germany and possibly worked to hinder the effort to build the bomb by overstating the difficulties around making it. It may also be interesting to learn that the sale of each bottle or can of Carlsberg beer results in funds contributed each year to the Bohr Institute in Copenhagen. . . . Enrico Fermi in the field of nuclear science was a modern day scientific adventurer. Ferdinand Magellan charted the path previously unknown to circumnavigate the globe. Fermi in his world accomplished something not unsimilar. He was the prime scientific guide for the construction of the world's first nuclear reactor. . . . My wife and I have been given the opportunity to interact on a deeply personal basis with people from as many as 24 countries that has led to lasting friendships. We have been brought into everyday contact with vastly different kinds of food, cultures, educational systems, homes and living conditions. In 1958, one of 12 Korean trainees in La Jolla did not have money enough for room rent and food. He lived in our house and shared our food for about six weeks before returning to Korea. . . . He moved up through the Korean hierarchy to become an important member of the Korean Atomic Energy Commission." Bill goes on to tell even more. . . . In April, Muriel Marker Gould, Helen Strauss and I had another opportunity to hear a piece composed by Hugh Aitken, Laura Tapia Aitken's husband. A fine composition titled "Duo," it was performed beautifully by a cellist and a pianist at Hunter College. . . . Also in April, Laura and Muriel were the '45ers who along with 12 other Colbyites attended a tour of New York's Metropolitan Opera House. Helen organized the tour, which I am sure was very interesting. I missed it because I was away visiting friends in Tennessee. . . . I had a nice little talk recently with Leonard Caust '43. He and Ruth live in Goldens Bridge, N.Y. Len, retired from Lever Brothers Company, has three daughters, two stepdaughters and three grandchildren. Chess seems to be high on Len's list of many interests.

Naomi Collett Paganelli

46

Anne Lawrence Bondy

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Chuck Dudley writes that in the last years, he and Shirley (Martin '46) have traveled extensively through the Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand. They visit their five children in Florida, California, Indiana, Connecticut and Minnesota at least twice a year (that in itself seems like extensive traveling to me!) and all get together, including the seven grandchildren, at a Connecticut beach in July. He says all are well, happy and a wonderful joy to them. The Dudleys winter in Safety Harbor, Fla., and spend summers in Windsor, Conn. . . . The "Best of Times" is the way Dorothy Briggs Aronson described our recent 55th reunion. "There were 40 of us from our class--and we all sang the old favorites of the Blue Beetle days. We told old stories and laughed and sighed nostalgically--and realized how lucky we were to have known Dean Runnals, President Bixler, professors Wilkinson, Galbraith, Marshall, Comparetti and all the others and each other! If you haven't tried one, come next time. It's great!" I drove up with Louise Kelley Rochester and Briggsey and roomed with Jane Rollins, who was on campus for the first time since our graduation. I think everyone enjoyed the kick-off cocktail party at Ray and Tossie Campbell Kozen's house, the usual lobster-clam bake, the many choices of interesting lectures and the chance to meet President Adams. Again, Tom Burke did a wonderful job as class agent and made us collectively proud of our class contribution to the Alumni Fund, and both Tossie and Dorie Meyer Hawkes should be thanked for all the planning that they did. . . . On a sad note, I have to report the death of one of my former roommates, Jeanne Snowe Ainsworth, on May 12 in California.

Mary "Liz" Hall Fitch

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48

Helen Knox Elliott and her husband, Charles, were pleased to have Marguerite Baker Stackpole '49 and her husband, Howard, visit with them in Burlington, N.C., for a couple of days on their way to Florida. They were going to meet their new grandson, recently born in Germany, for the first time. Marguerite and Helen were Colby roommates from 1945 to 1947 and were each other's wedding honor attendants. Helen and Charles also were recently privileged to attend a banquet in Charlotte, N.C., where the Honorable John Ashcroft, United States attorney general, was the guest speaker. . . . Marvin Joslow wrote to us on May 18, 2002, from Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard. On that day in May, he stated that the temperature was in the mid-30s and they were being flooded with a non-stop deluge. The wind was blowing more than 25 miles per hour--so typical for spring in New England. Marvin proudly proclaimed that his letter was being written on their new, and first, computer. He is getting "the hang" of some of the functions and finds word processing and e-mail especially useful. (We will plan our annual dinner/reunion this summer using the modern medium of e-mail.) In response to David's birthday greeting, Marvin advised that David is six months older and that Marvin's birthday is April 14, a date that coincides with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the sinking of the Titanic. We have not verified the validity of such facts and rely strictly on Marvin's academic prowess to provide documentation if needed. Not long ago Marvin received a note from Millie Schnebbe Riordan. He also wrote that he expected a visit from Bill Maurice and his wife, Gerrie, in late May, so we advanced our tentative schedule and on June 1 sailed to Martha's Vineyard. While underway we called Marvin on the cell phone and arranged for him to pick us up in his car in Vineyard Haven Harbor. We went to a flea market and there we caught up with Betty Joslow and Gerrie and Bill Maurice. The six of us spent the day together. We visited an art gallery, and then with six of us squeezed into Marvin's car we drove to Menemsha for lunch and a walking tour of the tiny harbor. We then went to Marvin's house and from his deck enjoyed the breathtaking views of Vineyard Sound and the Elizabeth Islands. . . . You have all read our lament in the past about lack of news for this column, hence the "boat" news. We are sparing you the details of our golf game. (We focus on that in the winter.) Send us news and you can be certain that it will be printed. Try not to leave the class with a quarterly Marson soliloquy.

David and Dorothy Marson

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49

This year I made the "trek" to Waterville for Colby Reunion Weekend 2002. A small contingent of '49ers was present: Kay and Walter Borucki, Carol Carpenter Bisbee, Oz and Ginny Young Ellis, Miles and Ruth Endicott Freeman, Don and Hilda Farnum Nicoll and Muriel and Bob Tonge. Those of the class who chose to stay on campus were housed and fed as usual in Dana Hall. Our 50-Plus Club reunion dinner was there also. Our dinner table was made up of five members of the Class of '49 joined by five members of the Class of '48! Another small class contingent! President William "Bro" Adams made a brief appearance during our dinner and welcomed us back to Colby. Although I was only there for the day, I took advantage of one of the varied afternoon presentations, "Forensic Toxicology: A Rhode Island Perspective," which I found most interesting since I enjoy murder mysteries and, in particular, Patricia Cornwell's. . . . If you can believe it, Don Nicoll's and Bob Tonge's three-year terms representing us on the Alumni Council were completed as of this Reunion Weekend. One bonus of the 50-Plus Club that I noticed is that you have ample opportunity to catch up with friends in the classes before and after you, an advantage you seldom had when our reunions were every five years. By far the greatest class participation in the 50-Plus Club was the Class of '47, which was celebrating their 55th reunion. Our 55th reunion will be upon us before we know it in 2004! Mark your calendars now and plan to return for another weekend of reminiscences and renewing of friendships. . . . My daughter, Elisabeth Eustis Paine '81, told me that Shirley Kydd Bastien was going to celebrate her 75th birthday with a big party. Shirley didn't want any presents, but she suggested that everyone buy themselves a present, which in some fashion represented their friendship with Shirley, and bring it wrapped to the party. A neat idea, Shirley! . . . As you can see, I haven't heard from many of you, but I hope I do before my next deadline.

Anne Hagar Eustis

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