Greetings, Class of ’62. Pat Farnham Russell and I heard from several classmates affected by Hurricane Sandy—none seriously, thank goodness—and a couple with a sense of humor. Dick Mittleman was very fortunate in Warren, R.I., in that they only lost power for four hours (just long enough to finish the ice cream in the freezer). Sandra Keef Hunter was without power until Nov. 7, but fortunate to have good neighbors who invited them in from the cold. She says, “By the time we were ready to go home, we had moved enough supplies to their house to provision a good-sized invasion.” Sandy describes the houses on Gardiners Bay in East Hampton as having four or so vertical feet of bluff washed away and beach dunes breached, causing flooding and destroying houses. Like most of us in Maine, Bill Alexander laconically related “not much activity in Albion.” Rain and “one evening of breeze,” but no need for the generator he had at the ready. * On the other side of the country, Peter and Brenda Wrobleski Elwell Gottschalk report sunny and warm weather. She looked forward to the Denver-area Colby bicentennial celebration as she wrote. Her family in New Jersey was safe and sound following Sandy. Brenda, active as always, is taking a geology class at Denver University (“geology trips out here are awesome”). She recently talked with Margot Ettinger Tartak, who appears to be recovering from some serious medical issues. * Irrepressible Hope Hutchins Benton wrote: “I’m taking tango lessons. What a hoot, it really is great fun. There are tango clubs all over. I love Colby.” * A nice long letter from Elaine Healey Reichert relates that after reunion she and Paul ’59 finally bought a house in Westmoreland, N.H. After considerable renovation, they moved in and enjoy 53 acres with deer and wild turkeys as well as a brook and pond that Elaine calls “magical.” For Thanksgiving they went to St. Martin’s with their N.H. children and returned to Florida (where they’ve lived for almost 20 years) for January and February. * Peter Leofanti had a great weekend celebrating the Colby-Tufts football game, starting with a party at his house cohosted by John “Spud” McHale. Twenty-five Colby friends and spouses showed up, including Jay Webster, Malcolm MacLean, Peter Jaffe, Cy Theobald, Dick and Marjeanne Banks Vacco, and Doug Mulcahy ’63. Peter invites all of us to the next gathering in 2014! * Pat Farnham Russell enjoyed a trip to South America, specifically Chile and Argentina! I hope we’ll hear a lot more about your adventures in the next column, Pat. * Brenda Phillipps Gibbons sent a long letter, post-reunion, relating a summer in Marion, Mass., aboard their boat, but complicated by husband Bob’s unexpected surgeries. They recuperated at Bob’s sister’s house in Ipswich (home of the “best clams in the world”), near the cottages where they had, as children, homes four doors away from each other. They also spent time with Steve Thompson ’63, Brenda’s brother-in-law, who visited from Marblehead. Brenda will have a knee replacement in January but says it’s a “small thing compared to what some of our classmates have been through.” * Brenda Lewison and husband Bill Blunden are healthy and enjoying their 20-year marriage and combined family of five children and seven grandchildren. She describes a mini reunion with Kathy Hertzberg in Plymouth, N.H.—“talk, talk, talk”—and three nights with Colby roommates Cynthia Dunn Barber and Sandy Keef Hunter and their husbands in Newark, Vt.—an annual event. Says Brenda: “How sweet to be together, still friends after 50 years.” * Michael McCabe and I headed south to Decatur, Ga., in early December. We had a great summer, starting with our fabulous 50th reunion, and richly blessed with family and friends who visited us. We continue to be grateful that we’re close enough to the College to attend such wonderful events as the amazing kickoff dinner for Colby’s bicentennial—guest speaker, Doris Kearns Goodwin ’64—and the Lovejoy Convocation, which honored Bob Woodward of Watergate fame. We spent Thanksgiving at the home of Allison and John Chapman and their family—quite a feast and as always lots of fun! * Please continue to let Pat and me hear from you. As we learned at reunion, “old friends” are the best! —Nancy MacKenzie Keating
Winter 2013