Class Notes: July/August 2025
By John M. Pinney60th REUNION
It was hard to believe it had been ten years since our last reunion—while our group was smaller than the 50th, the enthusiasm and camaraderie easily matched prior reunions. The chilly, sometimes rainy weather failed to dampen the enthusiasm, and Yale did a superb job of feeding, housing, and supporting our group. A total of 228 classmates, guests, and class widows enjoyed excellent meals, modest amounts of alcohol, engaging programs from Yale and our classmates, and the convenient location of our reunion at Pierson College.
As with the 50th, the pre-reunion efforts were notable, especially the regional lunches spearheaded by Jerry Libby and numerous volunteers. The class book, aptly titled Our Stories (Reflections), set the tone. Thanks to Ralph Protsik for a “labor of love” and to all who helped produce it, and all who contributed. It is a testimony to what a bunch of Yale guys have done with their lives. The reunion was a triumph for our reunion cochairs in perpetuity David Roscoe, Bob Leich, and Carl Farrington, with contributions from many other classmates too numerous to mention.
Thursday’s weather tested our resilience but the Y65 rain jacket selected by Carl Farrington made it bearable. Friday morning’s offerings by Yale faculty were numerous and diverse. President McInnis made a surprise appearance at lunch, offering a warm welcome and a warning about the damage that will result from the administration’s proposal to increase the tax on Yale’s endowment from the current 1.4 percent to 21 percent. Calling our elected representatives in Washington is an important step we can take to prevent serious consequences for Yale, its students, and the vital medical research community.
Our own programming filled Friday with Gerry Doyle emceeing a fascinating mix of Passions and Pursuits; Jonathan Fanton and John Shattuck discussing the current challenges to free expression and autonomy posed to Yale and universities in general; and a chilling look at AI and what we may expect by 2030 from David Roscoe. Missing from the lineup was an interview between our distinguished journalists, Bob Woodward and David Martin. Bob was unable to attend due to a health issue, but both have committed to a class Zoom program on the same topics. Friday ended with cocktails and dinner, another excellent performance by staff and student workers, and a stellar performance by our own Whiffs.
Saturday brought a boost in temperature and another selection of lectures and tours. Our class activities began after lunch with five classmate-led discussion groups running concurrently with topics ranging from caregiving to travel. At 2:30, we gathered in Battell Chapel for our class memorial service, led by Rick Fabian and Ralph Protsik. This moving remembrance of classmates lost since our 50th reunion ended with a touching group rendition of “Auld Lang Syne.” The remainder of the afternoon was highlighted by the address to alumni from President McInnis and traditional Yale music, including another brief stint by our Whiffs.
The class dinner on Saturday night was excellent, followed by a proforma election of class officers. Fred Kneip and I ran unopposed. This vote of confidence is much appreciated and proves the saying “show me a job no one else wants and see how fast I get it.” Thanks to the efforts of our gift cochairs, Stan Trotman and Mel Shaftel, the class gift team, and Burt Haimes and his agents, the gift amount announced at dinner has now increased to over $10.4 million, well ahead of the original target. The final business of the evening was recognition of classmates for exemplary service to ’65. YAA awards were presented to Dennis Mack and Bob Hammond, for their ongoing contributions as members of the ’65 Zoom team, and to Chris Kinney for his long service on the annual class dinner team. A special closing event was the presentation of honorary classmate status to Jimmy Hatch, our “adopted classmate,” making the adoption official.
The evening ended with a surprising number of mobile classmates on the dance floor, conversations under the tent, and no known arrests. A final thanks to all who contributed to and attended this most enjoyable event.