YAM Class Notes: September/October 2015
It’s been barely six weeks since the 50th and I’m working my way through Our Stories with regular pauses to recall events and encounters from that most excellent event. As I said in my brief remarks under the tent on the last night, I want to focus our collective energy and attention on preserving and extending the spirit of the 50th, and I hope we can achieve that through mini-reunions, class lunches, and last, but not least, the class website. If you haven’t been to yale1965.org, go now—there are loads of great pictures of the 50th, photo galleries, and many other features. Thanks to everyone who posted pictures, and keep them coming—old or new. Thanks to David Roscoe and Jean McKillop for adding all the new features.
This edition’s notes are a catch-up, since the last notes were all about the reunion. As has been the case, the listserv provides good material. Felix von Moschzisker posted: “After putting it off for years, I have finally finished a major renovation of my website—abstract sculpture and mobiles. If any of you are interested in taking a peek, please go to www.studiofelix.com.”
Warren Rothman announced the publication of his book Kafka in China: The People’s Republic of Corruption, which he noted is “part one of my memoir concerning China. It is available now through Amazon’s CreateSpace, www.createspace.com/4742920. It also will be available shortly on Kindle and Amazon.com. Kafka in China is the true story of attempted murder, torture, black jails, and fraudulent incarceration in a Shanghai mental hospital committed against the author as the result of a blurt-out to him about a large bribe allegedly paid by an iconic American company to Chinese officials.”
Landon (Bunky) Carter sent the following post-reunion note: “I so enjoyed our 50th reunion and was pleased to be able to introduce many of you to my wife, Diane, and to give her the full Yale experience of staying in the dorm! As I mentioned during my presentation on Saturday, which many of you attended, I would like to offer my latest book, The Awakened Relationship, as my gift to each of you. If you will simply send me an e-mail with the word ‘book’ in the subject line, I will return the 50-page PDF file for your enjoyment. Also, feel free to pass it on to others you think may benefit. Send e-mail to landon@landoncarter.co.nz. All the very best, Bunky.”
Those who attended the “Passions Panel” at the 50th will recall Fred Roberts’s fascinating presentation about teaching photography to young people in distant lands. Fred reported he is “headed out for another double workshop with the Aga Khan Foundation. First, we go to Dushanbe in Tajikistan for an advanced workshop with our students from last October in Khorog. Then, if we can work out some visa issues, we will take some of those students with us as teaching assistants to Osh in Kyrgyzstan for a beginner’s workshop for 20 new students. The workshops will run June 13–15 and June 21–27. On this trip, the students will photograph stories concerning education, health care, and agriculture.”
In other news, Bill Rawn’s firm, William Rawn Associates, received the 2014 Architect Magazine’s ranking of #2 architecture firm and #2 sustainable architecture firm in the country. Sam Black and Duncan Bremer challenged Mt. Yale in Colorado on July 28, wisely accompanied by Duncan’s son, grandson, and a friend. More details and pictures will follow.
Willem Cronje sent news from South Africa: “My wife Christine and I moved to the farm eight years ago, after I retired from my practice as a tax advisor. Our son Frans is the head of the South African Institute of Race Relations, a think tank in the field of political science. He has an American wife, Carolyn Bare, from Cleveland. They have delightful twin boys, Willem and George, eight years old. Our other son, Jan, is a journalist at the Cape Argus newspaper in Cape Town. He is engaged to be married to Annette Klinger, also a journalist.”
One of the most important elements of Our Stories was the opportunity to write personal essays and remembrances of deceased classmates. The revamped website gives us the same opportunity with a section titled “Our Stories.” If you missed the opportunity to have an essay or remembrance included, you’ll find you can post it easily. You’ll also find obituaries for classmates who died after Our Stories went to press. Please help us keep this section up to date and post remembrances. I’m sorry to report that there are seven classmates listed: John Gemmill, Henry Loomis, L. Van Dauler, Timothy Aiken, William (Toby) Swartz, Thomas (Tim) Nichols, and Alan Corey. Please visit the website to see their obituaries and post remembrances. I also received notice that Peter Lynn died on June 8. Peter’s obituary is also posted to the website.
John Ahrens provided a personal note on Harry Loomis: “Harry had been suffering from Alzheimer’s the past couple of years and died on his couch while sleeping. He also had some other illnesses prior to this, which likely contributed as well. A few weeks ago, Mike O’Connor mentioned Harry’s creative art works. Noting that Harry had not signed up for our reunion, and seeing no new information in Our Stories, I decided to give him a call. His wife Monica broke the news to me. They had been waiting to register for the reunion at the last minute if Harry’s condition would permit it.”
Another personal note: Marshall Bell and I went to Alan Corey’s service in Aiken, South Carolina, on May 16. Alan died on April 3. The remaining seven of the “Blind Nine” roommates all were there: Sid Bass, Mike Dominick, Dennis Holahan, Seth Hoyt, Jonathon Ingham, Clint Kendrick, and Barry Preston. The memorial service for Alan was attended by a large group of family and friends, and was in keeping with his great love of polo; a new pavilion at the Whitney Polo Field was named in honor of Alan. Denny gave a collective eulogy on behalf of his roommates, Jon delivered a poem, and Marshall gave a touching remembrance of his friendship with Alan dating back to St. Paul’s. Alan’s wife Pat graciously hosted a gathering at their home.
The class listserv is still in need of some leavening and fresh perspectives. For those willing to help broaden the conversation, signing up is easy: go to aya.yale.edu/content/listservs and click on “Subscribe to Class Discussion Groups.”
By John Pinney, ’65