Class Notes: September/October 2023

Class Notes: September/October 2023

Summer is here with typical mid-Atlantic humidity. Unfortunately, the ospreys haven’t produced any offspring and now appear to be in a trial separation. It’s not clear whether this is due to incompatibility or other causes. Anyone with experience in counseling ospreys, please let me know.

The ’65 Zoom Team delivered another highly relevant program in June with Professor Brian Scassellati’s presentation “AI at Yale,” an overview of the AI landscape and Yale’s AI research, with special focus on his own work building and using humanoid robots to treat autism in children. The session was ably moderated by Cas Kulikowski and David Wortman. The July program will feature Jay Judge, deputy director of athletics for external relations at Yale, speaking on another timely topic: “What’s Happening in College Sports: Across the Nation and at Yale?” moderated by Hilly Hillenmeyer and Heaton Robertson.

The Zoom Team (Roscoe, Mack, and Hammond) has worked hard planning the next several programs. A brief summary: August: Dan Hogan, joined by several clinical experts, will discuss his diagnoses of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, how he found out about it, what he is doing about it, and the study that he is in. September: Kelly Shue, professor of finance, School of Management, who recently wrote a paper on the impact of ESG investing on emissions. This will lead to an interesting discussion about the drive for disinvestment in fossil fuel companies by the Yale endowment. October: class dinner, with David Hawkins on the current state of the environment. November: Nicholas Christakis on his book Blueprint, the Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society. And December: Jerry Libby on the Rule of Law in the world. Clearly, our Zoom Team remains committed to providing timely and stimulating programs. Attendance remains high, and if you’ve not taken advantage of this great program, you’re really missing out. Visit yale65.org to view the videos of all past programs.

Thanks to the efforts of Earl and Deborah Potter and Southwest Seminars, 35 classmates, spouses, and guests will enjoy the Santa Fe minireunion September 21–24. A full report will follow in the next notes. Discussions are underway about a 2024 minireunion—stay tuned.

Jim Butler has joined the ranks of ’65 authors: “On April 26, I happily learned from Amazon that my book, Two Families and Four Generations; a Story of Wealth, Faith, and Resilience, is available in paperback and e-book; It covers the Butler and Ewing families from 1878 to 2023, including years at Yale from 1903 to 1965. Both ‘The Original Butter and Eggs Man’ and a founder of Morgan Stanley were there at the beginnings. Each one loved thoroughbred racing. At the family breakfast table, Mrs. Butler would inevitably ask, ‘Well, what shall we pray for today, dear?’ ‘Pray for good weather and a fast track’ was his usual reply.” I read an excerpt on Amazon and have it in my summer reading lineup.

Brief notes: In June, Ralph Protsik posted a great picture on Facebook of him with Alan and Madeleine Jacobson, all with ice cream in hand, noting the Jacobson’s 54th wedding anniversary. On June 17, Columbia University bestowed an honorary doctor of laws degree on Bob Woodward. In case you missed the email, Fred Roberts has now transitioned his photography program to the Yale School of Art and Yale Pathways to Arts and Humanities, where it will focus on providing the same kind of photography opportunities every year to children who live in New Haven. David Roscoe alerted me to an item on Landon (Bunky) Carter from the Harvard Business School’s magazine: “Landon Carter is still doing some gliding in New Zealand. ‘Love the challenge of flying without an engine.’ My book The Happiness Handbook will be coming out shortly.”

As reported in the last notes, we lost Dennis Cross in April. A memorial service for Dennis was scheduled for Saturday, August 5, at the Congregational Church of Nantucket. And John Shank reported on the memorial service for Jack Rosholt: “I had the honor of giving a eulogy at Jack’s memorial in Minneapolis on May 12. I was the only member of the Class of ’65, but still there were many other Yalies there, including the Spizzwinks and Senator Amy Klobuchar ’82. (I got to meet her—wonderful—definitely a Minnesota Mom.)” John’s eulogy is posted on our class website in Remembrances. 

Mark your calendars and make your reservations for the annual class dinner, October 27 at the Yale Club of New York City.