Class Notes: September/October 2025
By John M. Pinney
It’s hard to believe it’s only been seven weeks since our 60th—the deadline for these notes always compresses time for me. I was unable to provide the Osprey Report in the last notes, and we’ve had some major changes: one couple left our nest and after several weeks on the vacant list, another has taken up residence. It could be the same couple, but the experts tell me they’re more likely new tenants. It’s too late in the season for any babies.
The 60th was a great success all around—the reunion team debriefed with our excellent YAA representative, Janene Castaldi, and there were very few concerns, except perhaps the evening the catering staff ran out of dessert. Once again, a salute to David Roscoe, Bob Leich, Carl Farrington, and all of you who contributed to planning, boosting attendance, regional lunches, and reunion programs. Jean McKillop, our class webmistress, also deserves a salute for attending, assisting, and photographing many of our activities. Go to yale1965.org to see pictures and take note of the front-page photos of Bob Hammond, Chris Kinney, and Dennis Mack, who received well deserved YAA Awards for Distinguished Service to our class.
Those of you who contributed to the class gift should also take a deep bow. Thanks to Stan Trotman and Mel Shaftel and the dedicated class gift team, our 60th class gift met its target with 61 percent participation, and while the results are still not final, the current total is now $16 million vs. the original goal of $9 million. Fiona Boucher, our longtime, excellent reunion giving staff person, reported the following additional facts to the gift committee members: the participation rate triggered an anonymous challenge gift of $250,000; more than half the total 60th gift was in planned giving; the annual Alumni Fund contributions for the past five years (which are included in the total gift) was $1.26 million of which the total for the past year was $449,925 vs. the goal of $325,000. This show of support is especially important as Yale faces new challenges to fund its many commitments and initiatives.
On a personal note, Donna and I had a terrific time at the 60th, but the day after we returned, we both came down with Covid—Donna for the third time and me for the first. Happily, both of us were fully vaccinated and had relatively mild cases, although the effects do linger and it takes time to regain full energy. We were healthy enough to go to Denver for the graduation from the University of Denver of our oldest grandson, TJ Hillenmeyer, and share the festivities with co-grandparents Hilly and Sallie Hillenmeyer.
Class activities continue to offer stimulating programs and opportunities to connect. The annual class dinner will be held at the Yale Club of New York City on October 31. Our speaker will be our own Bill Nelson, former US Senator, NASA administrator, and astronaut. The Zoom team is fully active, having resumed in June with Dr. Ian Shapiro, professor of political science and global affairs at Yale. His provocative topic was: “Angry Populist Politics: Why It Is Happening, and What to Do About It.” July featured our own Bob Woodward and David Martin with the interview originally scheduled as a 60th reunion program but postponed due to health issues. The Zoom team of Roscoe, Mack, and Hammond have now delivered 54 programs and, happily, there’s no end in sight. As for more minireunions, I will be casting around to identify classmates who might be willing to host a minireunion in 2026 or 2027. Let me know if you’re interested.
The memorial service during the 60th honored those classmates we’ve lost since the 50th. Among them were four recent deaths not reported in class notes. Peter Zallinger died on March 15, 2025. James (Rusty) Tilney died from complications from Parkinson’s disease on March 19. Clint Kendrick’s wife Mary informed me that Clint died on May 3. James Jay (Jim) Wood died on May 10 in Massachusetts after a three-year battle with cancer. Please visit our website (yale1965.org) and post remembrances of these and others we’ve lost.
As we all have entered our ninth decade, keeping informed about the loss of a classmate becomes even more important. If you learn of the death of a classmate, please let me and Janene Castaldi know so that we can inform the class and the Yale.
I look forward to seeing many of you at the class dinner in New York on October 31. Note that it is Halloween, however costumes are neither required nor encouraged.