Class Notes

July / August 2022

Columns compiled by your class correspondents

1940s

Classes of the 1940s

1946

The news is slowly arriving these days. Joyce Manley Forney has really kept me updated with her contacts. She happily also reported that her son Douglas, who builds homes, will be joined by his son and create a family business. Joyce related that Priscilla Alden Clement is pleasantly retired in Florida and able to get around the lake in the area. Virginia Dondero Pfundstein has moved in with her family and for a while shared a room with her grandson—but now has her own space.

Eve Freyer Spencer ’47 wrote to inform us that her husband, Gordon, recently passed. She had attended Class of ’46 Reunions with him and also knew many of the ’46ers. She wonders if there were any V-12 grads still living. If so, please get in touch.

Please send news to: ❖ Dorothy Taylor Prey, 1 Baldwin Ave., #501, San Mateo, CA 94401; tel., (650) 342-1196; email, dmprey@aol.com. Class website. Online news form.

1947

Greetings, Class of ’47! Did any of you make the trip back to the Hill for our 75th Reunion? Or did you enjoy any of the weekend’s virtual events? If so, please send a note and let us know what you thought! ❖ Class of 1947, c/o Alexandra Bond ’12, abb83@cornell.edu. Online news form.

1948

My Class of ’48 fellow survivors (and I) apparently are tired or embarrassed about the somewhat trite and hopefully humorous (“I wake up and am delighted to find I am still alive”) reporting (and perhaps also the new online format), since I have had no reports for several issues.

So let me tell readers a bit about the “Greatest Generation,” as I hear we are called. But I first must pay my greater respect to my parents’ generation, since they were the ones who had to struggle through the Depression, hold their families together, raise children, and then build the massive military and manufacturing systems that won WWII and created the “free world.”

On to the Greatest Generation: I was a Cornell freshman when war broke out in December 1941; enlisted in early 1942 along with most of my classmates; was not called to active duty until June 1943; trained at Ft. Bragg and Ft. Monmouth; and then was sent overseas to England, France, Germany, the Philippines, and Japan. Sounds impressive, but my closest exposure to death was probably when our troop transport ship came under German submarine attack when the convoy was silhouetted against a lit-up hospital ship returning to the US. In actual combat, my greatest exposure probably was when we crossed the Rhine just two days behind the infantry, passing many shot-up German tanks and a completely devastated BASF chemical plant on the way.

Let me tell readers a bit about the ‘Greatest Generation,’ as I hear we are called.
Ray Tuttle ’48

I was on a troop ship in the Pacific marshalling for the invasion of Japan when the two atom bombs were dropped and Japan surrendered. I am pretty sure I would not be here today if the invasion had been necessary; millions of Americans and Japanese would have died in sea/land combat. Landing there as occupation troops was much safer, particularly since the emperor, who was allowed to remain, instructed his citizens to welcome us.

I was discharged and returned to Cornell in February 1946 and got my five-year BChemE degree in 1948. Over the next 40 years I worked for four chemical companies making, at different times: refined products from coal; various petrochemicals; agricultural fertilizers; biochemicals for food and agriculture; and chlorine for paper mills and water purification. I advanced through to general management by applying my training to solving manufacturing problems through technology/investment ROI. I can say I led the efforts that successfully solved major manufacturing problems threatening the continued operation of three to four plants employing 400 people—and in one case the whole company, which was a major supplier of fertilizers to US agriculture.

My personal life centered on my marriage to a fellow Cornellian and our three children, one of whom got his bachelor’s degree from Cornell and two of whom went on to earn PhDs. Though most of the women in our generation did not have paying jobs, Peg (Wilharm) volunteered extensively in local hospitals, at our church, and politically. I volunteered also and had various leadership roles in our churches, political parties, and golf clubs.

If the Greatest Generation has a claim, I guess I would identify three items: 1) we were the foot soldiers in the Army/Navy that won WWII; 2) we staffed the companies that made the US the powerhouse manufacturing economy of the world, with manufacturing generating over 35% of GNP and US employment, while it is now down to 19% at recent count; and 3) the typical family had a working husband and a wife at home running the household and raising the children. ❖ Ray Tuttle, 65 Oyster Reef Dr., Hilton Head Island, SC 29926; email, RayTutt@aol.com. Online news form.

1949

I hope you are all enjoying the summer months, wherever you are. If you have a moment, please send us a letter! What’s on your mind these days? What are your most vibrant memories of our alma mater? Where are you writing from? Your classmates would love to hear from you. ❖ Class of 1949, c/o Alexandra Bond ’12, abb83@cornell.edu. Online news form.

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Classes of the 1950s

1950

The common saying that no news is good news does not apply to this column! So here I am, with a column due date and no news from you all. What to do? Well, jigger up a couple of stories of possible interest—the first about a memorable Cornell football team, the other about my adopted state of Iowa.

Story One: As an Ivy League grad, it’s refreshing to know that Cornell, the other Ivies, and top liberal arts colleges play collegiate sports for fun, not for fame. We just ignore and avoid all the hoopla about national championships and noted players switching teams, and have real student-athletes. It’s also noteworthy that Cornell offers more collegiate sports than universities in the large conferences such as the SEC and Big Ten.

Thinking of that, I recalled that the 1939 Cornell football team, with a record of 8-0 and total score of 197-52, was named national champions. Then the team turned down an invitation to the Rose Bowl to allow the players to catch up on their studies and prepare for semester exams. Think of that! That jiggered up a question, “What has been the greatest college football team since football became a collegiate sport?”

The honor of the greatest football team of all time does not go to Alabama, UCLA, Michigan, or any other team in the top collegiate football conferences. Instead, it goes to a small, prestigious liberal arts college in southeast Tennessee called Sewanee, officially the U. of the South. Its 1899 football team is recognized by the College Football Hall of Fame as the greatest ever.

The greatest year in college football occurred when that team of only 15 players from that tiny college won the league title. The 12-game total score was 322-10! More remarkably, half of those games were played on a six-day, 2,500-mile road trip by train with a travel team of only 13 players who played both offense and defense. They also played two games in one day! There were no forward passes and no substitutions except at the end of time periods. Helmets were made of leather and had no face masks. One remarkable athletic feat!

The 1939 Cornell football team was named national champions. Then the team turned down an invitation to the Rose Bowl to allow the players to catch up on their studies.
Paul Joslin ’50

Story Two: At age 39, I left the small, rural village of Elba, NY, to move 1,000 miles west to become a professor at Drake U. in Des Moines, IA. I planned to stay for only a few years and then move back to one of New York’s fine public colleges. Instead, and happily so, I fell in love with Iowa and just stayed.

Iowa is pattern, texture, and color. Changing with the seasons. Lit by the sun. Tossed and reborn with the wind. Our ocean: an arching, clear blue sky above. Our recreational water access: 500 miles of shoreline along the Missouri River on the west and the mighty Mississippi River on the east—both evoking reminiscences of 19th-century gingerbread steamboats and Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi.

The wide, accommodating Mississippi with its fishing skiffs, houseboats, and river excursion boats, all sharing the river with commercial tows: powerful vessels pushing 15 or more huge barges each 35 feet wide and 200 feet long, an entire tow up to a fifth of a mile in length! (“Tow” is a misnomer; the barges are actually pushed ahead of the tugboat, which is also misnamed.)

The scarcely visited Upper Mississippi River area with its high river bluffs cut through rugged, unglaciated land leaving hundreds of islands for recreational boaters, and miles of backwaters for avid anglers. And just north in Minnesota, large lakes, created by the huge dams and locks, all awaiting the most ardent of sailors.

Iowa, a land of small, neat villages with ethnic traditions, amid sprawling farms. Of course, an agricultural state: tops in corn, soybeans, chickens, and eggs, but little known for its high-tech and basic manufacturing. Google, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft have total investments of over $7 billion! Iowa’s gross production in manufacturing exceeds agriculture. Iowa is rated number five in livability and rated number one in farm equipment manufacturing, aerospace avionics, motor homes and travel trailers, sports stadium lighting, golf course accessories, personal fishing equipment, mason’s trowels, ice cream production, car wash equipment, and church and concert hall pipe organs. It’s also ranked first in leading manufacturers of road paving equipment, small boat equipment and accessories, compressor controls, tire retreading, concrete construction forms, refrigerators and freezers, food and nutritional additives, windows, garbage trucks, and earth-boring equipment.

And some trivia: Iowa is the home of the world’s largest truck stop and the first US Muslim Mosque; it’s number three in golf courses per capita; and the Iowa State Fair, typically listed in the top ten of the country’s summer recreational attractions, has annual visitors of one million. Moreover, Iowa is not flat! It has the highest, longest two-track railroad bridge in the country. ❖ Paul Joslin, 13731 Hickman Rd. #4207, Urbandale, IA 50323; email, phjoslin@aol.com. Online news form.

1951

“I have traveled the world over, but still want more,” writes Bob Ackerly. “I’ve visited all seven continents, 80-plus countries, and both North and South Poles, but I would like to return to some places and see ten to twelve other places that I have overlooked. My wife and I will head to Maui in December for two weeks.”

Bob adds, “I stopped playing tennis last fall to fight cancer. I hope to win the battle and get back on the court. I’ve been enjoying life in San Diego for the last 58 years and being an associate professor at San Diego State U. for 30-plus years.” He gets great satisfaction, he says, from “watching our children and grandchildren grow and start their families.” Send your news to: ❖ Brad Bond, email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12, abb83@cornell.edu. Online news form.

1952

The sun is finally out, but there is no news. However, I have received the dues notice and the new news form. For us, I think the first question is a hoot. However, I hope you will fill in the form and send it in. As you can tell, I need it. Additionally, I know that some of you were able to get to our 70th Reunion. I wish I had been there and hope you had fun. If you saw people, had an interesting time, and learned new things, send me a note! Your impressions would be a treat for all of us who couldn’t make it. ❖ Joan Boffa Gaul, joangaul@mac.com. Online news form.

1953

Richard Hayes (richard.hayes32@gmail.com) writes, “We are now less than two hours from our daughter’s home in Kirkland, WA, which is one reason why we wound up in this neck of the woods (Whidbey Island, WA) after 51 years living in Brazil. One son lives in Austin, and another just accepted a position in NYC. He and his family plan to move to the New York suburbs when they find good schools for their kids, 10 and 8,” Richard reports. The family all got together “for the first time in nine years,” to celebrate Richard’s 89th birthday. What a very happy and memorable occasion! “We’re both blessed with good health,” he reports. “Proper diet and exercise help!” May we all have that same good fortune.

Cornelius “Neil” Jones (nrjones56@msn.com) and his wife, Ruth, have added a travel adventure to their retirement. “When we returned to the US in 1980, after working 23 years in India and Thailand, we settled on the East Coast until 2021 and lived in South Jersey and Pennsylvania. Last year, we celebrated our 65th anniversary and decided to cross the country and relocate to Southern California,” he relates. “We now live close to our three daughters, which we find most gratifying.” Neil says driving from Pennsylvania to California was a “cross-country trek.” I guess so—right in the midst of COVID! Until then, Neil served as treasurer of their Baptist church.

Stanley Landau, MD ’56 (stanlandau31@gmail.com) and wife Maxine reside in NYC in a complex that has helped enormously in coping with the loss of access to movies and museums during the pandemic. North Shore Towers, he reports, provides all of their needs “including a gym, movie theater, supermarket, pharmacy, and more.” Sounds great! Stan retired as a urologic surgeon and now devotes his energy to financial management for his family. He stays current reading the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal every morning. “At age 91 and in good health, I spend time daily in our gym staying fit.” He plays duplicate bridge and reads a great deal. Like Jack Brophy, he participates in a creative writing club, where he enjoys writing short stories. Stan says he and Maxine are blessed with a closely knit family who are very caring and nurturing. The family, which includes five children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, organized a wonderful birthday party to celebrate Stan’s 90th year. He says, “The only thing I asked of them was they do it again when I am 95!”

Last year, we celebrated our 65th anniversary and decided to cross the country and relocate to Southern California.
Cornelius “Neil” Jones ’53

Vic Wintriss (sdvic@me.com) and Diane reside in San Diego. This was after 20 years as a Navy pilot (P2V and P3A patrol planes), flying missions designed to search for Russian submarines operating in the North Atlantic. Vic shared news of his current activities, which are really interesting: “After selling my third electronic design/manufacturing company, I decided it was time to give back,” he says. So he started a nonprofit school, the League of Amazing Programmers, that features teaching Java computer programming to students beginning in the fifth grade. Vic reports that it’s unique in the US in offering the Oracle professional programming certificate to graduates. He says there are many students from underserved communities who attend free of charge and benefit from career opportunities that open for them once they have Oracle certification. He suggests we all check it out.

John Nixon (nixn1@hotmail.com) describes his unique treatment for a painful ankle injury. “I found out last year that I had two torn tendons plus arthritis in my right ankle. It was beginning to get more painful and was interfering with my golf,” he writes. “I tried a brace for several months, but it didn’t help much, so I had stem cell therapy. They sucked some fat out of my belly, ran it through a machine to sterilize it and break it down, and then used a syringe to put it into my ankle. The theory is that these new cells will regenerate themselves and also help the tendon cells. I had it done six weeks ago and progress is slow. The doctor says it could take four to six months for complete recovery. I’m hoping it works and I can return to playing lousy golf this year.” Hope you’re back on the golf course soon, John.

First-year Cornell student Jada Mckie ’25 sent a letter thanking us for the grant she received from our Class of 1953 Cornell Tradition Fellowship. She writes: “Dear Class of 1953: Thank you for your generous contributions, which have allowed me to receive this fellowship. The reason I chose Cornell is because of its Biology and Society major (A&S), which stuck out to me. I plan to go into medicine, and a strong foundation in biology and the sciences is, of course, important—but the social factors surrounding medicine are just as important. A major that combines the two, along with Cornell’s commitment to accessibility, drove me to attend here. I cannot thank you enough for making such an amazing school more accessible to students like myself.” ❖ Jack Allen, jwallen@msu.edu; Caroline Mulford Owens, 53news.cornell@gmail.com; Ed Gibson, edwincosgibson@gmail.com; John Nixon, nixn1@hotmail.com; Bob Neff, princetoneff@aol.com. Online news form.

1954

Though I write this column toward the end of March, you will see it in early summer. Our new digital magazine, Cornellians, is available to all Cornellians. (We await a print subscription in 2023, which will comfort those of us who like to hold the magazine in our hands.) By the way, in Florida last week I met with a few classmates who were not receiving email newsletters from Cornellians. If you do not receive these emails and want to, contact Lauren Coffey at LBC33@cornell.edu. She knows what to do.

Jane Barber Smith (janebarbersmith@gmail.com) continues with many activities. Having lived in Dutchess County, NY, for more than 50 years, she works on Democratic Party activities and summer camp at her urban Episcopal church. Her family includes several Cornellians: brother Don Barber ’58, daughter Jean Smith Cunningham ’85, daughter Barbara Wood ’82, and nephew Jack Feldman ’25. She found old Cornell friends while visiting in-laws at a senior residence in Sarasota. We remember Jane’s husband, Fred Wood, an active classmate, who died in 1970; her second husband, Duane Smith, has also died.

Barbara Schickler Hankins (bshankins5225@gmail.com) has carried on after the death of her husband, Philip ’52. And boy, has she ever carried on! “I have been an active member of the League of Women Voters for 61 years, which is 59% of the league’s existence. I just finished a two-year project on county finances. I belong to three book clubs (including the Cornell book club), play bridge a couple of times a week, and cope with an ever-increasing number of physical problems—none fatal as yet, just annoying.” Barb has joined the “Green Group” in her building: they push for environmental change. She is interested in solar on their fairly flat roof. She hopes to go to Calgary, in Alberta, Canada, to help celebrate her first great-granddaughter’s first birthday.

I have been an active member of the League of Women Voters for 61 years, which is 59% of the league’s existence.
Barbara Schickler Hankins ’54

Barb writes that she gains satisfaction from being “physically pretty able and mentally very able and active. A social worker told me recently that they are having to change their ideas about what to expect of the very elderly because so many of us continue to have full and interesting lives.” This reminds of me of an excellent book I read recently: Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life by Louise Aronson. The author, a Harvard-trained MD and gerontologist, works to transform medical education and our society’s attitudes toward the elderly in order to support and encourage us.

You may receive notices of lectures named for Mitzi Sutton Russekoff. Mitzi served as our class secretary and co-president. After her death, her son David Russekoff ’89 established the lecture series in her memory. On March 31, the topic was “Robots Under the Ice—and One Day, in Space?”—a stimulating talk by a scientist new to Cornell. She chose Cornell in part because of the history of the University and its faithful implementation of its ideal, and also because of its interdepartmental collaboration. The topic in 2021 was “The Domestic Politics of Chinese Foreign Policy and US-China Relations.” How remarkable these treasures are at our fingertips, as long as we can navigate the technology!

During the winter I met a new Cornell friend who remains very active. Paul Joslin ’50 lives three miles from me in the middle of Iowa. He has been his class correspondent for 20 years. I was eager to learn some of his secrets to writing such a good column for so long. Check out his column sometime.

My recent visit to Florida reinforced for me the marvelous thing that is Cornell! My mother, Helen Worden Carpenter ’28, believed Cornell is a lifelong relationship. (She was the first social director at Willard Straight in 1929–30. In those days, “the women’s entrance” was south of the main entrance!) Friendships spanning now 70 years surely have enriched my life. And continue to do so. I hope that is true for you as well.

To help maintain these connections, please share your news and views with us via the online news form, or send them directly to either of us: ❖ Ruth Carpenter Bailey, rcbhtb@gmail.com; Bill Waters, billwaters@optonline.net. Class website.

1955

Greetings, Class of ’55! I hope you are all enjoying the summer months, wherever you are. If you have a moment, please send us a letter! What’s on your mind these days? What are your most vibrant memories of our alma mater? Where are you writing from? Your classmates would love to hear from you. If any of you have submitted news recently, please look for it in an upcoming column! ❖ Nancy Savage Petrie, 85 Brook St., Noank, CT 06340; email, nancysavagepetrie@yahoo.com. Online news form.

1956

A brief message from your class correspondent: “I had hip surgery a month ago at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC. I’m currently in a rehab facility for physical therapy. Best to all in the Super Class of 1956!” ❖ Phyllis Bosworth, phylboz@aol.com. Online news form.

1957

By the time this column is published, we will have experienced our 65th Reunion. News from that highly anticipated event will appear in a later column.

One of our classmates, John Ruszkiewicz, MBA ’58, had a family reunion scheduled on the same weekend as our Reunion so could not be with us in June. As was true of so many of us, he was the first offspring of his immigrant grandparents to attend college. He chose to attend Cornell after his high school agriculture teacher took a group to a Cornell football game. John double-registered our senior year and earned his MBA in ’58. Just before he would have been inducted to serve two years as a private, he saw a notice on the business school bulletin board announcing the US Army’s offer to grant direct commissions to MBAs as finance lieutenants.

That began his high adventures in 21 years of service to our country. He spent four years as a paratrooper, two of which were as a Green Beret. He spent two tours in Vietnam, six years in the Middle East (Turkey and Yemen), two and a half years doing foreign language training (Turkish, Arabic, and French), a year at the staff college, a year at Harvard earning a second master’s degree, and three years on the West Point social sciences faculty as an assistant professor. His military specialty switched from finance to intelligence the first time he was sent to Turkey.

These next words are current and directly from John: “As we get older, our memories tend to sharpen in certain instances. Mine go back to my military career. I will share two of them. Through an organization of former advisors, I am in touch with fellow advisors who have either been with me on military operations or served in the same part of Vietnam on similar assignments. What strikes me is the number who have gone back to Vietnam in their retirement years. Bonds with your Vietnamese counterpart become very strong while serving in a combat situation. Tragically I had no need to go back because my counterpart was killed two days before I left my team to return to the States.”

As we get older, our memories tend to sharpen in certain instances.
John Ruszkiewicz ’57, MBA ’58

John continues, “I became the military attaché in North Yemen about six months after a presidential assassination. Then, three months after my arrival, there was a second presidential assassination. Sometime later we had a border war, about which I testified in front of a congressional sub-committee. I remember the ambassador once explaining to me that in some parts of the world you came to power behind the barrel of a gun and left power in front of the barrel of a gun. Keeping up with events in Yemen over the years, a few years ago I noticed that the person who succeeded to the presidency after that second assassination, and had managed to stay in power some 40-plus years, had finally lost power in the current civil war. He did so in front of the barrel of a gun.”

John left the military with the rank of retired lieutenant colonel. He then returned to the rich soil in Orange County and took over his family farm in Pine Island, NY. Of his six children, three became Cornellians. Two years ago, John published My Vietnam Anecdotes using about 100 of his own photos, both in color and in black and white. He has agreed to make copies available to any classmate. He sent me a copy. I was transfixed as I read his experiences, so different from the experiences of those of us who were at home, seeing those Vietnam War tragedies through a television set. John sums up his message by saying that now he really enjoys his quiet country life!

Perhaps, classmates, you now have a glimpse of how I see our column going forward. While this column will continue to note our interesting travels, etc., we will also be able to share our reflections of our significant experiences. Also, I am sure many of us have interesting stories of how we chose to attend Cornell and how that influenced the next steps in our lives. At our age, we each have taken many paths through the years. Remember that we are members of the Silent Generation, yet we have given much of our time and our talents to others, including our communities. We took our leadership abilities and put them to great use. I invite you to send what you wish to me so that I may feature you. ❖ Connie Santagato Hosterman, shenhoop73@gmail.com. Online news form.

1958

What a terrific double career Stephen Yusem has had! We’ve gotten notice of a special award to Steve, the first-ever granted by the Montgomery (PA) Bar Assn. for Lifetime Achievement. Steve has traveled throughout the world in his arbitrating and teaching, to Europe, Mongolia, Bahrain, Tehran, many places throughout the US, and Cornell, too. Somehow, with his excellent law career of counseling, arbitration, mediation, and teaching—all widely known and now fully recognized—Steve paralleled that with a Naval Reserve career, becoming the top Naval Reserve surface line officer in the country. As rear admiral, “he served as national president of the 120,000-member Reserve Officers Assn. of the US, working with the late Senator John McCain to provide health insurance for military veterans. He also represented the Reserve Officers Assn. at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), working with the former nations of the Warsaw Pact in support of the Partnership for Peace Program for their admission as NATO members.” Steve and Anita (Wasserspring) ’60 still reside in the Philadelphia suburb of Blue Bell, and, since we’re now digital in this column, you can easily read more about Steve’s illustrious careers via this link. Congratulations, Steve, on your lifetime achievements.

Ron Demer ’59, friend of many ’58ers, sends us the following note: “William “Britt” Stitt called to tell me that John Lauren “Larry” Tracy passed away on February 1 from dementia. Larry had been ill for several years. Britt transferred to Columbia when he realized that he could get a Columbia BA and BS civil engineering in the same time that his Cornell BCE would require. Britt had lunch with Bob Turner recently in Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco, where Bob lives. Bob (turner@math.wisc.edu) is a retired math professor from the U. of Wisconsin, Madison. His wife, Rosine (Vance) ’60, is in an assisted living facility nearby.” Ron was one of many SAE brothers who attended their wedding near Boston around 1960.

We’ve gotten notice of a special award to Stephen Yusem ’58, the first-ever granted by the Montgomery, PA, Bar Association for Lifetime Achievement.

We have an update from Jenny Suk ’23, who again thanks “the Ronald P. Lynch family and the Class of ’58 for allowing me to attend Cornell with less of a financial burden.” Jenny approaches a gap year in her pre-dental studies and will be working at Olin and Uris libraries as a student assistant. She graciously expresses her gratitude at being able to be a Cornellian.

Robert Mayer wrote last year of his anguish over COVID and its impact on his family with no visits with his son and the loss of too many friends (“a major drawback of living a long life,” he adds). He is still involved with many charities, gets in lots of gardening and a bit of golf, and says his number-one project is “tossing stuff out.” Bob and Susan still reside in Linwood, NJ, and he’s reachable at bobmay13@aol.com.

Lastly, we learn of Al Podell’s newest book—no, not of traveling the world, but of Muddling Through the Sexual Revolution, its title. Having started reading his last draft, this correspondent can report that it’s clearly Al, with his perspectives on the subject covering the time period from elementary school (yes, that early) to the present, including five chapters on life at Cornell. Lots of laughs, but those are also woven through some serious, some brave, vignettes, with two or three relevant quotes heading each of the many chapters (where did he find all of those?). All of this as Al romps through, shall we say, “social impediments of mid-century,” and then on to many enjoyments of working/playing through those times of America’s sexual revolution, as Al experienced them. No doubt it’s a worthy read covering much of our social, ethical, and moral behavior during the last 70 years. Cheers for now. ❖ Dick Haggard, richardhaggard11@gmail.com; Jan Arps Jarvie, janjarvie@gmail.com. Online news form.

1959

Our class lost a devoted alumna earlier this year when Marian Fay Levitt peacefully passed away from recurrent cancer. As an active class officer for many years, she served as class president (1994–2004) and, most recently, as co-vice president. Frequently she attended the annual Cornell Assn. of Class Officers meetings, plus events at the Cornell Club–New York, class Reunions, and the Cornell’s Adult University presidential election weekends. Together with another ’59er, Marian compiled our class’s 40th Reunion survey in 1999, which among other tidbits found that 92% considered themselves successful in their occupations—but only 13% weighed the same as they did at graduation.

Marian’s most enduring Cornell legacy was the Class of ’59 Scholarship, which was endowed in 2004. She zealously advocated to set up this investment for future generations. “I will always remember Marian’s devotion to our Class Scholarship Fund. She was determined to make it a success, and she did,” notes current class president Barbara Hirsch Kaplan. Marian is survived by her daughter, Lisa Levitt ’91 (lisalevitt800@gmail.com), who writes, “My mother’s proud school spirit encompassed the entire experience from intellectual training, Cornell traditions, the campus, and friendships with her classmates throughout the decades. As a changemaker, she envisioned the class scholarship as a vehicle to positively influence society. She cherished letters from talented scholarship recipients and loved learning about their lives and innovations to make the world better.”

Grandson Sam Fulmer ’25 has been keeping Carole Kenyon ’59 entertained with tales of his freshman year in Dyson.

Each year, more than 10,000 alumni in the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network (CAAAN) meet with high schoolers who are applying to the University. Carole Kenyon (carolekenyon59@verizon.net) has cheerfully been part of this network since the 1960s. “Talking with the applicants, listening to their passions, interests, questions—and, for foreign applicants, learning about their home countries—are positive times for me. Nowadays I tell every one of them to read the Cornell Daily Sun, a great publication that continues to be completely student-run and written. Yay!” Carole is happy to report that three of the more than 40 applicants she spoke with this past school year were accepted on April 1. (Last year, not a one.) Carole’s grandson Sam Fulmer ’25 has been keeping her entertained with tales of his freshman year in Dyson. “He was already meeting with clients during the spring semester; because of this, his family visit here in April featured a haircut and shopping for business-appropriate attire.”

I was browsing art and auction sites and came across an item that was designed by my buddy, classmate, artist, and illustrator George Ladas (g.ladas@comcast.net). The recently sold object is one of George’s Orbita timepieces from the late 1960s (one of which is in the permanent collection at NYC’s Museum of Modern Art). With an outer shell of acrylic, it has three concentrically orbiting bodies: the large blue body revolves once every 12 hours, the green outer body revolves once every hour, and the smallest body, white, revolves once each minute. George, who now lives in retirement in Roselle, NJ, had a busy career as an illustrator, working for advertising agencies, NASA, the Franklin Library, etc. He also taught at Pratt Inst. and the New York Inst. of Technology, exhibited internationally, and created sculptures ranging from the Orbita to a 47-foot animated Trojan horse that long drew visitors to FAO Schwarz in the Forum in Las Vegas. ❖ Jenny Tesar, jet24@cornell.edu. Online news form.

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Classes of the 1960s

1960

Kudos to Dave Ahl, who continues his dedication to charitable projects, fulfilling his resolution to “give all of my wealth to charity before I die. I want to actually see my money do some good for people in need.” Having made trips in years past to provide support in such countries as Guatemala, Honduras, Jordan, and Israel, Dave reports that even this past winter, “I’ve actually been traveling to Central and South America on mission trips. Travel is no joy, but we’re getting things done.” He and his wife, Betsy, recently visited a rural community in Peru whose primary school was in a deteriorating building. With the support of the Ahls and help from community members, they built a brand-new school and furnished it completely, so that young children now have a place—the David and Elizabeth Ahl School—where they can learn and develop. Keep up the wonderful work, Dave.

Congratulations also to David Stevens, who was honored in February by the California Inst. for Medical Research, which officially named the David A. Stevens Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory in recognition of his 50 years as a researcher at CIMR. Among David’s accomplishments over the years are: the authorship of 75 publications, receipt of several medals, and service as a member of the board for 40 years and as its president for 28 years. Also a professor emeritus at Stanford, David is retired from his position as chief of infectious diseases at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

Writing from suburban Boston, Chuck Levenstein sent news of his various activities in recent years. An economist and policy analyst with graduate degrees from Harvard and MIT, Chuck retired as professor emeritus of work environment from UMass Lowell in 2003 and became adjunct professor of occupational health at Tufts U. Medical School and a dedicated researcher. Continuing to serve as a consultant and/or administrator with other Boston area organizations concerned with environmental and occupational health and safety, Chuck also turned some of his attention to writing and editing. He contributed to several books in a series called “Work, Health, and Environment,” which produced volumes such as The Toxic Schoolhouse, The Great Lawrence Textile Strike of 1912, The Cotton Dust Papers, and Nuclear Servitude. Somehow Chuck also found time to write and publish several collections of poetry and serve as contributing editor of a poetry magazine. He and his wife, Ellen, have two married adult daughters—one of whom lives in Ann Arbor, MI, and the other in New York City—and four grandchildren.

The California Institute for Medical Research named the David A. Stevens ’60 Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory in recognition of his 50 years as a researcher.

Looking back at the last few years, our class treasurer Susan Cowan Jakubiak says that they “have been both bad and good. In 2019, my husband, Henry, died of cancer after we had a good 56 years together. Then, as you all know, COVID entered our lives, and my computer system got hacked, with the result that emails were sent to many contacts saying I was in trouble in Mumbai and needed $4,000 immediately. Things then lightened up and I found more interesting webinars and online courses than there was time. One favorite was Rocky Ruggiero’s Italian art history lectures, which inspired me to spend Thanksgiving week in Florence with other Rocky fans, going to museums and wine tastings and monuments with Rocky as our guide. Fabulous! Prior to Florence, I went on a long-postponed river cruise in Bordeaux with three companions, also a good trip. Now, with four family members having recently had COVID, I am debating when I will feel comfortable going to shows and restaurants.”

Edith Rogovin Frankel admits, “It’s been a difficult year here in south central New Jersey because of the loss of a longtime partner and COVID and its limitations, etc., but there have been some bright spots recently. I gave a course at a local college in the fall, actually in person, which was a wonderful change from Zooming. Then a fellow classmate, Karin Rosenthal Demorest, was in from Paris and we spent a lovely day in NYC in December (MOMA, lunch at the Cornell Club, and a matinee). This February I was down in Boca Raton to give a series of lectures on the subject ‘Off the Beaten Track,’ about some relatively obscure Jewish communities, including those in India and China. Fascinating!”

Back in February, Elaine Moody Pardoe wrote, “Five years ago, Dave and I moved into a continuing care retirement community in Ellicott City, MD, near where we had lived since moving to this county from our hometown of Baltimore. This has proved not to be just a bunch of people sitting around being old; we consider it one of the best decisions of our 60-year marriage. Dinners with friends we’ve made here and browsing our library for books I hardly have time to read are both constant sources of pleasant living, plus for reasons I can’t remember I ended up on three committees. Our son lives nearby with his wife and two teenaged daughters, and our daughters in Connecticut and California get here once or twice a year, as do our other granddaughter and grandson. Life is good!”

“Here’s hoping 2022 wanders back to normal,” says Ginny Seipt, who reports that Sardi’s is now open for lunch, so we could plan a class gathering there on, say, Tuesday, October 18. If you’re interested, email Ginny (ginnyseipt@gmail.com), or me: ❖ Judy Bryant Wittenberg, jw275@cornell.edu. Online news form.

1961

Greetings, class members! Doug Fuss and I, Susan Williams Stevens, haven’t received much news—but we do have a brief note to share from Martha Welch Myer (emmmcc1@yahoo.com), who lives in Boyce, VA. She claims to be trying to keep up with technology. She and husband Eric, DVM ’60, have five children (three Cornell grads), 13 grandchildren, and one great-grand! She’d like to be traveling more and enjoys being well.

See how nice it is to hear from people! Doug and Susan are off to Scotland and Bill and I to Colorado to visit my brother and see my granddaughter, Nora, graduate from U. of Colorado, Boulder.

I am sure there are those of you who have trips planned that you could share—so do it! Write to either of us: ❖ Susan Williams Stevens, sastevens61@gmail.com; Doug Fuss, dougout@attglobal.net. Online news form.

1962

In the provided runup to our 60th Reunion, many classmates have sent updates. Thank you all! We enjoyed seeing many of you—and you can be sure that those of us in attendance hoisted one for each of you who were otherwise occupied.

Steve Schmal (schmals@verizon.net) writes: “My wife, Deb, and I have slowly emerged from our COVID cocoons. A couple road trips in California last year, one coming up shortly. I’m sorry but we can’t attend our class’s 60th Reunion. If we head East from San Diego this year, it’ll be via the D.C. area on our way to Europe (Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic). Other than traveling, life has been getting older (a few more aches and pains) but still active, physically (hiking, San Diego Zoo volunteering) and mentally.”

Faith Miller Roelofs (Prescott, AZ; faithroelofs40@gmail.com) is working out at a CrossFit gym three times a week. She says, “Their ‘lite’ program keeps us mobile and happy, as there is always something or someone to enjoy. I continue my 31-plus-year streak of volunteering for the Highlands Center for Natural History, enjoying and helping with their programs and celebrations. Since COVID and Chuck’s (Charles Dann ’61, BEE ’63, MEd ’64) stroke in May 2021, we take time to smell the flowers. That includes frequent trips to the Grand Canyon South Rim, where our daughter lives and works. Together we have five grandchildren ranging from ages 8 to 14. Who needs TV for entertainment?”

Sue Peery Moore (SBISHOPPM@comcast.net) writes from Palm Beach, FL: “Having an empty nest with no job means plenty of free time! I’m enjoying travel (post-COVID) and bridge and cleaning out closets, drawers, and the garage. Our grandchildren are graduating and turning out OK, in spite of our children’s childrearing methods!”

Thomas Seaman (Jefferson, NC; tomseaman@skybest.com) says, “Still among the living in the beautiful North Carolina mountains! No more work for me! Enjoying life! We have 14 grandchildren—from four children of my own plus two more of Carol’s that I raised with her.” Thomas enjoys being alive and good eating (he is the chef), puzzles on the computer, reading, and sports on TV.

Who would have imagined, pre-COVID, that we’d be playing competitive bridge with world champions online?
Beth Newell Spicka ’62

Beth Newell Spicka: “Who would have imagined, pre-COVID, that we’d be playing competitive bridge with world champions online? I play with my brother (Cornell ’68), who lives in Rochester, NY, from our home in Naples, FL. Grandchildren are graduating college, joining the working world, and getting married! Warren ’61 and I get satisfaction from celebrating life’s special days with our family and appreciating our good fortune to be together. A new hobby is gardening with native plants on Cape Cod.”

From Jean Horn Swanson, MS ’64, in Chicago: “I never imagined being quarantined for most of the past two years and confined to our apartment. Have had four doses of the vaccine. No COVID yet! We live in a continuing care senior complex. I help in the library, sing in a chorale, and attend the dining committee. Both our daughters live nearby. We lost a grandson almost three years ago. We have six remaining grandchildren. Two will graduate from universities this year. Two are in college and two in high school. I continue the interests I have had as well as coping with the challenges life brings. May we see peace in a crazy world!”

Judith Frediani Yousten Tarrants (jtarrants@aol.com) writes from Fabius, NY: “I can say no to things I don’t want to do! I retired in 2001 from the quality assurance department of Anheuser-Busch. I have an endless list of projects in my old house. I quilt, sew, garden, and volunteer at several organizations. I make quilts for Honor Flight Syracuse. My son died in 2010. My daughter lives and works in Virginia. My granddaughter lives and works in California.”

From Pedro Sanchez, PhD ’68 (Gainesville, FL; sanchez2g@gmail.com): “I really retired as of May 2022! I failed three previous retirements. We shall see! I have been married to Cheryl Palm for 32 years. I have three kids and six grandchildren, ages 10 to 26.”

John Curtis, BCE ’64, MS ’65 (johnandjanie@att.net) writes from Heath, TX: “I am on the ladder to become District Governor of Rotary District 5810, encompassing 62 clubs in the Dallas metro area. This is the training period of seminars: Zooming, travel, and many meetings. It is both exciting and rewarding. I have been chair of several city and NGO boards, but now I am focused on the preparation of my task in Rotary. When we can, we enjoy travel. Recently, we traveled to Israel and Jordan. We received communion on the Upper Room, a very rare occurrence. Finding those few moments to relax after enjoying a fine meal that Janie and I prepared and before returning to the computer to continue volunteer activities brings great satisfaction. I am more focused on photography and less on skiing. But I still enjoy golf outings.”

Brad Olson (cbo3@cornell.edu) reports doing something that he never imagined—getting around with a cane/walker/wheelchair! He says that a 2023 London-Bergen cruise is in store. He and wife Lila (Fox) ’63 are close to family and are enjoying three teenage grandchildren and their activities.

Jeannette Butler Miller (Jeannette11miller@aol.com) lives in Berne, NY, with husband Ralph ’60. They winter in Sebastian, FL, where she enjoys walking the dog four miles each day. She does a lot of canning and freezing of fruits and vegetables they grow in New York. She also leads osteo-exercises twice a week, and exercises with the ladies for an hour five days a week.

William “Sandy” Stevenson (williamstevenson62@gmail.com) writes from Hertford, NC: “I lead a program that prepares tax returns for lower-income folks. I am president of a local historical preservation organization and will soon complete my second term as president of the Hertford Rotary Club. I am enjoying a relaxed lifestyle and get satisfaction from moving an organization to do new things.”

We went to Paris (for about the 20th time!), where I took a really fun cheese- and butter-making class.
Judy Prenske Rich ’62

Judy Prenske Rich (jprcom1@aol.com): “After an asymptomatic bout of COVID (yes, I had all four shots!), my husband, Bruce ’60, and I traveled to London to visit with our daughter (Stacey ’93), who we had not seen in person these past few years. We also went to Paris (for about the 20th time!), where I took a really fun cheese- and butter-making class—and then took a side trip to Colmar and Strasbourg for a first visit. Strasbourg was fabulous!”

Robert Gillen (chiller919@aol.com) in Chattanooga, TN, writes that he never imagined he would be living in a red state! He is writing his memoirs and derives satisfaction from living with his wife and daughter. He has kept and raised tropical fish for 71 years and has collected toy trains for 40 years.

Anne Elizabeth Standish Uhe (anneesuhe@aol.com) reports from Carlock, IL, that she is knitting baby hats for the hospital and knitting prayer blankets. She wrote a book about her father, Dr. Phillip Myles Standish, titled “Main Street Letters Home,” about his service during WWII, based on letters saved by her mother. She and husband Ron live on a small lake in rural central Illinois. They have seven grandchildren, ages 6–13, whom they enjoy. Her new hobby is collecting rocks.

Kenneth Canfield Jr., MBA ’66 (canfield@rcn.com) writes from Boxborough, MA: “I’m driving a 2020 Toyota GR Supra sports car, which is a very fast car manufactured by BMW and assembled in Austria. I never imagined owning such a sports car. I’m 82 and definitely retired and in good health. My three children and six grandchildren bring me the most satisfaction these days. I have two hobbies: collecting and working on US-manufactured pocket watches and ham radio.”

Joel Sundholm (jls446@cornell.edu) writes that he never could have imagined conducting meetings via Zoom. Now he meets at 6:30 a.m. with a men’s church group and then at 4 p.m. with a Bible study group in Hudson, OH. He retired in 2002 after 38 years in the steel industry and continued to do consulting work until 2015. He says he is keeping the medical community busy and now lives in Michigan, where his son is his landlord. He likes feeding six squirrels, multiple blue jays, and eight deer. He gets great satisfaction from avoiding hacks, with his fingers crossed.

The trust that I am on the board of has recently unearthed four Revolutionary War cannons.
Jim Moore ’62, BS ’64

Louise Young Bixby says learning to be a widow is something she never imagined doing. Her husband, Bob, DVM ’62, passed away in January 2022. She lives in South Colton, NY.

Donald P. Reed (reeder1@twcny.rr.com) owns a house on Cayuga Lake. He still lives on the family farm in Cortland, NY, and has two granddaughters, ages 5 and 7, for whom he is trying to stay healthy so he can see them graduate from high school. “As a breeder of new coffee varieties for 50 years, to still see some of my varieties used gives me great satisfaction.”

Richard Grove (richardgrove118@gmail.com): “After 20-plus years of retirement in the Charlotte, NC, area, we moved to northeast Florida in 2021. In January 2023, we will move again, this time to a continuing care retirement community in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.”

Jim Moore, BS ’64 (jom@marshlands.org): “I was director of technology for the family business. In 2000, Siemens bought the company and I retired. Taking the advice of a colleague to do something totally different in retirement, I joined the board of French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust. I am also the volunteer technical advisor for the Northeast Motus Collaboration. I am also active in the citizen science program with the Stroud Water Research Center. We moved to the family property in Northern Chester County, PA, in 2012. My daughter and two grandchildren also live here. We have lots of animals: one horse, two Nubian goats, five sheep, and several pigs, chickens, and ducks. All except the horse and goats provide food for the family. I also founded a nonprofit in 2018. The trust that I am on the board of has recently unearthed four Revolutionary War cannons. This is major news and ranks just below finding Shackleton’s ship and on a par with the cannon dredged up in the Savannah River. So, my new hobby is archeology!”

Harold Don (hkd5@cornell.edu): “2022, in the words of the lyricist, is a year of ‘one season following another, laden with happiness and tears.’ While the happiness does not diminish the tears, neither do the tears detract from the happiness. The tears: Mona, my wife, died suddenly in March 2022. The happiness: I am living in Lions Gate, a senior community in Voorhees, NJ. I am enjoying the new community, making new friends, and participating in activities. Our family is growing up. We had two children who blessed us with 10 grandchildren. In the end, I am grateful for the years Mona and I had together and for her legacy, which will continue to give meaning to the future.” ❖ Evelyn Eskin, evelyneskin@mac.com. Online news form.

1963

Our 60th Reunion will be June 8–11, 2023. Put it on your calendar and plan to join us on campus.

Harvey Rothschild wrote: “On to the ‘old’ news. I turned 80 in July 2021 (July 6, to be exact) and celebrated with a birthday party, which I don’t usually do. All three of my sibs and their spouses, my 97-year-old stepmother, all three of my children, with spouses, and three of my grandsons helped me celebrate. The only ‘locals’ were my stepmother, my daughter, and my brothers and their wives. Family came in from Phoenix, Boston, and Pretoria, South Africa.

“Speaking of Pretoria brings up my vacation at the end of October 2021. I flew out to South Africa (Zuid Afrik) to visit my son and his family. My daughter-in-law is in the Foreign Service and stationed at the embassy in Pretoria. My son also works at the embassy. This trip hit three items from my bucket list. I’ve wanted to visit South Africa, see the Highveld, and walk in the Drakensberg mountains. Got all three in one. My son got permission from his boss to take his dad to work, so we were off to Gaborone for three days while he was doing an equipment audit at the embassy there. One day I got a personally guided tour of Gaborone and one I got to traipse around the back halls of the embassy with my son.

“On the way back to Pretoria we stopped for the night at one of the private lodges in the Madikwe Game Reserve, where we did both a sundown and a sunrise safari. I saw three of the big five, but the big cats were all elsewhere in the reserve. One of my big thrills of the trip was getting to spend two wonderful Sunday afternoons watching my son and two grandsons playing baseball. My grandsons’ two teams both qualified on March 20 to go to Cape Town to represent Gauteng Province in the South Africa championships. The funny thing is that they played soccer when they lived in Seattle and didn’t take up baseball until they moved to Vienna five years ago.”

I continue to play Robin Hood, not necessarily stealing from the rich, but definitely doing pro bono work for the poor, elderly, and disabled.
Marty Lustig ’63

Marty Lustig (MHL24@cornell.edu) and Dianne (Flannery) ’66 (DJL34@cornell.edu) continue to live in Prairie Village, KS, a suburb outside of Kansas City, MO. Marty wrote: “Yes, it’s Kansas, but it looks a bit like Cayuga Heights and it’s not flat! Diane and I are going to celebrate our 58th anniversary, having met in Mann Library (isn’t that where the electrical engineers worked on lab reports?) in October 1963 and married in July 1964. Our son has retired with his wife at 55 years old in a home near the slopes in Steamboat Springs, CO, after a successful career as a construction engineer. It’s wonderful when your kids do better than you did! My daughter has just moved to H&R Block, where she is senior marketing research manager. Our seven grandchildren live in Kansas and Colorado—none are at Cornell, and in fact none are interested in college. But I think they will do okay.

“I have a handyman business that moved to a new level, my being certified and licensed as a master electrician. I feel some irony in now becoming an electrician after five years of Electrical Engineering at Cornell. I continue to play Robin Hood, not necessarily stealing from the rich, but definitely doing pro bono work for the poor, elderly, and disabled. Dianne’s skills have moved beyond grandparenting, needlepoint, and baking to include quilting, embroidery, and crocheting. She continues to teach various classes in those arts. As I write this, I talked with one of my almost-18-year-old grandkids, a high school senior, about lessons I learned from Cornell: 1) Cornell never closed … even with three feet of snow! One can overcome more obstacles than one may realize. 2) One can survive a five-year Cornell Engineering program. 3) English 101 was definitely worth it. 4) You can’t push a chain uphill. And 5) A rope has no strength in compression. Cornell did a pretty good job of preparing me for a full and meaningful life.”

Jim Tabor, BS ’65, MS ’67 (taborjbb@gmail.com) retired from the US Navy after 22 years of service, achieving the rank of commander and running a ship repair facility in Little Creek, VA. He was on land for almost all except a tour on a DD (destroyer) as an ensign following his two Cornell degrees. Shore assignments included teaching at the Naval Academy and shipyards in Naples and Yokosuka, Japan, his favorite duty station, where Jim and his wife, Linda, enjoyed exposure to a very different way of life. They still correspond with several Japanese friends. After retirement they lived in Boone, NC, and are now in Boiling Springs, SC, an hour and a half from their two children and their families. Travel is their hobby. They have visited about 70 islands or countries and have more planned.

Please send news! ❖ Nancy Bierds Icke, 12350 E. Roger Rd., Tucson, AZ 85749, email, nancybicke@gmail.com.

1964

Summer’s here! Or at least the calendar says so. It’s mid-April here in Chicago as I write this, yet the weather report calls for a chance of snow. Well, no matter the weather, here’s what your classmates have been up to lately.

Paul Kruger, last here a quarter-century ago, lives with wife Mary in Hamilton, NY, and writes, “I retired from the practice of ob/gyn in rural New York State four years ago. My hobbies are gardening and air-cooled German cars.” Paul catches us up on their three sons, two of whom are Cornellians: “We visited son Nathan ’98 in Connecticut with his wife and our four grandchildren. Middle son Daniel and wife are house hunting in Buffalo. Son Michael ’94 has been staying with us as a refugee from COVID risk in Brooklyn.” Paul notes that he and Mary celebrated their 50th anniversary last November. He concludes that he gets his most satisfaction from family.

William Viel, here eight years ago, left Cornell in 1963 and got his bachelor’s degree at California’s Fresno State, what he termed “the Cornell of the San Joaquin Valley.” He then goes on: “I worked for Procter & Gamble, then went to Vegas and got an MBA, and then worked for BASF Corp., an international chemical company, for 37 years—as VP sales, then international VP Asia, Central America, and South America. Currently I’m professor, co-chair, business and information management, and director of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center at Delaware Valley U., Doylestown, PA, for the 18th year! Who would have thought? Wife Laura also teaches at DVU and obviously taught me a few things!” William gets his most satisfaction from “helping students like I was find their path and success.” His hobby is making what he terms “walking sticks,” which he gives to retirement homes—“and anyone who needs one or two.”

Susan Schifter Labarthe, BS ’67, last here in 2019, still lives in Montpelier, VT, and writes that earlier this year she “got home from my first day of orientation in my new (part-time) job at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) a bit north of me in Morrisville, VT. I officially ‘retired’ (claimed my pension) from the V.A. in 2017 but continued there part time until my position was eliminated at the beginning of COVID. In the interval I saw patients intermittently at the People’s Health & Wellness Clinic, a free clinic I helped found, in Barre, VT. I enjoy my ebike in summer and snow shoeing with my younger son nine miles up the road from me in Worcester, VT. He has recovered remarkably well from potentially devastating fractures of C1 and C2 in June—courtesy of taking a header off his motorized trail bike into a tree. Do note my ‘new’ email address: esslabee@gmail.com.” Susan and I got together in April, when she came to Chicago for the American College of Physicians Internal Medicine Meeting 2022.

William Viel ’64 makes what he terms ‘walking sticks,’ which he gives to retirement homes—‘and anyone who needs one or two.’

Jane Rothman (jrothman@ozemail.com.au), also last here in 2019, writes from her home in New South Wales, Australia, where she lives with husband Max: “We’re dividing our time between our home in the beachside suburb of Manly and our farm at Greenwich Park, where Max is growing saffron. In retirement I do volunteer work in the NSW Health system. This is my way of giving back after a long period in a hospital in 2006 after acquiring Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Our life, for the past two years, has been dominated by COVID. On the more exciting side, our son Julian had an ad spot (Uber Eats) in the Super Bowl. I appreciate how Zoom and FaceTime have allowed me to stay connected with loved ones I can’t visit in person. I am contemplating writing and illustrating a children’s book.”

Matt Sonfield, who lives with wife Judith (Jayson) ’66 in Oyster Bay, NY, is seeking a new internet way of communicating with classmates. He writes, “Sigma Alpha Mu Class of 1964: if any of my class-year fraternity brothers would like to initiate a periodic Zoom session, please contact me at sonfield@optonline.net. Several friends who are graduates of other universities and fraternities have found doing this enjoyable in our retirement years.”

Lastly, we have a follow up to the Newsletter story about the 143 pictures taken of us by famed photographer Peter Stackpole for Life magazine as we were signing in for our freshman year in September 1960—and which can now be seen in an online photo gallery. Stackpole, accompanied by Cornell staffers plus a Life correspondent, paid particular attention to Susan Lamme Laessig, MAT ’66, following her around. Susan writes of the experience: “Yes, many of the photos are of me and my parents. As I recall, there was no prior arrangement with the Life journalist and photographer. I believe they stopped us the morning of freshman registration as we walked across Triphammer Bridge to campus. They asked if they could follow us for a while, which ended up being most of the day. They said they were getting material to do an article for Life magazine. I don’t remember why they happened to choose Cornell, and also now understand why the staffers were making such a fuss about the photographer! Anne Meads Shaw is in many photos with me and our parents moving the two of us into our tiny double room in Risley Hall. Erna Hofmann West is seen in other photos. They did send me a number of glossy pictures, but I never knew why the article was not printed.”

That’s all for now. I could always use more of your news, so please update me by email, regular mail, our class website, or our class Facebook page. ❖ Bev Johns Lamont, 720 Chestnut St., Deerfield, IL 60015; email, blamont64@comcast.net. Online news form.

1965

Loren Meyer Stephens (Los Angeles, CA; lorenmstephens@gmail.com) reports that she and husband Dana Miyoshi recently took a much-needed vacation to beautiful St. George, UT, for a hiking and spa retreat. She reports: “My companies, Write Wisdom and Bright Star Memoirs, continue to grow in response to a demand for ghostwriting services. Two new books are in our library: Call Me Sheba and The Road Taken: Men, Motorcycles, and Me.” Her son, Josh, a grad of Princeton and the Harvard Kennedy School, works with her in addition to running a very successful college consultancy program for high school seniors. She derives much satisfaction from her work; marketing her debut novel, All Sorrows Can Be Borne; and spending time with her family.

Gerald Gragg (Piedmont, CA; sobella2009@yahoo.com) reports: “My wife, Darby, and I left San Francisco in 2005 on our sailboat and spent the next nine years cruising in Latin America and the Mediterranean. We settled in Italy as residents from 2013–20 and returned to the Bay Area in June 2020. We are looking to connect with alumni in the San Francisco area.”

Stephen Appell (Brooklyn, NY; bigred1965@aol.com) is happy to report that after a more-than-two-year hiatus of attending live Cornell basketball games, he was able to go to Columbia on March 5 with son Brad to see the men’s team prevail in the final regular game of the season. There he got to say a warm but too-long-deferred hello to Big Red basketball standout Garry Munson ’66 and fellow devoted Cornell fan Harry Petchesky ’59.

Joan Hens Johnson (Andover, MA; joanipat@gmail.com) traveled in late April to Provence, France, for one week, with the European Experiences group. Myron Jacobson (Boca Raton, FL; mgjacobson@aol.com) recently enjoyed a visit to London with wife Michele. He is busy at work as Reunion chair, getting a program in place for us at Reunion 2025.

Judy Kellner Rushmore (judesr@gmail.com) recently enjoyed a wonderful trip to Portugal with her good friend Dave Koval. She is making plans for Christmas in Mexico with her family. Judy organized the 13th annual luncheon rendezvous for classmates residing in or visiting Florida, held in March. Following are news items from various attendees.

Bruce Eissner (beissner@polarcove.com) and his wife, Judy, have given the town of Marblehead, MA, 24 bike racks that could be mistaken for art installations, but they’re actually colorful bike racks in nautical shapes. Bruce and Judy worked with Sustainable Marblehead and the recreation and parks department. The racks—shaped like a fish and anchor—are at popular places in Marblehead. Bruce comments: “There’s the higher idea of combating climate change, and the simple idea of reminding folks to enjoy getting around town on bikes.”

Bruce Eissner ’65 and his wife, Judy, have given the town of Marblehead, MA, 24 bike racks that could be mistaken for art installations.

Jim Bennett (jim@jimbennettgroup.com) is a major force in the Breakthrough Public Charter Schools, one of the top-performing networks of public charter schools in Cleveland, OH. Breakthrough’s mission is to develop a growing network of distinctive school options that prepare Cleveland area students for success in life.

Neena Martin Lurvey (nlurvey1@gmail.com) is passionate about the environment and works tirelessly for Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW). This organization preserves critical open space, manages water and land wisely, and provides a quality-of-life “lift” to residents and wildlife while saving taxpayers substantial dollars through wise collaborative management practices and avoided costs from development.

Dave Bridgeman (dmb56@cornell.edu) is “living the dream with my bride of four-plus years; we’re going on four cruises this year, among many other enjoyable activities. On June 30, I’ll celebrate 24 years of retirement from the chemical industry.” Lew Stevens (LewStevens@aol.com) has clocked 4,000 miles while driving for Uber and Lyft.

Tom (igfusa@aol.com) and Wendy Ensinger Carley (carley2301@gmail.com) are enjoying life for part of the year in Nokomis, FL, but are always happy to continue the retired life in their home in Southhold, NY, “minding our health and staying in touch with family and friends.”

George Arangio, MD ’69 (casarangio@aol.com) and wife Judy recently celebrated the late head baseball coach Ted Thoren’s life in Ithaca. George remembers fondly that in 1961, Coach Thoren recruited and supported him and others from Pennsylvania. (The iconic coach also recruited, among others, our much missed and beloved classmate Joe Ryan for the football program.) In June, George’s family will gather in Corolla, NC (Outer Banks).

Please, please keep the news coming to us. You might be pleasantly surprised how much people love to hear about your doings, via our column. ❖ Joan Hens Johnson, joanipat@gmail.com; Stephen Appell, bigred1965@aol.com. Online news form.

1966

Hopefully you are well and enjoying good summer weather! Harold “Hap” Gray (hapgray44@gmail.com), a graduate of the Hotel school, wrote that he retired from the Cleveland restaurant scene and gave up his Harley when he reached 75. He now is “trying to be a good citizen, neighbor, and friend.” His time is spent woodworking, wood carving, gardening, walking, attending hospital parties, and, “of course, eating, cooking, and drinking.” He wrote that he’s happily married and has a son and a daughter and “two exceptional grandchildren.” When asked what he does now that he never thought he’d be doing, Hap said he’s restoring two Ford pickup trucks (a 1939 and a 1949) and living in Florida (winters) and North Carolina (summers).

Nancy Kurtz (Moab, UT) spends her time doing astrology and tarot readings, and she plays a keyboard and sings in a rock band that currently practices outdoors! She also reads, mostly mysteries, and is interested in healing the physical body. She’s enjoying new hobbies: playing the ukulele, studying the mind/body connection, and devoting more time to self-care. She never thought that she would be taking walks in a desert, “DJ’ing” radio shows, and playing the keyboard in a gravel driveway. She has a new grandbaby, who is almost 2, whom she describes as “a doll.”

Paul Foster retired in 2018 from the chaplaincy but is still actively involved in his local church. He now has time for birding and is very involved with his grandchildren. He and his wife, Kathy, celebrated their 53rd anniversary in May! That’s terrific!

Russell Lidman (lidmanr@seattleu.edu) wrote that he retired from full-time teaching at Seattle U. in 2011. Then, for three years beginning in 2014, he resumed teaching, but just one quarter a year, at the Evergreen State College. Then, in 2017, he was a Fulbright professor at the U. of Guadalajara for two months. Then he taught for five months at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) in Mexico City, where his courses were on public policy and Canada/US/Mexico relations. Now, he is retired. He’s a funny guy; he wrote, “Now that I am old, I am on my Olympia, WA, temple’s cemetery committee.” He adds, “I am packing up—and tossing or donating—as I move to a much smaller place in Seattle. Not so much a hobby as an ordeal.” Russell also wrote that he “traveled internationally a good deal in 2019, then for much of the next year and a half I traveled to the grocery store and the pet food store. I live close to my kids (both Cornell grads) and my young grandchildren. So we have lots of family time.”

Nancy Kurtz ’66 plays a keyboard and sings in a rock band that currently practices outdoors!

Laurie Krasny Brown describes herself as a visual artist working primarily in paper, fine art, and applied art. She never expected to be an artist when at Cornell. She is also still authoring children’s books. She likes to read, write letters, keep a kitchen garden, and explore NYC. She and her husband, Marc, traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland, this spring. They enjoy having meals with their family. You can visit her website to see her art.

Jeff Collins (virion512@gmail.com) wrote that he and his wife are continuing to enjoy life at their continuing care retirement community, into which they moved in March 2020. He is “actively working for voter rights and for fair voting districts, working with several voting rights groups including Common Cause, Democracy North Carolina, and You Can Vote.” He is hoping that the third time’s the charm: “We have rescheduled two European trips for 2022 that were both canceled twice, in 2020 and 2021, due to COVID: Northern Portugal (Douro River cruise and more) in May, and Italy (mostly Umbria and some Tuscany) in September.”

Rich Stuebing (rwstuebing@gmail.com) wrote, “Although retired, I remain involved with the accreditation of theological education programs in Africa, where I lived and taught for 40-plus years. That is mainly assessing reports and applications for accreditation when I receive such things from my Kenyan boss. I also teach here and there, both at church (biblical passages, mainly) and in adult education (mainly on African historical topics like the life of David Livingstone or the Rwandan genocide).” He wrote that he is active mainly at his church and in his retirement community. “For some years I have been active on a church committee that deals with peace and social justice issues such as racism and gender.” In response to a question about special interests, he wrote: “Does caring for five grandchildren count? I also play more tennis (doubles) than before, and I’m grateful for the health to do so.” His last trip was spending six weeks in Malawi, where their daughter has moved in order to set up a residency program for trauma surgeons like herself. “She grew up next door in Zambia, so it was not a big cultural adjustment for her. It was helpful for my wife, Kathy (Winger), MS ’67, and me to understand the challenges she has with a new job—balancing that with a working husband (counselor) and three small children.” He also said, “All the kids and grandchildren managed to join us in Virginia for my wife’s 80th birthday.”

A note from Alice Katz Berglas and Mary Jansen Everett: “Take time for yourselves over the summer … enjoy the long light, long days. A new Cornell class—the Class of 2026—is busy learning dorms/roommates, buying microwaves/refrigerators and down jackets, and planning arrivals on campus as our newest Cornellians. They will graduate as we gather for our 60th!”

We hope that you will send your Class of ’66 dues and submit your news to cornellclassof1966@gmail.com or to either of us. Without your news, we will have to make stuff up. Also, you can find what’s happening at Cornell and in Ithaca by going to Cornellians. ❖ Pete Salinger, peteRsalinger95@gmail.com; Susan Rockford Bittker, ladyscienc@aol.com. Online news form.

1967

Cornell and most other places have not been on my travel itinerary since March 2020. But the annual (in-person, non-virtual) meeting of the Cornell University Council was held in March 2022 as part of Cornell Leadership Week. My membership on this body resulted from my selection last year as the 2021 winner of the William “Bill” Vanneman ’31 Outstanding Class Leader Award, a recognition by the University of long and presumably meritorious service. Bill Vanneman, father of our classmate Reeve Vanneman, was a delightful man who served Cornell as well as his class, as correspondent, right up until he was 102.

By Ithaca standards, the weather was superb. That means bright sunny days from my arrival on Wednesday until departure Sunday morning, with, naturally, a light drizzle or shower here and there.

If you attended our 55th Reunion (this column was written on May 1), you would note how the flavor of both the Cornell campus and Ithaca have changed, even since our 50th. The March weekend kicked off with a stimulating session on diversity and inclusion, “Influencing Campus Culture Through Human Connection and Dialogue,” presented by the Intergroup Dialogue Project. This was one of the best-conceived such presentations that I’ve seen. It cut to the heart of creating understanding.

There were a host of campus tours along with plenty of visible changes on the Hill: one that has gone without much notice was the final baseball games played on Hoy Field this past April 30–May 1 weekend. Coincidentally, the opponent was Columbia, and the Big Red nine fared no better than it had on the March weekend when I saw a bit of a game against Harvard. The Lions’ presence was notable because one of their long-ago stars, Lou Gehrig, knocked a homer out of Hoy in the early 1920s.

If you attended our 55th Reunion, you would note how the flavor of both the Cornell campus and Ithaca have changed, even since our 50th.
Richard Hoffman ’67

In her State of the University talk, President Martha Pollack emphasized in illustrated highlights the most recent achievements of Cornellians young and old. The amazing record of Cornell’s most significant president in our time—Frank H.T. Rhodes—was celebrated at a memorial service at Sage Chapel that was livestreamed. While the great and the good recalled their memories of President Rhodes, his daughter Deborah, MD ’92, a physician, delivered the most informative, meaningful, and moving eulogy.

Prof. Colleen L. Barry, the inaugural dean of Cornell’s new Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, and Wendy Wolford, vice provost for international affairs, outlined Cornell’s international engagement in a lunch talk titled “Cornell: A Bridge to the World.” A panel reported on the status of the website on which you are reading this column, Cornellians, after its first six months, and responded to a wide range of queries and comments. I’m still getting emails from classmates asking what happened to Cornell Alumni Magazine (which closed in summer 2021 before the launch of Cornellians); and a recent report from the Alumni Affairs office specified that of our 1,772 living class alumni (there are also almost 500 non-degreed classmates), just about half are reachable by email, two-thirds by phone, and 81% by postal mail.

The mailings recently dispatched for you to remit class dues contained a news form. Please send back your news with your dues or send the form directly to me by email. By the time you read this, I hope to have caught up with many classmates at Reunion. ❖ Richard Hoffman, 2925 28th St. NW, Washington, DC 20008; email, derhoff@yahoo.com. Online news form.

1968

I think our classmates should be outraged with the writers, producers, directors, and star of the TV show “Billions.” Paul Giamatti, in a particular scene, is on a phone call with his ex, talking about their prep school son whose presumed destiny is to follow in the footsteps of his father and earlier generations to Harvard, and likely Harvard Law. We only hear the Giamatti side of the conversation as he expresses his displeasure at something his ex tells him to which he answers sarcastically with words something to this effect: “Don’t tell me again that Cornell is ‘good enough.’” To which I say, damn right Cornell is good enough—and they could have used Yale, since that’s where Giamatti attended, as well as his father, Angelo Bartlett Giamatti, who was Yale’s president before he became the Commissioner of Major League Baseball.

After graduation, Richard Gottfried attended Columbia Law School and went on to be the longest-serving legislator in New York State history. He was first elected to the NYS Assembly at the age of 23 while still at Columbia. He has recently announced that he will not run for reelection when his current term ends at the end of this year. Having served under nine governors, he was given the nickname “Eternal” by parks commissioner Henry Stern. Until he retires, Richard vows to continue working on the areas that have been most important to him, including recovering from our recent health emergency, fighting for reproductive choice and human rights, and enacting the New York State Health Act to create universal single-payer coverage so we can all have better healthcare at lower cost.

A leading progressive voice in Democratic politics for decades, Richard has been a trailblazer on gay rights, healthcare, and drug law reform. He authored the 1998 Hudson River Park Act that established the 4.5-mile-long Lower West Side park. Richard said, “Long ago my parents taught me social democratic values. I carried those values with me to the Assembly, where I worked with hundreds of enormously talented and dedicated colleagues (past and present) in the legislature, nine governors (each with a distinct personality), and countless advocates and experts.” Born in NYC in 1947, he graduated from Stuyvesant High School. Richard and his wife, Louise, a nursery school teacher, live in NYC.

To me, Richard is a credit to Cornell and our class. All of his accomplishments, without attending Harvard. Let’s hear about your summer travels now that we’re somewhat protected from the ultimate threat of COVID. ❖ Chuck Levitan, clevitan22@comcast.net. Online news form.

1969

Cornell hosted meetings in Ithaca during the last week of March 2022 for the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference, Cornell University Council, and other alumni organizations—the first such in-person gatherings since the beginning of COVID.

Larry and Nancy Jenkins Krablin were among those who returned to Ithaca for the events and shared these comments: “In light of the last two isolated years, the escape from reality to Ithaca’s ten square miles of idealism was most welcome! The faculty, staff, and students are engaged in exciting initiatives that address campus culture, interdisciplinary college programs such as the new Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, Cornell’s work in global development, Project 2030 (the Atkinson Center’s Cornell climate initiative), economic equity, more tours than even two of us could enjoy, creative pursuits on and off campus, and the trustees and President Martha Pollack’s presentations on the State of the University!

In light of the last two isolated years, the escape from reality to Ithaca’s ten square miles of idealism was most welcome!
Larry ’69 and Nancy Jenkins Krablin ’69

“The offered programs kept us walking around campus the entire weekend, with no regard for the ‘Ithacation’ of late March! Many events included students. It is very clear that Cornell has become a much more diverse community in the half century since our graduation and that Cornell is working to educate leaders in all fields who collaborate. The physical changes in the North Campus Residential Community are amazing. Our 55th Reunion may be the next opportunity most classmates have to return to campus, but return you must! Though waves of ‘imposter syndrome’ may be inevitable, we can all be proud to be part of the Cornell tradition to ‘do the greatest good,’ wherever we are in life!”

Nancy and Larry saw classmates Alan Cody and Eileen Barkas Hoffman during the week and noted that two current trustees in attendance are our classmates: Reuben Munday, BA ’71, MPS ’74, and Lee Pillsbury. At the end of the weekend, there was an emotional video to honor former president Frank H.T. Rhodes, to which classmate Tom Jones, MRP ’72 (trustee emeritus) offered his personal tribute as well. For those unable to attend, some of the programming was recorded and is available for replay here.

Lastly, in case you missed it, let me direct your attention to this editorial, published March 30, 2022, in the Washington Post and written by our classmate Ken Dryden. By the time you read this column, it will be four months after Ken voiced his view of Putin; I think you’ll agree the passage of time has not diminished the insightfulness of his perspective. I’m confident you all share my hope that the news from Ukraine is improving. Please send us your news and what you have heard from classmates to share with us all. Guest columnist: ❖ Greg Baum, ghb3@cornell.edu. Online news form.

Back to the top

Classes of the 1970s

1970

Spring? Maybe, here in Chicagoland in early April, as I write this. Some might say that our Ithaca experiences allowed me to practice postponing expectations of spring. Yet hope springs eternal.

Speaking of such things, by the time you read this, it will be after Reunion weekend, and what follows will be moot. Yet I’m hoping a fair number of you will have received the notice where Reunion planning prioritized a block of on-campus housing dedicated to missed 25th and 50th Reunion milestone classes, which certainly includes us! Rooms were to be available for Non-Reunion Year alums on a first-come, first-served basis. Your correspondent, as a long-term member of the Continuous Reunion Club (CRC), intends to be at Reunion with that group, and to try to locate any ’70 classmates scattered about.

I have a pretty decent stack of notes from all of you. Thanks to all! The oldest is from Anita Harris (Cambridge, MA), hoping we all are staying safe during this difficult period. Anita is pleased to be finishing up a sequel to her undergraduate memoir Ithaca Diaries. The new book, possibly titled “HIP,” is about the alternative weekly newspaper, the Harrisburg Independent Press, cofounded by Anita and classmates Ed Zuckerman, Fred Solowey, Vincent Blocker, MA ’77, and others, mainly to cover the trial of the Harrisburg Seven, the group accused of conspiring to kidnap Henry Kissinger and planning to blow up underground heating tunnels in D.C. It is a mixture of issues in the tumultuous US history leading up to Watergate. In addition to her personal experiences in history, Anita is also excited that her first photo book, Beauty Amidst the Ruins, is now a show at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, MA.

John Macionis (Vero Beach, FL; macionis@kenyon.edu) is loving Vero Beach more and more, with one of the benefits being able to play doubles tennis every day. In December 2021, he married gifted artist Pamela Siddall. For work, he continues to revise the college textbooks that he has authored for 40 years, and he is doing volunteer work for Fort Ticonderoga in Upstate New York, a center for the teaching and learning of US history. He also recently completed a memoir, excerpts of which can be found on his Facebook page, about the pursuit of joy in later life, where elder reflection helps us learn lessons and find inner joy and peace. John is also playing bagpipes, and still plays rock-and-roll oldies, recently performing with Richard Barron, with whom he played on campus in the Dirty Old Band as a student.

Kathy Morris ’70, MFA ’76, taught her first ‘Yoga & Meditation’ class this past fall with the Cornell Prison Education Program.

Vincent Blocker, MA ’77 (La Jolla, CA) was recently providing consulting to the San Diego-Tijuana Smart Border Coalition, a two-nation association working to alleviate poor conditions, such as extreme waits and environmental harm, affecting travelers and neighboring communities around border crossings between San Diego and Tijuana. In addition, he advises his local parish on school fundraising and is an occasional contributor of essays on civic life and the border for the San Diego Union-Tribune. The most satisfaction in his life currently comes from his connections to constructive actors and organizations in public life. In addition, his son’s family welcomed their first child, a son, born in Madison, WI, this past June, and Vincent has recently intensified a weight-lifting program, assisted by a good trainer. Currently, a focus is to continue managing aspects of his family’s international lives; his wife and son are Finnish, his daughter-in-law is Turkish, and Vincent lived in France for many years. He says it is complicated.

James Collyer (Jakarta, Indonesia; james.l.collyer@gmail.com) just finished building a new home in Jakarta and has rediscovered the rhythm of swimming laps. A primary activity is keeping a close eye (from afar!) on their two daughters, both in New York City. The elder graduated from Cornell last year, while the younger is a sophomore at NYU.

Andrea Strongwater (New York, NY; astrongwater@nyc.rr.com) checked in briefly, emphasizing her latest Cornell jigsaw puzzle portraying the interior of Sage Chapel and expressing her frustration with COVID-curtailed social life. She is planning/hoping to summer in Ithaca.

Kathy Morris, MFA ’76 (Ithaca, NY; kathy@kathymorris.net) taught her first “Yoga & Meditation” class this past fall with the Cornell Prison Education Program, teaching nine men at the medium-security Cayuga Correctional Facility in Moravia, NY. Yoga & Meditation fills a three-credit physical education requirement for completing an associate’s degree. She would like us to become familiar with the extraordinary program, and to know that the experience was both humbling and transformative on so many levels. She will have started a new class at a different facility when you read this.

As I have mentioned before, the Class Notes section of the Cornellians website is the most popular destination! Your classmates really want to know what is going on! I now only have a few notes with which to begin the next column. So keep sending your news! You may contact me directly, or you may use the online news form. ❖ John Cecilia, jlcecilia96@gmail.com; tel., (312) 524-2912.

1971

2021 Reunion chair Kathy Menton Flaxman and Class of ’71 leadership look forward to gathering with classmates on campus as part of Non-Reunion Year, in acknowledgment of our missed 50th in June ’21. We have a few small class-driven programs we hope to see you at, though they will take place prior to the publication of this column. In the meantime, here is news from some classmates who have remained active and engaged despite the two-plus years of the pandemic.

Poet and editor Jody Bolz, MFA ’73, studied with Archie Ammons during her years at Cornell, an experience that largely shaped her future as a writer. After moving to Washington, DC, in 1976, she worked as a conservation journalist (for the Wilderness Society and then the Nature Conservancy) and taught creative writing for more than 20 years at George Washington U. From 2002–19, she edited Poet Lore, a poetry journal founded in 1889, and now serves as poetry editor for Moment Magazine. Her most recent books of poetry are The Near and Far and the novella-in-verse Shadow Play, both from Turning Point. “Pandemic Fugue,” a sonnet sequence published in Plume last year, appears online. Jody lives by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Bethesda, MD, where she and her late husband, Brad Northrup, raised their son, Eli Northrup ’07, a policy advocate and criminal defense attorney with the Bronx Defenders, and their daughter, Jessie Northrup ’08, a research psychologist on the faculty at the U. of Pittsburgh.

Chuck Reisen ’71 is currently creating a comic strip involving a genie, a strongman, and AOC hurtling through space and time.

Chuck Reisen, now retired from his neonatology medical practice, is “a ski bum in Colorado for the winters, and a beach bum each summer at the Jersey Shore. I am giving up my Italian motorcycles but rebuilding my Jaguar XKE kit car—VROOM!” Chuck wrote a novel in 2003—part memoir, part murder mystery—which highlights our era at Cornell. It’s called Playin’ Guts Ball. He also completed a semi-autobiographical graphic novel, Boomer Bad Boy, last year. Chuck is currently creating a comic strip involving a genie, a strongman, and AOC hurtling through space and time. In addition to writing, skiing, and surfing, you can find Chuck swing dancing to oldies bands on the Jersey boardwalk every summer and babysitting for Shirley Temple, a.k.a. his granddaughter. Chuck is looking forward to seeing his old roommate, Mark Ellyne, this coming summer.

Gary Cokins coauthored the book Supply Chain Costing and Performance Management, published in May 2021 by John Wiley & Sons Publishing. Gary is also in the Cooperstown, NY, Baseball Hall of Fame for the oldest computer baseball game software, a result of his project for a 1970 Cornell junior year “game theory” course, taught by the now deceased Prof. Henry David Block. (The project evolved from a dice baseball game that Gary made up when he was age 10.) Gary reports that he tells his two grandsons that “this accomplishment and honor is not comparable to the Wright brothers or Charles Lindbergh. However, given the size of the computer game industry, it is an honor I am proud of. In this article, the Cornell Operations Research and Information Engineering (ORIE) school reported on my honor with additional information about me.”

In addition to being an artist (see March / April 2022 column), Nina Gordon Schwartz shares musical talent with her husband, attorney and classmate Bob. Bob and Nina met during our freshman year in the Octagon production of The Pajama Game. Bob was also the featured sax soloist in the Ithaca College Jazz Lab, and with his quartet of Cornell and Ithaca College musicians played many frat and sorority events. Nowadays, in the D.C./Maryland/Virginia area, Bob leads his jazz quartet BSQ, in which Nina is the featured vocalist. They have two CDs; find videos and promos for new gigs on their Facebook page. BSQ played some unusual gigs during the pandemic, like an online show for Public Domain Day—performed in the basement of the Schwartz home in December 2020 with all the windows wide open. Each band member was in his own corner of the room, masked, with a personal heater blasting away. The most fun part, and the most difficult to arrange, was their 1925 song medley, featuring ten songs in two and a half minutes—starting with “If You Knew Susie” and ending with “Sweet Georgia Brown”! Now that they are fully vaccinated and boosted, the band has played at various venues around Washington, DC. Nina and Bob would love to play for any Cornell events in the area.

Gary Cokins ’71 is in the Cooperstown, NY, Baseball Hall of Fame for the oldest computer baseball game software, a result of his project for a junior year ‘game theory’ course.

Michael Kubin hosted a life celebration at his Manhattan apartment in memory of his good friend and roommate Bob Beleson, who passed away in late 2020. Michael writes, “Bob was an extraordinary personality and touched people in so many ways that everyone had a Bob story (or three) to share either in person or via Zoom. It was a Big Chill moment, touching and sad but also very funny because Bob had such a terrific sense of humor. On this evening the tears were in the laughter. Participating from the Class of 1971 were Marty Michael, Stu Oran, Ted Grossman, JD ’74, Cliff Essman, and Richard Price. Also in attendance were Danny Bernstein ’70, Daniel Kubin ’08, Greg Kubin ’09, Bob’s brother Rick Beleson, and Bob’s husband, Steven. For a couple of wonderful hours, we all channeled Bob; perhaps this will become an annual event.”

Ted Grossman also updated us on this same group of close friends: “I had the great luck of being among a group who lived together through almost all of our Cornell years and who have remained exceptionally close, almost brotherly, in the years since. Earlier this month, five of us—Stu, Marty, Mike, Danny, and I—rented a house in Naples, FL, for an extended weekend. We hung out, ate well, and played golf. While we were there, we played a round with Joel Glasky, who now lives in Naples for much of the year. Everyone is healthy and doing well: Stu is a founder and senior advisor of Liberty Hall Capital Partners; Marty is a retired partner from Dentons, an international law firm, and now teaches history; Mike has run many media businesses and is executive VP at Invidi Technologies; and Danny is president of Alexander Wolf & Sons. As for me, I’ve been practicing at Jones Day for several decades and I head up litigation for a variety of clients. I’ve also kept up my ties with Cornell, where I’m an adjunct professor at the Law School.”

Many of you may remember Evan Ellman, JD ’74, from our freshman year, prior to her transfer to Yale College. She returned to attend Cornell Law School and then practiced law in the Chicago area for many years. Evan now divides her time between homes in Chicago and Florida and visits to her two daughters and grandchildren in New Jersey and the Pacific Northwest. Evan enjoys dancing, swimming, and reading.

Please continue to send in your news—we love to hear from you! ❖ Cara Nash Iason, cara.nash.iason@gmail.com; Elisabeth Kaplan Boas, ekb7@cornell.edu. Online news form.

1972

Wishing a fond farewell to my longtime class co-correspondent, Gary Rubin, who retired from this position. I enjoyed working with Gary, a very professional and competent writer and reporter, and send him best wishes. If anyone wants to take over Gary’s position and split the six yearly columns with me, I’d appreciate the assistance.

Louise Shelley, professor of public policy at George Mason U., was interviewed on CNN regarding the Ukraine-Russia War. Louise is also director of the Terrorism, Transnational Crime, and Corruption Center at the university. Irwin Rosenfeld (Dana Point, CA; oneheadmd@cox.net) plays duplicate (competitive) bridge and reached the rank of Silver Life Master in April. After retirement, he began singing in a choir, and in 2019 began a second career (albeit unpaid) in acting. Since then, he has been in two murder mysteries, one drama, and five musical comedies, and he will be in his fifth non-musical comedy in December. Most of Irwin’s fellow actors are retired professionals from Broadway, TV, movies, and other major theaters from around the world, and he is honored to be able to hold his own alongside them.

Irwin retired from the practice of psychiatry five years ago after the equivalent of 73 years of work—“I averaged 80 hours per week for 36.5 years,” he notes. This past August, he celebrated the birth of his sixth grandchild. “My 12-year-old granddaughter and 10-year-old grandson, in addition to their stellar academic achievements, are both champion swimmers with about 100 awards each, and play with high school-aged teenagers on water polo teams. In 2019, my sister and I took an amazing trip to Israel along with 13 others.” Irwin gets great pleasure from getting standing ovations for his performances, watching his grandchildren succeed, success playing bridge, and success in online trivia contests.

Gary Cottrell, MAT ’75 (gary@ucsd.edu) and spouse Joan Sagotsky Rich write from San Diego that Gary finally visited his office on campus at UCSD on Monday, September 27, 2021, after not being there for over a year. “Luckily, no old food was rotting on my desk and there were no bug infestations or anything—but the coffee was definitely stale,” Gary reports. He is still teaching and doing research in computational cognitive neuroscience (and applications of deep learning in other fields) in the computer science department at UCSD.

Gary Cottrell ’72, MAT ’75, and Joan Sagotsky Rich ’72 just bought a small house in Shoreline, WA, that is a three-minute walk to the grandkids.

Gary officially retired on October 31, 2021, but then was “recalled to service” in January, when he started teaching two deep learning classes (grad and undergrad). Gary admits to being pretty hard on his students, as there is a lot to jam into their brains in ten weeks. As a former student said on Reddit: “Prepare to be smashed … but it’s worth it!” The cool thing is, with this arrangement, he gets his pension and gets to collect up to 43% of his salary from teaching and grants, which ends up being more than his salary! So Gary makes more money retired than working! “This will go on for three years and then I can really retire.”

Gary says he gets great satisfaction when his students make advances in technology and science. A pair of his students automated analysis of skin biopsies in neuropathy—when one’s extremities become numb. As he explains it, the goal is to measure the results of a newly developed drug that causes the nerves to grow back, allowing the feeling to return.

Gary and Joan just bought a small house in Shoreline, WA, that is a three-minute walk to the grandkids. Joan now goes up there a lot, and Gary travels up there when he can. His biggest takeaway from the pandemic is that the internet really has caused great harm in spreading fake news and conspiracy theories. “In 1955, there was a guy who was writing letters stating that the Salk vaccine would kill many children. He had little impact. Now, we have international resistance to the COVID vaccines because COVID conspiracies went viral, to coin a phrase.”

Steve Seifert died on May 18, 2022. He was a committed classmate, a long-term member of our class council, and active in class events, including some of the initial Reunion planning meetings. He notified Nancy Roistacher in early May that he would not make it to Reunion, but his death was a shock. He was always there at Reunion and was missed. Steve received the American College of Medical Toxicology’s (ACMT) 2022 Matthew J. Ellenhorn Award—a career achievement award to honor an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to the field of medical toxicology. He was a professor at the U. of New Mexico School of Medicine, where he was editor in chief of Clinical Toxicology (Taylor & Francis). He was also the medical director of the New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center. Rest in peace, Steve. Send news to: ❖ Alex Barna, alexbarna@comcast.net. Online news form.

1973

Our 50th Reunion is only one year away! I hope to see you in Ithaca the second weekend in June 2023. Thanks for staying connected to our Cornell community.

Douglas Aspros, DVM ’75 (daspros@gmail.com), “back on the road again” as chief veterinary officer for Veterinary Practice Partners, is gratified to see its expansion “from ten to now nearly 90 practices in 23 states.” Douglas avers that “retirement still feels like a long way off.” He and wife Dee are building a new place in the foothills of Tucson in order to avoid having to update their current home, but they are still not ready to move out of Pound Ridge, NY. Bill Balchunas (wbalchunas@bellsouth.net) moved from Florida to Placitas, NM, three years ago. Last October he participated in the Huntsman World Senior Games held in St. George, UT. Bill competed in “five swimming events, men’s 70–74 age group, and won gold in all five.”

Although Charles Camisa (drcamisa@onspotdermatology.com) retired last year from his medical dermatology practice in Naples and Fort Myers, he “took on a new position as medical director for a novel venture called OnSpot Dermatology, where we go to gated communities by appointment in a large custom-built medical van with four exam rooms. We provide routine dermatological, surgical, and some cosmetic services. Homebound patients love not having to leave their community or wait months for an appointment.” Charles also is putting together an atlas of dermatology by reviewing and digitizing the thousands of Kodachrome slides of skin diseases he accumulated over his four decades of practice. He requests that any interested medical editors or publishers contact him.

James Kaye (jkaye29064@aol.com) writes that a few years ago, three ILR alumni in Palm Beach County, FL, formed a trivia team: Jim, Jules Balkin, and Jeffrey Small ’69, plus non-Cornellian Phil Lerner. “We played regularly at Two Georges bar/restaurant in Boynton Beach on the Intracoastal Waterway, often winning gift card prizes. Until we resume, Jeff has hosted trivia via Zoom once a month, adding others, and writing questions in several categories. Maybe soon he can host an in-person alumni trivia event. Teams are supposed to be no more than four people, but other alumni in the area can form their own and join us for dinner at 6 and trivia at 7:30 near the bar—open air but covered—Wednesday evenings.” Email Jim to join so you too can “make good use of useless information not learned at Cornell.”

Debbie Greene Rothman ’73 and Lenore Tytelman Decovsky ’72 embarked in March 2022 on a whirlwind ten-day tour of Egypt.

In March 2018, Lawrence Postol, JD ’76 (lpostol@postollaw.com) opened his own three-lawyer firm in McLean, VA, five minutes from home, after 33 years as a partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP in D.C. “While my intent was not to grow the firm, somehow we are now up to nine attorneys.” He and wife Ellen Russell ’74, MBA ’76, have three children: one accountant who runs his law firm finances, one doctor in the second year of vascular surgery residency, and one studying for the MCAT. They also have a 10-year-old grandson. Louis “Dusty” Profumo, MBA ’74 (dprofumo@churchs.com) is enjoying his busy family life, with a son and daughter in their late 30s, five grandchildren, and a 16-year-old son! Dusty is completing 17 years as EVP and CFO of global QSR restaurant brand Church’s Chicken, which was recently sold to the third owner in Dusty’s 17-year tenure. New hobbies include “friends and wine.”

Reunion co-chair Debbie Greene Rothman (debra.g.rothman@gmail.com) and Delta Phi Epsilon sorority sister Lenore Tytelman Decovsky ’72 embarked in March 2022 on a whirlwind ten-day tour of Egypt. The trip included four days in Cairo, where Debbie reports “it was so windy we nearly blew away.” Cairo experiences included visits to pyramids, tombs, and fabulous archaeological museums, a camel ride, and a carpet school, where Debbie purchased a rug that came with a free carry-on suitcase to transport it home! They also explored old Cairo with its ties to early Judaism and Christianity, and spent a day touring Alexandria. From Cairo they flew to Luxor to visit the Karnak Temples and the Valley of the Kings before boarding the HS Nebu, their base for the next four nights. “Our group of 15 were the only passengers on the riverboat with the capacity for 80 and staff of 60.” They also visited the Aswan High Dam, the Temple of Kom Ombo and Crocodile Museum, and the spectacular Abu Simbel Temples. “To get everything in we averaged walking four and a half miles a day.”

I, Pam Meyers, am thrilled to announce the birth in April of possible third-generation Cornellians: twin granddaughters, Hannah Isabel and Noa Eleanor, born to son David Greenberg ’05 and wife Rachel Karmel. Send news to: ❖ Pamela Meyers, psmeyers73@gmail.com; Phyllis Haight Grummon, phg3@cornell.edu; or David Ross, dave@daveross.com. Online news form.

1974

Welcome to summer! Arthur Leonard (asleonard@aol.com) writes, “At the end of December, I retired from the full-time faculty at New York Law School, so now I am the Robert F. Wagner Professor of Labor and Employment Law Emeritus. I continue to edit LGBT Law Notes, a monthly newsletter, and to record a monthly podcast about important legal developments, under the auspices of the LGBT Bar Assn. of Greater New York (LeGaL). Now that I’m retired, I have more time to attend theater, opera, and concerts, so I can really take advantage of being in New York.”

Alan Ertel (thertels@hotmail.com) reports: “I just learned of the passing of Morris ‘Mo’ Diamant. After Cornell, Mo received an MD from New York Medical College. He completed a residency in radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital. After residency he remained in Massachusetts, initially practicing at Symmes Hospital in Arlington, MA, until joining the radiology department at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He retired from active practice in 2020. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Diamant ’76, and his children, Sam and Julia.”

K. Lisa Yang is in the news: “A new $1.5 million gift from philanthropist K. Lisa Yang has established the Christopher W. Clark Postdoctoral Fellowship in Conservation Bioacoustics in honor of Clark, the retired director of the bioacoustics program at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The announcement of the new postdoctoral position came at a dinner in early November, launching the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics. Yang had recently donated $24 million to the program, which includes the John W. Fitzpatrick Directorship, named for the lab’s longtime executive director. The additional gift in Clark’s name came about after Yang dug deeper into bioacoustics history.”

We thank all for their contributions and invite you to continue to send in your news. ❖ Jim Schoonmaker, js378@cornell.edu; Lucy Babcox Morris, lucmor1433@gmail.com; Molly Miller Ettenger, molly.ettenger@gmail.com. Online news form.

1975

Gail Henderson (g_e_henderson@yahoo.com) writes from Brechin, Ontario. A couple of years ago, she moved to rural Ontario and currently lives on a property adjacent to her younger daughter’s 50-acre farm. Gail raises pigs, chickens, and beef cattle and will soon be moving to other livestock as well. She has three grandchildren—a 3-year-old and 1-year-old twins—and spends a lot of family time with them, in between studying Gaelic. Her spare time is usually spent with the local theater (Gail directs, teaches, and also produces). She notes, “I have survived bouts with COVID in our family a couple of times”; her son-in-law is a first responder. Gail has been in touch with classmates through WhatsApp, although her circle recently lost one of its number—a great fellow Cornellian, Jeff Zimmerman. She does keep up to date on the friends going back to U-Hall 2 and Comstock. “Send me an email,” Gail writes.

Dean Solomon (dean83@verizon.net) retired at the end of November after 35 years as executive director of Council of Social Concern. In January, his oldest daughter, Bonnie, gave him and wife Gayle their first granddaughter. The couple have moved from Massachusetts to a retirement community in Deerfield Beach, FL.

Mark Strauss (markes@aol.com) writes from NYC, where he and his spouse, Jaye Medalia ’72, reside. Last year, Mark retired as senior partner at FXCollaborative Architects in New York City. Nonetheless, he has stayed busy. In September, he helped the AIA in New York mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and the architectural community’s participation in defining the “Principles for Rebuilding Lower Manhattan” with a program and a reception. Mark also has been recently selected as a Fulbright specialist in urban planning. Congrats! That work could well send him as an advisor to academic and government institutions around the world on redevelopment projects. He also is on the faculty at the Schack Inst. of Real Estate at NYU, where he teaches a course on planning and design for future developers.

Scott Sutcliff (sas10@cornell.edu) lives in Trumansburg. He writes that after 36 rewarding and challenging years working at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, he has retired. He notes, “My memories of Cornell student years, especially my activities at Risley as a three-year resident, are vivid and always make me smile.” His retirement home is his farm in Trumansburg, a property he manages for birds, gardening, and all sorts of out-of-doors activities. Scott continues to be involved with a couple of professional bird-related organizations, in many senses a continuation of what he did at the Cornell Lab of O.

My memories of Cornell student years, especially my activities at Risley as a three-year resident, are vivid and always make me smile.
Scott Sutcliff ’75

Rick Stein, DVM ’79 (rjs254@cornell.edu) speaks bluntly. “After selling my Monticello, NY, veterinary practice nine years ago, I came out of retirement—not for the money or because of boredom. I am snowbirding and working to build connections in my new location.” Rick has taken himself off all boards and is never on call. He is trying to convince his daughter to settle down, and he derives satisfaction nowadays from having no commitments and enjoying quiet time. He says, “I am now the plaything for my pets!” Despite his love of quiet time, Rick has volunteered at the Holocaust Museum and the Naples Zoo, and he was even an “accidental docent” at the Woodstock 50th reunion. He also plays pickleball, after realizing that trying to run to third base in a brisk game of softball was no longer in the cards.

Melissa Yorks (melissayorks@yahoo.com) and spouse Joseph Bangiolo live in Gaithersburg, MD. As she reflects back in time, she comments that she never imagined herself as a mom or living in Maryland. But she has been in the state now for 43 years and her daughter is 33. Melissa is semi-retired, working as an indexer for the National Library of Medicine. She anticipates that this work will conclude, so she will be in full-retirement mode. Like most of us, she looks forward to getting rid of “stuff”—she asks us if anyone wants a coffee machine! Melissa’s daughter is a board-certified pediatrician who is now also in her second year of a fellowship in neonatology. Melissa enjoys reading mysteries but also finds time to sing in a community chorus. She no longer ice skates but ponders whether she should restart cross-stitching.

Jeannie Salvato shares some updates. She has created a blog called writing4godot.com to recount her adventures in France, where she lived for 20 years. Jeannie tells us that Godot is a mysterious, beguiling figure from the French play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. She says, “We do spend a lot of time waiting around, so please stop by and visit the blog.” Jeannie also recently spent time with four friends from freshman year from Sperry Hall: Susan Brennan, Marilyn Gleason Anthony, Anne Greenwood, and Judith Kinnard ’77. They had their own mini-reunion in Philadelphia.

Philip Berkowitz (PBerkowitz@littler.com) is currently co-chair of Littler’s financial services practice group. He has enjoyed returning to the New York City office after working in his living room for two years. Philip keeps in touch with Todd Gordon, JD ’79. Writes Philip, “Todd has reinvented himself and is now a screenwriter and producer.”

Increasingly, our classmates want to include their emails in the news—a sign that we all continue to want to be connected. Keep in touch! ❖ Karen DeMarco Boroff, karen.boroff@shu.edu; Deb Gellman, dsgellman@hotmail.com; Mitch Frank, mjfgator@gmail.com; Joan Pease, japease1032@aol.com. Online news form.

1976

Marise Lada Textor, MS ’78, has transitioned away from the corporate world and now is an independent consultant. She specializes in strategies for advocacy for industry on air quality matters under the Clean Air Act. John McCann, JD ’82, has been selected for inclusion in the “Upstate New York Super Lawyers” for 2021! John is a partner in the labor and employment practice at Central New York law firm Hancock Estabrook LLP. He represents management in connection with employment litigation, collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, and much more.

Cameron Munter stepped down as president of the EastWest Inst. in New York at the end of 2019. “In 2020, I moved to Prague, where I remarried and live in blissful retirement,” he writes. “I am a non-resident senior fellow of the Atlantic Council, serve on corporate and nonprofit boards, teach at Charles U., and consult worldwide.” His son, Dan, lives in New York and his daughter, Anna, lives in Prague. Cameron adds, “When you’re in love, you can have a pretty good pandemic, actually.” Bruce Piasecki, PhD ’81’s latest book is 2040: A Fable. It celebrates family, friends, and survivors in a swift and severe world.

David Fiske (dafiske@gmail.com) sent news that his research on Solomon Northup has been recognized in a number of ways. Northup’s 1853 autobiography was the basis for the Oscar-winning film 12 Years a Slave; he was a free Black man residing in New York State who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841. David’s work has included co-authorship of a book, Solomon Northup: The Complete Story of the Author of Twelve Years a Slave.

David was hired by the film’s marketing personnel to help with their efforts, which included writing some historical material that was used in the production notes for the film and an on-camera interview that appeared in some featurettes. Journalists from some prominent media entities, such as the New York Times, the Associated Press, and the Wall Street Journal have interviewed David—and he was asked to review the manuscript for the Norton Critical Edition version of Twelve Years a Slave, and he made some suggestions and provided some additional material.

Janis Versteeg Olson ’76 and husband Kurt’s semi-retirement career is the winery they opened in 2014.

In David’s 2016 book, Solomon Northup’s Kindred: The Kidnapping of Free Citizens before the Civil War, he documented a phenomenon that had been largely overlooked by historians: criminals who kidnapped or hoodwinked free Black people, then sold them into slavery. In 2021, David was hired to write an introduction for the Capstone edition of Twelve Years a Slave, put out by a branch of the major publisher Wiley. This book was released later that year. David’s introduction has been favorably mentioned in Amazon reviews of the book.

Janis Versteeg Olson (jan@ferncrestwinery.com) and husband Kurt’s semi-retirement career is the winery they opened in 2014, and the tasting room that followed in 2016. Last year, Jan and Kurt sold a lot of wine. Visitors from all over the US came starting in late summer, so they had an amazing year. They sold out of much of their wine, so this winter they have been working hard to make more. Kurt and Jan spent time biking and rafting together, and after being vaccinated and boosted, they spent time with friends. She gets satisfaction in the garden and enjoys spending time in nature as well as picking up an old hobby of crocheting.

My husband, Morris Diamant ’74, and I met at Cornell on my third day. We were surprised to see that we both had the same last names. Yes, I am Lisa Diamant Diamant, according to Suzy Schwarz Quiles. Morris passed away on February 5, 2022 from cancer. I have so many years of memories and feel very lucky to have spent more than 45 of them in marriage together, including many Cornell Reunions for both of our classes. ❖ Lisa Diamant, ljdiamant@gmail.com; Pat Relf Hanavan, patrelf1@gmail.com. Online news form.

1977

More from our “Tales from the Plague Years” series. Who would have thought that there was other global news besides the pandemic? But courtesy of Vladimir Putin, there is. It was the distinguished Cornell alumnus Francis Fukuyama ’74 who mused—in a 1989 essay in the National Interest entitled “The End of History?”—that history as a struggle of ideologies was over, as there was a “coming global triumph of political and economic liberalism.” Unfortunately, some had not read this article (I’m looking at you, Vlad). Additionally, as the pandemic and climate change demonstrate, we are still at the mercy of natural forces. For example, although spring has sprung at the time of this writing, it is raining and dreary here in Philadelphia. We do have news from our classmates.

From a truly Cornellian family, Miriam Akabas ’82 sent updates and photos of her brother and our classmate, Myles Akabas. Miriam sent this in because, as she says, “He will probably never send in any info, but he does send in money.” Included in the photos are shots of Myles speaking at the 90th birthday party of their mother, Shelley Epstein Akabas ’51. Myles, a.k.a. Dr. Akabas (MD, PhD), is a professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics in the neuroscience department at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, where he studies the biology of malaria parasites in hopes of developing more effective anti-malarial therapies. Also included in the photos are pictures of his nephew Sam Akabas ’07’s three children, all perhaps the fourth generation of Akabas Cornellians.

Deborah Rose (Silver Spring, MD) is now, much to her surprise, walking 25 miles per week. In her “retirement,” she is still writing children’s books as well as freelance articles about science and engineering. Free educational guides to her STEM books, which can be shared with anyone, are found at her website. Her 18th children’s book, Swoop and Soar: How Science Rescued Two Osprey Orphans and Found Them a New Family in the Wild, will be published in September 2022. Among the photos in the book is an image from a Cornell osprey nest cam. Also, her book Astronauts Zoom! won the 2021 National DeBary Award for Outstanding Children’s Science Books from the American Phytopathological Society. Deborah’s daughter is getting married, and her son appeared in the TV series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Deborah gets great satisfaction from speaking to schools about her books and walking in beautiful public gardens near her home with her husband and with Cornell friends.

Deborah Rose ’77 is now, much to her surprise, walking 25 miles per week.

Linda Adams Chateauneuf (lindachat1@gmail.com) is married to Dennis and lives in Marshfield, MA. What is Linda doing that she never imagined? “Riding the bike to nowhere (yes, Peloton) on a daily basis and preparing to ride the long (190+ miles) Pan-Mass Challenge for the first time at age 66 in August 2022, in memory of my late sister, Nancy Adams ’86, and too many more folks who have battled cancer.” She is continuing to work four days a week for a small but great firm, NAIOP Massachusetts, as part of an all-female team. “The women are getting it done!” she writes. In family news, Linda’s first two grandsons arrived—five weeks apart. “They are amazing! Everyone told me so and I am loving it,” she says (which is reminiscent of a shirt that one of my patients wears that says, “If I knew how much fun grandkids are, I would have had them first”). Linda also moved last summer to a small 55+ community on the South Shore of Massachusetts. “Love being so close to the ocean and the beach, 24/7/365.” In addition to the Peloton, Linda’s new hobbies include sewing, knitting, and crocheting, and she’s totally hooked on audiobooks, which she enjoys as she makes the round trip to the office. “If you see me just sitting in the car in the parking lot, I’ve hit a good section with Inspector Gamache and Three Pines and I have to hear what happened before I head inside.”

Valencia Libby (val.libby@gmail.com) lives in Blue Hill, ME. She recently published a book with Oregon State University Press 2021, called The Northwest Gardens of Lord & Schryver, about the first landscape architecture firm founded and operated by women in the Pacific Northwest.

Candida Kreigh Haasch (wildeyedben@yahoo.com) is married to James and lives in Reeds, MO. Her life has changed recently. Candida was amazed and delighted to report that the nonprofit public charity that she founded in December 2015, the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary Inc., is still going strong. Although COVID put a kibosh on things for a year or so there, volunteers have resumed coming from all over the world (at last count: Spain, France, Japan, Iceland, Mongolia, Sweden, Germany, and the US) to study horsemastership with her and to help rescue equines from abuse and neglect and find them loving, appropriate, forever homes. A select herd of a dozen or so live out their lives at the sanctuary. Candida recently retired to run the sanctuary and has never worked harder in her life! Check out their website.

And now, more missives from the world of pandemic and science. Yes, there are new variants of Omicron, with COVID cases rising but not to levels seen previously. Also, the vaccine has done what it should do—keep people out of the ICU and out of the morgue. What it has not done is completely prevent COVID infections; this is different from other viral vaccines like polio and measles, which are largely prevented by vaccination. COVID appears to have a rapid mutation rate (which should be an affirmation of evolution for those who are skeptics).

Linda Adams Chateauneuf ’75 is hooked on audiobooks. ‘If you see me just sitting in the car in the parking lot, I’ve hit a good section with Inspector Gamache and Three Pines.’

And, on an upbeat note, many of you have read about the pig heart transplant in Baltimore in a patient who had no other options. I recently attended the International Society of Heart & Lung Transplantation meeting in Boston, where there were several presentations on this transplant (referred to as a xenotransplantation). Of note, the xenotransplant recipient lived two months after the surgery, which is longer than the 18 days the first heart transplant recipient lived in Cape Town in 1967. Of course, the understanding of the immune system and immunosuppressive medications are far more sophisticated than they were more than 50 years ago. That is the point. A regimen to immunosuppress recipients has been developed, which prevented rejection of the xenotransplant. As with the first heart transplant recipient, this immunosuppression facilitated the infection that killed the xenotransplant recipient, but this infection has been identified and is a virus that can be suppressed with anti-viral agents. What does this mean? As with the development of messenger RNA technology to mitigate the pandemic and now offer novel therapeutic venues for cancer, heart disease, and inflammatory diseases, xenotransplantation may offer opportunities to treat patients with end-stage heart, lung, kidney, and liver diseases not amenable to other therapies, as many on organ transplant waiting lists die before receiving organs. It is indeed a brave new world.

Here’s to continued travel in 2022, including to our 45th Reunion. Please stay safe, be careful, and, as always, follow the science. Best wishes. Please keep all of your news and views coming in via the online news form or to either of us at: ❖ Howie Eisen, heisen@pennstatehealth.psu.edu; Mary Flynn, maryflynn1@me.com.

1978

Bonjour from Paris! There are worse places to write a class column. After two years’ worth of cancellations, we finally made it over here. Other classmates have managed to travel. Cynthia Kubas traveled to Hawaii earlier in the year, where she met up with Dave Monahan. Lori Wasserman Karbel visited her new grandson in Florida in early February. I hope you’re able to get out of your COVID cave and back into circulation.

After the Triple Sui of news back in December, I’m left with celery sticks. Nevertheless, here we go. Class secretary Pat Reilly was featured in a recent alumni spotlight for her volunteering on behalf of the University. Lifted from the webpage: “Following a long career with Bell Labs and AT&T, Pat has become a fixture of the Monmouth and Ocean County Cornell community. Her impressively long list of Cornell volunteer positions include: Cornell Club of Monmouth/Ocean Counties president, Class of 1978 secretary, Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network (CAAAN) chair, Cornell Alumni Trustee Nominations Committee, Cornell University Council member, Continuous Reunion Club vice president, and Cornell Rugby Alumni Assn. (Faded Red) director of alumni development.” Pat said that her favorite volunteering moments have been “when I’ve run into current students at the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference or at our club’s Cornell Cares Day events who remembered our CAAAN contact meeting. Realizing that our CAAAN meeting might have influenced their decision to attend Cornell is extremely rewarding!”

After years of living in Maryland, Libby Waldman-Strugatch and husband Bruce are moving to the Savannah, GA, area. They were spending some time in Charleston, SC, drove to Georgia, and signed a contract on a house almost on the spot.

George Corneil is still in Toronto and lacing up his skates: “After a year’s sabbatical from playing oldtimers’ hockey due to COVID, I’m glad to say that I’m back with the gang skating again.” George and wife Jann became first-time grandparents last year to Harrison.

In the “Who, me, retire?” category, we have Henry Farber. After more than 30 years at the largest employment law firm in the Northwest, he earned a certificate in professional mediation from Cornell’s Scheinman Inst. on Conflict Resolution. This past year, he and a partner formed Rainier ADR PLLC, a labor mediation law firm. Henry also provides volunteer mediation services in King County’s Dispute Resolution Center for Small Claims Court.

That’s all for now. Let us know what you’re doing now that the COVID cloud has lifted a little. Stay well! Cindy Fuller, cindy@cindyjfuller.com; Ilene Shub Lefland, Ilene.lefland@gmail.com. Online news form.

1979

Happy summer greetings! I hope the warm weather is bringing greater freedom and a more normal lifestyle to all. Several classmates checked in recently, and I’m happy to share their news.

Tom Furlong (tafinjapan@yahoo.com) relayed that he and his wife are enjoying the expat life in Dublin, Ireland, where he moved in August 2020, when his wife landed a 30-month assignment as global risk management head for a major IT company. As a “trailing spouse,” Tom writes that he’s “busy managing our household as well as continuing my job as the leader of the corporate governance and oil and gas practices of Harvard Group International, an executive search and consulting firm.” As for retirement, Tom says, “Ask me again in five years!” Among the things that currently bring him the most satisfaction are “enjoying the Irish people, culture, and countryside after spending our first 11 months here in various stages of lockdown.” Tom explained that, like most Irish residents, he “learned how to bake a great loaf of sourdough bread and make effective use of the discard from feeding a sourdough starter.” While abroad, he’s been able to pursue old hobbies as well, including his “zeal of container gardening” as he works toward establishing a green zone on his apartment’s private terrace and building’s roof terrace.”

Jim Barber received an appointment by President Biden to serve as a Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director for New York, a regional position within the US Dept. of Agriculture. As stated in a press release announcing this appointment, Jim had the same role for eight years in the Obama Administration. During that time, he made improvements by dramatically increasing efficiency throughout the Farm Loan program. His other accomplishments included reaching out to minority farmers and involving underserved communities in FSA programs, including setting up urban farms in New York City and improving outreach to Native American nations across the state. Jim comes to farming with extensive family experience, as a fifth-generation operator of his family’s 500-acre, highly diversified vegetable farm and greenhouse operation.

Sarah Cochran ’15 informed us that her parents, Chris and Amy Schapiro Cochran ’81, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in May 2022—a long time from their first meeting at the Haunt back in September 1978!

Chris ’79 and Amy Schapiro Cochran ’81 celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in May 2022—a long time from their first meeting at the Haunt back in September 1978!

Bill Gallagher (jayhawk85@aol.com) reports that, after 35 years, he “finally traded in the sunny shores of Southern California for the ‘Rocky Mountain Way’ of the Denver area.” He has just finished up his third year of teaching business, statistics, and entrepreneurship at a local college, and finds it incredibly rewarding to instruct mostly very hard-working first-generation college students. “The ‘give and take’ of case study discussions can be both very enlightening and very entertaining,” he says. While teaching keeps him busy, he also enjoys exploring the Rocky Mountains. Future priorities include reconnecting with friends, family, and travel. As a season ticket holder for U. of Denver hockey and lacrosse, he enjoys watching some of Cornell’s old rivals, including Boston College in hockey and Johns Hopkins in lacrosse, which “rekindles great memories of my time at Lynah Rink and Schoellkopf Field.” He remains “hopeful that CU makes it out here someday!”

Stone Quillian (stonequillian@gmail.com) relays his surprise that, after two years of working from home, his employer (Defense Health Agency) gave up the lease on their Rosslyn, VA, office, prompting him to move from Fredericksburg, VA, to Ormond Beach, FL. While he still works from home, home is now a small bungalow two blocks from the beach. Stone is currently managing contracts and business processes for the software acquisition Program Executive Office (PEO) with the Defense Health Agency. “It’s less responsibility than I’d had previously, and though I’d like to say I’m on a glide path to retirement, this keeps me pretty busy.”

Early morning dog walks down to the beach to watch the sunrise are a source of great enjoyment for Stone. He says that he plans to take up surfing again, something he hasn’t done seriously since childhood in Hawaii in the ’60s. But knowledge that he’s living in the “shark bite capital of the world” is giving him some pause. He also shared that his youngest child is a practicing pediatrician with Akron Children’s Hospital and Stone can’t believe his oldest is almost 40.

Thank you to those classmates who have provided updates. To those who have not recently shared your personal news with our class, please consider reaching out, as your news keeps this column interesting! You can use the online news form or submit an email directly to any of your class correspondents: ❖ Danna Levy, DannaGOA@gmail.com; Linda Moses, lindakmoses@gmail.com; or Cynthia Ahlgren Shea, cindy.shea01@gmail.com.

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Classes of the 1980s

1980

This column is being written during the spring season of renewal and rebirth and the Passover holiday celebrating the Jewish people’s historical escape from slavery to freedom in the land of Israel. This column will be read during the summer season of celebrating the freedom from some of the pandemic restrictions of the past two years. In this column, the class celebrates and focuses on the groundbreaking achievements of our women classmates who have experienced transformative changes and opportunities in the 40-plus years since graduation. The columnists welcome you to share your achievements and next steps as you transition to a new stage in your life and celebrate your newfound freedoms.

Miriam Leeser, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northeastern U., was recognized as a charter member of the Inst. of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (“IEEE”) Computer Society Distinguished Contributor Program. This program was introduced in 2021 to showcase the combined technical expertise and innovation power of its membership and recognize volunteer commitment.

Jill Abrams Klein, former class president, is serving as the interim president of Pitzer College for the 2022–23 academic year while the college searches for a new president. Jill is living in the president’s residence located on campus in Claremont, CA; she served on the board of trustees for eight years.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, served as a panelist on the eCornell panel titled “Women in Employment Management Relations” on April 13, 2022. This three-part series focusing on women leaders in employment and labor law policy and practice was sponsored by the President’s Council on Cornell Women (PCCW). The materials for the series noted that women are increasingly assuming leadership roles in the labor relations and human resources fields, holding 70% of the chief human resources roles at Fortune 200 companies and 34% of the general counsel roles at Fortune 500 companies, and constituting 20% of the AFL-CIO Executive Council.

Jill Abrams Klein ’80, former class president, is serving as the interim president of Pitzer College for the 2022–23 academic year.

On April 29–30, the University hosted the Cornell Women’s Athletics and 50th Anniversary of Title IX Celebration, an in-person gathering honoring the trailblazing women who pioneered varsity sports on the Hill. The weekend celebration was attended by two former Big Red athletes, Beth Anderson and Esther Elkin Mildner.

The Trustee-Council Annual Meeting (TCAM), the PCCW meeting, and the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (CALC) were combined into Cornell Leadership Week, held on campus from March 24–27, in person for the first time since 2019. The following classmates were attendees: trustees Beth Anderson, Mary Amstrong Meduski, and Peter Nolan, MBA ’82, as well as Peter Cooper, Susan Littman, Jack McGowan, Esther Elkin Mildner, and Karen Friedman See. Girish Reddy, ME ’78, MBA ’80, spoke during the meeting and Anne DiGiacomo attended in her Cornell role as senior director for the Office of Alumni Affairs.

Cornell Hillel hosted a panel event during the meeting, with three student speakers who shared their perspectives on being a Jewish student on campus during 2022. This panel was attended by some of our classmates who were on campus. Cornell Hillel is one of the top Hillel organizations in the country and in the top quartile for student engagement. Cornell Hillel also conducted the annual Tanner Prize event at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan on June 21, where they celebrated prize recipient and Cornell trustee Harriet Schleifer ’74 and recognized prize recipient and former Hillel board of trustees chair Marc Schlussel ’77, MBA ’78. Cornell Hillel also had its staff take three buses of students on the Birthright trip to Israel in May and June and had many students obtaining internship experience through the Onward Israel program. Brian Levey and Leona Barsky, MS ’81, serve on the Cornell Hillel board of trustees; Leona has been on the board for more than 11 years and currently serves as secretary.

We look forward to reconnecting and receiving your news. ❖ Leona Barsky, LLB39@cornell.edu; Chas Horvath, chas@horvaths.org; David Durfee, drd225@cornell.edu; Dik Saalfeld, rfs25@cornell.edu. Online news form.

1981

Hello, all! How is it that we’re already well into summer? Time continues to march on at a quickened pace each day. My son, Brayden, recently had his bar mitzvah and it was truly a wonderful and celebratory time in our lives. Friends and family came to Florida from Canada, Seattle, Chicago, and so many more places! We were so grateful to be in person with one another and not on another Zoom.

We have so much to be thankful for, especially during these past few years. We are on our summer road trip while Brayden is at sleepaway camp in the Poconos and Ella is in Israel with her camp. Maybe I will see you along my travels! I have also been writing a blog and I thought I would share this one with you—I wrote it during women’s history month for the Times of Israel. Enjoy!

Amy Schwartz Goober, action and accountability coach, has founded Empty Nester Connection, a virtual community for empty-nester women who want to learn from seasoned experts, create connections, explore new activities, and be supported and inspired by a unique group of women in the same stage of life. You can learn more at her website. What an inspiration to us all!

Kathy Wafler Madison and her family were recently featured in Fruit Growers News, in an article about their business, Wafler Farms and Nursery. Kathy’s parents, Switzerland native Fritz and his wife, Lois, purchased a small, run-down fruit farm in 1959, before Fritz began growing his own fruit trees in the early ’60s. Over the decades, they grew it into a quality fruit and vegetable farm and nursery that produces hundreds of thousands of trees (mostly apple and some cherry) annually. As the story goes, Kathy and her siblings began working in the nursery after school and over summers at a young age, and by the age of 13, they were all proficient budders. During sprouting season, each had to trim one row after school. If even one bud was broken off, the penalty was to do another complete row. “This was a terrible thought for us as kids,” Kathy remembered. On the Hill, she majored in Plant Science. Kathy has a unique claim to fame: on October 16, 1976, she won the Guinness World Record for peeling the longest unbroken apple peel, which measured 172 feet, 4 inches.

Susan Stiles, MBA ’91, was selected as one of the “2021 Top Women in Finance” by Finance & Commerce! She was honored alongside other 2021 recipients at the November 18 awards event in Minneapolis. Susan is the founder of Stiles Financial Services Inc., a portfolio and wealth management firm based in Edina, MN. She is also past president and treasurer of the Minnesota Cornell Club, has been a Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network (CAAAN) volunteer, and currently sits on her graduating class’s diversity, equity, and inclusion committee. In 2020, Susan started the Stiles Financial Community Service Fund, with which she makes annual contributions to local nonprofits with a focus on education and youth. This year, the fund made a significant donation to the Northside Boxing Club, a nonprofit boxing gym in North Minneapolis.

Liam Mahony and Laurie Goldman (both Arts & Sciences ’81) attended daughter Thea Mahony Goldman ’22’s graduation ceremony in May—from Arts & Sciences!

Nichols College has appointed Daniel Borgia as provost! Previously, he was the dean and professor of finance at Bryant U., overseeing all aspects of academic leadership, including program planning, development, and management. Before that, he was dean of the Richard J. Wehle School of Business at Canisius College; associate dean in the College of Business at the U. of Idaho; initial associate dean at Nottingham U. Business School, China; founding faculty member at Florida Gulf Coast U.; and founding director of its Inst. of Chinese Studies. A former China Fulbright scholar, Daniel has written extensively on international business and finance with reference to China, working capital financing, entrepreneurial finance, and financial education. He is a prolific author and co-author with close to 100 peer-reviewed articles, presentations, and proceedings.

Emily Gross Eider welcomed her first grandchild in July 2021, and she and her husband were so excited to be grandparents that they moved from Delaware to Maryland to babysit when their daughter went back to work. They live in Odenton, MD, near both Washington and Baltimore. Liam Mahony and Laurie Goldman (both Arts & Sciences ’81) attended daughter Thea Mahony Goldman ’22’s graduation ceremony in May—from Arts & Sciences!

Please send me your news! All news is “news” to us! Connect with me! ❖ Betsy Silverfine, bsilverfine@comcast.net. Online news form.

1982

In anticipation of our 60th birthdays, the ’82 Tri-Delts had planned a get-together that, like many events, was canceled due to COVID. However, we continued to be in touch with Zoom calls to reconnect in advance of our 40th Reunion to support our Reunion co-chairs and sisters Teri Williams Harvey, Terry Kilmer Oosterom, and Juliet Kolm Gibbs, BA ’80. By the time you read this, I expect they will have organized another wonderful gathering for classmates, families, and friends.

From Helen Rowan: “Retirement has been a lot more fun now that travel restrictions have eased! Our first priority was to see our family in Ireland and Denmark, and we also had incredible experiences touring Egypt in the fall and Israel this spring. We are almost empty nesters—our youngest daughter is a senior at Parsons in NYC and is finishing up her semester abroad. Somehow we ended up with two doctors in the family: our oldest daughter, who is finishing up her emergency medicine residency in Chicago, and our son, who is halfway through his joint MD/MBA program at Dartmouth. I’ve been busy chairing the boards of a local private school and regional hospital system. We’re feeling grateful to have weathered the last two years and are looking forward to our 40th Reunion on the Hill!”

Toni Clark White wrote, “We still live in Saratoga County (Halfmoon) but have a cottage in Cape May, NJ.” Toni says they love the beach, but “I’ll never leave my grandbabies! I’m lucky they’re all local. Daughter Suzy has two girls, 7 and almost 5, and son Sam has a 16-month-old boy. I highly recommend grandparenthood.”

Retirement has been a lot more fun now that travel restrictions have eased!
Helen Rowan ’82

Marie Slamm Fenter has been an elementary school teacher, currently first grade at her alma mater, for the past 19 years, after receiving her master’s in elementary education. Previously she was a compensation director for Dean Witter at 2 World Trade Center. She lives in Greenlawn on Long Island and reports that her daughter graduated from Fordham’s business school and is an account manager in marketing at Amazon who lives in NYC. She writes, “Other than the pandemic, life is good.”

Steve and Lisa Mummery Crump’s news is that two of their four kids (two Cornellians included) recently relocated to Washington, DC, so they anticipate some visits there and look forward to catching up with other classmates in that area. Steve, a former class correspondent, added that he participated in a four-day Vegas PIKE reunion in the middle of February. There were 36 of them including many ’82 classmates: Rick Eno, Andy Bjork, Brian Pickerall, Chuck Weinberg, Jim Criscuolo, Rich Gold, Nate Rudgers, and Neil Best, as well as Mark J. Metz ’81. Steve said, “I kept it clean walking the strip, golfing, hiking Red Rock Canyon, visiting the Hoover Dam, and doing a wee bit of drinking. It was fun.”

Thanks to John Mennell, who has spearheaded our Brightcrowd yearbook. John writes, “Join the Class of ’82 Memory Book. For our 40th Reunion and beyond, we’ve partnered with Brightcrowd, an app developed by a Cornellian, to hold our class memories. You can catch up on classmates and share your own stories and photos on the Brightcrowd site. You may already have an invite to the Memory Book. See what’s new, post more stories and photos, or sign up here.” ❖ Nina Kondo, nmk22@cornell.edu; Doug Skalka, dskalka@npmlaw.com; and Mark Fernau, mef29@cornell.edu. Online news form.

1983

Greetings, Class of ’83! One more year to go before our 40th Reunion. Get ready! I feel incredibly fortunate in how our class sticks together year after year through stellar events with great times had by all.

Recent fabulous get togethers included: pasta making with Nonna Dora; a walking tour of the sculptures of George Rickey led by Philip Rickey; and a Cornell lacrosse win against Princeton for our 30th Ivy League title. Planned events at press time include: May Class of ’83 Boston gathering organized by Sylvia Han; August picnic on CU’s NYC Tech campus; October Zinck’s Night (can’t wait to get back next fall!); and November Big Red hockey at MSG—if you’ve never attended, this is a must!

Abbie Bookbinder Meyer enthusiastically recapped the stellar event in April when our classmates gathered from 15 different states for a virtual pasta-making class. It was led by the famous Addolorata “Dora” Marzovilla, affectionately known as Nonna Dora. A first-time restaurant proprietor at 86 years old, Nonna Dora hand-rolls pasta every day in her recently opened eponymous NYC restaurant, Nonna Dora’s Pasta Bar! And she made time for the Class of ’83. “Everything was included in our kits: wine, parmigiana, prosciutto, sauce, dough, and a special primitive wooden tool, ‘rigagnocchi,’ for making the pasta. A few glitches didn’t slow us down—though the restaurant felt so bad they reimbursed everyone 100%. The fresh pasta was absolutely delicious—much better than what I normally eat!” Just when we’re missing the Hot Truck, we now have Nonna Dora’s!

Matt Palumbo, BS ’86, shared news of another wonderful Cornell gathering in April, led by Philip Rickey. Philip hosted a walking tour in Manhattan for the Cornell Club–New York. Matt writes, “We visited the legendary kinetic sculptures of his father, George Rickey, along Park Avenue. There were nine George Rickey sculptures on the Park Avenue medians, between East 52nd and East 56th streets. This exhibition was in place from August 2021 through April 2022. Philip spent two hours discussing his father’s works, then took the group to enjoy more of his father’s sculptures that are on display in other parts of Manhattan. Where else can Cornell alumni and their families and associates find these experiences?”

In April, classmates gathered from 15 different states for a virtual pasta-making class.

Lynn Leopold (lynnmleopold@gmail.com) writes, “Can’t wait to spend time with classmates at one of the great baseball rivalries, New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox.” Class of ’83 block seating has been organized for the Yankees/Boston game on Friday evening, July 15. Tickets are approximately $140 each for Level 100 seats and include a stadium food and beer package. We’re offering a $25 discount for classmates who are duespaying members. If you haven’t done so yet, you can pay your class dues (only $25 individuals, $35 couples). Please email me if interested. There might be a limited number of tickets available. Would love to see everyone out at the ballgame!”

Congratulations to class officer Lisa Esposito Kok and husband George ’82 on the graduation of daughter Philippa ’22 from CALS. Lisa, George, and son Nicholas ’16 enjoyed a wonderful weekend in Ithaca for the great event. Two weeks later Lisa and Tony Giobbi, Class of ’83 co-reunion chairs, scoped out the Class of ’82 Reunion, “observing and learning how we can put together the most amazing Reunion possible for our class next year!” Huge kudos to Lisa and Tony for taking the lead for our upcoming mega alumni weekend.

And during Reunion next year, please make sure to visit the memorial tree planted by the Class of ’83 on the north side of Sage Hall. The plaque adorning the tree reads: “Dedicated to our 1983 classmates who left us too early. You live forever in our hearts, thoughts, and actions.” Amen. ❖ Stewart Glickman, stewartglickman@gmail.com; Nancy Korn Freeman, the4freemans@yahoo.com; Tom Helf, tomhelf@aol.com; Jon Felice, jbfelice@jbfelice.com. Online news form.

1984

Let’s get right to our news! Please join me in congratulating classmate and class council member Amy Brown Fraser (amybfraser16@gmail.com), recipient of the CALS Outstanding Alumni Award.

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni Assn. annually honors alumni who have achieved recognized success in their businesses, professions, or other avocational endeavors; have been actively involved in, worked for, and demonstrated leadership on behalf of the college and Cornell; and have made significant contributions to the betterment of society through humanitarian and charitable endeavors. The award recognizes alumni who demonstrate outstanding and uncommon achievement in their professional field and/or distinguished civic or public service. Recipients are committed and proven leaders who are a positive reflection of CALS and Cornell. The awards banquet was held on May 7, 2022 in Ithaca so that the awardees could be recognized in person.

Amy graduated with a BS in communication with a focus in viticulture/enology, motivated by her father’s backyard vineyard and winemaking hobby. She had the first internship in public relations via Cornell at the Robert Mondavi Winery in California. Amy met her husband, John ’83, at a Cornell event in New York City. Their youngest son, Angus ’20, ME ’21 (fourth-generation Cornellian), graduated from Mechanical Engineering, followed by a master’s in Aerospace Engineering.

Amy’s volunteer work started at the Cornell Club of Princeton and continued with activities such as being chair of the Committee for Alumni Trustee Nominations, chair of the CALS Dean’s Advisory Council, chair of the CALS Major Gifts Committee, co-chair of Membership of the Class of 1984, on the Cornell University Council, and on the CALS Communication department Advisory Council. Way to go, Amy! To say that you make the Class of ’84 proud is an understatement!

Wayne Hartung ’84 has been the chief meteorologist at the ABC/CW affiliates in Evansville, IN, since 1993.

Wayne Hartung has been the chief meteorologist at the ABC/CW affiliates in Evansville, IN, since 1993, after working in the Buffalo and Louisville TV markets. Working as a jock (overnights) at WVBR, gave him valuable experience for his future career in broadcasting. He is father to 24-year-old twins (boy and girl). Wayne is also interested in historic preservation—he lives in a house built in 1890—along with a little golf when time permits. He has kept in touch with class president John Toohey, John Manobianco ’83, and John Lynch. If he could change anything about his time at Cornell, he says he would have spent a little less time studying and more time experiencing the culture of Cornell and the beauty of the Finger Lakes.

I would like to let everyone know of a project initiated in preparation for Reunion 2024. The “84 Faces” website will feature (what else?) 84 classmates from the Cornell Class of ’84. These individuals will hopefully remind us of how Cornell has impacted our lives. If you want to be considered in the list of the final 84 who will be chosen—or if you know of somebody you think should be considered—please email either John Toohey (jrt67@cornell.edu) or me, José Nieves (email address below).

Don’t forget: you can submit an online news form or email me anytime. Write to me! I feel lonely! ❖ José Nieves, jmn12@cornell.edu.

1985

Happy summer, Class of ’85! I hope this column finds you well and enjoying some warmer weather. Please drop us a line to let us know how you are spending this season! ❖ Joyce Zelkowitz Cornett, cornett0667@comcast.net. Online news form.

1986

Our classmates are continuing to pick up the pace as we enter the “post-lockdown era.” Susan Sturgess writes from Floral Park, NY, that she is celebrating her 18th year as the senior dietitian at Hospice Care Network, a division of Northwell Health. She also became engaged on New Year’s Eve to longtime boyfriend John Nasta, a graduate of the School of Visual Arts, who works in the film and television industry. Congratulations!

Love is certainly in the air for our classmates. Michael Wagner and I recently attended the wedding of Maria Elias and James Johnson in a fabulous Myrtle Beach, SC, ceremony. The bride was gorgeous, and we all had a wonderful time sipping spicy pomegranate margaritas at the beautiful beachfront venue.

There is nothing like a pandemic to make introverts realize that even we need to get out the front door regularly.
Diana Skelton ’86

Diana Skelton writes from her home in London, “My youngest daughter is now a freshman at the U. of Southampton (UK), making me officially an empty nester—which I’m loving!” Her older two daughters are finishing master’s degrees, one at NYU and one closer to home at Kings College, London. While the younger Skelton ladies busy themselves with their academics, Diana is currently on the editorial board of the Journal on Poverty and Social Justice, preparing an article for the Action Research Journal, and promoting Socially Distanced Activism, a book she co-authored that was published last summer. In addition to her writing, she finds time to enjoy walks in nature and to socialize with friends, commenting that “there is nothing like a pandemic to make introverts realize that even we need to get out the front door regularly.”

A mini Cornell reunion was held in Columbus, OH, when several former football players made a special trip to support Cornell’s own Jim Knowles ’87 as he began his tenure as the defensive coordinator for the Ohio State football team. In attendance at the spring game were Marty Rauch, Kurt Reardon, and Michael Wagner from our class, plus Tom Bernardo ’87, Mark Collins ’87, Ken Johnson ’87, John Inserra ’87, John Gabel ’85, Randy Wroble ’75, and Doug Herron ’72. After the game, Tom hosted everyone at his amazing restaurant, Giammarco’s, for an Italian feast. Go Buckeyes! ❖ Lori Spydell Wagner, loriwagner86@gmail.com; Michael Wagner, mwagner123@gmail.com; Ellen Nordberg, ellen@ellennordberg.com; Toby Goldsmith, toby.goldsmith@gmail.com. Online news form.

1987

Dear fellow members of the Class of 1987: You are reading this in the hot days of summer (and after Reunion), but your class correspondents bring you news about classmates from the winter and spring.

In January, Jackson Hole, WY, was the scene of a reunion of Kappa Sigma fraternity brothers David Andrade, Dave Alexander, Chris Behr, MD ’91, Gabe Boyar, Jeff Cohen, Joe Gottlieb, Greg Kennedy, Brian Kraff, Gregg Rockower, Rick Bullotta ’84, Wayne Flick ’85, Randy Wolpert ’86, and Dave Price. The group enjoyed three days of skiing, plus some excellent dinners at some of the finest Jackson Hole establishments, including the Mangy Moose. It was a perfect mid-week trip away from home, Gabe said.

Dave Alexander and wife Cathy (Green) have five kids, with only two remaining in high school. David Andrade is president of Carey Richmond & Viking, an insurance agency with offices in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Greg retired from teaching as COVID-19 took over the country and lives a “life of leisure” (says Gabe) with his wife, Kim, in Rochester, NY. Gabe has two Cornellian daughters with Katie (Roth) ’86; their younger daughter graduated in May. Jeff has reduced his running competitions to half marathons and visits his daughter, Samantha Cohen ’18, in London any chance he gets with his wife, Shari Brasner.

Chris remains a top orthopedic surgeon in San Diego and has a daughter at U. of Michigan and a son who will be playing golf at U. of San Diego. Joe continues to live in Silicon Valley with his wife and three kids. Brian lives in Maryland but is contemplating a move back to New York City, “where he belongs,” Gabe wrote. Brian’s son, Robbie Kraff ’21, graduated Cornell last year, and his younger daughter, Rachel, finished her sophomore year at U. of Rochester. Joe and Brian are recent business partners in Higher Digital, a company that specializes in digital transformation for higher education.

Jeff Cohen ’87 has reduced his running competitions to half marathons.

Wayne has retired as a law partner at Latham and now plans to spend as much time as possible at Randy’s ski house in Park City, UT, or at his own home in Palm Springs. When Randy is not in Utah, he continues to live in the greater Miami area with his wife, Mindy. Ricky B. remains Ricky—same person, same mask, according to Gabe. Dave Price is a weekday weather anchor for WNBC in New York. He and wife Jackie have two young children, Eli and Caroline, who hopefully will become Cornellians in the 2030s. Gregg continues to practice pediatric medicine in Rockland County, NY. He splits his time among his family, his practice, and planning the annual ski trip, which Gabe said wouldn’t happen without his herculean efforts.

Theirs was not the only get-together! In late April/early May, following a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, Pi Kappa Alpha brothers David Fagan, Jon Kaiden ’88, Warren Kurtzman, Brett Nussbaum, Jeff Schwartz, Adam Ratner, and Greg Weidner, joined by Tony Cooper ’88 and Jay Sabin, resumed their annual tradition of attending Jazz Fest in New Orleans. They enjoyed a wonderful weekend of music, food, and friendship.

In March, Gail Stoller Baer was named vice president, major gifts and planned giving, for the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix and the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix. Gail is leading and directing all development efforts to grow planned giving assets for the community, including all endowment and donor funds. In addition, she will manage the major gifts program through personalized philanthropy with individuals, families, and impact investors for cultivation of annual support.

2021 was an interesting year for Gligor Tashkovich, MBA ’91. Since 2003, he has been on a State Dept. roster to monitor elections overseas and, as of March, completed 14 missions to countries in the Eastern Europe/Central Asia region of the world. Normally, the State Dept. would assign Gligor one trip every two years, but because a lot of other people didn’t want to travel during the pandemic, he was given three assignments last year: one trip to the Republic of Moldova and two trips to the Republic of Georgia.

Debito Arudou came out with a second edition of his critically acclaimed academic monograph, Embedded Racism: Japan’s Visible Minorities and Racial Discrimination (Lexington Books / Rowman & Littlefield, 2022). It is his 13th book.

In March, President Joe Biden named Indian-American diplomat Puneet Talwar as his envoy to Morocco. Puneet has held senior national security and foreign policy positions in the State Dept., White House, and US Senate. He recently served as a senior advisor at the State Dept. Previously, he served as the assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, special assistant to the president and senior director at the National Security Council, and a senior professional staff member at the Committee on Foreign Relations in the US Senate.

Please continue to share your news with us by emailing any of us at the following: ❖ Liz Brown, etb29@cornell.edu; Lisa Burns Griffin, lag77@cornell.edu, and Whitney Weinstein Goodman, wwg5@cornell.edu. Online news form.

1988

I hope you are all enjoying the summer months, wherever you are. If you have a moment, please send us a note! What’s new with you these days? What are your favorite memories of our alma mater? Where are you writing from? Your classmates would love to hear from you. ❖ Aliza Stein Angelchik, aangelchik@sonorusbrand.com; Debbie Kaplan Gershenson, dkgershe@gmail.com; Lynn Berni, smartymc66-cornell@yahoo.com. Online news form.

1989

Hi classmates, family, and friends of the Class of ’89! Not a lot of news from our class this time, but what we did hear is certainly exciting.

One of our talented classmates was recently recognized for doing what he loves—and doing it really well. This spring, Phillip “FiL” Straughan, BArch ’91, and his team won an episode of the hit new UK TV talent contest “Starstruck,” which aired on ITV and whose judges included Adam Lambert. The episode is so worth a watch; check it out on FiL’s website. It will put a smile on your face for sure. FiL, who left an NYC job in finance to move to Kent, England, and pursue music full time, says in the episode’s intro, “I love my job because I love sharing happy, positive energy. It’s not a job; it’s a joy. So I love sharing my joy.” His note to let us know about the win was pretty brief, but his email sign-off says it all: “GO BIG RED!” Go FiL! We will look for you on TV, or try to catch a live performance in England if we make it across the pond (I’m hoping to get to England and Ireland in October!).

Perhaps not as widely broadcast (!) but similarly joyful and positive is ’89er Kenneth Chance’s new side gig. He wrote in from Cleveland, TN, where he works as a financial advisor for the independent wealth management firm Lawson Winchester: “I have developed a nonprofit concept orchard for growing native Appalachian fruits, nuts, and spices. Check us out: Appalachian Foothills Fruits and Nuts.” Delving a little deeper, we see the importance and hopefulness that one small effort can positively impact our planet. Here’s a description from their website: “We are a nonprofit enterprise dedicated to discovering and popularizing fruit-bearing plants that can thrive in the homesteads in and about Appalachia. This leads us to focus on native species and ones that mark the historic homesteads that dot the region. Appalachia is home to more self-sustaining small farms per person than any other region of the US. We exist to further this culture that is bound to nature and is founded on self-sufficiency.” Perusing the website yields interesting info about some of what’s growing in the orchard, including pawpaws—did you know this fruit’s native range includes much of the US, and that it’s America’s largest and, arguably, most flavorful fruit? Very cool, Kenneth!

Phillip ‘FiL’ Straughan ’89, BArch ’91, and his team won an episode of the hit new UK TV talent contest ‘Starstruck.’

Our classmate Stacey Lowery Bretz, PhD ’94, checked in back in January, writing, “In 2020, I was selected as a fellow of the American Council on Education. The pandemic delayed my fellowship by a year, but I am now spending the 2021–22 academic year at the U. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign immersed in higher education leadership in the Office of the Chancellor. I also just completed a year of service as chair of the Division of Chemical Education for the American Chemical Society.” Congratulations, Stacey; your work in education is inspiring! We hope that your academic year went well and that you’re looking ahead to something fun and challenging in the fall.

Well wishes to all of you reading this, and keep in touch! You can submit news here or email any of us. ❖ Anne Czaplinski Treadwell, ac98@cornell.edu; Kris Borovicka Gerig, kgerig@columbus.rr.com; Stephanie Bloom Avidon, savidon1@hotmail.com; Lauren Kidder McGarry, laurenkiddermcgarry@gmail.com.

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Classes of the 1990s

1990

2022 seems to be continuing the depressing trend started in 2020, with distressing news in Europe, rampant domestic inflation, and, of course, continuing worries about the modern C word: COVID-19. However, as a member of the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network (CAAAN) global committee, the one bright ray of hope for me during this year of doom and gloom was meeting many amazing applicants all over the planet. What started off as a way for me to virtually travel around the world ended up being a balm to my soul and a kind of therapy in these extremely troubled times. More than anything, I am proud that Cornell continues to be a beacon that is calling to these talented young women and men, many of whom wish to address economic inequality and improve access to education in their home countries of Romania, Greece, Chile, Mongolia, Lebanon, Argentina, South Africa, Kenya, and Nepal.

I honestly don’t think I would be accepted if I had to reapply now, so in April it was exciting for me to email congratulations to an admitted student in Sendai, Japan. I offered to have another chat with him since almost half a year had passed since we had originally spoken, and he was probably having a hard time deciding where to enroll. Imagine my delight and surprise when he was joined on our Google meeting by his very happy parents and sister, and he said that he would be heading to Ithaca in August! I’d never spoken to an entire family for CAAAN before, but the exuberance was palpable. They laughed when I said that in Japan we are known as “the Cornell mafia” due to the strong alumni network.

For example, Brooklyn Brewery (founded by Steve Hindy ’71, MAT ’73, Cornell’s 2020 Entrepreneur of the Year) has its popular Brooklyn Lager distributed in Japan by Kirin, another Big Red company headed by Yoshinori Isozaki, MPS ’90, who was named president and CEO of Kirin Holdings in January. Attendees of our 20th Reunion may recall that we had 20 cases of Kirin Ichiban Shibori beer donated to us by Shiro Atsumi, MPS ’90. Shiro, who has retired from Kirin, took part in an alumni golf competition among a dozen universities in Western Japan last November. “It was the first time for Cornell to enter the tournament, and we won! We’re looking forward to defending our crown in the autumn.” Rounding out the Japan report, Kenichi Kiriyama, MPS ’90, president and CEO of Kobeya Bakery, continues serving as the president of the Cornell Hotel Society/Cornell Club of Japan–Kansai Chapter. After a few years of hosting Zoom catch-ups, he is looking forward to the return of in-person events, and so am I!

I feel like a proud auntie when I see classmates rightfully bragging about their children on social media.
Rose Tanasugarn ’90

I feel like a proud auntie when I see classmates rightfully bragging about their children on social media. Did anyone catch Delaney Graham singing the national anthem at the recent NCAA Final Four game between the Jayhawks and the Wildcats? Her dad was my co-RA in Founders Hall, Chris Graham. Delaney and her sister Maggie are both soccer stars at Duke. I would love to see them make the US women’s squad so that I can watch them at the 2028 Olympics in my hometown of Los Angeles. Another future Olympian may be Big Red track star Ama Boham ’23, daughter of Eric ’88 and Liz Wayner Boham and brother of Tismark ’25. She currently holds the fourth fastest 60-meter hurdle time at Cornell.

David Bednar, a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and his younger brother, Will, the 2021 College World Series Most Outstanding Player and champion who is currently in the San Francisco Giants minor league system, were coached as kids by their dad Andy Bednar, MBA ’91, who lived across the hall from me in U-Hall 4 our freshman year. All those times I watched Andy kicking for the Big Red football team and pitching for the baseball team, I had no idea that he would one day have sons playing professional baseball. Way to go, Andy and sons!

Inventor Jake Laser is the progeny of Mark Laser, a Dartmouth professor who calls Norwich, VT, home. Have you seen the neat things Jake is crafting out in L.A.? Check out Jake’s YouTube clip of the development of his real-life Captain America shield!

Music has also helped to keep me in an emotionally good place as the pandemic drags on. Does anyone remember the Class Notes? It is Cornell’s oldest existing all-gender singing group. This year’s group was voted into the finals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, making them one of the top eight of 450 singing groups entered in the competition. Fellow Cornell tour guide Ian Kline, BA ’92, was a member of the Class Notes and congratulated the current members during a visit to campus in April to attend advisory board meetings for the Atkinson Center for Sustainability and the Johnson Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise. Ian, a College Scholar in Arts & Sciences, is the president and CEO of the Cadmus Group. Speaking of advisory boards, are you looking to share your talents as a Cornell volunteer, mentor, or internship host to a Cornell student? Register at CUeLinks and CUVolunteer to see the myriad of opportunities in which you can help our alma mater continue to do the greatest good.

As this column has clearly proven, the shiny apples do not fall far from the Big Red trees—that is, all of you, my talented classmates! Please continue to brag about your kids to us and we will be glad to feature them in the class column, along with news of 1990 mini-reunions! ❖ Rose Tanasugarn, nt28@cornell.edu; Nancy Solomon Weiss, nancyswm@outlook.com; Allan Rousselle, agr2@cornell.edu. Online news form.

1991

Greetings! This is Evelyn Achuck Yue, one of your new class correspondents. I am so excited to have this opportunity to help our class stay connected and share our updates. So, let me share a little about myself. I was a Hotel major and lived in Clara Dickson Hall and then in an apartment at Eddygate in Collegetown. I worked for a bit and then went to get my Master of Accountancy at U. of Southern California.

After working for a few years in high tech in Northern California, I met my husband, Raymond. My senior college roommate, Melanie Dunn, played matchmaker and set us up on a blind date when he moved to the West Coast for his job. We will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary this June! We have three children: Madison, 16, a junior in high school, and twins, James and Allison, 14, in eighth grade. I am now a domestic engineer and CEO of the Yue household. This is my favorite job because it allows me to spend more time with the kids, knowing that I only have a few more years before I am an empty nester. In preparation for my next stage in life and staying fit, I have picked up a new sport: pickleball. Raymond and I love this sport and plan to play the circuit in the next few years! If any of you are ever in the Bay Area or would like to play some pickleball, please feel free to reach out at evelyn_yue@yahoo.com. Now, on to other news.

Paul Hayre was at Cornell Leadership Week at the end of March and writes, “Our class was the best represented at the combined weekend meetings of CALC, TCAM, PCCW, and several other alumni groups: 16 of us! Plans changed for several, given COVID numbers, and we endeavored to wear masks when interacting with students and local community members. Distance-wise, the prize goes to Jeff Lamontagne and Charles Wu, who made it in from Denver and the West Coast, respectively. It was especially fun to ‘re-meet’ Jeff after 30 years.”

“The agenda was largely recharging connections with each other, other alumni leaders, and the campus community/staff, and also hearing the latest and greatest from the Hill. Since we all might remember him, there was also a memorial service for President Frank H.T. Rhodes, postponed for over two years. I thought I was special in that he always seemed to remember me and speak specifically to me when we met. Turns out he gave that gift to everyone who ever met him. Extraordinary man.

I am now a domestic engineer and CEO of the Yue household.
Evelyn Achuck Yue ’91

“Weekend topics ranged from social and healthcare equity to personal resilience to deep earth heating to global food supply and security and other climate initiatives and much more. President Martha Pollack spoke of Cornell’s leadership in recruiting top faculty and students while also leading the world in how to continue to deliver education and advance mission in the midst of a pandemic. One final note: I knew just about none of the people on this list while an undergrad, yet we have become dear friends while serving our class together—and our class always sets new standards year after year. Must have been something in the water during our four years on campus.”

Also, in New York is Michelle Rosenberg Parentis, who writes that her husband, Mike, is still a practicing sports med/foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon in Buffalo, NY. “I work part time at his two offices a few days per week. For the most part, I have divested myself of all my school and community volunteer work, etc., and am focusing on family, trying to be fit, cooking, travel (lots of visits to Chicago and Nashville), and getting together with friends. Like a true retiree, I’d like us to move to a warmer climate, but my parents are still here. So we won’t leave Buffalo anytime soon. Our oldest son, Jake, 25, is a first-year law student at Loyola Chicago. Our daughter, Kaela, 23, is a first-year doctoral candidate for a PsyD in clinical psychology, also in Chicago. Our youngest son, Dean, 19, is a first year at Vanderbilt U. in Nashville.”

Wendy Pong, who lives in Fort Lee, NJ, writes, “My son, Ryan Leung ’23, is also a Cornell Hotelie! And my daughter, Allison, is a senior at UC Berkeley and will be graduating in May.”

Heading further south, in sunny Florida is Lisa Jias DeRosimo, MS ’92, who writes, “John and I celebrated our 25th anniversary on March 22! Angela is 21, and she is at the U. of Pittsburgh, and Sarah is 12 and in sixth grade. We have been in Miami almost ten years. I am in private medical practice, specializing in weight management and wellness. I am also on the scientific advisory board for the international health and wellness company Modere. The days are full with my medical practice, kids’ activities, and our church community.”

Thanks to everyone who sent in updates for my first Class Notes column! Do you have news to share? Send in an online news form or contact one of us directly: ❖ Evelyn Achuck Yue, evelyn_yue@yahoo.com; Ruby Wang Pizzini, ruby.pizzini@gmail.com; Susie Curtis Schneider, theschneiders@live.com; Joe Marraccino, joe.marraccino@wfafinet.com; Wendy Milks Coburn, wmilkscoburn@me.com.

1992

It is officially summer, and that can only mean one thing—more news from the Class of ’92! Enjoy these recent updates from our classmates!

Silvia Serpe, JD ’95, launched a new law firm in July 2021 in Manhattan: Serpe LLC. Silvia’s firm focuses on defending individuals and businesses in private litigations, as well as in both criminal and civil actions by government agencies. She recently became more involved in the law school’s alumnae events and is “loving it!” When you have a chance, check out her new firm’s website. Congratulations, Silvia!

Heather Bouchey was appointed to the President’s Council of Cornell Women (PCCW) in 2021 and was looking forward to making it back to campus in 2022—in March for the PCCW symposium and the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference, and in June for our 30th Reunion. Heather says, “I haven’t been back to campus in over 20 years!” She is excited to both reconnect with classmates and make new connections. Heather also tells us that she is very grateful to serve as Vermont’s Deputy Secretary of Education since 2015. She shares, “The pandemic has been especially challenging for our schools and students,” and everyone is looking forward to “education recovery” and what lies ahead for best serving students. Thank you, Heather! And couldn’t agree more! She and her 17-year-old daughter will be touring Cornell this summer, are enjoying living in Vermont’s wonderful state capital, and are “in love with our recently adopted beagle mix!” Thanks for sharing, Heather—a lot of good news and great accomplishments!

Classmate Emily Kanders Goldfischer was recently highlighted in an article titled “How Women are Changing the Hotel Industry,” published in Everett Potter’s Travel Report. Emily, who is based out of London, is the founder of “hertelier,” a platform that she created during the pandemic to help women in the hotel industry connect, share, and learn from each other. Kudos to you, Emily! This is a great read, and I encourage all to check it out.

That’s all for now! Thank you for sharing your news! ❖ Lois Duffy Castellano, LKD2@cornell.edu; Jean Kintisch, jmk226@cornell.edu. Online news form.

1993

I trust that your summer is going well. Your Class of 1993 officers are hard at work in planning our next Reunion—30 years, baby! In fact, class president Mike McMahon and Reunion co-chair Amy Miller Carter plan to meet in Cincinnati at Reunion co-chair Jess Graus Woo’s home to work on details for the event. Be on the lookout for information in the coming months.

Melissa Carver Sottile went back to Cornell for Homecoming 2021 with her husband, Greg, and their two sons, Ethan, 17, and Jack, 15. They had a fantastic time, watched a great football game, met with students and alumni, and toured the campus, enjoying the old and new. Brunch at the Statler brought an added surprise—a large display of photos over the years. Dining at the Statler was a touching reminder of Melissa’s late parents’ wedding reception that took place during the Thanksgiving blizzard of ’58!

The Sottile family continues to enjoy living in (and perpetually renovating) their antique home in a tiny rural town in Connecticut’s northern hills. After 11 years teaching at UConn, Melissa started a new chapter as a writer, researcher, and consultant in personal finance and fiscal policy. She loves working from her back porch, a lazy Lab at her feet, watching a crocus or two peek through stubborn bits of snow amidst the songs of returning birds. Melissa shares that it reminds her of the sunny spring days on the Arts Quad with friends (and errant frisbees). You can reach Melissa at mtc2@cornell.edu.

When asked what she’s doing now that she never imagined, Marsha Wittink shared, “Though I studied Biopsychology at Cornell, I could not have known just how much the field would impact my eventual career as a physician.” After she completed medical school and postgraduate education in Philadelphia, her first academic job was at the U. of Pennsylvania in the Dept. of Family Medicine. An opportunity to join the psychiatry department at the U. of Rochester eventually led her to a new passion and area of research: providing comprehensive care for people facing significant health disparities due to mental illness. As the chair of the medical-psychiatry unit consortium, she is a part of a growing group of clinicians committed to delivering integrated biopsychosocial care to patients with concomitant medical and mental health needs. You can stay in touch with Marsha at marsha_wittink@urmc.rochester.edu. Thank you, Dr. Wittink, for all you do!

Jeffrey Woodring ’93 joined a men’s hockey team and cites a new appreciation for the Lynah skaters.

Jeffrey Woodring hung up the trading jacket on August 25, 2020, retiring to spend more time with family. His wife, Nicole, started a new career: she received her PT degree and is working as a therapist. Their daughter, Marra, is sophomore at Penn State, and son Parker is starting at Cornell in 2023! (And yes, he will play football.) And lastly, their son Todd is a sophomore in high school.

Jeffrey writes, “I have also been getting back to my college interests: VP of Sigma Nu alumni board, secretary of Friends of Cornell Football (the new booster club), and president of the high school football booster … I guess I haven’t grown up yet!?” He is spending more time with fish: boating/fishing on Long Island Sound, stocking trout with the Burlington Fish Hatchery, doing fish surveys, and volunteering with Trout Unlimited. Jeffrey also joined a men’s hockey team and cites a new appreciation for the Lynah skaters. He regularly sees Greg Dinkin, Marc Bruno, and Tim Barry, and plans to bond with many more at Reunion. You can reach Jeffrey at teamwoodring@gmail.com.

Jim Prendergast and his wife, Lori, visited Lexington in April for racing at Keeneland, some bourbon tasting, and a friend’s wedding. They had so much fun that they returned for the Kentucky Derby, enjoying the weekend with Mike McMahon and his family.

And lastly, yours truly, Theresa Flores, was in Philadelphia for a work conference and was able to catch up with Mariela Smith-McLallen and Lauren Myers ’97. Send news to: ❖ Theresa Flores, taf6@cornell.edu; Melissa Hart Moss, melimoss@yahoo.com; Mia Blackler, miablackler@yahoo.com. Online news form.

1994

Sam Grabush was recently appointed chief operating officer of Schulte Hospitality Group, where he will oversee operations for the company’s nearly 175 hotels across the US. Before this, Sam served as president of operations for Highgate Hotels, where he spent the last 14 years managing the company’s 118 properties and led a team of more than 20 senior operations leaders. He also served as senior VP of operations there, supervising the company’s New York City portfolio of 40 hotels. “I am sincerely thrilled to be joining such a venerable and respected organization,” Sam says about the move to Schulte. He and his wife and two children will be relocating to Louisville, KY, from New York. Congratulations!

Please send news to any of us via email, Facebook, or the online news form! ❖ Dika Lam, dikaweb@yahoo.com; Dineen Pashoukos Wasylik, dmp5@cornell.edu; Jennifer Rabin Marchant, jar1229@yahoo.com.

1995

By the time you read this, I will have recently returned from Reunion—while it wasn’t our Reunion, of course, it was the Cornell University Chorus Centennial, and I am sure I will have much to report back in the next installment.

So for now I’ll start instead by taking you “to infinity and beyond!” In March, Todd Edebohls shared the news that classmate Gary Lai was announced as the latest crew member on Blue Origin’s fourth human space flight, and its 20th overall. Gary is best known as the architect of the New Shepard system, including leading the team responsible for the design and development of many of the key safety systems on the crew capsule. He joined Blue Origin in 2004 and was among the first 20 employees. He is currently senior director and chief architect of New Shepard, responsible for all next generation designs and upgrades and new product development for the New Shepard business. His prior positions include senior director of design engineering, system architect, crew capsule element lead, NASA commercial crew development program manager, lead systems engineer, and pathfinding lead with responsibility for advanced research and development. In addition to his time at Cornell, Gary also holds a Bachelor of Science in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the U. of Washington. He holds three patents in space systems technology. Click here to read more.

Also in the news recently: Kimin Tanoto, commissioner of Gunung Raja Paksi (GRP), one of the largest steel companies in Indonesia. According to an article in Citywire Australia, one of his biggest business initiatives is to transition his steel business to one producing green steel, which is metal produced with the lowest carbon footprint possible. To do this, he has to upgrade machines, retrain workers, overhaul production methods, and transition to renewable energy sources. Kimin also has a passion for building bridges, a valued commodity in Indonesia, where local villages lack funds to repair damaged infrastructure; he has focused his philanthropic initiatives on building and repairing bridges connecting villages around the country.

Lots of news from Brett Blumenthal, MBA ’04. Not only was the new book she illustrated with her author husband David Wax, I Wish for You, released on April 5, but she also performed as part of a choir at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC, in front of 20,000 people with Andrea Bocelli, Maria Aleida, Pia Toscano, Matteo Bocelli, and Virginia Bocelli. Sounds like an incredible experience, Brett!

Gary Lai ’95 was announced as the latest crew member on Blue Origin’s fourth human space flight, and its 20th overall.

Speaking of books, another resident class author, Henry Neff, has a new book in the works, his first for adults. Titled The Witchstone, it is expected to be released around fall 2023 or spring 2024, depending on the publisher’s list and schedule. You can follow his Facebook page for updates.

And in February, Malina Saval won a first place National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for her piece on the representation of Jews in Hollywood in Variety, titled “Too Jewish for Hollywood: As Antisemitism Soars, Hollywood Should Address its Enduring Hypocrisy in Hyperbolic Caricatures of Jews.” You can read the Los Angeles-based writer’s winning piece here.

On the opposite coast that same month, David Podwall was named the Top Business Leader in Nassau County (New York) by Blank Slate Media and the president-elect of the Nassau County Medical Society.

Yet another exciting piece of news comes from Amy Kaplan Rosenow, who recently co-founded the Josephine Collective. The group co-invests small amounts (as little as $1,000 per deal) in early-stage startups across the US. They are making angel investing more accessible for all—but are especially focused on helping women and people of color diversify their strategies and ease into a part of the investment world that can generate differentiated returns.

Dave Beck (davebeck41@mac.com) is also involved in entrepreneurial pursuits. He recently completed his fifth year leading strategic sourcing for breakthrough beverage startup BODYARMOR, which was acquired by Coca-Cola in November 2021. “Under our ownership team, led by entrepreneur Mike Repole and the late Kobe Bryant, BODYARMOR is now number two in the US sports drink market. The $8B valuation represents Coke’s largest acquisition ever.” In his free time, Dave enjoys coaching two youth basketball teams (eighth-grade girls, fifth-grade boys) and seeing how positively the kids responded to the challenges of playing during the pandemic.

As an entrepreneur myself, now approaching my tenth year of business, it’s certainly inspiring to hear so many success stories. Please keep sending them my way! Until next time, stay connected and safe, classmates. ❖ Alison Torrillo French, amt7@cornell.edu. Class website. Class Facebook page. Online news form.

1996

Happy summer, Class of ’96! I hope this column finds you well and enjoying some warmer weather. Please drop us a line to let us know how you are spending this season! ❖ Marjorie Polycarpe Jean-Paul, carpo129@hotmail.com; Janine Abrams Rethy, janine.rethy@gmail.com; Catherine Oh Bonita, catherine.bonita@gmail.com. Online news form.

1997

Has your daily life changed recently? The answer is an enthusiastic yes for Grace Kang, who writes, “I got engaged last year and moved to Little Rock, AR. We bought an adorable 4,000-sq.-ft house from the early 1900s that we’ve been renovating this past year.” Grace still has a business in NYC and says she frequently makes trips between the two places. “I am in the process of opening a new shop in Little Rock, so that’s exciting! We also have two furry additions to the family, Olive and Peanut,” who are both on Instagram. When asked what brings her the most satisfaction these days, Grace wrote, “The little joys—cooking, taking a bath, small-town vibes.”

If you haven’t sent your news to us in a while, we’d love to hear from you! Whether your news is big or small (read a good book lately?), let’s stay in touch. ❖ Sarah Deardorff Carter, sjd5@cornell.edu; Erica Broennle Nelson, ejb4@cornell.edu. Online news form.

1998

Greetings, Class of 1998! Did you know that the planning for our 25th Reunion has already started? How long has it been since you returned to campus? How many of you are returning to see your Big Red family in June 2023? Stay tuned for more information about our upcoming Reunion.

After years of hard work and dedication, Elizabeth Gelfand Miller earned her black belt in karate in December 2021. Elizabeth is an associate professor of marketing at the U. of Massachusetts, Amherst. She has her master’s and PhD in marketing from the Wharton School of the U. of Pennsylvania. Congratulations!

Steven Gutierrez is an artist and a teacher at the Cleveland Inst. of Art. Having worked as a mechanical aerospace engineer for several years after graduation, Steven decided to pursue teaching and art. He shares, “I find that by teaching, I not only get to help people, but I also get to feel fulfilled as a person. I love the opportunity to be able to give the students the creative tools they need to express themselves. In addition, working with students sparks my own creativity, which in turn gets me more excited about teaching.”

Steven’s art installation titled Our Roots Grow in North Olmsted is a solar tree that harnesses energy during the day to illuminate itself at night. Steven and his daughter, Lea, recently visited the New York metro area from Ohio. While there, they caught up with Patty and David Haro. They have two sons and live in New Jersey. David has an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and volunteers with local Scouts and community organizations outside of work. Friends since freshman year, Steven and David gather with their families almost every year and often visit campus.

What have you been up to lately? We want to know! Write to me: ❖ Uthica Jinvit Utano, udj1@cornell.edu. Online news form.

1999

Despite his time as a Daily Sun columnist during undergrad, Brady Dale says he never imagined making a career of it—but, he writes, “I’m a reporter and have been since 2013. I just started a new job as a reporter at Axios. I will be part of the team launching the Axios Crypto newsletter. I left the Defiant for this role. I actually joined the Defiant in July after leaving CoinDesk, where I’d been a reporter for just under four years.” Brady adds, “I’m making a 17-foot-long pen-and-ink drawing about the history of technology (sort of) inside my Brooklyn apartment. I started it toward the end of 2020. I’m about two-thirds done.” ❖ Class of 1999, c/o Alexandra Bond ’12, abb83@cornell.edu. Online news form.

Back to the top

Classes of the 2000s

2000

Hello, alumni! I hope all is well, wherever you are in the world. Today I want to share with you all some news about our classmate Meli James. Meli graduated from the Hotel school with a business degree focused on hospitality and found work in San Francisco. After 11 years in her field, she started her first company, Nirvino, in 2007, which became the number-one-ranked wine app in the iTunes store.

With a heart for her community, Meli returned to her home state of Hawaii and started working hands-on with local entrepreneurs. There she met Brittany Heyd, co-founder and managing director for a Washington, DC-based startup accelerator, 1776. Together, they founded Mana Up in January 2018. “I came home to help build an ecosystem of entrepreneurs because I thought that was the best way to grow opportunities for this community,” says Meli. And she did. Meli and Brittany have created a thriving enterprise that promotes a creative economy for the people of Hawaii. You can read more here. ❖ Denise Williams, ddw7@cornell.edu. Online news form.

2001

With the summer in full swing, I hope everyone (in the Northern Hemisphere) is enjoying the longer days and warmer weather. It’s a great time to be outside and connect with friends and family over activities and meals. In New York we have some great outdoor concert venues and I’m taking the opportunity to take my sons to their first shows. Now if we could just slow down time and enjoy it longer.

Tamar Davidson Shapiro is living in New York, NY, and has joined lower middle market private equity firm TZP Group LLC as partner of data and analytics in its portfolio operations group. After graduating from Cornell, Tamar earned her MS in operations research and industrial engineering from Columbia U. With a long career in data science, she is a passionate advocate for women in tech and has served as a mentor for Built by Girls, Minds Matter, and Women Unlimited. She has also been a speaker for Girls Who Code and serves as a co-chair of the Analytics Collective. Prior to her latest role at TZP, Tamar led a team of more than 350 data scientists and data engineers at Instagram. Prior to Instagram, she was head of analytics at Foursquare, and before that spent over a decade at American Express. Rewinding the clock further, Tamar created the photography club while at Cornell. We wish her well in her latest endeavor!

Zoe Hollomon writes that she moved around a bit after graduating and got married in 2007 to the love of her life, Erin. In 2012 they moved to Minneapolis, MN, where they have been ever since. Zoe works in food systems planning, environmental policy and agriculture, and racial equity. She is a co-op owner of a beautiful farm and retreat center in central Minnesota. Her favorite memories from Cornell include Dragon Day, swimming/hiking the gorges, parties at Ujamaa, and the Cornell in Rome program. She looks forward to connecting with other alumni.

Yoon Ha Lee is a freelance writer living in Baton Rouge, LA, whose debut novel, Ninefox Gambit (2016), won the Locus Award for best first novel and was a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke awards. Yoon’s children’s book, Dragon Pearl, won the Mythopoeic Award and the Locus Award for best young adult novel and was a New York Times bestseller. Yoon is still in touch with many friends from the CSSS (games club), and married one—classmate Joseph Betzwieser! Joseph is currently a staff scientist at LIGO Livingston Laboratory. The couple keep busy with their careers and taking care of their teenage daughter, Arabelle.

Yadira Perez Hazel ’01 and her husband had their first child in New Zealand and then moved back to NYC, where they had their second child, named … Cornell!

Yadira Perez Hazel writes that after graduating Cornell, she went to UVA for a master’s and doctorate in cultural anthropology. She then worked as a senior qualitative researcher at an HIV/AIDS organization in NYC (Latino Commission on AIDS). The next move was with her husband, Clinton, to Auckland, New Zealand, to teach at Waikato U. and Auckland U. The couple had their first child in New Zealand and then moved back to NYC, where they had their second child, named … Cornell! In NYC, Yadira was an assistant professor in ethnic studies at Borough of Manhattan Community College from 2012–16 and an oral historian at the Tenement Museum. In February 2016, the couple made their latest move to Melbourne, Australia, for work/life balance and their love of travel. Yadira holds an honorary position in Melbourne U. in anthropology and works as a senior research advisor. They’re enjoying life in Melbourne, including hiking along the Yarra River most mornings.

Continuing the travel theme, Stephanie Jones-Douglass has moved around a lot since graduation. After spending a few years post-undergrad traveling around Europe and Africa (and a winter working in Vail), Stephanie returned to Cornell to pursue an MS in Design and Environmental Analysis. Then she and her husband moved around the US for various jobs and grad degrees. Stops included NYC, Ft. Collins, Denver, Washington, DC, Hartford, and eventually back to D.C., where they now live with their two children. Stephanie has worked for architecture and consulting firms designing offices and studying the impact of work environments on individuals and organizations. She also started a residential design business, which took on a new level of importance during the pandemic!

To share news and get back in touch with classmates, please email either of us at the addresses below, visit our website, like the Class of 2001 Facebook page, join our Class of 2001 Classmates Facebook group, and/or follow us on Twitter (@Cornell2001). ❖ James Gutow, james.gutow@yahoo.com; Nicole Neroulias Gupte, NicoleMN6@gmail.com. Online news form.

2002

Greetings, Class of ’02! Though this column appears after Reunion, it had to be completed before the weekend’s events. Check back in early September for a report of our 20th Reunion! In the meantime, please send us a note to let us know what you’ve been up to: ❖ Carolyn Deckinger Lang, cmd35@cornell.edu. Online news form.

2003

Greetings! I was so excited to be back on campus last month for the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference, as it was my first time back since moving away in 2015. I saw the newly built Toni Morrison Hall, toured Human Ecology’s textile collection for the first time, and heard about many new and exciting Cornell initiatives. The weekend was filled with old favorites too, including going to the top of the Johnson Museum for its views of Ithaca and Cayuga Lake, eating Cornell ice cream, and getting a Sui. I also had a chance to catch up with one of our classmates, Katie Nelson Schoenberg, PhD ’10.

We’ve heard from a number of you since our last column was published. Gerald Griffin has been appointed provost of Hope College. Gerald completed a doctorate in neuroscience and postdoctoral training at the U. of Pennsylvania and was an assistant professor in the biology department at Tuskegee U. before serving as a faculty member, associate provost for academic affairs, and interim provost at Hope. Congratulations, Gerald!

The work of Robert Bell, a landscape architect, is on display at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Robert, who majored in landscape architecture, “believes every garden is unique” and has a “signature Deco/Moderne style.” His previous work includes managing the Americana Manhasset shopping center, the National WWII Memorial in Washington, DC, the Frederick Douglass House, and several private residences. Many congrats to Robert on his newest work!

We look forward to hearing from more of you. Until next time: ❖ Candace Lee Chow, CJL24@cornell.edu; Jon Schoenberg, jrs55@cornell.edu. Online news form.

2004

Ronya Foy Connor, MPA ’05, enjoys impacting gender equality in the Caribbean as the first national gender development coordinator in the Government of Anguilla, and as a research practitioner in social entrepreneurship, development, and human rights and social justice studies. She has conducted research—in the US, the Caribbean, and East Africa—focused on the unique strengths of youth and women in community sustainability. UN Women recently featured her work during women’s history month.

Under Ronya’s leadership, the Gender Affairs Unit was established in the Ministry of Social Development and Education. Her work is directly related to several of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 5: to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. She also began to assist in formulating a women’s beekeeping cooperative in Anguilla, along with the Anguilla National Trust. The master beekeeper/trainer, Richard Matthias, is a graduate of Cornell’s Master Beekeeper Program.

Continue to share your news via the online news form or by writing to me: ❖ Jessi Petrosino, jessi.petrosino@ey.com.

2005

Hi, Class of 2005! We hope you are all having a nice 2022. Your class council is busy planning events for our class and we’d love to know if we have the correct contact info for our classmates. If you have any updates, please use this link.

Kody Gurfein (kgurfein@gmail.com) was accepted into Chief, an invite-only network built to drive more women into positions of power and keep them there. Kody was also accepted into the Forbes Communications Council, an invitation-only community for senior-level marketing, communications, and public relations executives. On a more personal note, Kody married David Pessah in August 2021 in New York City. In attendance were many ’05 Cornell Delta Gamma alumnae, including Alexandra Galgano Zaccagnino, Lisa Ravener Donohue, Natalie Dew Fitch, Erica Furfaro and her husband, Matt Naidorf ’04, and Jessie Myers Allan, in addition to Alexandra Gorski Kreiter and Aaron Krieger.

Jesse Hom was appointed to the board of directors of Safehold, the creator and leader of the modern ground lease industry.

Kaitlin Mallouk, assistant professor at Rowan U., was honored as the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Teaching Award for the Middle Atlantic Section of the American Society for Engineering Education. Kaitlin was also recently elected to the board of directors for the American Society for Engineering Education as the Professional Interest Council IV chair. ❖ Jessica Rosenthal Chod, chodjlr@gmail.com; Hilary Johnson King, hilaryaking18@gmail.com. Online news form.

2006

Hello, Class of 2006! I hope all is well with you and that warmer weather is bringing more sun and energy into your lives. I am excited to see the flowers and trees blooming, friends and families getting together, and so many more smiling faces. We’re pleased to share the latest news with you around the class.

To start, we have updates from a couple of writers from our class! Samuel Flaks (samuelflaks@gmail.com) edited the recently published book Without Permission: Conversations, Letters, and Memoirs of Henry Mandel (Cherry Orchard Books). The book is about his grandfather, one of the crew members of the illegal immigrant passenger ship Ben Hecht, which tried to transport Jewish refugees to Palestine before the establishment of the State of Israel. Shashi Bhat is releasing her second book of fiction, The Most Precious Substance on Earth, in the US this August; it was published in Canada by McClelland and Stewart/Penguin Random House. Congrats, Samuel and Shashi!

We have some more announcements on the baby front. Troy (troyurman@gmail.com) and Morgan Rog-Urman welcomed their third child into the world in fall 2021. Troy is practicing architecture with a multidisciplinary firm, WRT, focused on architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning. Working from home with three children under five years of age during the pandemic, he says, “continues to bring surprise benefits and sometimes challenges as well.” As a father of two myself, I couldn’t agree more! Jenna Goldstein is working as deputy legal counsel to Colorado Governor Jared Polis. Jenna and her husband, Mike, recently welcomed daughter Sophie, who was born on December 29, 2021. Her older brother, Ezra, was thrilled. Jenna and Mike have been enjoying spending time with their baby girl. We’re overjoyed for Troy and Jenna’s growing families—hopefully future Cornellians!

We’re excited to congratulate Katie Bartels on her recent marriage! She and her husband, Andrew, had a small ceremony in June with close family in the backyard of their Connecticut home. During the wedding, Katie’s sister-in-law read A.R. Ammons’s poem “Salute,” which President Rawlings read to the Class of 2006 during our Commencement. That feels like ages ago!

Amy Pettibone Durkan, BS ’05 (amy@durkanfencing.com) and her husband, Patrick, opened Durkan Fencing Academy in 2014. Afterwards, she started coaching a local high school fencing team in New Jersey. Amy feels so rewarded to see the students’ confidence grow as they learn a new sport. She is also encouraging fencers to apply to Cornell, where they can be part of a great fencing program (and a great university!). She has had two fencing students accepted to Cornell and one coach accepted to the MBA program. Go Amy and go Big Red!

During her wedding, Katie Bartels’s sister-in-law read A.R. Ammons’s poem ‘Salute,’ which President Rawlings read to the Class of 2006 during our Commencement.

Ari Rabkin, ME ’07 (asrabkin@gmail.com) is working at Google Cambridge, doing cloud networking. Ari is happy to report that family and work life are both pretty great right now. He bought an old “weird” house in Somerville, MA, fixed it up, and moved in. (We need a before and after picture!) Ari has two young children and comments, “They are the best.” They really are!

Matt Rogers, a partner working in mergers and acquisitions at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, recently moved to Larchmont, NY. Jamie Chung is a board-certified periodontist and implant surgeon in the Bay Area. Janet Bittner Walker is working for Bonduelle, a company producing processed vegetables, and she’s “enjoying every minute of it!”

Jessica DiMenna works as an oncology nurse at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. She enjoys spending time with her boyfriend and their Boston terrier, Jim. The pandemic gave Jessica time to focus on her health and wellbeing, and she’s been “getting back into an old hobby of mine—running!” Jessica even traveled to France last September to run a marathon in the Loire Valley. Amazing, Jessica!

What’s new in your world? We’d love to hear more about you, your families, and what you’ve been up to lately. Please share your news with us! ❖ Kirk Greenspan, kag62@cornell.edu. Online news form.

2007

It’s summer, friends from 2007! Hope everyone is enjoying some time outside and getting in some great summer travel experiences. And for anyone in the Southern Hemisphere, hold onto the winter for us!

Big congratulations are in order for our classmate Stephanie Cajina, BS ’10! Back in February, the board of supervisors voted unanimously to approve Stephanie to serve on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors. She was nominated by Mayor London Breed in December 2021 and brings city planning experience and years of advocating for underrepresented communities to the board. She previously worked as executive director for the nonprofit community organization Excelsior Action Group. Most recently, Stephanie has served as senior economic development specialist for the City of Napa, and as vice-chair of the Northern Bay Area chapter of the Chicano Latino Caucus, California Democratic Party. What an amazing step in this already impressive career!

Another classmate, Sam Akabas, has been keeping very busy with his growing family! Sam and wife Sasha enjoyed a ski trip this past winter, escaping from their busy careers in real estate and law. They have three lovely little ones: Belle Rose, 5, Violet Thea, 3, and Jasper Noam, who turns 1 in the fall. Congrats on your adorable family!

Thanks for the awesome updates, 2007! Have more news to share? Please feel free to reach out to me or submit online! ❖ Samantha Feibush Wolf, srf29@cornell.edu. Online news form.

2008

Summer is here! Hope everyone is having a fun one and staying safe and healthy. We only have a little bit of news this time around, so I’ll get right to it.

Erik Shewan, who loves his job and is celebrating his eighth year as a product design engineer for OXO and Hydro Flask, just got married! He and his wife, Jen Gong, managed to plan their wedding in one week; it was held in Rockefeller State Park and Erik tells us that he and Jen “wouldn’t change a thing” even though the weather didn’t hold up. Erik also purchased a house last fall and is now commuting from Westchester during a global pandemic, which he never imagined would happen. Congrats on everything, Erik!

We’d love to hear from you, so please send in your news! We want all of your updates—let us know about major life changes or how you are keeping busy this summer. Looking forward to your news! ❖ Libby Boymel, LKB24@cornell.edu; Elana Beale, erb26@cornell.edu.

2009

Hello, Class of 2009. We hope that you and your families are healthy and safe as we head into the summer.

Saxton Sharad recently launched Revival Hotels, a multi-faceted hospitality firm that provides a fully integrated management platform, a hospitality investment fund, and revamped consulting and asset management services that all focus on non-institutional, independent assets. We wish Saxton the best on this new endeavor!

In March, Lauren Lopez Rutkowski summited Mount Kilimanjaro with a group of women from around the world on International Women’s Day. They were organized by an amazing female explorer and climbed with an incredible local company in Tanzania, African Addictive Adventures. Lauren said that it was “an amazing experience, and I’m happy to have represented the US in a group of eight women representing a total of six countries!”

Marcelo Han, BS ’08, was recently promoted to principal at Cornerstone Research. In that role, he applies sophisticated expertise in financial statement analysis, valuation, and econometrics to cases in a range of industries, notably consumer products, financial institutions, and technology. Congratulations, Marcelo!

Meli Mathis-Clark got married last year in Washington, DC, and several other members of the Class of 2009 were in attendance, along with her mother from the Class of 1978! Andy and Pam Ahn Cochran together run a custom menswear company, called LABEL, with locations in Charlotte, Raleigh, Atlanta, and Miami. “We have two little boys and are so thankful to have met in Donlon Hall!”

Julia Dorce Readus lives in Mississippi and works for a regional law firm in the marketing department, handling all things business development related. “I would never have imagined leaving New York and building a life in not only the South, but Mississippi specifically,” she writes. “While I haven’t picked up a Southern accent yet (I think it’s coming), I have definitely settled into Southern culture and picked up some quintessential terms, phrases like ‘Bless your heart’ and ‘y’all.’” Julia is a literary content creator on social media and started a blog where she reviews books, features upcoming new releases, and discusses all things books and pop culture. Check it out on Instagram (@readbyjules).

Thank you all for the updates. Have news to share? Please feel free to reach out to me or submit online! ❖ Jason Georges, JAG243@cornell.edu. Online news form.

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Classes of the 2010s

2010

This month, we celebrate the successes of some of our alumni lawyers. Congratulations!

Mark Wulfe has recently been promoted to senior counsel at Bracewell LLP, where he focuses on complex commercial disputes. After graduating from Cornell, he attended the New York U. School of Law and works in New York City. He has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by “New York Metro Super Lawyers” twice!

Rebecca Flewelling Tunney (rtunney@goulstonstorrs.com) has been named a 2022 “Up & Coming Lawyer” by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. She works in Boston and is a trusts and estates attorney at Goulston & Storrs, where she helps individuals and families develop complex estate plans.

We look forward to hearing your news! ❖ Michelle Sun, michellejsun@gmail.com. Online news form.

2011

Those of us whose passions include binging shows on Netflix may recognize Justin Min from his role as Ben Hargreeves, a.k.a. “Number Six,” in the hit show “The Umbrella Academy”! Though Justin majored in Government and English on the Hill—and dabbled in law and journalism after graduation—his acting career traces back to a Big Red theater class he signed up for because he heard it was an easy A. “I loved it. You know that feeling where you’re like, ‘Oh I actually have a natural knack for something’? I have never felt that way except for in that class,” Justin said in an interview with Variety. You can read the full article here.

Ilya Brotzky, BS ’10, is CEO of VanHack, a network of software engineering, design, and digital marketing professionals who are available on demand to help companies grow. Ilya is currently leading an effort to relocate and employ Ukrainian software developers and has successfully found employment for at least seven so far.

You may recognize Justin Min ’11 from his role as Ben Hargreeves, a.k.a. ‘Number Six,’ in the hit show ‘The Umbrella Academy’!

Meaghan Frank, MPS ’16, is the fourth generation of her family to manage Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, located on the west shore of Keuka Lake, about 70 minutes west of Ithaca. Since she joined the winery in 2013, some of her notable achievements include adding unique visitor experiences and creating a super-premium line of wines paying tribute to the women of the Frank family. Meaghan was recently featured on an episode of the GuildSomm podcast, which you can listen to here.

Maryam + Company—a Napa, CA-based food and wine consulting business owned by our very own Maryam Ahmed—has launched a new tourism venture. Called Field Blends, partakers can enjoy a three-day trip to visit winemakers, chefs, and farmers in various wine regions across the country. Its inaugural excursion was to Walla Walla, WA, in June, and a second trip is scheduled for the Finger Lakes in September. “My approach is to create an opportunity not only just to tell, but to show,” Maryam said. “For instance, if I’m talking about the geology of Washington State, then we’ll get into a soil pit and see and feel the soil.” Prior to launching Maryam + Company, she was the director of public programs for the Culinary Inst. of America in California for nearly five years. Send your news to: ❖ Class of 2011, c/o Alexandra Bond ’12, abb83@cornell.edu. Online news form.

2012

Ariel Sodomsky has lived in New York City since graduation, where she attended law school at Fordham and worked as an attorney at Creative Artists Agency and Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz. She recently began a new position as assistant general counsel, legal–commercial at Coty.

In addition to Jeff Ayars’s work developing and pitching TV and film projects, he is a producer of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” creating mini-documentary human interest pieces out in the field. But most recently, he starred in a Super Bowl commercial that ran throughout the Olympics. Jeff can be reached at jeffayars@gmail.com. ❖ Peggy Ramin, mar335@cornell.edu. Online news form.

2013

There’s officially less than one year until our 10th Reunion! Be on the lookout for emails and communication about gearing up for Reunion and ways you can help and, of course, participate. This will be well-attended and will really feel like a true reunion, so start planning now!

Now for the news. For the last seven years, Maria Catanzarite has been working at the NBC affiliate in her hometown of South Bend, IN, where she anchors the weekend evening news and reports during the week. She enjoys living close to her four siblings and tries to see them often. She recently (thanks to YouTube and Instagram) learned to roller ski as a cross-training alternative to running, which she also enjoys. Upon reflection of all her hard work to break into the news space, Maria said she is proud that she was able to push through difficult moments and that she has found peace in proving to herself that she can make good choices in hard times. Bravo!

Carrissa Bartlett Thomas is working as a dietician for the US Air Force in Alaska and welcomed a new baby into the family last year. We send her our congratulations.

Finally, Jay Cho, BS ’16, is working at Morgan Stanley’s alternative investment group and has finally settled down in Philadelphia recently after living in Seoul, New York City, and London. With all of his moves, Jay credits faith, friends, and family—as well as his new healthy lifestyle involving eating well, sleeping, and exercising—with keeping him grounded. Recently, Jay has taken up sketching in his down time. If you have news to share, please email me: ❖ Rachael Schuman, RASchuman@gmail.com. Online news form.

2014

Hello, Class of 2014! Eric Carey, a fifth-generation dairy farmer, was recently featured in an article on auburnpub.com titled “Our Owasco: How local dairy farmer works to protect environment.” In the article, Eric, who manages a herd of 280 milking cows, discussed using farming practices that include rotational grazing, no-till planting, and cover cropping—which reduce the environmental impact of farming while also reducing costs. In 2020, Eric started his own podcast, All Things Agriculture, to share stories from the local farming community and provide education about the region’s agriculture. Throughout the 20-plus available episodes, Eric hosts agriculture professionals to discuss a variety of topics ranging from dairy farming to GMOs. Several of Eric’s podcast guests have included 2014 classmates such as Amanda Jones, Mark Van Erden, Patrick Redmond, Tyler Beck, Andrew LaPierre, PhD ’21, Michael Boerman, and Chad Branton.

Tyler Regan (@tylerregan) has 1.3 million followers on TikTok, where he shares short comedy sketches. Recently he joined Vurbl, a new audio streaming platform launched in 2020, where he is sharing content on his own “Tyler Regan Station” as well as through his new podcast, Poster Boys, where he and co-host Jordan Kaplan examine internet trends past and present with a comedic spin.

While a student at Cornell, classmate Ali Hamed founded the company CoVenture, which is now a leading venture capital (VC) firm in New York. Recently, Crossbeam Venture Partners (the VC side of CoVenture) was featured in an article by Forbes for successfully raising $70 million in just three weeks. The article also discussed the success of many of the companies that CoVenture invested in, with nine companies having annual revenue greater than $20 million. One of CoVenture’s successful partnerships to date has been with Acquco, founded by Raunak Nirmal, who was recently featured in Class Notes and the 2022 Forbes “30 Under 30” list.

Thank you to everyone that shared news with me this month. Please reach out to share your life updates! ❖ Samantha Lapehn Young, SRL76@cornell.edu. Online news form.

2015

Hi, everyone! No news from our class this time, but we would love to hear from you! Are you starting a new job? Going back to school? Getting married? We want to know it all. Please email us and we would be happy to include you! ❖ Caroline Flax, csf79@cornell.edu; Mateo Acebedo, ma698@cornell.edu. Online news form.

2016

I hope you are all enjoying the summer months, wherever you are. If you have a moment, please send me a note! What’s new with you these days? Have you picked up any new hobbies? Where are you writing from? Your classmates and I would love to hear from you. ❖ Meghan McCormick, mcm324@cornell.edu. Online news form.

2017

Jenny Yue Zeng was recently named the 2022 All American Chinese Youth Federation (AACYF) Top 30 Under 30, an annual award selected by the AACYF, the Los Angeles Post, and the Chinese American Inst. for Public Diplomacy. Widely considered the most influential and renowned award for Asian American youth entrepreneurs and aspiring leaders, this annual selection serves to acknowledge outstanding young candidates from various fields. Jenny writes, “I am very honored to be selected in the ‘Educational and Consumer Services’ category. I am also excited to discover that one of my fellow Cornell alumni, Xiangkun Elvis Cao, PhD ’21, won this award a few years back!”

After graduating from Cornell—“which I love and cherish with all my passion and gratitude,” Jenny says—she attended graduate school at Columbia U. “During this time, I began to venture into entrepreneurship and founded my own education platform. Inspired by Cornell’s spirit of ‘any person, any study,’ my startup, PAGE Eudaemonia, aims to provide meaningful and quality interdisciplinary education for youth. Our program focuses on promoting cross-cultural conversations, positive social change, and equity and inclusive values. Currently, we are working with the United Nations Development Programme and China Soong Ching Ling Foundation to promote sustainable development in more than 30 cities in China.”

Jenny adds, “It is without a doubt that I owe much of my personal growth and achievement to my experience at Cornell. In fact, my first passion in education and social impact stems from my time there. Therefore, I actively participate in many alumni affairs—serving as Reunion campaign chair, CoYAP board member, and alumni interviewer.” Congratulations, Jenny!

What have you been up to this summer? Please take a moment to send us your news and stay connected with our class. ❖ Class of 2017, c/o Alexandra Bond ’12, abb83@cornell.edu.

2018

Hello, Class of 2018! This column we have news from Sarah Wright, DVM ’22, who just graduated from Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and from me, your class correspondent!

Sarah liked Ithaca so much that she decided to stay for another four years for her DVM, and she has no regrets. “Overall, I feel more connected to my professors and to the community at large,” she said. “Ithaca really feels like my home now.” She also credited the Vet college’s connections to local clinics and its focus on clinical training with providing her with useful hands-on experience. Since her first year, she’s been involved in Cornell’s Annual Spay Day—a free spay/neuter program for cats—for two years as a volunteer and once as the director of the whole event. “My years volunteering with Spay Day solidified my desire to continue community outreach efforts and to work with shelter animals and other animals in need,” she said.

Sarah has also been documenting her veterinary training via her Instagram account, @becomingdrsarah. Although she began the account as a way to remember her experience, it has since expanded into a way to educate others about animals and inspire them to pursue veterinary medicine. Her plan is to continue updating Instagram as she begins work at a mixed animal general practice clinic in the Hudson Valley. “I don’t plan to change the account name, though,” she said, “because I will always be learning and working to become an even better doctor.”

Sarah Wright ’18 liked Ithaca so much that she decided to stay for another four years for her DVM.

My news is also related to science. Over the past year, I’ve been working with a research consortium to create the first ever complete assembly of a human genome, and our project was finally published in April! Although scientists have known the sequence of most of the human genome since 2000, about 8% has remained a mystery for decades because of the technical challenges posed by complex DNA regions.

In the past two years, the research consortium I worked with used cutting-edge sequencing technology and computational methods to finally resolve those missing portions and create the highest-quality human reference genome to date. This was a huge accomplishment for genetics research, and it was exciting and humbling to be a part of it—and it was also fun to see it featured by news outlets, made into memes by the NIH’s Twitter, and even turned into a TikTok.

If you have any news to share about yourself or a classmate, let me know! You can reach me at: ❖ Stephanie Yan, smy43@cornell.edu. Online news form.

2019

Greetings, Class of ’19! What have you been up to since graduation? Have you started a new job or moved? Do you have any new hobbies or pets? Drop us a line to let us know what is happening in your life these days. ❖ Class of 2019, c/o Alexandra Bond ’12, abb83@cornell.edu. Online news form.

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Classes of the 2020s

2020

Hi, Class of 2020. This update is full of Cornellians making an impact on the international stage!

Rileigh Jones will be heading to Zambia to work on sustainable development projects as part of the Peace Corps. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and is part of the first group of Peace Corps volunteers to go back to overseas service after thousands of volunteers evacuated in March 2020. According to a news release from the Peace Corps, COVID-19 recovery will be a large part of the mission in Zambia, with volunteers partnering with local communities “to provide COVID-19 education and promote access to vaccinations in coordination with local leaders and partner ministries, including the Ministry of Health.” What a fantastic opportunity; good luck, Rileigh!

In Eastern Europe, Dillon Carroll and Mark Kreynovich, BS ’19, are helping bring medical and other critical supplies to the border, translating for refugees and coordinating places for families to stay. Dillon and Mark were freshman roommates at Cornell who have the same birthday—February 25—with Dillon hailing from New Jersey and Mark from Ukraine. This year, just a day before their shared birthday, the war in Ukraine began, spurring the two friends into action.

“I spent every summer of my childhood through college visiting my family in Kharkiv,” Mark told the Cornell Chronicle. “I would be called to the frontlines if I was in Ukraine right now. Despite that, I was sitting comfortably in New York City while my parents’ childhood friends and my friends in Ukraine were actively fighting and millions were being displaced.”

Rileigh Jones ’20 is part of the first group of Peace Corps volunteers to go back to overseas service after thousands of volunteers evacuated in March 2020.

On March 3, Mark and Dillon flew to Vienna, where they connected with fellow alum Anya Sherman, ME ’21, who had already been providing medical supplies to Ukraine. While Dillon and Mark only intended to stay for a week, they extended their stay “as long as possible to continue supporting the Ukrainian people.” Said Dillon: “You don’t fully understand the depth of the good and evil humanity can contain until you see it, until you’re there, until you hold someone in your arms and cry with them. It’s about fighting for more than yourself. It’s about standing up and doing the right thing.”

Their fundraising campaign has raised over $130,000 so far, and they have purchased $90,000 of critical equipment and secured housing for six Ukrainian refugee families, in addition to providing translation and transportation services. Keep up the great work Dillon, Mark, and Anya!

Whether you’re starting a new journey abroad or undertaking domestic adventures, please keep in touch with your fellow alumni and submit your life updates, news, and fun stories via the online news form or by sending an email to: ❖ Shruti Juneja, sj453@cornell.edu.

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Grad Notes

Agriculture & Life Sciences

Lee Basevin Kass, PhD ’75, writes, “I recently co-authored a biographical piece about Cornell alumnus Stanley Jay Smith ’36, MA ’39, who received his undergraduate and master’s degrees in botany from Cornell and became the curator of botany for the New York State Museum in Albany, NY.” The piece, titled “Stanley Jay Smith: An Unsung Hero of New York State Botany,” can be read on page 5 of this PDF.

Sandra Knapp, PhD ’86, was awarded the 2022 David Fairchild Medal for Plant Exploration from the National Tropical Botanical Garden. This medal has been awarded annually since 1999 to individuals who have demonstrated service to humanity in exploring remote areas of the world to advance plant discovery, the cultivation of new and important plants, and the conservation of rare or endangered plant species. A tropical botanist and researcher at the Natural History Museum in London, Sandra is best known as one of the world’s leading specialists in the taxonomy, crop diversity, and ethnobotanic uses of the Solanaceae—a family that includes tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, tobacco, and mandrakes. Born in Oakland, CA, and raised in New Mexico, Sandra was introduced to the field of botany as an undergraduate at Pomona College in the 1970s. As the story goes, it only took one visit to the desert with a microscope in hand for her to realize that she wanted to dedicate her life to fieldwork and the study of plants.

Ed Mabaya, PhD ’03, was named director of Cornell’s Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program—a one-year training program for mid-career professionals from developing and emerging economies in areas of agriculture, rural development, and natural resource management. Ed is a researcher, teacher, and noted scholar with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. “I am a product of such investment [in professional development], having come from Zimbabwe to Cornell for graduate studies in the mid-1990s. I look forward to working with fellows to enrich their experiences in the US while sharing their global expertise with faculty and students at Cornell.”

Arts & Sciences

Rosa Clemente, MPS ’02, is the 2022 recipient of the U. at Albany Alumni Assn.’s Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award! She was formally honored at a gala on April 30. Rosa is an award-winning activist, political commentator, and independent journalist. According to the news release, “The Bronx-born Black-Puerto Rican is frequently sought out for her insight on Afro-Latinx identity, Black and Latinx liberation movements, police violence, colonialism in Puerto Rico, and more. After Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico in 2017, Clemente organized a group of young Latinx media-makers to cover the destruction and its political implications. She is the creator of Know Thy Self Productions, through which she’s organized multiple community activism tours. In 2008, Clemente made herstory when she became the first Afro-Latina to run for vice president of the US on the Green Party ticket. She was also an associate producer on the Oscar-winning film Judas and the Black Messiah.” Rosa holds a bachelor’s degree from U. at Albany in addition to her master’s from Cornell, and she is currently completing her PhD in Afro-American studies at the U. of Massachusetts, Amherst. At Cornell, Rosa was a founding member of La Voz Boriken, a social/political organization dedicated to supporting Puerto Rican political prisoners and the independence of Puerto Rico.

Graduate School

A new book by Hannah Star Rogers, MA ’08, PhD ’11, Art, Science, and the Politics of Knowledge, was published in May by MIT Press. In it, Hannah suggests that art and science are not as different from each other as one might assume, explaining that the tools of science and technology studies can be applied to artistic practice.

Hotel Administration

Geoffrey Hewitt, MPS ’79, writes, “Happy to say one of my twin boys, Brent, just graduated with an MBA from Duke U. this past weekend; his twin, Eric, lives in California and in the past four years has developed a video game with Electronic Arts that will earn a billion dollars in revenue this year. I’m blessed at my age to see all this.”

Industrial & Labor Relations

John Hagen, MPS ’09, recently became interim chief operating officer of EW Howell, a New York-based general contractor and construction manager. With more than 40 years of senior construction leadership experience, John will oversee all of EW Howell’s construction operations and continually reinforce the company’s core values. He is a licensed professional civil engineer in New York State. “I look forward to this new role and its challenges and will strive to expand and strengthen EW Howell’s relationships with clients, public agencies, and the subcontracting community,” said John.

Johnson Graduate School of Management

Concerned about the environmental issues impacting her community in Lagos, Nigeria, Achenyo Idachaba, MBA ’98, left the tech industry and founded MitiMeth, a social enterprise committed to creating a cleaner planet, building livelihoods, and empowering communities. Achenyo and her team turn invasive plants in their area into handcrafted decorative pieces and functional products that are marketed both locally and globally. Their primary material is water hyacinth—a quick-spreading plant that presents a severe problem to Nigeria’s fishing and transportation industries. Its root system clogs major waterways and creates issues with water supply, irrigation, and drainage. MitiMeth fights its spread by harvesting, drying, and weaving the invasive plant into a renewable resource. Today, Achenyo hires 150 artisans from Nigeria and provides training workshops that empower, stimulate, and equip communities with the skills needed to earn an income. You can learn more—and view the one-of-a-kind pieces—at MitiMeth’s website.

Weill Cornell Medicine

The Integrated Science Complex at College of the Holy Cross was renamed this summer in honor of Anthony Fauci, MD ’66, one of the college’s most prominent alumni. He was a classics major there, with a premed concentration, and he has often credited his professional success to the intellectual rigor that was a core part of his Holy Cross education, which instilled in him a lifelong commitment to social justice. “Dr. Fauci vividly personifies the distinctive characteristics of a Holy Cross education, and we know his life and work are already inspiring the next generation of empathetic servant leaders,” said the college’s president. The college’s science buildings were officially named the Anthony S. Fauci Integrated Science Complex on June 11, during Dr. Fauci’s 60th Holy Cross class reunion weekend.

To be included in a future Grad Notes section, send your news to cornellians@cornell.edu.

Top image: Photo by Lindsay France / Cornell University

Published July 1, 2022