Class Notes Editor – Paul Capra
4106 Stonehaven Ln SE,Olympia, WA 98501
E-mail: shonea1@gmail.com
Webmaster – Lou Allyn –
E-mail: yaleclass1961@gmail.com
Website: http://yale1961.org/
Co-Chairs – Class Council
Jamie McLane E-mail: jmclane@profexa.com
Henry Kuehn E-mail: hhkuehn@gmail.com
Andy Block was fortunate to see Austin Pendleton in The Minutes on Broadway and would encourage all to see it. Austin is hysterically funny and has been nominated for a New York Theater Guild award for Best Featured Actor. Andy sees Austin frequently at Steppenwolf. He is unique – says Andy.
Robert Hackmann informs us that six classmates from TD have Zoom cocktails every two weeks. They cover everything from national and international news to very personal age related stuff. The Zooms include Tom Davenport, Bob McManus, Fred Truslow, Rich Carr and Dick Egan. If you are part of similar Zooms, please email the Class Notes editor – address above.
Jon Almquist invited three of us to join him at his jaw dropping retreat on the tip of the Kitsap peninsula, WA. The panorama takes in everything from the Olympic Mountains south to Mt. Rainier. In attendance were Lew Hinshaw and Gloria, Lowell Hagan and Kathryn, and Paul Capra and Martha. Serendipity struck as well. What Jon did not know when he sent out invites, was that Lew, Lowell and Paul were members of an informal barbershop quartet that sang on local New Haven TV weekly.
David Noble reports – “The New York State Museum in Albany recently acquired a series of my photographs of Mohawk iron workers made in 1970 in Manhattan.”
Mark Lebow writes that he and wife Patricia introduced their three grandchildren to Israel last May. They also attended the dedication of Israel’s new National Blood Center in Ramla. Mark is chair of The American Friends of Magen David Adom, Israel’s Red Cross equivalent.
Sophie and Nick Nobbe while in Denver recently enjoyed a session by the ’71 Whiffs. The magic of their singing brought tears to their eyes, memories of Mory’s, times at Yale, and thoughts of classmates.
Ed Cantor and Frosty Smith proclaim that the Class of ’61 will celebrate its very special 61st Reunion in New Haven October 13-15. The dynamic duo once again promise a great program, excellent food, the 1961 Whiffs and the renewal of cherished friendships.
Full texts of the following obituaries can be found on the 1961 Class Website http://yale1961.org/memorials/
David Robert Adams died in Hanover, NH on May 18, 2022. David began teaching at Dartmouth followed by positions at Yale, the Princeton Theological Seminary and the and Virginia Theological Seminary. A Dartmouth Course Guide entry summed up his influence on his students: “if Adams tells you it’s Christmas, you’d better hang up your stocking”. David was a deeply Christian man, an Episcopal priest, and later served as rector and adult-education teacher at churches in New Jersey, New York, and New Hampshire.
Thomas Theodore Beeson died at his home in Bedford, NH on April 27, 2022. Tom graduated with a BS (Engineering) and went on to earn an MBA from Harvard Business School. After serving in the Navy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Tom enjoyed an extensive career in manufacturing, working at several international firms with a special focus on strengthening American manufacturing capacities. He also had a passion for making fine furniture, gardening and traveling.Juanita Salvador- Burris, wife of James S Burris, writes I am sad to inform the class that Jim died on May 24, 2022. Jim earned a Ph.D at the Univ. of Chicago in political science after finishing Law at the University of Minnesota. We celebrated 50 years of marriage just 9 days before he passed.
My roommate in Vanderbilt and Davenport, Richard “Dick” Frankel died on February 1, 2022 in Honolulu. Dick had an internationally distinguished medical career as an infectious disease specialist after Yale Medical School and a residency at Stanford. Dick was an avid traveler, wine enthusiast, and self-proclaimed citizen of the earth.. Respectfully submitted Frank Miles.
Louis Harold Ickler III passed away on February 19, 2022. After a stint at Boeing as an electrical engineer, Louis enlisted in the navy and was heavily involved in the launching of early nuclear submarines. Lou then turned an MBA from the University of Chicago into a long and successful career as a securities analyst with a focus on high tech and the emerging Silicon Valley. Lou and wife Kim kept graduating to larger and sail boats, winning several prestigious Pacific races and serving in key positions at the Kaneohe and Pacific Cup Yacht Clubs.
Michael Mehling Partington passed away on April 21, 2022. A life-long athlete (10 marathons), he was a career academic librarian, a dedicated reference librarian and a proud supporter of the theater arts program at Case Western Reserve University.
David Anthony Ryan died on June 30, 2022. He was a proud member of the Yale 1960 undefeated football team and served on the Advisory Board of our class endowment fund at the Yale Cancer Center. After a master’s at Cornell, he opened a labor relations firm. As a testament to his reputation of impartiality, he was appointed as a Permanent Mediator for the State of Connecticut by a Republican governor, reappointed by subsequent Republican and Democratic governors, and served until his death. If you were a friend of Dave, he would move mountains for you. His disdain for political extremes and his sense of fairness for all left the world a better place.
Dan Simpson passed on June 6, 2022. At the end of 35 varied, sometimes dangerous and distinguished years in the U.S. State Department, Dan took on a wholly new profession – Journalism. His last publisher said: “He was one of the most incredible people we’ve ever had at the Post-Gazette: “It’s a big loss for Pittsburgh, and it’s also a loss for anyone who was interested in foreign affairs.” He could knock out several editorials a day because he understood the background, whether it was Hungary the Balkans or a country in Central Africa.”
Richard Bruce Wood passed away on April 4, 2022. After a BA in Russian Studies, and a career in the Army, he went on to earn additional degrees in Russian Studies and Geography. During a career with the U.S. Postal Service, Bruce, helped by his wife Sue, rounded out life by playing in their local Russian Folk Orchestra, collecting postage stamps, presidential memorabilia, Worlds Fair materials and Aladdin Lamps. The Aladdin lamps were famous for lighting their church on Christmas Eve.