1961 CLASS NOTES FOR NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2024
Class Notes Editor – Paul Capra
2365 Chambers Lake Ln, SE
Lacey, WA 95403
E-mail: shonea1@gmail.com
Webmaster – Lou Allyn
E-mail: yaleclass1961@gmail.com
Website: http://yale1961.org/
Class officers:
Jamie McLane – Co Chair – E-mail: jmclane@profexa.com
Henry Kuehn – Co Chair – E-mail: hhkuehn@gmail.com
UPCOMING EVENTS:
• New Haven Mini Reunion, October 24, 25 & 26 – Registrations closed. Over 100 have signed up.
• Hanna Gray / Sam Chauncey, October 20 – Yale and Education Changes in the Past 50 years
Just in from Ronald K. St. John. “I just returned from Geneva where I attended a meeting of the Technical Advisory Panel for the Pandemic Preparedness Fund of the World Bank/WHO. I realized that it would have to be my last of many trips to WHO. The intensity of the work and the hassle of international travel needs to be handled by younger folks. While I will still have a few minor projects (e.g., a WHO panel to prepare guidelines for WHO member states on when to test for Coronavirus infections) they can now be dealt with virtually. Having been diagnosed with early Parkinson’s Disease also plays a part in pushing me into semi-retirement.
Several notes from John Allen: “Because of travel I belatedly watched the Casablanca replay yesterday. The class movie programs are WONDERFUL!!!” John went on to give a well-deserved shout out to our Webmaster, Lou Allyn. “Lou, you have done a terrific job of bringing us together in such interesting ways where we can reconnect with classmates. This keeps us young and engaged.
Nelson Kasfir presented a paper at the Conflict Research Society Conference in Edinburgh in September. He discussed why the civil war now being fought in Sudan erupted and why it will be extremely difficult to stop it. He published a book chapter on political clientelism in Uganda and a journal article on rebel governance earlier this year. He would be happy to send either of them to interested classmates. He looks forward to connecting with classmates at the mini reunion in October.
George (Chip) Longstreth reports that he just published his third novel – “Shot Down Over the USSR – A Strategic Air Command Secret Finally Revealed”. It involves a B-47 bomber carrying two armed nukes patrolling the Iron Curtain line in 1958, but a mentally deranged Commander diverted the bomber into the USSR. That’s when the trouble begins. Check out this and his other novels on Amazon.
Hallie & Paul Downey moved to a senior living facility on Aug 26. New address: 1401 Fountaingrove Parkway, Santa Rosa, CA 95043.
Jim Stewart celebrated his 85th birthday with a party of seventy-two at a local winery in Hammondsport NY. Classmate Tom Terry and his wife Lee joined him in song. On another note, for over eight years George Seeley, Tom Bissell and Jim have been playing duplicate bridge over the Internet. Not only is this good for preservation of the mind but challenging for the spirit and memory as well. They are always looking for a fourth. Anyone wanting to be the fourth please contact Jim: jcsesq@goyerstewart.com.
John W. (Jackson) Allen: Here are some fun mottos. Recently, I was a judge in an international investment contest for over 2,000 students being trained in finance. The winners got a trip to Omaha for Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting. One of the lessons invoked there was a quote from Socrates: “The Most Powerful Tool in your Toolbox – A Question!” John adds another motto to live by, this one from Teddy Roosevelt circa the Cuba campaign: “Boutez En Avant”. John’s grandfather was part of Teddy’s Cuban campaign.
In clearing out some things recently, John Allen re- discovered his collection of several hundred matchbook covers. John remembers that not long ago, as part of a survey, one of our class reported they also had a very large collection of matchbook covers. John would like to offer his collection to said classmate or another. Since John has travelled widely, they come from some exotic places and interesting restaurants, clubs and hotels. If interested let John know.
That’s it for this edition. Keep those notes and letters coming.
Paul Capra, Class Notes Editor