Haven’t kept all of your Midd Mags?

Wondering what your classmates have been doing since graduation?

Below are your Class Notes from the last five years­—now, you won’t be lacking for ice-breakers at Reunion!  (And, when you're done perusing the notes, here's a piece on the most effective way to read them.)

Inspired to submit a class note of your own?



Fall 2007

On May 12 and 13, several members of the Class of ’68 gathered at the home of Susan Caughman and Gerry Goodrich in Norfolk, Conn. The weather was perfect for golf, walks, good old-fashioned sharing, and catching up with each other’s lives. Classmates attending included Susan Blume White with husband Chris ’63, Nancy Cahill Mercer with husband John, Marilyn Simon Margon with husband Arthur, Margaret Dale, Susan Hastings Chandler and husband Wells, and Kathy Bugni. A photo of the group was taken with Susan White holding a banner that once belonged to Ann Draper Brown. Ann’s father gave it to Susan when Ann died, and Susan has passed it along to Nancy Mercer whose daughters Lyndley Mercer Mittler ’99 and Kara ’03 are Middlebury graduates. CJ Wikstrand writes, “We have left St. Maarten. The building boom, traffic jams, and disenchantment with American Univ. of the Caribbean drove us in a more remote direction. We were extremely fortunate to have the specialties that Saba Univ. of Medicine needed (Jim—pathology, me—immunology) at a time that they have eclipsed AUC in the offshore med school rankings, so we began teaching on May 8. The students here are an extremely pleasant bunch, less stressed than their AUC peers, and they joke that the lack of beaches, casinos, strip clubs, and other distractions leads to a productive studious life (although they seem to party quite hearty on weekends). The island of Saba is beautifully quiet, vertical, and very much attuned to the winds and the sea. With the population as small as it is, everyone knows everyone else by car and by sight. The biggest hazard to driving on these Swiss-like mountain roads (narrow, cliff-clinging, with sharp cutbacks) is having to wave and honk at everyone you pass. No beaches here, as it is a dead volcano, but the rainforest is awesome. We are very much enjoying our fellow faculty and the students, and have some interesting new friends. I apprenticed myself to a glass artisan and am learning all sorts of neat things to do with molten glass. As this requires lit torches and combustible materials, Jim is very happy we do this at Jo’s studio, not our house, and constantly worries that I will return sans hair. We had a glorious week last April with Don ’66 and Frannie Fredericks Ferriss, who came to stay with us before our departure from St. Maarten. Within three minutes of their arrival at the airport, Frannie and I were back in Midd-ese. Decades slipped away, and it was hard for us to realize we’re grown women with grown, professional sons (her two—a writer and a soon-to-be law student, mine—an MFA architect), and may soon be looking at grandmotherhood—egads! Anyone who wants to be in touch, I’m at islandposs@yahoo.com.” As of July 1, Christopher D’Elia became the interim regional vice chancellor of academic affairs at the Univ. of South Florida St. Petersburg. Formerly the associate vice chancellor of research and graduate studies, he is nationally recognized for his research on coastal, tropical, and subtropical ecology. He came to USF St. Petersburg in 2004.

Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Summer 2007

Terry
and Bonnie Williams ’70 Flahive opened their home in April for a New Hampshire admissions reception of students accepted into the Class of 2011. The Flahives live in Bedford, N.H. Serving as provost and VP of academic affairs at the Univ. of Southern Maine, Joseph Wood was recently named interim president. USM has 10,500 students, including 2,300 master’s, doctoral, and law students in eight schools on three campuses. Joe is also the chair of the board of Portland-based Center for Prevention of Hate Violence, a group that runs prejudice reduction and anti-bullying programs in schools. In addition, he reports that somehow he still finds time to publish, lecture, and teach an occasional course. On May 4, the Rocky Mountain Chapter held a Golden Triangle Art Walk in Denver, Colo. Tobi Gray Watson opened her home in the Golden Triangle for appetizers prior to the walk.

Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Spring 2007

Larry Bruce
has closed his private law practice in St. Albans, Vt., after 35 years and after being elected to the position of Franklin County probate judge; his four-year term began on February 1. He also is continuing to enjoy making furniture and educational toys in the well-fitted (and gorgeous) woodshop he built a few years ago. He begins his projects by felling his own trees. Susan Roush Bruce is serving on the local and state library boards and looking for a good yoga class and her second career. They are both enjoying (finally!) being grandparents. In a recent edition of PharmaVOICE, Charlotte Sibley was featured as a strong business manager and expert in market research. “She is a role model to others in her profession, demonstrating how important it is that market researchers are functional experts and leaders.” Charlotte is the VP of global business research and intelligence at Shire Pharmaceuticals. She says the biggest challenge facing the industry today is balancing the need for affordable medicines with the need to fund a healthy and vibrant R&D capability. Cindy Krieble writes, “My life took on a whole new dimension after a year (1997–98) in China and India with husband Raeburne Heimbeck, a professor of Chinese and Indian philosophy. In China I taught painting and drawing at Anhui Univ., studied Chinese painting, and met many wonderful artists. In both countries we traveled to numerous sacred places, including Llasa, Tibet. Since retiring in 2001 from teaching at Central Washington Univ., I have been painting full-time. The highlight of last year was being included in ‘All in the Painted View’ at the Museum of Northwest Art. Currently I’m preparing for a small exhibition in August at Linda Hodges Gallery in Seattle. My work can be seen at www.lindahodgesgallery.com. Several times a year I get back east to see my parents in Hanover, N.H., and delight in my reunions with fellow art history major Joan Waltermire and husband John Douglas. John Morton was on campus in January to give a lecture for the winter term course Coaching Young Athletes. He spoke about his road to the Olympics and about his tour of duty in Vietnam. His book, A Medal of Honor, was a required read for the class.

Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 1947



Winter 2007

Dr. Sharon Smith says she is still doing neuropsychological assessments of people age six through elderly, most on Medicaid. “Welfare for the ultrarich has resulted in desperate straits for the impoverished people I see. I wish I could walk selected nonpoor people through the everyday lives of the poor. Would their hearts soften, or are they immune?” • Susan and Ben Gregg were pleased to have daughter Sara ’97 marry Benjamin Hayes on July 22 in Stowe, Vt. Numerous Middlebury alums were in attendance, including Sam Levin (a friend of Ben’s since 4th grade!), as well as some Middlebury faculty and mentors of Sara’s, Travis Jacobs and Paul Monod and Jan Albers. Ben Gregg was happy to see Shari Galligan Johnson, Barbara Barrett Bloom, and Linda Mason-Smith at the Alumni Leadership Conference at Bread Loaf in mid-September. Linda’s sister, Kathy Mason Lindsey, was also at Bread Loaf briefly over the weekend, leading a workshop in alumni interviewing. Kathy is in the College’s Admissions Office, and Linda is in the College Development Office (for about the past three years). We should all be proud of our two classmates—the gals we knew as the Mason Twins are now essential employees of the College on the Hill. • While at ALC, your classmates were also happy to meet Eric Ambrette ’04, son of classmate Conrad Ambrette; Eric had just joined the staff of the College as the young alumni officer in the College Advancement Office. • Shari Johnson reports that she is really looking forward to co-chairing our 50th reunion in 12 years! But between now and then, we are all looking forward to our 40th reunion, coming up in 2008! Shari also has suggested that one way to harvest more class notes information is to ask classmates to share how they spent their 60th birthday. Husband Bill ’69 threw Shari a surprise party during the summer, and Ben Gregg’s wife had a surprise party for him in mid-March. Anyone else have anything special happen on their 60th? In addition, Shari tells us that she and Bill have recently bought a house in Cornwall, Vt.! Two more birthday stories: Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau saw the gorgeous new home of Betty Austin Henderson in Kerrville, Texas, this past fall when she and Hank were at the airport there for an airplane factory homecoming. Betty says for her 60th birthday she went to Peru with husband Don and five friends. They spent a week in the Amazon and another week in Cuzco and Machu Picchu. Barbara spent her 60th birthday on the Middlebury Alumni College trip to Monterey Bay and Aquarium and had a great time. • Dan Curry writes, “After 18 years overseeing visual effects for the various incarnations of Star Trek (resulting in seven Emmys), I have been freelancing in Hollywood and developing independent feature projects with my son, Devin, who writes and co-produces with me. I have just been elected Governor of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Visual Effects Peer Group, a great honor and a great responsibility. I have continued with fine arts and you can see some of my personal work at dancurrygallery.com. Jim Trombetta is also here in L.A. and is a screenwriter.” Ben Gregg adds that Dan was selected by his peers, a group of very tech-savvy and talented people, who obviously understand Dan’s excellence.

Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Fall 2006

Judge Peter Lauriat was recently profiled in the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. After graduating from the Univ. of Chicago Law School in 1971, he worked as an associate and partner at Herrick & Smith, then as a partner at Peabody & Brown. In 1989, Gov. Michael Dukakis appointed him to the bench where he has served ever since. He has published several works, including the Massachusetts Jury Trial Benchbook and Massachusetts Deposition Practice Manual. He also serves on the Jury Management Advisory Committee. Peter hails from the family that founded Lauriat Books, a New England-based chain of bookstores. He is an avid baseball fan who reportedly at one time was part owner of an independent league baseball team in Massachusetts. He has even been known to bring a baseball with him onto the bench!

Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Summer 2006

Chris D’Elia
recently took a position as the associate vice chancellor for research and graduate studies, as well as prof. of environmental science and policy, at the Univ. of South Florida, St. Petersburg. He and wife Jenny are very active in the community and enjoy attending Florida Orchestra performances. Chris is also on the board of the Science Center of Pinellas County, focusing on science education for local students. He often flies up to NYC, because he’s still on the board of the Hudson River Foundation. While in NYC, he sees their son, who works at CNBC and who has married a former student of Chris’s; she came from Italy on an exchange program. Chris and Jenny haven’t seen a lot of Midd folk since the last reunion, other than annual visits from Franci and John Davidson, who own a place in St. Pete. • Tobi Gray Watson reports that it’s grand to be back in Colorado, after so many years away. She would love to see friends who pass through Denver, where she has bought a condo and does a lot of volunteer work. Tobi continues to do a fair amount of personal travel. • Since retiring from his dental practice in 2002, Frank Adshead and wife Gail have moved aboard their 43-foot sloop Alcid. They traveled up and down the East Coast from Maine to the Bahamas until May 2004. At that point, they sailed from Florida via Bermuda and the Azores to La Coruña, Spain, and down the Portuguese coast to Rota, Spain (near Gibraltar), to winter over. In April 2005, they transited the Mediterranean, visiting the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Italy, and Greece, before wintering over their boat in Marmaris, Turkey. Their plan for 2006 includes cruising the coasts of Turkey and the islands of Greece, sailing the Adriatic with stops in Venice and Croatia before heading back across the Atlantic via the Canaries to the Caribbean. They should be in the U.S. in time for the 40th. “Beyond that,” Frank reports, “who knows?” • Larry Raffel, who claims never to have skied while at Middlebury, has recently become an avid downhill skier. He also reports that he married his sweetheart, Madeline Webster, in June 2005. Congratulations! • John Morton (who most definitely skied while at Middlebury) made an appearance at the Vermont Ski Museum last winter to tell stories about his Olympic experiences and sign copies of his new book, A Medal of Honor, an adventure and human interest novel about the Winter Olympics. John is also the author of Don’t Look Back, a comprehensive guide to cross-country ski racing.

Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Spring 2006

Good news from Nancy Ewald Jackson: "Having reached an age at which it is important to decide where home is, I've chosen a new one. I have reduced my teaching at the Univ. of Iowa to one semester each year. I now live in Portland, Ore., for seven months each year, and I will be a full-time Portlander in another few years. I enjoy being back in the Pacific Northwest and having plenty of opportunities to enjoy the beach, mountains, and company of old friends. Even better, I am now living close to my two children and four grandchildren. During my 16 years in the Midwest, I rarely had guests from other parts of the country. I have been enjoying the discovery that my house in Portland draws many more visitors, and classmates are welcome. I can be reached all year at nancy-jackson@uiowa.edu." Nancy looks forward to seeing everyone at our 40th reunion in 2008! After a year and a half at a biotech company in Cambridge, Mass., Charlotte "Chickie" Sibley joined Shire Pharmaceuticals in Wayne, Pa., in January 2005, as VP of market research and competitive intelligence. "We moved to the (relative) tropics of Mainline Pennsylvania. It's nice to be back in the mid-Atlantic friends and culture orbit." • Bob Friedman writes that he and Donna are now first time grandparents, since the birth of Sydney Friedman on November 14, 2005, in Baltimore. Bob's still planning on his seventh PenMar Challenge Bikeathon in 2006 to raise money for cancer research. • Belated congratulations to Betty Austin and Don Henderson (Syracuse '75), who were married on August 8, 2003, in Kerrville, Texas. They have "finally" moved into their new house, where they are enjoying retirement and the "night rise" from their balconies, with a great view of shooting stars.


Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Winter 2006

Secretary Gregg reports: I attended the Alumni Leadership Conference at Bread Loaf in mid-September. Linda Mason-Smith was there, as well as Larry Bruce, who attended the Alumni Fund executive committee meeting. I attended the workshop for class agents, along with Shari Galligan Johnson and Mary Ann Riggie. I also attended the session for class secretaries and the Middlebury College Alumni Association board meeting. Fall was late in Vermont this past year, so the hills were not yet ablaze with color! • Chris D'Elia has taken a new position as assistant VP for research and community partnerships at the Univ. of South Florida, St. Petersburg. Known for his work on coastal, tropical, and subtropical ecology, Chris is responsible for identifying new research priorities for the campus. He will also develop and promote internal competitive awards and oversee quality assurance for research activities. He'll also be involved in promoting economic development in the Tampa Bay region. • Sue Lauf Youngquist sends an update: "My 20-plus years as a municipal officeholder in Stratford, Conn., have finally come to an end. Since 1985 I have served as a planning and zoning commissioner, followed by a stint on the board of education. I'm not sure how it will feel to have my nights free, but I'm looking forward to finding out. In September we purchased our retirement home in Ft. Myers, but Mal enjoys his work and is not ready to call it quits, so I expect to spend a lot of time on planes." • Susan Gallagher Borg is busy cultivating herbs at a former dairy farm in Lincoln, Vt. Susan and partner Dick Nessen continue to nurture the wild plantings they found at Weed Farm—not only named to honor the wild herbs found growing there, but also because they grow vegetables that are basically wild plants, not those which have been intensely hybridized. They start all their seeds in a solar-powered greenhouse and raise laying hens and meat birds. Susan continues to teach music and also runs a series of summer workshops on growing herbs and transforming them into foods, remedies, art, and science projects. Check it all out at www.weedfarmherbs.com. • Meanwhile, at a much lower elevation down in the Champlain Valley, George Phinney is raising buffalo on his 330-acre property, Apple Ridge Farms, in Shoreham. Purchased in 2003, Apple Ridge still produces around 16,000 bushels of apples annually, as well as being home to more than 180 head of buffalo. The farm sells its own line of buffalo steaks, hamburger, and other products exclusively in Vermont. Check out Greg's Meat Market, the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op, and, of course, Middlebury College.


Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Fall 2005

Nancy Ewald Jackson writes: "I have begun four years of phased retirement from my faculty position at the Univ. of Iowa and am now living in Portland, Ore., for about half of each year. I'm enjoying being close to my children and grandchildren and taking advantage of the opportunities that Oregon offers for hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities." • Clifford Buikema has joined Minneapolis-based KKE Architects Inc. as an associate. With a master's in architecture from the Univ. of Calif., Berkeley, Cliff has 33 years of experience in facilities planning. • After a 20-year career as an anesthesiologist in Portland, Ore., Glenn Rubin reports that he is retired and in good health. "I spend most of my time with my wife, Monét, and my two teenage boys, Noah and Adam. Other than that I fly fish and go to reggae or blues concerts." • Still involved with his local Rotary Club, North Shetter recently arranged for housing and local tours for a Rotary group study team from India. He's still practicing dentistry, though he's now scaling back his schedule—only working two weeks on, then a week off—with a new junior dentist having recently entered the practice. North says he and wife Jan own a live-aboard converted trawler, Two Seasons, a 47-foot Defever POC (Performance Offshore Cruiser). They have it in Punta Gorda, Fla., which at some future time will become their winter home.


Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Summer 2005

Secretary Stoebenau reports: Mart '66 and Carol Anderson Matthews still enjoy their semi-retired life in Vail. Carol is putting her CFP designation back to work as a financial consultant for AXA Advisors in Denver and Vail, "working with a reasonable number of clients in both places. Daughter Kristi '94 was leaving her nursing position in Vail for Rose Medical Center in Denver this spring. Son Neil '96 still owns Neil & Otto's Pizza in Middlebury, while trying to make it to rock star status with all-Midd band The Grift, playing lots of East Coast venues. The problem for all of us old folks is that most of their gigs start while we're lying in bed watching Jay or David." In late March Carol wrote that Nordis Glasoe and Jean Dithmar Myer had just spent four days with her, shopping, snowshoeing, and skiing in Vail—and, of course, doing a fair amount of reminiscing about the days at Midd and the years since! Barbara Barrett Bloom writes: "Adult children are fabulous!" In Bolson, Argentina, she was visiting her daughter, who "is working on permaculture, sustainable development, renewable energy, and save the earth—all themes that were interests of mine in the '60s and the '70s." • For five years, Gale McFedries has been a teacher certification officer for Marygrove, a small, private Catholic college in Detroit. The daughter that she adopted from Chile (Lindsay) is now 23. "I am particularly lucky to have both my parents living in San Diego where I can visit. In addition, it is really good to be in touch with many of my Middlebury classmates. We try to get together in Maine in June, thanks to a wonderful invitation from Betsy McElvein." • Julie Gratiot Peterson noted in March: "I like my job in the editorial department at Cricket Magazine Group, and much of the rest of my time is divided between the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra and church. The community orchestra was founded in 1950 and will perform Mahler's First Symphony in May. I play violin and will need to spend a lot of time practicing between now and then. Husband Dave has begun leading drum circles in our area this year, and son Paul is an electrical engineer in Peoria, Ill." • Mari Ward McCarty is senior VP of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, a consortium of the 20 private nonprofit colleges in the state: "I just completed 10 years here and I'm still energized. I enjoy meeting with various groups from the colleges and also representing private higher education on several state and national committees. The old adage is true: a good liberal arts education prepares you for anything!" • Sue Hastings Chandler is assistant principal at Stevens High School in Claremont, N.H.: "I never quite envisioned myself becoming a 'discipline queen,' but that is certainly one of my many responsibilities. Never a dull day! The legal profession seems to be the profession of choice for most of the rest of the family. Wells practices in Claremont, son Rob is practicing in NYC, and daughter Alyssa is in her second year of law school. Daughter Devan, who is spending a year working in Colorado after graduating from college, vows that law is not in her future in any form! We seem to be watching our friends retire around us. Doesn't appear to be an option for us anytime too soon, but we certainly dream of different responsibilities! I see Nancy Cahill Mercer often; see Susan Blume White once a year, which is not often enough; touch base with Dan '69 and Elinor Livingston Redmond '69 whenever they travel to New Hampshire. Saw Shari Galligan Johnson at a conference the other day and plan to connect with Xavieria Eichholtz Atkins at a conference next week. The Midd connection is alive and well. The memories are still sharp and fond." * Secretary Gregg reports: Susan and I are happy to report that daughter Sara '97 has a position at Iowa State Univ., teaching courses in environmental history, agricultural history, and history of the U.S. West. When friends inquire as to why she went all the way out there to teach, we reply that there was one such position available during the spring of 2004 in the entire U.S., and we are delighted she received such as offer. • Frank Adshead sold his part of a dental practice a few years back, and has retired from active dentistry. He and wife Gail now live for much of the year on their sailing cruising boat. In summer 2004, they crossed the Atlantic, from Florida to Bermuda to the Azores to Galician Spain. They explored Spain and Portugal, both by land and by sea, before continuing to France and Great Britain. They then returned to Maine to open six months worth of mail and reconnect phones. With all this traveling, maybe we can talk Frank and Gail into returning to Middlebury for one of our reunions? • Perhaps Sam Levin (who also missed our last reunion) and wife Patty could bring a show-and-tell of grandchildren photos. They seem to be developing quite a coterie of grandchildren.

Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Spring 2005

Barbara Ellison Stokes and husband George (Harvard '64) run their own business in Tucson, Ariz. "We also have fun running the Harvard Club of Southern Arizona—we wonder how many Midd folk in this area would be interested in one. We spend time in Vermont frequently." • As a follow-up on the news that C.J. Wikstrand and husband Jim Lewis have moved to the Netherlands Antilles, we have heard from C.J.: "We are very happy here. What started out as sort of a part-time, teach-a-  little, sail-a-lot, semi-retirement situation has (predictably, some of our closer friends say) turned into an almost full-time teach-a-lot situation, plus getting involved in curriculum review, faculty recruitment, and reorganization of an already pretty good little university. We have both accepted additional duties and appointments so, for the nonce, our sailing is limited to the seven weeks of breaks we get a year—but that's at least three times what it was when we were at Duke! We are also fortunate in having good colleagues and new friends, some of whom, as Antilleans, are helping us make the adjustment to the 'It's the island, mon' speed of things more understandable. Not quicker, not necessarily acceptable, but understandable. We decided to do this in the latter half of our 50s, while we are still physically able to ocean sail and (hopefully) emotionally able to embrace new very different cultures. Our advice to those even dallying with the idea: Do it. Change is great and highly enjoyable. And you can't beat Caribbean sunsets."


Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Winter 2005

As of August 21, 2004, C.J. Wikstrand and husband Jim Lewis are ex-pats, residing in Sint Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, Leeward Islands, West Indies: "Contrary to various rumors, we are not just a step ahead of the local constabulary, federal agents, nor even more alarming, the Duke trustees; we emigrated with the state of North Carolina's official, duly-attested 'good moral fiber' certificates. Surprise to you all. We have accepted faculty positions at the American University of the Caribbean (where I'll be teaching immunology), and anticipate a great deal of sailing in our not-in-class time. We've been considering this for a long time. Would like to earn money where we like to sail. These excellent teaching positions literally fell into our laps, so we're off to the 12-meter sailing capital of the eastern Caribbean. Psyched." Her new e-mail address is islandposs@yahoo.com. • Robert Friedman rode in the two-day, 192-mile, Pan Mass Challenge bikeathon, a fund-raiser for the Jimmy Fund and the Dana Farber Cancer Clinic. The ride in August 2004 was Bob's fifth ride, and he hoped to raise donations of $15,000 towards his 2004 ride, having raised more than $45,000 during his previous four rides. Bob is a physician with a practice in internal medicine. • Political correspondent James Jardine, of Lyndonville, Vt., has joined the newsroom staff of the Caledonian-Record newspaper, to cover the court beat and the political scene in the Northeast Kingdom and the North Country. • Julie Peterson reported via e-mail in late June 2004: "I just lived through my first earthquake! We were awakened about 1:10 am, June 29, by shaking: the bed, the room, the whole house (whole town, whole area). We could hear everything rattling. Luckily, no damage was discovered or reported. We also live just a few miles from the site of the deadly April tornado that hit Utica, Ill. I'm wondering if there's a third natural disaster or phenomenon on the way?!" • Julie also reported news from Barb Faelten Burley, who is rejuvenating her avocation as a skater. While she is short, about 5 ft. 2 in., her husband, Craig, is 6 ft. 4 in.! He's now taking skating lessons, too, having started just a couple years ago as a beginner (with 8-year-olds), whereas Barb was an accomplished skater just picking it up again. If memory serves us correctly, she did some performing while an undergraduate. Barb reports the following about the New England ISI District Competition on Friday, June 25, 2004, in which she and Craig participated: "We had a blast. I received first place in the two events I entered (four in each event), and Craig got a second place in his (competing with one other man). We were both happy with everything. And it was a great experience for us; we both feel it pushed us to improve, and we both have ideas about other improvements to work on. The adults competing are generally quite friendly and supportive. It was a great atmosphere." • Jim Barnes has been appointed deputy regional director for Region 1 (New England Region) of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. Jim, began his 33rd year with HUD this September. He relocated to the Boston office in 1999, after spending 20 years in Chicago. He and wife Barb and their two golden retrievers reside in Boxford, Mass. • Congratulations to Dan Curry for wining his seventh Emmy, for Best Visual Effects for a Television Series, for Star Trek Enterprise. He recently flew to Germany, where he was invited to deliver a couple of lectures on the history of visual effects and on Star Trek in general. • Ed Goldberg recently earned the ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant) designation. He had previously earned the CFP (Certified Financial Planner) designation. Ed has a financial planning practice with Sagemark Consulting in Windsor, Conn. Ed also reports that he too had a fabulous time at our 35th Reunion back in June of 2003. (Ed rhetorically asks, "Who woulda thunk it?") Ed also wanted to make the following addendum note to Pete Knobler's letter in a recent column about Pete's son, Daniel, the emerging guitar player: "Five years ago, when Daniel was only 10 and starting to play the guitar, I had Pete and Daniel come to see my son Mike's band play in the Simsbury High School Battle of the Bands. (Yes, they won.) You're probably thinking 'how cute.' Mike and the other members of his band were also in the jazz band at the school. They were—are—all accomplished musicians. They were also playing gigs out at the time, too, so they were really quite good. Anyway, before they broke down the equipment in my basement, Daniel had the opportunity to jam with these guys. At 10, he was good enough and had the presence enough and the chutzpah enough to get up there and play with these guys, who were gracious enough to literally wrap themselves around Daniel's guitar and voice (yes he sings, too) and give him a great musical experience. Later that night, at the post Battle party (always at the Goldbergs' house, of course), when Pete finally got Daniel to go to bed, all the guys shook Daniel's hand and said "nice jamming with you." Pete told me later that Daniel was thrilled. What 10-year-old kid wouldn't be? A couple of years ago, Pete and Jane and Daniel came to visit, and Mike and Daniel jammed together—some jazz, some blues, some rock—for quite awhile in my family room. Several times I had to look to see who was playing what. At times I could not tell them apart by their playing. My son won best guitarist at Battle of the Bands for five years in a row, meaning the first time he won it he was in eighth grade, not even in the high school yet, and here was this young upstart staying right with him. Very cool, Daniel. As a P.S., Mike's band, Groove & 37th, still gets together a couple of times a year to play gigs in the local honky tonk. I fear the last time they played in August may indeed have been their last—different schools, starting careers, etc. But like Pete, watching my son play music, and really good music, has been one of life's great thrills. I suspect Daniel may have a career ahead of him in music."


Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Fall 2004

When the 2004 Emmy awards were announced in July, Dan Curry received two nominations-his 14th and 15th (including six wins)-for Best Visual Effects for two different episodes of Star Trek Enterprise. According to the St. Petersburg Times, Christopher D'Eliabecame the assistant VP for research and community partnerships at the Univ. of South Florida, St. Petersburg, on September 1. Chris is known for his work on coastal, tropical, and subtropical ecology. At the Univ. of Albany in New York's state university system, Chris held a joint appointment as a prof. of biology and public administration and policy. In Florida, he will be responsible for identifying new research priorities. Greenfield Sluder, of Sudbury, Mass., is a prof. of cell biology at the Univ. of Mass. Medical School. He's also codirector of the analytical and quantitative light microscopy course at the Marine Biological Lab in Woods Hole. He was recently elected to the board of trustees of the Worcester's EcoTarium (www.ecotarium.org), an indoor-outdoor museum dedicated to exploring the natural world. Congratulations to Barb Faelten Burley on winning second place in the Master Novice Ladies Class IV at the 2004 U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships in Lake Placid in April! You may remember seeing Barb skate in our Middlebury Winter Carnival Ice Shows. In 2001, Julie Gratiot Peterson and husband Dave attended U.S. Nationals with Barb and her husband, Craig, in Boston. Julie reports: "Barb hadn't skated in years, but after this event both Barb and Craig started taking skating lessons. And they're not done yet! We also attended the 2003 World Figure Skating Championships in D.C., where we met up with Ann Masotti Hengerer for a visit to the National Gallery and a skating practice. I also went to the 1998 World Championships in Minneapolis, where I met up with Robbie Hamblen Popp. I'm starting my 17th year in the editorial department of Cricket Magazine Group, and have been playing violin in the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra (www.ivso.org) for 30 years. But, as you can tell, I've become a big skating fan, too. My next plans are to attend 2006 Nationals in St. Louis and 2006 Worlds in Calgary. If any classmates are going, please let me know at juliep79@aol.com."

Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Summer 2004

Shari Galligan Johnson is still teaching at Merrimack Valley High School in the Concord area of New Hampshire-including a course on the 1960s. As the chair of the humanities department, she observes that one benefit is that she now gets complaints from both directions, instead of just one. • Sam Levin reports all is well in the home appliance business, Blodgett Supply of South Burlington, Vt. He and wife Pat are slowly but surely getting their sons married off, with number two of three tying the knot during October of 2003! Jeffrey Herre reports that he "retired in March, after 31 years with the CIA (not cooking). Who says some people don't have stable careers?" Jeff plans to work part time as an independent contractor at CIA, volunteer at the local hospital, and do more traveling, with a family reunion planned for June in Tuscany, Italy. Having served as VP for research for almost four years, Chris D'Elia has rejoined the faculty full time as prof. of biological sciences and public administration and policy. He's also heading a new Institute for Watershed Studies and coordinating the Northeast Regional Forensic Institute, with the New York State Police. While writing scholarly articles related to environment and environmental policy, he's also teaching marine biology and a wonderful interdisciplinary course about the Hudson River. Chris still loves being an academic and has no immediate plans to retire. In free time, "high variance golf is an interest, but is not an obsession. I flew small planes until recently, but found that I did not have enough time to devote to keeping proficient, so now I only fly in the right seat. I also like to travel and plan to go to the International Coral Reef Symposium in Okinawa in June." At this stage of life, family, friends, and work are important to Chris. And, he adds, "concern about aging parents is something I probably share with many others." As of February 27, Magna Dodge retired from Lehman Brothers, as chief administrative officer for the global communications and media groups in the investment banking division. Retirement brings the opportunity to "catch up on approximately six years of paperwork, during which time we sold and bought two houses, bought and sold one apartment, and moved to Hong Kong and back!" She has been taking courses at the New York Botanical Gardens, designing and installing a new perennial garden at their Vermont home, and putting exercise back in her life. She's also planning varied family activities, such as a trip to Chinatown (focusing on Chinese herbs and their uses); a Little Richard concert; a Dave Brubeck concert. Magna is making time a top priority, "time for myself, David, family, and friends. I think most everything else flows from having time, which is something I've never really had for the past 30-plus years." Magna and David '69 are "fairly regular attendees of Alumni College, so in late August we saw regular attendees Linda Mason-Smith and husband David Devine, Kathy Mason Lindsey, and Conrad Ambrette. My husband David and I and Kathy and Conrad took the Chinese cooking course. In January we all got together at our house in New York and had a dinner in honor of Chinese New Year. We were joined by Tobi Gray Watson, who is now living in NYC. This spring, we had dinner with Al Lindsey and wife Terry at our house in Vermont." • Al Lindsey is still a small-animal veterinarian in a primary care facility in Bennington, Vt. "Terry and I enjoy the Vermont country lifestyle in our home of 15 years in Dorset, Vt. We have come to realize how fortunate we are to have health and family. We are very active in our community church because we feel that active churches, like active schools, make better communities and better awareness of the world around us. We just returned from a wonderful trip to Ireland-our first venture abroad and it was a great experience." • Peter Knobler's collaboration with Court TV anchor Rikki Klieman, Fairy Tales Can Come True, came out in paperback this spring. "I'm working with advertising executive Donny Deutsch on a book about his life, the advertising industry, and how to encourage people to do what you want them to do. Who wouldn't like to know how to do that? The most important part of my life, far and away, is my son, Daniel. He's 15 years old and a gifted guitar player, a rock&roll/ jazz/funk/fusion zealot. I got extremely lucky; Daniel could be into Megadeath or some such stupid band, but no, his heroes are Hendrix (who, calling himself Jimmy James, played a KDR barn dance a couple of miles up route 125 in the spring of our sophomore year, two years before 'Are You Experienced?' was released), Stevie Ray Vaughan, Derek Trucks of the Allman Brothers, and Leo Nocentelli of the Meters. For years now I've made a point of taking Daniel with me to hear as much music as possible, particularly old blues and rock & roll guys who won't be around that much longer. There's nothing like sitting next to my boy and watching him soak up B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley for the first time. He was 11 years old and standing on the seat next to me watching Bob Dylan when he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. About made me cry. I listen to music differently because of Daniel; he hears the music outside of social/political context. I hated Led Zep because 1) they shrieked and offered absolutely nothing new, and 2) they were posturing morons making tons of money while Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and the entire community of struggling blues artists were playing pure, sincere, soulful music for peanuts. There was no justice. I couldn't abide Lynyrd Skynyrd because they flew the Confederate flag onstage. Daniel just hears the music. Ah, kids these days. I try to add context for him, and to his credit, he listens. Still likes Led Zep, though. Learned 'Stairway to Heaven' note for note just to piss me off. But I love him to death and, more than anything, I love to hear the music come pouring out of Daniel like sweat. Is there something I'd rather do than watch my son play? No. As for travel, I just got back from a family vacation trip to Austin, Texas. Wonderful place: college town, seat of government, great music scene, and fantastic barbecue. Saw the rodeo, which for a New Yorker was quite the exotic experience. Tough guys handling tough animals. I had a great time at our 35th Reunion. Danced with the young girls at their 25th. Was totally gassed to see Dan Curry. I've been in touch with Ed Goldberg pretty much since we graduated, but not too many other classmates. No doubt my loss. For a good time, call."

Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Spring 2004

Chris Diamond was on campus in January as a panelist at DigitalBridges2004. As president of Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation, he was on hand to discuss Web strategies in the destination resorts and hospitality business. For the keynote panel about Internet-enabled social networking (phenomenon? business model?), John Davidson was a panelist, in his role as Silicon Valley private investor and serial entrepreneur. We need news from the rest of you!

Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Winter 2004

Early last summer, Kathleen Bugni Etkin was part of a 17-member volunteer team working under the auspices of Global Volunteers in Browning, Montana, the center of the Blackfeet Reservation. After installing playground equipment, repairing windows, doing maintenance, and visiting with elders at a tribal nursing home, she also had the opportunity to tour Glacier National Park. Of many highlights, she writes, "I loved the evening in the sweatlodge. And I loved watching the relay race on horseback during the Indian Days celebration." Kathleen, who lives in New Haven, Conn., is chief financial officer of South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority. • Fred Fritz was instrumental in planning a recent Financial Services Industry Summit on campus, with the expressed intent of exploring issues related to recruiting financial services businesses to the state. Fred hoped the summit would provide an inventory of the issues, including barriers, related to attracting businesses to Vermont. About 35 leaders of the industry with connections to Middlebury College or Vermont attended, along with faculty and administrators from the College, state economic development officials, and Governor Jim Douglas '72.

Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Fall 2003

It was a great 35th Reunion, and a chance to reconnect with many friends. We had a very good turnout, including more than 70 classmates. We had fun—and we're sorry the rest of you couldn't make it. Plan now for June 2008; maybe there will be fewer conflicting graduations and weddings by then. In the meantime, our thanks to David Weinstein for his service as class co-secretary. • Barbara Shean Lippert startled us by appearing at reunion with a Guiding-Eyes-for-the-Blind dog. She quickly explained that her vision is fine and that she and Dick had been training Joy for 14 months. Shortly after reunion, Barb reported, "Joy not only passed her big test, but aced it and was accepted into the Guiding-Eyes-for-the-Blind breeding program. Our new puppy, Gigi, arrived last week so we're back to stage one—puddles on the floor and lots of chewing." After reunion, Jan Ells dowsed the New Haven hillside where the Stoebenaus are planning to build a house. Jan found a spot on our lot where the rods (made from Middlebury College coat hangers) indicated there was clean, potable water about 70 feet down. The rods have been saved for posterity. The Mt. Desert Islander for April 3 carried a great article on the wonderful cooking of Susan Blume White. Called "Who's Cooking on the Cranberry Isles?", the story involved Susan and husband Chris '63 being among just 37 six-month-a-year residents of Great Cranberry, "where shared meals are the mainstay of social life and Susan's home is frequently the venue for those gatherings." Her beef stroganoff for sorority dinners at Middlebury came in for a mention. • Robin Pratt Whitely has retired from fund-raising for Brooklyn Friends School. She says she's now "kicking around, doing volunteer work for immigrants and refugees. Began studying Mandarin after a trip to China in 2002. Still remember a modicum of Russian, but it's true, if you don't use it, you...." • Rick Fritz has retired, sold his house in Ripton, and renovated a farmhouse in Cornwall closer to Midd's trustee meetings. Should you be considering it, ask him about the advisability of buying a farm without consulting your wife first! • Betty Austin Page has also retired, leaving hot, muggy Houston for the beautiful hill country in Texas. • Charlotte (Chickie) Sibley has changed jobs and moved from New Jersey to Massachusetts. Living in Andover, she's working at Millennium Pharma-ceuticals in Cambridge. • Ron DeGregorio has been elected the fourth president in the 66-year history of USA Hockey, the national governing body of amateur ice hockey. In his eight years as VP and international council chairperson, Ron represented the U.S. at the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Winter Games, and numerous other world championships. Ron was the recipient of the National Hockey League's Lester Patrick Award in 2002 in recognition of his outstanding service to ice hockey in the U.S. Sadly, we must report the death of Bonney Whittington on June 8. We extend the condolences of the class to her family and friends.

Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
Barbara Ensminger Stoebenau (hstoebs@aol.com), 6 Timber Fare, Spring House, PA 19477



Summer 2003

Steve Amster reports that he has been on Army active duty for the fourth time since ROTC. Living in Augusta, Ga., since 1992, he's serving as an anesthesiologist at Eisenhower Army Med Center and plans to leave the military "one last time" in November. "This tour was highlighted by seven months in Bosnia. I was slated to participate in the Iraqi business, but I was pulled almost at the last minute for a soldier who needed the experience for career advancement." It's unlikely he will be retiring completely. He might "return to agency (fill in) work in the states (including Virginia) in which I have licenses." Over the years he has also earned an MBA and, "since my last Midd reunion in 1993 (and as I promised Lindy Allen McMahon, who had just received her J.D.) I received one in 1996 from the Univ. of S.C. I have yet to use these explicitly, but who knows. Really never stopped motorcycling since my first at Midd in 1967. At the start of senior year I bought a 1960 BMW R26, which I garaged in Forest Hall basement and rode around Vermont in subzero weather. I now own my sixth machine and second Harley, a centennial Road King which I bought through the military sales arm in Bosnia. A goal is to circumnavigate the U.S. and then Australia on a motorcycle. I learned parachuting in 1976, while I was in the 82d Airborne. Just after the 1993 reunion, I resumed static-line military type jumping with trips to and jumps with the militaries in Russia, Canada, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Jordan (most recently in 2000). I shall resume this after leaving the Army Active duty again. I learned Scuba during law school. Now when my wife goes shopping during our frequent ocean cruises, I go diving. No children yet. No time. Also took up flying in 1999. Received my private pilot cert within a year and my instrument ticket just before my departure to Bosnia last year. I have stepped into 58 countries (and all the 50 states) so far. Goal is more than 100 of the former. • Linda Mason-Smith reports a job change: "Now working for Middlebury. Who says you can't go home again? Am a senior development officer in the office of college advancement, working from home in Andover, Mass." Middlebury's first-ever fine art gallery was opening in early May at 7 Seymour Street. Jake Geer and three other area artists are displaying original oils, watercolors, photographs, and limited edition prints from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Their studio gallery will focus on "the rich diversity and beauty of Addison County scenery."  Lincoln, Vt., resident Susan Gallagher Borg has been appointed choir director at the Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society of Middlebury. She has been conducting the Allegro Choruses since 1997, and is also a member of Womensing. Susan and partner Dick Nessen operate an organic herb and egg farm in Lincoln. Although unable to attend reunion, Kveta Gora Pierre sent an update from Paris. She got her MBA from Columbia and married François Pierre in 1968. They lived in New York and Toronto before moving to Paris in 1977. "We both worked in the corporate world for about 15 years before opening a hotel in Paris in 1986 and a restaurant in 1990. We have enjoyed working together and for ourselves, despite the risks and hard work. We sold our hotel four years ago to the Accor group and now just have one business, the restaurant, which sells about 340 meals per day. Having just one business makes us feel semi-retired! Our three daughters (one lives in England, one in Paris, and one in New York-a real international family) are married and we have two grandchildren, so babysitting has become our latest career. I look back to my years at Middlebury with great memories." Kveta would like to hear from classmates at fkpierre@club-internet.fr.


Class Secretaries
Bentley Gregg (gregg.bentley@epamail.epa.gov), 418 East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
David Weinstein (davidnweinstein@hotmail.com), P.O. Box 414, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819.



Inspired to submit a class note of your own?