Jul/Aug 2006
Classmates may still have time to arrange to attend the mini-reunion July 28-30 in Santa Rosa, California, at the Vintner’s Inn. Contact John Gazzoli (JGazzoli@aol.com) for more information.
Peter Rodgers (Peter.Rodgers@sablaw.com) brings good news: “I have taken up a periodic correspondence with Jim Grew, who continues to ply his trade as water skiing guru for the able and disabled from his perch in Port Everglades. Jim is actually a world-class coach and the founder of the association for handicapped skiers. Apparently it is a full-time job, allowing him to travel to all parts of the world that the rest of us desk-bound folks can only dream of. . . . I also have some news from John Knudson, who remains in Seattle. John has taken up teaching math at the high school level after a career doing other arguably less worthy things (still a problem for most of the rest of us). I think it has been reported here, but just in case not I will mention thatBill Dahl made the excellent decision to give up the practice of law early and has embarked upon becoming ordained. Have not heard what direction his new calling is taking him, but perhaps he can let us all know.” Peter himself remains “attached to the aforementioned desk, running the energy practice at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan in Washington, D.C. Although I have soldiered through the practice of law for more than 30 years at four different law firms, the twinkle in my eye is the thought that my wife and I soon might be able to chuck it all and begin a planned migration to the West Coast. Step one was the purchase of a harbor-side condo in Vancouver, B.C. Come visit during the 2010 Olympics — or sooner for the best Chinese food this side of Hong Kong!”
An update from Richard A. (Dick) Williams: “I left Cincinnati in 2001 (where I had worked as an in-house lawyer for Chiquita Brands for 12 years) and relocated to Wilmington, North Carolina, to become chief counsel of Global Nuclear Fuel, LLC, a joint venture of GE, Hitachi, and Toshiba. . . . I have gotten into motorcycling again after an absence of more than 20 years. In February of this year, I finally broke down and purchased a 2005 BMW R1200RT motorcycle. . . . I feel in a way that I have been able to reclaim a portion of my identity that languished, unattended, for a long time.” A thought worth pondering, as we approach the big six-oh.
Via the alumni magazine website: Morrison Bonpasse (originally Morrison Bump) has written The Single Global Currency — Common Cents for the World. Morrison finished with 1972, but has recently chosen to be affiliated with 1969. Good choice, Morrison!
Unfortunately, Peter Rodgers also brings bad news: “John Oleyer passed away on April 13, after a brave, decades-long struggle with multiple sclerosis. Stiles classmates John Knudson, Tom Brown, and I were able to make it to the funeral. John is survived by his wife Cindy, the great love of his life, his parents, and four terrific kids: Matthew, Peter, Michael, and Meghan. I think it fair to say that knowing John helped define the Yale experience for those of us who met him there, and his continuing friendship was a very great gift to all of us. He will be sorely missed.”
As promised, I will list a few of our “lost” (55 total) classmates in each issue. In alphabetical order: Charles L. Apel, Richard K. Arnold, James G. Barlow, Robert N. Bearden. Any information is welcome.
William Sloane Coffin died this spring. Whether you were pro- or anti-, he had a real impact on our life and times. Coffin’s longtime friend, Howard Zinn, recalled a speech in which Coffin spoke to a group of students about what to do after graduation. As printed in the New York Times obituary, “He said, ‘Remember this: Even if you win the rat race, you’re still a rat.'”