April 2012 - Alumni News - Williams College

CLASS NOTES
their home in the “snow (sort
of) country” in Colorado, noting
that “our winter recreations,
skiing and snowshoeing, are in
abeyance until La Niña awakens.”
They were looking forward
to spending March and April
in San Miguel de Allende, a
historic city in the high plains of
Mexico. “It’s safe,” he assured,
“off most traffic routes … with
a vibrant cultural life, both local
and imported, including a good
classical musical scene and excellent
restaurants, from genuine
Mexican to European.”
John Newhall planned a
February jaunt through India
and Nepal, “thanks to the
thoughtful remembrance of
my prior interest by Williams’
erstwhile tour director, our
president, Bob Behr.” The
trip, led by former Williams
President Frank Oakley, was to
include Tink Campbell ’56 class
president, his wife Paula and
Bill Montgomery. Meanwhile,
Deere and Melville Bearns traveled
to Tokyo in late November,
visiting friends of Deere’s before
joining a Williams-Smith tour
group led by Peter Frost, former
Williams professor and “master
of all things Japanese,” Melville
writes. “We were a most congenial
group of 20 which included
Margot and Bill Moomaw and
Peter’s charming wife Marnie.”
I can’t do justice to their journey,
except to relay Melville’s
particular recollection of a day
seeing temples and shrines in
Kyoto: “By the end of the day, I
felt as though we had surely seen
them all, and the old cerebral
hard drive was full to overflowing
with unforgettable images of
timeless grace and beauty.”
For each that tells of his
travels abroad, two more write
of life on the home front. “Just
like the bulk of our classmates,
Cecile and I have not climbed
Mount Everest or broken into
Ft. Knox,” jokes Al Ogden. “We
are just doing the usual old
folks, grandparents stuff—having
a good time and enjoying
reasonably good health,” though
they did enjoy a cruise along
the Dalmatian Coast and Greek
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Bill Merizon ’56 (fifth from right) and his wife Martha hosted seven
classmates and their significant others in Sun Valley, Idaho, last October
for the Sun Valley Jazz Festival.
Isles—“Very laid back and
enjoyable with a refresher, crash
course on Greek politics, ancient
history and mythology, most of
which we had forgotten or never
knew.” Martin DuBois continues
practicing medicine in Great
Barrington, Mass., “though it
will soon be less,” and has this
to say about Mass Health Care:
“It is nice to practice in a clinic
where 98 percent of people have
basic health care insurance. The
ones that do not live in New
York!” Outside of work he
and Sharon “see Martin Deely
and his wife Jesse in Lee,” and
he recently went to the top of
Mount Greylock—for the first
time!
“We’ve sold our house in
Weston, Mass.,” writes Ted
Bower. “Vero Beach is our
regular residence, and we’re
looking at options for this
summer and others beyond in
New England.” (In his numerated
email, however, he first
mentioned Exeter’s victory over
Andover in November. Some
things never change, no matter
where one lives.) Eugene Latham
and wife Gloria are also “happy
to report that we will be moving
back to the U.S. permanently”
this year, having ended their
“daily relationship” with the
NPH orphanage and helped
form its new board of directors.
“Our seven grandchildren and
10 great-grandchildren living
in the U.S. are pulling us home,
as Mexico’s increasing violence
makes it ever easier to leave. We
are both retired, and Gloria, a
Mexican citizen, will soon apply
for a green card, which will
allow her to reside permanently
in the U.S.” He describes the
approval process as an “international
Catch-22” but says
they look forward to spending
summers in Rhode Island and
winters in Denver, “where we
hope to make contact with some
Williams friends.”
Across the ocean, Ted Oviatt
describes his life is “in a holding
pattern as 2012 begins,” parenting
13-year-old daughter Angel,
who is “doing very well in
school,” as Marilyn pursues her
law degree. The older children
are also doing well: Son Peter is
still running marathons—
following in the footsteps of
his father!—and coaching track
club in Bellingham, Wash.;
Ted is “serving up Starbucks
in Westlake, Calif.”; Jill is
communications director for a
health research firm in Seattle;
and Wendy has ushered all but
her last child to college. “I love
my life in the Philippines,” Ted
writes, “and thank God for my
health, even though I complain
that back injuries have slowed
me to a non-competitive runner.
I’ve stayed busy this semester
tutoring an IB French lit course
for a French boy of 17. Majored
in French at Williams but
haven’t taught it for 30 years—
so I’ve been working hard …
and enjoying.” Erwin von den
Steinen is also “regrouping
after having a joyful houseful
of young grandsons over the
holiday period.” Erwin reflected
the shock at Ned Reeves’ death
that many mentioned in their
letters. “It shows again that life
is as fragile as it is robust,” he
writes. You can find an obituary
for Ned in the back of this issue.