April 2012 - Alumni News - Williams College

David Kubie ’71 (second from right) and his wife Audrey welcomed
classmates Jim Tam (left) and Peter Wege and their wives for a visit in
NYC in December. The Tams were in town from Honolulu to see their son
perform in Lysistrata Jones, which opened that week on Broadway.
in love with Celtic fiddling and
takes the fiddle along on all their
travels.
Even as these notes are written,
Bob Eyre is also doing something
good, but with typical modesty:
He took a brief surgical mission
trip to Haiti and says it “might
be more interesting to reflect on
the trip rather than just anticipate
it.” Let’s do both, and hope for
more from Bob next time.
Peter Clarke is going even farther
afield, to Bhutan. “I am taking
four students (and Cushing
Academy) to the Himalayas
for three weeks in search of an
enduring partnership with a
small nation (whose king graduated
from the academy) that is
trying to transform itself into
a vibrant, modern, democratic
society without losing its cultural
soul, a tall order for any people.
At the heart of this journey is our
desire to help them in any way
we can to create a world-class
educational system rooted in
Buddhist principles. For a school
like Cushing, seeking to engage
students in the challenges of the
21st century, what better place
for a real-world, educational
expedition than Bhutan?” Does
it sound like Peter is channeling
Bob Gaudino?
Mark Pearson (that’s Rev.
Canon Dr. Mark Pearson in
certain circles) has been busy out
of the country the past several
months—England, France,
Canada, Spain, Estonia—teaching,
preaching, playing church
organs. Mark and his wife Dr.
Mary Pearson run a holistic wellness
center called New Creation
Healing Center on an eight-acre
property in southern New
Hampshire; according to Nick
Tortorello, “This entity combines
medical care, counseling, massage
therapy and Christian spirituality
in a whole-person way.”
Remember David Albert’s
update in the last class notes—his
first in 40 years? He follows up
by offering a further glimpse of
his housing and water projects
and other adventures, at
shantinik@blogspot. com and
www.friendlywaterfortheworld.
com and signs off with, “Yellam
Seyalkoodum! (’Everything is
Possible,’ in Tamil).”
Milestones: Lucky 13?
According to executive director
Steve Lawson, the “Lucky 13th”
season of the Williamstown
Film Festival turned out to be a
prophetic slogan: “Nearly three
dozen guest artists, premieres
of 29 films ranging from family
fare to late-night risqué shorts,
a Bollywood seminar, a tasting
with restaurateur Danny Meyer
and a salute to cinema legend
Sidney Lumet (marred only by
that weird October blizzard)—
this year had something for
everyone.” Among ’71 attendees:
Perennials Karen and John
Ackroff and Sue and Steve Brown,
Arria and Jack Sands, Jori and
Steve Latham and first-timers
Laura and Mike Foley and Mary
and John Untereker. In 2011
Williams alumni made a record
60 contributions to WFF, with 22
of these coming from our class.
Check out www.williamstownfilmfest.com
for a fun slideshow
of snapshots from the season.
Landmarks: Bill Rives is
now your secretary’s favorite
n 1970–71
classmate, thanks to his note
from Paris commending the
“spirited, agreeable style”
of these notes. So much do I
respond to flattery that I hope the
editor will include a photo of Bill
in front of Notre Dame. Of the
cathedral, Bill says, “Victor Hugo
liked it, and so do I.” He sent
another photo from a day at the
races, saying, “Degas liked it, and
so do I!” No classmates among
the horses or jockeys, but take
the hint, classmates, and send
photos, even without the flattery.
But wait, you say, Rives was in
Singapore, not Paris! Right you
are, for half of our 40 years since
graduation, “but this fall was in
France on a replacement contract
teaching at the American School
of Paris. A stimulating change of
pace.”
Mark Ruchman is traveling,
too, “to Brazil, Uruguay and
Argentina with Barbara and
Jock Kimberley ’67.” But Mark
has other milestones as well:
“Sharon’s fourth CD has just
come out and was favorably
reviewed in Fanfare Magazine,
the go-to publication for classical
music enthusiasts. Check out
www.sharonruchman.com. Julia
’02 is writing for Covert Affairs
on USA networks, and my medical
practice continues to delight.”
Fifteen years of cyber-sales? I
tried to get a comment on the
success of online marketing
behemoth Amazon.com from
Jane Gardner, since she was
instrumental in their early media
campaigns around the time of
our 25th reunion, but she politely
refused to take the credit for their
success.
Retirement? Mike Rade says,
“I won a Lifetime Achievement
Award from the American
College of Surgeons. I think they
are trying to tell me that I’m
really old and it’s time to retire.”
Nice award, Mike, but you’ll
have to wait for retirement—
remember you have med school
tuition to pay for your son Matt
’04, following in old dad’s professional
footsteps.
Grandchildren: A first grandchild,
Tyler James Azarow, was
presented to Nick Tortorello by his
daughter Kerry Ann. Nick had
other milestones, too: “After battling
prostate cancer last year and
recovering from umbilical hernia
surgery, I am trying to lose weight
and get myself a little healthier.”
What else does he do to get
healthy? “I ran for town commissioner
in Upper Chichester,
Pa., last November and lost by
57 votes.” So what does it mean
aPril 2012 | Williams PeoPle | 47