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Class Notes
1951
consultant and secretary with RMX
Inc., a rotating machine specialist
company. His jobs involved extensive
travel in the U.S. and to many other
countries. He states that Lafayette
prepared him well!
Robert Adams Goodfellow
reports from Arlington, Vt., that he
wrote a coffee table book about his
father-in-law, Mead Schaeffer, who
was an illustrator of classic books such
as Moby Dick, Saturday Evening Post
covers, and a series on World War II.
Tentatively titled Mead Schaeffer,
Illustrator of the Classics, the book
is being shopped to publishers. Bob
is a Navy vet of World War II and the
Korean War. He and wife Lee, who
served as president, had a greeting
card company. Bob’s career consisted
of numerous marketing, management,
and consulting positions. They
enjoyed extensive RV travel for years.
Don Estler and Lois “Beansie”
celebrated 60 years of bliss April 5!
Beansie recovered from a severe
pedestrian injury three years ago.
After long rehab, she is a living
miracle! Don had a bout with his
prostate, but with it now under
control, he can play tennis and
exercise at the YMCA. He is a ruling
elder and choir member of First
United Presbyterian Church of
Boonton, N.J. He directs a group
of 30 singers, The Presbyaires,
representing 13 different churches
and eight denominations. As an
outreach ministry to rehab centers
and nursing homes within the local
area, they perform an hour-long
program of oldies, jokes, and resident
participation. Summer is slated for
rehearsing, while October is “on
the road” with a new show.
Henley Smith sends greetings
from Holland, Mich., with an
invitation to ’51ers to come visit and
enjoy a great view of Lake Michigan.
A Gallup poll claims Holland to be
number two on the list of “Most
Happy Towns” in the U.S. Hope
College offers dance, theatre, music,
and good NCAA athletic teams—
always a program to attend. A great
place for retirement living.
Allan Woods boasts that his
daughter, Amanda, presented him
with his first grandson, William
Wasserstrom, Feb. 20. At the New
York Amateur Sports Alliance
(NYASA) annual Sports Hero
Awards, Allan will be paid a special
tribute as a past NYASA president
who has contributed to the enduring
vitality of sports in New York City.
Bob Becker reports from
Medford, N.J., that his retirement
community, Medford Leas, has some
700 residents, many of whom are
Lafayette grads. The 168-acre
campus has a beautiful arboretum.
He keeps track of the ’Pards lacrosse
teams and has four granddaughters,
three of whom play lacrosse.
Robert Blackwell and wife
Beverly enjoyed springtime in
Columbia, S.C. They hope early
planting will produce a bountiful
harvest. Bob serves Fort Jackson
Lodge 374 as worshipful master. He
was installed as the eminent grand
prelate of Knights Templar in South
Carolina in late March. Churches
continue to request the Rev. Bob to
fill their pulpits. Beverly is a member
of the Prayer Shawl group at church.
Ed Whitby informed me of
the passing of Richard “Dick”
Manuel but didn’t relay any of
his own activities.
Dick passed away Feb. 1 after a
struggle with lymphoma. He grew
up in Sea Cliff, Long Island, N.Y.
He developed a love of sailing that
he pursued his entire life. He enlisted
in the Merchant Marine in 1945 and
became a chief warrant officer. The war
ended, and he joined Grace Line’s War
Shipping Administration and sailed to
the eastern coast of South America.
At Lafayette, he obtained a degree in
chemical engineering and was active in
track, soccer, sailing, and his fraternity,
Delta Tau Delta. He married Marjorie
soon after graduation and joined
Colgate Palmolive’s international
division for a career that lasted into the
1980s. The Army recalled him in 1954
to the Army Chemical Center at
Edgewood, Md. When Dick returned
to Colgate, he was assigned to Lima,
Peru, as plant manager. Traveling
throughout South America, he and
his family absorbed the culture and
pursued sailing at the local yacht club.
In 1962, he became general manager
of the Tokyo branch. For 12 years
he expanded sales in Japan. His
family adapted well, and he became
commodore of the Yokohama Yacht
Club and was active in the West Tokyo
Union Church. In 1974, he and the
family returned stateside and settled in
Ridgewood, N.J. Dick was named
director of the Colgate engineering
group and played a key role in
divesting Colgate assets. Retiring in
1986, he and Marjorie moved to
Shelter Island, N.Y., a special place in
his life. They enjoyed friends old and
new and entertained on their sailboat,
Mermaid. He was active in the local
yacht clubs, served on the Waterways
Management Advisory Council, and
was an elder in the Presbyterian
Church. In 2005, they moved crosscountry
to Bainbridge Island, Wash.,
to be near their children.
E. Thomas Flood II of West
Grove, Pa., died Nov. 2. He shared
39 years of marriage with Margaret.
Born in Philadelphia, Tom served in
the Marine Corps in World War II.
He owned and operated a land
development company, which he
started in 1950. An avid fox hunter,
Tom belonged to Radnor Hunt,
Andrews Bridge, and Cheshire Hunt.
He was also a member of First Troop
Philadelphia City Cavalry. Tom is
survived by his wife, son David
of Massachusetts, grandchildren
Nicholas and Sophia, and two
nephews. His son Tom predeceased
him in 1979.
William E. Pfister of Lopatcong,
N.J., passed away Feb. 21. He lived in
Phillipsburg nearly his whole life. He
graduated from Phillipsburg High
School, received a bachelor’s in
English, and got his master’s in
education from Temple University
in Philadelphia. He taught gifted
students at Highland School in
Jamaica, N.Y., and high school
English at Garden School in Jackson
Heights, N.Y. He was a member of
Kappa Phi Kappa honorary education
fraternity, the Association for
Childhood Education, the National
Association of English Teachers, and
the United Federation of Teachers.
He was a senior training associate for
Day-Timers Inc. in Allentown, Pa.,
and developed the Jumpstart program
in partnership with Lehigh Career &
Technical Institute. He was working
with Kitchen Magic in Phillipsburg
and was active with the Jaycees’
annual Halloween parade.
Robert Henry Harbers Jr. died
March 20 at his home in Albemarle,
54 lafayette • SUMMER 2010 For photos, articles, and Alumni Updates, see Lafayette Magazine Online