AndoverMagSpring2015

stay connected...in their bodies, sink to the low point, called thebrisket, and often kill them. I made the dog versionto save a favorite spaniel, and every vet who saw itsaid I had to patent it, so I did.” Well done.Walt Mintkeski, one of several classmatesworking diligently on environmental and climateissues (bless you all), sent along his annual holidayyear-end summary. In 2014, Walt reported, hecompleted two multiyear projects for the NatureConservancy of Oregon (including a one-kilowattsolar power system for the Wildhaven Preserve),celebrated 40 years of marriage to his wife, Vicki,and raced in a masters Laser sailboat regatta inMexico. Among the couple’s travels were trips tothe Florida Everglades and Cuba (on a culturalexchange tour) and a summertime sailing cruisethrough the eastern Caribbean with Derick Gatesand his wife, Susanne, aboard Derick’s 53-footketch. Suppose we could book it for a 50thReunion cocktail cruise?From Colorado, where everything for whichyou could have gotten kicked out of PA is nowlegal, John Swartz e-mails this report: “I’ve beenspending the last 40 years fending off the inevitable,with larger-than-healthy doses of exercise tooffset larger consumptions of delicious reds. Breckenridgeis still home and, yes, workplace, although[wife] Patti and I get down to the Arizona desert onand off from January to May (she winters her horsenortheast of Scottsdale) for mountain biking,running, and golf (not necessarily in that order).”One of their daughters (Durban) got married lastyear and another (Devon) did so in February, addsJohn, who ends, “I can’t believe that we’re two yearsfrom the 50th, that I’ve been in Breckenridge realestate for 45 years and married to Patti for 34 years.No regrets, just amazed!”From Maine, Rob Smith writes that he caughtup with Van Remsen, our class ornithologist, inLouisiana last fall, where the two of them wenton a birding trip. “We capped a day of catchingup on life and birding with Van’s discovery ofan inconspicuous warbler recorded only twicepreviously in the state. A good day all around,” Robreports. Rob and his wife, Peg, who teaches at BatesCollege and is working on a new book, still live inPortland, Maine. Rob himself “continue(s) to chasedown infectious diseases at Maine Medical Centerand beyond.”Derek Rainey updates matters from hishome in Portland, Mich., where he retired fromschool teaching two years ago, capping 35 yearsof instructing (art, world history) and coaching(track, quiz bowl). “I think I’m finally learning torelax,” says Derek, who now has seven grandkids,all living nearby. “My sculpture keeps me busy, too.I’m working on a sculpture of a local, native Ojibwechief, Okemos. He fought with Tecumseh in theWar of 1812 and is buried by the Grand River justsouth of my town of Portland.”Steve Gardner and I whacked around a fewtennis balls not long ago and hoped to hit the skislopes together this past winter. Steve has beenfinishing up a memoir about his late son, Graham,90 Andover | Spring 2015aiming to publish it (text and photos) in e-bookform. A talented photographer and dedicatedhumanitarian, Steve’s been part of a Boston-basedmedical team sent to disaster-ravaged places likeHaiti and the Philippines. Kudos to you too, pal,and to all ’67ers making a life-affirming differencein this troubled world.1968ABBOTKaren Seaward659 Kendall Ave.Palo Alto CA 94306klseaward@att.netHere’s to 2015 and your responses to the question“What are your New Year’s resolutions?”Betsy Handy McCormack was the first towrite about this question. She is very busy as agrandparent, and in order to keep up with theyoung ones she plans to walk four miles a day.(Way to go, Betsy.) Sue Barton wrote that she isvery busy as an aunt and a great-aunt—plus work,plus being a landlord—and plans to use her gymmembership this year. She also plans to drink alot of tea (as opposed to?). Julie Crane is workingon fitness and health. She put it so well: “This isa year for us to stabilize, so that we can blossomlater!” Kathy Dietz described her large familyand is enjoying being a grandparent. She wrotewith obvious pride about her children and theiraccomplishments. Kathy and her husband movedfrom Andover to Boston 10 years ago and justsettled in to full-service housing at the Prudential.The family summers in New Hampshire andwinters in Florida. (Now, about that mini reunionin Florida...time to start making plans!)Daisy Schnepel wrote about her volunteerwork for her Providence, R.I., neighborhoodassociation and about being cochair for a “clubdedicated to the study of pottery and porcelain.”She lines up speakers for lectures on these topics atthe Rhode Island School of Design Museum. Asmentioned in our previous class notes, she and herhusband, Paul Evans, are in the middle of restoringtheir 1801 Federal house. It is clear to me that theyhave the skills, talent, and passion for this work.Sharon Hughes Fiyalka wrote that it was cold inNYC (this was in January) and she was lookingforward to April travel in Italy with her husband,visiting Venice, Florence, and Rome. Upon returning,they will summer on Fire Island, N.Y. Sharonand I share a New Year’s resolution: being morepatient with our husbands!Cary Cleaver wrote that her resolution last yearwas to be more patient with her husband, and thatthis paid off. (This is good news for Sharon andme.) This year, Cary plans to focus on becominga better horsewoman, which for her is a “path tomaintain physical strength and mental sharpnessand to become a more patient human being withall creatures,” including herself. Karen Urie indicatedthat 2014 was a very chaotic and traumaticyear, and she looks forward to a lot less chaos andtrauma in 2015. She and Florence NewcombVerrill plan an annual trip together, and for 2015,they will visit Santa Fe, N.M. (Good choice!)Betty Briggs Robinson sent an e-mail, her firstcontact with us in 45 years. (Welcome back, Betty!)She worked at Johnson & Johnson for 30 years andhas been retired for eight years. (Is that a record forus?) She recently bought a summer home on BaldHead Island, N.C., and is immersed in renovation.When not doing this, she is on a trawler cruisingChesapeake Bay, the Keys, and the Bahamas. HerNew Year’s resolution is “to keep living in themoment, next to nature and the sea.” Similarly,Nan Roberts resolves to “live more in the momentand not waste precious time worrying.” She alsoplans to “enjoy exercising as much as I did whenplaying tennis, basketball, or whatever at Abbot.”Cher Lewis began her note by first reminiscingabout 2014: “I fell in love with Miami, exploredPuerto Rico, overdosed on chocolates in Paris, andgrew mildewy with the rainiest summer on recordin Tuscany.” Her plans for 2015 are “to find anapartment in Miami, get my Italian driver’s license,and get back in top physical condition throughfitness training and yoga, so I can be prepared foranother six-month odyssey in South America in2016; I want to visit all of the countries!”Judy Dillingham Harrold noted that she doesnot make New Year’s resolutions anymore, butthen, “in a wild and crazy moment fortified by NewYear’s cocktails, I have vowed to shake ‘guilt’—quite a waste of time and energy and sleep!” (Andwhat was that cocktail?) Paula Atwood roundedout our conversations with these resolutions:“Since it is a significant birthday year, my plan is todo something special every month, keep in touchwith old friends, and keep active both physicallyand intellectually.”After writing this, I am left with almost overwhelmingwarm feelings. Thank you, classmates,so much!PHILLIPSGordon Baird27 Fort Hill Ave.Gloucester MA 01930978-283-0390Gordon@rampartsfarm.comDuncan Andrews wrote, “I’ve lost my second-tolastclose positive personal link to the PA staff ofour era with the passing of Hale Sturges. He wasmy instructor in a few French classes as well as mybaseball coach, and in addition, I—along withJohn Hawkins—was a proctor in the Sturgeses’Adams South dorm senior year, and I got to knowHale and his wife, Karen, pretty well. He was agreat guy all around, and I kept in touch with himperiodically through the years (nowhere near asmuch as I would have liked), seeing him at PAfunctions and going out to dinner and Red Soxgames with him after he retired and lived in Boston.