Fall 2018 Alumni Bulletin

MiddlesexFall 2018 

Opening the 

Rachel Carson Music 

and Campus Center 

MIDDLESEX fall 2018 

i

From the Head of School 

Becoming through Bonding 

Middlesex 

Fall 2018 

Head of School 

Kathleen Carroll Giles 

Director of Development 

Heather Parker 

Director of Advancement 

George Noble 

Editor 

Maria Lindberg 

Design 

NonprofitDesign.com 

Photography 

Joel Haskell, Tim Morse, 

Robert D. Perachio, 

Tony Rinaldo 

Letters to the Editor Letters to the 

editor are welcome and may be edited 

for clarity and space. Please send your 

letters to Editor, Middlesex Bulletin, 

1400 Lowell Road, Concord, MA 01742, 

or e-mail mlindberg@mxschool.edu. 

Alumni News We welcome news from 

alumni, parents, and friends of Middlesex 

School. Please send your news and 

labeled photographs to Alumni News, 

Middlesex School, 1400 Lowell Road, 

Concord, MA 01742, or e-mail alumni@ 

mxschool.edu. 

Address Corrections Please notify 

us of your change of address. Write to 

Middlesex School, 1400 Lowell Road, 

Concord, MA 01742 or e-mail alumni@ 

mxschool.edu. 

Parents of Alumni If this magazine is 

addressed to a son or daughter who no 

longer maintains a permanent address 

at your home, please advise us of his or 

her new address. Thank you! 

Last week, I heard a marvelous sentence attributed 

to the American poet e e cummings— 

“It takes courage to grow up and become who 

you really are”—and yes, when we articulate 

the values of honesty, gratitude, kindness, 

respect, and courage, that is the kind of courage 

perhaps most important to the formation 

of identity: the courage of integrity. At its 

most basic, integrity requires a unity of mind, 

body, spirit, principles, and actions. Achieving 

that unity with consistency—building integrity 

into our lives as habit—makes us people 

worthy of others’ trust. I would offer that any 

definition of success in “finding the promise” 

presupposes that we are worthy of trust. 

Integrity is a significant challenge for all 

of us these days, as screens offer unlimited 

opportunities for anonymity, along with a 

freedom from ethical responsibility that so 

often seems to accompany it. It is clear to 

me in my sixth decade that the growing up 

process extends throughout our lives, as long 

as the “becoming” continues, and as long as 

there is an “up” to which we as people aspire. 

That growing up certainly starts for all of us 

in childhood, and just as certainly, it never 

really ends. 

But e e cummings also offers an insight 

as important for us today as we celebrate this 

work of growing up and becoming who we 

really are. Cummings writes, “We do not 

believe in ourselves until someone reveals 

that deep inside us something is valuable, 

worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred 

to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves 

we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous 

delight, or any experience that reveals the 

human spirit.” Issues can engage us, and that’s 

important, the capacity to engage and want 

to contribute; and urgency can inspire us, 

galvanize our ability to organize, to plan, 

to strategize. But building relationships— 

the real connections with others, based on 

understanding, respect, and yes, true affection—is 

what will sustain us, motivate us, 

and ultimately, over the hopefully long run 

of our lives, come to satisfy us. In the words 

of Carmen Beaton, our beloved, now-retired 

colleague, they are “the gift we give each 

other”—and they are the proverbial gifts that 

keep on giving, in that they join us together, 

past, present, and future. 

Almost 20 years ago, the late Chase 

Peterson ’48 wrote about the “intimacy and 

intensity” of Middlesex as a crucible for a 

young person. That crucible of experiences 

has evolved into its twelfth decade in a world 

very much changed from the one that Mr. 

Winsor contemplated in founding this school 

—and yet, not so much changed in addressing 

the needs of young people at this critical, 

formative time in their lives. We still work 

with young people whose growth and development 

can be stimulated, nurtured, and, at 

times, accelerated by the presence of terrific 

peers and caring teachers. Together, we grow 

in pursuit of those best selves that we like 

to imagine—and perhaps more importantly, 

the contributions those best selves can make.

Contents 

Mission Statement 

Middlesex School is an independent, 

non-denominational, residential, 

college-preparatory school that, for 

over 100 years, has been committed 

to excellence in the intellectual, 

ethical, creative, and physical development 

of young people. We honor 

the ideal, articulated by our founding 

Head Master, of “finding the promise” 

in every student, and we work 

together in an atmosphere of mutual 

trust and shared responsibility to 

help students bring their talents to 

fruition as knowledgeable, capable, 

responsible, and moral citizens 

of the world. As a community, we 

respect the individual interests, 

strengths, and needs of each student. 

We also value the rich diversity 

of belief and experience each of 

us brings to the School. 

We expect that each student will 

bring his or her best efforts to the 

shared endeavor of learning and 

that the School, through its faculty, 

will engage and encourage each 

student’s growth, happiness, 

and well-being. We aspire for all 

Middlesex students to develop 

personal integrity, intellectual 

vitality and discipline, and respect 

for themselves and for others. 

We expect each student to engage 

energetically and cooperatively in 

the life of the School, and we seek 

to inspire in all students the desire 

to seek understanding of themselves 

and the larger world, 

both now and in their futures. 

On the Cover 

On a mid-week game day 

in October, the “Go Middlesex” 

banner brightly adorned Eliot 

Hall. Photo by Joel Haskell. 

Features 

16 Alumni Weekend 

From the opening clambake to the closing class 

parties, hundreds of alumni reconnected with old 

friends and enjoyed a full schedule of ceremonies 

and celebrations, gatherings and games. 

20 Fond Farewells 

Whether their Middlesex days were spent in a 

classroom or studio, an office or workshop, this 

year’s retiring faculty and staff members gave 

their very best to students and colleagues 

alike, as four Bulletin tributes attest. 

25 Graduation 

With their final exams finished and plaquecarving 

complete, 104 members of the class 

of 2018 were ready for their Middlesex diplomas 

—and the journey ahead. 

Departments 

2 Life 360 

Leadership Transitions; Sheldon Chair 

Reappointed; Welcoming New Colleagues; 

Community Service Commences; The 

Addams Family; Online Concerns; Chemical 

Contamination; Praising Paine Barn 

10 Middlesex People 

Graduation Speaker Duane Jones ’70; 

A Fulbright First; Distinguished Alumnus 

Victor Atkins ’63; New Trustee Ted Mehm ’83 

14 Team Highlights 

Girls’ Lacrosse Retains ISL Title; Track Among 

Top Teams at New England Championships 

28 Alumni Notes and News 

Class Notes; In Memoriam 

48 Back Story 

Setting the Stage 

MIDDLESEX fall 2018 1

360° Life on the Circle 

Next summer, at the close of 

her remarkable 16-year tenure 

at Middlesex, Head of School 

Kathy Giles will become the 

next Rector of St. Paul’s School. 

Leadership 

Transitions 

Middlesex’s 2018–2019 academic year began 

with customary energy and optimism— 

as well as anticipation for new and unique 

curricular initiatives. A new Citizens course 

is being launched with the help of junior 

volunteers, who are discussing what it 

means to be an ethical citizen in a democracy. 

Volunteers from the junior class are 

also embarking on the first phase of the 

Middlesex Scholars program, which will 

guide them through a process of self-assessment 

and résumé building, culminating in 

a plan to find potential summer opportunities 

in their areas of interest. And the 

construction of new and renovated arts 

facilities has continued apace, approaching 

completion in the New Year. 

Embracing Change 

Along with these developments, another 

process has been making steady progress. As 

many alumni, parents, and friends are aware 

by now, last July brought the announcement 

that Head of School Kathy Giles will become 

the next Rector of St. Paul’s School in Concord, 

New Hampshire, making this her last 

year at Middlesex. In turn, a search has 

begun for her successor, the sixth head of 

school in Middlesex’s 117-year history. 

As Board President Stephen Lari ’90 

conveyed in his July letter to the School’s 

constituencies, Kathy will be leaving a school 

that “due to her stewardship, is flourishing 

in every way.” From outstanding students to 

record statistics in both admissions recruitment 

and in fundraising—and with a dedicated 

faculty and staff, beautifully enhanced 

campus, and healthy endowment—Middlesex 

has never been stronger, positioning the 

School well for a successful search process. 

A Communal Effort 

During August, the executive search consulting 

firm of Spencer Stuart was selected to 

assist in finding excellent candidates, and 

seven trustees joined the Head of School 

Search Committee: Mary Lou Boutwell, 

John Brooke ’81, Rodney Clark, Joy Connolly 

’87, Abby Doft ’87, Ben Nye ’83, and Andy 

Pitts ’84. Three faculty members were also 

named to this committee—Chief Financial 

Officer Terry Cunningham, English Department 

Chair Jecca Hutcheson, and Mx Global 

Director Rob Munro—and an Advisory 

Committee of past trustees and former 

faculty was created to capitalize on their 

expertise in independent school leadership. 

In September, the consultants and search 

committee began to meet regularly to identify 

the most important qualities to look for 

in the next head of school. After synthesizing 

input gathered through a community-wide 

survey and a campus visit by Spencer Stuart 

—which included interviews with faculty and 

staff—a formal, detailed position specification 

document was drawn up in early October and 

subsequently posted on the School’s website 

at https://www.mxschool.edu/head-search. 

Since then, the process has moved on to 

reviewing potential candidates, and the committee 

has been pleased and impressed with 

2 MIDDLESEX fall 2018

the quality of leaders interested 

in the position. Ideally, 

the next Middlesex Head of 

School will be announced 

in January 2019. 

Appreciating the Present 

In the meantime, the vibrant, 

everyday life of classes, chapels, 

games, and performances 

takes center stage on campus, 

with the opening of expansive, 

beautiful new spaces 

just on the horizon. Looking 

forward to all of these happenings, 

Kathy reflected 

last summer, “For the past 

16 years, it has been an 

honor and a privilege for 

me to work with the people 

of this amazing Middlesex 

community. It continues 

to be a great joy to live and 

work with people of all ages 

who inspire me to curiosity, 

wonder, and much spontaneous 

delight. I speak on 

behalf of my wonderful husband 

Ralph and our three 

children, now grown, in 

offering our great gratitude 

for our time here, our abiding 

love for the people with 

whom we have stretched 

and grown and celebrated 

so much, and our incredible 

faith in and optimism about 

this school and community. 

We will always love Middlesex, 

and we count ourselves 

blessed.” 

A tribute to Kathy and 

her many accomplishments 

will appear in the next issue 

of the Alumni Bulletin. M 

McNall Appointed to Sheldon Chair 

With the retirement of French teacher Carrie 

Bolster, the endowed chair that she held for 

six years became available for reappointment 

and has now been awarded to Karlyn McNall, 

the assistant head for faculty and academic 

affairs. Established in 1990 by gifts from 

alumni, family, and friends, the David F. 

and Judith W. Sheldon Chair honors David 

F. Sheldon—Middlesex’s third headmaster 

(from 1964 to 1990) and a trustee emeritus, 

who first joined the faculty in 1957—and his 

wife, Judith W. Sheldon, who helped establish 

the School’s Archives. 

Karlyn joined the Middlesex faculty in 

1994 from New Hampton School, where she 

chaired the history department, headed a 

dorm, and coached girls’ varsity soccer and 

basketball. In the years since, she has continued 

to teach history, also coaching girls’ 

varsity soccer and basketball for many seasons 

and leading LeBaron Briggs House for 

18 years. Moving into a more administrative 

role in 2003, Karlyn first served as the director 

of studies before becoming the dean of 

academic affairs in 2005. She was named 

the assistant head for faculty and academic 

affairs in 2016. 

Prior to her appointment to the Sheldon 

Chair, Karlyn was the first recipient of the 

Harrison S. Kravis Memorial Chair, established 

in memory of Harrison S. Kravis ’90 

to support a faculty member teaching history 

or economics. Karlyn is a graduate of Williams 

College, where she captained the basketball 

team and received honors in history and 

psychology, and later earned her M.Ed. at 

Harvard. Karlyn lives on campus with her 

husband, Terrence Cassidy—who keeps the 

athletic program running smoothly as the 

School’s equipment manager—and their 

sons, Gavin ’21 and Tim. 

In presenting the Sheldon Chair, Head 

of School Kathy Giles described Karlyn as 

Administrator, teacher, coach, and dorm parent, 

Karlyn McNall has covered every corner of school 

life in the course of her 24 years at Middlesex. 

“a problem-solver and a fixer,” adding, 

“Karlyn takes the same care with anyone’s 

schedule problem as she takes in presenting 

to our Board of Trustees; her integrity is 

palpable. As a teammate, she is trustworthy; 

as a leader, she is inspiring. It is to all of 

our benefit that she brings her wisdom 

and knowledge to work every day.” M 



New faculty members arrived 

in August for an orientation day 

of their own. Front row, from left 

to right: Meg Alexander, Roan 

Callahan, and Akemi Ueda; middle 

row: Amy Gleason, Jason Sport, 

Meaghan Dalton Janger, Annie 

Kelly, Alejandro Saravia, Danielle 

Potwin, and John MacMullen; 

back row: Patrick Pothel and 

Toby McDougal. 

Welcoming New 

Colleagues 

A busy, successful hiring season followed 

on the heels of several retirements and 

relocations at the close of last year, drawing 

new and talented professionals to Middlesex 

classrooms and offices. 

Previously the dean of students at Austin 

Preparatory School, Jason Sport returns to 

teaching history full time, as he did earlier 

at the Williston Northampton School and 

the Gilman School. He is a graduate of 

Governor’s Academy and Boston College. 

Well-known to many from her 21 prior 

years on the faculty, Amy Gleason returns 

to Middlesex. The mother of three alumni— 

Danny ’09, Sara ’11, and Stevie ’14—Amy has 

taught math at several independent schools, 

most recently, Dana Hall. She is a graduate 

of Princeton University with an M.Ed. from 

the Harvard Graduate School of Education. 

New science teacher John MacMullen 

recently completed his A.B. in environmental 

studies at Brown University. A Taft School 

graduate, he is supporting the Dean’s Office 

as an intern. Also joining that office is 

Administrative Assistant Kelly Larocque, 

who has worked with middle and high school 

students for the last 12 years through Case 

Collaborative. 

The Humanities Division welcomed six 

colleagues, including Akemi Ueda, previously 

an Upper School English teacher and dorm 

assistant at Santa Catalina School. Akemi 

holds a B.A. in English from Williams College 

and an M.A. from Stanford University. 

A graduate of St. Paul’s School and Harvard 

University, Toby McDougal has taught 

classics at the Noble and Greenough School, 

Groton School, and Belmont Hill School, 

where he also coached rowing. 

For the last four years, Patrick Pothel 

taught French at the Taft School and coached 

hockey and baseball. An accomplished 

athlete in his own right at the University of 

Dayton, Patrick went on to play Canadian 

Junior Hockey and Junior Elite and Class 

A Baseball. 

Among the three new Spanish Department 

members is Meaghan Dalton Janger, a veteran 

teacher with 19 years of classroom experience, 

most recently at Reading Memorial 

High School. She is a graduate of Boston College, 

where she earned her B.A. and M.Ed. 

An educator for more than 27 years, 

Alejandro Saravia is teaching Spanish at 

Middlesex after nine years at St. Paul’s School. 

In addition to his undergraduate and master’s 

degrees, he holds a Ph.D. in educational leadership 

and organizational development. 

As a two-year teaching fellow in Spanish 

at St. Paul’s School, Annie Kelly served 

as a dorm advisor and assistant coach, 

concurrently completing an M.S.Ed. at the 

University of Pennsylvania. She is a graduate 

of Haverford College, where she played 

varsity lacrosse. 

The Arts Division gained three colleagues, 

including Meg Alexander, a working artist 

and graduate of the Rhode Island School of 

Design and the School of the Museum of 

Fine Arts, Boston. Meg knows the School 

well through her husband, Humanities 


Division Head John Hirsch, 

and their daughters, Lucy ’18 

and Eliza ’21. 

Also a practicing artist, 

Danielle M. Potwin earned 

her B.F.A. at the Massachusetts 

College of Art and 

Design, where she was an 

assistant teacher in studio 

foundation classes. Danielle 

teaches both drawing and 

ceramics at Middlesex. 

Lawrence Academy 

graduate Roan Callahan 

served as a teaching assistant 

for several photography 

courses as an undergraduate 

at Skidmore College. He has 

worked as a commercial 

photographer for Darby 

Scott, learning about Middlesex 

through its owner, 

Karen Darby Scott ’80. 

In the administrative 

realm, Christine Casperson 

is applying 25 years of 

management and hospitality 

experience to supporting 

Head of School Kathy Giles 

as an assistant. Erin Higgins 

brings five years of working 

with Concord schools to her 

work in the Academic Office. 

When Beth Hill stepped 

into the role of assistant to 

the dean of college counseling, 

her prior administrative 

post was ably filled by Tracy 

White, who has worked 

extensively for universities, 

from Stanford to Berkeley 

to Harvard. Finally, with 15 

years of advancement experience 

at Wheelock College, 

Lori Saslav now expertly 

assists Middlesex’s Annual 

Fund Director and Major 

Gift Officers. M 

Community Service Day 

Each fall, once the school year is underway, 

the Middlesex community heads out into the 

Greater Boston Area to engage in a variety 

of service projects. On September 24, 2018, 

while new and returning sophomores bonded 

on their class trip, the senior community 

service officers led ninth and eleventh grade 

students in a day of service. This year, the 

School partnered with 13 local organizations 

at 14 separate locations. While some students 

harvested and helped at local farms, others 

assisted nonprofits that support those in 

need, such as the Merrimack Valley Food 

Bank, Rosie’s Place, and Habitat for Humanity. 

One particular highlight of the day was an 

on-campus effort in the Cage involving 40 

students and faculty; together, they packaged 

10,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger. 

With the leadership of Pascale Musto 

and Paul Torres, who lead the Community 

Service Program, volunteer opportunities are 

open to Middlesex students on a weekly basis, 

sustaining strong partnerships with many 

of these vital organizations year-round. M 

Middlesex students pitched in to complete a 

variety of tasks, such as landscaping a yard for 

Habitat for Humanity (above) and prepping 

food for Rosie’s Place (below). 



“It does matter what platforms 

you are on and what browsers you 

use,” Alexander Heffner advised 

students, explaining that nonprofit 

options generally provide 

greater privacy protection than 

for-profit options, which collect 

and sell personal data. 

The Price of Privacy 

Taking a break from the customary All- 

School Read that has become an annual, 

summer assignment at Middlesex, the community 

began this year a bit differently with 

an “All-School Ethical Topic”—namely, the 

ethics of privacy in the digital age. On September 

21, Stephen Spielberg’s latest science 

fiction production, Ready Player One, was 

screened on campus to prompt consideration 

of online privacy concerns. The next morning, 

the School heard from Alexander Heffner, 

host of the PBS program “The Open Mind,” 

who offered his thoughts on the subject and 

welcomed questions from the audience. 

Mr. Heffner, who has covered American 

politics, civic life, and Millennials since the 

2008 presidential campaign, is a writer and 

lecturer whose work has been profiled and 

published in many major publications and 

media outlets. Reflecting on the kind of 

dystopian world represented in books and 

films like Ready Player One, he commented, 

“There are threats to privacy, but not as 

overwhelming as movies depict. Humanity 

has not vanished.” Though concerned that 

individual privacy is compromised today, 

he added, “I would submit that achieving 

civility in the digital public square is pivotal 

to what we will be able to preserve of 

privacy.” 

As host of “The Open Mind” since 2014, 

Mr. Heffner has appreciated being able to 

explore issues of technology and democracy 

without having to “adhere to an orthodox 

view.” Yet, as a native New Yorker who vividly 

remembers 9/11, he also understands the 

difficulty of protecting individual rights 

and keeping apprised of threats to national 

security. 

“Preserving civil discourse is key to 

having an open Web,” Mr. Heffner maintained. 

Currently jeopardizing online civility 

is the prevalence of bigotry and obstructionism, 

to the extent that opposing sides cannot 

listen to each other, nor can they undertake 

an honest assessment of facts. This, in turn, 

will lead to dysfunction, which he called 

“the last stage of incivility.” 

In closing, he stressed the importance 

of voting to his audience of students—all 

of whom are considered digital natives and 

members of Gen Z. “You are the generation 

that is going to write the law because the law 

has not yet been written,” he said. Returning 

to the consequences of 9/11, he asked, “How 

far are we willing to go in giving up privacy 

to protect our safety? These are all decisions 

in your hands, and I urge you to take it 

seriously.” 

With insightful questions for Mr. Heffner 

regarding free speech and hate speech, open 

websites and those funded by advertising, 

as well as the pros and cons of net neutrality, 

Middlesex students were indeed attuned 

to the issues at hand. In small groups with 

their advisors, they continued discussing 

these topics, dwelling on the tradeoffs 

between privacy and convenience in the 

digital age. M 


The Addams Family—A New Musical 

Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice 

Music & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa 

Directed by Tom Kane 

Musical Direction by Pierson Wetzel 

Technical Design & Direction by 

Ryan DuBray 

Choreography by Meghan Rose 

Costume Design by Kim Brown 

Photography by Robert D. Perachio 

“One normal night” is all that Wednesday 

asks for when her family is about to meet 

her (secret) fiancé and his parents for the 

first time. But when you’re an Addams, 

that wish is like reaching for the moon— 

her Uncle Fester’s obsession. While Gomez 

and Morticia wonder where they went 

wrong with their darkling daughter, like 

any parents, they must gradually come to 

terms with all the “what ifs” that life and 

love may bring. Accompanied by a chorus 

of ghostly ancestors and a 12-piece band, 

the cast of lead actors—most of whom were 

seniors—threw themselves into these favorite, 

comedic characters for their last, happy/ 

sad Middlesex production together. M 

May 4–5, 2018 

MIDDLESEX Fall fall 2018 7


“Small things matter,” Dr. Laura 

Vandenburg emphasized to her 

audience. “A small amount of a 

hormone can make a difference 

in an animal’s body, so a small 

amount of BPA matters.” 

In Carson’s Footsteps 

Rachel Carson’s urgent call in Silent Spring to 

research and recognize the effects of chemicals 

on living beings and their environments is 

heeded today by a new generation of scientists 

dubbed “Rachel’s grandchildren.” One 

such metaphorical granddaughter—Dr. Laura 

Vandenberg—talked about her own career 

and laboratory findings during Assembly 

on May 1, 2018. Her visit was made possible 

through the generosity of a past parent, who 

established the Middlesex Speaker Series 

in Math and Science in 2015. 

Toxic Chemical Intake 

An assistant professor and graduate program 

director in the Department of Environmental 

Health Sciences at the UMass Amherst School 

of Public Health and Health Sciences, Dr. 

Vandenberg explores how early life exposures 

to chemicals and chemical mixtures can predispose 

individuals to diseases that manifest 

later in life. While Ms. Carson’s work focused 

on the pesticide DDT, Dr. Vandenberg is 

specifically interested in the class of chemicals 

termed “endocrine disruptors” and has 

worked extensively with chemicals used 

as plasticizers and flame retardants, which 

people come into contact with more often 

than they may realize. 

While her opposition in 1962 claimed 

that Rachel Carson preferred “dead children 

to dead mosquitoes,” Dr. Vandenberg clarified 

that Ms. Carson never asked for a ban of 

DDT but instead wrote, “If we are going 

to live so intimately with these chemicals— 

eating and drinking them, taking them into 

the very marrow of our bones—we had 

better know something about their nature 

and their power.” In fact, Dr. Vandenberg 

confirmed, scientists have since determined 

that all babies are now born “pre-polluted” 

with hundreds of chemicals in their bodies. 

“We make choices every day—about the 

food we eat, the soap and lotion we use, the 

cleaning products we have in our homes,” she 

said, “and we don’t think about the effects.” 

Unintended Consequences 

Briefly summarizing the work of researchers 

in the 1980s and 1990s, Dr. Vandenberg stated 

that a large number of manmade chemicals 

have been found to have the potential to 

disrupt the endocrine system of animals 

and humans, which, in turn, can cause 

abnormalities in development, growth, and 

reproduction. Her research advisor at Tufts 

Medical School, Dr. Ana Soto, found that 

BPA (a chemical used in making plastic 

containers and bottles) affects the growth 

of mammary glands—a change that can certainly 

alter the chances of offspring survival. 

That BPA has been banned in manufacturing 

some products, like baby bottles, has only 

led to another key question: What is BPA 

being replaced with? 

The answer, Dr. Vandenberg said, is that 

29 different chemicals are used in plastics 

instead of BPA. In her own lab during the last 

five years, she has been studying one of them, 

BPS, to observe its effects on the function of 

mammary glands in mice. Thus far, she has 

learned that mice exposed to low levels of 

BPS early in life stop producing milk earlier 


in motherhood—and their 

babies seek milk less often— 

which leads to starvation. 

Those who survive often 

exhibit abnormal obsessive 

compulsive behaviors. 

Revealing Lab Results 

In short, “What was old is 

new, and what was new is 

old,” Dr. Vandenberg sighed. 

“We were not asking to 

substitute BPA with BPS.” 

Noting that science is “not 

just for scientists,” she added, 

“If we do not speak up, and 

instead live priest-like in our 

labs, spending public grant 

money, we are not doing 

our jobs.” Despite potential 

backlash from chemical 

industries and other opponents, 

she asserted, “This 

should not keep us from 

speaking.” 

Deeply grateful for the 

mentorship of people who 

either included her in their 

projects or recommended 

her for great opportunities, 

Dr. Vandenberg also thanked 

all the students who work in 

her lab. “We can do so much 

more together,” she reflected. 

“I hope you will find a community 

after Middlesex that 

also makes you better than 

you are.” M 

Right: Underutilized for 

decades, the beautifully 

renovated Paine Barn 

now serves as the home of 

Middlesex’s Facilities and 

Operations Department. 

Pride in Preservation 

Last spring, the Concord Historical Commission 

(CHC) announced seven winners of its 

2018 Preservation Awards. In the Adaptive 

Reuse category, Middlesex earned recognition 

for the renovation of the School’s Paine Barn, 

which was completed in the final weeks of 

2014. Chief Operating Officer Matt Crozier 

was on hand to accept the CHC award at the 

Concord Preservation Awards Ceremony, 

which was held on May 21, 2018, at the 

town’s Fowler Branch Library. 

Established by the CHC in 2015, the 

Preservation Awards program aims to honor 

property owners, architects, contractors, local 

organizations, and individuals for their contributions 

to maintaining and enhancing the 

architectural, historical, and cultural heritage 

of the Town of Concord. This year’s awards 

were given to projects that were completed 

between 2014 and 2017. 

As the CHC detailed in its comments, 

“The Paine Barn’s evolution from agricultural 

building to the home of the Middlesex School 

Facilities and Operations team is an outstanding 

example of sensitively introducing a 

compatible new use into a historic building. 

Located in a prominent position on Lowell 

Road, the barn retains its original appearance 

and stands as a reminder of Concord’s rich 

agrarian heritage.” 

Indeed, the Paine Barn is one of the few 

remaining signs that the Middlesex campus 

was previously a farm. Constructed with 

handmade nails and hand-cut lumber, the 

barn is estimated to have been built in the 

1870s—old, yet not quite “historic” in a town 

that was incorporated in 1635. The building 

had become a storage site for the School, 

but once renovated, the attractive, sizeable 

structure proved to be a great new location 

for Middlesex’s Facilities and Operations 

Department. In turn, the School’s emptied, 

defunct steam plant could be converted into 

the brighter, “greener” Rachel Carson Music 

and Campus Center, a beautiful new home 

for the departments of music and Spanish. 

While Middlesex School was listed first 

as the owner of the Paine Barn, the award 

also recognized several lead contributors 

to the success of the project, including Ben 

Nickerson, architect; B.W. Kennedy, contractor; 

Stantec Consulting Services, civil 

engineers; and Commercial Construction 

Consulting. M 


Middlesex People 

Finding a Life of Value 

“My dad thought that America 

was the greatest country in the 

world, where you could be born 

a slave and send all your children 

to college,” Duane Jones told 

the seniors. “I always did, too, 

but I always wanted America 

to be better. I hope I made her 

a little better, and I know that 

you will, too.” 

Life has come full circle for E. Duane Jones 

’70 on more than one occasion, the most 

recent of which took place on May 28, 2018, 

when he returned to Middlesex as the commencement 

speaker. “I love this place; I came 

here as a child,” he said at the outset. Comparing 

the campus to the house where he 

was born and raised, he affirmed, “This 

place is more home to me than that.” 

Now an attorney and lay minister in 

Georgia, Duane was one of the first African- 

American students to attend Middlesex when 

he arrived as an eighth grader in 1965. He 

framed his graduation address by saying, “I 

want to talk about my two dads: Eddie Jones 

and David Sheldon.” Descended from sharecroppers 

whose lives were “no different from 

slavery,” Duane was fortunate to have avoided 

that existence when the landowner, Church 

Ridley, inexplicably gave Duane’s father two 

acres to farm—and allowed him to keep the 

entire profit. “I’ve known a lot of sharecroppers,” 

Duane said. “I’ve never heard of this 

happening anywhere else.” 

Two years later, Duane’s father used his 

earnings to move to New York City, which 

would offer greater opportunities to his own 

children—especially the education that 

sharecropping had denied him, as he could 

only attend school on rainy days. 

At Middlesex, Duane met Headmaster 

David Sheldon, whom he described as “the 

all-powerful emperor of this golden land,” 

who nonetheless “ruled with the lightest and 

wisest touch.” He appreciated that example 

of a caring leader, adding, “When I was here, 

David Sheldon did everything in his power 

to make sure that I felt special and normal 

at the same time.” Reflecting on what he 

had learned in those years at Middlesex, he 

observed, “I’ve come to the conclusion that 

it’s all about values—meaning, what is important 

to you. What do you want to accomplish?” 

By this, he qualified, he did not mean 

that everyone must strive to be a senator 

or to cure cancer. “But until you find what’s 

valuable to you,” he stressed, “and pursue 

it full tilt, you will never be satisfied.” 

Figuring this out for himself, Duane 

allowed, took many years. A gifted debater 

and National Merit Scholarship winner, he 

went on to Harvard, graduating cum laude 

in 1974 with a degree in sociology. Since 

earning his J.D. at the University of California 

at Berkeley, he has been a practicing attorney 

in his adopted state of Georgia for nearly 

30 years, during which time he has argued 

before the Georgia Supreme Court. Duane 

has particularly distinguished himself as 

an impassioned representative for the marginalized 

and maltreated, tirelessly pursuing 


A Fulbright First 

Rowena Schenck ’14 Merits Scholarship 

justice under Title VII of the 

Civil Rights Act. He briefly 

shared examples of a few 

of those cases with his 

Middlesex audience. 

But it was one of those 

full-circle experiences 10 

years ago that put everything 

into perspective for Duane. 

Traveling back to his father’s 

hometown in Virginia after 

a Jones family reunion, he 

stopped in front of the home 

of Church Ridley for the very 

first time—and by chance 

met Ridley’s grandson there. 

As the two men exchanged 

business cards, Duane 

recounted, “I suddenly 

realized that in heaven, 

Eddie Jones can see Eddie 

Junior giving Church Ridley’s 

grandson the card that says 

that he’s a lawyer. He got an 

education; he went to school 

every day, rain or shine. 

Church Ridley, the investment 

you made in 1936— 

this is the return on that. 

Daddy, this is what you lived 

for: the sum of all your hopes 

and dreams.” 

Delivering his last words 

directly to the seniors, Duane 

advised, “Everything you do 

in life will have consequences 

you can never imagine. Find 

out what is valuable to you, 

pursue that with reckless abandon, 

and enjoy your wonderful 

life. You don’t owe anyone 

anything, but you’ll never be 

right until you give back.” M 

Having graduated last spring from Amherst College 

as a biochemistry and biophysics major, Rowena 

Schenck ’14 will spend her Fulbright year researching 

climate change at New Zealand’s University of 

Otago. (photo by Maria Stenzel) 

As a Middlesex senior, Rowena Schenck ’14 

was already accomplished. A four-year 

competitor on the varsity skiing and lacrosse 

teams—both of which she captained—she 

was a recipient of the Outstanding Senior 

Girl Athletic Award. And after she had ably 

served as a proctor in Hallowell House and 

as a peer tutor for biology, chemistry, physics, 

math, and history, it was not a great surprise 

that someone who could calmly handle 

many responsibilities would receive her 

diploma with highest credit. This past April, 

just before graduating from Amherst College, 

Rowena earned another academic distinction 

when she was offered a Fulbright 

Scholarship. 

A Generous Grant 

The fellowship is one of the most prestigious 

in the world, claiming among its alumni 

43 Nobel laureates and 78 Pulitzer Prize 

winners. It operates in more than 155 countries, 

sponsored by the U.S. government 

since 1946 to increase mutual understanding 

between Americans and citizens of other 

nations. Some Fulbright scholars receive 

grants to conduct research and/or pursue a 

one-year master’s degree in a participating 

Fulbright country; others are awarded English 

Teaching Assistantships to aid in teaching 

English and U.S. culture to non-native speakers 

in classrooms abroad. 

All grantees receive round-trip transportation 

to the host country, as well as room, 

board, living expenses, and health benefits; 

some grants also include funding for research, 

enrichment activities, tuition, language study, 

pre-departure orientations, and training in 

teaching English as a second language. 

The Chemistry of Climate 

Rowena was offered a Fulbright to research 

climate changes in New Zealand. A biochemistry 

and biophysics major, she is off to the 

University of Otago, where she is looking at 

the physical and chemical characteristics of 

New Zealand fjord cores, with the intent of 

recording carbon burial and wind variability— 

findings that can help predict climate changes. 

She plans to join the Otago Lacrosse Club 

and the school’s snow sports club. 

Following her Fulbright, Rowena plans to 

pursue a Ph.D. in earth sciences, focusing on 

the biogeochemistry of coastal environments 

and continental margins. Her long-term goals 

include teaching and research—areas that will 

undoubtedly welcome her personal strengths 

and scholarly achievements. M 


Middlesex People 

Honoring Initiative 

Distinguished Alumnus Victor Atkins ’63 

Through his foresight and generosity, 

Victor Atkins ’63 has made 

a tremendous difference—now 

and in the future—to the students 

and faculty of his alma mater. 

“Middlesex is where it all began,” 

he told the Bulletin years ago. 

“To me, life is about giving back.” 

12 MIDDLESEX fall 2018 

Though this year’s worthy recipient of the 

Henry Cabot Lodge ’20 Distinguished Alumni 

Award was unable to attend the ceremony 

on May 12, 2018, he was well represented 

by a great friend and admirer. Accepting the 

award on behalf of honoree Victor Atkins ’63 

was Barrie Landry, widow of former Middlesex 

Trustee, Board Treasurer, and generous 

benefactor Kevin Landry ’62 (who received 

the Lodge Award in 2012). Given annually 

since 1993, the Lodge Award recognizes a 

graduate whose life and career have made a 

significant contribution to society and whose 

accomplishments have brought great credit 

to Middlesex. As Barrie affirmed, “Without 

a doubt, Victor qualifies for this award on 

both counts.” 

After graduating from Middlesex in 

1963, Victor majored in economics at Harvard 

and graduated cum laude. Feeling compelled 

to serve his country, he enlisted as an officer 

in the Navy and volunteered to be deployed 

to Vietnam, where his bravery and service 

were acknowledged with the highly coveted 

Bronze Star. On returning stateside, Victor 

headed to Harvard Business School, graduating 

with high distinction and then moving 

to New York City to begin his career as an 

investment banker and private investor. 

As he found great success in the business 

world, Victor was determined to share this 

with others, reflecting the values passed 

down to him from his parents, Victor and 

Elizabeth. As Barrie aptly noted, “One only 

has to take a cursory look around this exquisite 

campus to see numerous examples of 

Victor’s deep generosity on vibrant display.” 

An early gift was the renovation of the Cage, 

which was subsequently named the Atkins 

Athletic Center in honor of his parents. In 

2002, he spearheaded the renovation of the 

rink and the expansion of adjacent athletic 

facilities, creating the Elizabeth Atkins Field 

House, which was dedicated to his mother. 

Not solely focused on “bricks and mortar” 

projects, Victor significantly strengthened the 

School’s infrastructure and resources, too. He 

advocated strongly for keeping the campus 

up-to-date with technological developments 

and created matching challenges that raised 

millions to bolster the funding of faculty 

compensation and student financial aid. Most 

recently, Victor played a pivotal role in the 

Residential Life Challenge that renovated 

several dorms and brought Landry House 

to fruition. “Even though Landry House 

bears our name,” Barrie said, “this dorm 

was conceived and largely funded by Victor 

to honor my husband Kevin. This house, 

in my mind and heart, will always be remembered 

as the ‘house that friendship built’ and 

is emblematic of Victor’s profound generosity 

and abiding loyalty.”

Notably, Victor’s generosity 

is not restricted to 

Middlesex, and he has left a 

significant imprint on places 

such as Harvard, the Santa 

Barbara Museum of Art, the 

Santa Barbara Museum of 

Natural History, and the 1610 

Society at the University of 

Oxford. Victor has also been 

driven to provide opportunities 

for others, as he has by 

supporting the Southampton 

Fresh Air Home, which 

hosts free summer sessions 

for underprivileged children 

with disabilities. 

When Barrie spoke 

to Victor about the Lodge 

Award, she asked him what 

qualities drove his success, to 

which he replied, “Creativity, 

diligence, hard work, and 

perseverance.” To this list, 

Barrie reflected, she would 

add the word “initiative,” or 

“doing the right thing without 

being told,” as the dramatist 

Victor Hugo once defined 

it. “Victor Atkins has always 

stepped forward to do the 

right thing,” Barrie concluded. 

“Whether serving his country 

or giving back to communities 

and institutions that shaped 

him—or to causes he believed 

in—Victor’s imprint is wide 

and deep. Victor wants you 

to know how deeply appreciative 

he is of this honor, 

and we as a community want 

Victor to know how thankful 

we are for his friendship and 

for all that he has done for this 

beloved school of ours.” M 

Alumnus, Parent–and now Trustee 

Edward F. Mehm ’83 Joins the Board 

Having remained actively involved with 

Middlesex ever since he received his diploma 

in 1983, Edward F. Mehm has now joined the 

School’s Board of Trustees for a three-year 

term. A graduate of Middlebury College, 

Ted started his career in banking at Bank 

of Boston and Fleet Real Estate Capital. He 

is now co-founder and managing partner of 

Capital Crossing, an industry-leading underwriter, 

investor, and servicer of commercial 

real estate and small business loans. 

As an alumnus and parent, Ted knows 

Middlesex well through his participation in 

a variety of volunteer efforts. Still serving as 

a class agent, he has previously supported 

other alumni outreach activities by taking 

part as a speaker on an Alumni Career Panel 

and working on reunion committees and on 

the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. 

Ted and his wife Margot have been members 

of the Middlesex Parents’ Committee for 

the last seven years, and they have hosted 

an admissions reception for the School at 

their North Shore home. Four years ago, 

the Mehms initiated and hosted an alumni 

reception in Hyannis Port, which has already 

become one of the most well-attended 

summer events. 

Most recently, Ted’s sponsorship facilitated 

holding the 2018 Kingman Cup Golf 

Tournament on the Myopia Hunt Club’s challenging 

and coveted course. In addition to 

his efforts on Middlesex’s behalf, Ted has 

served as co-chair of the Brookwood School’s 

endowment campaign, The Time is Now, 

which surpassed its fundraising goal of 

$10 million. 

A class agent for decades, new Trustee Ted Mehm 

’83 has stayed connected to Middlesex through 

many alumni activities and has come to know the 

current school well through the student experience 

of his three sons. 

All three of the Mehms’ sons have followed 

Ted to Middlesex: Alex ’14 is a recent 

graduate of Hamilton College and is currently 

attending Tufts University’s postbac premedical 

program; Spencer ’17 is a sophomore at 

Trinity College; and Charlie ’21 is a member 

of the sophomore class at the School. M 


Team Highlights 

For more sports news visit 

https://athletics.mxschool.edu 

Boys’ Tennis 

Elected a co-captain for the 2019 season, Sid 

Smith ’20 helped the Middlesex Boys’ Varsity reach 

its first New England Tournament in several years. 

Girls’ Crew 

Early season seat racing was competitive last spring, as 50 athletes— 

a record number—joined the girls’ crew program for the 2018 season. 

Boys’ Lacrosse 

An up-and-coming star midfielder for 

Middlesex, Cole Nye ’20 sprinted 

past a defender in an early game of 

the 2018 season. 

Girls’ Tennis 

Captain Helen Lasry ’18 had a strong season 

as the #1 singles player for the Middlesex 

Girls’ Varsity. 

Baseball 

Co-Captain Mike Doherty ’18 was named 

All-League for the second time and finished 

fourth in the ISL in strikeouts while posting 

a 1.99 ERA. He will continue his baseball 

career at Northwestern. 


Repeating Success 

Contributing outstanding individual performances to their team efforts, Middlesex athletes excelled this spring, bringing 

home an ISL Championship in girls’ lacrosse and several New England Championship medals in track and field. 

Consecutive Championships 

Finishing the season 11-1 in the league and 15-1 

overall, the girls’ varsity lacrosse team clinched its 

second consecutive ISL title on May 25 with a conclusive 

13-2 win against rival St. George’s. Exceptional 

team effort—from the seniors to all three freshmen— 

characterized the victory, as players took turns both 

setting up and scoring goals, while the defensive unit 

achieved a first-half shutout. In the second half, St. 

George’s came out strong and notched its first goal 

within seconds, but Middlesex answered with three 

more goals, skillfully maintaining the lead—and 

the title. 

Collectively, the team shattered previous 

records by earning a total of 232 goals, 162 caused 

turnovers, 205 draw controls, 212 contested ground 

balls, and 22 interceptions. Individually, four seniors 

broke several school records this season: Lucie 

Gildehaus ’18 surpassed her own 2017 goal record; 

Captain Caroline Hughes ’18 topped the ground 

ball record by one and earned 37 caused turnovers; 

Sophie MacKeigan ’18 notched 68 draw controls 

and earned a school-high eight interceptions on the 

season; and Maddie MacMaster ’18 snagged 61 draw 

controls, beating the 2012 record. All four of these 

seniors, along with Marina Bevacqua ’18 and Caroline 

Fischer ’18, will be continuing their lacrosse careers 

at the collegiate level. 

Top Finishes for Track 

May 19 was a great day for the girls’ and boys’ varsity 

track teams at the New England Championships, held 

this year in Bath, Maine. After having finished third in 

the ISL Championships only six days earlier, the girls 

took second place—for the third consecutive year 

—at the New Englands. In the 4x400-meter relay, the 

girls set new meet and school records, securing the 

championship title in that event. Team members also 

scored well in several other events, from sprints and 

jumps to hurdles and mid-distance races. 

Meanwhile, the boys moved up significantly 

from last year’s performance to finish in third place 

amid stiff competition. Team members earned championship 

status in four events: the 4x100-meter relay, 

the 400-meter race, the 110-meter high hurdles, and 

the 4x400-meter relay. They scored well in several 

mid-distance races, too, contributing to Middlesex’s 

point tally. With a strong core of athletes returning 

next spring, the track program’s prospects are 

looking bright. M 

With its eight seniors featured prominently in front, the girls’ varsity lacrosse team 

had every reason to smile after finishing first in the Independent School League for 

the second year in a row. 

Surrounded by their jubilant teammates, the four captains of track—Nina Thomas ’18, 

Halina Tittmann ’18, Micheal Acevedo ’18, and Colin McCabe ’18—are seated in front, 

holding their second and third-place trophies from the New England Championships. 

MIDDLESEX FALL fall 2018 15

Alumni Weekend 

Representing eight decades of Middlesex graduates, 

hundreds of the School’s alumni returned 

to campus on May 11 and 12, 2018. The festivities 

began on Friday evening under the Alumni 

Weekend tent, where classmates and faculty 

gathered to reconnect while enjoying a delicious 

clambake provided by Woodman’s of Essex. 

Saturday’s schedule started early with breakfast 

gatherings for the 50th reunion class of 

1968 and for the “Old Guard” (those who have 

already celebrated a 50th reunion). Afterwards, 

a moving Memorial Service in the Chapel was 

ably led by the Reverend Melissa Watt Tustin 

’93. Heading over to the Danoff Recital Hall 

within the Rachel Carson Music and Campus 

Center, Head of School Kathy Giles and Board 

President Stephen Lari ’90 brought alumni 

up-to-date on the state of the School after its 

recent, highly successful capital campaign. Their 

remarks were followed by the presentation of 

the Distinguished Alumni Award, which was 

accepted on behalf of Victor Atkins ’63 by Barrie 

Landry (widow of longtime Trustee and Board 

Treasurer Kevin Landry ’62). The morning concluded 

with the induction of three new Athletic 

Hall of Fame members: Ned Herter ’73, Justin 

Oates ’98, and Rob Borden ’00. Curt Curtis ’62 

was recognized for his enthusiasm and dedication 

as the Hall of Fame’s nominating committee 

chair, a position he then entrusted to Nick 

Kondon ’80. 

Escaping the rain and cold during lunch 

under the tent, guests later ventured out to watch 

both varsity lacrosse teams win handily. In 

the Danoff Recital Hall, musical performances 

highlighted the talents of current Middlesex 

students, and a special ceremony dedicated the 

Steinway piano (a gift of North Whipple ’04) in 

memory of the late Sarah Gray Megan, who led 

the Middlesex Music Department for 15 years. 

Subsequently, retiring faculty member Carrie 

Bolster was honored by the Middlesex Alumni 

Association for her 35 years of service. The 

weekend wrapped up with individual, offcampus 

parties for reunion classes from 1948 

to 2013, giving friends more time to catch 

up and reminisce. 

Alumni who had already celebrated a 50th reunion enjoyed breakfast on Saturday in the 

Terry Room, where they used to gather for morning assembly in their student days. Seated, 

from left to right, are Hugh Blair-Smith ’53, Jay Keyes ’53, and Marshall Field ’59. 

Scott Conant ’63, Doug 

Sears ’65, and Stephen Kelly 

started the weekend at the 

Friday night clambake. 

Below: Members of the 

class of 1968 who attended 

Saturday’s lunch gathered 

for a 50th reunion photo. 

From left to right: Andy 

Burnes, Bill Hurt, Steve 

Tatro, Barney Voegtlen, 

Duncan MacLane, Michael 

Berry, Jim Rutherford, 

John Kiley, Dan Shapiro, 

Ben Russell, Burton 

Edwards, Sam Bell, George 

Day, and Lans Burns. 


16 MIDDLESEX FALL 2018

Settled in 

the Chapel’s 

balcony, 

Grayson Allen 

’93 and his 

son Gordon 

listened to 

the Alumni 

Memorial 

Service led by 

the Reverend 

Melissa Watt 

Tustin ’93. 

Phil Hirschler ’73, David Bull ’73, and George Newson ’73 returned to mark 

their 45th reunion. 

Retiring French teacher Carrie Bolster got a big, congratulatory 

hug from Ally Forman Kirk ’93 just before the Saturday afternoon 

reception honoring Carrie. 

Back for their 10th reunion, Hannah Systrom ’08, Andres Tello ’08, 

and Alex Kloppenburg ’08 caught up at the Friday evening festivities. 

Below: Class of 2003 graduates who came back to connect at 

the clambake included (left to right): Vieve Leslie, Lindsey Franklin, 

Erin Bergin, Jodie Zhang, Annie Mears, and Holly Daddario. 

MIDDLESEX Fall fall 2018 17


The class of 

2013 was wellrepresented 

at its 

very first official 

reunion; among 

those returning 

were, from left 

to right: Andrew 

Matos, Peter 

Mattoon, Arvind 

Balasundaram, 

Drew Thorne- 

Stewart, Saejal 

Chatter, Thad 

Pryor, and Tom 

Stone. 

Given by North Whipple ’04 

in memory of Sarah Gray 

Megan (Middlesex’s Music 

Department Head from 1989 

to 2004), this beautiful 

Steinway piano was officially 

dedicated on Saturday, with 

Jack Megan (Sarah’s husband), 

Head of School Kathy 

Giles, and North and Emily 

Whipple present for the 

ceremony. Reflecting Sarah’s 

own feelings, the commemorative 

plaque in the Danoff 

Recital Hall appropriately 

reads, “To all who come here 

to play, may music be the 

very expression of your soul.” 

Though this year’s recipient was unable to attend 

the ceremony, his longtime friend Barrie Landry 

(widow of former Trustee and Treasurer Kevin 

Landry ’62) graciously accepted the Distinguished 

Alumni Award on behalf of Victor Atkins ’63. As 

president of the Middlesex Alumni Association, 

Trustee Rob Trumbull ’00 presided over the 

2018 presentation. 

18 MIDDLESEX FALL fall 2018

Athletic Hall of Fame 

2018 Inductees 

Having chaired the nominating committee for 

the past seven years, Hall of Famer Curt Curtis 

’62 (far left) passed that honor to fellow Hall 

of Famer Nick Kondon ’80, who joined in the 

ceremony for the 2018 inductees: Rob Borden 

’00, Ned Herter ’73, and Justin Oates ’98. 

The Middlesex Athletic Hall of Fame 

Nominating Committee welcomes your 

nominations of classmates, teammates, 

and coaches. If you have someone 

you’d like to see considered for 

induction, please contact Director 

of Alumni Relations John Morrissey 

at jmorrissey@mxschool.edu. 

Edward “Ned” Herter ’73 

Ned won a total of nine letters in 

his Middlesex career—three each 

in football, basketball, and baseball— 

and served as baseball captain in 1973. 

He then played football and lacrosse 

at Bowdoin College. A boys’ lacrosse 

coach at Middlesex for 38 years, Ned 

compiled a record of 346-77 in his 29 

years as the head coach, securing 12 

ISL championships. He was named the 

ISL Coach of the Year four times and is 

a member of the New England Lacrosse 

and the Eastern Massachusetts 

Lacrosse Halls of Fame. Additionally, 

Ned served as an assistant football 

coach at Middlesex for many years 

and helped the team secure multiple 

New England Championships. 

Justin E. Oates ’98 

Earning 11 letters in his Middlesex 

career, including three in soccer and 

four each in ice hockey and lacrosse, 

Justin was named All-League three 

times in hockey and once in lacrosse, 

also receiving an All-League Honorable 

Mention once in soccer. As a senior, 

he served as captain of ice hockey and 

lacrosse, and he was named All-New 

England in both sports. Justin won 

the Kelton Bowl in 1996, the Class II 

Athletic Prize in 1997, and then three 

Middlesex athletic awards in 1998: 

the Ty Prince ’63 Memorial Bowl, 

the Joseph Morrill, Jr. Hockey Bowl, 

and the Ruth S. Kondon Memorial 

Lacrosse Bowl. He continued to play 

lacrosse at Cornell. 

Robert R. Borden IV ’00 

In his Middlesex athletic career, 

Rob won a total of 11 letters, with four 

in football and ice hockey and three 

in lacrosse. He not only captained all 

three sports as a senior but was also 

named All-League in football and 

All-League and All-New England in 

lacrosse that year. Rob earned the 

Class II Alumni Prize in 1999, followed 

by the Ty Prince ’63 Memorial Bowl 

in 2000. While playing lacrosse at 

Middlebury for four years, he helped 

his team to win two National 

Championships. 

MIDDLESEX fall FALL 2018 19

Fond 

Farewells 

Carrie Bolster: Language of Love 

After four decades of teaching French with passion and verve, 

Madame Carrie Bolster retires. 

By Beth Saulnier ’87 

In one of the odd quirks of fate that nudge our lives in 

unexpected directions—and which have buffeted the heroines 

of many a French novel—four decades of Middlesex 

students would have missed out on an extraordinary teacher, 

if it weren’t for one misbehaving piece of heavy machinery. 

J’explique. When Carrie Bolster was in her mid-twenties, 

she owned an industrial painting business in Corvallis, Oregon. 

One day, she was in the basket of a boom truck, 150 feet in 

the air, when the lift sprung a hydraulic leak. As she slowly 

descended, the episode prompted some self-reflection. “I 

was up there thinking, ‘Do I really want to be doing this for 

the rest of my life?’” Carrie recalls. “I said, ‘This is worthy 

work—but I don’t.’” 

Already fluent in French—a language she’d perfected 

during her junior year of college, when she lived in Lyon and 

Paris—Carrie decided to pursue a master’s in teaching at the 

University of Oregon. While in grad school, she taught French 

to undergrads. Those of us who knew Carrie when she arrived 

at Middlesex in 1983—when members of the class of ’87 

were freshmen and the petite and ever-youthful Carrie might 

plausibly have been mistaken for a senior—will smile quietly 

at her description of her first teaching gig at Oregon. She walked 

into a packed classroom—no seats left, students perched on 

windowsills—and made her way to the front, every eye upon 

her. “They all looked at me like, ‘No, she’s our French teacher? 

Yeah, right!’” Carrie recalls with a laugh. “So I said, ‘Vous 

êtes prêts, tout le monde? On va commencer? Des le début, 

on va parler en français.’ [‘Is everyone ready? Shall we start? 

From the beginning, we’re going to speak in French.’] 

They immediately got it.” 

It was the beginning of a remarkable teaching career that 

came to a close last spring, when Carrie retired from Middlesex. 

In the intervening decades, she shared her infectious love 

of the French language, literature, and culture with thousands 

of students, who were lucky enough to count her as a teacher, 

mentor, coach, and friend. Carrie’s classroom was a vibrant, 

thrilling place—she got her students conversing (and sometimes 

dancing), parsing Baudelaire poems, diving into 

Flaubert and Duras and Sartre. Learning standard vocabulary 

like “left, right, straight ahead”? Carrie took you on a Tour 

de Middlesex, so you barely noticed you were inhaling the 

language while you navigated campus (and ended in her 

L.B. apartment for ice cream pie). “I really, really love to 

teach,” she says. “It’s in my blood.” 

In addition to covering the traditional giants of French 

literature, Carrie relished sharing the voices of the wider 

Francophone world; in a course for advanced students, she 

included writers from Vietnam, Québec, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, 

and more. And she brought a bracingly fresh eye to the 

classics. When she taught Racine’s play Phèdre—about a 

queen from Greek myth who falls for her stepson, with fatal 

consequences—she did it from a feminist perspective. The 

title character, she told us, was the only one who saw the 

future clearly; the real tragedy was that no one would listen. 

Carrie moved off campus in 1990, when she married Rob 

Houghton (a nephew of then-Headmaster David Sheldon and 

his late wife Judy, who played matchmaker). They have two 

children, both Middlesex alumni: Kate Bolster-Houghton ’11, 

a freelance designer in New York City, and Michael Mac 

Bolster-Houghton ’14, who works in marketing in Boston. 

Anyone who’s visited their Colonial-era home in Acton 

knows that she and Rob—a retired teacher and highly accomplished 

photographer—arguably have a third progeny: a 

massive, gorgeous, phenomenally productive backyard garden. 


Speaking of horticulture, in recent 

years, Carrie was the primary steward 

of the Middlesex garden, an Edenic spot 

that periodically supplied the dining 

hall with fresh vegetables and herbs. 

In summer, Carrie would come by a 

few days a week to labor and harvest, 

reveling in the early morning beauty, 

hawks circling overhead as she’d weed 

and vanquish squash bugs. She expects 

her retirement to evolve as organically 

as the gardens. 

She knows there will be plenty of 

travel—she and Rob went to Vietnam in 

September—and she’ll spend more time 

with her widowed father, who’s retired 

from a long career as Princeton’s head 

of annual giving. She’ll see more of her 

extended family, of whom there are 

many: Carrie is the second-oldest of 14 

siblings. And, being generous of spirit, 

she plans to be useful to others, in what 

arena she isn’t yet sure. “I feel very fortunate 

to retire in good health,” she says, 

“and with lots of energy.” Asked what 

she’ll miss most, Carrie cites her 

beloved friend and colleague Chantal 

Jordan—and her students. “Of course, 

they vex you sometimes,” she says. “But 

they make you smile and laugh, and 

they give you the energy to say, ‘OK, 

that didn’t work; that lesson fell flat. 

How can I do better next time?’” 

When I got together with Carrie 

and Rob to chat for this tribute, I asked 

her to list her favorite French writings 

—one poem, one short story, one novel, 

and one work of nonfiction—with an 

eye toward offering alumni a “Bolster 

Essentials” reading list. It was, as they 

say in Intro French, une bêtise—a stupid 

thing to do. How could I expect such a 

passionate lover of the literature and 

culture to be so reductive? (And as it 

turned out, her beautifully curated, 

e-mailed list would have taken up an 

entire column.) But I also asked her 

to reflect on what she’d carve as a 

graduation plaque; her answer was 

thoughtful and perfect. 

She would, she said, carve a sunflower, 

a tomato plant, and a thyme 

plant. She’d caption it with Voltaire’s 

classic closing line from Candide, when 

the title character says, “… il faut cultiver 

notre jardin” (“we must cultivate our 

garden”). For her, she explained, the 

phrase is both literal and metaphorical. 

She takes immense, tactile pleasure in 

working the soil, tending the plants, harvesting 

the produce, sharing the bounty. 

Similarly, we must grow the garden of 

our own minds, passionately pursue 

our interests, and bring beauty and 

harmony to the world. “As a teacher, 

one needs to do this for oneself,” she 

wrote me, “and encourage this development 

and growth in one’s students.” 

Bravo, Carrie. Bravo! M 

Beth Saulnier ’87 is the longtime senior 

editor of Cornell Alumni Magazine and 

the author of seven mystery novels. She 

credits Madame Bolster with inspiring 

her to major in French literature at Vassar. 


Steve Butera 

After 30 years at Middlesex, Steve 

Butera has headed out West, 

packing the Subaru wagon last 

August and driving off into the 

sunset—or at least in that general direction. 

He may not have been planning 

to retire just yet, but as Steve explained, 

“My parents need my help, and I’m 

happy to go and be with them.” 

Family responsibilities also brought 

Steve to Middlesex back in late December 

1987. He had been working for 14 years 

as a freelance photographer, but with his 

first child on the way, he opted for the 

more regular employment of supervising 

Middlesex’s painting crew, getting to 

know the campus and its community in 

the process. In 1998, when a visual arts 

post became available, Steve was hired, 

calling on his expertise in photography 

and his prior experience teaching art 

at the Lexington Waldorf School. 

Though he taught a variety of 

courses over the years, including art history, 

drawing, and sculpture, Steve was 

best known for his photography classes. 

From the first, he was adept at taking 

students beyond their basic interest in 

learning how to use a camera, teaching 

them the deliberate approach and visual 

skills that are essential to creating art 

in any medium. “I liked to emphasize 

design and composition,” he says. “That’s 

fundamental, and you don’t need a lot 

of fancy technique or equipment. I 

wanted students to explore the world 

outside themselves, to engage with that 

world and learn how to express their 

feelings and their ideas visually. For 

some kids, it was a revelation.” 

That journey of discovery was 

certainly facilitated by Steve’s genial 

demeanor and manner. “He was super 

patient, which was awesome,” remembers 

Jay Welch ’13. “He wanted to take 

people out shooting and spend time 

practicing, and then highlight the good 

stuff in the photos—emphasize that and 

build on it. Art is an interesting thing to 

be grading, and it was the most welcoming 

way I had ever had to learning art.” 

At the same time, Khanh Dang ’15 

adds, “Steve had very high standards 

for a student’s work. He was willing to 

spend a lot of time helping, but he also 

expected a lot. He really cared about his 

students, but he wanted them to care 

about the work, too. You couldn’t just 

slack off.” In fact, both Khanh and 

Christina Sotirescu ’16 cared enough 

Frank Boisvert 

Early in 2001, Middlesex’s Facilities and Operations Department was in 

need of a second carpenter and was fortunate to find Frank Boisvert. 

“He was just the type of person we were looking for,” remembers George 

Torigian, director of the department. “He was a veteran of the trade who 

was tired of traveling from job to job and was looking to settle down at 

this stage of his career.” 

For nearly 16 years, Frank took care of innumerable projects and 

tasks around campus, working capably and efficiently in his amiable, 

quiet way. “He did everything from hanging pictures and fixing locks or 

broken window shades to building elaborate shelving systems, cabinets, 

and work stations,” George recalls. “He was a very detailed carpenter, 

very skilled at his craft,” adds Mike Rivetts, facilities superintendent and 

grounds foreman, “and he was a great colleague who was team-oriented, 

always willing to help out other departments for school events.” 

As unobtrusively as he went about his work at Middlesex, Frank 

retired in the same manner in late December 2017, preferring little 

fanfare—or probably even this attention in the Bulletin. Nonetheless, 

as someone who is described as being “a great coworker,” “impossible 

not to like,” and “always here for the School,” Frank has certainly earned 

the Middlesex community’s gratitude and best wishes for a long and 

happy life in retirement. M 


about their progress that they requested 

their own Advanced Placement Photography 

course, so that they could assemble 

formal portfolios for evaluation. 

Of course, Steve obliged—and both 

earned the highest possible AP score. 

“Mr. Butera was one of the most 

influential teachers I had at Middlesex,” 

Christina affirms. “He taught me how to 

see.” Still applying that training in visual 

composition to different projects today, 

she reflects, “I really consider myself 

a creative person purely because of 

photography and what he taught me.” 

At all levels of instruction, Steve 

emphasized the importance of practice, 

of getting off campus and looking with 

fresh eyes at new places, and he was 

generous in helping students achieve 

that. “He had to fit shooting times 

around the very full Middlesex schedule,” 

says English teacher KP Van Norden, 

Steve’s longtime colleague, friend, 

and de facto photo student. “He made 

himself available almost every day and 

time that he didn’t have a Middlesex 

obligation. That’s about the quintessence 

of accessibility.” 

These outings were memorable 

experiences for many students. “We went 

out dozens of times, often little trips to 

West Concord,” recalls Jay, who especially 

enjoyed an excursion to a Cambodian 

New Year celebration in Lowell. “I’m 

very appreciative for all those trips— 

and how much gas he probably used 

up on them!” 

Some really needed that extra push 

to recognize the primacy of shooting. 

“My sophomore year, I spent countless 

hours in the darkroom developing 

negatives and prints, hoping to build a 

portfolio over time,” remembers Kevin 

Systrom ’02. “Mr. Butera could have 

simply let photography be a technical 

skill, one about timing, chemical baths, 

and paper types. Instead, he transformed 

my passion for photography 

into a passion for adventure. He taught 

me that photography isn’t about the 

darkroom; it’s about discovering the 

world. Our countless photo trips into 

Steve Butera with 

Timothy Ren ’18 

“Mr. Butera was one of the most 

influential teachers I had at Middlesex,” 

Christina Sotirescu ’16 affirms. 

“He taught me how to see.” 

Boston or neighboring towns will 

remain some of my favorite adventures 

in high school.” 

Five years after Kevin graduated, 

the darkroom itself was transformed, 

as digital photography was steadily replacing 

film and its chemical-dependent 

processing. With gifts and advice from 

Middlesex parents, Steve was able to 

convert the old “wet” darkroom into 

an entirely digital lab, complete with 

cameras, computers, scanners, and ink 

jet printers. “There are so many more 

things you can do with digital than 

you could with the wet process,” Steve 

observes. “As a teaching aid, it’s fantastic 


Susan Murphy 

As Susan wrote in an e-mail to her colleagues last March, “It’s hard to believe the day 

has come that I am retiring. When I first came to Middlesex, I worked mother’s hours 

and never thought I would be here 35 years later.” 

With two young daughters back in 1983, Susan initially accepted a part-time position 

in the School’s Alumni Office, joining Mary Barkas in the College Office two years later 

because she was interested in working more with Middlesex’s current students. Eventually, 

when Mary wanted to “retire” to a part-time schedule, she exchanged places with 

Susan, who was ready and able to take on the role of full-time administrative assistant. 

And there Susan stayed, steadily working for three successive heads of school and five 

college counseling directors. 

As the office’s new director in 2002, Matt DeGreeff was grateful for Susan’s meticulous 

organization and institutional knowledge. “She knew all the ins and outs of the 

School, all the processes, all the players,” he says. He quickly came to appreciate her 

detail-oriented, solicitous support, both professionally and personally. “She loved to laugh,” 

Matt adds, “and she cared about my family and my children. Susan cared deeply about 

the students and serving them well and maintaining the integrity of the college process.” 

Much changed in the work of her office over the course of Susan’s tenure. “We 

used to type the recommendations on a typewriter with carbon copies,” she remembers. 

“The computer and the program Naviance have made things easier—no more massive 

mailings of applications and midyear reports.” Nonetheless, given her conscientious 

attention to the multiple steps of the process each year, Susan can take credit for helping 

at least 2700 students file roughly 17,000 applications—astonishing numbers for one 

career! 

Among the many Middlesex alumni who are grateful for her warmth, compassion, 

and reassurance is Adam Johnson ’99, who still considers Susan his “East Coast mother,” 

keeping in touch by phone or over lunch when he’s in town. “I doubt your job description 

from years ago said, ‘Forge lifelong friendships with the kids after you assist them with 

getting into college,’ but that is what you have done with me,” he wrote in a tribute to 

her. “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the role you have played in my life.” 

Last spring, Susan handed the reins to her colleague, Beth Hill, who joined the 

office five years ago. “Susan could not have been more patient and kind with me as I 

was learning the ropes,” Beth affirms, “and she basically spent the last year making sure 

that I knew everything about this office. She left it in the best state possible.” 

Yet Susan won’t be leaving her expertise of the last 35 years behind her entirely, 

for she is retiring just in time for the eldest of her four grandchildren to undertake the 

college application process. He will be in the best of hands. M 


because you can go out with a student 

and see what they did and critique it 

right there, which speeds up the learning 

process. I’m very happy with digital 

as a teaching medium.” 

Inspiring students through the 

work of other photographers was 

another of his effective methods, and 

Steve took care in building the Warburg 

Library’s collection, regularly suggesting 

books to purchase. “It was interesting 

to see the variety that he chose,” says 

Reference Librarian Zaiga Alksnitis, 

“as he clearly wanted to expose kids to 

different styles and periods.” Remarkably, 

those many volumes hardly represented 

his own visual record. “There is 

not a living photographer whose work 

he hasn’t looked at,” Khanh contends. 

“It’s mind boggling that if I went to a 

random exhibition in an out-of-the-way 

gallery, he would know who the artist 

was and have an opinion about it.” 

And photography was not Steve’s 

only enthusiasm. “Mr. Butera heard that 

I loved Italian food and hosted me and 

my best friend, Garrett Albright ’02, for 

pasta and movie nights,” relates Kevin. 

“We’d learn the art of preparing traditional 

pasta puttanesca and watch classic 

movies that defined cinema, like Metropolis. 

I owe my love of cooking, movies, 

and photography to Mr. Butera.” 

For Khanh—far from her home in 

Vietnam—Steve was a valued “mentor 

and family,” an excellent listener and 

trusted advisor. “I always loved talking 

to Steve because he has such an encyclopedic 

knowledge about many topics, 

especially art, culture, and history,” she 

says, “but I think his most important 

qualities are his compassion and 

generosity.” 

For these strengths—and for his 

humor and excellent restaurant recommendations—Steve 

is already missed. 

“We all have a handful of influential 

people in our lives that have defined 

our interests and passions,” Kevin aptly 

sums up, “and I thank him for being 

a mentor to me.” M

Graduation 2018 

Sophie Stewart ’18 and Nina Thomas ’18. 

Harry Craig ’18, Cooper Rumrill ’18, 

Ezra Muratoglu ’18, Teddy Matel ’18, 

and Giao Phan ’18. 

Braving the chilly, misty 

Memorial Day weather, 

104 members of the class 

of 2018 set out from the 

Chapel to Eliot Hall, with Senior 

Class President Ameya Shere, 

School President Luke Collins, 

and School Vice President 

Alice Crow leading the way. 

MIDDLESEX FALL fall 2018 25

Graduation 2018 

Almost ready for the ceremony, Ted Pyne ’18 stopped by 

the Terry Room to have a boutonniere pinned on his lapel. 

Ashlee Falconer ’18 and 

Dereck Marmolejos ’18, 

both bound for NYU, 

smile for a photo with 

Ashlee’s mother 

Yvonne. 

Elizabeth Ensslin ’18 and Nina Huttemann 

’18 exchange thanks and congratulations 

with faculty and staff in the post-ceremony 

receiving line. 

Seniors sang the School hymn, “Rank by Rank,” one last time together. 

Head of School Kathy Giles handed a diploma “with credit” 

to Harrison Clark ’18. In her graduation remarks, she cautioned 

seniors against a life focused on surface appearance and 

“likes,” as recent research has found that more screen time 

correlates with less happiness. “Real connection is what we 

humans crave,” she affirmed. “Continuing to work on your skills 

as a connector will turn out to be the most valuable contribution 

you can make to the people of the communities you will join 

over the next year and throughout the rest of your lives.” 


26 MIDDLESEX FALL 2018

Guest speaker 

Duane Jones ’70 

stands between 

Board President 

Stephen Lari ’90 

and Head of 

School Kathy 

Giles. 

Diplomas 

in hand, the 

School’s newest 

alumni closed 

the ceremony 

with “Jerusalem,” 

known to 

Middlesex 

graduates as 

“Hymn 110.” 

Elected Valedictorian Walker Cook ’18 looked 

back on his four years at Middlesex as a time 

of both struggle and success, throughout 

which he valued the support of family, faculty, 

and fellow students. “We have made friendships 

and memories here that I hope, for all 

of us, will last a lifetime,” he told his classmates. 

“As we prepare to leave this Circle for 

the last time, it is okay to be sad, but remember 

that this is not the end. Carry your experiences 

and friendships with you, and I am confident 

that you will be successful in whatever it is 

you desire.” 

The Boelhouwer family gained another Middlesex 

graduate with Charlotte ’18, standing between 

her mother and brother Will ’16. 

MIDDLESEX fall 2018 27 

MIDDLESEX FALL 2018 27

Alumni Notes & News 

’47 

Class Secretary: Henry 

Woodbridge, tkdw2817 

@charter.net 

Woody Woodbridge writes, 

“No news from Pomfret except 

for wishing Middlesex well in its 

search for a new leader.” 

Rich Allen is still at the golf 

game, planning to compete in the 

2019 National 90s Tournaments. 

Rich, please keep us informed, 

as you have a built-in cheering 

section. 

Susie and Eliot Clarke are 

moving their permanent home to 

Boca Grande, FL, where the family 

has had many years’ experience. 

The beautiful farm and gardens in 

Millbrook, NY, will be maintained 

for seasonal use. 

Tom Bancroft has joined many 

of our friends walking with new 

joints, having recently had a hip 

replacement. All seems to be going 

well. There is a possibility that due 

to the fact that Tom’s late brother 

Bill ’49 has a grandson entering 

Middlesex this fall, the Bancroft 

family holds the record for numbers 

participating at Middlesex. And it 

is a great record in so many ways. 

’51 

Class Secretary: Renny Little, 

renlittle@comcast.net 

Reg Anderson reports that Maury 

Hammond visited him in Grafton 

and on Cape Cod last August. 

Tom Bisbee will be at Fox 

Hill Village in Westwood during 

the winters starting this year. 

Gilly Gilmore writes that he 

is “still breathing.” 

John Amory is celebrating 

58 years as a realtor with CBRE, a 

worldwide commercial real estate 

firm in Phoenix, AZ. “In 2005, the 

Scottsdale/Paradise Valley was no 

longer an area where one could 

ride a horse off property without 

trailing some distance. Our quality 

of life was over…thus the move to 

Wickenburg, AZ, a town located 


about 50 miles northeast of 

Phoenix, where we have more 

space for our ranch and can enjoy 

a clean area and magnificent views. 

I can still be at my office in Phoenix 

about an hour-plus drive away.” 

John is active on the trails and 

economic commissions in the 

town of Wickenburg. “Andy 

Anderson visits from time to 

time and we travel to La Jolla and 

Montecito, California, to visit our 

daughters. Our son is involved in 

the thoroughbred racing industry, 

living in Kentucky. It’s always a 

thrill to attend the Kentucky 

Derby and the Breeders Cup.” 

’54 

Class Secretary: Frank Hegner, 

cfhegner@aol.com 

Dick Fox says he hits balls once 

or twice a week and plays 18 holes 

from time to time but isn’t thrilled 

with his score. He attended this 

year’s reunion and says the School’s 

new facilities are magnificent. 

Sam Greeley has just finished 

building a new computer to use 

with Photoshop, his perennial 

pastime. He says he walks four 

to five miles every day while listening 

to books. He and Leah plan to 

spend a month in Brooklin, ME, 

with his sister. 

Frank Hegner, his brother, 

Lee ’57, and Chan Young ’55 

(down from Steamboat Springs 

for the occasion) lunched with 

Paul Harrison, Middlesex’s Senior 

Master, in downtown Denver and 

were updated about the School’s 

students, new facilities, endowment, 

and events. Frank still 

does volunteer work with the Boy 

Scouts as a unit commissioner and 

is still working on his book about 

a prolific but unheralded Denver 

architect. 

George Krumbhaar was caught 

up with on Cape Cod and reported 

that he and Lee had just visited the 

Finger Lakes District in central 

New York State and Quebec City, 

where the wines are “prolific and 

tasty.” 

Frank Hegner ’54, Chan Young ’55, and Lee Hegner ’57 joined 

Middlesex’s Senior Master Paul Harrison for lunch in Denver, CO, 

last July. 

John Leatherbee’s son 

Charley runs a division of Skanska, 

a large construction company headquartered 

in Sweden, which just 

completed a unique, curved building 

on the Boston waterfront. 

John plays golf and sails every 

week and still sings first tenor 

with an all-men’s group. 

Bill Locke stays at his summer 

place on Cape Cod until October 1, 

when he moves to his winter home 

in Hingham, MA. He enjoyed his 

60th reunion at Middlebury. 

Phil Ness is contemplating 

what to do with his magnificent 

book collection: give parts of it 

to the School, to the Greenwich 

Library, etc. He’s overcome a 

bout of double pneumonia. 

Fred Parsons says he and Kanda 

are “still into cruises.” Their next 

excursion will be New England 

and Maritime Canada. 

Charlie Stalford reports he’s 

three years out from cancer surgeries 

and now only gets an annual 

checkup. He works out at a gym 

five to six days per week lifting 

weights. His 12-year old granddaughter 

(who is 6’0” or 6’1”) set 

the Virginia State 50-yard breast 

stroke record last summer. 

Bob Tyler reports that he’s 

working on a Second Amendment 

project to try to show that States 

and Feds ought to be able to do a 

lot better in restricting gun sales. 

His grandson Guthrie plays in the 

Herndon, VA, high school band, 

which has been invited by the 

French to play at WWII invasion 

anniversary festivities. The reason: 

The U.S.S. Herndon was assigned 

to cruise the English Channel 

to draw German fire in order to 

disclose where German guns were 

hidden. Bob says he enjoys tinkering 

with his ‘37 Chevy pickup. 

Phil Vancil is reading Too Big 

to Fail and says he talks to Ness 

several times per week. He treks 

to Newport from time to time to 

keep up to date with his oceanracing 

grandson. 

Jock Winchester sends cheers 

and his best to old friends in ’54. 

’55 

Class Secretary: Piers Curry, 

pierscurry@aol.com 

Newly appointed Class Secretary 

Piers Curry is a trustee and officer 

of Community Preparatory School 

in Providence, RI, a retired CPA 

(Ernst & Young), and a retired vice 

commodore of the Rhode Island 

Yacht Club. He just downsized 

from a house on the Providence 

River to an inland apartment (very 

painful, he notes) and is flipping 

houses to keep busy. On March 31, 

2018, Rusty Robb, Tom Piper, 

Kay and Bill DeFord and Barbara 

and Piers Curry attended Reggie 

Johnston’s memorial service 

and luncheon in Concord.

Kurt Blankmeyer writes, 

“Bravo, Piers! Thanks for taking 

this on. Great to hear from all 

of you. Retired from law practice, 

I read, write stories and essays, 

dabble in local politics, try to 

cook edible meals, and spoil our 

magnificent Maine Coon cats. Ilga 

and I will soon celebrate our 50th 

wedding anniversary. Stay well.” 

George Dangerfield congratulates 

Piers on his new title, adding, 

“Middlesex couldn’t have chosen 

anyone better than you! Meg and 

I are thrilled at your elevation and 

look forward to your continued 

revelations of our school years 

and beyond. Meg retired at the 

beginning of this year, so we’re 

able to have extended travel to 

many places and countries for 

longer periods of time than before. 

We’re hoping to get together with 

you and our classmates sooner 

rather than later. I’m aware of 

the years since we were in close 

contact. But they were some of 

the finest times. All the best.” 

Frank Dinsmore reports, “I’m 

now in the fifth year of retirement. 

We sold our last yacht, a Nordhavn 

48’ that we kept in Sausalito, and 

are trying to downsize. We still 

have our airplane, a Turbo Arrow 

III, and I continue to fly Angel 

Flights. I was unable to take my 

Airline Transport Pilot practical 

exams, so I remain a commercial 

pilot. We would like to sell out 

and move to Idaho, but that will 

take time. 

Sandy Dodge also offers his 

congratulations to Piers, writing, 

“You’ll make a great class secretary. 

I wonder how many of us are left? 

You’ve made the move that Kate 

and I will probably be faced with 

in the next few years. Two years 

ago, I kicked myself upstairs to 

be chairman of the board of our 

company, so I’m semiretired. I 

assume you are in Rhode Island. 

Many times I have thought about 

the summer we were together on 

Chan Young’s ranch before spending 

our freshman year in college. 

We had a lot of fun. All the best.” 

Rusty Robb tells Piers, “Glad 

to see you are going to reinvigorate 

the class communication. A quick 

overview of my life: Retired from 

the M&A business (after 30 years) 

a few years ago. Attempting to 

write my third book but struggling 

to find a publisher through my 

literary agent. Bike every day 

until last week, when a falling tree 

branch knocked me out for two 

hours. Our four kids, all in their 

50s, are doing well in various businesses 

and have spawned seven 

grandchildren, the eldest of whom 

is 26. Piers and I see each other 

annually for a weekend, and I see 

Piper monthly. I’m an avid reader, 

40-50 books per year, and enjoy 

my various ‘men’s clubs,’ one of 

which just started admitting women. 

And, lastly, the Town of Concord 

is suing Lee and me, including 

Harvard College and four other 

abutters, regarding territorial rights. 

Life marches on. Thanks, Piers for 

picking up the baton. (Since 1970, 

my second wife changed my name 

to “Russ,” but for you old timers, 

I’m still ‘Rusty.’)” 

Jim Wilson writes, “What 

fun to somehow be on this e-mail 

connection. My life has been less 

glamorous, sans titles and notable 

achievements, than most of you. I 

live in Vermont, near Dartmouth 

College, and stay active teaching, 

traveling, enjoying the outdoors, 

and fretting over the current political 

charade. I do enjoy hearing 

what friends from looonnnngggg 

ago are doing in our twilight years. 

Good health takes on special 

meaning once one hits the big 

8-0!” 

’57 

Class Secretary: Lee Hegner, 

leehegner@aol.com 

Wendell Poppy writes, “Jessie 

and I are still working on our old 

farmhouse and gardens. The big 

job, this year, is an almost DIY 

renovation of the summer kitchen/ 

guest house. My carpenter neighbor 

and I just installed a new floor 

made of reclaimed barn boards. 

Thank you, Middlesex, for introducing 

me to the joys of woodworking. 

Our farm is in a conservation 

program, and the continual 

struggle is keeping invasive plants 

out of the prairie grasses. I’m pretty 

sure these are Pennsylvania prairie 

grasses. Lest you think it’s all work 

and no play here in rural Pennsylvania, 

we do find time to appreciate 

our local and excellent music and 

theater offerings. I try to go to 

the gym or take a long walk on 

the nearby rail trail every day. Our 

nine-year-old grandson keeps us 

entertained with his soccer and 

basketball games. And he allows 

one-on-one scrimmages with 

me. The Amtrak line is 15 minutes 

away and gets us to Penn Station in 

three hours, so we can easily visit 

two of our sons and families in 

NYC. Our major trip this November 

is to Vietnam and Angkor Wat. I 

have the Ken Burns’ Vietnam series 

on my watch list, but I keep falling 

asleep after about 10 minutes. It’s 

not Ken’s fault. I have so many 

fond memories of my years at 

Middlesex. Thanks, guys!” 

Harry Poett reports, “I continue 

to enjoy life in Montana. I 

skied in Montana during the winter, 

including a week-long trip with 

children and grandchildren—all 

21 of us in one house. I traveled to 

Chile and Argentina trout fishing 

in March and April, fished in 

England in May, and played tourist 

in Portugal. This fall will find me 

steelhead fishing in British 

Columbia.” 

’58 

Class Secretary: Peter Hutchinson, 

pilgrim1837@yahoo.com 

Hays Browning reports that they 

spent a few days in Stonington, CT, 

with his niece, Allison Green ’85, 

and her family. After some downtime 

in Lucerne, he is embarking 

on a two-week river cruise on the 

Rhine and Moselle Rivers, from 

Basel to Antwerp. 

Bart Calder has little to report, 

except that it was hot and muggy 

last summer, even up along the 

mid-Maine coast. 

John Chalmers was really 

glad he made it back for our 60th 

reunion, and after seeing everyone 

again, he is already looking forward 

to the 65th. He has retired 

from UCSD but is still doing a 

little community theatre and 

computer art. 

Trip Pollard continues to 

be very busy out in Montana. 

It turns out that his son and John 

Sweeney’s grandson are both 

engineers on large yachts sailing 

out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. 

Mike Simmons had lunch 

with Bill Moseley shortly before 

the reunion. They both live in the 

same town in Florida. Bill and 

his wife enjoy touring around the 

country in their travel trailer, but 

they couldn’t make the reunion. 

Marty and Pete Hutchinson 

enjoyed the summer between 

Acton and Manchester. Some golf 

for me, beach time for us with our 

grandsons. I had a long lunch with 

John Sweeney, who is working 

for Brick Ends Farm, an organic 

compost company in Hamilton, 

MA. We both agreed that the 60th 

reunion, with 13 classmates returning, 

was great, especially seeing 

George Monro, whom we hadn’t 

seen since graduation. I want to 

thank both Rufus Frost and Phil 

Davis for all their help in making 

it such a success for our class. 

With Everest visible in the 

background, Leigh and Art 

Sorensen ’59 stood at 17,500+ 

feet near Gokyo Ri in Eastern 

Nepal in March 2018. 

’59 

Art Sorensen reported, “Leigh 

and I went to Nepal in 1970, with 

the third group ever, to Annapurna 

Base Camp west of Kathmandu. 

We returned this March to eastern 

Nepal. We skipped Everest Base 

Camp to climb to Goyko. The 

people and mountains are still magnificent. 

Nepal has pretty much 

recovered from the 2015 earthquakes. 

The mountain villages 

now have hydroelectricity and “tea 

houses”—unheated hostels—for 

trekkers. And everybody has a 

cell phone.” 

’60 

Class Secretary: Hunter 

Moorman, hunter.moorman@ 

gmail.com 

George Ecker reported last 

summer that he and Ruth enjoyed 


a wonderful Road Scholar trip to 

Greece in May and were looking 

forward to a class of 1960 microreunion 

hosted by Geordie Hall 

in Nonquitt at the end of August. 

On cue, Nonquitt micro-reunion 

host Geordie Hall wrote that he 

was looking forward to solving 

the problems of the world when 

classmates joined him and Judy. 

“Don’t blame us, though, if we 

don’t succeed.” Continuing to 

describe earlier activities, Geordie 

said that he enjoyed a great winter 

skiing when it finally arrived in 

March on both the East and West 

Coasts. “Spent too much of the 

winter flying back and forth to 

Truckee, CA (Squaw, Alpine, and 

Sugar Bowl), where Judy rents all 

winter. Add trips cat skiing in BC 

and a few days in Alta, and I was 

gone more than home. For once, 

in March, the snow came with 

me. In June, Judy and I took a 

180-mile, four-night bike ride 

with 200 others on our tandem 

on rail trails and the D&L Canal 

towpath on the Pennsylvania/New 

Jersey border. It was sponsored 

by Rails to Trails, which carried 

our stuff from campsite to campsite. 

Otherwise, summer was spent 

doing my normal fire department 

and ambulance but with two tragic 

ambulance calls where I was the 

first responder.” 

“For the past three years,” 

reports Mike Metcalf, “I have been 

immersed in a study of my family 

history…the part of the family 

who got out of East Anglia before 

Bishop Laud got them. These 

immigrants fled to New England in 

the 1630s, certain that things would 

be better than in Olde England. 

They were in for some surprises… 

as was suggested in the American 

history shared with us by the likes 

of Sam Cutler when most of us 

were barely interested in such 

things. Most dramatic in the early 

days were the experiences of King 

Philip’s War. Various family were 

present when the Nipmucks burned 

Lancaster to the ground (just west 

of Concord) and during the 20 

years when colonists and natives 

were at each other’s throats. The 

family story thereafter ripened and 

really got interesting when several 

of them migrated to Boston. From 

what I have learned, people in 

those days were intolerant, disastrously 

so in many instances. Much 

as they are nowadays. Nothing has 

Six 1960 classmates and the widow of a seventh gathered for a late 

August mini-reunion in Nonquitt, MA. From left to right are George 

Ecker, Chip Klinck, David Newbury, Chris Peterson, Hunter Moorman, 

Geordie Hall, and Ed Grossman. 

changed much in the treatment of 

one another in 300 years. This has 

been a sobering realization. Yet the 

most important theme emerging 

is love of service to one’s community 

and sheer enjoyment of being 

charitable towards others. A life 

of charitable uses pervades many 

of the family figures in ways that, 

for me at least, have been uplifting. 

This has helped me understand 

my own upbringing more clearly 

and reinforces my sense of being 

blessed by actually very good 

parents. It’s been a sobering yet 

happy time for me.” 

The Nonquitt reunion would 

also find Hunter Moorman and 

Leslie Gray in attendance. “It’ll 

be a relief to exchange the cold of 

Mad River Glen for the Nonquitt 

sun and sand on one of these minireunions,” 

Hunter writes. “Before 

that, the Eckers will have visited 

us on the Vineyard to roam the 

booths and stalls of the annual MV 

Agricultural Fair. It’s been a tough 

summer for backyard farmers, 

and, sadly, Leslie may have no 

worthy Fair entrants this year. 

I have finished my term as chair 

and left the board of The Polly 

Hill Arboretum, so for the first 

time in more than 20 years, I have 

no nonprofit board responsibilities. 

A guided reading program on 

Proust scheduled for the fall should 

more than take up any slack.” 

At latest report, Ed Grossman, 

Chip Klinck, Cathy and David 

Newbury, and Chris Peterson would 

also be attending the Nonquitt 

get-together, along with Geordie’s 

sister Lee, whom many of us 

remember from Concord. 

John Robinson sent this 

update from Amherst: “Retirement 

seems to be drifting further and 

further into the future, as I’m now 

consulting on two housing projects 

and am the architect of record for 

a third. That one is an affordable 

housing complex, which is so important 

in this age of a growing 

housing crisis. Should keep me 

busy for the next year or so. Still 

doing the tri-coastal commute to 

see the grandkids, although this 

summer, we got them to come to 

us. Had a nostalgic trip to Waitsfield, 

VT, with our son and family. 

Loved watching the kids jump off 

the covered bridge just like their 

father had (note I took a pass on 

it). On a more personal note, I had 

my 50th reunion from the School 

of Architecture at Columbia. It is 

hard to believe that 50 years ago, 

we were barricading ourselves 

in Avery Hall to shut down the 

university and support the black 

students in their protest for equal 

rights. How little it seems has 

changed since then.” 

And to round out this edition 

of the class notes, we have the 

following word from Kansas City, 

MO: “What with trips to Starbucks, 

doctors’ visits, and haircuts, Mike 

Wood enjoys a very full life. And, 

by the way, he’s leading a trip to 

South Africa and Zimbabwe for 

People to People International 

in the fall.” 

Bob Borden ’61 and his son Rob 

’00 paused for a photo after Rob’s 

induction into the Middlesex 

Athletic Hall of Fame on May 12 

during the 2018 Alumni Weekend. 

’62 

Class Secretary: Wells Dow, 

wellsd@aol.com 

Hi, all – I guess that I, Wells Dow, 

didn’t do too well on responses to 

my plea for class news, but Curt’s 

message is certainly a wonderful 

tribute to Duryea! The Dow tribe, 

now numbering 22—with a 23rd 

coming in March—is doing well! 

All five kids and spouses have 

two kids, and one will have three. 

Three of the families are now 

living in Colorado: Avon, Eagle, 

and Lafayette. We make regular 

trips out there to see all three. Oldest 

son Tuffer and his family live 

in Pembroke, close to our new 

downsize in Plymouth. Second 

son Brack and his family (soon to 

become five) live in Rockport, ME, 

across the bay from our summer 

home on North Haven. They all 

made it up this summer, with two 

families driving to and from, and 

one flying from Colorado, and the 

closer ones coming for extended 

weekends. They weren’t all here 

at once, but we did have several 

dinners of 13 and 14. We feel truly 

blessed with the greatest kids and 

grandkids, aged one to 16, including 

four boys, all aged three at the 

moment! Our personal lives are 

very full, especially with doctor’s 

appointments and constantly 

moving from place to place. 

Winters in Nokomis, FL, are less 

hectic, until family arrives on 


The dynamic duo of Ken Burnes ’61 and Curt Curtis ’62 dominated 

the competition again, this time on the golf course. As Curt reported, 

“The last time we played together on a team was for Middlesex 

Varsity Hockey in 1960-61. Like that team, which won the League 

Championship, we won at Mountain Lake!” 

Now both enjoying retirement, Bruce Davis ’65 and Dick Kirkpatrick ’65 

caught up with each other last winter in Venice, FL, where the 

Kirkpatricks were vacationing. 

various spring vacations. All in all, 

our lives have been full of family 

and love as Leelie and I enter our 

73rd and 75th years. We sure didn’t 

imagine this 43 years ago! 

Andrew Littauer reports, “We 

did not attend Middlesex reunions 

this year. But I am in fairly regular 

touch with several classmates: 

Peter Brooks, David Weil, and 

Hank Parker (also, but more occasionally, 

with Bill Mathers). All 

seem well. Our younger son Christopher 

’08 attended the wedding 

of a classmate in New Hampshire 

in June and was told by another 

Middlesex alumnus and former 

board member that the class of ’62 

could ‘do no wrong.’ He also said 

that Chip Elfner was at the wedding. 

Otherwise, we are well and 

enjoying our summer (as we do 

every year) on a retired dairy farm 

in Delaware County (headwaters 

of the Delaware) in New York. 

Curt Curtis writes, “Mimi and 

I are about 7/8ths complete on our 

move to Locust Valley, NY; after 36 

years in Far Hills, NJ, I’m returning 

home to finish where I started— 

although hopefully, in the not too 

immediate future! On the subject 

of our mortality, I had the privilege 

and honor to deliver the eulogy 

for our classmate and friend, Jay 

Duryea. The Bird was one of my 

oldest friends, having first met 

in 1949! We attended Green Vale 

School together (riding on the 

same bus from the same stop), 

split up for a couple of years (Jay 

to Aiken Prep and me to Fay). 

We reconvened at Middlesex 

and then overlapped at BU and 

in the Marine Corps, as well as on 

the floor of The New York Stock 

Exchange (Jay ended up as a governor 

of that august body!). We 

enjoyed the Racquet Club in New 

York and Piping Rock on Long 

Island together right up ‘til the 

very end. Jay put up a long and 

courageous fight against his 

Alzheimer’s (as Chip, Danny 

Bacon ’63, and Tom Garretson 

’63 can attest, as well as many 

others) and was finally freed from 

that awful disease this past May; 

RIP, my old friend! I stepped down 

as chair of the Middlesex Athletic 

Hall of Fame at the conclusion of 

my seventh induction ceremony 

in that role this past May. Serving 

as that chair was one of the most 

rewarding and satisfying of all my 

experiences at Middlesex, going all 

the way back to 1957! And finally, 

I would like to thank (hopefully, 

on behalf of the entire class) Kathy 

Giles for the tremendous personal 

effort she put into her job as our 

head of school; the results of her 

efforts speak for themselves! 

She leaves our school the envy 

of others, and we could not have 

expected or received more than 

what Kathy gave to our Middlesex. 

I wish her much success in her 

new position at that school in 

the ‘other Concord.’ 

See you guys of ’62 at our 

60th. Time is marching on, so 

please make the effort to attend; 

info will be forthcoming at the 

appropriate time!” 

’64 

Phil Wagner reported last spring, 

“Bucket list shrunk yet again when, 

on a reuniting (vs. reunion) spring 

tour south to Charlottesville 

(UVA frat bros), I continued on to 

Atlanta (Navy sidekick), greasing 

the skids to Macon (Middlesex 

superstar) to surprise visit none 

other than one Marion (a.k.a. 

Sparky) Sparks, capping five-plus 

decades of good intention thwarted 

by 800 pesky miles. And our twohour 

visit was an absolute delight. 

He maintains that signature Southern 

charm, mischievous humor, 

and twinkling smile, referring to 

Middlesex exclusively as Middle- 

Diddle – loves to fondly recall it 

all. So yes, your call (478-788-7421), 

card, or visit (Cherry Blossom 

Health & Rehab, 3520 Kenneth Dr., 

Macon, GA 31206) is his joy and 

its own reward. Treat yourself!” 

’65 

Class Secretary: Jack 

Humphreville, jack@ 

targetmediapartners.com 

Doug Sears writes, “In my 32nd 

year as co-minister of Christ’s 

Church Longwood in Brookline, 

MA. Practicing law in a modest 

setting, pitched toward the needs 

of my home community of Tewksbury, 

MA, in an office on Main 

Street. Entering into my 42nd year 

married to Suzanne. Douglas, Jr. 

married, working as ER nurse in 

Lowell General Hospital. Rebecca 

still finding out what to do with an 

art degree. There is a lot to recommend 

in a quiet, middle class life.” 

’67 

The class of 1967 held a 51st reunion 

gathering, which included a memorial 

service for Chris Poth, who 

passed away shortly after the 50th 

reunion. It was well attended: 

Bill Atkins, John Baldwin, David 

Bartlett, Christopher Childs, 

Hayward Draper, Charlie Gilbert, 

George Gugelmann, David 

Harman, Mark Horton (emcee 

extraordinaire), Henry Kettell, 

Alec Knowles, Thurmond Smithgall, 

Bill Sweney, Phil Trumbull, 

and Rick Zamore. 

Mark Horton described the 

event for those unable to attend: 

“We are the only class in school 

history to organize and convene 

their own class memorial service, 

last year and again this year. Fourteen 

classmates attended. That, 

too, I gather, is a record for a 51st 

reunion. Others hoped to attend 

but were not able. There were two 

formal events: a memorial service 

for Chris Poth on Saturday morning 

and a lunch at the Colonial Inn 

after. But classmates also went to 

the Friday clambake, and a smaller 

group convened for dinner on 

Saturday night at a location not 


known to your correspondent. 

(More on that below.) 

Alec Knowles has kind of been 

our class contact with the School, 

I think, and he arranged for the 

Chapel to be made available to 

the class after the school-wide 

memorial service. 

The class of 1967 memorial 

service in the Chapel began after 

the large assembly that had come 

to the school-wide service cleared 

out. It featured a reading by me 

of the names of the eight departed 

classmates we remembered last 

year and then shifted to a remembrance 

of Chris Poth, who came 

to our 50th last June but died a 

month later as the result of a head 

injury suffered in a fall. It featured 

remarks by Phil Trumbull and a 

meditation/reflection by Christopher 

Childs. Phil delivered a most 

thoughtful and perceptive remembrance 

and followed it up by reading 

a very touching, even heartbreaking 

tribute written by Chris’ 

daughter, Charlotte, in which she 

said that Chris’ connections with 

us, his classmates, and with the 

School were among the things 

that meant the most to Chris. And 

Christopher followed it up with a 

guided meditation, evoking a walk 

with Christopher in Estabrook 

Woods and an encounter with the 

likes of Henry David Thoreau and 

Ralph Waldo Emerson, who rest 

in peace a short walk from where 

we later dined for lunch. Christopher 

began by reading a poem that 

our class poet laureate, Gordon 

Walmsley, wrote for and about 

Chris. Here it is (at right) for 

those who haven’t seen it. 

“My friend,’”that phrase in 

Gordon’s penultimate line, resonated 

with me because I can remember 

Chris saying that to me, 

calling me, “My friend.” I don’t 

exactly remember what he said 

to me as we parted last year, but 

I think it was along the lines of 

“Till next time, my friend.” 

Hugh Fortmiller came to the 

service and reminded us all that 

Chris had played the role of the 

milkman, Howie Newsome, in 

Our Town. Hugh was and is a 

friend of our class and of us, and 

we were honored and grateful that 

he stayed to share the occasion 

with us. 

The lunch at the Colonial 

Inn was equally memorable. 

Rick Zamore organized it, and it 

After a great 50th reunion in 2017, 14 members of the class of 1967 

decided to reconvene during the 2018 Alumni Weekend for their own 

special memorial service, followed by a luncheon at the Colonial Inn. 

Among those in attendance were (left to right): Hayward Draper, Bill 

Atkins, Mark Horton, Maria Gulino (accompanying Phil Trumbull), 

and Charlie Gilbert. 

For Chris Poth 

I knew you first when we were 

building our secret compasses 

that would take us beyond 

the circumference of our school. 

We never saw the finished discs, 

they slipped somehow into the greater sea that 

bears us all, 

though they would rise again 

in our eyes, with all their 

imperfections and strengths. 

I left for Europe 

and didn’t see you for years. 

I missed your wedding 

and the children that would follow, 

shadows passing me each night 

and through the days. 

The old school with its circle 

brought us together again 

and I remember our final walk 

down the main road of the town 

into the library, past the girls school 

replete with strong hopes and disappointments, 

memories to strew our shore with signposts. 

My God, how fragile life is. 

I picked up one to see what was written, 

reaching into a pocket for the right glasses. 

A wind came to take the words away: 

Chris, I said, what were the words 

we never saw? 

Well, my friend, he said, 

those were the words we will someday see. 

— Gordon Walmsley 

worked out really well—we had 

our own room and the cuisine was 

fine. The group that was planning 

to meet for dinner that evening 

had reservations at three different 

restaurants and seemed unable to 

reach consensus, choosing among 

fish, pizza, and New England boiled 

dinner. I don’t know how all that 

sorted out—maybe one of the 

dinner attendees can enlighten 

us. Anyway, as the courses were 

served, at John Baldwin’s earlier 

suggestion, each of the 14 of us 

spoke for a minute or two about 

where we were in life. Many spoke 

of how good it is to come back 

together as friends after so many 

years. Way back then, we may 

have traveled in different circles 

or cliques, but none of that seems 

to matter anymore. We may not 

see each other often, but we have 

a shared foundation of experience 

while we were boys that will always 

give us something in common, 

and we seem to have become a 

set of friends as a long-delayed 

consequence of that. Many spoke 

of enjoying retirement, so much 

so that those of us who are still 

working decided to expedite our 

departure from the workforce. 

Maria Trumbull and Kristin Harman 

listened patiently as Phil and 

Dave and the rest of us expounded. 

We hope not to convene 

another memorial service for a 

long time, but we parted with talk 

of reuniting again soon—if not 

next year, at least at our 55th in 

2022, if not before. For those who 

didn’t make it last year or this year, 

we’re especially hopeful you might 

make the next one. My best to 

all, Mark.” 

To this summary of the reunion 

weekend, Alec Knowles added the 

following anecdote: “About lunchtime, 

I spied a student entering 

Ware Hall—I noticed him because 

said student was sporting a handsome 

gold pin in the form of a 

shovel. Recalling the bonhomie 

that accompanied the presentation 

of the Golden Shovel Award 

(Rick Zamore was the class of ’67 

‘winner’), which typically happened 

on Hook Night, I asked 

what had led to his being so honored 

(assuming it was some outlandish 

story, general gift of gab, 

or verbal acumen suitable for 

hoodwinking even the most 

skeptical teacher). He with the 

pin looked at me as if I was the 


Peter Stout ’72 arrived at a Middlesex summer golf outing in North 

Boulder, CO, with three artifacts from the 1970s: his Mini Cooper, 

a Middlesex pennant, and his varsity letter “M”—the last of which 

served as the trophy for the winning foursome. 

most clueless codger in the world 

and then answered, ‘Scooping up 

ground balls.’ Some things 

do change—not only is there a 

lacrosse tradition, but the Golden 

Shovel has been subsumed into 

that tradition.” 

’69 

From Alaska, George Nagel 

reports, “I set a goal of bicycling 

500 miles this past winter. Winter 

defined: From the date I put studded 

tires on my bike (November 3) 

until the date I put my summer 

tires back on (April 10). I ended 

up biking 628 miles around 

Anchorage.” George adds that 

he has also been singing classic 

rock songs at open mic nights 

around town. 

’71 

Class Secretary: Steve Mead, 

smead@anchorcapital.com 

Earlier in the spring, several classmates 

could not resist an e-mail 

exchange concerning our current 

President. First time anyone had 

communicated since the 45th. 

Harry Orenstein writes that he 

would like to attend the 50th but 

travel might be difficult. He is 

doing well and would like to send 

a “hello” to Stephen Zinsser, 

Robert Eberhart, and Dwight Hill. 

Buck Parson responds, “All 

good here.” After 18 years, he is still 

at First Republic, and his twins had 

good freshman years at Hamilton 

and Georgetown. He continues 

to play lots of golf. 

George Wadsworth continues 

as a hospitalist nurse practitioner 

for Martin Health Systems at 

Tradition Medical Center in Port 

St. Lucie, FL, and works part time 

in the same role for Schumacher 

Clinical Partners in nearby Sebastian, 

FL. His life is “never dull,” 

and he sends “best wishes” to all. 

’76 

Class Secretary: Sarah O’Neill, 

sqoneill@mac.com 

Tom Doe reports, “Our big news 

this summer is that our eldest 

daughter, Whitney, and her husband 

had a boy, Thomas Walch 

Gossett—our first grandchild— 

on June 13. Our daughter lives 

in Austin, TX. In addition, we 

bought a condo in downtown 

Austin and will be spending more 

time in the winter there. Mimi 

and I are in good health, have solid 

businesses, and continue to love 

being in Concord. Our youngest 

daughter, Liz, and her husband 

returned from a year in Sweden 

and are back in Charlottesville, 

VA, where she is finishing her dissertation. 

I will accompany Liz to 

Stockholm for my 60th to see her 

present a paper at the John Singer 

Sargent exhibit when the National 

Art Museum reopens in October. 

I see Middlesex alumni in Concord 

at the golf course and around 

town.” 

Chip King wrote last summer, 

“Hi, everyone. It’s always inspirational 

to read the insightful, generous, 

and loving comments that 

members of our class have shared 

in the last couple of years. Sadly, 

the richest have come at the time 

of losing several of our fellow ’76ers. 

But we all certainly drew closer as 

many of us reveled in the wonder 

that was our 40th class reunion! 

Since I haven’t volunteered many 

updates to the Alumni Bulletin 

over the years, here’s an overview 

of things in my life since graduating. 

I fled south to Tulane to earn 

a B.A. in the ever-versatile field 

of English. Spending 16 months 

at Exeter University, Devonshire 

during that time was awesome. 

In 1983, I moved from Atlanta to 

Charlottesville, where I still reside. 

I started Alley Antiques and for 12 

years lived a great, not-so-lucrative 

lifestyle, junking, toting, refinishing, 

and exploring in pursuit of a 

wide variety of aged objects. I met 

my wife, Terri Di Cintio, and we 

married in 2000 at nearby Barboursville 

Vineyards. Jim Grossman 

attended, and Josh Lyons was my 

best man! Shortly thereafter, I took 

a job at Barboursville to pay off the 

tab (not really). I spent four years 

Still just down the road from campus, Nancy and Ned Herter ’73 once again hosted a great class party 

at the close of Alumni Weekend. Standing, from left to right: George Newson, Nancy Herter, Steve Wilkins 

and wife Sarah, Andrew Brown, Cully Irving, Toby Seggerman, David Bull, Charlie Fager, and Nick Gess. 

In front: Ned Herter, Alan Parrot, and Phil Hirschler. 


as a cellar rat! It was interesting, 

often physically exhausting labor. 

But I enjoyed driving tractors and 

forklifts, climbing barrel racks, 

working the harvest, and bottling 

marathons. And, of course, there 

was the wine tasting to be done. 

As the place is Italian owned, Terri 

and I have cultivated several Italian 

connections. Terri (who heads 

Charlottesville’s Sister City Commission 

and our Tuscan sister 

city relationship) and I have explored 

Italy in excess of ten times. 

Fifteen years ago, I took a job in 

adult education in Charlottesville. 

I teach GED, ESL, and basic computer 

classes. It’s so rewarding to 

watch my students advance! You 

can’t beat that. In my free time, I 

sail on the Chesapeake, mountain 

bike, and practice yoga. And I’m 

looking forward to Jim and Josh 

joining me on the sailboat this 

month.” 

Sarah O’Neill relates, “I was so 

grateful to Tom Doe for sending 

news in because it was such happy 

news—and also so that ’76 has a 

spot here! And then at the last 

second, I got the great note from 

Chip. Fantastic! Grateful to Chip, 

too! I loved hearing what he has 

been up to for the last 40 years. 

I’m glad Middlesex still essentially 

looks the same and that I can go 

on picturing everyone back in the 

day but then hear their life stories. 

Amazing. I hope everyone else 

is well. I am fine and very busy. 

Barry and I are sending our son 

off to college in September, so both 

kids will be gone. Sad! But we are 

getting some quality time with the 

kids now, in August, since they are 

finishing their summer jobs. Hal 

has brought us some wild stories 

from being a camp counselor in 

Pennsylvania. Nan is enjoying 

working in the family program 

part of an art museum in California, 

as well as working at a climbing 

wall. In July, Barry went off to the 

photo expo in Arles, France, and 

while he was going to catch the 

train in Paris, he noticed his suitcase 

was gone. What?? All of his 

clothes—gone. Very inconvenient 

since it was 95 degrees out, and 

he was dripping sweat and had 

interviews the following morning. 

He got into Arles very late after 

missing his train because of the 

suitcase debacle, and the next 

morning, he snapchatted friends 

and me some advice, saying ‘DO 


NOT wash a t-shirt in the sink and 

then put it on a hanger and use a 

hairdryer to dry it, unless you 

want your t-shirt to turn into a 

boat neck.’ Now you know. Come 

visit us if you are in NYC! Or 

Snapchat me anything important.” 

’77 

Class Secretary: Michael 

Martignetti, martignettimichael@gmail.com 

Middlesex Trustee Patricia Melton 

received an honorary doctorate of 

humane letters from the University 

of New Haven in May. She was 

also elected to the Yale Alumni 

Association’s Board of Governors. 

’80 

Class Secretary: Laura Kallin 

Kaye, lkkpolicy@aol.com 

John Gans shared his “big news 

for the Middlesex Lacrosse Family” 

last May after the Dickinson Men’s 

Lacrosse team won the Centennial 

League Championship over thirdranked 

Gettysburg. John’s son, 

Henry ’14, played defense for 

Dickinson and earned the Unsung 

Hero Award for the 2018 season. 

Nicholas Wootton writes, “Jill 

and I spent June and July on a road 

trip that took us to numerous western 

states and 11 national parks. 

While driving down the coast of 

California, we paid a visit to the 

home of Pril Locke ’77, whom I 

hadn’t seen since Middlesex days. 

We enjoyed an evening of dinner, 

wine, and great conversation.” 

Nicholas and his wife set off again 

in August to spend a month in 

Paris, two weeks volunteering at 

an organic farm in southern 

France, and a week in Barcelona. 

Then, they will be returning to 

their home, jobs, and normal life. 

Nicholas adds, “Wish us luck.” 

’83 

Class Secretary: Jane Nicol 

Manuel, janemanuelsc@gmail. 

com 

Thank you to guest columnist Rob 

Beede, who writes, “We had fun 

hosting the 35th reunion reception 

The Light at the End of the Gunnel: Sailing on Chesapeake Bay last 

summer, Chip King ’76, Jim Grossman ’76, and Josh Lyons ’76 snapped 

a photo as they rounded the historic Smith Point Lighthouse. 

John Gans ’80 and his wife, Irina Tolstoy, were on hand to hoist the 

Centennial League Championship trophy with their son Henry ’14, 

who played lacrosse for the triumphant Dickinson Red Devils. 

during Alumni Weekend. We had 

a small but lively group, including 

Perry Boyden, Peter Britt, Jon 

Cappetta, Margot and Ted Mehm, 

Ben Nye and Jenny Pyle, and Lisa 

and Andy Walker. The weather 

was cold and rainy, but spirits were 

not dampened (the roaring fire 

helped). We had a delicious farmto-table 

dinner, catered by Uncommon 

Feasts (highly recommended!). 

The night before, at the Middlesex 

clambake, many were in attendance, 

including Michelle and Rob Dawson 

and Chris Miles. We also met 

Perry’s daughter Parker, who subsequently 

got an insiders’ tour 

from our daughter Zoe ’21 on 

Saturday morning. Parker seemed 

excited about carrying on the 

Boyden Middlesex legacy. Ted and 

Ben (both now members of the 

Middlesex Board of Trustees) withstood 

the pouring rain with their 

wives to watch their sons, Charlie 

Mehm ’21 and Cole Nye ’20, play 

their respective lax games before 

coming to dinner. Here are a few 

conversational highlights from 

our Saturday evening together: 

Perry shared his knowledge 

of making hard cider. 

Ted shared his prospective 

plans for moving into Boston 

and selling his longtime home 

in Hamilton, MA. 

Ben captivated the audience 

with his hilarious story about the 

bison herd on his family farm 

in Clinton, NY. 

Jon and Rob talked about 

their local—and very competitive 

—croquet group. 

Andy and Lisa shared their 

recommendations for travel in 

Portugal. 

Peter came up from the Cape 

and apparently slept in his car (!). 

And of course, lots of good 

chatter about Middlesex, college, 

families, jobs, vacations, sports, 

and pets! Looking forward to next 

time! Best, Rob and Katherine.”

Last July, Middlesex alumni joined Mark Bush ’81 and his brother Robert for lunch and golf in North 

Boulder, CO. Pictured left to right are: Rick Maynard ’06, Chip Russell ’05, Peter Stout ’72, Mark Bush ’81, 

Sam Harrison ’06, David Brown ’81, Julie Zagars ’90, Robert Bush, and Johnny Russell ’06. 

’84 

Class Secretary: Ian Kennedy, 

ian@pobox.com 

Things have come full circle 

for John Baylor, as his daughter, 

Antonia ’22, began ninth grade 

at Middlesex this fall. His oldest, 

Chloe, will enroll at Bates after a 

gap year, while Cameron, his seventh 

grader, remains at home with 

John in Lincoln, NE. During the 

summer, Bayles caught up with 

Will Ross and Lewis Canfield ’85 

on the Cape. He looks forward to 

another gathering of the Moab 

Men this spring for another mountain 

biking trip and also looks forward 

to the 35th reunion next year. 

Ian Dwyer is shepherding 

his three children through college. 

During the warm months of the 

year, he bikes three or four days 

a week to his work at Boston 

University, 15 miles away. 

Jesse Ho writes that he 

enjoyed playing a “leisurely round 

of golf ” with his brother Bill ’86, 

Paul Harrison, and Ned Herter 

’73. “While we all showed signs 

of mediocrity, Paul looked ready 

for future outings,” Jesse adds. He 

is still living in London and would 

love to catch up with other alumni 

passing through. 

At this writing, Ian Kennedy 

was packing his bags for trips 

to Chicago, Boston, Portland 

(Oregon), Austin, and Tokyo. He 

was hoping to finally make it out 

to the Moab thing in the spring. 

A birthday celebration in Concord at the home of Middlesex Trustee 

Ricky Albarran ’86 doubled as a mini-reunion. In attendance were, from 

left to right: Walt Doyle ’86, Ricky, Mead Welles ’86, and Devin Hill ’85. 

Tracy Wood Maeter just 

passed her two-year mark back 

in the U.S. (Philadelphia) after 

17 years in London. Her youngest 

is off to Penn in the fall, and so 

they are, “officially empty nesters.” 

She would love to hear from any 

Middlesex alumni in the area. 

’86 

Class Secretary: Deb Tilton 

Thrun, debthrun@verizon.net 

Nancy Frost Bland reported in 

the summer, “Life is good! My 

husband Todd and I are beginning 

our 10th year at Milton Academy, 

where I work in upper school 

admissions, and Todd is the head 

of school. Occasionally, Middlesex 

grads roll through the admissions 

office with their children, and it 

is always fun to connect. It’s been 

a busy and fun year for our family. 

Our son Nick, who lives and 

works in Boston, is engaged! It 

was a thrill for all of us when he 

proposed to Phylly Knight at the 

end of last summer, and we are 

excited about their wedding in 

Seattle on September 1, 2018. My 

parents, Mary and Rufus Frost 

’58 are making the trip across the 

country for the wedding, as are my 

brother Jay ’84 and his family. Our 

daughter Emily graduated from 

Vanderbilt in early May and is now 

loving living and working in NYC. 

Her twin sister Maggie graduated 

from Bowdoin at the end of May 

and is headed to Greenwich 

Academy in Connecticut to teach 

Spanish. All the best to my 

classmates and many thanks 

to Deb Tilton Thrun for doing 

the class notes!” 

Rob Martin writes, “Life is 

great. Three girls (ages 16, 14, and 

11), so as you know the summer 

is very, very busy with swimming 

and lacrosse. Still at the University 

of Louisville, where I lead the Division 

of Surgical Oncology and was 

recently appointed the vice chair 

of research for the Department 

of Surgery.” 

Elizabeth Mayhew reported, 

“All is well in NYC. Tim and I are 

both working hard! I continue on 

at Draper James and have had the 

good fortune of getting to work 

with Katherine Brodie ’02, many 

years my junior but also a Middlesex 

grad—I feel like I work with 

a sister! I am also still writing for 

the Washington Post and doing 

segments for “Today,” plus some 

decorating—have to fill my time 

now that my kids are grown! We 

saw Walt Doyle and Willy Patty 

a couple of months ago in NYC, 

as Walter’s wife Lee had a gallery 

show. Was so much fun and felt 

like not a day had passed.” 

Holly McGlennon Treat loves 

her new life in New Haven, with 

summers in Gloucester. Her son 

Andrew is headed to Bowdoin in 

the fall, and her daughter Amelia 

will be a freshman at Hopkins 

School. Her work as an educational 

consultant is going very well, and, 

in fact, it has kept her in touch 

with several Middlesex friends and 

families, which has been “fantastic 

on many levels.” 

’87 

Class Secretary: Lisa Poett 

Kemp, poettkemp@gmail.com 

Marcia Kebbon writes, “Class 

of ’87, you are now in fresh hands 

with Lisa Poett Kemp! Thanks for 

all of your class notes over these 

many years. As fall approaches and 

as great friends of mine have two 

kids starting as freshmen, I’m finding 

myself nostalgic for Middlesex 

and somewhat envious of their 

new beginnings. I guess that means 

a fall trip to Concord is in the 

cards. Can’t wait.” 

Bill Meyer has returned from 

Sydney, Australia, where he and 

his wife visited with their daughter 


Possibly attempting a golf cart getaway from their 30th reunion were 

these 1988 classmates: (in front) Sarah Leary, Allison Brown Moriarty, 

and Ginny Simonds Ramos, along with (in back) Kim Pool Retzlaff 

and Sarah Perkins Thomas. 

A hockey tournament in Rhode Island turned out to be a mini-reunion 

for three 1992 classmates. Pictured, left to right, are Rob Levinson 

with his daughter Ellie, Justin Ricker with his daughter Campbell, 

and Steve Rodenhiser with his daughter Vittoria. 

Kate, who is taking a year abroad 

from Boston College. 

Beth Saulnier writes, “This 

summer, my husband and I had 

the pleasure and honor of attending 

Carrie Bolster’s retirement 

party, a fun and moving event held 

under a tent in her Acton backyard 

—what a lovely tribute to her and 

her decades of teaching at Middlesex! 

(Please check out my story 

on her and her Middlesex career 

on page 20 in this issue.) We also 

had great fun hosting some fellow 

alumni at our home in Ithaca: 

Amy Griffin ’86 and family when 

her son did an outdoor adventure 

camp at Cornell, and Toby Kahan 

when he stopped with us en route 

to dropping his son off for his first 

year of college in Rochester. Earlier 

in the summer, Griff, Melissa 

Levis, and Allie Wald got together 

for a ladies-only dinner in NYC 

(no spouses, no kids)—a terrific 

night, and just like being back 

in the dorm in LB.” 

Lisa Poett Kemp sees Betsy 

Dolge Guerra often, either paddleboarding 

or enjoying wine with 

Betsy and her husband Rico on 

their veranda overlooking the Bay. 

Lisa and her daughter Mackay are 

looking forward to spending 

Thanksgiving in Concord with 

Lisa’s sister, Alison Poett Sullivan 

’92, and her family. Perhaps a trip 

out to Middlesex will be in order. 

’88 

Class Secretary: Christine Miller 

Martin, christinemillermartin@ 

gmail.com 

Tiya Miles is now a professor of 

history and the Radcliffe Alumnae 

Professor at the Radcliffe Institute 

for Advanced Study. 

’92 

Rob Levinson recently ran into 

fellow classmates and hockey 

dads—Justin Ricker and Steve 

Rodenhiser—at an October 

tournament in Rhode Island. 

“Our daughters did a great job 

competing against some great girls’ 

While in Madrid last September to launch Nextdoor Spain—the 

seventh country for the social networking service that is tailored 

to neighborhoods—Co-founder Sarah Leary ’88 reconnected 

with Fernando Aguilar ’92. 


As this picture proves, Middlesex was well represented at the second annual “Run for Amy,” held at Appleton 

Farms in Ipswich, MA, on September 22, 2018. Approximately 900 runners and walkers celebrated the life 

of Amy DiAdamo Foster ’93 while raising money to support cancer research at Dana Farber. 

With a new travel agency business underway, Emily Griswold Larkin ’96 escorted a group to Machu Picchu, 

which was “an experience of a lifetime,” she attests. 

hockey teams,” Rob writes. “Justin 

and Rodey coached their team to a 

second-place finish. We had a great 

time catching up and talking about 

our years playing for Middlesex 

hockey!” 

’93 

Class Secretary: Maggie McLean 

Suniewick, maggiesuniewick@ 

gmail.com 

The family of Tessa and Jim 

Garrels has gained another 

member with the birth of their 

son Felix. 

’95 

Class Secretary: Stanoy Tassev, 

stan@nationalbattery.com 

Shannon and Charles Field 

welcomed their third child, Pierce 

Sullivan, on April 11, 2018. 

’96 

Class Secretary: Meghan 

Blute-Nelson, meghanbnelson@ 

gmail.com 

Emily Griswold Larkin writes, 

“I am excited to be building a new 

travel agency business, which is the 

perfect fit for me. I am living at 

home in Easton, MD, and sending 

people to Europe, the Caribbean, 

and beyond—and I even had the 

opportunity to escort a group to 

Machu Picchu, which was an experience 

of a lifetime. My two boys 

are growing so fast that I even have 

one at boarding school now! Hope 

to spend more time in Massachusetts 

in the coming years. Best 

to everyone!” 

Dave Willis reported last summer, 

“I’m gearing up for the annual 

trip to Doug Worthen’s house in 

Canada. This marks 25 years since 

Doug, Shane Eten, Ian Taylor, 

Ian Nurse, Geoff Cohane, Geoff 

Pierce Sullivan Field was born to 

Shannon and Charles Field ’95 on 

April 11, 2018. He joins his excited 

older siblings, Lily (4) and Reeves 

(2), who are reportedly “smothering 

him with love.” 

Gray, Townsend Bancroft, John 

Hartley, and I started making the 

journey. We are older and softer, 

but our shared love of juvenile 

humor and group hugs keeps us 

going back.” 

’97 

Class Secretary: Beth Cohen 

King, bethanne22@gmail.com 

Molly and P.T. Vineburgh welcomed 

their second son, Theodore Mills, 

last summer. 

’98 

Class Secretary: Deb Willis 

Dowling, debwdowling@ 

gmail.com 

I write this class update with 

a heavy heart since we lost 

our friend and classmate, Jen 

McLernon Bjercke, on June 28 

after a long and courageous battle 

against cancer. Jen’s light will 

continue to shine brightly in all 

of us who loved her dearly and 

miss her so much. 

In May, the class of 1998 celebrated 

the 20th reunion in Boston 

at Bully Boy Distillers (owned 

by Will ’92 and Dave Willis ’96, 

brothers of Deb Willis Dowling). 

Classmates traveled from as far 

away as Hong Kong, London, 

California, Utah, and New York 


City (!) for the festive occasion. 

Among those in attendance were: 

Deb Willis Dowling, Andrew 

Beaton, Anson Frelinghuysen, 

Justin Oates, Alexandra Dowling 

Lari, Zoe Karafylakis Sperling, 

James Rankin, Nick Schieffelin, 

Tarajia Morrell, Nia Hatsopoulos 

Jephson, Whitney Pearce Fitts, 

Carr Kratovil, James Southern, 

Jason Hoag, Matt Sommer, 

Rob Wykoff, Chris Sahl, Kristin 

DeMartino Hamilton, David 

Mulvany, John Forest, Marnie 

Glassman Gale, Roy Ostrom, and 

Rob Carroll. It was a wonderful 

reunion, full of good laughs and 

lots of cheer. Thank you to everyone 

who made the effort to return 

to campus. We missed those who 

could not, but look forward 

(already?) to our 25th. 

My (Deb Willis Dowling) news 

is that my son George will attend 

St. Bernard’s in New York City for 

kindergarten this fall. George (5½ ) 

and Sally (3½), would like to tell 

you that they love walking their 

80-pound rescue dog named Tank, 

eating ice cream sandwiches, wearing 

mismatched pajamas to school, 

scooting down sidewalks, and . . . 

cheering on the Yankees! Don’t 

tell their Willis cousins, but 

George wears an Aaron Judge 

tee with great pride. 

Chandler and Harper, the 

daughters of Whitney Pearce 

Fitts, attend Dexter Southfield 

School along with Justin Oates’ 

children and Kristin DeMartino 

Hamilton’s daughter. Whitney 

works as a portfolio manager and 

trader for Appleton Partners, only 

a block away from where Andrew 

Beaton works. It’s a small Middlesex 

world out there! Whitney sees 

Cady Zildjian MacPherson and 

her daughters, Emilia and Maisie, 

frequently. 

Marcel Armstrong was not 

able to attend our reunion due to 

health conditions but reached out 

from Hawaii, where he lives now, 

to send his best and share, “I feel 

blessed to have friends and family 

close, and for my partner of 14 

years, Annelyn Bautista. I do not 

travel much and would have loved 

to make it to the reunion. Perhaps 

one day I’ll make it back to campus. 

In the meantime, I wish 

everyone well.” 

Adeline Azrack was not able 

to make it to our reunion either, 

but she writes, “I moved back to 

Middlesex family and friends were plentiful at the wedding of Matt Boccia ’97 and Ali Morawski on May 12, 

2018, in Chestertown, MD. Pictured in front: Robin Leary Taylor ’91, the bride and groom, and Sarah Leary 

’88. Standing behind them, from left to right: Dan Boccia ’01, Kevin Jeans ’98, Rob Chisholm ’97, Brendon 

Sullivan ’97, P.T. Vineburgh ’97, Rick Stimpson ’97, Miles Littlefield ’00, Pat Callahan ’97, Lisa Molvar ’97, 

David Pedreschi ’97, Luke Goldworm ’97, and Alex Leary ’97. 

The Oates sisters and the Fitts sisters met up at Alumni Weekend. 

Not only does each sibling pair have one parent who graduated from 

Middlesex (Justin Oates ’98 and Whitney Pierce Fitts ’98, respectively), 

but they are also all students at Dexter Southfield School. Pictured, 

left to right, are Chandler Fitts, Olivia Oates, Harper Fitts, and Harper 

Oates. 

the United States a few years ago 

after a decade overseas. I’ve settled 

down in Brooklyn with my husband 

and two kids, Abigail (6) and 

Miles (1). I ended my 10-year stint 

with the UN when I moved back 

to the U.S. and am now heading 

up the U.S. office of the Fondation 

Chanel, which focuses on women’s 

rights/gender equality. It is a big 

shift from my previous life at 

UNICEF but is a fun new challenge. 

My husband Maina is still 

doing a lot of emergency relief 

work, so one of us needed to have 

something more stable! I’ve bumped 

into a few Middlesex friends who 

live nearby and would love to 

make that happen more often.” 

Rob Carroll started his own 

businesses in real asset investment 

and eco-friendly kitchenware. 

Rob reports he recently made the 

move from Brazil to South Boston, 

so please feel free to reach out! 

John Forest married Amanda 

DePover on August 18, 2018, at the 

Carondelet House in Los Angeles, 

CA. Chris Sahl, Roy Ostrom, 

Nick Lombardi, Matt Bonoma, 

Andrew Beaton, David Forest 

’00, and Kathryn Forest Amundsen 

’95 celebrated the couple 

with toasts, live music performances, 

and interpretive dance 

incantations—all highly athletic 

in nature. We can’t wait to see 

photos! 

Marnie Glassman Gale writes, 

“It was nice to catch up with so 

many classmates at the reunion 

earlier this year. It’s hard to believe 

that 20 years have passed since we 

graduated together. So much has 

happened since then! My husband 

Seth and I are currently living in 

Cambridge, MA, and have three 

little boys (ages 7, 5, and 1). When 

I am not running after our boys, 

I work for a boutique consulting 

firm, advising government 

agencies on real estate strategy 

and development. Let me know 

if you find yourself in Cambridge 

anytime soon!” 


Back to celebrate the 20th reunion, the class of 1998 had a good turnout, many of whom were on hand 

for Saturday afternoon’s photo. Standing, from left to right: Roy Ostrom, Greg Gesswein, Zoe Karafylakis 

Sperling, Nia Hatsopoulos Jephson, James Rankin, David Mulvaney, Rob Wyckoff, Jason Hoag, Matt 

Sommer, Tarajia Morrell. Seated, from left to right: Nick Schieffelin, Whitney Pearce Fitts, Deb Willis 

Dowling, Anson Frelingheusen, James Southern. 

A trip to Saint Paul, MN, would not be complete for Middlesex’s Dean of 

Athletics (and Head Football Coach) Joe Lang without checking in with 

Adam Johnson ’99, former wide receiver and cornerback. 

Kristin DeMartino Hamilton 

and her husband Rylan live on 

Beacon Hill with their children, 

Alice (6), Max (9), and Harry (11). 

Kristin bumps into many Middlesex 

friends in the neighborhood, 

including Jackie Platten Bralower 

’97 and Lisa Molvar ’97. 

Nia Hatsopoulos Jephson 

moved back to Lincoln, MA, last 

summer with her husband John 

and two boys, Jack and Teddy. 

Jack is in kindergarten at Nashoba 

Brooks in Concord, and Teddy 

attends a French/English preschool 

in Lincoln. 

David Mulvany writes, “We are 

coming up on two years of living 

in Hong Kong. Currently, we reside 

in Stanley on the south side of 

Hong Kong Island. Our kids love 

their new schools and are already 

taking Mandarin and speak much 

better than their parents. Hong 

Kong is very well situated for travel 

across Asia, and we continue to 

explore new countries. I’ve enjoyed 

the last two Middlesex alumni 

dinners in Hong Kong and expect 

the group to continue growing!” 

Congratulations to Justin Oates, 

who was inducted into Middlesex’s 

Athletic Hall of Fame during the 

2018 Alumni Weekend (see page 19). 

Roy Ostrom has been living 

and working between New York 

City and Medellin, Colombia, 

as of late. He is engaged to Julia 

Bancroft ’10 and visited James 

Southern at Lake Winnipesaukee 

for a fun weekend last summer. 

Chris Sahl lives in Acton, MA, 

with his wife Rebecca and three 

boys, Hank (5), Charlie (3) and 

Ralph (three months). 

James Southern is a commercial 

real estate broker in New York 

City. He continues to play bridge 

as an ACBL (American Contract 

Bridge League) accredited director 

and achieved the rank of ACBL 

Life Master about five years ago. 

James runs four games a week with 

the Honors and Cavendish bridge 

clubs, writing, “I love the game, 

and being a director gives me a 

chance to give back to the community, 

make a little money, and be 

involved with some really terrific 

people.” 

Rob Wykoff writes, “Life in 

Park City, UT, is great. I recently 

celebrated my 12-year anniversary 

at Backcountry.com, where my current 

role is merchandise manager 

for men’s apparel. I’ve been fortunate 

to work directly with a few 

Middlesex alumni who work for 

brands we sell on Backcountry.com, 

like Matt Sommer and Ian 

Armstrong ’96, whom I see quite 

often these days. I had a great rendezvous 

with Nicky Crane Rettke 

in Bermuda last fall to celebrate 

her fifth wedding anniversary, and 

we had an absolute blast! For anyone 

who is heading to Park City 

for vacation, don’t hesitate to reach 

out—I would love to catch up!” 

[Side bar from Deb: Backcountry. 

com is my favorite gear site.] 

’99 

Class Secretary: Will Dore 

william.f.dore@gmail.com 

Big changes for the Dore family! 

After seven years at Trinity- 

Pawling, we moved back to St. 

Kitts, where my wife will continue 

to teach and continue her research, 

and I will teach English at a small 

private school. My children, Henry 

(6) and Maggie (3), are already 

enjoying a lot of beach time! Before 

our departure, we enjoyed catching 

up with Ben Herter and his family 

and Chris O’Brien and his wife. 

I also happened to be on vacation 

in Williamstown while Liv Rooth 

was preparing for a role with the 

Williamstown Theatre Festival. We 

met up for drinks and talked about 


Michelle Kaplan Usitalo ’99 and husband Eric are enjoying their 

two sons: Nathan (4) and newborn Henry Quinn, who arrived 

on St. Patrick’s Day. 

her next role in Aaron Sorkin’s 

stage adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, 

starring Jeff Daniels. If you 

are able, go see her on Broadway 

in NYC! I wish I had been able 

to catch up with more of you, but 

please feel free to visit us in St. 

Kitts, and stay in touch! 

Lizzie Baker reports, “I am 

a pediatric emergency attending 

physician at North Shore Medical 

Center in Salem, MA, and at Baystate 

Medical Center in Springfield, 

MA. I am currently pursuing 

a fellowship in wilderness medicine. 

I am also competing in Spartan 

races all over the U.S. and have 

done five races (six when this is 

published) in 2018, from California 

to Montana to Massachusetts. 

If anyone is interested in participating, 

I would be happy to help 

introduce you to the Spartan 

family!” 

Lauren Donovan Ginsberg 

writes, “I’ve been living in Italy 

this year as a research fellow at the 

American Academy of Rome and 

had the great fortune to be visited 

by Elise Corey and Blaise Tottenham 

this past June. We had a blast 

running around the city, reliving 

our AP Art History days with Malcolm, 

and just generally catching 

up. Middlesex friends really are 

everywhere!” 

Adam Johnson grabbed dinner 

with Coach Joe Lang at Mancini’s 

in Saint Paul, MN, and reminisced 

on a recent recruiting visit. 

Salima Jones-Daley writes, 

“My husband Nate and I are 

officially Middlesex parents! Our 

daughter, Love Daley ’22, 


ventured from our home in Lake 

Ridge, VA, to join the freshman 

class this fall. Our son Jaylen is 

ready to take on the seventh grade 

and is looking the part with a serious 

summer growth spurt. My 

husband and I also celebrated our 

15th wedding anniversary in May. 

I continue to work for Dewolff, 

Boberg & Associates as a senior 

consultant and serve on the Board 

for the National Young Farmers 

Coalition.” 

Michelle Kaplan Usitalo 

reports, “Things are good here in 

NYC! Eric and I welcomed Henry 

Caroline Anne Conte was born to 

John and Emily Beaton Conte ’01 

on April 6, 2018. She joins her 

older brother Oliver (3). 

Quinn on March 17, 2018. He joins 

his older brother Nathan, who 

turned four in July. We have been 

enjoying every minute with these 

boys. I am back at work as a lawyer 

at Baker Hostetler, which keeps 

me pretty busy, but I enjoy it!” 

’00 

Class Secretary: David Cody, 

davidmcody@hotmail.com 

Meg and Sam Booth welcomed 

their son, Paul Meacham, last 

summer. 

’01 

Class Secretaries: Meggie 

Patterson, meggie.patterson@ 

gmail.com; Sasha Poll 

McConnell, sasha.o.mcconnell@ 

gmail.com 

Emily Beaton Conte and her 

husband John welcomed their 

daughter Caroline Anne on April 

6. Caroline is an especially lucky 

baby, as she shares a birthday with 

her grandmother, Carmen Beaton. 

The Contes’ son Oliver (3) is 

reportedly getting used to 

Caroline. 

Lorna Gifis Cook writes, “I 

had an amazing experience in the 

National Women’s Hockey League 

(NWHL) last season as an assistant 

coach with the Metropolitan Riveters. 

In March, my organization won 

its first NWHL Championship, so 

we will get our names engraved 

on the Isobel Cup!” 

Mark Foster has moved from 

DC to New Haven, CT, where he 

is a master’s candidate in the Yale 

School of Forestry & Environmental 

Studies. In his spare time, he 

can be found in the forest with 

his dog! 

Andrew Hamill is nearly done 

with an experimental art film titled 

PEMDAS, which is movement and 

A dozen Middlesex connections met for dinner last July in Denver, CO, but two (Abby Stevens Laverick ’02 

and husband Garvin) departed before the group photo. In the front are Middlesex’s Senior Master Paul 

Harrison and Eliza Bullis ’02; in back, from left to right, are Ben Cameron ’02, Michael Pearce ’07, Derek 

Williams ’13, Sam Harrison ’06, Julie Zagars ’90, Maddie Miller ’13, Rick Maynard ’06, and Nidhya 

Navanandan ’02.

After a season spent as an assistant coach in with the Metropolitan 

Riveters in the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL), Lorna 

Gifis Cook ’01 raised the Isobel Cup when her team won its first 

NWHL Championship. (photo by Matthew Raney) 

object based. He teaches sculpture 

and lives in Brooklyn. 

Jess Bradley Roberson writes, 

“We are still living in Memphis but 

were able to escape the heat for a 

bit to spend time with family and 

friends in New England this summer. 

I have loved getting out on 

the tennis courts with Beth Seeley 

Dietz and Martha Dietz Loring 

’02 and finding time for some 

family fun with our kids, who are 

all becoming summer friends at 

the lake!” 

Sarah Woodworth reports, 

“I’m teaching high school ceramics 

in Richmond, CA, and enjoying 

my time at home with my husband 

and 15-month-old daughter, Charlotte 

Avery Houchin. 

Paul and Lauren Deysher Gojkovich ’02 and their daughter Alexa 

happily added a new family member last spring with the birth of 

Karolina on April 21, 2018. 

Like their Middlesex mothers, the children of Jess Bradley Roberson ’01, Beth Seeley Dietz ’01, and Martha 

Dietz Loring ’02 enjoy getting together in New England in the summer. Lined up for the camera (from left to 

right) are Abby Dietz, Brooke Roberson, Reid Roberson, Hannah Dietz, Alden Loring, Ben Dietz, and Rosie 

Loring. 

’02 

Class Secretary: Danny Hughes, 

dhughes23@gmail.com 

Eliza Bullis is enjoying life in 

Portland, ME, getting to see some 

other Middlesex alumni like 

Allison Kaveney Farkes, Meryl 

Fogg Ryan, Deidre Fogg ’99, and 

Vieve Leslie ’03 pretty regularly. 

Eliza recently took a trip to see 

Nidhya Navanandan in Colorado, 

where they spent a few days exploring, 

hiking, and paddleboarding 

around Aspen. She even made it 

to the Middlesex Denver alumni 

reception the night before heading 

home. 

Holly Taylor Fabbri and her 

husband Red welcomed Mia Taylor 

Fabbri on April 17, 2018. She’s getting 

lots of attention from her 

big sister Zoe! 

Paul and Lauren Deysher 

Gojkovich joyfully welcomed their 

second daughter, Karolina Deysher 

Gojkovich, on April 21, 2018. Big 

sister Alexa has fully embraced 

her role as a big sis! 


Gentle Zoe and her new baby sister Mia are the daughters 

of Red and Holly Taylor Fabbri ’02. 

Caroline Bader ’05 and her husband, Nick Swerdlow, celebrated the 

birth of their son, Elijah Reeves Swerdlow, last June. 

Kelley Karnan ’05 and Ben Stonebraker married on August 4, 2018, in 

New Hampshire, where they now make their home in Concord. 

Alec Millman and Nikki 

Rondinelli got married on February 

24, 2018. 

Awilda Rivera writes, “Hi, I 

got engaged in late spring to my 

longtime sweetheart. The international 

wellness trip arm of http:// 

www.AwildaRivera.com is doing 

amazingly well. I also launched 

a podcast called ‘Win Life with 

Awilda Rivera,’ which has started 

to gain some great attention.” 

’03 

Class Secretary: Dan Wan, 

danielcwan@gmail.com 

Ryan Connolly and Kerryn 

Doherty got married on February 


Matt Gregory and Lena Kim 

welcomed their son William last 

summer. 

’04 

A daughter, Eloise Cleo, was born to 

Caryn and Josh Freiberger in June. 

Liv Francis Martin, the first 

child of Emily and Jack Martin, 

was born on September 18, 2018. 

’05 

Class Secretary: Kirsten Kester 

O’Donnell, kirsten.kester@gmail. 

com 

Caroline Bader graduated from 

her residency in general adult 

psychiatry in June 2018 and is 

starting a fellowship specializing 

in geriatric psychiatry this fall at 

MGH and McLean in Boston. In 

June, she and her husband, Nick 

Swerdlow, welcomed their son, 

Elijah Reeves Swerdlow, and they 

are delighted to celebrate this 

wonderful addition to their family. 

Kelley Karnan reports her 

marriage to Ben Stonebraker on 

August 4, 2018. After their honeymoon, 

both will be starting new 

jobs in Concord, NH, this fall. 

Ben will be continuing his career 

in education as an English teacher 

and ski coach at Bishop Brady 

High School, and Kelley will begin 

her legal career as an associate 

at Orr & Reno law firm. 

A son, Chase Nelson-Derkac, 

was born to Rebecca Nelson and 

Grant Derkac on April 11, 2018. 

Alex Plunkett is delighted to 

report his July marriage to Lizzie 

Kusbit, his college sweetheart 

from Colgate. Many Middlesex 

classmates were in attendance to 

celebrate the wedding, including 

Tom Cahill, Kathryn and Tyler 

Fantasia, Tracy MacKenzie, Amelia 

Glauber, Louise Song Wood, 

and Chloe Ciccariello. The newlyweds 

are living in the Back Bay, 

where Alex is entering his third 

year at Bain & Company. 

Louise Song Wood is still 

living in Colorado and just took a 

new job at a solar startup in Boulder 

called Wunder Capital that is 

cracking the code of commercial 

solar. It’ll be a big change going 

from a large, Fortune 500 utility 

company to a 25-person office, but 

she’s excited for all the challenges 

and opportunities that transition 

will bring. She and her husband 

Todd just moved to a new house 

in Denver in May, and in between 

wedding weekends, they’ve been 

enjoying a summer filled with 

yard work, projects, and trips 

to Home Depot. 

Hannah Zale and Michael 

Schroeder married on June 15, 2018. 

’06 

Class Secretary: Zach O’Donnell, 

zjodonnell@gmail.com 

Clay and Margo Layton Cole are 

now the happy parents of a son, 

Layton Charles Cole. 

Hannah French celebrated her 

wedding with family and friends in 

Gloucester, MA, on June 16, 2018. 

Alumni in attendance included 

Alden French ’09, Hadley Lyman 

’05, Kyra Ferber ’06, Catherine 

Gallagher Fauver ’06, Olivia 

French ’09, Julia French Veghte 

’86, Steve Wilkins ’73, and Rachel 

Lyman Perry ’80. 

Julia Hunsaker Martin and 

her husband Connor welcomed 

their second son, Maxwell O’Connor 

Martin, on June 24, 2018. Julia, 

Connor, Max, and older brother 

Luke reside in Los Angeles, CA. 

Pete Stone and Jill Gramolini got 

married on September 8, 2018. 

Nick White works at Facebook 

and in the fall will transfer to 

the NYC office. 


French connections to Middlesex were numerous at the Gloucester wedding of Hannah French ’06 on June 

16, 2018. Alumni on hand to support the bride included (standing, from left to right) Alden French ’09, Hadley 

Lyman ’05, Kyra Ferber ’06, Catherine Gallagher Fauver ’06, Julia French Veghte ’86, Olivia French ’09, 

Steve Wilkins ’73, and Rachel Lyman Perry ’80. 

Julia Hunsaker Martin ’06 cuddles her young sons, Luke (18 months) 

and newborn Max, who arrived on June 24, 2018. 

’07 

Class Secretary: Katherine 

Lodge, kwlodge@gmail.com 

Bailey and Emily Douglass Murdock 

welcomed their daughter, 

Annabelle Preston, in June. 

’08 

Class Secretary: Alex Hanken, 

hanken.alexandra@gmail.com 

Andy and Tory Arnold Bois 

are now the happy parents of a 

daughter, Kennedy Gibson. 

This fall marks John Dehm’s 

sixth year as a Fighting Seahorse 

at Christchurch School, where he 

works in admissions. He’s looking 

forward to calling the plays again 

for the defending state champions 

in football and to his sixth spring 

as head lacrosse coach in 2019. 

Most importantly, his beautiful 

girlfriend, Bri Manniso, said, “Yes!” 

on June 26 in Ocean City, MD, 

where they met five years ago. 

Christina Fagan and Alex 

Pardy got married on June 16, 

2018. 

On September 8, 2018, 

Jehanne Hill and Colin Reed 

married in East Lyme, CT. 

Charlie Kreitler marked his 

sixth year at IBM in September 

and was recently promoted to 

software sales leader of IBM’s 

North America Watson Customer 

Engagement Marketing Sales Team 

dedicated to the financial services, 

banking, and insurance sectors. 

He wrapped up his first year at 

Columbia Business School last 

summer in New York City and 

attended an exciting international 

seminar in Tel Aviv, Israel, focused 

on technology startups, angel investing, 

and venture capital. He is 

planning to graduate from Columbia’s 

program in May 2019 with a 

focus in leadership and finance. 

Charlie recently moved in with 

his brother George ’10 in the West 

Village and enjoyed a busy summer 

working with his new team and 

living in a new neighborhood! 

Bryce Reynolds moved to 

Pennsylvania to start a new job in 

oncology analytics at Bristol-Myers 

Squibb, focusing on patient forecasting 

for the U.S. market. 

Greg Paolino and his wife 

Lindsay continue to live in Providence, 

RI. The summer flew by 

with time spent on the golf course, 

on Cape Cod, and in Newport. It 

was also a busy and exciting time 

professionally, as Greg brought a 

new division to market as the managing 

director for the G2 Insurance 

Portfolio. This brand is a carefully 

curated portfolio of insurance 

risks delivering concierge insurance 

management and strategic 

leverage for selected individuals, 

families, and businesses. Greg will 

continue to serve as associate head 

coach for the Moses Brown School 

Varsity Hockey program. 

Kathy Smithwick is still working 

in Middlesex Admissions Office 

and married her fiancé Adam in 

Virginia this fall. 

’09 

Class Secretary: Both Long, 

bothylong@gmail.com 

Stephanie McCarthy and Bonsal 

Brooks married at Squam Lake, 

NH, on June 9, 2018. 


A cappella enthusiast Henry Hetz ’11 (second from the left) spent last summer as co-business manager for The Vineyard Sound before returning 

for the second year of his Brown/Trinity M.F.A. program. 

’10 

Class Secretary: Julie Bancroft, 

echols.bancroft@yahoo.com 

Chelsea Leonard and Conor Mara 

got married on April 14, 2018. 

’11 

Class Secretary: Caroline 

O’Donnell, carolineodonnell15@ 

gmail.com 

Cassie Coash, who was living in 

NYC since graduating from Middlebury, 

moved to Maritius in July 

to work at the African Leadership 

University (ALU). 

Henry Hetz spent his summer 

as co-business manager for The 

Vineyard Sound (where he joined 

Middlesex’s Director of College 

Counseling Sam Bigelow) before 

heading into his second year of 

a Brown/Trinity M.F.A. program, 

in which he is concentrating his 

acting training in classical verse. 

He will also be playing Dromio 

of Syracuse in a production of 

Comedy of Errors later this fall. 

Liv Moseley is living in Los 

Angeles and working at a talent 

and literary management company 

that specializes in all things 

A mini-reunion at Squam Lake last summer included Conor Witt ’12, 

Maddie Brisbane ’12, Blair Villa ’12, Toby Porter ’12, and Blair Villa ’75. 

comedy. In addition to working 

with actors, writers, comics, and 

more, Liv also produces a monthly 

stand-up comedy show in Hollywood 

that has showcased up-andcoming 

comics, headlining acts, 

and SNL cast members. 

Courtney O’Brien moved to 

London and welcomes any visitors 

across the pond! 

’13 

Class Secretary: Emily Popov, 

emilypopov1317@gmail.com 

This past April, Maggie Crowley 

ran her fourth Boston Marathon 

for the Martin Richard Foundation, 

which supports programs that 

challenge youth and adults to 

choose kindness, build bridges, 

and influence a generation to live 

out these values through positive 

civic engagement. 

Miranda Kotidis is starting her 

second year of her master’s/Ph.D. 

program at MIT in mechanical and 

ocean engineering. She is working 

on underwater vehicles and how 

to make them more maneuverable 

with nature-inspired techniques 

(basically making robots that swim 

like sea creatures!). She’s living in 

Cambridge down the street from 

Saejal Chatter. 

Sophie Robart is starting her 

second year of law school at Wake 

Forest University after spending 

the summer working for the U.S. 

Attorney’s Office in Boston within 

the economic crimes unit. 

This past June, Thomas Cooper 

competed at the Washington International 

Violin Competition. The 

event drew 300 applicants, of which 

30 were invited to the live rounds 

at the Kennedy Center in DC. 

Thomas made it to the semifinal 

round (the final 10 violinists). 

Pierson Wetzel helped him make 

his preliminary recordings in 

Middlesex’s very own Danoff 

Recital Hall. Thomas will finish 

his master’s this coming year at 

the New England Conservatory. 


On October 23, 2018, Middlesex alumni and family gathered in Portland, OR, to honor former faculty member 

Elliott Trommald (on left), who taught history from 1985 to 2000. At the event, Senior Master and Major Gifts 

Officer Paul Harrison (on right) announced the establishment of the Elliott C. Trommald Fund for Faculty. 

“For the first time in his illustrious career as a historian, Elliott was speechless!” Paul reports. 

Nick Kafker has been doing a 

lot of spelunking. He visited the 

Skocjan Caves in Slovenia and is 

now considering speleology as a 

profession. He knows it’s tough to 

find your place in this world, but 

his place might be underground! 

Catching us up on the past 

five years, Brian LeMeur reports, 

“I enrolled at Colorado College in 

September 2013. After two years of 

enjoying classes and playing music, 

I decided to transfer to NYU to 

go to Steinhardt to be in the Music 

and Performing Arts Professions 

Jazz Instrumental Performance 

Program. After a year or so of 

missing my more academically 

oriented classes, I decided to sign 

up to finish the English major I 

started at Colorado College. I graduated 

in May with a bachelor of 

music degree and majors in instrumental 

performance and English 

and American literature.” Brian 

also won the NYU English Department’s 

Burns Prize, which is the 

given to the student who writes the 

best paper on Scottish poet Robert 

Burns. He recently started a job as 

a sales development representative 

at ZocDoc. 

Andrew Matos, now a lieutenant 

in the U.S. Army, is training 

to be a UH-60M Blackhawk 

A Giants ballgame in San Francisco drew many Middlesex connections 

—alumni, students, and parents—to AT&T Park on July 29, 2018. 

helicopter pilot and will be stationed 

in Ft. Drum, NY, this fall. 

’14 

Playing defense for Dickinson Men’s 

Lacrosse, Henry Gans’ team won 

the Centennial League Championship 

over third-ranked Gettysburg 

last May. Henry also earned the 

Unsung Hero Award for the 2018 

season. 

Rowena Schenck was offered 

a Fulbright to research climate 

changes in New Zealand. A biochemistry 

and biophysics major 

at Amherst College, she is headed 

to the University of Otago, where 

she will look at the physical and 

chemical characteristics of New 

Zealand fjord cores, with the intent 

of recording carbon burial and 

wind variability—findings that 

can help predict climate changes. 

Following her Fulbright, Rowena 

plans to pursue a Ph.D. in earth 

sciences, focusing on biogeochemistry 

of coastal environments and 

continental margins. 

’16 

At Colgate University, Abby 

Burden earned the spring 2018 

Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence. 

Students who receive a term 

grade point average of 3.3 or higher 

while completing at least three 

courses earn this honor. Abby is 

currently majoring in economics. 

’17 

Back home after his freshman year 

at Columbia, Chad Arle returned 

to performing with Concord Youth 

Theater’s Young Adult Company 

last summer, appearing as Officer 

Barrel in Urinetown. 

Ally Kriss earned the spring 

2018 Dean’s Award with Distinction 

at Colgate University. Students who 

receive a term grade point average 

of 3.6 or higher while completing 

at least three courses during the 

spring 2018 semester earn this 

honor. 


In Memoriam 

William E. Bright III ’40 

William Ellery Bright III passed 

away peacefully at Somerset 

House, in Oak Harbor, Vero 

Beach, FL, on September 2, 2018. 

Bill was born in Worcester, 

MA, to William Ellery Bright, 

Jr. (1910) and Margaret Norcross 

Denholm on March 6, 1922. Following 

in his father’s footsteps, 

he graduated from Middlesex and 

continued on to Harvard University. 

He enlisted in the Army Air 

Corp (precursor to the U.S. Air 

Force) in 1942, graduating as 

an aerial navigator in 1943. He 

became a second lieutenant in the 

8th Army Air Force, based in Bury 

St. Edmund, England, the “family 

seat” of the Brights. On March 18, 

1944, his B-17, The Little Audrey, 

was on its 14th bombing run over 

Munich when his plane was struck 

by an incendiary bomb from a 

U.S. B-17 flying out of formation. 

Bill had the awareness to act 

quickly and kicked out the front 

escape hatch, parachuting with 

four others to farmland in Aschein, 

Germany. Seven of the ten crew 

members survived and were transferred 

to Stalag Luft III, a day after 

The Great Escape, for the remaining 

13 months of the war. 

In 1946, Bill married Elizabeth 

“Bunny” Trumbull Barton, and 

they resided in Worcester, MA. 

Bill held executive positions at 

Crompton Knowles Corporation, 

Rice Barton Corporation, and 

White and Bagley Company. The 

Brights moved to Vero Beach in 

1991 to enjoy their shared passion 

for golf. Although Bill suffered 

with dementia for the last nine 

years, he never lost his irrepressible 

wit and humor. 

Predeceased by his wife Bunny 

in 2004, Bill leaves behind three 

children, Elizabeth Trumbull Bright, 

William E. Bright IV ’69, and 

Jeffery Bright; two grandchildren; 

and several great-grandchildren, 

including Eliza S. Chamberlain 

’14, William E. Chamberlain ’17, 

Grace E. Chamberlain ’19, and 

Margaret A. Chamberlain ’19. His 

late uncle, Jackson V.R. Bright 

(1918), and his late brother, Jonathan 

Bright ’57, were also Middlesex 

graduates. The family wishes to 

thank all of Bill’s nurses and the 

staff at Somerset House for all their 

care and love. 

L. Patton Kline ’46 

Leonard Patton Kline died 

peacefully at the Summer House 

Hospice in Sebring, FL, on May 


The son of Ruth Carr Patton 

and Leonard Charles Kline, Patton 

was born in Kansas City, MO, on 

November 6, 1928. He joined the 

fourth class in 1942 as a Middlesex 

Prize Scholar, and after graduating, 

he earned a B.S. in applied economics 

at Yale University. In 

December 1950, he married Jean 

Caruthers Lysle, and they were 

married for 49 years, until her 

death in 1999. Patton was a second 

lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force 

from 1951 to 1953 and then 

returned to Kansas City to begin a 

career at the insurance firm of 

Mann, Kerdolff, Kline & Welsh. In 

1975, he moved to New York City 

to become the head of the New 

York office of Marsh & McLennan, 

Inc. He rose to become president 

of Marsh & McLennan Companies 

before retiring in 1988. Patton was 

fortunate to be remarried to Myrna 

Christopherson, and they had 12 

years together before she passed 

away in 2012. 

Patton was president of the 

Missouri Historical Society and 

chaired the Board of the New York 

College of Insurance during a critical 

period in its development. He 

was also a long-term director of 

the PHH Corporation and Utilicorp. 

An accomplished golfer who 

was a member of many clubs, Patton 

was active in the United States 

Senior Golf Association and served 

as the chairman of the invitational 

tournaments, winning six of them 

himself. When he could no longer 

play golf, he brought the same 

competitive drive to croquet and, 

at age 86, won both the single and 

double championships at the 

Mountain Lake Club. 

His survivors include his 

daughter, Laura Lazarus; two sons, 

Leonard and Charles Kline; eight 

grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; 

and his brother, William 

P. Kline ’49. His late uncle, Henry 

C. Flower, Jr. (1915), and late 

cousins, Claiborn M. Carr, Jr. ’30, 

M. Boylan Carr ’33, and John W. 

Carr ’34, also attended Middlesex. 

The family would like to extend 

its thanks to Patton’s caregivers. 

Abbot L. Mills III ’46 

Abbot Low Mills III died on 

February 7, 2017. 

He was born on April 20, 1927, 

in Portland, OR, to Abbot Low 

Mills II (1917), who became a 

governor on the Federal Reserve 

Board in Washington, DC, and 

Katherine Ainsworth Mills, who 

became the director of the American 

Red Cross. Following Mills 

family tradition, Abbot was sent to 

Middlesex and attended for three 

years, beginning in 1941. In 1944, 

Abbot joined the U.S. Marine 

Corps, which was preparing 

to invade Japan. After the atom 

bombs ended the war, Abbot finished 

his military service as an 

MP in China. He then attended 

Pomona College, where he earned 

a degree in journalism and met 

Jody, who was attending Scripps 

College. They were married and 

started a family; Abbot Low 

Mills IV was their firstborn. 

Abbot learned to be a good 

photographer to enhance his value 

as a newspaper reporter, but his 

natural talent in the medium took 

over his career, and he moved to 

the East Coast to become a photography 

editor for Ladies Home 

Journal. In the 1960s, Abbot was 

invited to become one of the 

elite crew of documentary film 

photographers for Drew Associates. 

Together they created the 

genre that was labeled “cinema 

verité.” Abbot’s documentaries not 

only recorded history, but they also 

influenced history. Never one to 

shy away from danger, he filmed in 

combat in Vietnam, in the midst of 

racial strife in the 1960s, and even 

with the SPCA, saving animals 

from piranha-infested waters in 

Surinam. He filmed musicians, 

dancers, test pilots, race car drivers, 

and everyday working people, 

many of whom became well 

known through his work. Abbot 

will be remembered for showing 

the truth through his unassuming 

observations. 

Abbot is survived by Jody 

Rich Mills, his wife of 68 years; 

his children, Abbot Low Mills IV, 

David Mills, Lauren Mills, and 

Richard Mills; and five grandchildren. 

His family’s Middlesex 

legacy spans three generations 

and includes not only his father 

but also his late uncles, Lewis H. 

Mills (1910) and Thomas H. Mills 

(1917); his late brother, John A. 

Mills ’49; his late cousin, Frederic 

C. Mills ’47; and a nephew, John 

A. Mills, Jr. ’71. 

Peter B. Hjorth ’55 

Peter Bowen Hjorth died on 

February 10, 2018. 

Born on June 24, 1935, Peter 

graduated from Greenwich Country 

Day School in 1950 and attended 

St. James School in Maryland for 

one year before entering the fourth 

class at Middlesex in 1951. He left 

after that year to attend Lane High 

School in Charlottesville, VA, 

which was closer to his family’s 

new home. Peter subsequently 

earned a B.A. in business at Virginia 

Polytechnic Institute in 1958 

and spent his career in import and 

export investments. Married in 

1956, he and his wife Elizabeth 

raised a family of three children. 

Peter leaves his wife of 62 years; 

other survivors could not be determined, 

as an obituary was not available 

by the time of the Bulletin’s 

publication. 


James M. Duryea ’62 

James Mairs Duryea died peacefully 

on May 17, 2018, after a long 

journey with Alzheimer’s. 

Jay was born on July 25, 1943, 

and attended Green Vale School 

and Aiken Preparatory School 

before coming to Middlesex in 

1957. On graduating, he attended 

Boston University and worked 

briefly as an operating room 

technician at Glen Cove Hospital 

before serving in the U.S. Marine 

Corps. As a commercial pilot, Jay 

flew twin otters for Pilgrim Airlines 

and then 727s for Northeast 

Airlines. He was both a governor 

and a director of the New York 

Stock Exchange, where he worked 

as an independent floor trader 

for J.M. Duryea, Inc. for 35 years. 

Jay served on the Board of the 

Glen Cove Boys and Girls Club, 

where he is an honorary director, 

and also served on the Boards of 

Lattingtown Village and Locust 

Valley Cemetery. He volunteered 

as a coach and referee for many 

years at Beaver Dam Winter Sports 

Club, serving as treasurer of its 

Board as well. 

Predeceased by his parents, 

Bub and Sis Duryea, his brother, 

Center Hitchcock, and his sister 

Missy Duryea Butterfield, Jay is 

survived by his wife Linda; his 

children, Mindy, Megan Scott, and 

Oakley; seven grandchildren; his 

brother, William M. Duryea, Jr. 

’56; and numerous nieces and 

nephews. 

Christopher K. Lawford ’73 

Christopher Kennedy Lawford 

died of a heart attack in Vancouver, 

Canada, on September 4, 2018. 

Born on March 29, 1955, Chris 

was the only son of Patricia Kennedy 

and Peter Lawford. He 

attended St. David’s School before 

joining the fourth class at Middlesex 

in 1969. After receiving his 

diploma, he completed his bachelor’s 

degree at Tufts University in 1977 

and his J.D. at Boston College 

Law School in 1983. 

Chris worked steadily as an 

actor. He had a small part in Terminator 

3: Rise of the Machines, 

made appearances on TV shows, 

including ‘‘Frazier’’ and ‘‘The O.C.,’’ 

and had recurring roles on the 

soaps ‘‘All My Children’’ and 

‘‘General Hospital.’’ But Chris was 

perhaps best known for his work 

as an author. His 2005 memoir, 

Symptoms of Withdrawal: A Memoir 

of Snapshots and Redemption, 

which details his own addiction 

to drugs and alcohol in the wake 

of his uncles’ assassinations, was 

a New York Times bestseller. After 

his memoir, Chris authored several 

more books on addiction and 

recovery, the most recent of which 

was What Addicts Know. He studied 

counseling at Harvard University 

and lectured on addiction at Harvard, 

Columbia University, and 

other college campuses; he was 

also a spokesman for the Caron 

Foundation, a nationwide drug 

and alcohol rehabilitation network. 

Chris is survived by three children, 

David, Savannah, and Matt; 

his sisters, Sydney, Victoria and 

Robin; and many cousins and 

members of his extended family. 

His late cousin, David A. Kennedy 

’74, was also a Middlesex graduate. 

Geoffrey N. Gibbons ’77 

Geoffrey Norton Gibbons passed 

away peacefully with family members 

at his side on June 21, 2018, 

at Care Dimensions Hospice in 

Lincoln, MA. 

Geoff was born on June 27, 

1958, and grew up on the outskirts 

of Boston. He came to Middlesex 

from Weston Junior High School 

and, following his graduation, 

he continued on to the University 

of Vermont, excelling in sports. 

Geoff ’s professional life was 

focused on residential and commercial 

real estate, including the 

last ten years at First Boston Realty. 

He was reliable, courteous, honest, 

and dedicated to all. Geoff enjoyed 

exploring in his jeep, surfcasting, 

and living a very health-conscious 

life. He loved bringing his family 

together and was above all a 

gentleman. Always maintaining a 

positive outlook on life, Geoff was 

an inspiration to others, and will 

be greatly missed. 

Predeceased by his father, 

Geoff is survived by his mother; 

his brothers, Prescott Gibbons and 

Robert Young; his sisters, Angella 

and Leslie; and one niece. 

Brian W. Chase ’83 

After a long, courageous journey 

through Stage 4 glioblastoma 

brain cancer, Brian Wolcott Chase 

died at home on July 12, 2018, 

surrounded by the love of family 

and friends. 

Born and raised in Charlottesville, 

VA, Brian attended St. Anne’s- 

Belfield School before joining the 

third class at Middlesex in 1980. 

After graduating, he earned his 

bachelor’s degree at Wake Forest 

University and subsequently moved 

to Dallas, TX, where he worked 

as a computer consultant for three 

years. Returning home to Charlottesville 

in 1990, Brian earned an 

M.B.A. at the University of Virginia’s 

Darden School of Business. Following 

a stint in advertising with 

Ogilvy & Mather in Chicago, IL, 

he moved back again to Charlottesville 

in 1993. Brian pursued a number 

of personal and entrepreneurial 

interests, eventually joining 

Roy Wheeler Realty Co. in 2001. 

During his illness, Brian was 

blessed to receive prayers and 

positive energy from all over the 

world, and he remained grateful 

to the end. This incredible support 

allowed him to survive far longer 

than any expected and share his 

courage with all around him. 

Brian is survived by Charlee 

Channing, his wife of more than 25 

years; his father, Derwood Chase; 

two older brothers, Sumner and 

Stuart; Charlee’s children, Chris, 

Lisa, and Matt Pawlina; and 

two grandchildren. His uncle, 

Frederick Stow ’50 is also a 

Middlesex graduate. 

Jennifer McLernon 

Bjercke ’98 

Jennifer McLernon Bjercke passed 

away peacefully in Boston, MA, 

surrounded by family, on June 28, 

2018, after a long and courageous 

battle with cancer. 

The daughter of Pam and 

David McLernon, Jen was born 

in Montreal, Quebec, on May 12, 

1980. Wonderful family summers 

in Kennebunk Beach, ME, led her 

to an interesting and exciting international 

life. Starting out at ECS 

School in Montreal, Jen came to 

Middlesex as a freshman in 1994 

and competed on the varsity 

tennis, squash, and cross-country 

teams. She attended Boston College 

and transferred to the American 

University in London, England, 

where she graduated with a degree 

in international relations. While 

working as a press officer at the 

Jordanian Embassy in London, Jen 

met Ulrik, with whom she visited 

many special places throughout 

the world, including regular trips 

to his native Norway. They moved 

to New York City soon after, where 

Jen worked in real estate, and their 

first child was born. In 2011, they 

moved to Boston, where Sebastian 

was born, and Jen continued her 

real estate career. The family had 

just moved to the wonderful community 

of Winchester, MA, shortly 

before she was diagnosed with 

Stage 4 breast cancer, which she 

battled for almost five years. Jen 

was witty and fun-loving, caring 

and kind, and was always concerned 

about helping others to 

live and enjoy life to the fullest. 

Most recently, she was raising 

funds for and sending clothing to 

Syrian refugee camps, also fundraising 

for breast cancer research. 

Jen is survived by her husband 

Ulrik; their children, Charlotte and 

Sebastian; her parents and sister 

Laura; and many uncles, aunts, and 

cousins. She also leaves behind her 

devoted nanny/caregiver, Teresa 

Salazar, and her inseparable 

companion dog Snickers. 


Back Story: 

Setting the Stage 

Early in August, Arts Division Head Tom 

Kane (above, on left) and Technical Theater 

and Design Director Ryan DuBray stood 

on the spot where Middlesex’s new main 

stage would eventually be—although at the 

time, it appeared to be a pile of crushed 

stone. Two months later, a picture of the 

same location (above, on right) shows more 

clearly the shape of the theater to come, 

with the stage in the foreground and 

mezzanine seating in back. 

Remarkably, just a year ago, the entire 

site where Middlesex’s visual and theater arts 

facilities once stood looked more like a blank 

canvas than the beautiful renderings of future 

creative spaces. But by January, the project 

had begun to take shape with concrete foundations 

poured and steel beams in place. Late 

in March, the full steel skeleton of the Danoff 

Center for the Visual Arts and the Bass Pavilion 

could be seen; and as graduation neared, 

exterior and interior framing was well underway, 

making the structures weather tight— 

and much more like the architectural 

drawings displayed nearby. 

And then summer arrived, and construction 

went into overdrive. The installation of 

windows, a red brick façade, and slate roofing 

soon connected the buildings with the prevailing 

style of the Middlesex campus. Inside, 

while fire sprinklers, catwalks, and mechanical 

systems went into the theater, sheetrocking 

and the first coat of paint defined studios 

within the cavernous visual arts space. Concurrently, 

the old courtyard was regraded, 

and granite treads were laid for four new 

staircases. By September, young trees and 

plantings were in place near the Circle, as the 

landscaping of the site’s perimeter was finished 

in time for the start of the academic year. 

It won’t be long until January 2019 

arrives, and along with the New Year will 

come light-filled studios for drawing and 

painting; rooms specifically designed for 

ceramics, photography, plaque carving, and 

art history; the spacious, secure Ishibashi 

Gallery; a brand new black box theater; 

and a sizeable, renovated theater—ready 

for its musical debut with Kiss Me, Kate 

next spring. M 


Gala Benefit & Auction 

Middlesex Alumni Association | April 5, 2019 | Four Seasons Hotel, Boston 

Please join fellow parents and alumni for a fabulous evening featuring both silent and live auctions! 

Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, a three-course dinner, and some good-natured, competitive bidding are 

in store at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston on April 5, 2019. 

Previous Gala Auctions have cumulatively raised over $700,000 to help support the MxAA’s outreach events 

and programs, from Summer Internship Stipends and Alumni Career Panels to College-Age Alumni Gatherings and Parent/ 

Alumni Golf Tournaments. To date, more than $150,000 has also been directed to the School’s financial aid budget, 

supporting the Middlesex experience of scholarship students. 

For more information about the Gala—or to inquire about reserving a table or donating an auction item or experience— 

please contact Director of Alumni Relations John Morrissey at 978-371-6523, or jmorrissey@mxschool.edu.

1400 Lowell Road 

P.O.Box 9122 

Concord, Massachusetts 

01742-9122 

www.mxschool.edu 

Nonprofit Org. 

U.S. Postage 

PAID 

Concord, MA 01742 

Permit No. 116 

SAVE the DATE 

for 


May 10 & 11, 2019

Fall 2018 Alumni Bulletin

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?