1979

I have some bad news. One of our classmates, Morris Block, drowned in a Vermont river last June. You may remember that Morris had been building an excellent and unusual career as manager of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. It was always easy to respect and difficult not to envy Morris, whose interest in his field seemed so heartfelt and whose talent matched his interest. Peter Smith, former director of the Hopkins Center, has written a fuller tribute to Morris that should appear in this or a future issue.

I considered suppressing this next item, fearing the effect that it would have on the capitals of the world's civilized nations, but the birth of Bill "Bags" Mitchell's second son and future downhiller, John, was not to be denied proper exposure. Bray deserves a lot of credit. So, Bill, what else have you been doing lately? Keeping in touch with some of his cohorts, apparently. Bob Funkhouser should have been married by now at his fiance's castle in Germany. It will probably be a bit of a letdown as Bob was pushing for a Psi U porch wedding. Elsewhere, Terry Gould panicked, bolted, and is now running a nightclub in Palo Alto called "Goodbye Boston Consulting" (or at least it should be). Don Hubbauch probably panicked and almost bolted when his wife, Jill, presented him with twins recently. Easy, boy, easy.

Some people are leaving Palo Alto and coming east, so don't get cocky, California. Bruce and Sue Astolfi Mack left their positions as naval supply/fiscal officer and law firm associate, respectively, and headed to Middletown, Conn. Ah, but not directly, since they did stop off in Austin, Tex., to pay a visit to SuzanneCarr and Carl Shepherd, and Jerry and Barb Smiley Bula. Barb is very pregnant. Sue must have picked up some tips from Barb since she is also expecting. The Macks arrived back east just in time for Bruce to start work as a financial analyst for Connecticut National Bank in Hartford. There was also a note on Skip London, who's happily married to Robin, a tax consultant, and is an attorney for an insurance defense firm in Orlando, Fla.

So, we've got more then $9,000 in the class treasury let's go nuts. I did that just to send a chill down Charley Vieth's back. But seriously, folks, why not spend some (not a lot) on the mini-reunions that Phil Odence is organizing. Because I'll tell you why. Just kidding. Give us ideas on what to do.

What's that? You say, "Buy a wedding gift for Meredith Mack." Look, the girl just married a handsome B.U. grad, Bradford Elvidge, who is also from Grosse Pointe, and is in the real estate development business. Nah, Meredith doesn't need any help.

"Well," you say, "how about a lifetime supply of dog food for Tim Moerlein?" Sounds odd at first, until you learn that Tim and his huskies won Rookie of the Year honors in 1985's 1,400-mile Alaskan Iditerod Sled Race. (Well, Charlie, what do you think?) Charlie will undoubtedly say that the suggestion is in "poor taste." By the way, Tim has a wife and baby up there in the Far North.

Blythe Marston is headed off to Anchorage upon completion of her clerkship for Judge Boochever in the 9th circuit which happens to be, for my non-legal friends, in sunny Southern Cal. Blythe plans to be in Nepal and Tibet for a short fling prior to starting work with Boyle and Gates.

Tom "T-Mack" Mclntyre gave me a hot tip in June that I thought I would pass along The Rally is over. Those of you who left your hearts in White River Junction will mistakenly construe those words to mean that the William Talley House is gone. That would be a truly momumental event. Tom was just passing on what he hears over at CBS in the Big Apple.

From the "no news is good news" category comes word of Steve and JillKschinka Blackmer. They still have their previous jobs (Steve in forestry, Jill in law), their same 200-year-old New Hampshire farmhouse, and their same marital status. Jill alluded to, but downplayed, a March ski trip to Switzerland, which is big news in my book. Concord will be adsorbing more Dartmouth folk with Jim Bassett '7B and his wife having just moved in and with the anticipated arrival of Julie Dunfey 'BO and her fiance, Chris Daniell '76.

John Gunther-Mohr was oddly congenial when I called to ask him to phone people for money as part of the Washington, D.C., phonathon. I found out shortly that his work for Coopers and Lybrand, one of the big eight accounting firms, was about to take him out of town during the phonathon's critical days. Still, I suspect that there's something more substantial behind his good humor.

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