1976

As the leaves accumulate outside my window and the catalogs within, I have decided to delay raking and holiday shopping at least until this column is safely on its way to the College. This month's column was made possible by the enormous generosity of two classmates: Lars Ward and Art Howe. My eternal gratitude to you both.

Lars sent news that Rick Choate "is alive and well and living in Orlando. He does not work for the Mouse, but is vice president and general counsel for Vistana Resort Developments. His personal life is something akin to Disney with BMWs." (Coinciden- tally, I have just cashed in the generous gift certificates my husband and I received after listening to the Vistana sales pitch in Boston!) Lars continues that Rick "wants to know whether Rich Zimmerman is still out on the street, and if so, why?" Also inquiring about "Z-man," according to Lars, is Charlie Kern. Charlie got his M.B.A. "just for spite," and is still living comfortably in Stow, Mass.

Apparently Dan Sheedy still reminisces about the experience of being busted by Lars for using his roommate's meal ticket at Thayer, or so Sue Farnsworth '77 reported to Lars. Lar's response: "Dan's an accountant now, so he keeps track of those things. Hey, what can I say? I was a zealot with that ticket punch. . . 'I coulda been somebody Cholly. I coulda been a conductor.' " I'll admit, Lars will always be wearing a green coat with a puncher in hand in my memory.

"In keeping with a long-standing practice, " Lars enclosed no news of himself, except to dispel the rumor ("started by Greg Fryer at our 10th Reunion") that he is the stunt double for Mikhail Gorbachev (are you sure it wasn't Baryshnikov?). His address indicates that Lars is nearby, in Brookline Mass., and I hope that any of you who can fill us in on his doings will send me a note. Anonymity cannot be assured.

During a glorious week on Squam Lake in New Hampshire this past August, I was able to catch up with Art Howe and pick his brain for any information about class- mates. He reported that Dave Balderston and his wife, Kristen, are living in Chatham, N.J., and that they recently had a baby girl. Dave is with Prudential, working in Newark.

While at Squam, Jim Burns came to visit Art, and I was lucky enough to run into Jim and his wife, Marion Childs, during their visit. Jim and Marion were camping near the lake with their son Andy and their daughter Julie. Jim is practicing environmental law in Philadelphia, and Marion is practicing internal medicine. Their home is in Wayne, Pa.

While in New Hampshire, Art discovered a classmate who is practicing pediatric medicine in Plymouth: David Cunis is with the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic there. Art also relayed the news that Mike Gourlay is in Old Lyme, Conn., where he continues to prosper in the crabmeat business. Art and his wife Karen are still living in West Hartford, with their daughter Meredith and their small son Blair. Art continues to work for the town's fire department.

I regret to inform the class of the death of our classmate Duane Gibbs. Duane and his six-year-old son, Jonathan, were killed in a car accident in July. At the time of his death, Duane was working for IBM in At- lanta, Ga. On behalf of our class, I would like to extend our greatest sympathies to Duane's family and friends.

"Your life feels different on you, once you greet death and understand your heart's position. "from Love Medicine, by LouiseErdich.

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