1952

All the classes in this magazine are moving one after another on a highway with landmarks sliding by: graduation, marriage, 25th Reunion, age 50, 40th Reunion, and now comes age 65, approaching fast and then suddenly here. What does this milepost mean to us?

Larry Markin remarks, "At 65, it is no longer 'early retirement,'" but he did retire early when he had an offer two years ago for his casualty-insurance business and saw an opportunity to move to Sarasota, Fla., from Rochester, N.Y. He feels about 45, but the mirror, his contemporaries, and Sheila tell him differently. His days are filled with golf, painting, art classes, and furniture finishing. Aside from locus and vocation, nothing much has changed except that there is a new generation. Daughter Amy gave them their first grandchild.

There are great fresh horizons for Bill Clapp. He can now play in senior tennis tournaments instead of with 55-year-old kids. When not on the court, he is living a full life practicing and teaching psychology in Boca Raton. He loves finding new deals and opportunities for seniors. He considers retiring "safe," and 65 a paper tiger.

Joe Ware is not there yet and sounds like he doesn't much care. "I am not going to retire. I'll fight it all the way." When not banking, he plays tennis or golf. He says, "Lucy and I are trying to grow old gracefully. We have no problem with the old, but a hell of a time with the grace."

Bob Porges, another tennis player, still plays singles. He intends to practice medicine actively, though he may give up the chairmanship of the Obstetrical and Gynecological Department at New York University School of Medicine. He has a lawyer son and a physician daughter and no grandchildren. Things haven't changed at all.

The 65th year doesn't bother Pete McSpadden though he is not looking forward to the grip of Medicare. He thinks young and lives young and skis avidly, but avoids the double black diamonds these days. Mortality is in his thoughts, but a lot of energy in the body. Lucky man.

Lou Zehner is metaphysical. He has no dread and views the birthday as a part of the process. As the proprietor of his own business, he intends to go into semi-retirement and bring in family members to fill the space. With his free time, he and his wife are going to travel as much as possible. He sends happy birthday greetings to everyone.

Joe Novak looks and functions like a younger man, but being 65 is a mental thing to him which hard work dispels. "I already retired once at 43 from a successful legal career," he says. Then, eight years later, he started painting, and he will never retire again. "My art makes me young." (More on Joe in a later column.)

"It was another day, another dollar," if you ask Bill Randall. He retired as chairman of First Bank of Milwaukee a couple years ago, "but the term 'retirement' is overblown." He is still at the bank, but arrives a little later, has a few fewer breakfast meetings, and stuffs a little more fun in each day: travel, burgundy wines, golf, photography, grandchildren. All-in-all, "most gratifying."

Hold the Geritol Pass the Advil.

10 Grove St., Pittsford NY 14534; (716) 385-1010, (716) 385-8958 (fax)