1961

1961

The ’61 class officers have nearly completed the class’ first formal communications plan, thanks primarily to Harris McKee, Don O’Neill, Denny Denniston, Gerry Kaminsky and Vic Rich. When finalized, the plan will be distributed to all classmates. It encompasses much of what we have been doing informally for the past 56 years. This written plan will guide the class officers on how best to fully communicate with all classmates and with the College, so as to strengthen the ties of brotherhood that have and will continue to bind us together as a unified and cohesive class of excellence.

For Valentine’s Day Dartmouth published several stories about married couples who met while students at the College. One such couple, Sarah and Dan Maxell Crosby’04, apparently owe their relationship to the class of’61. While both were freshmen working for Dartmouth Dining Services as caterers for reunion events, they met at our 40th reunion class dinner held at the DOC house in 2001. Sarah wrote that “The class of’61 was a rowdy bunch and it was one of the best events in my four years of catering. [Dan and I] became ‘just friends’ [but] five months laterwe kissed near the Robert Frost statue” and married in July 2004. This is a big score for our great class, with an assist from our beloved Frost statue, which softly and quietly helped to seal the deal.

Mike Norman, now fully retired from an active and successful career as a pediatric nephrologist, still volunteers as a financial counselor to a nonprofit that helps people in need. Mike reports that he is healthy now, after having recovered at different times from a brain tumor (benign), cancer and a heart attack—not a bad track record for an amateur.

In closing I offer the following relevant but unattributed quote: “Nobody ever said that life was easy, they just promised that it would be worth it.” This quote is dedicated to all of our classmates who have experienced or will be experiencing some difficult medical issues in the future.

—Victor S. Rich, 94 Dove Hill Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030; (516) 446-3977; richwind13@gmail.com