1938

1938

It has been a very long time since I have had to report the passing of a member of the prestigious and amazing class of 1938—but, alas, I now bid adieu to two members, Frederick Ernest Howard and Alfred Richard Wolff II.

Unfortunately, I did not know Mr. Howard. In looking over material I have (including the 50th reunion book dated 1988) I found no information. The notice of his passing indicates an address in Chino Hills, California. Mr. Howard was, indeed, a gentleman of Dartmouth. He passed away in 2017 and is survived by a daughter.

For my dearest of friends, Al Wolff, who passed away on January 21 in Pennsylvania, I could probably write a book that would cover many memories of past reunions, notes I received during these past years and extraordinary telephone conversations covering current events. Most important, Al loved reliving the glory days shared with his comrades at Dartmouth—perhaps because this is what we had in common. The book would focus on the Al Wolff I had the pleasure and privilege of getting to know, albeit for only the last 37 years. Al had a tremendous enthusiasm for telling stories and held everyone’s attention and interest—I could listen for hours at reunions. When he and Asher Lans got together, laughter abounded and “the rapture was recaptured” of bygone days. Al also was a true gentleman of Dartmouth and, although I didn’t see much or hear much from him in recent years, he always held a special place in my life. How often I have thought of him—and I imagine the reunion in heaven was one in keeping with previous reunions, with much laughter, tears and the sharing of lifelong memories.

I would have loved to have met Al in 1938 when he was a youngster of 21 journeying into a new beginning. Al didn’t leave Dartmouth in 1938—as no one ever leaves Dartmouth. I recall this quote: “Dartmouth men spend four years trying to get out of Hanover, and the rest of their lives trying to get back.”

Our deepest sympathy to Goldye and the rest of Al’s family and to the family of Mr. Howard. —Jean M. Francis, 2205 Boston Road, 0-139, Wilbraham, MA 01095; jmfcarmel@charter.net