1979

1979

Attendees at the November 2022 reunion of 12 soccer teammates and classmates—organized by Tom Ryan, Rich Brown, Dave Wilson, and Larry Gordon—provided news.

Described by friends as “a great teammate and leader as the two-year captain of the Dartmouth soccer team,” Tom Ryan, retired since December 2020, is busy with golf, travel, reading, volunteering, and lots of grandparenting, with two granddaughters living a mile away and two grandsons four houses away! “We have tried to ease the burden on their very busy parents. Maybe it is keeping us young—well, not really sure about that, but we surely are loving it.” The soccer reunion “was great fun, loved seeing these men who had big impacts on my life. Steve Jonas and Scott Blackmun have functioned like brothers to me since September of 1975! We were proud and pleased to get to see Steve’s daughter, Tess, one of our goddaughters, in an off-Broadway show. I live in Kansas City, in case anybody is passing through and wants to reach out,” as did Bill Mitchell and Terry Gould.

Steve Jonas credits Tom and Dave for keeping the ’79 soccer seniors in touch by email and get-togethers. Steve practiced law for most of his career. “Earlier this year, instead of retiring, I joined the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as senior advisor to the general counsel, focusing on litigation and congressional oversight. My wife, Holly, and I commute often between D.C. and New England. We have three children, one in Brooklyn and two near Boston.”

Rich Brown still works as a lawyer, doing commercial litigation. He and wife Maggie—in Morris County, New Jersey, for nearly 30 years—have four grown children living “all over the place and a grandchild who’s way too far away (1,700 miles).” He says, “It’s just not the same as my growing up with grandparents within 15 miles.”

Larry Gordon still works as a lawyer specializing in insurance claims. He and wife Amy—in Concord, Massachusetts, for 29 years—have two grown kids, both of whom went to Dartmouth; one is back there at Tuck.

Dave Wilson, in Rowayton, Connecticut, since 1985, is mostly retired. He stays in touch with classmates through an annual Park City ski trip, reunions, and emails with soccer teammates, summer group hikes up the Appalachian Trail near Hanover, and more. He has twins, now age 30, one in San Francisco with Deloitte and the other in D.C. with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Scott Blackmun, retired in 2018 after two active careers in law and sports, is now “engaged in a futile struggle to even slightly improve my golf game.” Entertained by memories of the Dartmouth ’79s who played soccer, he writes, “My favorite soccer memory, however, is when my freshman roomie in 208 Smith (Brad Weeks) tried out for the team. When asked what position he plays, he replied ‘Well, what positions do you have?’ ” In addition to Tom and Steve, Scott keeps “moderately close to my best high school friend and ’79 classmate Dave Springer.”

—Janie Simms Hamner, 7327Centenary Ave., Dallas, TX 75225; jshandkids@aol.com