38 CLASSNOTES
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who serve on an Achievement First charter school in Hartford. I am also a part-time lobbyist for Northeast Charter Schools Network, which advocates for all the charter schools in N.Y.C and Conn. It was great fun last winter to participate in a conference on education reform in New York City with both Ed Shanahan and Alex Curtis in attendance. It was attended by all the other prep schools in our league, including Exeter, Andover, and Deerfield. At my age I know how very lucky I am to be involved in a movement that is changing the future for thousands of inner city children. I am still blessed with tremendous energy, which is good since I am back and forth to Bucks County, Pa., where my most special friend, Bill Marsh, lives and works. Bill and I also managed to scoot down to Naples, Fla., for a few days’ relief during the winter months, and we spent a spectacular month in Italy last fall. This fall we will spend a month in Africa. My children and six grandchildren are all well and industrious, and with three rising junior grandsons all playing varsity sports at three different boarding schools, I have turned into a marathon cookie baker.”
4 3
’55 C
1 Dick Boynton ’52 remarried
2 Bill McConnel ’55 in Normandy
4 Cary Kelly ’60 and his wife,
in December 2013, and now he and his wife Layne split their time between their houses in Rockfall, Connecticut, and Vancouver, Canada.
for the 70th anniversary of D-Day from Omaha Beach. 3 Lou Riggio ’55 escorting his daughter Allegra down the aisle at her November 2013 wedding.
Mona, hosted John Henderson and David Brownell in Sandpoint, Idaho, in July. The classmates, pictured from left, Dave, Cary, and John, have made plans
Ed Koczak writes, “After spending a career in government service – the vast majority with various intelligence agencies but ostensibly as a Naval Officer – I dabbled in real estate in Washington, D.C., where I owned an apartment at the Watergate for more than 25 years and served for a long time on the Board of Directors there. Having become disenchanted with Washington 15 years ago, I left for a better clime here in La Jolla, Calif., closer to friends and family, including my brother-in-law, Dan Moriarty ’51. Over the years I have been to all seven continents (several times) and continue to travel despite a few setbacks including two spinal fusions and a delicate open heart procedure called a valve-sparing aortic root replacement to correct an aneurysm. Four months after cardiac re-engineering last winter found me with friends in Sri Lanka, India, the northern provinces of Myanmar, and Malaysia. July was spent in Canada and Alaska fishing and kayaking among the glaciers. If my luck and perseverance continue, I plan to return to Wallingford for my 65th reunion in 2017.”
to return next year to their 55th reunion as the “Old Guard.”
’52 RH Sidney Faithfull Van Zandt was one of three outstanding conservationists to receive the Katchen Coley Award for Excellence in Land Conservation at the 30th annual Connecticut Land Conservation Conference in March at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn. The award, named in honor of Katchen Coley (1924-2013), a longtime activist for environmental and social causes, recognizes a person who embodies all that Katchen meant to land conservation: an individual fiercely devoted to land conservation, whose long-term commitment to conservation causes has furthered the work of conservation organizations in Connecticut, and who serves as an inspiration to others to continue to “fight the good fight” with passion and tenacity in support of conservation and the environment. Sidney, from Groton, Conn., was recognized for her decades of service advancing conservation locally and statewide. ’54 RH Pat Sweet writes, “I am in my tenth year of deep engagement in Connecticut charter schools. I am on the board of an Achievement First charter school in New Haven along with former Choate Trustee colleagues Sharon Oster and Marshall Ruben (current Vice Chair of the Choate Board of Trustees),
Lou Riggio wrote to tell us about several big events in his life. His daughter Allegra married British actor Jared Harris on November 9, 2013, and he and his wife, Patricia, celebrated their 45th anniversary on May 14, 2014. Recently, Lou was elected to the Advisory Board of The Foreign Service Retirees Association of Florida. He also told us that his brother Phil ’55 has been in assisted living since suffering a stroke ten years ago. Lou and Patricia live in Hollywood, Fla.
1960s ’60 C John Boyd is proud to report the arrival of his eleventh grandchild, Joshua. Bob Buck, Executive Director of Eastern Amputee Golf Association in Bethlehem, Pa., has been participating in a new initiative from the Department of Defense called “Inclusive Recreation for Wounded Warriors.” The four-day program was developed by Penn State University to educate and assist Recreation Managers at our military installations at home and abroad in bringing sports and leisure activities to our wounded warriors. Bob presents a personal perspective as an amputee and promotes the benefits of golf as a perfect sport for our amputee wounded warriors. The 22 conference sessions, which began 5 years ago, will conclude in 2015. Cary Kelly reports the following: “John Henderson and Dave Brownell visited Mona and me in Sandpoint, Idaho, in May. In addition to having a wonderful visit, we began the planning for our 55th reunion next spring at Choate. We are looking forward to seeing all of you who can make it back.”