spite of the age difference) and visit them both in NYC and in Avon, NJ. Pete says that he is in touch with Tom Wycall as well and hopes to see him in the not-too-distant future. Thanks, Pete; buy Tom a drink for us. Mike Foley responded to my question as to how his grandson had done in the MN State Hockey Tournament that, while Chase’s team, St Thomas Academy, had unfortunately lost in the finals of the playoffs and therefore had not qualified for the tournament, Chase did have a very good year personally, and had, in fact, received the Rookie of the Year Award at the team banquet. So, way to go, Chase! It obviously was all your grandfather’s brilliant insights into the game that led to your success. Mike also said that while Wayzata won the state championship, STA did gain some solace in that they beat Wayzata 5–0 during the regular season. Hockey is such a strange game, you just never know… PJ and Al Chagan sent a great New Year’s letter designed to explain why they disappeared in 2015 for great spans of time. After finding out what they have been up to, I’m surprised they surfaced at all. Among the many “special events” was Matthew’s marriage to Philippa (Pip) Jones, a very special young Brit, in an 800-year-old church in Nutfield, Surrey, England. The trip included a trip to Bath, where Al took a bath (sorry, Juho, that was really weak), and several other beautiful sites. Later in the year, Pip and Matt presented PJ and Al with their 1st granddaughter, Greta Charlotte Chagan. A big change occurred in Aug when the Chagans sold their home in Wayne, PA, after 30+ years and moved to Savannah, GA. The hardest part was that they had lived close to their son Jebb, his wife, Julie, and 5-yearold Matthew. The good news is that in Savannah they are 5 minutes from their daughter Heidi, her husband, Clark, and their 3 grandsons Cole, Nathan, and Jack. They love their new cozy, lowcountry style home, the beach (15 min away), and the warmer climate. All 13 Chagans (very Colgate appropriate) celebrated Christmas together in Savannah and had a memorable time. PJ and Al once again say they are taking in visitors, so I suggest making your reservations early so they can stock up on enough steak and lobsters, etc. None of our class was able to get back for the Silver Puck Weekend, which included the last games and celebration of the closing of the Starr Hockey Rink in late Feb. Bob Meehan ’65 and John McGonagle ’65 did make it back, as well as 4 players who played in the 1st game in 1959. As reported by the Parrot, they were Terry Connolly ’62, goalie, captain, and pride of White Bear Lake, MN; the immortal Clint Rappole ’62, asst captain from Alex Bay, NY; the handsome and formally shifty Dick Scott ’62; and “one other gent who wore #11 and scored the 1st goal at the rink (Bob’s words).” Bob noted that as fate would have it, another #11, Jake Kulevich ’17, ended up scoring the last (men’s) goal ever in the rink that weekend. Bob said that he had spoken to Don Vaughan about the possibility of retiring Steve Riggs’s #15 jersey and said it was under consideration. Currently, there are no retired jerseys. It sounds like a good idea to me. Steve Steele sent along a couple of excellent photos of Terry and Clint with their counterparts from this year’s Colgate team, Charlie Finn ’17 and Sebastian Weberg ’18. Sounds like a great weekend; wish we had been able to be there. Mike Jukoski and I are already planning to be at the fall weekend when they open the new Steve Riggs Rink. Let’s have a big turnout for that. We received a recent photo of a beautiful new little baby named Tenley, born to Sjoukje Brown, daughter of Elze and Kurt Brown. You just know Kurt was beaming. Please notice after all these
years I am finally spelling Elze properly. Elze was kind enough to blame Kurt, saying he sort of Americanized it on their wedding license. Very Tonto-like, seizing the day! I heard from Jim Mather again in Feb when he sent me the full transcript of his trip through Canada and America — wow — it is amazing to say the least. He was in Las Vegas when he sent it with an old high school friend named Sharon Simpson. Sounds like “love at 2nd sight” to me. Jane and Mike Heffernan and family (including movie star Kevin Heffernan ’90 and his wife, Dr Sue Calder ’90) are lying on the beach in Captiva, FL, (no, folks, that is not a beached great white whale) and soaking up the fabulous weather, and I suspect that Mike is soaking up all available food and drink as well. Just around the corner, Marty and Don Wilmot ’66 are combing the beach for that great, undiscovered seashell that has eluded Don all these many years. Let the good times roll! Deni and I had a great time in Feb in Mexico with everyone in our family. All 16 of us made it, including our new twin grandkids Brady and Natasha, 1 years old on April 5. Included in the clan were Red Raiders Kerry Johnson ’94 and Rick Johnson ’90. Thanks to Dan Baird, Biff Atwater, Jeff Smith ’66, and Doug Stay ’67 for sending me all of those amusing e-mails, some of which actually even get through our compliance dept. And, Steve Steele is back to doing his usual excellent job of chronicling Colgate events and history, along with Bob “Parrot” Meehan ’65. It must be something about those Air Force pilots. Shortly, I will be seeing Peter Nichols ’65, Terry MacLaughlin ’68, and Steve Theall ’66 on the golf course, so all will be right with the world. Have a great summer, but take a few minutes to drop us a note so your classmates will know “wazzup” with more of you. Stay healthy, my friends… Dick: 855-244-2998; johnsonri@stifel.com
196 5 Garner Simmons 22126 Providencia Street Woodland Hills, CA 91364-4133 In the fall of 1961 when we arrived on campus, we were the first class to enjoy the full benefits of the newly erected Reid Athletic Center, a state-of-the-art indoor facility that contained a field house, locker rooms, a bowling alley, and hockey rink that would eventually be named for the redoubtable Howie Starr who had taught and coached at Colgate over 4 decades with time off for service in both WWI and WWII. Last year at this time, we as a class stepped up to meet the challenge by raising a significant portion of the funds needed to erect a new state-of-the-art athletic facility to replace Reid and to be named The Class of 1965 Arena. Designed to host a wide variety of events from speakers to debates to athletic contests, it will also house the Steven J Riggs ’65 Hockey Rink. As a result, Feb 27 saw the final Colgate home hockey game ever to be played in Starr Rink. Present as Colgate defeated Union were John McGonagle and Bobby Meehan, plus Terry Connolly ’62, Clint Rappole ’62, Dick Scott ’62 (all of whom had played in the 1st game ever skated at Starr) and the ageless Gerry Quill ’60. Though unable to attend, “Mover” Mike Jukoski ’64 has promised to definitely be there when the puck drops for the 1st time in Riggs Rink Oct 1. Among other members of the Class of ’65 in attendance was Peter Clark, who drove over from Cooperstown and writes: “I made it back to Colgate last weekend for the final hockey game at Starr Rink. Very
exciting game, but a bittersweet night witnessing the last official game to be played in the ‘old barn.’ There was a ceremonial puck drop before the game, an introduction of members of the 1st team to play at Starr in 1959, and the reading of the names of many of the returning players on Silver Puck Weekend. I heard John McGonagle’s and Bob Meehan’s names read out over the PA. I also saw Rollie Sterrett in attendance, but was sitting far from him and didn’t have a chance to chat. All in all, a great time that brought back many fond memories of attending all those games between 1961 and 1965. I will miss Starr, but am looking forward to the christening of the new Class of ’65 Arena and Steve Riggs Rink next Oct.” And just to make it official, Rollie sent along a shot of the final scoreboard, adding: “This shows Colgate’s victory over Union, the last men’s ice hockey regular-season game in Starr Rink after 56 seasons. On the previous night, the Raiders had beaten #17 RPI! This was an extra-special Silver Puck Weekend with a Friday night reception at the Inn, a brunch in the lobby of Reid Athletic Center late Saturday morning, and a prime rib sit-down banquet in the Hall of the Presidents for 250 attendees. Our Class of ’65 Arena/Steve Riggs Memorial Rink was a constant theme throughout the weekend, including a PowerPoint presentation at the post–RPI game celebration at the inn, illustrating the external and internal components of the new arena. Looking forward to dedication weekend (Sept 30–Oct 2)!” Editor’s note: Be sure to watch for the autumn issue of the Scene in which several of Steve Riggs’s linemates have contributed a personal remembrance recalling his life and times. Not to be missed. And speaking of Steve Riggs, I received a note from his son Steve Jr, aka “Riggsie,” who was headed to Thailand April 10. Steve Jr had been communicating with George Johnson, who lives there permanently. Diving in Ko Lipe (a small idyllic island in the Andaman Sea), living with monks for a solid 48 hours, washing and swimming with elephants, betting on cobra/mongoose fights, spending time with George and hearing more stories about Colgate — sounds like the trip of a lifetime. Although, as someone who roomed with George our senior year, I am having a difficult time conjuring up the image of him living with monks. Bathing with elephants yes, but living with monks? Ay caramba! One of the brightest and most unassuming guys in our class was Dick Groccia. A French major who is also fluent in Spanish, Italian, and Greek, he traveled the world, spending more than 2 decades in the US Foreign Service. Eight years ago I was lucky enough to speak with him by phone shortly after he moved to Tempe, AZ. Since his bio is not included in the Class of 1965 50th Reunion Yearbook, I thought I’d take a moment and pass along an e-mail he recently sent: “During my 21 years in the foreign service, I served in Mexico twice, covered Spain twice, and opened our claims taking post in Buenos Aires, which now covers Uruguay and Chile, in addition to Argentina. My grandfather spent 20 years in Buenos Aires before returning to Italy in 1923 and left a 2nd family behind in Argentina. Perhaps this piqued my interest in Ernesto Sabato’s novels. [Ed note: Sabato, who died in 2011 at 99, is remembered as “the last truly classic writer in Argentinian literature.”] I still constantly read in Spanish and French, but I spend much more time reading in Italian. The wonders of classical Italian literature are now little appreciated by Anglo-Saxons, but they are profound. If you can read Dante, Ariosto, and especially Tasso, you will understand what I mean. Right now I am reading
Elena Ferrante’s novels. Very deep, but Ferrante’s subtle intertwining of the lilt of Neapolitan dialect into her Italian is not translatable.” An interesting observation that reminded me of the famous quotation from Robert Frost: “Poetry is what is lost in translation.” Dick is now semiretired in Tempe, where he works as a part-time contractor for SSA’s Administrative Law Judges and is in the process of writing down his experiences for his grandchildren. Word comes from Don Messinger on a wonderful Cleveland Pops Concert featuring the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein that he and wife Sally put together to raise awareness for a rare childhood disease known as Williams syndrome. Held in Cleveland’s Severance Hall, it was inspired by their grandson Andrew, 2, who lives in Washington, DC. Williams syndrome is a heart condition that often requires open-heart surgery (young Andrew has already had one such operation but needs another). Don writes: “Little is known about Williams syndrome, which occurs in 1 out of every 20,000 births. We thought that the concert might bring the condition to the attention of some researcher willing to take on the challenge. Also, as I’m sure you’re aware, the musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein often deal with underlying societal issues, such as racism, spousal abuse, etc, which we, in turn, felt spoke to the ways one can overcome disabilities. Thus we brought in singer Tory Ackley who has Williams syndrome. She sang a song she had written, Happy to Be Me, which is about overcoming disabilities; an inspirational performance. We also invited families who are fighting WS to attend. Since the concert, Sally and I have received numerous calls from parents and grandparents dealing with other disabilities, telling us how her performance has also given them hope.” Doug Quelch celebrated coming off rehab following hip surgery by going fishing. He writes: “Taken off the walker 3 days ago, I was cheating when I went fishing right after that. Rehab so far looks good. I have to stay on a cane until March 31. That gives me 12 days to get ready for the military officers golf tourney. I also can’t ride my bike ’til then either, but it is feeling good. My lecture at FL Gulf Coast U on the modern history of the Middle East went well; about 300 people attended. I added a section on ISIS, which provoked many questions for the panel discussion that followed my talk. The panel included an Iraqi war vet, an FGCU history prof, a retired 3-Star general, and me. We also used the occasion to present one of the almost $30K checks our chapter foundation has givens to veterans’ causes. This particular program uses the facilities at the Boston Red Sox spring training park for disabled war vets.” Our condolences to Doug on the passing of his mother, Rosemary, at the age of 98 on March 15 in Ft Myers, FL. She clearly led a long and wonderful life that included 4 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Also heard from Joe DeLuca, who has been keeping busy traveling and catching up with old friends. He had lunch with Lynne and Don Ryan, as well as Bud Eisberg, who was visiting his old stomping grounds in NJ. Next, he will be flying back to the U of Denver (his 2nd alma mater) where he will attend his class’s 50th Reunion while hopefully connecting with Paul Krusa, who now lives in Frisco, CO. Congratulations to Charlie Veley who has just been notified by his publisher, Thomas & Mercer, that they will be publishing his 2nd Sherlock Holmes mystery, titled The Wilhelm Conspiracy, this fall. At the same time, a new audio edition of his first mystery, The Last Moriarty, is now available through Audible.com (a lively recording — renowned British actor Edward Petherbridge
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