The Kimball Union Magazine - Fall 2020

Kimball Union

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REUNITED

Convocation, held August 28 on Pope Field, brought the oncampus community together to officially begin the 2020-2021 academic year.

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Features Seven Questions for Melissa Underhill P'20 The director of health services has led health and safety efforts for the campus community as it navigates COVID-19.

Off to the Races

Horse trainer Amira Chichakly ’09 notches wins out of the gate.

A Lasting Legacy

One of Kimball Union Academy’s most devoted alumni and a former chairman of the board, Allan Munro ’55 P’81 ’83 ’11 ’13 GP’11, passed away in March. Here, a few of Munro’s family members and friends share memories of his time with and service to Kimball Union.

Creating a Welcoming Space Interior designer Cicely Beston ’92 helps transform Munro House.

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15 Departments 9 HEAD OF SCHOOL 10 VOICES: HEARD FROM THE STUDENTS

Hilltop

12 NEWS FROM CAMPUS 20 SPORTS OVERVIEW 22 ARTS OVERVIEW 24 FIRST PERSON

Connect

42 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS 46 CLASS NOTES 54 OBITUARIES 57 LAST WORD

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OFFICERS CHRISTOPHER BURNS ’83

Board Chair

New Canaan, CT MOLLY BOURNE STEFFEY ’92, P’20, ’22

Vice Chair

Hanover, NH KARLA RADKE P’21

Secretary

New York, NY PETER SCHIEFFELIN ’96

Treasurer

Jamestown, RI

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP DAVID ALLYN ’86, P’17

Skaneateles, NY JENNIFER BORISLOW '78 P'07 '10

Methuen, MA ROBIN GRONLUND ’81, P’11

Shelburne, VT VIVA HARDIGG P’21, ’23

Hanover, NH EDWARD G. HILD, J.D., ’88

Washington, DC DONALD LOWERY ’73

New York, NY

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CLYDE NEVILLE P’20, ’22

EDITOR

PHOTOGRAPHY

TRICIA MCKEON

Courtney Cania Roy Knight P’10 Dustin Meltzer ’05

Director of Marketing and Communications Kimball Union

EDITORIAL DESIGN WENDY MCMILLAN ’78, P’09, ’11

McMillan Design

COPY EDITOR

CONTRIBUTORS Kit Creeger P’09, Maria Dailey Maura Doyle ’13, Rachel Hastings John Kluge ’66, Tricia McKeon Dustin Meltzer ’05, Anna Olson

THERESA D’ORSI MAIL: Kimball Union Magazine welcomes submissions, letters, and comments.

We reserve the right to review and edit all material that is accepted for publication. Please email submissions to Tricia McKeon at tmckeon@kua.org or send to: Kimball Union Magazine, PO Box 188, Meriden, NH 03770.

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Dracut, MA JILL SHEPHERD P’21

Greenwich, CT ANDREA STERN P’19

New York, NY JADI TAVERAS ’03

Haverhill, MA STEPHEN TAYLOR

Meriden, NH CHRISTOPHER P. YOSHIDA ’96

New York, NY

Head of School

“Just as KUA is rising to the challenge through this pandemic, our students are building their capacity to lead us well into the future.”

A View From The Hilltop W

riting this letter from my office in Baxter Hall, I am hearing the laughter of kids walking down Main Street as they hustle to their first class of the afternoon. The paths of our campus are filled with familiar sights and sounds and that alone is an extraordinary success. Of course, the story goes on, as the classrooms are not only alive with activity, but also pushed beyond the constraints of physical limitations through technology, making them accessible throughout the world and through the many outdoor learning spaces created on campus. The joy of our athletes and coaches, who are training with a familiar commitment and passion, culminates each week in competitions against Lakes Region opponents.

The fall play tackled Molière’s Tartuffe with its timeless themes and humor on full display on a stage designed and built by our students and faculty. As with years past, the pace of life on campus simply takes over, such that it takes a moment of reflection to recall just how much has been poured into the shared experiences our community is enjoying.

When we stick our neck out and look at the challenging issues of the day that are preying on vulnerabilities and polarizing ideologies on substantive issues, one lens through which to view our community is as a calm in the storm.

With community-wide support, we have created an environment where the anxiety of health risks does not dominate daily thoughts, as the collective commitment instills a degree of confidence.

There is a stability to our “bubble” that allows us to minimize distractions and engage in the great work of building curiosity, passion, hard work, and empathy into our programming. We mete out our challenges in healthy portions, but with a support, structure, and context that kept KUA on a healthy course.

COVID-19 as a catalyst for change has led

us to innovations that will move us forward in many positive, meaningful, and lasting ways.

Adjustments to our program have not only made us more global and dynamic in the classroom, but also challenged our thinking on how we communicate with our families and extended community. KUA’s endowment fund, unfortunately, did not buy early on Zoom stock, but that did not temper our appetite for leveraging its ability to keep us more connected. A completely virtual Family Weekend allowed for the highest participation rate on record.

On balance, there are compromises that we have made that we will be happy to have behind us and hope to never repeat—strict limitations on family visits, no weekend trips for boarders, and restrictions on students entering faculty homes. These are decidedly not KUA. With empathy, we can use this to develop a better understanding of the experience of many of our out-of-region students, and with a historical perspective we see the KUA experience of generations of alumni.

In summary, it has been a remarkable start to the year. I have mentioned a number of times that the spring and summer were relatively somber periods of time on campus—no kids. If there was a soundtrack to our year, the trumpets sounded the day our first students arrived in August and the music has been humming ever since. If you ever harbored concerns about this generation’s resiliency or social connection, I wish you could see what I see on display every day. Just as KUA is rising to the challenge through this pandemic, our students are building their capacity to lead us well into the future. K TYLER LEWIS

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Voices

“I visited a neuroscience lab and got a glimpse of research on dendrites.”

—NAOMI MERVO-KOVACS ’21

H E A R D F ROM S T U DE N T S

What I Did During My (Pandemic) Vacation

ANDREW ALEXANDRESCU ’22

During this summer I mainly focused on working and building on my work ethics for the future, working under my mother at a busy and popular chocolate shop. This experience taught me that there are times to be family and times to be co-workers.

I was able to manage two different lives for the success of the shop.

MAX GESNER ’21

My most recent community to which I had to fit in is my summer job as a bar back/ busboy in Boston.

Not an especially glorious role, but it has provided me an opportunity to put work ethic skills to the test. This experience and the people I have met present a different community, a diverse one that I would say was a bit outside of my comfort zone. Through this community, I learned the importance of integrity, honesty, and fairness.

JINGBANG ZHU ’21

I spent two weeks in Wharton’s virtual business program, where I learned the pandemic’s effects on businesses and met friends who are now working with me to establish a nonprofit for mask distribution.

Those business skills soon served me well in the SuitUp competition with a team of KUA students—we designed a Nike mask and its business plan and won!

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LIBBY KOTEIFEARON ’22

I had the privilege of taking a collegelevel biology class with Harvard University. I got to dive deeper into the field of evolution, the structure of life, and how organisms relate with each other. Although circumstances did not permit me to attend the summer classes on the Harvard campus, I learned how college truly is and what learning strategies work better for me.

It was an experience that I am thankful for and will never be able to forget.

QUINN GUTH ’21

I used this time to apply for a job, and be hired, at the local marina in town.

There I maintained and serviced boats docked on Candlewood Lake in Connecticut. My days, though long and hot, were exciting and adventurous. My job included learning how to drive a boat as well as the many necessities needed to maintain a well-running watercraft. In addition, I used my ample amount of free time to stay in shape and explore the woods of Connecticut.

NAOMI MERVO-KOVACS ’21

I completed a biology, a physics, and a chemistry course online. I also visited a neuroscience lab and got a glimpse of research on dendrites, centering on the unknowns of information processing in the brain. I had my share of adventures.

As I am from Hungary, I decided to fly back for the summer. But as it turned out, after numerous phone calls, it was not as easy as it sounded: I could only travel to Vienna directly from the United States, when in fact the border was still closed between Austria and Hungary.

Luckily, one of my friends drove me to the border, but the only problem was that he could not drive to Hungary. So, I got my two suitcases and my backpack, walked through the no man’s land between the two countries, spoke with the police officers already standing on the Hungarian side, and finally got home.

ELOISE DAVIS ’21

Every year I countdown the days until the start of lacrosse season, and I was devastated to learn that it would not be happening this year due to COVID-19. Without spring lacrosse, I was worried about how I would perform at summer tournaments and showcases. Then, one after another, many of those events were canceled as well.

Without the opportunity to play with other people, I committed myself to become a faster, stronger, and more skilled lacrosse player. I filled my summer with wall ball, sprints, lifting, and footwork. Every day I did something to improve my performance for when I could eventually return to the field with a team.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ROBERT NEUBECKER

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INSIDE 12-23: HILLTOP NEWS BIRDS OF A FEATHER

Jordyn Silveira ’22 finds a new friend at the annual Club Fair, where students can learn about KUA’s 17 student-led clubs.

➤ CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS ➤ STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS ➤ FACULTY SPOTLIGHTS ➤ SPORTS OVERVIEW S P ROVERVIEW I N G � � � 8 11 ➤ ARTS ➤ FIRST PERSON

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Emma McGonigle ’21 Emma McGonigle ’21 immersed herself in campus life from day one at KUA. A natural-born leader, she is active in the yearbook, newspaper, Farm Team, Theater Activity, Selects, the Queer-Straight Alliance, and the Writing Center, as well as head of the Honor Board. A day student, McGonigle received a Cullman Scholarship for 2020 and this summer completed The New York Times Summer Academy.

BRICKS AND MORTAR

A Warm Welcome Students return to refurbished dorms.

Boarding school dormitories are well-loved, but hard used. This spring a large-scale renovation project took advantage of an empty campus to improve living spaces.

By the time KUA opened in August, 70 percent of student residential spaces had been upgraded.

Dorms were laid with new flooring, as carpeting was replaced with more resilient surfaces to handle wear and tear, particularly during New Hampshire winters.

Energy-efficient LED lighting were installed. Entryways received a facelift to offer a warm welcome to residents.

The renovations are part of efforts started in 2017 to focus on the residential life program for both faculty and students. Chief Operating Officer Hunter Ulf P’05 ’09 says the goal is to create welcoming living spaces that are fresh, clean, and improve the quality of life on campus.

“One of the few silver linings of the pandemic is that we had empty dorms for five months because we had no summer programs,” says Ulf. “That’s why we accomplished as much of this as we did.”

He and the KUA facilities team oversaw the addition of four new restrooms to Dexter Richards as part of an ongoing process to create a stronger sense of community. New wood-veneer doors and hardware were installed throughout rooms in Dexter Richards, as well as in Densmore, Rowe, and Chellis, boosting both access and security. Corridors, lounge areas, and dorm rooms were renewed in other dormitories, including the entire first floor of Mikula.

Ulf credits a lot of the work to the KUA facilities team, including Director of Facilities and Operations Doug Plummer P'07, 11 and Maintenance Manager Jason Avery. “We were our own general contractor,” he says. “Our maintenance team stepped in to perform some of the work because they had a strong understanding of the systems. We had in-house knowledge, which made a very complex process more streamlined.” K 12

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Why did you choose a program with The New York Times?

I had enjoyed consuming media and had a passion for freedom of speech. I’ve always been politically and socially active. Honing in on my skills felt important. I won an award in eighth grade for an article on mental illness, so I guess I’ve taken some baby steps toward being a journalist. Before this program I thought about going to medical school to be a psychologist. I think that’s changed.

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Adirondack chairs added throughout campus for classroom and recreational use

Were you able to connect with teachers and classmates?

I had to attend the program virtually at home in Vermont. Our teachers were all over the country and our classmates were spread around the world. All of these incredible people had good stories to tell themselves.

We were able to form these bonds because we had similar goals and aspirations. There was a willingness to discuss and a mutual respect.

What type of courses did you take?

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Baby chicks joined the Farm Team program in September

I got into the foreign correspondence program, which was my dream program. We learned about the technical process of reporting, ethics, and how to be a good storyteller. We got to meet a lot of incredible people. I did a live interview with someone in the Harsham Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Iraq. He’s a computer science major, and I got to hear his story and his perspective on the world. It took him two hours each way to go to school. It’s like we are living on two different planets.

His story was heartbreaking and inspiring. That was my favorite experience of the course.

Any key takeaways from the program?

I did a photojournalism project with Tara TodrasWhitehall. I’m more of a notebook-and-pencil type of gal, which was good because you write about what you know to get started. I wrote about life on a mountain farm in Vermont. My homework was to sit and observe—dripping water, cat meows—just observe and be a part of it. It made me observe the beauty of my life. K

“I wrote about life on a mountain farm in Vermont.

My homework was to sit and observe.

It made me observe the beauty of my life.”—EMMA MCGONIGLE ’21

Emma McGonigle ’21 KUA Activities: Yearbook Newspaper Farm Team Theater Activity Queer-Straight Alliance Writing Center Head of the Honor Board 2020 Cullman Scholar

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STEM

Real-World Design Students in STEM Activity are spending the fall semester building a submersible remotely operated vehicle (ROV). After researching ROVs on the market, the team chose documentation from an open-source robotics company and electronics from the drone industry to design and build their own underwater vehicle.

“STEM Activity is designed to give kids a chance to take on larger projects they couldn’t do themselves, like building robots or designing long-range networks,” 14

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says Billy Ayotte, director of innovation and design. “It gives them a chance to do a project outside the classroom environment with something that they can touch, feel, and do.”

Partway through the project, the team tested the thruster control system by strapping their thrusters to the bottom of a kayak and using a flight controller to drive it around Chellis Pond. After their test run, they returned to the workshop to design a frame, mount watertight enclosures, and increase the complexity of the ROV. “This teaches critical thinking and resilience,” says Ayotte. “The

“STEM Activity is designed to give kids a chance to take on larger projects they couldn’t do themselves.” —BILLY AYOTTE, DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION AND DESIGN TEST RUN “There are lots of setbacks,” says Burke Ryder ’23, who served as the test pilot.

“I always wanted to build a remote-control boat and I’m loving every minute of it.”

OBJECT LESSON

Dr. Huse’s Doctor’s Bag

NEW LOOK

documentation is there but it’s presented in the way you’d find it in the real world, not a classroom.

You might spend a week putting something together only to learn it doesn’t work the way you want it to. Finding a line of code or one crossed wire is not something you get in a typical educational environment.”

“There are lots of setbacks,” agrees Burke Ryder ’23, who served as the test pilot. “It’s frustrating in the moment but really helpful for learning because you can always improve upon what you’re doing.

I always wanted to build a remote-control boat and I’m loving every minute of it.” K

Ernest L. Huse, M.D., is remembered as one of the last small-town country doctors, serving the Academy, Meriden, and surrounding towns from 1908—just one year after his graduation from Dartmouth College—until his passing in 1940. Dr. Huse and his family resided in Huse House, across Main Street from where Mikula Dormitory sits today, which later became the front of the Kimball Union Health Center. His son, Raymond Huse ’33, recalled in the Fall 1993 edition of the Kimball Union magazine how his father made house calls, always carrying his leather doctor’s bag. In the winter he would also bring a pair of snowshoes in his sleigh in case snowdrifts became too much for the horses and he had to set out on foot to reach a patient. Today the bag, safely stored along with the snowshoes in the Kimball Union Archives, still contains glass medicine vials and medical devices and manuals. K

Kimball Union Academy introduced a new visual identity system this fall to provide a cohesive look and feel across all KUA branding.

KUA brand marks have evolved through the years to maintain relevance as communication styles and formats have changed. The new graphic elements—a flexible system with a modernized crest and wordmark—have been adapted for the digital age, yet still reflect KUA’s spirit and legacy.

Designed by Wendy McMillan ’78 P’09 ’11 of McMillan Design, it features the iconic Baxter Tower, perched atop the campus Hilltop in KUA orange and black. KUA will still employ the traditional seal, featuring the dove, for ceremonial purposes such as Commencement.

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Students interviewed for a space at Kimball Union

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Campus visits Many families used Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime to complete the interview.

ssalC ehT

Admission 020Season 2 fo

For the 2020–21 school year, 1461 families requested information from the Admission Office. Here is a look at the numbers.

1461 Requested information An 18% increase in two years

25%

252

Boarding Students

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

340 TOTAL STUDENTS

From 21 countries

FINANCIAL AID RECIPIENTS Total Granted

$5,060,000 88

43%

Day Students

Explore KUA Today

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The Office of Admission invites you to learn more about Kimball Union Academy today through upcoming virtual events, virtual visits, and on-campus visits. Contact us at admission@kua.org or (603) 469-2100 for more information or to register.

On-Campus Admission Visits November 30–January 10

Virtual Open House Wednesday, December 9 11:00 a.m.

Head Tour Guide Virtual Event Wednesday, December 16 8:00 p.m.

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Current Parent-toProspective Parent Virtual Event Tuesday, January 19 8:00 p.m.

Student to Prospective Student Virtual Event Thursday, January 21 4:00 p.m.

Head Tour Guide Virtual Event Friday, January 29 7:00 p.m.

To accommodate campus visits in 2020, many family interviews were done on Zoom, Skype or Facetime.

CLASSROOM

An Interdisciplinary Odyssey Students chart the velocities of the epic poem’s journeys.

COVID BUBBLE To keep campus safe, Student Life brought the fun to The Hilltop so students could kick off their shoes and relax on weekends.

Two ninth-grade classes—Literature of the Quest and Conceptual Physics—combined forces this semester for an interdisciplinary class period to chart the velocities of Odysseus’ journeys.

Jenny Blue P’24, the Peter Holland ’57 Lionel Mosher Chair of English who teaches Literature of the Quest, provided students with the steps along Odysseus’ journey; while Science Department Chair Jesse Mathers, who teaches Conceptual Physics, posed questions related to Odysseus’ velocity. “The disciplines aligned well since the epic poem provides an application for the formula that students in conceptual physics are learning: velocity=displacement/time,” says Blue.

The students—some based in Meriden and some working at home in the distance-learning program—collaborated to tackle questions that drew from both disciplines.

Mathers offers an example from the course: Scylla and Charybdis travel to Helios (perhaps near modern-day Malta). The journey continues as they sail to Helios’ island (Thrinacia) through stormy seas. Upon arriving in Thrinacia, they encounter Helios’ sacred cattle. The stormy seas slow their travel and they are only able to travel at a speed of 25 kilometers each day. How long (in hours) did it take them to make their escape from the horrors of Scylla and Charybdis if they made it 290 kilometers fighting against the sea? K FALL ����

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DORM LIFE

Safety Style

Students personalize their approach to social distancing.

1. Hanna ’21

To me this represents that I’m going to have a happy day.

2. Jingbang ’21

This mask was from Ear Defender in California. It’s the only one I’ve found that does not fog up my glasses, and the color designs are also great!

3. Luke ’24

My mom got me this mask. I like the colors.

4. Neruda ’21

I wear this mask to provide awareness about what’s going on in our country even though we are so far away.

I always try to speak up for what I believe is right.

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5. Libby ’22

I tie-dyed this mask myself with my friends and advisor.

6. Andrew ’22

This mask is based on Naruto: Shippuden, a Japanese animation show I like!

7. Midori ’21

I bought this mask from an artist on Etsy who hand-makes them. I always try to support small-time artists.

8. Will ’22

The mask says it all.

9. Lola ’21

I like to wear this mask because it has Groot on it. Even though it was $15, I knew I needed it.

10. Brent ’21

The Mets are my favorite baseball team. I’m a big Mets fan.

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Face masks donated to or bought by the Tracy Health Center

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“I bought this mask from an artist on Etsy who hand-makes them.

I always try to support small-time artists.” —MIDORI ’21

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SPORTS

Game Changer Eight schools unite to bring athletics back to the Lakes Region In early March Kimball Union’s Emergency Response Team met on the first floor of Baxter Hall to discuss how COVID-19 might impact life on The Hilltop. The most pressing order of business was to cancel the upcoming lacrosse spring training trips—the first of many painstaking decisions that resulted in the closure of school and the cancellation of spring sports.

It also spurred Michael Doherty P’11 ’16, the George Akerstrom Chair of Athletics, along with athletic directors at seven other independent schools in New Hampshire and Vermont, to immediately turn his attention to fall.

“Athletics is important to us. It’s a part of who we are,” he says. “It’s also important that kids remain active and engaged.

There was great uncertainty about the future of in-person classes or if sports would even be considered,” said Doherty.

“But it was important to put a plan together for interscholastic sports should we be allowed to do it. What unified all of us was giving student-athletes the opportunity to compete.”

Beginning in May, athletic directors met weekly to examine the trajectory of COVID-19 and federal and state guidelines, compare reopening plans, and consider health and safety protocols for each sport.

HALL OF FAME Olympian and fivetime NCAA champion middle distance runner Andrew Wheating ’06 was inducted into the University of Oregon’s Oregon Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2020 in July.

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Doherty says independent thinking among eight schools was an initial hurdle. Athletic directors, heads of school, and medical directors from each institution were in the same book, but not on the same page. “Today we’re on the same page,” he says. “The health and well-being of our student-athletes is the only priority.”

As a result, the Wildcats are back in action through a shared plan that balances academics, community, safety, and mental and physical health. This fall schools that would normally compete throughout New England played one school each weekend after exchanging health and testing updates. Spectators were limited to the home team’s on-campus community. The schools also offered winter and spring showcases for student-athletes in basketball, lacrosse, and ice hockey to keep them active and engaged.

“I am beyond grateful for all the faculty at KUA and in the Lakes Region who worked endlessly during the summer to create a healthy environment for the athletic teams to compete in,” says Emily Pariseau ’21, a member of the girls soccer team. “Going to soccer every day has been my happy place; it is where I can relax and have fun with my best friends!” K

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LAKES REGION LEAGUE Schools joining the Lakes Region League for interscholastic athletics in Fall 2020

IN THE DEEP END Swimmer Reese Stevenson ’20 who was named 2020 National Youth Male Athlete of the Year by the National Congress of State Games, now swims as a first-year student at Bryant University.

“The health and well-being of our student-athletes is the only priority.”

—ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MICHAEL DOHERTY P’11 ’16

OFF THE BENCH The Wildcats are back in action through a shared plan that balances academics, community, safety, and mental and physical health through the efforts of Lakes Region athletic directors such as KUA’s Michael Doherty (near left).

LIVESTREAM KUA upgraded its athletics livestream program this fall, adding new cameras, scoreboard integration, four-game simultaneous streaming capability, and half-time ad placements.

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Athletic practices from the first day of classes through the beginning of November.

ICE TIME KUA put the ice down early in Akerstrom Arena on September 18 to help the hockey teams get back on the ice and give students a way to keep active and busy.

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THE ARTS

A “Sacred Place” Students stage Tartuffe in historic outdoor amphitheater.

On an unseasonably warm day in mid-October students and faculty gathered on blankets on the grassy slope below Chellis Road. They were ready to be transported back in time to 1664 through the power of theater and the ingenuity of the 20 members of Fall Theater Activity.

“Our goal has been to try to provide as normal an experience as possible and that includes a fall play,” says Academic Dean Tom Kardel, who served as this year’s director. “But we had to figure out how to rehearse and perform in a safe way. Outdoors is always a safer bet and it seemed like a natural fit.”

While 15 actors rehearsed the play—Tartuffe by Molière—the five members of the theater tech team began constructing an outdoor stage and set at the Merrill Amphitheater, where student productions first took place more than 100 years ago. “We wanted to connect students to this sacred place where theater was once held,” says Kardel.

“The outdoor theater is one of the hardest performing spaces an actor can face,” says Roberto Silva-Neto ’21, who served as the play’s assistant director. “In Flickinger Auditorium, the walls and the panels are built to have sound travel through the entire room. Outside,

OFF BROADWAY Lucy Tretter ’21 participated in a summer dance intensive with Hamilton cast member Thayne Jasperson to work on turning technique, improvisation, acting, and Hamilton choreography.

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there is no help. The actors are forced to project like they have never projected before. Sometimes cars drive by on the road above or the wind blows very hard and it makes performance that much more difficult.”

The play, as with the location, was carefully selected to meet this year’s challenges. “I felt compelled this year to make a commentary on some aspect of current life without hammering the point home,” says Kardel, who had performed the play in college. “No matter what your belief system, everyone can leave with something to think about because of the message it puts forth. This is a classical piece that feels relevant today.”

And, due to restrictions on campus visitations, Kardel says selecting a piece in the public domain allowed the Academy to live stream each show for parents, alumni, and friends to enjoy at home.

During one matinee, a strong breeze blew a pale blue disposable mask onto the stage, the sole reminder that this was theater in a pandemic. Silva-Neto, who hopes to pursue musical theater in college, found the experience a positive one.

“I love being back and being able to watch something so beautiful take place in a dark time.” K

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Students participating in the Fall play production of Tartuffe.

ARTISTIC MERIT Ji Yoon Suh ’20 received an Artistic Merit award in the National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition for her piece, Coiled Vase.

The juried ceramic competition showcases the best K-12 ceramic work made annually in the United States.

“We wanted to connect students to this sacred place where theater was once held.” —ACADEMIC DEAN TOM KARDEL

AL FRESCO THEATER The play, as with the location, was carefully selected to meet this year’s challenges.

ROCK AND ROLL Davis McGraw ’06 returned to The Hilltop in early October with his rock band, The Pilgrims. The Windsor, Vermontbased band played a weekend concert on campus for students and faculty.

VISITING ARTISTS Juilliard-trained violin-cello duo ARKAI visited campus in September to teach Arts Scholars how to tap into their creativity. Arts Scholars in distance learning used Zoom to join the class taking place in Flickinger Arts Center.

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Connecting Deeply at Distance After 50 years, a teacher continues to find his family of learners through Zoom.

BY JOHN KLUGE ’66

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s I write this piece, I am sitting at my desk in the living room, surrounded on three sides by large windows that give me a view of distant hills, fields, lots of trees; drifting through are deer, turkeys, an incredible variety of birds, the occasional bear, even recently one large bobcat. On the desk in front of me is always an open laptop, my lifeline to my deepest interest and my profession: teaching English at KUA. I have taught at KUA for 32 years, a matter of public record, I suppose, but what is not so public is that this is my 50th year of teaching at an independent school.

If in the past anyone asked when I was going to retire, I always said, “I just can’t imagine my life without teaching.” That is what gets me up in the morning, what gives shape and focus to my days, what brings me joy.

I can think of few things more energizing, involving, and gratifying than walking into Miller 204, sitting at the Harkness table, and discussing literature with my students. I have always thought of teaching English as offering a stealth course in philosophy and ethics.

We talk about the big issues in life—conflict, death, decision-making, meaning—always grappling with what the literature says to us about the human condition.

What could be more inspiring?! For all my years of driving that half hour from Enfield to Meriden, I never played music. I needed silence to think about what questions I could pose in the coming classes or to reflect on what the students had said in the classes gone by. I may have taught well at times, but I always learned from my students and how they responded to the reading. Sitting around the table, in the course of the year we became more than just a class; we became a family of learners. That always invigorated me.

And then to be able to talk with knowledgeable, passionate, and inspiring colleagues, some of whom I worked with for years, also taught me so much: John Custer stopping by to share news about the AP program and his alpacas, Scrib Fauver checking in to see how things were going, Jenny Blue excited by something she just read, and so many more. We teachers are also a family of learners, and we deeply care about each other.

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Now I am teaching virtually, spending hours each day looking at and talking into a laptop. At first, especially during the last trimester of last year when we were all teaching via Zoom, there was for me a real sense of loss. It seemed that what I loved most—the interactions with my students—had gone, replaced by images on my laptop. Yet we read, we talked, we learned—and we became acclimated to the technology. After the end of the school year, one day in June, the UPS truck stopped at my place and dropped off a package: My AP Literature students had all our photos printed on a blanket. We had indeed connected deeply.

Yes, my 50th year is not at all what I expected. Most of my students are in Miller 204, and I interact with them via camera, microphone, and laptop. A handful of them are in distance learning, participating via Zoom.

I have a wonderful intern who arranges the technology and in general helps me connect with the “real world” of Miller 204 and with the virtual world of Zoom. (I could use such an intern for the rest of my life!) It is a very different world than the one I envisioned for this year.

Yet in many ways, it is not that different at all. The students and I still have discussions about the literature, and I still am able to delve deeply into some of my favorite works. (We just wrapped up The Sun Also Rises in my senior course, Heart of Darkness in AP Literature and Composition.) Once in a while a fellow teacher will pop in, wave at the camera, chat a bit. I know that some teachers are teaching outdoors, on benches, in tents; I know that the passion for teaching and the desire for learning are still powerful forces on the Hilltop. I know my students are gaining the skills in reading, analysis, and writing that will bring them success in college. I know that I am still part of a family of learners.

And I know, more deeply than ever, how much KUA means to me—and perhaps even how much I mean to KUA. Unable to teach in person (I had open heart surgery last year; my doctor is adamant!), I have been so fully supported by the Academy—by the administrators, by the technology department, by my faculty peers, and, of course, by my students. Maybe I should aim for 51! K

“I know, more deeply than ever, how much KUA means to me—and perhaps even how much I mean to KUA.” —JOHN KLUGE ’66

Kluge has taught English at KUA since 1989. He held the Peter Holland ’57 Lionel Mosher Chair of English for 25 years.

He has served in many roles during his tenure at KUA and chaired the committees that developed the Writing Across the Curriculum and the Senior Capstone Programs.

A house parent for many years, today Kluge lives in Enfield, New Hampshire.

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Q &A

Melissa Underhill P’20 Director of Health Services Melissa Underhill P'20, M.B.A., M.S.N., R.N., oversees the Tracy Health Center and has led health and safety efforts for the campus community as it navigates COVID-19. Prior to KUA, she served as nursing director for the emergency room and birthing center at Alice Peck Day Hospital in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

KUA reopened for in-person learning this fall. How did it feel to have students and faculty return to campus during a pandemic?

At the beginning of the year, there were a lot of unknowns. For all the planning we did all summer, there’s no way to walk through every scenario with all the students. When we welcomed back students there was a lot of day-to-day pinch-hitting. You figure it out. Now it’s less about the unknowns and more about the sense of pride. Having the kids here on campus and seeing how happy they are really did make that work worth it. I want to stay here. So now we shift our focus to how we return in January.

What changes have you made to the Health Center to accommodate COVID-19?

Normally we run with one nurse or paramedic on every day for our open hours and I’m on staff weekdays and Sundays. This year we increased to two nurses or paramedics every shift plus a unit helper and myself. We also increased our medical director’s capacity so that she oversees and signs off on employee and student testing. We’ve also invested considerably in supplies and resources for testing, screenings, and care.

How do you keep up with all the changes and guidelines?

I wake up at 5:30 every morning and watch the news. Regardless of whether the news is correct, there are themes that emerge that I can fact check through the CDC, DDHS, or WHO. That has been really helpful. A lot of times I’m just going through their websites for updates on testing, treatments, testing protocols, or anything new coming out. It’s a lot of researching, and right now there’s no one place to find anything.

How are other boarding schools handling this?

I rely a lot on other schools like ours in our region.

We all do our best to stay on top of things. As boarding schools, we didn’t have help on our reopening from the State of New Hampshire. Officials didn’t provide us with guidelines, so we had to create the wheel. We all have different circumstances, but the themes are the same. We formed a New Hampshire boarding school health-services group to share resources and get on the same page so we can all move forward collaboratively. This is particularly important with things such as athletics, where we can participate safely only if everyone is taking the same precautions.

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How do you monitor the health of an entire school community?

For the first few weeks of school, the Health Center screened all students twice a day, taking temperatures and asking a series of questions. That was probably the highlight of my day—I got to know everyone. Once we got through the first couple of weeks, we reduced to one screening a day, just to make sure we always have eyes on a student. We catch people who may not be feeling well, even if it’s just a cold or allergies. We’re changing mindsets to say it’s okay to take a pause if you don’t feel well.

We can pull out students to identify, isolate, test, and treat. Testing has been important too. Every student was tested upon arrival and then again a few weeks later. At the end of September, we moved to exposure testing and surveillance testing, where we test about a third of our entire population every week.

What’s your plan when someone tests positive or shows symptoms?

We have two dorms set aside that house any of our students who need to be in isolation or quarantine.

When students are symptomatic they’re moved to these dorms, where a dorm parent assures their safety and the Health Center provides care through frequent Facetime communication, daily health screenings, and meal delivery. Students are required to attend class through Zoom, so they keep up with their work. We do ensure they get outside and exercise. We also consider the social aspect of quarantine by inviting friends to visit outside the window or deliver meals so they remain connected.

Kids inevitably sprain ankles or need to see a doctor. How do you handle non-COVID needs?

We still have our day-to-day responsibilities of physicals, medications, in-person and telehealth appointments. We are managing everything we did before plus COVID-19—there is a lot going on.

We still have a community of students who need health education in mental health, time management, and nutrition—things kids learn in their first year of boarding school. We teach everything from sleep hygiene to managing time with a roommate to drying out socks after soccer practice to prevent athlete’s foot. We do a lot of observation and working with dorm parents to help student learn how to have healthy lives. K

“We’re changing mindsets to say it’s okay to take a pause if you don’t feel well.” —MELISSA UNDERHILL P'20

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P H OTO G R A P H BY S U S I E R A I S N E R

HORSE TRAINER, AMIRA CHICHAKLY ’09 NOTCHES WINS OUT OF THE GATE. FALL ����

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I “EVERY HORSE IS A PUZZLE. I WANT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CLICKS FOR THEM SO THEY ’RE HAPPY AND ENJOYING RACING.” D —AMIRA CHICHAKLY

P H OTO GRA PH BY DAVI D D UTILL

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t’s easy to spot Amira Chichakly ’09 during predawn workouts at New York’s Belmont Park. One of only a few female racehorse trainers in New York state, she stands out in a crowd of mostly male trainers, jockeys, and grooms.

The newly minted trainer from Cornish, New Hampshire, is also turning heads for her impressive inaugural racing season. While Chichakly is enjoying the success, she’s quick to admit the path to the winner’s circle has been a “rocky journey.”

Though she grew up riding dressage and caring for her family’s horses, Chichakly didn’t discover the world of racing until a stint at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, home of the Saratoga Race Course. Working at the track, she explains, felt like a natural fit.

“I started from the ground up,” she says. “I walked around to every barn at the Saratoga Race Course telling them that I could do anything with horses.”

From her first job as a “hot walker”— charged with cooling down racehorses— she quickly moved up the ranks from exercise rider to assistant trainer. Eager to get the full racing experience, Chichakly spent a year training and selling horses at Keeneland race course in Kentucky before returning to New York. She found her place as an assistant trainer at a Belmont stable, traveling from New York to racetracks in Florida and New Jersey for nearly a decade.

That loyalty paid off. When the trainer she worked for retired in March, he handed over his barn —and a whole new set of responsibilities—to Chichakly.

With a rotating string of 14 to 22 racehorses under her care, Chichakly’s grueling workday starts at 5 a.m. and revolves around meticulous training programs designed to bring each horse to its peak. And despite a staff of a dozen, Chichakly also oversees all horse care to ensure that each animal receives individualized attention. In the evenings she shifts her focus to managing the stable’s business operations.

“The amount that I’m willing to keep going and keep working definitely carried over from KUA,” says Chichakly, who as a student balanced sports, arts, and academics while working on her family’s farm and mucking out stalls in exchange for riding lessons. “Those were filled, packed days, and I would never be able to survive my lifestyle if I wasn’t already used to that.”

Just as Chichakly took over as head trainer, COVID-19 sent horse racing into hibernation. “It was not the best timing,” she says. “It’s one thing to start a business on a tight budget, and it’s another to not have your main way to earn money even exist.”

But when the tracks reopened in June, Chichakly was ready. She quickly claimed her first wins at Belmont and Saratoga Springs, a feat for a new trainer.

“I took a string of horses that was pretty lackluster and I’ve gotten three of them

PEAK PERFORMANCE

With a rotating string of 14 to 22 racehorses under her care, Chichakly’s workday revolves around meticulous training programs designed to bring each horse to its peak.

to win in places where they were not even competitive before,” she says.

“Being able to develop them and get to that point was exciting.” Winning an allowance race at Saratoga—a track known among trainers as the “graveyard of champions”—was a moment of particular pride. “From day one a lot of people underestimated this horse,” Chichakly says, “but I had a strong sense that she and I could go somewhere together. On the day we won, our odds were 12-1. The win meant that every-

thing I’d done up until that point with her was right.”

As an up-and-coming trainer, Chichakly has also become an ambassador for the sport. “A lot of people have negative opinions about racing with very little information,” she says.

“Anytime I hear those concerns I like to bring those people into the conversation and invite them to my barn to see how my horses are treated. Most people in the industry love their horses and know them inside and out, and I want

to show people that.”

When she’s not on the track, Chichakly unwinds by painting horses and wildlife on commission. Her abilities, she notes, were honed by her high school senior capstone, during which she studied animal anatomy with Neal McIntyre and applied it to artwork.

“It really ingrained a lot of anatomical knowledge that I use to this day in both painting and training,” says Chichakly.

She also moonlights as a race photographer and shoots the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown, each year.

Chichakly has no immediate plans to expand her stable, but is instead focused on making sure every horse that comes through her barn becomes as competitive as possible. “I’m not necessarily Derby dreaming, but every horse is a puzzle. I want to figure out what clicks for them so they’re happy and enjoying racing.” K FALL ����

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ALLAN FRISBIE M UNRO ’55 | 1937-2020

A LASTING LEGACY One of Kimball Union Academy’s most devoted alumni and a former chairman of the board, Allan Munro ’55 P’81 ’83 ’11 ’13 GP’11, passed away in March.

As a steadfast volunteer and philanthropist, Munro’s contributions to the Academy will impact generations of KUA students, faculty, and alumni. Here, a few of Munro’s family members and friends share memories of his time with and service to Kimball Union.

THE FRIENDSHIPS THAT ALLAN FORGED at Kimball Union, many of them lifelong, and the camaraderie he enjoyed with his KUA family— coaches, dorm parents, teachers, teammates, and fellow students—provided immediate joy as well as a strong and enduring foundation that served him well throughout his life. Allan valued family and that ultimately extended beyond his immediate family—many of whom followed him to The Hilltop—to the family he created and nurtured throughout his years at Kimball Union and in the years thereafter. His decision to make KUA his primary, “beyond work” focus was due in part to his deep desire to give back to a school he felt had given him so much. Allan would want others to enjoy and value the education and life experiences gained at Kimball Union as he did, to understand the immensity of the gift of opportunity that comes with a first-rate boarding school education, and to carry those lessons, that sense of community, out into the world. He’d also want students and alumni to reflect upon their time at KUA and consider what made that extraordinary experience possible.

There is the dedicated and deeply caring faculty, without a doubt, but just as critical is the care and commitment of countless alumni who have lent their support with gifts of time, talent, or treasure to Kimball Union throughout its 200-year history.

Allan leaves behind a shining example of what it is to appreciate, participate, illuminate, and educate.

—Kathryn Munro H’13 P’11 ’13 GP’11, former trustee

Allan’s contributions to the Academy are seen at every turn on The Hilltop. His generosity of spirit, dedication to the Academy’s mission, and unwavering support have benefited generations of KUA students. He is an example of how one can so fully embrace their educational experience and create a lasting legacy for others to share in that experience.

We are enormously grateful for his support.

—Head of School Tyler Lewis

Our earliest memories of KUA were going to Dad’s Class of ’55 reunion. It was so exciting to sleep in the dorm and run around campus freely with the other kids. We would play softball and hide-and-seek in the dark, lower level of Miller and loved getting treats at the General Store.

When we became students, the transition was easy because KUA was a part of our life. Dad was a great role model. He worked very hard, instilling in us a work ethic to give 100 percent. His desk at home was very organized with stacks of papers.

He would revise the papers with a highlighter, scissors, and glue stick, cutting and pasting to create the revised documents that he would fax to a typist. We always envied his impeccable handwriting. We have many letters from Dad through the years providing encouragement, advice, and guidance as we ventured out into the world and experienced successes and failures. We are so grateful to have memories of Dad walking us down the aisle and knowing our husbands and his grandchildren. No matter how busy and complicated life became, Dad made time for us and nurtured our relationships into adulthood. We cherish the memories of our trips together and the laughter we shared.

—Robin Gronlund ’81 P’11, trustee and Lauren Munro Dole ’83

Knowing Allan for such an extended period of time, we do not hesitate in saying he was a constant fixture in an academic world of flux and flow. One knew where he stood on issues, and his presence at social gatherings as well as business meetings was always sought. To put it bluntly, he was genuine. He was an inspiration to both of us, and his guidance kept us on an even keel. We shared a love of the school. Headmasters changed, but he was there to assist all of them. He embodied everything good about the institution.

—Joan Bishop P’85 ’86 ’89 ’91 GP’18 ’22 and Steve Bishop H’00 P’85 ’86 ’89 ’91 GP’18 ’22 FALL ����

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I remember as a kid trying to get my father to leave a party. I would have to squeeze through the crowd of adults to find him in a conversation.

Once I successfully pulled him away, I would turn and head toward the door, trying to lead him back through the room. When I would turn around to check that he was keeping up, I would discover I had lost him along the way. Doubling back, I would find he had gotten pulled into another new conversation! What I didn’t appreciate at the time because my main concern was getting home to my Legos, was how this represented the care my dad put into maintaining relationships and how seemingly effortlessly he was able to do it. What has stuck with me was his ability to connect with so many and, whether it was 10 minutes or 10 years since he’d last seen someone, remain focused and engaged. The result made it nearly impossible to leave a party. The number of people with whom he connected—so they sought him out during the party or at least got a personal goodbye on his way out—would essentially be the entire guest list! As I hear all the stories shared with my family since his passing, I continue to admire his ability to —Jonathan Munro ’13 have an impact on others.

Ever since Allan’s father tricked him into getting in the car and drove him to the top of the Hill and told him, “Get out!” Allan never stopped learning, serving and making a difference for others. He had many causes, but his passion was education.

Allan always believed that education was the answer to a better future. Allan poured himself into making KUA better with every hand-written note, every long drive to and from campus, and every critical decision that would secure and advance the Academy. Every school needs someone like Allan Munro. There is only one KUA, and there is only one Allan Munro. KUA would not be what it is today if it weren’t for Allan Munro.

Few in the modern era, spanning seven decades, did more to contribute to the Academy and to the experiences of thousands of students who benefitted from his unwavering commitment and vision of how education—and one little school on the top of a hill—can change lives.

“

ALLAN’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ACADEMY ARE SEEN AT EVERY TURN ON THE HILLTOP.” —HEAD OF SCHOOL TYLER LEWIS

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—Michael Schafer H’13 P’12 ’15 ’19, former head of school

Allan was a lovely, gentle man—a true gentleman.

His warmth was universal: He treated everyone with dignity and respect. I was impressed from the first time I met him at a KUA reception in Central Park in 1989 when I was the headmaster-elect. Allan had already been on the board of trustees and had retired. I wanted him back on the board to help chart the new future of Kimball 34

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A KUA FAMILY 1. A young Allan Munro on the 1954 varsity soccer team which posted KUA soccer’s first undefeated season.

2. Allan Munro and daughter

Robin Gronlund ’81 P’11.

3. He enjoyed the camaraderie of

Union Academy. He rejoined the board and inevitably became the chairman. The relationship between the board chair and the school head is a key to the health and dynamism of a school, indeed of any nonprofit institution. As a head of school for 23 years, I worked with and for eight different board chairmen. Some were take-charge types, some believed in operation by committee, and some were most interested in the day-to-day details of the operation. Allan brought a unique combination of a long-range view of the school with a respect for all of the employees and for the board members who were trying to do the best job they could to help the school. As a result, KUA was a happy and productive place.

—Timothy Knox, H’96 P’94 former head of school, former trustee

My dad was passionate about his personal and professional relationships, his business, and his alma maters, Kimball Union and Dartmouth.

Growing up, I had the privilege of watching my dad work with a tireless vigor to excel in his career. He was determined to contribute to the success of his company as well as the success of his clients, colleagues, and family. He always stressed the value of identifying what was important in life and putting heart, soul, and passion into it. Horseback riding has continued to be my passion for the past 18 years, and my dad was encouraging and proud of the amount of time and effort I poured into the sport. He impressed upon me that while excelling was important, so was learning how to best care for the animal and being a conscientious, respectful individual, win or lose. Having someone tell you that passion is important, while being able to observe how passionate they are about the things they believe in, is the epitome of an incredible role model. My father was and continues to —Amy Munro ’11 be my greatest role model.

faculty, and alumni. He loved KUA with all his heart and there was nothing he wouldn’t do to make our community even stronger. Allan’s amazing KUA legacy will continue for years to come.

—Jennifer Borislow ’78 P’07 ’10, trustee and Michael Borislow P’07 ’10, former trustee

Allan was a treasure. He was a kind and gentle, warm-hearted soul. He was genuinely interested in getting to know all people. Intelligent, successful and hard-working, he had the stamina of someone half his age. His easygoing, friendly personality made being around him so enjoyable.

—Geoff Flickinger ’77 P’10, former trustee

Allan was a caring and generous individual who was always there for family and friends. Through his efforts he left KUA a better place to educate those enrolled now and in the future.

—Blake Munro ’62

In addition to everything else Allan Munro did for KUA during the 65 years following his graduation, he still found time to perform the duties of Class Agent, keeping classmates informed of all things at the school and consistently leading ’55ers to a top spot in the annual fund drive. A couple of years ago, after visiting him and Kathy at their home in New London, I asked if I could help him with some Class Agent duties and he quickly accepted. He needed a rest, and he knew it, and I was more than happy to assume some functions and learn from the “master.” In hindsight I wish I had offered my help sooner, because through the years I have watched him in action and been dumbfounded at how much one man could accomplish in numerous leadership positions at the school and still make time to keep in touch with every class member. He made each of us feel as though we were his top priority. Despite his incredible work ethic and responsibilities, he remained modest, unassuming, and a genuinely nice guy. I have never met a more decent human being. Others will enumerate the multitude of his achievements, not only at Kimball Union but at Dartmouth, the Army, and in his business life as a founding partner of a very successful consulting firm. Let me simply say that I will miss my old friend and am honored to be asked to briefly reflect on his amazing life and represent my classmates in this very well-deserved tribute.

5. Munro in 2018

For as long as we can remember, the Munro family has been always been a part of our KUA memories. As small children we would hang out with the Munro kids while our fathers (Wil Kurth II ’50 and Allan Munro ’55) served on the KUA Board of Trustees and attended meetings. We would stay in the dorms and the campus was our playground. Allan embraced and championed everything KUA. His passion, dedication, and commitment to the school was endless and inspiring. He easily connected with students,

6. Kathy and Allan Munro at the 1991 wedding of Robin Munro and Steve Gronlund

If you’d like to submit a tribute to Allan Munro, you may do so by writing Kimball Union Magazine, PO Box 188, Meriden, NH 03770, or by emailing kua@kua.org.

his KUA family, which gave him immediate joy as well as a strong and enduring foundation that served him well throughout his life.

4. A devoted alum, Munro worked tirelessly to secure and advance the Academy. Pictured here with three former heads of school (from left): Timothy Knox, Allan Munro, Tom Mikula, and Mike Schafer

—George Place ’55

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CREATING A

WELCOMING SPACE

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I N T E R I OR DE SI GN E R C I C E LY BE STON ’ 9 2 TU R N S AN HI STOR I C HOUSE I N TO A HOM E .

rior to the arrival of Head of School Tyler Lewis, his wife, Renee, and their three children, Munro House underwent renovations to modernize the historic home on Chellis Road. To complete the project, Kimball Union enlisted the interior design expertise of Cicely Beston ’92 to turn the house into a home.

Beston, owner of Cicely Beston Interior Design in New London, New Hampshire, created a warm, welcoming space that balanced the demands of a busy, young family with a welcoming entertainment space for the campus community.

“The renovation really preserved the old architecture but modernized the living areas. I knew I had to create a space that was comfortable for the family and that was flexible in its use,” says Beston.

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IT’S ONE THING TO MAKE A SPACE PRETTY, BUT IF IT DOESN’T LIVE WELL, I’VE FAILED.” ——CICELY BESTON ’92

She envisioned cocktail parties in the front room for faculty or alumni and cookies in the den to help boarders with their homesickness. The dining room would need to serve as a workstation for homework but easily convert into a serving area for a formal dinner. As a result, Beston was mindful of high-traffic areas and knew furniture would receive heavy use. She selected easy-to-clean fabrics that could withstand small, chocolate-covered fingers and spilled glasses of wine.

“My design philosophy is form follows function. It’s one thing to make a space pretty, but if it doesn’t live well, I’ve failed.”

Beston was first exposed to interior design when her mother transitioned to the business and opened a store, but she says much of her more than 20 years of experience is self-taught. Today, despite COVID-19, her business is booming as the Upper Valley and surrounding areas see an influx of new homeowners. She’s in the process of opening a home furnishings retail store, C. Beston & Co., in New London.

Beston says she does not subscribe to one particular style, but instead tailors her work to the needs of her clients. “I have some of my own sensibilities, so there’s a common denominator in my work. The greatest compliment is when someone says, ‘Oh my gosh, this house is so you.’ ” Munro House, previously known as Monroe House, was renamed after the Class of 1955 dedicated its reunion gift to name the Head of School House in honor of their beloved classmate, Allan Munro ’55 P’81 ’83 ’13 ’11, in 2005. K 38

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FLEXIBLE UPDATE The renovation enables cocktail parties in the front room for alumni as well as cookies in the den for homesick boarders.

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Connect

N EWS F ROM A LUM N I

CLASS OF 1895 with Principal Cummings, front row, center.

INSIDE 42 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS 46 CLASS NOTES 54 OBITUARIES 55 WEDDINGS 57 LAST WORD

FA L L 2018

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“The job is very humbling, and it can be a rollercoaster of emotions.” —DIANERYS RODRIGUEZ ’13

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Dianerys Rodriguez ’13 A Care Package for Children Dianerys Rodriguez ’13 describes her career at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) with tremendous energy and enthusiasm. She talks about her relationships with children and families, the most in-demand toys, and the power of a good game of bingo. You almost forget that each day she works with children receiving the most serious medical care.

But that’s how you know that Rodriguez, who works as patient media and events associate, is great at her job.

“Our mission is to normalize the patient and family experience at the hospital,” she says. “It’s rewarding and fun to distract the children from the hard stuff going on in their lives.”

Rodriguez focuses a lot of her work in Seacrest Studios, an onsite studio that broadcasts onto CHOP’s closed-circuit television station. Five times a week she hosts live programming to rooms throughout the hospital, engaging young patients with content and events.

“Bingo is the most popular event,” she says. “If we’re not on the air by 2:10, we get calls from little kids demanding bingo.”

Rodriguez also hosts parties and events for patients, although COVID-19 has altered the hospital’s traditional offerings. Now she relies on virtual events, celebrity interviews, and online tutorials broadcast from the studio.

“The job is very humbling, and it can be a rollercoaster of emotions. It makes you feel good and you want to go to work every day,” she says. “But it’s hard when you step back and look at the bigger picture where kids are potentially dying.”

Rodriguez primarily works with the inpatient population who may stay at the hospital from a few days up to a few years. “There are a few families who have been here a long time—we know them as ‘frequent fliers’—and you get to know them and their situations.”

A graduate of Drexel University, Rodriguez studied business, marketing, organizational management, and entrepreneurship. She says her educational experiences at KUA and Drexel prepared her for a role in which she wears many hats and relies on strong teamwork and good communication skills.

Rodriquez also manages donations of toys, games, books, and craft supplies that come to Child Life Services to directly support the thousands of visitors to the hospital each year. “We’re extremely lucky that we’re so well known, but it can get overwhelming,” she says. “I see a lot of Mr. Potato Head these days.” K FALL ����

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“If we don’t make it, we know we’ve tried.”

—SPENCER SLAINE ’06

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Spencer Slaine ’06 Restaurateur navigates a safe reopening in N.Y.C. In the Flatiron District of Manhattan sits Harding’s, a restaurant housed in a turnof-the-century building that originally fit a printing press under its 25-foot ceilings.

On a typical evening the dining room— adorned with twinkling chandeliers and an antique, 32-foot American flag”—was bustling with diners and event guests. As many as 20 couples tied the knot in the restaurant each year. Then COVID-19 hit New York City.

“We shut down and just had to wait and see what happened,” says co-owner Spencer Slaine ’06.

Like countless restaurants in cities around the country, Harding’s shuttered its business in March just days before it was ordered closed.

Slaine and his partner laid off all 30 employees, many of whom had been with the restaurant since its inception in 2012.

“It’s painful,” he says. “We barely got by our first year. It literally took blood, sweat, tears, and capital. No one expected this is why we would shut our doors. A lot of staff worked for us from day one. We’re really a family.”

Slaine, who also invests in other hospitality brands, manages the business from his home in Florida while his partner is on the ground in New York. For four months they didn’t bring in any revenue. Eventually they created a new takeout menu and delivery service to restart business. In mid-July they were permitted to open outdoor dining, which required deciphering city guidelines and building codes to construct a makeshift patio in parking spaces along East 21st Street.

On September 11 they saw their highest day of revenue since they reopened, bringing in a full week’s revenue in one day. “It was New Yorkers coming out to support New Yorkers on an important day amidst a global pandemic,” he says.

“KUA was my third high school and it helped me turn my life around,” says Slaine. “I always believe in second and third chances in life. We had an opportunity to decide to close and walk away or to fight. We chose to be flexible and patient and not give up.”

But dark days still loom. In early October New York returned to indoor dining, but at a mere 25-percent of normal seating capacity. A state audit predicted that one-third to half of all New York City bars and restaurants could close permanently in the next six months due to the coronavirus.

Slaine is prepared for loss. His grandmother passed away from the virus in March. “I would put lives over my business any day. If we don’t make it, we know we’ve tried. People’s lives are much more important.” K FALL ����

45

Class Notes DI S PAT C H E S N EWS F ROM A LUM N I

1943

Joseph D. Hayes

(603) 964-6503 • jhayes697@yahoo.com For the second time I have read the 2019 spring issue of the Kimball Union, dedicated to Mike Schafer, and I marvel at his contribution to the school. The dedication was entirely appropriate, and his wife, Gayle, was in no small measure a big part of his success. So, welcome to KUA, Tyler Lewis and family. I could say Mike Schafer is a tough act to follow, but I’m reminded of another time, 1940 to be exact. The war in Europe was fully underway and our participation was soon to follow, after Pearl Harbor. The “Chief,” Bill Brewster, kept the school on a steady course as the Navy V-5 air cadets took over Baxter Hall, many seniors left to join the war, gas rationing was in effect, victory gardens were the norm—and the school stayed open. The Chief was then followed by Fred “Coach” Carver, Tom Mikula, and Mike Schafer. Past history has shown that it is in keeping with the history of the school that trustees have invariably chosen outstanding people to lead it. So, know well, Tyler, you are blessed with great teachers of longevity and an alumni body any school would be proud of. The school benefited greatly from names such as Whittemore, Cullman, Miller, Flickinger, Pope, Coffin, Kurth, and even my son, Jack Hayes ’67. And then there’s Charlie Doe, for whom the Dining Hall is named. I first met Charlie in the fall of 1943. I was a senior, he was a sophomore, and, probably because of his family’s food store background, he was in the kitchen under the tutelage of School Nutritionist Barbara Douglas, Grubby’s wife. My job was not quite as glamorous. Fast forward to 1953, when Charlie opened his first restaurant in Boston at 99 Pearl Street, thus the name, 99. It was a huge success and he opened four more. It was a favorite lunch spot 46

KIMBALL UNION MAGAZINE

for me, and around 1959 he told me he was selling out. He wanted to increase his dinner business and his landlords kept increasing the rent. The result of Charlie’s decision was that he opened more than 100 restaurants in New England—and he always owned the land they sat on.

1948 Don Spear

(207) 518-9093 • ponderingpundit@gmail.com I’m back! Slightly more battered, bruised, and bewildered than last spring, but still above the grass—as you are, if you’re reading this. I don’t know what shape you might be in after all these years. I’ve had my gall bladder taken out, both knees and both shoulders replaced, a spinal disc removed, open-heart surgery to perform quadruple bypasses, and miscellaneous other adventures with a surgeon’s scalpel such that I have more than two yards of surgical scars. Still, I have all my own teeth. I bet I beat most on that score, so eat your hearts out! Our column is near the head of the Class Notes section now.

Unfortunately, our number of survivors reflect that status. According to the Advancement Office, there are only 15 left of the original 79 who graduated together back in 1948. This begs the questions: Are we from good stock or did we just eat right? (If you have news to pass on, please contact me or Maura Doyle ’13 in the Advancement Office at mdoyle@kua.org.)

Musing No. 1: Recollecting from my college history and government courses, I remember that our Founding Fathers were so against national political parties that they intentionally drafted our Constitution to exclude them. However, their efforts were in vain, as two parties emerged almost immediately, one favoring the adoption of the Constitution and the other opposing its adoption. As I write this column, some of their most cherished ideals as expressed in that

remarkable document are being challenged. Given the current state of our nation’s Congress, I’m pondering if it isn’t time to abandon our two-party system.

We could seat the senators and the members of the House of Representatives in their respective chambers alphabetically or according to seniority rather than segregated as they presently are across the aisles from one another. All votes would be on the basis of what would be in the best interest of the country as a whole without regard to party, lobbyists, or big business.

I have to report the deaths of two classmates, William A.P. Woods and Drew Cutter Sleeper.

Bill Woods died on July 9, 2018, at the age of 89. He was born on August 1, 1928, in New York City and grew up in Pelham Manor, New York. Bill entered KUA as a junior in the fall of 1946. He lettered in varsity football in that year as well as in our senior year. He also lettered in varsity tennis and played JV hockey both years.

He was in the Choir and the Glee Club and was active in the Outing Club, the Debating Club, the Foreign Policy Association, and the Planning Board. After KUA he attended NYU before entering the Army, where he served at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. In 1953 he married Josephine MacManus from Pelham Manor. After his military service, he joined the JCPenney Co. and worked in New York; Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; and El Cajon, Oakland, and Pleasant Hill, California. In 1968 he settled in Rancho Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County, California, with Josephine and their children, Mary Jo, Woody, John, and Robby. Bill’s love of sports continued into his working years. He played ice hockey whenever the opportunity arose and often sailed in the waters off Rancho Palos Verdes. He refereed American Youth Soccer Organization games and served as president of the Peninsula Pony Little League. He was vice president of

Fulmer Co. and founded Rincon del Mar Inc., which manufactured sportswear that sold in the United States and internationally. A favorite spot of Bill’s was the Point Vicente Interpretive Center in Rancho Palos Verdes. At his death the family suggested donations be made to the center in Bill’s memory.

Drew Sleeper, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, died at the age of 89 on July 22, 2019, in Fort Worth, Texas. He is survived by his three daughters, Leslie, Jennifer, and Shelby. He was born on March 8, 1930, in Bronxville, New York.

Drew entered KUA in the fall of 1947 as a senior. He lettered in varsity soccer, participated in recreational skiing, and was on the track team. Drew was one of 17 classmates who went to Dartmouth College. He participated in its Air Force ROTC program and enlisted in 1951 as an aviation cadet and fighter pilot trainee. He married Evelyn Chesbro of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, on December 27, 1952. Drew returned to Dartmouth to earn his bachelor’s and then obtained his master’s from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. He was captivated by his initiation into the Air Force and made it his career, which began by flying F-86 Sabre fighter jets in Tucson, Arizona, and later in Chitose and Okinawa, Japan. In 1959 he was assigned to Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas, as a B-52 Stratofortress pilot. In 1964 he was assigned to the Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts, as a bomb squadron commander and served four six-month tours in Vietnam with 185 combat missions. In 1970 he was made base commander of the U.S. Air Force Base in Soesterberg, Holland. In 1974 Drew became the special operations wing plans officer at the base at Nakhon Phanom, Thailand. A year later he was assigned as deputy base commander of the Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas.

He retired from that post and the Air Force in 1980. During his distinguished

“Allan Bell writes that, for the first time since 1974, he did not attend a performance of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival.”

—STAN B. VINCENT ’53

and honorable service, Drew was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal, Combat Readiness Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with six oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Vietnam Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters. As you might have surmised with that military background, he was not ready for a rocking chair or a recliner. He and his wife owned and operated The Kitchen Shop Etc., a successful retail store, and then he became the superintendent of refuse for the City of Abilene, a position he held until his full retirement in 1997. After 63 years of marriage, Evelyn died in March of 2016, prompting Drew to move to Ridgmar Place, a retirement community, in Fort Worth, Texas, to be near family. Being a fighter pilot takes enormous courage and a tad of the daredevil, so it’s not a surprise that Drew was a biker. At the double interment service (Evelyn’s ashes were committed at the same time) on August 16, 2019, at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, the family requested the North Texas Patriot Guard Riders to “stand the flag line.”

Musing No. 2: It’s dangerous to get political, but as I write we have about 40 days to Election Day, which will be past by the time this magazine is distributed, although the final results may be still unknown. My college major was history and government and my three years of law school were at Georgetown in Washington, D.C. After two years in the Army in Chinon, France, I went back to D.C. as an attorney in the office of the general counsel of the U.S. Commerce Department, where a large part of my job was

legislative liaison work with the Senate and House of Representatives. Right now, I’m a troubled man, for this election is shaping up to be unlike any other and could create a true constitutional crisis for our democracy, signaling the end of the ideals of our Founding Fathers.

Musing No. 3: Compiling our Class Notes columns has never been easy work. It is especially difficult now since I seldom hear from any of you anymore.

May I suggest that you update your last resume, which I assume will be at least 25 years old, and email it to me? Don’t think of it as writing your own obituary, although that is one of the recommendations of Death Café.

I was encouraged by a delightful email from Ted Branch, son of our deceased classmate, Jim Branch, commenting on my mention of Jim in my last column. So I sent him a couple of stories and memories about his dad. Jim was probably my closest friend at KUA, perhaps in part because, although he was only an inch or so taller than me, he was a daredevil. He possessed more courage per square inch than anyone else in our class, save, perhaps, Chuck Massey or Gene Teevens. Until the next issue: Be of good cheer, do good works, stay healthy, and keep on keeping on.

1950 Foster Kay

(508) 567-1397 • fosterkay@earthlink.net

1952

Karl A. Brautigam

(203) 866-5812 • karllas@webtv.net

1953

Stan B. Vincent

(508) 457-6237 • stan@vincentcurtis.com Most of our class has been staying close to home during 2020 or, if we did go

out, we’ve been very careful to avoid the COVID virus. Typical is Allan Bell, who writes that, for the first time since 1974, he did not attend a performance of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. This is remarkable when you consider he has seen 29 different plays during that time.

Allan thinks Lionel Mosher would be pleased to know of the interest he’s taken in Shakespeare since we graduated from The Hilltop.

The fires on the West Coast last fall affected Jerry and Harriet Pringle, who were prepared to leave their home in Medford, Oregon. “One of the fires came within two miles of us [and] took out two towns south of us—they were gone in a matter of a few hours. We have lost more than 2,300 homes. The smoke is awful!

Our health is as good as it can [be] considering our age.”

Pete Whiteside writes that, while shuffling back and forth between Illinois and Florida, he’s been staying active by playing a lot of golf (one to a cart) and seeing many doctors. He’s also busy reading and keeping up with his kids.

In answer to a question Pete had about how others in our class were doing, I told him we still have a solid number who stay in touch: Tom and Joe Fay, Al-

lan Bell, Pete Bowser, Tony Brockelman, Roger Brown, Sam Cummings, Charlie Lawrence, Pete Meleney, Peter Morse, Jerry Pringle, Ralph Rose, Paul Russo, Joe Tellier, Dick Fadden, and Hank Zukowski.

To this he remarked, “Eighteen still here!

Not bad for 67 years. Sounds like about 32 percent. We got some tough guys.” Amen.

(The KUA Alumni Office keeps on its books a number of others in our class who presumably accept mailings from the school. However, I have not been able to reach them by phone or mail.)

Staying busy is a challenge. I’m back at my twice-a-week cardio rehab, but I have not been able to play much music. I hope we all can look forward to a happy and healthy new year.

1955

Warren D. Huse

(603) 524-6593 • warrenhuser@gmail.com Life has certainly changed for all of us during the COVID-19 pandemic, with mask wearing, frequent hand washing and physical distancing, Zoom calls for meetings, takeout from restaurants, and the shutdown of theaters and other public spaces. New Hampshire has, thus far, been spared the worst, although as Lionel Mosher, A.D. Adams, and Carleton P. Jones taught us, in John Donne’s words, “Send not to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.”

I’m sorry to record the death of John Avery Booth on August 1, 2020, in Madisonville, Louisiana. John joined us at KUA in our sophomore year from Essex Fells, New Jersey, and was on staff of The Kimball Union for three years and the Concordia as advertising manager during senior year, a stagehand with The Players, and participated in lacrosse, football, and hockey. He graduated in 1959 from the University of Vermont, where he majored in technology and was a member of the Student Association and Delta Psi fraternity. John served a couple of years in the Navy before attending graduate school.

In the late 1970s to early 1980s, John was a KUA trustee. As a second career he and Bonnie established Five Gables Inn & Spa in St. Michaels, Maryland, in 1992.

When they put Five Gables on the market, the sales brochure stated they had originally “moved to Maryland’s Eastern Shore in search of a more tranquil lifestyle.” After the move to Maryland, they kept their eye on an historic brick building in a prime location downtown. When it came on the market, they purchased it, renovated it, and called it the Brick House. In 1995 the building next to the Brick House came up for sale. John and Bonnie renovated it as well, joining the two houses to create an eight-room bed FALL ����

47

Class Notes and breakfast. Three years later they noticed that the stately, white house across the street was for sale. The Booths’ purchased it, renovated it, and added eight more guest rooms and an indoor pool.

The name was changed to Five Gables.

Following a trip to Lavender Hill Spa, they decided to open a spa. After selling Five Gables, the Booths moved to Madisonville in May 2020. In addition to Bonnie, family members include a son, John III, two daughters, Joy Booth Roussel and Jody Booth, and nine grandchildren.

As you know, we lost Al Munro, back in March. I think you will like the following. In 2009, for a Dartmouth reunion book, Allan Frisbie Munro wrote, “Looking back over 50 years is both heartening and nostalgic. It’s heartening because almost all my experiences are positive.

And the negative ones have been compartmentalized and not reviewed much.

Nostalgia is everywhere, especially as I review family albums, pictures of friends and events. Stew Economou [Dartmouth classmate] and I played on the Santullo’s Grocery Store basketball team outside D.C. in the early ’60s and have pictures to show our disbelieving children. Upon graduating, I spent two and a half years in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps in Washington, D.C., writing military occupation plans, which are job descriptions. I was pulled from training in Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and sent to D.C. to replace a lieutenant. Stew and I time to be social in D.C. In 1962 I married Peggy, joined Morgan Guaranty Trust in N.Y.C., and had three daughters, Robin, Lauren, and Becca, who have provided me with seven wonderful grandchildren. At Morgan Guaranty I was a corporate banking relationship manager with two geographic tours—the first: Ohio and Indiana; the second, California and Hawaii. Morgan Guaranty was a wonderful place to start a career, although my sociology major did not prepare me for balance sheets and income statements. I finished my time at the bank as head of the Wall Street district. In 1973, leaving Morgan Guaranty, I joined Charley Ellis, Yale 1959, to start Greenwich [Connecticut] Associates, a research-based consulting firm serving commercial banks and other financial 48

KIMBALL UNION MAGAZINE

DI S PAT C H E S N EWS F ROM A LUM N I firms. This career change was fairly dramatic—from a desk at 23 Wall Street to an office over an antique store in Greenwich. Kathy and I were married in 1990.

We have a daughter, Amy, who will be finishing her sophomore year at Kimball Union, and Jonathan who will be finishing his eighth-grade year, when we meet for our 50th. And our family will have moved to New London from Greenwich.

My principal non-work effort has been Kimball Union Academy, where my two brothers and I, and now four children and one grandchild, have graduated or will graduate. In two board tours, I spent seven years as chairman. The commitment is based on a conviction that independent boarding schools have a place in our educational system for certain students at certain times. Fly fishing captured me in my mid-50s, especially saltwater fish such as bonefish, tarpon, and redfish. Boating on Long Island Sound provided a less expensive pastime than a psychiatrist’s couch.” It should be remembered that Allan and Kathy orchestrated a wonderful 200th anniversary KUA all-class reunion on The Hilltop in 2013. (Allan served as his Dartmouth 1959 class secretary for a number of years, compiling class notes for that college’s alumni magazine. He was, therefore, well qualified to take over when your scribe was sidelined three years ago due to a publisher’s deadlines for completing a book.)

George Place writes: “Since the virus has curtailed the wanderlust this year, my contribution to your request for news is an update on Al’s portrait project. The artist expects to complete his work in early November and as yet there is no plan for the official unveiling. The final tally on the donations is in excess of $30,000, and as we all remember, I hope, resulted from the initial goal of half that amount. Between our class, Kathy’s contact list, and names provided by Polly Antol, KUA’s previous director of advancement, those contributing were more than 30. And it all came about from an offhand suggestion to me from Dick Rose earlier this year. Allan’s reach was so wide and he had engendered such respect and admiration by all who knew him that raising money for his portrait was anything but

a difficult task; in fact, a very rewarding one. I even had calls from folks not on the original contact list asking how they could contribute. How great is that? The additional funds have allowed us to enlarge the portrait from 24 by 18 to 24 by 30, which the artist says will greatly improve the end result. In addition, Kathy is working with Woodie Haskins at the school to develop a couple of awards to be given out in Allan’s name at future graduations. One additional interesting footnote is that a rendering of the Paul Sample painting that Al’s family commissioned following the death of his brother will be featured as background in the portrait. I can’t think of a more fitting addition to what should prove to be a featured attraction on a wall in the Munro House.”

George sent along an update on Columbus Day: “In addition to having lunch with Howard Goldberg recently on a park bench in Waltham, keeping a safe distance and wearing a mask between bites, I received a call from Joe Dickinson, who was just checking in. We agreed to meet for lunch when the virus is under control.

I received an email from Walter Phelps, who asked for Kathy Munro’s address, as he wanted to respond to a note from her regarding the ‘It is I, Walter Phelps’ saga of 65 years ago. Herb Somers wrote that Parkinson’s had slowed him down a bit but is otherwise doing okay. He hopes he can continue his Maine in the summer and Florida in the winter routine, which I have envied for some time. Charles Darling wrote that, after sending the class a photo of Al, Howie, and me, he wouldn’t have recognized any of us if he saw us in a hardware store and we probably likewise with him. He reports that life is good living near the Delaware Bay, with grand sunrises and sunsets. Scott Blakey wrote to suggest that a photo of Al, suitably framed, might be a good idea if funds are tight. His letter was dated July 12, so the future success of the portrait campaign was yet to materialize. He admitted to being ‘flummoxed’ at not learning of Allan’s passing before reading about it in the last KUA magazine. As class agent, I take the blame for this, although I thought that an email went out to all classmates with the sad news shortly thereafter. I talk to

Norm Letarte frequently, and both he and Annalese have eyesight problems and are housebound. I’m sure he would like to hear from classmates, and I encourage you to connect with him. Email me at gplace916@gmail.com and I will give you his contact information. I wrote a note to Mike Schafer giving him an update on the portrait campaign and received a nice email from him in reply. As most of you know, he is the new head of school at the Newman School in Boston’s Back Bay. I want to thank again all members of the class who contributed to the portrait. You should take pride in knowing you helped make this lasting legacy to Allan a reality.”

From Walter Phelps: “Bonnie and I live in a retirement community and have been on lockdown for five months. All meals are delivered to the apartment and we must stay in the apartment. To leave the community, we must receive pre-approval and be tested within 24 hours. No visitors are allowed. And, yes, some residents and employees have had COVID. Let the fun and games continue!”

Howie Goldberg reports: “As with all of us the current pandemic has curtailed a lot of our normal activities. I do have one humorous class-related story. In the process of planning for Al’s portrait, George Place and Kathy Munro have been in touch. George copied me on an exchange he had with Kathy that included Walter Phelps. Kathy had discussed an episode Al had described to her about one night at school when Walter went into Al and Dee Van Etten’s room after lights out.

One of the masters heard a commotion and came in to investigate. He asked what all the noise was about, and Walter said, ‘It is I, Walter Phelps.’ I remember it slightly differently. Junior year in Bryant Hall, Dee and I lived across the hall from each other above the Moshers’ apartment. Walter came in my room after lights out with a barley pop that Mr. Rawson used to make and sell on the nights he came on our floor as the proctor. Walter was making a bit of noise, which prompted Mosh to come up to investigate. I told Walter to go into my closet. Mosh came in and asked what the commotion was.

That prompted Walter to throw aside the curtain over the closet door, step out,

“We spent half the summer on our sailboat at Catalina Island….

Now we’re outside of Yellowstone National Park, observing elk, moose, and bear.”

—CHARLES COHEN ’61 and say in a very imperious manner, ‘It is I, Walter Phelps.’ It may have happened more than once. Perhaps Walter remembers and will clarify the situation. I did have a good conversation with Byron Koh about a month or so ago. We usually try to get together when we go to Tanglewood each summer, but obviously didn’t make it this year. I caught him working in his great garden. He grows all sorts of vegetables and fruit trees, as I remember.

I also spoke to Judy Brockelman. She had just had some health issues, but said she was doing well. George and I still get together for lunch, though not as often as usual, outside, and socially distanced.

Sheila and I are doing well. We are taking three exercise classes a week by Zoom from the senior center in town. I wish I could do as well as she does. How far the mighty(?) have fallen.”

Peter Smith writes: “Our numbers are diminishing as the years go by. What a mixed-up year: weather, virus, and politics. I have two grandsons (twins) at Hussan University in Bangor. Both are great baseball players and are majoring in physical therapy. (I wish they had started earlier so it could have benefited us. The third grandson is a junior in high school and as talented as his brothers. They have had quite an experience with online classes.

Things are not going too badly in Exeter.

Our home course in solitary confinement is a bit of a hassle but we are holding up and using the time to sort out things in our home so the kids won’t be stuck with too much—we have filled three dumpsters and barely scratched the surface.

The house was built in 1780 and too much stuff has built up. I should have started 10 years ago. I have too many projects. Your question about the coming election is one. I taught for 32 years, was in the Marine Corps for three, and worked on two different police departments; therefore, I am a strong conservative and worried about our constitution and country and shocked at what is going on in different parts of the country. I guess I have lived too long. I wish my body was as young as my thoughts. So much of our culture is being attacked—God has acquired quite a job. I’m glad you had a good connection at the historical society. I have made it up

to Ossipee a few times to check on our camp and wish we could enjoy it more.

Cheers and stay safe.”

I talked with Bruce Whitney in early October. Bruce and Ruth are still in Sanbornton, New Hampshire, where they have essentially been quarantining in their home deep in the woods. Bruce keeps busy mowing his seven acres of fields and, during the winters, plowing the driveway and dealing with getting snow off the roof, which threatens to engulf his greenhouse. Being his own carpenter, mechanic, plumber, electrician, and general handyman keeps him active. He also enjoys his livestock—consisting of five cats.

The Laconia Hospital, where Ruth volunteered for many years after retirement from its X-ray department, furloughed the volunteers due to COVID-19, so she has been staying home. Because of bad weather this summer and COVID, the Whitneys didn’t even put their boat in the water this year.

With the luxury of a one-person office and access to the otherwise closed public library to use the microfilmed newspapers, Warren Huse has been able to continue his weekly history pages for the local newspaper. At the beginning of COVID-19, he also put together a seven-part series on the Spanish influenza crisis of 1918-19 at the request of the newspaper. Another new feature in life has been board and committee meetings of the local historical society via Zoom.

When COVID hit, the historical society suspended all public lecture programs “for the duration,” he writes. “We were also working on an exhibit for the local public library, but that was put on hold as well.” For three months this summer and early fall, Warren managed to coedit a book, Black Brook: A Historical View of the Northerly Section of Lakeport New Hampshire, by Claire Blanchette Clark, on one of the neighborhoods in Laconia, New Hampshire. It is due to be published as this is written. Claire was a member of the class of 1955 at Laconia High School, so in a sense we were classmates at different schools, though Warren is an honorary member of that Laconia High School class. They are taking advantage of a new publishing house that makes it feasible

to produce such a work in only 50 copies without going bankrupt. Admittedly of local rather than general interest, its 168 pages and 120 photos (20 in full color) capture a part of the city’s history for posterity as well as for current residents.

Although Warren has developed some computer skills, he steadfastly refuses to get a cell or smart phone—about which Ed Boadway is probably smiling down from above.

Vin Godleski sends the following: “The Al Munro oil portrait project that George Place and other class members initiated is exciting and well-deserved.

I’m pleased to be involved. Ties to KUA run deep. At your end-of-season dinner for our club hockey group, I was overwhelmed with the presentation of a personalized KUA hockey shirt and a warm letter from Coach Whitehead. My teammate, Ralph Jones ’68, put it together, much to my surprise. COVID coping has been a vocation since March. Fortunately, Bobbi and I live in rural New Jersey, which hasn’t had any new local cases in months, and have no issues. The project list is getting lots of attention, but always seems to grow, not diminish. Praying that the kids can get back into their classrooms and we can all get back at it.”

1957

Curtis F. Brockelman

(914) 763-5050 • pigbrock@aol.com

1958

Frederic F. Heap

(508) 272-7176 • ffbeap@yahoo.com

1960 Jon E. Mitchell

(603) 216-5369 • cottageretreatja@comcast.net

1961

William S. Hagar

(802) 772-7448 • whagar467@comcast.net From Charles Cohen: “I do part-time veterinary clinical work, about six days per month. We’ve been healthy and avoiding COVID-19. We spent half the summer on our sailboat at Catalina Island

and nine days in the wilderness around Mount Shasta, California. Now we’re outside of Yellowstone National Park, observing elk, moose, and bear. I haven’t been here in decades.”

From Fred Soule: “Besides hunkering down here in Lenoir, North Carolina, little has gone on this year. Thank heaven the golf course is open. Seniors play Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at the local course. Since I broke my right arm at the shoulder in July 2019, my game sucks but it is a good way to get outside.

Sue and I spent a couple days hiking in Smoky Mountains National Park earlier this week to celebrate my 78th birthday.

My, my! The Class of 1961 is getting old.

Regarding the reunion, I would like to attend if I am still able next spring.”

As for me, William Hagar, 2020 has certainly been a unique year with the arrival of COVID in mid-March. I started the year with a 10-day ski trip to Utah, staying near Ogden and skiing at Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, and Park City. The snow was wonderful, but also difficult due to frequent storms and low visibility rather than the classic Utah overnight champagne powder I have seen in the past. We skied our last day at Park City in a massive Martin Luther King Weekend crowd, returning to Vermont on January 18. February passed quickly as the unknown world of COVID approached and by mid-March everything shut down almost overnight.

We learned to use the handicapped push buttons to operate public doors and became accustomed to ordering takeout or dining outside throughout the summer.

We have maintained our health successfully to this point and still enjoy regular contact with our three children and five grandchildren. With flu shots done, we are hopeful for a healthy winter season and vaccine availability in 2021. I wish for all of our classmates the same levels of health we have here in Vermont.

Lastly, please all reserve the dates of June 11-13, 2021, to attend our 60th reunion next year. Because of the cancellation of this year’s reunion, next year will be a special opportunity to reconnect with members of the Class of 1960 that we likely have not seen for many years.

FALL ����

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Class Notes

DI S PAT C H E S N EWS F ROM A LUM N I

1966

1976

(603) 443-3672 • dale444@aol.com

603-382-5269 • mattern1385@yahoo.com

Dale L. Melter

1967

Bob Jamback

(508) 561-1013 • bobjamback@yahoo.com Bob Bennett and his wife, Sheila, cele-

1

Babies

•

2

brated their 50th wedding anniversary in August. They have two daughters (including Brooke ’95) and seven grandchildren. Their travels include six continents, 86 countries, and numerous islands. They hope to visit Antarctica soon. Bob still works for a commercial real estate appraisal company. He relates a recurring bad dream: He is trapped on a Ferris wheel with Mosh reading poetry aloud. Jon Holcomb lives in central Ohio and enjoys getting outdoors on his John Deere tractors. He had a stent put in a couple of years ago but feels fine. Mark Perry was regularly helping build homes with Habitat for Humanity and also delivering Meals on Wheels. COVID restrictions have slowed both of these efforts however.

Earl Rhue continues to educate, entertain, and enlighten all who read his Facebook posts. His posts elicit a range of emotions in the reader and for this I thank him.

My life-changing medical event in October 2019 has given me a new diet, a renewed approach to exercise, and a loss of 25 pounds. I started skating in mid-September, although just public skating not hockey. Painting and reading keep me busy. To all: Be well and keep in mind our 55th reunion in 2022.

1969

1. Sarah Cutts Roberts ’08 and Evan Roberts ’07 wel-

Malcolm Cooper

comed London Elizabeth Roberts on April 22, 2020.

(802) 867-2528 • tractormalc@gmail.com

2. Nick Millette ’08 and his

Woodie Haskins retuned to KUA this fall to step in as the interim director of advancement.

3. C.J. Frates ’11 and

1971

wife, Sarah, enjoyed fall with 18-month-old Jack.

Amanda Frates welcomed Tatum Nicole Frates on June 15, 2020.

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KIMBALL UNION MAGAZINE

3

Stanford Bradeen

(802) 863-2740

Doug Mattern

Jeff Wahlstrom and wife Lisa (both former KUA faculty members, 1982-89) continue to live in Bangor, Maine, where they enjoy access to the Maine coast, mountains, and rivers. Jeff’s consulting business, Starboard Leadership Consulting, and Lisa’s, Ovation Fundraising Counsel, each marked 15-year anniversaries in 2020. As they ease toward retirement, they look forward to more travel (postCOVID-19), particularly to visit their sons in Chicago and Portland, Oregon.

Jeff is spending less time on the whitewater canoe racing circuit and more time playing golf. He has also expanded his art studio and feels fortunate to have had his works appear in solo and group shows in Maine. Jeff and Lisa hike, camp, and ski with former KUA faculty members Jon and Robin Wood, and they retain a close connection with Jeff’s classmate, Dan Cassedy, who recently purchased and is renovating the Maxfield Parrish estate, The Oaks, in Plainfield, New Hampshire.

1977

John M. Shaw

(978) 761-0313 • johnshaw59@gmail.com Meredith Liben writes: “The pandemic has kept us close to home, which we’re (mostly) grateful for since we were traveling nearly 50 percent of the time for work. But, like many of you I’m sure, we haven’t seen our Pittsburgh-based grandchildren (or much of anybody) except over video chat since March. We took advantage of stay-at-home orders in thankfully sane Vermont to add chickens to the goats and dogs that live with us. We’re living just across the river from Plainfield in Hartland, Vermont. I wrote a book with David that was published last year, Know Better, Do Better: Teaching the Foundations So Every Child Can Read. It’s written for parents as well as teachers. We continue to work with states, districts, and publishers on improving reading outcomes for marginalized students.

Anna Wolterbeek reports: “Under

Dan Cassedy recently purchased and is renovating the Maxfield Parrish estate, The Oaks, in Plainfield, New Hampshire.

—DOUG MATTERN ’76

COVID-19 our rural lifestyle block suddenly sold and we had no choice but to relocate as planned. So on June 8 I quit my job as senior analyst in anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing at the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs in Wellington and my partner and I moved up to New Zealand’s ‘Winterless North,’ to the Northland area of Whangarei in the North Island. Neither of us had work to go to, nor did we have a house to live in up in the north, but we have overcome some of that and now live minutes from the sea—much different than when we lived in the southernmost part of the North Island. We live among white sandy beaches and aqua-blue bays and our property has banana trees and pineapple palms. It really is very beautiful here! Despite still being unemployed, I have full days with getting our new property knocked into shape, harvesting and planting our gardens, working into a new role as secretary of the Whangarei Dog Training Club and setting up new training for this club, running the Northland dog walking club, and having a few other things on the go. We have the same four adult rescue cats and now two rescued Alsatians, as I had given my previous boy to the New Zealand police due to his super abilities—he is now a certified police officer in Auckland. My new address is 4 Sanctuary Park Lane, RD 4, Waikaraka, Whangarei 0174, New Zealand; (0064) 99464422. Feel free to look me up if you are traveling to New Zealand.”

1979

Clare Dingwell

clare.dingwell@gmail.com

1980 Jane Howe Boucher stopped by to wish

Bella Parento ’20 congratulations on her graduation and brought her an old varsity letter jacket for a photo shoot.

The classes of 1980 and 2020 were represented!

1982 Todd Segal

(818) 434-9189

1983

Lauren M. Dole (503) 534-1396 • lauren.dole@me.com

My family is heartbroken with the passing of my father, Allan F. Munro ’55, this spring. Dad always expressed his desire for Robin ’81 and me to continue his legacy of supporting KUA. Robin is on the Board of Trustees. As for me, I dropped the ball on my class agent responsibilities due to limited bandwidth as permanent guardian to 14-year-old Skye. After experiencing our son’s cancer battle, we thought we could handle anything. Parenting Skye has been a different kind of hard, but we tapped into our life lessons tool bag (life prepares you for life) and, with support resources, things are moving in the direction of a more peaceful household. I can now bring some attention back to KUA. We have lived in Lake Oswego, Oregon, for 21 years. My husband, Trux, is with Cambia Health Solutions as assistant director, business design, Cambia Innovation Force. I have been a project manager and independent contractor in the conference and hotel industry, but business has dropped significantly due to COVID. Trux and I continue to love adventuring in the Northwest outdoors.

It has been fun reconnecting with Rob McLaughlin, since he and his family relocated to Beaverton, Oregon, this spring, a town just a few minutes away. It was a dream for 20 years. Rob’s focus for now is getting his daughter, Ellie, set up in her new school and then he will start to investigate his next teaching job. Ellie is passionate about the performing arts and they are all excited her new school has a strong focus in this specialty. Rob’s wife, Lia, is a biologist for U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

Dave Leonard lives in Seattle with his wife of 10 years, Jessica. The passion for swimming we saw at KUA has evolved into a very fulfilling and successful career and he is now with Pro Club. Pro Club is a nice large club with 20,000 members at one site. There are normally 250 in the team, though it has been smaller with the COVID-reduced capacity. He currently has former swimmers at the University

of South Carolina, Stanford, and Babson and one who made DIII Nationals at Biola University in Los Angeles. One of his current swimmers just accepted a scholarship to the University of California, Santa Barbara for next year and another is looking at Princeton and Harvard. Jessica works in the banking industry and they are very much enjoying the Seattle area (except for the traffic) and the surrounding natural resources. Sally ’84 and Tim Herbert visited last winter. Dave zooms with Mark Ryan ’82 every weekend.

Steve Cooper and his wife, Andrea, are loving life on Cape Cod. He spent some time in New Jersey and says he will now never take Cape Cod for granted.

Steve works for a company that installs underground utilities, which allows him to get away from a desk job and work outside in the field. Andrea owns the Cape Cod Package Store, a third-generation family business). COVID has required Andrea and her family to reinvent the business and it has been a little challenging. Steve’s 20-year-old son, Jake, has started his freshman year and is studying and working in California.

Chris Harris and his wife are living in Stamford, Connecticut. For the past 15 years Chris has been a IT support tech for Greenwich Public Schools. His wife, Karen, works with Synapse Group. Their daughter, Emily, graduated from Boston College, then lived in Greece for two years and got her M.B.A. She has started a career in the fashion industry with Bergdorf Goodman in N.Y.C. The family enjoys escaping on weekends to their vacation home in Westerly, Rhode Island.

Luckily, they had this resource when COVID hit N.Y.C., and Emily was able to live in Westerly during the peak of the scare and stay safe. Chris has connected with Greg Nardone and Rob McLoughlin through the years.

Emily Moore is the director of college counseling for Dexter Southfield School and reports that all students are back attending school live, without any hybrid model. (Chris Burns’ sister-in-law is on the board of the school and five of his nieces and nephews have attended.)

Emily has successfully launched her two daughters into their college careers, at

Providence College and Gettysburg. So far the schools are open to students being on campus. Work is very busy for Emily as she and the school try to navigate the COVID environment. With COVID limiting activity, Emily enjoys escaping the city to her vacation home in Jamestown, Rhode Island. Emily has volunteered time to help KUA with the Annual Fund and has been invited to speak and share her expertise with the senior class.

From Elise Stigum: “The past few years have found me traveling to some amazing places. Two summers ago I took three weeks and traveled from Tromso, Norway, down the coast and into Oslo.

I went to see my grandparents’ graves, where I had a joyful cry remembering my past visits when I was a little girl. I went to the Norwegian Folk Museum, where my grandfather was the curator for his life work. I had family members let me stay in their homes when they were not even home! The Norwegians have a gracious hospitality about them that is unmatchable! I visited my cousins on their farm, and they took me out in their boats in the fjords looking at the fishing nets for salmon! This past summer I had an amazing opportunity to go fishing and exploring in Alaska. The wildlife and landscape made me feel alive. My nursing career continues to surprise me; I thought I was going to slow down but I have just taken an acute care position.

The best news of all is the kids are doing beautifully. My daughter, Kathryn, has a 4-year-old girl and 1-year-old twins (a boy and a girl). My sons, Chris and John, have both shown true love of the game of golf.

They are caddies on the same course, guiding people in the pursuit of success with their beloved sport. Most recently, the Blue Ridge Mountains are calling me back home and I will be living in Ferrum, Virginia, again.”

Greg Nardone lives with his wife, Lisa, and daughters in Lexington, Massachusetts. Greg’s career has been in the insurance industry and Lisa is in education.

This summer he had a KUA encounter at Crane Beach in Ipswich, Massachusetts. A couple arrived and sat about 10 feet away and Greg realized it was Scott Chesley. Greg’s daughters are well, with FALL ����

51

Class Notes one out of college and the other a senior at Auburn University. For fun Greg enjoys road cycling and has recently started riding a gravel bike, which allows riding on gravel roads and paths. He had a fun adventure with friends riding from Bethel, Maine, to Wells River, Vermont, and Lisa was able to join him for part of the time.

Kelley Tully lives in Vermont, where she and her husband raised their son. Recently Kelley was appointed to a seat in the Vermont House of Representatives.

This new position began with COVID, and the first task was to figure out how to maintain the government from a distance and pass a law allowing Zoom. She is on the judiciary committee and has been working on the issue of police use of force. A law was passed that made it a crime if unnecessary force is used and someone’s life is taken. Kelley says she is not a politician. Before this role, Kelley was in nursing for 25 years. She now runs the family business with her siblings (including Sean ’81) and a small trucking firm that is a sister company to the business.

From Susan Knapp: “In March I took a new job in the development office for the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health. Then, two weeks in, we were all sent home to work remotely because of COVID-19. It was a busy spring and summer getting up to speed on a new job and adjusting to the new reality of living through a pandemic. Fall continues to be busy. My son started high school, albeit on a hybrid schedule with masks and social distancing. Work is busy, too. The virus has disrupted life, but I’m grateful to be living in Vermont, where we seem to be mitigating its impact quite well, at least so far.” From Ann E. Hutson: “We are blessed to be healthy through this pandemic. I started a new job with my church in February and quickly pivoted to learn how to produce a weekly church worship service remotely when the state of Maryland shut down in late March.

Although our state has recently moved to Stage III in its COVID plan, allowing for church gatherings with more than 50-percent of capacity, we are thankfully taking it slow in reopening.”

From Cindy Bliss: “A year ago I took 52

KIMBALL UNION MAGAZINE

DI S PAT C H E S N EWS F ROM A LUM N I the position as dean of graduate studies at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. I have a wonderful work family! I still live in New Hampshire and had been commuting. Now, due to COVID, I work mostly remote. My two sons, Link and Ray, are 28 and 26 and in New York and Maine—close enough that I get to see them fairly often.” From Meghan Foley: “I am well and have to smile to myself often as my backyard backs up to Proctor’s Carr Field, where we played many a soccer and lacrosse game. It’s really strange to be surrounded by the campus but it is a nice village. I moved here in October of 2017 to be closer to my mom in Wilmot and have been working as the town administrator for Wilmot since May of 2019. It is a great fit for me, with a finance and administration background, and I couldn’t be more fortunate to have a six-minute commute!

I teach skiing at Ragged in the winter, which is great.”

1986

Kathleen R. Reinke

(269) 408-8090 • kreinke2@hotmail.com

1987

Bronwen E. Jones

(973) 715-3962 • bronjones1@gmail.com

1989

Melissa Longacre

(603) 675-9974 • mlongacre@myfairpoint.net I hope you are all well during these strange times. The Upper Valley had a beautiful, colorful fall—the foliage did not disappoint! Two of our classmates have freshmen in the KUA bubble this year. Andrea Bueno Keen’s daughter, Piper, is a classmate of Dhamey Tenzing Norway’s daughter, Nangsel. Dhamey also has a senior at KUA, and his 2019 KUA graduate is at Chapman University. While Bhutan is one of the countries least affected by COVID (there have been no deaths), the virus has had a terrible impact on the economy and Dhamey has not been able to meet with his children here in the United States all summer. Hope your family is able to have a joyous reunion soon Dhamey.

“Nonna and General,” a.k.a. P.J. and

Jim Jonas, are enjoying their second

grandson—now 6 months old! Jim reports their business, Goat Milk Stuff, is doing well in this age of increased hand washing. They are down to only three teens in the house.

It was nice to hear from Rosemarie Kountz. She is a limited partner with Edward Jones in Newburyport, Massachusetts. She is celebrating 18 years with the company. In her spare time she enjoys travel; her favorite place is Hawaii—she has been nine times in recent years!

I love the unexpected notes from classmates. I can report Dave Fedolfi is alive and well, but don’t tell him you heard it from me. I am still with Gardener’s Supply and living in Plainfield, New Hampshire. I try to make the trip up French’s Ledges a few times a year—the view this fall was amazing! I hope to hear from you all in the spring. Stay safe!

1990 From Hugh MacEachran: “Greetings from the Sonoran Desert! My family and I moved here to the burbs of Phoenix about a year ago. We’ve settled into new jobs, new schools, and a whole new climate. I’m working as a health coach for a national healthcare startup that provides primary medical care for seniors. With the pandemic I’m working from home like many, but I still get to see patients in person one day a week at the clinic. My boys are 5 and 9 now. They’re growing so fast! They just started soccer practices again this week. My 9-year-old played last year and it’s the first time in organized sports for my 5-year-old. I’m still racing my bike, albeit as an old guy now—or at least I was until racing was stopped due to the pandemic. I miss autumn on The Hilltop. Fall is not the same in the desert!

1992

Kevin D. Wickless

(303) 641-4681 • kevinwickless@gmail.com Greetings, ’92ers. COVID-19 in Connecticut has been tolerable and has had low positivity numbers and for the most

part has remained relatively open compared to our neighboring states. Cristin (my fiancée) and my two kids, Jackson and Madelyn (11 and 14, respectively), are healthy and busy. We spend a third of our year in Vermont skiing. My oldest, Madelyn, is starting her freshman year at the Killington Mountain School. We still live and work in Connecticut. I ran into Ryan McPadden and his family last winter skiing in Quechee, Vermont. Ryan reported that he is living in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with his wife, Maria, and their two girls and they are doing well. I have also been corresponding with Jay Kinghorn ’93, who is living in Steamboat, Colorado, with his wife, Jill, and their two boys. Jay and I have been competing fiercely on Peloton rides—particularly during the height of the pandemic shutdown.

Pam Roskin writes, “Well, 2020 is not what I expected. Estrella and I had planned a sailing class this summer.

That didn’t happen. Seems like sort of small news compared to everything else though, no? I am temporarily in Maine so that my son can go to school in person.

I’m teaching online remotely at Parsons.

If anyone is in mid-coast Maine, please reach out to me. I’d love to hear from you!” Estrella Woods writes, “Hi! First off, a random question: What ever happened to Kevin Baggaley? I was stumped by a quote on a tea bag recently and thought of him and Salada tea. My word for 2020 was ‘change,’ and I’m thinking I’ll dial it back for 2021. I was on a four-month furlough from work and helped out volunteering at local food banks to be of service. I’m back at work with Telluride Ski Resort and the winter operating plan is being developed for ski season. I have not left Colorado since February. I also participated in #AspenSilverLining project during the quarantine.”

Dr. Sarah Todd lives in Cape Cod, where she works as an emergency medicine physician and codirector of the emergency department. She reports life has been interesting during a global pandemic. She has been married to her Michael Thomas for one and a half years.

She writes, “My first husband died after a seven-year battle with brain cancer. Michael and I are having fun raising our five

Kelley Tully was appointed to the House of Representatives. The first task: Figure out how to maintain government from a distance.

—LAUREN M. DOLE ’83 kids— ages 17, 11, 9, 9, and 3. Yes, that’s five kids and five different schedules with a crazy pandemic.” Jeffrey Cricco reports that his wife and two kids moved to the base of the Coal Bank Pass between Silverton and Durango, Colorado, after putting in 25 awesome years in Vail, Colorado. He writes: “We are really enjoying the slower lifestyle of southern Colorado.

I’m shootings pics in the ski and outdoor industry. I got to catch up with Paul Tagley ’91, who recently participated in one of my ski photo camps in Hokkaido, the north island of Japan. I regularly catch up with class Prez Estrella Woods, who lives near me in Telluride.”

Greg Kozlowski and his wife, Eirinn, have been keeping busy with their two children, Emma and Thomas, both participating in travel soccer with the New Orleans Jesters. Having the kids both in school and playing soccer has brought some sense of normalcy to their lives.

When he is not limo driving the kids around, he is the deputy regional supervisor for the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s New Orleans Office of Environment. There he oversees the environmental reviews and studies programs supporting the safe development of offshore energy and marine minerals in the Gulf of Mexico region. His brother, Chris Kozlowski ’91, has two food trucks in New Hampshire and was the first food truck owner to get a liquor license in the state. Reach out to him for some amazing Cajun/Creole/Caribbean grub. And feel free to reach out and visit Greg and family in New Orleans.

Molly Bourne Steffey writes: “Life in New Hampshire during this pandemic has been somewhat business as usual; we are fortunate to be in a low-risk and already socially distanced part of the world. My son, Edward, graduated (via Zoom) from KUA in May and is enjoying his first year at Babson College. My other son, Char, is so thrilled to be back at KUA for his junior year; even with all of the COVID protocols in place he finds in-person campus life to be an infinitely better experience than quarantine with his parents. We are moving to our new home on Lake Sunapee, which we are very excited about. In addition, we have

been working with William Taylor as we search for a place in Florida. Will has been running his own real estate business for the past four years after years of working at Sotheby’s International Reality. When Will is not busy hustling hard, as he does, he hits the ocean for fishing and surfing.

Finally, I want to give a shout-out to Cicely Beston and her interior design firm.

Cicely did a fabulous job redecorating Munro House, where the head of school and his family live at KUA. Cicely’s office and design studio are local to KUA in Sunapee, New Hampshire. I hope to see many of you in 2022 at our 30th; it will be here sooner than we think!”

1993

Katherine E. Landrigan

(303) 530-1074 • mckkatherine@hotmail.com

1994

Peter M. Coughlin

(603) 477-3942 • cughlinpeter@yahoo.com

1

1995

Annalise Grant

(978) 764-2368 • annelise.a.grant@gmail.com

1996 Bianca Saul

(978) 494-0544 • bianca.saul@gmail.com

1997

Daniel M. Sheff

(860) 417-9215 • dansheff@gmail.com

1998

Brandi L. Chilton

(603) 727-2624 • mrsvas.bv@gmail.com

1. Charles Cohen ’61 and

(603) 709-7079 • katiermans@gmail.com

2. Gretchen Schissel ’13, Maura Doyle ’13, Rebecca Deturk ’13, and Alex Briefs ’13

Katherine R. Mans

1999

Natalie Philpot

(802) 681-6376 • nataliephilpot@hotmail.com

2000

Kelly (Farrell) Miller

2

•

his wife, Sandi

3. Jane Howe Boucher ’80 and Bella Parento ’20

4 3

kellyjanefarrell@gmail.com FALL ����

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Class Notes 2001 Brendan Ryan reconnected with Kim-

ball Union Academy faculty and friends during 2020.

2002

Lindsey J. Richard

(508) 769-7369 • lindseyjrichard@gmail.com

2006

Laura M. Simaitis

laura.simaitis@gmail.com

DI S PAT C H E S N EWS F ROM A LUM N I getting to spend more time with their 18-month-old son, Jack, during the pandemic. In September Nick and Sarah moved to a new house in Smyrna, Georgia, so Jack has more room to play and Nick can work from home. Zach Dayno is clerking for Judge Peter W. Hall on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

2010 Daniel P. Lowenstein

(914) 806-7085 • danny.lowenstein@gmail.com Chris Wei married Margaret Zonay ’11 on

2008

June 20, 2020, at Lake Amherst in Plymouth, Vermont.

(603) 731-4055 • nixatai@gmail.com

2011

Tai Nixa Peterson

Sarah Cutts Roberts and Evan Roberts ’07 welcomed baby girl London Elizabeth Roberts on April 22, 2020. She has brought them so much joy.

Anson Poon is staying safe in Hong Kong with his wife, who is expecting a pair of fraternal twins! Anson is also releasing new music and recently took part in a movie that should be released soon called Keep Rolling.

Cyrus Western was re-elected to a second term as a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, representing District 51.

Meghan Dolliver Mello and her husband, Tyler, are expecting a baby in December 2020! She also continues to run an incredible vintage clothing store, Billie Jean Vintage, on the waterfront in Burlington, Vermont.

Tai Nixa Peterson has continued dancing through the pandemic, either on Zoom or with a mask! She is currently dancing with the Quarry Project and is a company member and volunteer with Ballet Vermont. Tai still works in fundraising for the Himalayan Cataract Project, a nonprofit that just reached 1 million sight-restoring surgeries. For fun she has enjoyed living in Central Vermont, hiking, paddling, and sewing her own clothes.

Nick Millette is still working in private brands and product development for Home Depot in Atlanta, Georgia.

He and his wife, Sarah, are enjoying 54

KIMBALL UNION MAGAZINE

C.J. Frates writes, “I married Amanda at

the Legacy Country Club in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 20, 2018. And our daughter, Tatum Nicole Frates, was born at Exeter Hospital on June 15, 2020.”

Margaret Zonay married Chris Wei ’10 on June 20, 2020, at Lake Amherst in Plymouth, Vermont.

Maddie Gowing got engaged to Mike Corsello on September 29, 2020, at a restaurant called Ziggie and Mad Dog’s in Islamorada, Florida.

2012 Limay Miao got engaged to Freddy Kuo

on August 31, 2020, in Taipei, Taiwan. Limay recently moved to Taiwan with her fiancé and is teaching English and dance to students ages 3 to 8 years old.

Gabriella Diaz graduated from Villanova University School of Law School in May 2020.

2013 Haley Pollock went straight to California after graduation, she writes, “and I graduated from California State University, Fullerton in 2018 with a B.S. in health science and a minor in chemistry! I took about two years off from school to work, experience things, travel, and study for the MCAT, along with applying to med-

ical schools. I got accepted to the Trinity School of Medicine in the Caribbean, and I just started classes online last week!

By January I should be on the island of St. Vincent, continuing my studies in person. By 2024 I should be an official M.D.—fingers crossed!”

Devin Gilligan married Madalena Rowan on August 8, 2020, at a small church in South Acworth, New Hampshire, where Devin’s parents were married 32 years ago. As she writes, “The priest who married us also married Devin’s parents and baptized Devin when he was a baby, so that was very special for all of us! After our ceremony we headed to our venue in Springfield, Vermont, called North Mowing Estate. North Mowing is an incredible, historical estate looking over the beautiful green mountains of Vermont. We celebrated the day with 10 of our immediate family members and it was just perfect! At the end of October Devin and I will be together for five years, we were engaged for about two and a half years and now have been married a little more than two months!”

Gretchen Schissel moved back to the East Coast after spending three years living in and exploring Portland, Oregon.

Rebecca Deturk traveled from Los Angeles, California, to be with her family in Vermont during the pandemic and met up with classmates Alex Briefs, Gretchen Schissel, and Maura Doyle.

Scotty Embley married Abigail Frances Eschen on August 8, 2020, at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church in Fairfax, Virginia. He writes, “Our wedding was the best day of my life! Abby’s dress was three generations and 67 years old!”

2014 Katie Sanders was engaged to Dakota Cooke on September 30, 2020, at the lookout on Glen Lake in Vermont.

Morgan Walsh got engaged to Mark Fidler on September 15, 2020, at Lookout Farm in Massachusetts.

Hannah Madden and Lindsey Landwehrle are living together in Boston, Massachusetts, 10 years after having been roommates in Chellis Dorm! Hannah is working as the clinical research

coordinator in obstetric anesthesia at Mass General Hospital. She works on clinical trials and epidemiological studies regarding maternal and fetal health, maternal substance use, and postpartum pain management. Lindsey is a nurse practitioner in adult medicine in East Boston. In her practice she focuses on urgent care, preventive care, and chronic disease management.

2019

Hannah McGrath

hannahmcgrath444@gmail.com Seana Perkins

seanahockey22@aol.com Esa Anderson: “I had an internship this

past summer at a company called Hatch Collection. I am currently interning as a brand ambassador for a company called Alice and Olivia! I’m a double major in marketing management and retail management in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.”

Scout Beaupre hiked the Long Trail in Vermont!

Seana Perkins chairs the special allocations committee for the student government at Florida Gulf Coast University.

2020 Bella Parento’s family held a drive-by celebration for her graduation this past May. It was special to have their close Montpelier, Vermont, family friend Jane Howe Boucher ’80 stop by to wish Bella congratulations. Jane also brought Bella an old varsity letter jacket to wear for a photo shoot. The KUA classes of 1980 and 2020 were well represented!

OBITS John A. Booth Jr. ’55 Charles L. Buckingham ’44 David W. Clarke ’42 Peter A. D’Arrigo ’45 Robert W. Hallock ’62 William J. Heimlich ’51 Donald E. Henson ’63 Robert C. Kelly ’48 Winston C. Walker ’83 John D. Wallace ’75

“Our wedding was the best day of my life! Abby’s dress was three generations and 67 years old!” —SCOTTY EMBLEY ’13

2

3

Weddings

•

1. Margaret Zonay ’11 married Christopher Wei ’10 on June 20, 2020.

2. Devin Gilligan ’13 married Madi Rowan on August 8, 2020.

1

3. Scotty Embley ’13 married Abigail Eschen on August 8, 2020.

FALL ����

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You Make the Difference Thank you to the more than 1,000 individuals who supported The KUA Fund over this past year.

Your generosity has and will continue to provide us with the resources needed to remain strong, agile, and resilient even during the most uncertain times. Supporting the KUA experience allows us to fulfill our mission to prepare students for the challenges of tomorrow’s world as they overcome the challenges of today.

Make your gift today WWW.KUA.ORG/ONLINEGIVING

Last Word All the Campus Is a Stage As the Department of Theater searched for a safe space to present its annual fall play, it found a home amid the tall pines of the outdoor classroom. For more than a hundred years Kimball Union students produced a play prior to Commencement, often selecting works from Shakespeare during the early and later years of the twentieth century. According to the “From the Archives” blog written by former Archivist Jane Carver Fielder H’13, P’90, 91, the plays were held outdoors in an area first known as the Campus Woods, later named the Howard Emerson Merrill Amphitheater in honor of a former teacher. The space, which hosted this year’s performance of Tartuffe, is located on Chellis Road between Densmore Hall and Bishop Cottage. Here, members of the Class of 1904 performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

KIMBALL UNION ACADEMY P.O. BOX 188 MERIDEN, NH 03770

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID VILLANTI MAILED FROM 05401