stay connected... reported. Mark’s daughter attends high school at Phoenix Country Day School (“founded by Exeter graduates”). After decades in the Boston area, Donna Cameron moved to NYC in April and became senior vice president and chief legal officer at MCIC—the company, she wrote, “that provides general and professional liability insurance to the academic medical centers affiliated with Columbia, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, Rochester, and my alma mater, Yale, among others. “I had decided it was time for me to wind down my horse-related activities and focus full time on the practice of healthcare law for one last professional hurrah before retiring for good. Accordingly, I closed my private practice in Boston and Palm Beach, FL, sold my competition horses, and leased out my beautiful farm in Massachusetts. Horses will always be a part of my life, though, and I still hope to be able to ride some in my beloved Florida during the winter months. I am also hoping to connect with many classmates in the NYC area over the next few months as I settle into this new life.” Also in the New York area, James Young lives on Long Island and calls his occupation “programming with HTML.” Louise Kramer caught up with Frank Lavin when Frank visited NYC from Singapore in May. “We hadn’t seen each other since PA graduation, and neither of us has changed a bit, of course! Frank has a book coming out about his father’s time in the military during World War II and encouraged me to get my dad (age 96) to tell me more about his time in the Navy and to take notes. Great idea for all of us with parents still here.” Laura Broaddus Hexner’s artwork was exhibited in April in a group show titled Structure/ Nature at the Cross Contemporary Art gallery in Saugerties, NY. The program for the exhibition noted that “Laura Hexner has been meticulously painting and drawing the often overlooked subjects of everyday life: bridges, dams, telephone poles, and highways.” In honor of what would have been the 59th birthday of our distinguished late classmate Thomas Chapin, a number of PA ’75 types gathered in Thomas’s hometown of Hartford, CT, in early March to attend the world premiere of the documentary film Night Bird Song, an intimate tribute to Thomas’s unforgettable music and remarkable life. Phil Hueber and his wife, Judy, and Lisa MacFarlane trekked to the event from New Hampshire, Cathy Chapman came from Massachusetts, and Geoff Richards drove from New Jersey. Also in the audience were Thomas’s widow, Teri Castillo Chapin, and his older brother, Ted Chapin ’68. More details about this inspiring movie by Emmy Award–winning documentary filmmaker Stephanie J. Castillo can be found at www.thomaschapinfilm.com. Sadly, Steve Sun died in New York on Jan. 4, 2016, from cancer. John Lenz honored him in a touching post on Facebook: “Steve had an
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Andover | Reunion 2016
impressive career as a banker in Hong Kong, but more impressive were his constant humor and varied interests, from baseball to photography to music, and his great family of close sisters, wife Nancy, and three daughters. Steve was a highly balanced person; his sister called him ‘that rarity, a humble banker.’ ” We extend deepest sympathies to Steve’s family. If 60 is really the new 40, please let Peter Wyman, Mari Wellin King, and me know how you plan to mark this milestone birthday over the coming year. As Cathy Chapman pointed out, “One thing about your high school friends: You’re all gonna turn 60 the same year!” —Roger
1976 Ruben Alvero 137 Sessions St. Providence RI 02906 303-358-8739 ralvero@wihri.org Lisa Barlow 530 9th St. Brooklyn NY 11215-4206 lisabnyc@gmail.com
Barky Penick affectionately sums up the spirit of our sublime June weekend back on campus. “Today has been a little bit dreamy,” he writes. “My mind keeps gently running back over the weekend and the events of the reunion, mixed with traces of memories from 40 years ago. It was so great to see classmates from long ago, some of whom I was close to and some of whom I had never really chatted with before. I expected to enjoy myself, but not to feel transported the way I do. I am sure I will come down to Earth in a few days, but for now I am floating.” With her customary eloquence, Sue Chira writes, “I just wanted to thank all my classmates over Reunion Weekend—it was a joy to see you and remember how creative, kind, and thoughtful you are. It was an odd split-screen moment for me, beginning Sunday morning with the terrible news from Orlando, thinking of those who have lost those they love and surrounded by so much friendship. And now back at work in the newsroom, immersed in horror, remembering that horror is not all there is.” Helping us frame the warm conviviality of the weekend within the sobering context of current events, Bob Merrill gets first prize for his upbeat showmanship and his generosity as bandleader during dinner on Saturday night and in introducing the cinematic tribute to Thomas Chapin ’75, Night Bird Song, on Friday night. Citing the moving speeches honoring Muhammad Ali that many of us listened to over the radio on the drive up to Andover, Merrill noted the precariousness of world affairs and human relations, and then proceeded to create a musically ebullient response that had
us all on our feet singing along. Around Bob at the piano were Tim Dempsey and meistersinger Dan Malis. “Bob’s rendition of ‘Here’s to Life’ was so fitting of the weekend overall,” writes Heather White, whose fiancé, jazz musician Freddie Bryant, brilliantly accompanied Merrill on guitar. Freddie was such a welcome addition to the class festivities that we have given him honorary Class of ’76 status. Determined to dance our way across campus after dinner, we thank the classes of 1981 and 1996 for allowing us to linger longest at their reunion tents. Energetic dancers of note included Ellen Greenfield Lewis, Fran Oberbeck, Patrice Le Melle, Chris Auguste, Lee Day, Pam Eaton, Alan Cantor, Karin Stienemeier, Steve Colella, and Phil DiPietro, who was complaining that his “adductors still hurt” two days later. Millard Tydings and Kelly O’Brien kept the libations flowing back in the Adams dorm. Louise Kennedy, Jack Shoemaker, Tom Schofield, and a hardy group sustained the after-party into the night. Perhaps some firecrackers were lit at some point during the evening, summoning the fire department, but no one is talking. The Addison Gallery was an important draw for many of us, most notably Betsy Senior, who served for 12 years on the Addison’s board of governors. Naomi Rush Olsen relates, “This was my spiritual home when I was a PA student. I spent the summer between 11th and 12th grades as a 16-year-old curatorial assistant, acquisitioning works on paper. I have to pinch myself to believe it sometimes.” David Kufferman says, “I had the privilege of being included in the By Design exhibition there in 1997, honoring Robert Lloyd. I learned so much from both him and John McMurray. I lived in their sculpture studios during my time at PA, which is probably why so many people at the reunion told me they did not remember me!” Ellen Greenfield Lewis shared a poignant story with Addison director Judith Dolkart about Francesca Woodman, who collected marsh grasses in a trunk in her room, causing much finger wagging by her dorm counselor, who didn’t like the loose seeds blowing around. Those weeds now live on in photographs that are a permanent part of the Addison’s collection. Biology teacher Marc Koolen, who is retiring this year and whose wife is our classmate Anita Thomas Koolen, gave a wonderful class on Darwin and the Beagle. Kayce Freed Jennings was impressive in her role as moderator of a panel discussing the state of the Academy. Larry Fong led the parade, with his two boys Landon and Matteo holding our 1976 banner. I enjoyed catching up with Toonie Casey Bukawyn, who still keeps us in style with her work in the fashion industry, and Charles Emery, who is a psychology professor at Ohio State. It was a pleasure to see Nina Kimball and Carina Elgin, who reunited at the parade with their old elementary school head, Allen Adriance ’61,