www.andover.edu/intouch I had a nice visit with Doug Westberg in his hometown of Vancouver, Wash., when I was there to play a benefit concert for the Clark County Democrats. Doug joined me on stage and performed one of his clever original songs—a fitting venue for our first meeting in 38 years. As 14-year-olds at PA, we bonded over Democratic politics in Will Hall in the fall of 1968, along with Jim Mayock, bravely doing intellectual battle with our GOP adversaries, Dan Burd and Bill Pruden. Doug and I used to take great pleasure in altering Nixon-Agnew bumper stickers. This being a family publication, I can’t tell you what they said when we were finished. Actually, truth be told, I can’t even remember. I do remember that the alterations required much fine motor dexterity in the days before Photoshop. I saw Bill Boak and wife Mary Wang in November at their happy home in Manhattan. They are empty nesters now, but Mabel the yellow Lab provides good company. Bill and Mary have moved, but just across the street. They’re still on 72nd Street—a testament to Bill’s fierce loyalty to his high school class. By the time these notes appear in print, it will almost be time for Cape Cod party chez Jon Atwood, version 3.0. Be sure the PA Alumni Office has your current e-mail address so that Jon and the other organizers can give you the details for what has now become an annual September extravaganza. And don’t forget reunion 2017—just around the corner. See you there!
1973 ABBOT
Jane Cashin Demers 43 Morton St. Andover MA 01810 978-470-1684 (home) 978-502-8733 (cell) jane.demers@gmail.com Noreen Markley 783 Wooddale Road Bloomfield Village MI 48301-2468 248-645-0536 noreenmarkley@aol.com Marcia B. McCabe 160 W. 62nd St., Apt. 10B New York NY 10023 917-796-1594 mbmg55@gmail.com
In NYC, on a Friday night in October 2015, a party hosted by Sara Nelson ’74 began a weekend of celebrating turning 60. Thirty or more women from the classes of ’73 and ’74 congregated. Guests from the class of ’74 included Jeanne Nahill Kempthorne, Lissy Abraham, Priscilla Martel, Sara Wedeman, Margaret Downs, and Elizabeth Halsey
Yoakum. Sara proved to be an accomplished hostess. (Look at the Abbot Rabbits group on Facebook for photos of the weekend.) Judith Webster made a quick appearance on Friday and then ran to parents’ weekend at Trinity. Weaving through the crowd at the functions were May Irwin, Marcia McCabe, Mindy Feldman, Ginny Carter, and Josie Martin. Later on Friday night, a group headed to a jazz club in Columbus Circle, led by Jane Cashin Demers. On Saturday morning, Dianne DeLucia, Kim Grecoe Sherwood, and Barbara Contarino Tomkins took a tour of NYC, which Mimi Kessler and Jane Pugh Perrett had done on Friday morning. Jane loved every minute of the weekend! At the home of Richard Cashin ’71, Jane Cashin Demers hosted a gourmet lunch. Lots of friends made their first appearance here: Betsy Fauver Stueber, Cecilia Blewer, Lucinda Leach, and Natalie Ziegler. Mimi Kessler reported on her recent conversations and visits with Abbot Principal Don Gordon ’52. Don lent his “memory book,” a gift from our class that was compiled and given to him in 1973. Anne Spader Byerly wore an Abbot softball shirt—one produced as part of a project funded by the Abbot Academy Association a few years ago for that year’s softball team. The shirt is Abbot blue, with a large “Abbot” in script on the front and a smaller “Phillips Academy.” Reunion shirt idea? Yes! Betsy Fauver Stueber had previously suggested that we submit poems. Debra Heifetz Stein wrote a song, set to the tune of “Camelot.” It was a great crowd pleaser. Other contributors: Betsy, Leslie Monsky, Vicki Wood DeBoest, Amanda Cobb, Molly Prescott Porter, Elizabeth Kent, and me (Noreen Markley). Loraine Washburn sent a book full of prompts, in order to record our reflections. Near the end, Anne Weisman Hogeland led the group in a huge thank-you to Jane for the event. Next event: Saturday dinner hosted by Lori Goodman Seegers and Marcia McCabe, at Lori’s lovely home. Several PA guys were invited. Knowing that there would be lively conversation, beautiful women, great food, and loud laughter, they said “Yes!” Among the PA friends were these ’73ers: Phil Bauman, Glenn Ball, John Bishop, David Downs, Bill Drake, Peter Fernberger, Will Hart, Cap Lesesne, Scott Mead, and Henry Mueller. There were also some friends from ’74: Jack Gray, Julian Hatton, Bob Trehy, and Kent Vogel. I found my hometown friend Ann Hoover Maddox ’74. Julie Horowitz was videoed talking to Josie Martin. Christina Landry, who is Floridabased, and Vicki Wood DeBoest, who spends her winters in Florida, escaping the chill of Chicago, talked with Susan Urie Donahue, whose children are now in NYC. Dinner was capped by the desserts: a cake for our collective 60th birthday and “heavenly goo”! Lori and Marcia knew us well.
Sunday morning arrived. Bets Kent and Ellen Hoitsma headed down to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. A few ladies met for brunch at the Harvard Club, in order to capture a few more minutes. A sincere thank-you to the hostesses: Sara, Jane, Marcia, and Lori. Thanks, also, to the planners, Mimi Kessler and Jane Cashin Demers, who never gave up on the idea of a big birthday party. In other news: Kathleen Reardon Murphy wrote she was planning to be in Italy, instead of NYC. Her husband’s book was chosen to be part of a world tour that spans three years. Kathleen lives in Illinois and trades in municipal bonds. Charlotte Mason has been received the Marketing EDGE Outstanding Educator Award. She is a professor of marketing (and department head) at the University of Georgia. A last word: Your three class secretaries have urged you to join Facebook. You can see photos and videos of the NYC events, and other items. Contact Mimi Kessler or Connee Petty Young to join the group. To illustrate its power: I was in Arizona for a wedding. A strangely colorful vehicle pulled into the parking lot. The vehicle reminded me of a FB photo from Catherine Armsden, regarding her sister’s trip around the West and its national parks. I walked up and said, “I am a friend of Catherine Armsden. Are you, too?” The reply was, “No. I am her sister.” I got to spend some time with Beverley Armsden Daniel ’66 and her architect husband, Warren. Beverly was headed back to San Francisco for the launch of Catherine’s book, Dream House. (Buy the book. It is wonderful!)
PHILLIPS Pete Morin 41 Border St. Scituate MA 02066 pbmorin@comcast.net www.facebook.com/pete.morin2
Public service announcement: Facebook is for grown-ups now—so many grown-ups that the kids have abandoned it. It is now populated with indie authors, pet lovers, and high school reunioners like us. Look for Andover/Abbot Class of 1973 and join the group! Scarce news this quarter, most of it from the above Facebook page. Word is there was quite a 60th birthday party in Manhattan, but they didn’t post any news about it or otherwise inform the recording secretary. I hear through the grapevine (via Bill Drake) that it was a fine time. For those who live in a black box, Craig Reynolds is in the tequila business. Craig and his partners have launched, as a labor of love, a small-batch agave spirit called Dos Volcanes, and it is positively sublime. All sales proceeds go to Project Amigo, a scholarship fund benefitting the poorest children of Colima, Mexico (the site of the farm that produces the blue agave). So get yourselves a few bottles! Andover | Summer 2016
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