Holiday greetings from the Class and an official Happy New Year. Homecoming was a terrific weekend. Kate and Dave Hewitt hosted a wonderful dinner at their Connecticut River home and over 20 members of the class and spouses attended October 14. Those at the dinner included Fran Hanlon, Chip Waite, Roy Lewicki, Bob Freeman, Brad Evans, Bill Lewis, Ron Schram, Fred Rothenberg, Bob Bartles, Karl DuPuy, and Dale Eickelman. Thanks Kate and Dave.
S. Katsu Ushioda checked in all the way from Tokyo. He obtained his Ph.D. in Physics in 1969 from Penn, becoming a Professor of Physics at University of California, Irvine. In 1985, he moved back to Japan and accepted a professorship at Tohoku University in Sendai (near Tokyo). In 2004 he writes, "I was elected President of my current university, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology ("JAIST") JAIST is a newly designed graduate school with a teaching style similar to that of American graduate education." Katsu has visited Hanover on occasion, and sees Emeritus Professor Christy of Physics when in Hanover. He saw Fred Levin in Chicago last year and is in contact with Ta-Pei Cheng who, at the University of Missouri, has written "a very good book" on Einstein's general relativity. Come back for your 45th reunion, Katsu.
Two classmates have received recognition as "Best Lawyers in America" from Woodward/White, a national research firm. First, James Shirley was identified for his work in commercial litigation for the past 30 years in the Manchester, NH area. He received his law degree from San Francisco Law School in 1970 and lives in Goffstown, NH. Also mentioned was John E. Peltonen, also of Goffstown, who was named for his work in environmental law practice. His law degree came from Boston College Law School in 1967. Whitney Foster writes that he has spent the past 40 years in Africa or the Middle East, first with the Peace Corps, then with the UN and finally with the World Bank. He says, "I've tried at various times to explain to our Alumni office folks that that has made me over time neither a humanitarian aid worker nor an international banker but on occasion, a bit of both. They don't have a category for economic and social development as a field of endeavor - what I consider I've been engaged in." Love to hear more of your experiences, Whit.
The class extends its condolences to Viki Kindergan whose husband, Jack Kindergan died June 18th. Viki says, "Jack had a truly adventurous spirit, and in addition to a lot of business and private travel to some of the most remote countries, he tried his luck in bungy-jumping in New Zealand and over Victoria Falls, and he also learned how to scuba dive with younger daughter Lara in the Philippines - and all of it after age 55." Our best wishes to you, Viki, and your two daughters. Please email me at hrwhit@aol.com with your views/information, and best wishes for the new year. Hunt Whitacre