Class of '64 (January-February 2010 Issue)


Maintaining the theme of this issue, we focus on the Olympians from our class. Olympian, Geoff Pitchford, had already competed in the 1960 Olympics in Squaw Valley before Dartmouth. He learned his sport in a Swiss school and then honed his skills in the British military. However, British ski officials told him that 22 was too old for their Olympic program, but asked him to set the bar for the younger members. None of the youngsters could catch Geoff, so he won a spot on the 1960 British alpine team and competed in all three events. He recalls a training run up Mt. Mousilake with another freshman, when their almost 40 year-old ski coach, Al Merrill, accelerated past them on his way to the summit. Geoff lives in Sunapee, NH with his wife Janet. He skis everyday in winter, rows and cycles when there is no snow on the mountains.

The other freshman 'tigah' running up Mousilake next to Geoff was Ed Williams, who readily admits that he did not have the qualifications for the ski team, but he had heart and desire. Coach Merrill understood the situation after Ed's first two runs at the Skiway. Merrill focused Ed's energy towards cross-country running and skiing. The rest is history, as Ed excelled in Nordic skiing, winning numerous competitions for Dartmouth and a National 30 km Cross-Country Championship. He finished top among Americans in the 1966 World Biathlon Championship, then competed in the 1968 Olympics in Grenoble on the biathlon team. He now sports a new hip, so skis no more. He and Gail have one son and live in South Orange, NJ.

You might think that with only 12 Dartmouth Olympians from our decade that having two in the class was noteworthy. We have a third Olympian, Bob Brayton, who was on the rowing team in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Bob arrived in Hanover with three years of experience rowing on his high school team. Summer after sophomore year he and Dan Watts '63 rowed as a pair in the Nationals. In 1963 they came in second in the Pan Am Games. In 1967 he returned to rowing, won two more national championships, a Pan Am gold, and was named to the 1968 U.S. Olympic team. He continues to row and compete successfully. He is retired from the software industry and lives with his wife Joan in Golden, CO. Our three Olympians were all brothers of Tri-Kap.

Many people of stature have been talking about improving healthcare in America. Barbara and Dick Couch of Hanover actually have done something. They made a substantial ($2M) donation to the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice at DHMC. It studies measurement of the health of populations, so quantitative assessments can be made about healthcare, which can lead to better decisions. If you know anything about Dick and Barbara, you know about their enduring commitment to social consciousness and this is yet another example of that commitment.

Phil Schaefer, Class Secretary