Class Notes, Jan-Feb 2023

Your scribe has been stunned by the arrival of three obituaries of classmates who died within a nine-day period in September 2022. I have collected below their memorials gleaned from newspaper reports, which I have edited to meet my stringent space requirements. Much more, including pictures and more remembrances of classmates who knew them, can be found on our class website.

Excerpts from the New Haven Register: “William Wickwire, of North Haven, passed away peacefully on Sept. 30, 2022 at the Connecticut Hospice in Branford. He was the loving and devoted husband for 42 years of JoEllen DeRoma Wickwire.   He was raised in Homer, NY. After Yale, he attended University of Colorado Law School, graduating in 1972. He practiced law in New Haven as a sole practitioner during the 1970s, and in 1979 he was appointed Prosecutor, States Attorney’s Office, Division of Criminal Justice for the Superior Court, Juvenile Matters in New London County until he retired in 2009. He was a member of the Connecticut Bar Association, the Knights of Columbus, St. Paul VI Council #14664, and was an active member of St. Paul VI Parish, St. Rita Church where he was a Eucharistic Minister and served on the Parish Council. Bill loved life. He was so happy when spending time with family and friends. He enjoyed Broadway shows, movies, sports, especially the New York Yankees, Syracuse University basketball, the WNBA, college and pro football, trips to Cape Cod, California, Nova Scotia, the Southwest, Italy and any opportunity to see The Rolling Stones in concert. Bill was a kind and loyal friend to everyone who knew him. He was dedicated to his profession and felt it was an honor to serve the State of Connecticut citizens. He faced his health challenges with determination and grace. When asked how he was doing he would respond, “I’m doing my best. That’s all I can do.” Never an unkind word would he speak. His faith in God and desire to live life to the fullest was an inspiration to those who knew and loved him.” Your scribe met Bill on many undergraduate roadtrips to mixers at women’s colleges in New England. Even though we were both just starting out on the long and winding road of life and self-discovery, it was clear to me that Bill would live life to the fullest.  He did.

Excerpts from The Boston Globe: “David Raish, of Little Compton, RI, passed away at home on September 29, 2022, surrounded by family after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. David grew up in Willoughby, OH, and graduated from the Hawken School in 1965. At Yale, he sang with the Whiffenpoofs. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1973. During college, he met his wife of more than 50 years, Roslyn, with whom he raised three children. A devoted husband and father, his parenting years involved many coaching stints, camping trips, care for poorly behaved pets, exciting travels, and unwavering love and support for his children. David was a highly accomplished attorney, spending his career at the law firm of Ropes & Gray LLP. He was head of the firm’s Employee Benefits Department for many years, and the focus of his work was with universities and health care organizations. He authored several books and publications in his area of expertise, sharing his knowledge with others, and his extraordinary intellect and sharp legal mind earned him many awards and much acclaim. David was also a talented musician with a beautiful tenor voice. For 25 years, he was a member of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, the official, all-volunteer chorus of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. During his tenure there, he sang dozens of major choral works and traveled with the chorus to sing in concerts in Japan and Hong Kong. A talented pianist, David filled his family’s home with music and exquisite piano playing.  His extraordinary kindness and generous spirit will be deeply missed.” Your scribe has always loved the Whiffs and would not miss a reunion,  if only to hear them sing just one more time. This gentleman songster may have passed, but he will not be forgotten. The magic of his singing still casts its spell.

Sam Weisman writes: “Dave was a great mind, a great musician, and a great person. Possessed of perfect pitch, a pure tenor voice, and a passion for good work, he was an asset in every situation, always quietly taking charge, never raising his voice, or revealing how frustrating it might have been to deal with lesser musical talents.”

Excerpts from The Boston Globe: “John G. O’Leary died peacefully on September 21, 2022, with his sister at his bedside. Born in Arlington, MA, John graduated from BC High. After leaving Yale, his love of music led him to pursue a career as a singer, songwriter, and studio musician. John also had a second career in management consulting and executive training with the Tom Peters organization. In his later years he was a frequent performer on Boston Common with his goddaughter Abigail Arndt. A memorial service will be held in Brookline, MA in March of 2023.” In John’s own words: “I cut short a promising academic career at one time to jump into the world of pop music. Rather than hang with slackers on campus who I knew wouldn’t amount to anything (ne’er-do-wells like George Bush, John Kerry, Howard Dean, Daniel Yergin, Gary Trudeau) I left New Haven with my folk-rock band, The Morning, and headed to New York where we opened for the Grateful Dead, Joni Mitchell, and Sly and the Family Stone, before moving onto LA and even wilder times.” Your scribe remembers John and his music from Yale reunions. He liked to point out that he was the “other John O’Leary” in our class. He didn’t have to. We had two accomplished O’Learys, and now they are both gone.