Jul/Aug 2004

There was a certain irony in the fact that our class’s 35th reunion gift exceeded $13 million (50 percent above the goal of $8.8 million) and we were still housed at Jonathan Edwards, one of the last residential colleges in Abu Ghraib condition. It’s a distinct probability that the anonymous donor of $4 million, as well as the three million-dollar givers, weren’t staying there. But those of us in more moderate gift brackets could only marvel at the state of the rest of the campus, which is spectacular, reflecting the $2.5 billion invested in capital improvements over the past ten years.

Meanwhile, about 200 of the members of Yale’s “greatest class ever” (as we were labeled at the class dinner, not by Tom Brokaw but by the equally credible class secretary George Chopivsky), along with assorted kids, step-kids, wives, concubines, and significant others, convened on Memorial Day weekend to renew our friendships, toast our good fortune, sing, dance, and eat food prepared by the Yale dining apparatus (which apparently has not shared in the $2.5 billion).

The class dinner was highlighted by a video presentation produced, directed, written, and choreographed by my predecessor, William Bogaty. From his office in Tokyo, Bogaty delivered the “state of the class” address, which actually was more of a reflection of the world and his place in it. Seriously, his message was thoughtful and provocative, and included a healthy portion of Will’s caustic wit. It was a hit.

Lang Wheeler, class gift chairman, announced our generosity, but also encouraged (an unusual euphemism for shamed) those class members who did not participate to open their checkbooks. He also presented awards for class service to Bogaty, Tom Emmons, John Gazzoli, and John Nelson. All well deserved. Also announced at the dinner was a new fundraising effort by classmate Don Galligan. Don has initiated the process to establish a Class of 1969 Memorial Scholarship Fund, and he has contributed a substantial portion of the $75,000 required to set the fund in motion. The fund, which provides scholarships to entering students, is intended to honor those classmates who have died. Another memorial fund is being pursued in honor of Walt Cummings, who passed away last year. Those interested in participating are “encouraged” to contact the development office.

We learned that 917 classmates are still breathing, if not kicking (although the dancing Saturday night was pretty impressive). Sixty classmates have passed away.

Unlike the portrait of current reunions recently painted by Garry Trudeau ’70, ’73MFA, where alums are separated into unbridgeable blue (liberal) and red (conservative) groups, there was surprisingly little political talk. Most of the chatter involved (not surprisingly) family, jobs, golf trips, and (more surprisingly) Viagra, which has created some evangelical adherents among our classmates. All in all, it was a great weekend.John Beinecke once again fielded an unbeatable team in the golf outing, which was contested on a Yale Golf Course in much improved condition, having just hosted the NCAA men’s east regional tournament. Runners, tennis players, and the intellectually curious also had their appetites sated. The Whiffs entertained us after a champagne and caviar cocktail party in the Sterling Library courtyard. And everyone survived to reunite again five years hence.

See you then.

Those who attended: Abrams, Adams, Ahearn, Amoss, Anderson, Aronson, Banderob, Beinecke, Benson, Berkeley, Bernblum, Besancon, Billick, Blum, Boisseau, Bowen ’70, Brock, Brown, Bruns, Brush, Buck, Bundy, Call, Caltrider, Chopivsky, Click, Cobert, Coddington, Collins, Culver, Curchack, Davis, Davis, Dawson, Derbes, Dixon, Drost, Earley, Emmons, Farren, Fauth, Feigenbaum, Field, Franks, Fuller, Gallery, Galligan, Gazzoli, Gennis, Gottshall, Groome, Haworth, Healey, Heller, Heller, Henderson, Herseth, Hiles, Hoban, Hobbs, Hoffman, Holahan, Hood, Howorth, Hurwitz, Ibsen, Igoe, Jorde, Juhasz, Kang, Karnasiewicz, Kellam ’70, Kimball, King, Knight, Lannamann, Lantz, Laughlin, Lawson, Lazarus, Lenck, Leonard, Lerich, Lerman, Livingston, London, Mackoff, Madden, McAuliffe, McCaughey, McClave, McNamee, McNeil ’70, Menaged, Meyer, Mills, Mimms, Mischner, Mitchell, Montermoso, Montes, Morris, Murray, Nelson, Nelson, Nelson, Netter, Newman, Newman, Niedermayer, Nilsson, Nitkin, O’Leary, O’Leary, Osgood, Osgood, Parks, Perault, Pfeifer, Pitts, Plyer, Priebe, Priest, Raish, Rechter, Resnicow, Ricotta, Riehle, Rivest, Rosen, Rosen, Rosenblum, Russell, Russell-Shapiro, Sacerdoti, Sando, Sawyer, Schiffer, Schneebaum, Schnier, Schonbrun, Schwartz, Schwarzman, Schweitzer, Segal, Seiver, Seligman, Sentilles, Seymour, Shevlin, Shlachter, Silver, Simon, Sleeper, Smith, Smith, Smith, Snow, Sprole, Stiles, Storey, Stretch, Strong, Suttle, Swanson, Tan, Taylor, Thompson, Thompson, Tucker, Tucker, Tufaro, Turnell, Valeche, Van Dyke, Vaughan, Vickery, von Turk, Wakefield, Weber, Weigandt, Weinstein, Weisman, Weiss, Welles, Wexler, Wheeler, Wheeler, White, Wickwire, Williams, Willingham, Willis, Wise, Wolf, Wolfe, Wright, Yarmuth, Yee, Zamcheck.