May/Jun 2008

I am quite saddened to report three deaths. Hank Payne died in January. Hank received his BA and MA in 1969 and his PhD from Yale in 1973. He was married to Deborah Laipson shortly after graduation. Hank began as an assistant professor of history at Colgate in 1973, became provost at Haverford College in 1985, president of Hamilton College in 1988, and then president of Williams College in 1994. He was president of Woodward Academy at the time of his death. David Lionel Smith, a Williams College colleague, said this about Hank in the Boston Globe obituary: “He was a brilliant man. He had an amazing intellectual gift. He was extraordinarily quick and was able to see things with a great clarity, and he was an accomplished problem-solver.” Tom J. Reed remembers Hank as “one of the brightest lights of our class—always with a book under his arm and a smile on his face. He seemed at ease with his path as scholar and wore his learning lightly and gracefully.” Greg Coleman, his Trumbull roommate, adds this: “His wife Deborah and sons Jonathan and Sam would love to hear from any and all of you who knew him. I’m sure Woodward Academy would forward any messages. This is such a devastating loss after such a distinguished career. I miss him.”

Here is what Hank wrote in his final paragraph of our 25th reunion class book: “Somewhere during that first year of Directed Studies at Yale, I discovered a passion for learning and ideas, and at some later point I discovered a yen for public affairs and activity. It has been my great good fortune to be able to combine these yearnings on beautiful campuses, surrounded by bright people, in companionship with the woman I have loved for 30 years.” A life well lived, cut tragically short.

Max Derbes III passed away on February 13, after a long bout with renal carcinoma. Max majored in AdSci at Yale, was captain of the Yale judo team, and won the Connecticut State Judo Championship in 1968. Steve Bemis, who attended the funeral, writes: “Max was the premier commercial/industrial realtor in New Orleans, until very near the end. I don’t think any of us who kept in touch with Max these last years will forget his courage, optimism, strength, and faith in the face of a daunting illness. His life’s love, Julie (whom he married before we graduated), his children, and grandchildren lost a great man, and the class is diminished measurably with his passing.” Mabry Rogers also attended the funeral, and writes: “Jeanne and I saw him often after Yale, and we spent a wonderful weekend with them at the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Eve 1978. He was the great bear then as I perceived him to be while we lived our shortest gladdest years. He told me that Yale had not been for him the experience he had hoped for, yet, at his funeral, we learned that he loved to break into his rendition of ‘Boola Boola’ at the office. He was obviously a complex, brave, successful person, by every measurement.”

Terry Light, another Trumbull roommate, writes: “Max was a wonderful person from day one of our freshman year. He could always laugh at himself. . . . Max learned of his recurrent illness within months of his parents’ separate deaths and Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of his beloved New Orleans. He simply pushed on, making the most of time with friends and family in spite of the great physical toll of his advancing disease. In fact, Max demonstrated an extraordinary concern for others throughout his illness. He was a wonderful friend to all who knew him, courageous, faithful, and loving.” Max’s funeral mass was held at Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church, where he served as a Eucharistic minister. Friends wishing to send condolences may write Julie at 121 South Drive, Covington, LA 70433.

Gary Vujnovich died on February 7. Gary graduated from George Washington University Law School after Yale. He is survived by his wife, Jessie Carpenter, and two children. He was devoted to his family and friends. Bob Horvitz writes: “I was part of Gary’s rooming group in Davenport. . . . Gary was modest and shy—witty in a sort of bleak way—a thoroughly good person but sad. Many years later when he was living alone in a suburb of Washington, DC, I visited him and he was the same but more so. I believe he became a teacher and had already survived a bout of cancer. But that visit was long enough ago that I can’t be sure of any details.” Your scribe has no other information on Gary.

That’s enough for this column. I will save the good news for the next issue.

More missing (55 total) classmates: Cody Shwaiko, Wayne Simmons, David Sims, John Stone. Any information is welcome.

“You and I have memories / Longer than the road that stretches out ahead.” —The Beatles