By Christopher Snow
This past spring and early summer have provided some of the most challenging times of our lives, and we hope that by the time you read this, we will have turned the corner to a brighter, more optimistic climate in our country and the world. We have worked toward reaching out to all of our classmates, to encourage a sense of community and to guard against the isolation so many people have experienced over these long, recent months. If we can do better, or more, along these lines, let us know by dropping us a note at YAM@Yale62.org, which reaches our entire communications team. Thanks.
By now, most of you are likely aware that our avid bicyclist and active class member Steve Susman suffered very serious injury in April when he was forcefully propelled from his bike during a ride in the Old Braeswood area of Houston. His family keeps everyone posted on his progress via his page on the Caring Bridge website. All good wishes are very much appreciated. We wish him all the very best, and a speedy, full recovery.
From Phil Moriarty: “Gentlemen, thanks for your yeoman’s duties on behalf of the great class of ’62! Trusting all are well and safely hunkered down with loved ones.
“Meredith and I are here in Hinsdale doing what our generation has always done, what we are asked to do. If each of us continues to make smart choices and avoids falling prey to the media-induced panic, we will come out on the other side of this invisible enemy better able to live and love in the world’s next normal.
“We find the three ‘Fs’—Faith, Family, and Friends—are providing real support. We also do a three-mile walk every day. On rainy days, we march around the house to the Bee Gees’ music: ‘Stayin’ Alive’ from Saturday Night Fever.
“Our kids and eight grands are also adjusting well. Son Brooks teaches English at his high school alma mater, Exeter, where he is also the dean of students. Daughter Katie Whittier is associate dean at UVA’s undergrad McIntire School of Commerce in Charlottesville. Both are dealing with the students at their institutions and their own displaced children all learning online.
“Be well, all. Cheers.”
Bill Stork reports: “An article of mine, ‘Yalies in Asia Respond to COVID-19 Pandemic in New Haven, New York’ was published on April 13 by the Yale Alumni Association on their website and was the featured lead item the next day on Yale SOM’s Media Clips.” We applaud Bill for his tireless work on behalf of the class and on behalf of Yale.
A big topic for most of us this year involves a milestone: the majority of us turn 80 years old in 2020. With that in mind, we emailed a request to everyone, asking them to send word of how social distancing has impacted or may in future months impact their birthday celebrations. Some of us with birthdays early in the year saw no curtailment of their merriment, but most of us will have experienced some change of plans. We asked for photos, too, and have posted these on our class website, at Yale62.org. Come check it out, if you haven’t already seen it. And it’s not too late to send in your own birthday news, so please do! Our thanks go out to those who have responded so far: Tim Adams, Tony Edmons, Charles Mills, John Stewart, and Roman Weil. Please add your celebration details to theirs on our website!
The Yale ’62 communication team members (Chris Snow, Steve Buck, and Dick Riseling) encourage all classmates to send any news—even first-hand pandemic news that they wish to share. We will share it with the class. Email us at YAM@Yale62.org.
As we go to press with this column, we’re rolling out a virtual “Coffee Hour” via Zoom, a program through which one can see and speak with others online, via their computer, tablet, cell phone, or regular phone (the last one, only voice connection, of course). If it proves successful and popular, we will offer it as a regular service to our entire class, as Chip Neville has suggested. We fully concur!
By the time you read this, our annual meeting will have taken place online via Zoom, too, which marks a first for our class. You can read all about our experience with it on our website, where you can always reliably find the most up-to-date class news and information.
Finally, we’ve sadly received news of the loss of six classmates since our last column: Nicholas Gubser, Clem Jurgeleit, Steve Kaplan, James McGiffin, Charles “Tony” Morris, and Andrew Naylor. Obituaries will be written and posted on our website in due course.