By Stephen W. Buck, for the Communications Team. YAM@Yale62.org
Our increasingly popular First Thursday Coffee Hours, held via Zoom technology, ushered in 2021 with a brisk discussion of the extraordinary events in Washington, DC, on January 6. Join your classmates in timely discussions on compelling topics each month. Watch your email for the invitation, and if you don’t receive it, email us.
COVID remains the topic foremost on everyone’s mind. We are aware of one classmate who contracted the virus and came through it well (Carl Kaestle), and one who faces its close proximity in his assisted living facility, while still testing negative (Chip Neville). At least two recent classmate deaths involved COVID complications. Below, we offer two accounts of life affected by the threat of the virus, as classmates have informed us.
From Bill Shipley: “Jensie and I have sold our home of 40 years in Brookline/Chestnut Hill and are now at a retirement facility. Before COVID-19 I was still going into the MGH two days a week to cheerlead our group of young researchers who are evaluating and designing bladder and prostate cancer studies on our patients treated in NIH clinical trials. My role now is mostly limited to fundraising for these research projects and for advancing diversity at HMS.
“Our daughter Karen (53) and Gary are still in New Orleans where he is head of the Trinity Episcopal School and she is active there helping many good causes. Charlie, their oldest child, graduated from Yale three years ago and is now a market analyst in Santa Barbara, California.
“Daughter Barbara (51) is becoming certified to teach high school math in San Francisco and her husband Paul is a computer engineer at Luminosity.
“Daughter Gwen (48) is a high school science teacher and her husband Kevin is a civil engineer working for the government. Fortunately, even with COVID-19 and social distancing, all our family except Charlie came to Chatham for the summer. All were very active at the Chatham Yacht Club. I did some boating as well as some outstanding pruning. Our sons-in-law worked remotely on Zoom.”
From Mike Kane: “Nancy and I and our dog Lacey recently completed our second annual auto-migration from Maine to winter quarters in Naples, Florida, where we live in a ‘gated community’/ club of 300 condominium units. Some residents are under 55 but most are above, with lots of golfers. Within three days after arrival from up north, the community required us to take a COVID test. Nancy and I went to the nearby CVS for ours, paid $139 each, and got the results (negative), which we submitted and then were allowed to join in the organized functions and use the clubhouse.
“The tennis crowd we are part of is clear, so far. We abandoned handshakes back in March, and only touch racquets after a match. Golf rules have changed only slightly and our 18-hole course is hopping with players.
“Our county (Collier) is scoring better than the state in COVID incidence and our club, equipped with an entry gate and requiring testing of all arrivals, fortunately has had few positives. Since the pandemic began, a few club members have come down with COVID-19 and had to quarantine. These either have recovered or are asymptomatic and are doing okay. The county requires masks to enter all retail, and restaurants are operating with restricted capacity and/or takeout only. Accordingly, social activity is very constrained. I have dutifully joined the Yale Club of SW Florida, led by Pres. Bill Hanson (YC ’65) but the pandemic has limited club activity to a very low and virtual-only level. Hoping for vaccine and more freedom of movement in 2021.”
Dave Hummel reports that he and Cindy regret having to give up on their quest to visit all 197 countries of the world because of the pandemic. By the end of 2019, they had reached 183. After their trip to Antarctica that ended in February 2020, Dave and Cindy have stayed close to home. They were able to take their granddaughter to nearby Yellowstone National Park during the summer. If all goes well, the Hummels plan to visit relatives in New York City in July, followed by a cruise to Bermuda. They have booked another cruise to Norway and Iceland, and a trip to India in October. Something to look forward to after the long lockdown.
Charlie Mills writes in to let us know that he’s now writing for the Blue Ridge Herald in addition to FGFBooks.com.
From Jeff Wright: “Recently relocated permanently to our home in Southern Pines, North Carolina, from Michigan. Golfers who may wish to play many famous courses in the Pinehurst area are welcome to visit.”
Sadly, we note the passing of three classmates: Thayer “Ted” Baldwin Jr., Frederick “Spike” Burns, and Sam Knoll. We will post their obituaries on the class website in due course. We have newly posted obituaries for Jay Carr and Clem Jurgeleit.