By Steve Buck, for the Communications Team
The Classmate Behind the Suds – Ford Maurer writes: My wife and I are soon to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. We have also shared some time together in this little business we purchased in 1973, catering primarily to soft drink bottlers. That business has morphed into one dependent at least significantly by the craft brew craze. We supply many of these craft breweries, some of which have gotten large, but many of whom are passionate beer aficionados! It’s a fun business, so we are still happy to be involved. None of our family “live in Kansas City, unfortunately; one in Denver, one in Indianapolis, and one in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In total we now have 5 grandchildren.”
Steve Buck’s roommate Chip Neville is hanging in there after having to have his left leg amputated above the knee in March 2018 and recently having surgery to rectify problems with the stump. He reports “My daughter Rachel and Son-In-Law Keith are moving to Nairobi, Kenya for the next 4 years. Keith is a federal Fish and Wildlife agent, and will be working out of the US Embassy advising the Kenyans on stopping poaching. He is particularly concerned with stopping the ivory trade, which is decimating elephant populations. Soon, experts predict, elephants will be extinct. What a loss!”
Mediation, not Litigation – Terry Croft reports that he continues to serve as a mediator and arbitrator in serious cases of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for JAMS, the world’s largest private, for profit, provider of ADR services. Arbitration and mediation are alternatives to litigation and usually produce a fair resolution in less time and with less expense and are more user friendly than court resolutions. Last year he was named Atlanta Arbitration Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in America; recently he was named one of the Best (top 2) Individual Mediator/Arbitrators of 2019 by the Daily Report, the legal newspaper for Georgia.
Terry has appeared in each of the 13 nearly annual original musicals performed by the Bard Association, a group of lawyers and judges who are members of the Atlanta Bar Association. He runs the 100 yard dash, time 16 seconds. He would like to get into the 15 second range “before I slow down.” He rides his vintage Yamaha Royal Star motorcycle, but more slowly and for shorter durations. He and his wife Merry have 6 children and 9 grandchildren. Their little log cabin in the woods of North Georgia, surrounded by Forest Service land, is her happy place, far removed from the urban blight and bustle of Atlanta.
Arthur Laffer was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in late June, and very shortly thereafter began vocally supporting a wide variety of the president’s initiatives and ideas.
Tappy Wilder reports that productions of his uncle Thornton Wilder’s plays are very much in demand. From now until October there are upcoming opportunities to see The Skin of Our Teeth (Massachusetts and California), Our Town (Pennsylvania) and The Bridge of San Luis Rey (Miami).
Please check Yale62.org, our longstanding class website, for new material on Dixie Carroll (a new show of his colorful, whimsical sculptures), Alex Garvin (his expansive new book), Dave and Cindy Hummel (a recent trip), as well as news of many other classmates. We’ve included personal interviews where we could, and lots of photos. Our site exists for our class – please participate!