Class Notes are shared on a monthly basis here in the Alumni Update. Are you celebrating a milestone? Moving to a new city? Finally learning French? Please reach out to your Class Secretary to share your news and look out for it in a future Update.
Class of 1949
Edes Powell Gilbert '49 was mentioned on February 7th in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch speaking up and speaking out, which she learned at Friends!
Class of 1951
We have been informed of the passing of Dick P. Weeden ’51 on January 26, 2022 after a difficult battle with Covid-19 pneumonia. We are holding his family and friends in the Light. His obituary can be found here.
Class of 1956
As reported by Gretchen Walther Dumler ’56:
Edward G. Carroll, Jr. '56
The sky is flawlessly BLUE. It’s 75 degrees with a whisper of wind at 3:30 pm 9 miles north of the Mexican border (the local mostly anglicized Hispanics call it a “line”); the waxing moon showing its half face profile is sitting prominently 40 degrees above my mountainous horizon as I make good my commitment to sit in my quiet half acre and honor Peter’s gift of sharing in response to that of Gretty and Jed. My memory is really bad (memory and retention were never that great) but at least it doesn’t feel like Alzheimer’s. Still, I have a perfectly formed mental image of Jed, Peter and me sitting together in Saidi and Suzy’s living room, chatting at our 50th reunion as if we were teenagers, when we were supposed to be really old. Fast forward 30 years. Now we are supposed to be really, really old and all that comes to mind is trite, threadbare, unoriginal banality that, at least I, want to pass off as Wisdom. I’m not even going to go back to my Merriam-Webster to make sure of my vocabulary and just say what a gift I find my classmates sharing. The last I remember being in touch with Peter was around the time of our 60th (which unfortunately never got off the ground). Peter, you were in the throes of writing a memoir (I think) of your life in New York and I think I sent you some of my memories of living in New York in Harlem. Unfortunately for Friends, my home might have been in Harlem but my culture, life experience and social orientation was more akin to that of the average Friends schoolmate. I’m hoping more classmates drop a line into our alumni sharing. Maybe we can set an example of its rewards for those classes closer to the front of the notes. For example, I was on the faculty of the University of Maryland from 1976 to 1979. It was only after I got there that I discovered Jackson Breyer ’55 was a star in the English Department. I never had much dealing with Jackson (Scott’s older brother), but we got to be close at Maryland, and I still have exuberant memories of Kentucky Derby celebrations at Jackson’s, imbibing his delicious mint juleps. I’ve also had wonderful evenings with the Saidenbergs, especially catching a set of Saidi performing with his folk group and taking in a delicious meal at their favorite Chinese restaurant. In 1965 I had a chance encounter in the Thai jungle with Bill Lewis ’55. Bill and I never clicked at Friends, and this meeting was not impactful; but Bill was an Army doctor and I was an Air Force First Lieutenant. I was stationed at Korat as Admin Officer after Korat had been activated from standby SEATO airfield to F105 fighter bomber forward position for bombing North Vietnam. I was in the very primitive Base Hospital with pneumonia along with more exotic patients from classified adventures (We were not officially in Thailand). The “hospital” had a three-bed officer ward in which I was the only patient. Under the circumstances, I turned out to be a celebrity, warranting a visit from General Westmoreland and his ward-filling staff. It was early afternoon. I was doped up and asleep. A pull on my toe woke me to a surprise introduction to General Westmoreland, who queried an uncomfortably disjointed me on just what my condition might have been. I answered with a very humble and uncomfortable, “Would you believe pneumonia, sir.” The General and company quickly left me in disgust. I think my meeting with Bill ended with similar non impact. Back to you, Pete, Please give us more. I’m not going to go through the class roster (I want to recognize hearing from Miriam and Deborah) but I would love to hear from all.
Miriam Browne Poole '56
When I think about all our classmates, I still envision them sitting at our desks, remembering the faces and clothes of that era. I usually sat across from Billy Engler, and sitting in Mr. Wilcox’s room, cracking each other up. I recall Susie Feinstein (Saidenberg) with her poodle skirts, and all the girls at one time or another wearing neck scarves. I never belonged to the clique, always formed friendships with those outside that. And then we drifted apart, so it’s nice to hear what others, who are still alive, are doing. Forgot to mention that I'm a great grandmother to two little girls, and one boy born Jan. 20th. Makes me feel so old! My great grandparents died decades before me, wore long Victorian dresses, the men often had mutton chops. And here we are, hopping around like the energizer bunny! Soon we'll be called ancestors! Live life while we're still here, I say! Have heard of your nasty weather back east! Stay hunkered down, stick your tootsies in the fireplace if you have one. Stay safe and stay warm. Love, Miriam.
Class of 1976
Susan M. Collins ’76, an economist with extensive academic and government experience, has been selected as the next president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, the first Black woman and woman of color to lead one of the 12 regional Fed branches since the central bank system was created more than 100 years ago. Read more here.
Class of 1982
Sarah Finn ’82 was casting director for the latest Spiderman movie, “Spider Man: No Way Home.” A review of the film can be found here.
Class of 1997
Teri Bacow ’97 was quoted and had her book, “Goodbye, Anxiety: A Guided Journal for Overcoming Worry,” cited in a recent Washington Post article about parents dealing with anxiety. Click here to read more.
Class of 2002
Congratulations to Joanna Hunter August ’02 and the Los Angeles Rams on winning the Super Bowl!
Class of 2004
Legacy Russell ’04 Curates the 'New Bend' for Hauser & Wirth. Read more here.
Class of 2008
Friends alumnus and Olympian fencer, Daryl Homer ’08 designed a special edition of Nike Air Force 1s called "Nike Air Force 1 Low FM Change". The sneakers are part of Nike’s Future Movement (FM) that delivers personalized style with a story inspired by Black innovators and creators. Click here to see them.
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