As we enter the New Year, with
Covid-19 hopefully subsiding, we need to rally around our 60th
Reunion. Please, save-the-dates of
June 10 – 13. We hope this will be a
live event in Ithaca with the beautiful weather we have enjoyed in past years! I look forward to seeing all of you and
climbing Lib slope one more time.
Classmate
Jerry Siegman sent a note. “This piece
appeared in print in the Times Sunday Magazine on August 23,2020. The lawyer
who defended the 3 Black Marines in their Court Martial was Bill Schaap, a friend of mine and— like me--a member
of the Cornell Class of 1961. Bill passed away 4 years ago. Bill devoted his
life to defending first the anti -Vietnam War movement and
later the civil rights of others. I think his many friends in the class would
enjoy reading about his contributions in this case.”https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/19/magazine/black-marines-mutiny.html?searchResultPosition=1
Another lengthy update from Bob Pierce.
“I'm retired from law practice, widowed and living in a little cottage in the
woods. In the pandemic, I go out only to the post office and to the park
for a walk by the Hudson Would enjoy a fall
getaway but don't know where any place is safe--am thinking of a couple of
days' camping in nearby Fahnestock park. I'm
researching it.
I
still have fond memories of my time in the Cornell glee club, notably the tour
of Russia and London in 1960-61 and the midwestern Christmas tour in 1958.
I'm
reading Susan Rice's book "Tough Love", which tells me a lot about
her father Emmet Rice who was on our economics faculty
in the late '50's and later was a presidential advisor and a member of the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. A fine professor and a fine
person.
My
daughter Alison Solomon is a grad of Manhattanville College 2001 and later
became a nurse. She works in the cardiology department of a New York
Presbyterian hospital.
I'm
happy to hear from classmates. My e-mail is "foxylawyer@hotmail.com". I'm
also on Facebook as Robert G Pierce.”
And
a couple of brief updates from classmates, Gloria Georges Brown writes,
“I am a member of the class of 1961. I am well, staying home and wearing a mask
on the rare occasions when I go out. I am spending the time working in the
yard, doing arts and crafts, and studying languages on Duolingo.” And
from Larry Lesser, “ I'm semi-retired from the U.S. Foreign Service but
the reason I'm only 'semi-retired' is that I'm still employed as an editor of
the State Department's human rights reports that are statutorily required to be
issued every year ... as an unclassified public document.”
Steve Stein sent
in the following Class Note, “My life changed significantly in 2014 when
my wife, Susan Volpert Stein (’62) died at age
74. We met at Cornell in 1959, married in 1962 and lived mostly in Greenwich
where we raised our family of three children. I have recently moved from our
longtime family home to an apartment in central Greenwich. I retired from active law practice in 2017
and became a consultant to law firms as an adviser on alternate billing
practices. I am associated with a firm based in London where I spent many years
when in active law practice. Three of my ten grandchildren are Cornell
students, Jacob Stein Class of 2021, Mimi Stein, Class of 2023 and our new
Cornellian, Claire Stein 2024. In my professional life I spent considerable
time working and living in Europe. I would like to be able to spend more time
with friends in Europe but have been unable to travel in 2020 because of the
virus. Now spending time with my ten grandchildren who, happily, live near me.”
James Belden is
still practicing Equine medicine and surgery in Wellington Florida, the world’s
largest equestrian community. Concerning the Covid Virus
he relates “Extra care is taken in stable calls to ensure appropriate
sanitation and distancing with stable workers.” He also comments that sons,
daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren are all happy and prospering. “I’m
Living the life and my relationships
with family and friends have never been more important.”
Gus Kappler ’61 MD ’65 wrote as follows, “Although
my CUMC '65 reunion has been postponed that change has
stimulated classmates to share their history. There are at least seven of
us who served as military combat physicians in-country, Vietnam.
Most
of us were drafted as interns in '65. If one did not receive a deferment to
complete specialty training these physicians, with one year's training,
found themselves embedded with the ground troops seeking out the enemy in
"search and destroy" missions. I was lucky enough to be granted the
deferment. I truly believed the war would have ended by 1970. Yeah!
At
our 2021 reunion, I wish the Class of ’61 and WCM would honor ALL of our class
members who served in the military, whether or not deployed. Their sacrifice
and service were substantial risking their lives for our country. The
same should be done for the CUMC class with which we are partnered. No one has
done that as yet. It’s been fifty years!”
We
thank all of you for submitting Class Notes and communicating with your classmates. We hope to see many of you in June in Ithaca.
Doug Fuss dougout@attglobal.net and Susan
Stevens at stevens61@gmail.com