PHILLIPS Starting off with the sad news:
The most painful is the tragic death of Henry "Herk"Warren's daughter. I can't think of a more devastating event for a parent to deal with. Bill Barnum, Herk's pal since childhood, tells us that
Herk has held up quite well. Ed Ingraham died in January after a brief illness. I have an obituary if you write. John Gallagher died on Dec. 22, 2006. He was a lawyer and a judge, a man of great courage. I will always remember his being fully engaged in all of our activities at the 60th Reunion despite great physical handicaps. Larry Dalley, a memorable student and athlete at Andover and Yale, died after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. I also have his obituary, which I will send if you write. Dick Welch, also a student/athlete of note at Andover and Yale, died Nov. 6, 2006, after a battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was a kind, gentle man, who, like all our deceased classmates, will be missed. I've been told that Ed Hawkins has become incapacitated, also with Alzheimer's. Vic Henningsen '43 died on March 26, 2007. His son Vic '69 was the first holder of the 1945 class teaching foundation grant and now teaches history at PA. This news is awfully stale, and that's not good. Jim Herman and I, with the help of the alumni office, are laboring to get a '45 class page up on the Andover Web site. When that?s done, these sensitive events will be reported as received.
Some time ago, this space put the question of "first great-grandfather" status to the group. Silence - until I read Bill Levin's obituary, which noted he was a great-grandfather. I guess Bill Saltonstall read the same obit and called to register his own G.G.F. status. Bill followed up by sending a beautiful New Year's card with photos of five grand- and great-grandchildren. One bright-eyed little guy, Henry, must be the G.G.C. Also, there were nature photos: moose grazing in a flower bed, a black bear on an outbuilding roof, and a rabbit stalked by a lynx. Mary and Brot Bishop also sent a card showing them in high good humor surrounded by 13 grandchildren, ages 3 -16. This was a 50th wedding anniversary photo dated Feb. 8, 2006. Brot and I thought it would be great to celebrate our 80th birthdays together in February, but it didn't work out. My 80th was a delight! I had my three children all to myself in New York for two full days?without grandchildren. Grandchildren seem to get all the attention, but this was my day. My chauvinism is not shared by Chips Lazo or John Ryan. Chips - landmark day was celebrated with all his family - six children and, at last count, 16 grandchildren - which he described as - a carnival of joy, wonderful beyond description.- John has six children, five of whom live in Europe. His 80th is in July, and the plan is a summer moving feast on the continent.

We don't hear much from Marvin Minsky but, thanks to Dick Leavitt, I have a copy of an interview Marvin granted to Discovery magazine.
He is known on the MIT campus as 'old man Minsky.- But the interview makes clear that he is still vigorously developing and researching the application of artificial intelligence to our lives. A copy of the interview is available if you write. I talked to Tom Vought not long ago. You may remember that he has been an avid sailor and ice boater. It was a slow winter for ice boating, which suited him. That sport is a little bit too swift for an aging body. He's distressed, however, with real estate developers' ideas for massive construction on the New Jersey shore. These activities have accelerated with recent court decisions that have weakened the historic eminent domain protection provisions of private property. Ches McCracken tells me that he's getting around pretty well in an electric wheelchair. There is a bocce ball court on the grounds of his community, and he's trying out for the old folks' team. I asked, "How come? - you're not Italian!" "Yes," he said, "but that's where all the ladies are. Trouble is, they're all older than me." What a guy! His phone number is 912-598-7462.
Tim Timberman continues to make strong progress in recovering from his terrible auto bustup a couple of years ago. He tells me that he's gone back to school. Seems he has had a computer set up in his apartment and, like many of us, has been intimidated by it. Early this year he decided that he could, and would, get the hang of it, and now has an instructor (a lady) coming by twice a week for two hours. He says to all of us, "Try it, you might like it." I didn't pursue the subject. Tim's phone number is 518-234-9958. (Sorry, I didn't get his e-mail address.)
I called Craig Shealy in the spring, but his wife, Molly, said he was out on the river rowing. He's always loved the sport, competes, or used to, in senior events, and works out three or four days a week before going to his medical office. Brom Ault continues to publish his "Matters of Conscience" newsletter. Most recently it contained a discussion of our border security vis-a-vis a proposed NAFTA superhighway - really good stuff.
Brom's been in Florida for 10 years or so, but has plans to come back to his New England and Yale roots. Branford, Conn., is where he will settle in a senior community. Bruce Gelb had a smashing 80th birthday gathering in New York last winter.
Bruce, modest as ever, did not let on that he has been awarded the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service. From itsWeb site: 'TheWoodrow Wilson Award for Public Service is given to individuals who have served with distinction in public
office and have shown a special commitment to seeking out informed opinions and thoughtful views. They encourage the free and open exchange of ideas; and rather than basing policies on political expediency, they devote themselves to examining the historical background and longterm implications of important public policy issues." Congratulations, Bruce.
Briefly from Art Moher: He tells of lunch with 96-year-old Flop Follansbee, as well as Ned Williams. Bill Mettler is having a little surgery on a tennis shoulder. That's it, lads. Love you all.

SPRING 2007

PHILLIPS It's New Year's Eve, which marks the end of a year of conflicting social, political, and economic ideologies. The headlines are chronicling the death of Gerald Ford, James Brown, and Saddam Hussein. If you are an omen watcher, the confluence of these may be full of meaning. Do they foretell a return to public civility hastening acceptance of cultural differences or the continuing epidemic of ill-considered use of power and resulting violence?
The annual fall Andover Leaders' Weekend meeting was preceded by my visiting Brewster Conant in Acton, Mass. It's always a delight to visit with such a cheerful guy. In Mayflower, which I'm reading, reference is made to a Roger Conant who left the Plymouth colony around 1625 for Cape Ann, where he had a dustup with Miles Standish. A Puritan historian, William Hubbard, wrote up Conant's story of the event.
Brewster acknowledges his ancestor and is looking into the Standish event. All you New Englanders should read Mayflower. Shortly after seeing Brewster - when we commiserated about our impending eight-oh - a card arrived picturing two old Victorian boys, spats and all, leap-frogging. The caption reads, - Age is a question of mind over matter; if you don't mind, it doesn't matter. The leaders' meeting was run by Dr. Peter Hetzler '72, the son of our deceased classmate Peter Hetzler. The doctor is president of the Alumni Council and is an alumni trustee. He's a splendid young man and runs a very good meeting - to the point and with humor. Peter's son is currently a PA student. At the meeting it was announced that the Bulletin will be published three times a year rather than four, but our previous 800 word limit is increased to 1,000 words. This change might upset some of you, but there is a more-than compensating plus-side opportunity. As you know, there is an Andover Web site (www.andover.edu) with a number of alumni subcategories, one of which is class Web pages. (Our '45 page is already online.)
You will need to register ID and password codes to access the page. It will allow us to post class news of immediate interest (something we've not been able to do easily), as well as conduct class surveys of social, political, and economic views. (Example: The January issue of Discover magazine has an interview with Marvin Minsky, a classmate renowned for his work in the field of artificial intelligence.) Dick Leavitt writes an annual letter telling of his prior year happenings. Last year I suggested that the negatives of our impending eight-oh were morbid and he should lighten up. This year he did so. The same theme prevails but is laced with humor. Example: - Took the AARP safe drivers refresher course for the second time. - If you want a copy, the mailing address is P.O. Box 214, Bristol RI 02809-0214.
Besides Dick we have two or three regular commentaries coming from Brom Ault, Harry Reid, and Chips Lazo. Also, Ed Mead and Bob Boyd write professionally for the public press. Brom's recent Matters of Conscience quarterly letter was headlined - The Mucker Pose.- This was the subject of English teacher Emory Basford's 1945 class commencement address. Brom's commentary is first-rate and, if you don?t subscribe to Brom?s letter, it will be on his Web site: www.centerforpublicconscience.org. A letter from Harry Reid was recently published in the Letters to the Editor section of his local paper. It gives his view on how we should deal with our Iraq problem. (I have the exact opposite take on the situation.) A copy of Harry's view will be sent if you write. Chips Lazo always has a lot of stuff to say about what's going on in his life- all of it fun - as well as his discussion of life in Cuba and the threat its government is to our relations in Latin America.
Getting back to the class Web page: I don't believe that the five classmates mentioned are the only ones who have views on the range of events we read about and have to deal with every day. We are a bright, experienced, and interesting bunch and should use this facility to express ourselves. As a gay friend once said to me, - Don't knock it if you haven't tried it. -
Fred Sanborn responded to the last class notes - remark about the inventory of memoirs on hand.
He said his days at Andover were not the happiest, but he is interested to read what some others have to say 60-plus years later. Fred has kept up to date on Andover through business. His company, Interactive Learning Systems, has done work for Andover.
Barbara and John Koch are moving to a new house they've had built in an assisted living community in Sewickley, Pa., at 4001 Scottish Rite Court, zip 15143. John has recovered from a stroke and sounds just fine.
Ches McCracken, on the other hand, had a terrible year. His wife, Sally, died on Christmas Day after a long illness. His four children and nine grandchildren were with him at Christmas. He's a real hero- confined to a wheelchair, but the help he gets in the assisted living community is outstanding. Call him in Savannah, Ga., at 912-598-7462.
The Oct. 3 Wall Street Journal had an interesting story under the headline - Lebenthals are back on the Street.- Jim Lebenthal is pictured with his daughter Alexandra; they are partners in a new firm. All I could think of was the Energizer drumbeating bunny that won't quit. Let it be a lesson to all of us. Thanks, Jim! (Send for the article; it's a good read.)
Just after the deadline for the winter issue, I learned that Dick Welch died on Nov. 6 after a long illness. He was buried on Nov. 10, and Jim Scanlan and Art Moher proudly represented the Class of '45. Dick and Mary Lou were married 52 years. Sons Richard L. Jr. '73 and Philip '75 followed their dad to PA, and three Welch brothers preceded him at PA. He chaired our 25th Reunion, co-chaired our 55th, and was a longtime class agent. Long known as "Pasty", he played two years at baseball, both years winning over Exeter.
He was also a great part of the '45 undefeated hockey team, with an additional four years of hockey at Yale. We will miss a loyal '45 guy. The folks in Alumni Affairs notified me of the death of Edward F. Ingraham on Jan. 10 after a brief illness.
Another great loss to the class is John Blake, who died on Jan. 27. John was a class agent along with class secretary Charlie Gearing. Working together, they set the gold standard for those of us who followed. Their pioneering set the Andover alumni loyalty pace that has distinguished our class in the last 62 years and was a factor in John's receiving PA's Distinguished Service Award in 2002. We will miss John, as we have missed Charlie. A powerhouse team they were.
Our condolences go out to the Welch, Ingraham, and Blake families. Love you all.

[Editor's note: Please see the In Memoriam
section for obituaries for Richard Welch, John
Blake, and Peter M. Grosz, who died last
September, as listed in the winter issue of the
Bulletin.]

Happy New Year!

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