CLASS NOTES
CLASS NOTES
winter 2014 | St. Lawrence University Magazine 43
42 winter 2014 | St. Lawrence University Magazine
I’ve heard from
RonHarris
several times recently
since we realized that his daughter lives less than
a mile from me (small world!), although we’ve
never managed to connect when he’s been here
visiting. Ron is married to Patty Kerley ’75 and
they live in Gainesville, Va. They have two daugh-
ters: Lori, who lives and works in Charlestown,
S.C., and Erin, who lives in Mt. Lebanon, Pa., and
has two daughters. They enjoy being grandpar-
ents but haven’t yet retired. Ron has spent most
of his working life in sales; he is retired from Ab-
bott Labs and currently works for Stericycle, Inc.
Patty also made a career in sales and is currently
a realtor.
CarolineCloss Searl
andhusbandGrahamwere
not able to come to Reunion because of a trip on
the Indian Pacific Railroad from Adelaide to Perth,
Australia. This iconic train trip actually starts in
Sydney, but they boarded in Adelaide, South Aus-
tralia, their home for the past 20 years. Their plan
was to take the car along on the train, and then
spend four weeks driving north along the coast
from Perth, taking in the reefs and wildlife and
beaches that abound in the coastal area. Caroline
and Graham are both retired; when they’re not on
a cruise or visiting friends and relatives in the US
and UK, they spend time doing volunteer work
(Caroline works in the local visitor center of the
beautiful McLaren Vale wine region) and visiting
their three children and four grandchildren, who
live only an hour away.
Caroline also said, “
Pam MacKiernan Crane
,
if you read this, I know I owe you an email, and
as soon as I find your email address, I’ll send you
one! Would love to hear from
Anne O’Connell
and
Barbara “Missy” Banta Mercier
– if you go
to Reunion, have a beer for me!”
I’ve enjoyed having lots of news to share, but I’m
at the end of my Reunion notes. I hope to hear
frommore of you for our next issue!
1974
Sandra CicconeWagner ’74
13030Walking Path Place
San Diego, CA 92130
858-354-5463
Next Reunion: 40
th
, May 29-June 1, 2014
Long-distance runner
Lee
Pollock
finished second
in his category at the USA
Marathon Championships
in early October, running
the 26.2-mile course in 2
hours 56 minutes. Track
and field alumnus Bryan
Tolscer ’04, who lives and
coaches in the Minneapo-
lis area, sent the University
this picture of Lee, looking
hardly winded at all, at the 21-mile mark. Pol-
lock, an insurance agent in Glens Falls, N.Y., is
one of just 32 people in the world, and only
the 11th American, to have run a marathon in
under three hours in each of five different de-
cades. He was inducted into the Grandstanders
Athletic Hall of Fame last fall.
Brad Louth
sent in a wonderful update after
many years. After 30 years on Wall Street with
JP Morgan Chase, he took early retirement in
2005, and he and his partner established a stra-
tegic sourcing firm (
)
to provide consulting services to various mid-
sized firms.
Brad also runs a dive travel business (
tobonaire.com), and in 2006 he took up flying.
He holds a Commercial Instrument pilot’s license
and may pursue a professional flying career with
a regional airline in the future. Brad flies charita-
ble medical flights for PALS (Pilot Airlift Services)
whenever his schedule permits.
Brad’s son, Robert, and his family live in Connect-
icut and Brad and his wife have been enjoying
spending timewith their grandson. Brad’s wife is a
teacher in the Stamford, Conn., school systemand
plans on retiring this summer, after which they
will move full- time into their new home in New
Hampshire, where they now live part-time. Brad
looks forward to hiking in the White Mountains
and enjoying the splendor of the New Hampshire
wilderness. He writes that his life has been very
busy during the past 10 years, “and whoever said
you get bored and have nothing to do after retir-
ing was sooo wrong....smile.” In March 2012, Brad
saw
Paul Prass, Joe Keiser
and
Gerry Lauro
at a
party in their old town of Pelham, N.Y.
As do I, Brad looks forward to coming to our
40th Reunion inMay and seeing some old friends.
If you have not done so already, please look at
alumni.stlawu.edu/reunion and consider coming
back to campus to reconnect with old friends,
see the changes on campus and enjoy our 40th
Reunion activities. As always, please let me know
what you and yours have been doing.
1975
Carol Owen ’75
12 Lake Village Drive
Durham, NC 27713-8952
919-544-2121 (evenings)
Next Reunion: 40
th
, 2015
Tracy Kay
, executive director of the Westches-
ter (N.Y.) Children’s Museum, is busy at work on a
home for the museum. In July, Westchester Coun-
ty approved the museum’s lease for the north
bathhouse at the Playland Amusement Park. The
museum’s first exhibit space in the renovated
bathhouse (built in 1928) is expected to open
within the next two years.
Congratulations and good luck! It looks like the
Westchester Children’s Museum will be a fun
place to visit.
I hope the Class of 1975 is doingwell. Please send
me some news!
1976
Mary Izant ’76
2275 Harcourt Drive
Cleveland Heights, OH 44106
216-363-6417
Next Reunion: 40
th
, 2016
Jeff Brainard
wins the prize for first response.
He said that on Labor Day Weekend he and Lau-
rey attended the wedding of Andy Gustafson ’75’s
daughter, Emily, in the Thousand Islands. Laurey
is Emily’s godmother.
Bruce
and
Janeen Gould
Frank
,
Hugh
and
Vicki
Lappe and Chris ’74 and
Emilie Banta Cleveland ’75 were all in attendance.
Jeff: I will figure out your prize soon…really!
JimGrant
wrote about hanging out with friends
Aims Coney, ChrisOwen, Bill Harclerode, Hen-
ry Stewart, Bob Goeller
and
Mike Yaworsky
and their wives and other friends at Aims's retreat
at Blue Mountain Lake in the Adirondacks. “It was
fun to climb Blue Mountain with my roommate
from 1973, Bill Harclerode,” he wrote. “We got up
that mountain pretty fast, considering we're both
close to 60 years old! It's actually fun getting old
with old friends, especially from St. Lawrence!”
Jim has formed a corporation with several busi-
ness associates in Norwalk, Conn. They purchased
a franchise territory from Liberty Tax Service, and
Jim taught tax school in the fall and will run a new
office in downtown Norwalk.“The experience is a
challenge with significant risk,”he wrote.“My only
hope is I can make enough money to retire com-
fortably sometime not too far in the future.”
Larry Buonocore
is still with IBM in the services
side of the business. “Thoughts of second careers
are careening throughmy brain but I still love sell-
ing,” he said. Daughter Danielle is on Long Island,
selling real estate and working in several restau-
rants, while son Michael is into craft cocktails and
works at a highly-rated restaurant in Center City
Philadelphia, Venick Food and Drink.
Bonnie Legro
and
John Timson
reported on
daughter Jessalyn’s wedding in June. Among St.
Lawrence attendees were
Bob
and
Sue Brown
Hallenbeck
, who have moved to a condo over-
looking Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Bob is still
working with Becton Dickinson & Co., and their
youngest son has announced his engagement.
Bostonians
Abby Behrens
and
Marty Croyle
and daughters Melissa ’10, Julia ’12, and Caro-
line were there, along with
Katy Naughton
and
Mike Moran
from D.C., proud grandparents of
their first granddaughter; and
Patty Fitzgib-
bons
and husband Mick Heller, also roaring up
from D.C., and caught on the dance floor “crazy
dancing” with veteran grandparents
Susan
Barns Kovacs
and husband Dan, from Madi-
son, N.J.
Kathy McInerney Olney
and Joe came
from Rome, N.Y. Also attending was Bonnie’s sis-
ter-in-law, Janet Hatfield Legro ’85 from Charlot-
tesville, Va.“Although my brother didn’t have the
sense to follow me to St. Lawrence, at least he
chose a spouse who did!” Bonnie commented.
“Missing in action due to family commitments
were
Julie Neuber Bishop
and husband Kirk in
Boston and Melinda Cannon ’75 and Rich Alcott
’75 in Los Angeles.”
Bonnie reported the “interesting coincidence
that James Hancock, son of my freshman room-
mate and dear friend
Ellen Dodd
and Jim Han-
cock ’75, got married in Washington State on the
same date.”
Howard Flood
reported, “I’m still an unem-
ployed bum with a broken ankle, Lyme disease
and sciatica. Oh the joys of getting older!" He’d
seen
James Shatford
, who was retiring after 23
years of teaching in Nova Scotia.
Katherine “Kobby” Gulick Hoffman
wrote, “I
use my liberal arts St. Lawrence education every
day making proposals and decisions and com-
municating in my work in sponsored programs at
the University of Virginia, for several non-profits,
and in my own life.”Last summer she helped sup-
port 1,000 women ages 8 to 88 as they trained
for a fund-raising race for breast cancer research,
mammograms and education – “a win-win for all
on all levels,” she said. “I went to a National Orga-
nization for Women conference and, yes, we are
still working for equal rights and reproductive
rights in many aspects at local, state and national
levels. Add foundation and policy work, being an
election official, and keeping up with family and
friends, and you have it.”
Lesley Purdy
says is feeling much better after
a neurological issue and planned to move closer
to her kids in Greenwich, Conn. “I'll be in a good
care residence,”she said.“I need body work. I need
exercise. All is well.”
Skip Ferguson
served on the Bicentennial Com-
mittee at Princeton Theological Seminary as the
school marked its 200th anniversary last year. The
highlight of the year-long celebration was the
completion of a new library to house what is con-
sidered the finest collection of theological materi-
als outside of the Vatican Library. Skip earned his
master’s and doctoral degrees there.
Bill Durkin
was on
campus in late August,
for “freshman drop- off”
(youngest son Alec ’17).
“Campus looks great
and nice to return to the
North Country,” said the
Darien, Conn., resident.
Keep the news coming.
If you did not receive
an email from me (two,
actually) in September,
I do not have your email address. I am trying to
update/correct many addresses. Please dropme a
line. I appreciate your assistance as always.
1977
Bonnie Steuart Taylor ’77
9823 Fosbak Drive
Vienna, VA 22182
703-281-2281
Next Reunion: 40
th
, 2017
1978
Joel Collamer ’78
29 Hassake Road
Old Greenwich, CT 06870-1329
203-698-0677 (home)
203-820-4523 (cell)
Next Reunion: 40
th
, 2018
Errata: Your reporter goofed and incorrectly
reported in the Summer 2013 column that
Jeff
Reynders
has a new granddaughter. It should
have been reported that he has a new grand
son
,
Jesse James Reynders.
In May,
Peter Hayes
, of
Hayes & Sherry, real estate
brokerage, was re-appoint-
ed to Blue Cross Blue Shield
Rhode Island’s Board of Di-
rectors. He was originally
appointed in 2009. Pete also
serves as a member of the
Rhode Island Public Expen-
diture Council (RIPEC), Ju-
nior Achievement of Rhode
Island and the Society of Industrial and Office
Realtors boards, an incorporator with the Provi-
dence Foundation and a member of the Rhode
Island Commodores.
Congratulations to
Darcy Rieman
and Joel
MacClaren ’77 on the marriage of their daughter
Whitney ’09 to Dan Orawiec on August 17. Darcy
emailed that “We had over 25 SLU folks at the
wedding. Having the Reverend Diane Stevenson
(wife of
Barney Stevenson
) participate in the
blessing and Chelsea Smith (daughter of
Henley
and
Michelle De Luca Smith
) play violin made
it extra-special. Jeannine Forton Mullan’79 also
attended. My favorite moment was watching
Joel walkWhitney down the aisle to the bagpiper
playing 'Highland Cathedral.'"
In late June,
Rich “Chambo” Chamberlain
emailed the following update on his unexpected
coronary bypass surgery, which prevented his at-
tendance at our recent reunion:“Feeling stronger
every day. Doing cardiac rehab. Hope to be back
on my bike. Sounds like I missed some good
laughs [at Reunion]...maybe next time (2018?)”.
Rich did get back to biking; in an early August
Facebook post he announced an 18-mile ride in
one hour, and then in a mid-September post a 55-
mile outing. Best of luck, Rich, on the continued
recovery to full strength.
Your reporter hosted Harold Tomlinson ’76 in
mid-August when he participated in the North
America Lightning (Sailing) Masters Champion-
ships at the Nyack Boat Club, where his boat took
fourth place! During Harold’s visit, I received an
unexpected phone call from
Tom Legg
, who
was hosting Joe Baldino ’79 as he toured through
North Carolina. We laughed our way through
several appropriately embellished undergradu-
ate recollections and recent reunion events. One
evening during Harold’s visit, refreshments were
supplied by Half-Full Brewery of Stamford, Conn.,
where Jordan Giles ’06 is“chief beer organizer.”No,
that’s not a typo; that’s his actual title.
Margie Greer Creamer
’s husband Tim ’76
emailed, “SLU mini-group attended Dan Kurtz
’76’s daughter Patty’s graduation party: Sue Mar-
tin ’76 and Harold Tomlinson ’76, Dan Kurtz ’76,
Bob Sampson ’76, Margie and me -- good fun and
chat had by all”!
Derrick Pitts
, Philadelphia's Franklin Institute’s
chief astronomer and planetarium director, was
a guest on the "CBS This Morning" show in early
September to discuss a provocative new theory
which suggests that life on earthmight have orig-
inated on Mars, but he explained that “we're very
far away from proving that theory.” Derrick said,
"We have only a very limited amount of data from
probes sent to Mars over the last two decades,
which provide a glimpse into the chemistry of
the early Martian environment. Additional work
is needed before any conclusions can be made.”
1979
KimHoffmann Amoroso ’79
35 Cedar Street
Marblehead, MA 01945
781-258-9401
Next Reunion: 40
th
, 2019
For information about becoming a reporter for this
class, please contact Sharon Henry, 315-229-5585
or
, or KimHissong, 315-229-
5837 or
Wow! As I write this we just got home from our
last FamilyWeekend at St. Lawrence. I amvery sad
but Megan is a senior so I must accept it. It was
a great weekend, with amazing sporting events,
concerts, alumni panels, Greek open houses and
senior thesis presentations.
A business dinner that GE organized in Accra, Ghana, during the visit of the vice chairman of GE, John
Rice, last June had three Laurentians on hand: from left, University Trustee
Jay Ireland '77
(president
and CEO, GE Africa), Magda Van Dusen,
Nate Van Dusen '99
(senior Africa manager, CARANA Cor-
poration) and
Kwasi Osei-Kusi '09
(analyst, GE Africa), who thoughtfully sent us the picture.
