“NO NEWS is not necessarily good news.”

Even where news is sad, the events themselves are no less so left unreported. So send your news…either to class secretary Phil Allen or here c/o bodlibrary2020@gmail.com.

The News published by the school tends to need such a long lead-time & compressed editing that our website offers obvious advantages in space, time, & format. Submissions here may also cross & over-lap categories–news; memories; reflections (musings); updates; contact info; posts; obituary…. (You may indicate page preference for submissions, if you have one, on the subject line of your email, along with “NMH1960.”)

Since hearing from a classmate tends to be news in itself, this page may also include references to where other recent communications from classmates can be found, e.g., from Karl Radune (on Musings page), George Banziger (on Now), & Bob Anderson (on Contacts page). “Looking forward to hearing from you, too.” 

The following is a somewhat updated/ tweaked version of what Phil sent the school by the May 2020 deadline, for a digital-only edition of The NMH News scheduled for October. (As new news comes in to fill out the page, & old news gets older, the older will get compressed into files that can be opened by clicking.)

NMH 1960 CLASSMATE NEWS— from Class Secretary, Phil Allen:

Jon Ross writes: We had planned a trip to wine country for April but were derailed by COVID-19. Maybe next year.  Meanwhile, I am still practicing Family Law in New Hampshire full time with Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer, PC. I have an office in Portsmouth (where we live) and in Manchester. Kathy and I are in good health and enjoy spending our weekends at our seaside home in York, Maine. 
~~~Classmate  Curt Ley and his wife Pat have moved to NH and we have spent time together.  We are all waiting for this COVID cloud to move on so life may resume some normalcy. 
~~~We are blessed that our children are in good health, employed, and that our oldest grandson will graduate high school in June and plans to attend the Communications School at Syracuse University in the fall. 
~~~Hard to believe so much time has passed from graduation.  I had planned to attend our 60th but there may yet be a chance to do so.  

After living in Washington State for 46 years,  Glen Irwin reports:  Joan and I moved to Florida. We now live in The Villages. This year we celebrated our 55th Wedding Anniversary. 

From Doug Barrett:  Sally and I were hunkered down in Jupiter, FL. If all goes well we are flying to Simsbury on 6/15. It’s unfortunate our 60th Reunion celebration has been deferred to 2021. I thought the planning committee was enthusiastic and off to a good start. We’ll celebrate, next year, on the Hill & tell old war stories and wonder where all the time went. 

From Harvey Crosby: It’s hard to believe that we graduated 60 years ago. My life is pretty much fine. Married almost 53 years; 3 adult children + 3 additional (kids spouses and partners); and 4 grandchildren. Was fortunate to sell my businesses in 2008 and 2013…thankfully before the economic impact of the pandemic. We still live in Massachusetts, splitting our time between Newton and Williamstown.  We’ve escaped the New England “springs” in Florida the last couple of years. 
~~~Healthwise, it has been interesting, to say the least. In January, 2016, I was diagnosed with a very rare plasmablasic lymphoma, and my doctors said that I probably had only a few months left. After multiple rounds of chemo; many setbacks; a stem cell transplant; and, most importantly, tremendous support from my wife and kids, I’m still here. Much to be thankful for to be sure.  

Like most folks, writes Marv Kelley, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused Carol and me to hunker down since mid-March. We are currently playing the reopening movement very cautiously. Sure, we’re bored, but better bored than sick, right? I was sorry our 60th reunion had to be postponed, but better safe than sorry. 
~~~On a brighter note, after a bunch of surgeries and a series of radiation treatment over the past five years, Carol and I were told by our many doctors last May that we are cancer-free. (At least for now.)  
~~~Finally, while I miss asking classmates for financial support for NMH, I especially miss the stay-in-touch phone conversations I had with so many of you over those years.  

Fred J Black: I  sold my ‘50 Ford and flew out to IL to buy a ‘55 Ford Fairlane (one requiring less up and down work). I am in the process of installing a car lift in my garage so I won’t have that issue so much as I work on this car. We flew out at the onset of the pandemic but used a lot of hand sanitizer and constantly washed our hands, also maintaining safe distancing. Upon our return to Raleigh airport, instead of going home, we took off to Vero Beach FL for 10 days holiday. Our friends from Maine RV camped there and found us a great cottage on the water. However, we became aware of the severity of Covid-19. The beaches and bar/restaurants were packed, no masks worn. So, we decided to leave  earlier than planned. 
~~~I’m happy to report Jean is still in remission but she fell last Saturday and broke her arm in two places. (Who falls UP stairs?)  so I am calling upon the cooking, vacuuming, laundry, etc skills my mother taught us. 

From Dick Bodner (Ricardo in New Mexico): Besides my mind & voice (a larynx condition that keeps me from using phone & public speaking), I must report more significant losses—starting with my partner of 55 years & better half last Aug. (2019), from complications after a fall. She’d once been named “New Mexico Conservation Teacher of the Year” for an outdoor classroom that continues to serve, its story told in an article on www.virginiabodner.net, which also features her poetry, art, & life. 
~~~Then, the first week of 2020, we lost Barbara Bernache-Baker, our wonderful MH biology teacher, who passed away suddenly on her beloved island of Vieques, followed a few months later by another wonderful MH biology teacher, her husband Jeffrey Baker, in Ivy, Va.. My late wife aside, Barbara was the most personally responsive teacher I ever encountered; Jeff was one of the most passionate—& funniest! [See the OBITS page on www.nmh1960.net for things you may not have known about either.]
~~~I’m at least pleased to report that the 3rd member of our incredible MH bio department, Gar Allen, who co-wrote many books with Jeff, is still as thought-provoking as ever. With activities this summer in St. Louis & Woods Hole, he’s now living in Palm Springs, Ca. (where my daughter, a former student of Gar’s, now ecologist with The Nature Conservancy, visited him awhile ago). 
~~~Gar’s capacity to inspire has never been limited to biology—e.g., he introduced our late classmate Tom Connell to opera (mostly after lights, a story for elsewhere on the site). Tom’s New York Times obituary may have described him as The Metropolitan Opera Company’s long-time renowned stage manager, or maybe it was “legendary.”
~~~On related/ unrelated lines: I hear Tom’s roommate, Al Skidgell, is recovering from a serious stroke, with the help of a highly competent spouse. We wish him well. At our age, Rosanna Rosanna Dana’s words (via Gilda Radner) seem particularly relevant: “If it’s not one thing, it’s another.” 

Finally (for the moment), George Banziger sends greetings from Marietta Ohio. His activities include teaching at the Institute for Learning in Retirement at a local college, co-leading his local Citizens Climate Lobby chapter, tending his organic garden, continuing committee work in the local Unitarian Universalist Society, and keeping fit and healthy. Gwen and George have their 50th anniversary this year, celebration postponed because of the pandemic. [See the NOW page for more from George himself!]

From Phil: Thanks to all contributors for this issue, and to those who were planning this year’s reunion. (I’m sure new volunteers would be welcome by contacting the alumni office.) We are eager to learn of rescheduling plans.

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