1969 - 35th reunion

The oysters, corn fritters, huge shrimp and liquid refreshment compensated a bit for the chill of Friday night as we greeted Arnie and Nancy Mazur and Jody Robinson. We then moved into the warmth of the old Harkness dining room and joined the 1969 table filled with Ellen and Len Milstone, the Lionel Nelsons, Sandy Genser, Steve and Lyn Krant, John and Patty Kelly, Rob and Joanne Marier, Larry and Sally Yeatman, and Jonelle Carey Rowe.

The Saturday morning ethics seminar was well-received. We were joined at lunch by Joel and Janet Kaufman, Lee Jampol, and David Schulak and his fiancée. We moved on to the historic Beaumont Room for a special memorial discussion of David Barry, whose achievements we celebrated in 1999. We watched some very touching and illuminating portions of David’s memorial service from Chapel Hill, kindly provided by Gracia Barry.

We then discussed how we might memorialize David, as well as John Meehan and Eric Otobo, who also left us far too early. A small group agreed to work on an appropriate memorial process for departed class members.

The evening at the Quinnipiack Club brought Chuck and Sandra Angell, Tom Ciesielski, the Robert Gordons, Stephen Webb and Ralph Falkenstein. The class photograph had to be delayed as we watched Smarty Jones lose his attempt at the Triple Crown. Rob Marier and the development office provided memories of lost youth with 1965 entrance photographs and a 1969 class photo in front of the Brady building.

We did our traditional “lampooning” of all absent classmates, which should inspire them to attend future reunions to defend their reputations.

Our gathering appears to expand reunion by reunion. Nearing or passing 60 certainly does bring on a good deal of reflection. Several classmates who hadn’t returned to New Haven since 1969 found it particularly enjoyable to be back. We all found that the opportunity to remember and reflect with classmates gave us a renewed vision to carry back to our professional and personal lives. We look forward to 2009.

Leo M. Cooney Jr.