Class of 1981: 30th reunion

In spite of college graduations and the start of summer traveling, we had a nice showing for the reunion. We found ourselves reminiscing about our years at Yale and sharing stories about our work and personal lives. Everyone seemed healthy and happy. The Saturday evening dinner at the Quinnipiack Club was exceptional and the weather throughout the weekend was cooperative.

Lisa Babitz and Stewart Greisman continue with their practice in Manhattan near Hell’s Kitchen. She is a geriatrician and he is a rheumatologist. They have three children, one daughter in medical school, another daughter in veterinary school, and a son in college. Steve Brown practices pulmonary medicine in Wisconsin and in his spare time he is a credentialed sports photographer. He takes his talent to the Brew City Bruisers Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby. You will have to ask him about his joke which was published in “Old Jews Telling Jokes”—it is very funny. He also entertained us with his amazing card tricks. Also in Wisconsin, Ines Carasquillo moved into a group practice at Marshfield Clinic just two years ago. She practices plastic surgery. She states that she has more time to enjoy other things in life since she is in the group practice.

We were lucky to see a couple of classmates who flew across the country to be at our reunion. Francis Chui works at Kaiser in Northern California. His son is in medical school at Yale and his daughter is graduating from University of California, Irvine, this year. He has been studying the stock market. Michael Nerenberg and his wife Lynne were present from California. Michael is still heading a biotech company specializing in medical diagnostics. They just built a new home in Del Mar. He plays the mandolin and is involved with the San Diego Bluegrass Society. Also from the west coast, Colleen Thompson Peck attended with her husband, Murray. Colleen works for the State of Washington with the most violent and psychotic patients. She states she loves her work. Someone has to do it, and good for her. She also likes to ride horses and play the flute.

From closer to Yale came Dovelet Shashou and her husband, Jonathan Trambert. She is still practicing pediatric ophthalmology at Einstein in New York. They spoke about their two children. She likes supporting her local community theatre. Neil Gross continues to practice ophthalmology in Boston. He enjoys sports and playing the guitar. Barbara Roach came with her husband, Richard Carroll. Barbara retired last year but she remains a consultant for the free clinic in Bridgeport, Conn., run by AmeriCares. She spends her winters in St. Thomas, where she has a condo. Her son Matt is graduating from Boston College this May. Tony Urbano and his wife, Camille Qualtere, still live in Pennsylvania. He is an interventional cardiologist.

As for myself, Christine Duranceau, your social chair, I am semi-retired. I work as an urgent care physician in La Quinta, Calif., during the winter. My husband and I travel for four months of the year in the Midwest, visiting our five grandchildren and living in a motor home. We continue traveling internationally two months a year visiting my family in France.

A small survey was sent to everyone in the class and I heard from 45 of our classmates. I will be sending out a summary from the survey and pictures from the reunion. If you would like to share what you are doing with the rest of the class, send any information to docinwis@gmail.com.

We ended the reunion enthusiastically stating that we all had a good time and we were looking forward to our next milestone 35th reunion.