1965 – Fall ’19 Class Letter
John C. Hyde
414-530-4041 / [email protected]
Donna and I enjoying pleasant weather here in Pensacola. I’m flying to our Conover, Wisconsin, house for two weeks to see daughter, Terrell, hubby Brendan and granddaughters Helena, Julia and Georgia. Also will see Trevor Hyde and wife Phyllis and sons Tristan and Cian. Tristan is the first grandchild to attend college. He will start at Illinois Wesleyan University this fall.
Donna and I are celebrating our anniversary this August by going to New Orleans which is only three hours by car and seeing Queen with Adam Lambert and spending a few days in the French Quarter.
JOHN HYDE ’65
JACKIE ALCORN ’65: “I’ve travelled more in the last three months than any time in my life. In April, I flew to Stuttgart, Germany, where my son is stationed with the Navy. His family included me on a cruise out of Venice to Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Ravenna, Italy. I took a trip by myself to Malta where I lived from 1954-1956. I stayed in an Airbnb that seemed like a cross between an art and a history museum. The present occupants of the house where I lived with my parents invited me in and showed me all through the house. I saw where I used to take horseback riding lessons and the beach where I had my 13th birthday party. It was like a time warp — going back in time, but without my parents and school friends.
“After another week with my son and three grandchildren, I returned to Virginia for a few days before flying to Washington state where my oldest granddaughter graduated from Whitman College in May. From there, I flew to California to spend a couple of weeks with my friend from Ripon, Jane Person. I always enjoy my time with Jane. My granddaughter, Jackie, and her boyfriend drove down from Seattle, picked me up at Jane’s and drove me to Yosemite where we spent a couple of days. It is a must-see for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet. They took me back to Jane’s from where I flew back to Seattle from my grandson’s high school graduation in June. I was able to attend several concerts that two of my grandsons participated in.
“From Seattle I flew to Colorado where my youngest daughter and her family took me tent camping in four national parks: Grand Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon and Rocky Mountain. I’m finally home in Virginia Beach but getting ready to drive to New Hampshire where my entire family gets together each July for a couple of weeks by a lake.”
When I called PHIL HOLM ’65, he enjoyed discussing Ripon’s undefeated football team our junior year. Classmate JIM CAHOON ’65 was our quarterback and DICK BENNETT ’65 was a receiver. Phil also mentioned PETE COOPER ’65 who was on the team. Phil and Pete were on our golf team. Phil mentioned that he just sold his successful awards business that was started by his parents in the ’30s.
Phil and I talked about Dick Bennett’s success as a college basketball coach, taking Wisconsin to the Final Four, and what happened this year when Dick’s son, Tony, the basketball coach at the University of Virginia, lead his team and won the NCAA National Championship this year.
RETT HUMKE ’65 and JEANNE HYDE HUMKE ’66: “Our grandson, Basil Humke, is to begin college in the fall.” I talked to Jeanne when they were visiting their son, Ryan, and his wife, Carly, in Vermont. Jeanne and Rett were taking a 3+- week trip in the camper when I talked to Jeanne. Part of the trip was to Quebec, Canada, where Jeanne said that knowledge from Rett’s Ripon French class got them through! Their daughter, Kristen, and husband, Eric, have two daughters in college. Nicole, the oldest, who will be a senior next year, had a wonderful trip Florence, Italy.”
MARY KROENING ’65: “Not much has changed since our last class letter! My knee is replaced and is working like it’s supposed to. I’ve been doing a lot of exercising and decided to work with a personal trainer to keep progressing. I’ve been volunteering at the arboretum as usual and am working on the planning committee for our Ukulele Festival in Aurora on Aug. 25. I decided to concentrate on the uke instead of storytelling. The band is my happy place! Our son, Dave, and grandson, Trevor, are here for a short visit from Alaska. Trevor is 6’3″ — I’ve never felt so short! We all went to see “Hamilton” yesterday and loved it. There’s a wonderful Hamilton exhibit in Chicago which John and I plan to see sometime soon. Trevor’s kind of “Hamiltoned” out or else we’d take him before he flies out of here next week. We are hoping to see Carole Coop Atherton and Malarkey when they come to town this summer. We always enjoy catching up with them.”
SUE PURTELL KULLICK ’65 from Hamilton, Montana, and her husband are planning a summer wedding for their daughter at their home. She and her husband have four children. The oldest is highly ranked in the U.S. Tennis Association. They have nine grandchildren, all of whom will be at the wedding. She and her husband are celebrating their 53rd anniversary. She mentioned that Ripon classmate, MARK LEDGER ’65, gets out there a few times each year for the Western Sustainability Exchange. She is planning to be at our Ripon 55th year reunion in 2020.
CHARLIE LARSON ’65: “We haven’t got a lot planned this summer-fall, but there are a few things. Next weekend we are getting together with 12-15 of my former tennis players to celebrate one of the players, BILL FIEDLER ’82, being inducted into the Ripon College Athletic Hall of Fame. Some of these players I haven’t seen in decades. It should be a lot of fun.
“Karen and I always take a train trip (usually out west through the mountains) each summer. This year we are traveling east to Charlottesville, Virginia, in September. We are looking forward to seeing a different part of the country. Have a great summer!”
I had an interesting phone discussion with JANE PERSON ’65. She says that classmate JACKIE EADY ALCORN ’65 is doing a lot of traveling. Jackie’s son is in Germany, grandkids in Seattle and there is an annual New Hampshire bash with the Peace Corps. Jane is always full of energy and news. Our Ripon College President, Zach Messitte, stopped at Jane’s house for lunch with a Ripon alumni representative.
WIN RYDER ’65: “Mary and I went to Egypt in January, loved it and recommend it highly.
Went to Naples, Florida, in February and Turks and Caicos in March. Made it through the Michigan winter. We live on Lake Michigan and it gets brutal. In summer, the kids and grandchildren are here. In September we are going to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Poland.”
BARB BRADFORD SEWALL ’65 and TED SEWALL ’66 spend March and April in Venice, Florida, each year. Their sons, TOM SEWALL ’93 and GREG SEWALL ’95, are Ripon grads. Greg’s wife is also a Ripon grad. Tom is an attorney and Greg is a surgeon. Ted enjoys fishing and hunting with his sons.
JIM THORSEN ’65: “I want to thank CRAIG FERRIS ’65 for his article about GREG THOMPSON ’65. Well-done, Craig. Nancy and I attended the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Our grandkids’ high school band participated in ceremonies at three beaches, Sainte-Mere-Eglise and the American Cemetery. Everywhere on the Normandy Coast we saw U.S., British, Canadian and French flags. The French have not forgotten their liberation from Nazi rule. An emotional trip, to be sure. Have a great summer.”
LARRY TICE ’65: “Ready to enjoy another Wisconsin summer … ready to have a few more “water fights“ and pool “splashes” with the grandkids. I’m still in Chicago, still not far from where you seemingly hung out as a kid. (Seems like yesterday since I’ve had some eye surgery and other “invasions” of the “body politic“ that I’ve lost some energy and am slowing down. Hope I get the energy back.) I’m semi-retired yet; exercising with MinJa along Chicago‘s beautiful lakefront. And, what a series of venues offered by the lakefront: from Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis” at Millennium Park to (old guys)
Rolling Stones at Soldiers Field to still ongoing controversies between “friends of the park” vs Obama library Conservators. Minja is “happy“ to be retired and stays In touch with family in South Korea.”