Class Notes

1938 Jean Obdyke Kinney died in March, her son, Steven, writes. “She was 98 at the time of her death, and lived in Ventura, California. And she had a Meliora decal on her apartment door to the end.”

1942 William (Bill) Ginkel died last November, his brother, Al Ginkel ’44, ’46 (MA), writes. After graduation, Bill worked on the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. There he met his wife, Inez, to whom he was married until Inez’s death in 2002. In 1947, Bill joined the Atomic Energy Commission and was transferred to Idaho, where he held engineering and management positions and in 1967 won the commission’s Distinguished Service Award. He retired in 1976 and enjoyed an active retirement skiing, golfing, camping, boating, and serving on multiple boards. He remarried in 2004, and he and his wife, Carol Flora, enjoyed travel, sports, volunteering, and social activities until Carol’s death in 2009. Bill and Inez raised two sons, Alan and Robert, who write: “If you knew Papa, you were privileged to have seen the spark in his eyes and probably enjoyed the quickness of his wit.” Among Bill’s pieces of advice: “Pick a mate for the long haul, with strengths that counter your weaknesses”; “Have hobbies and activities that you enjoy”; and “Love unconditionally, and be loved genuinely.”

1956 Bill Guiffre ’63W (Mas), ’78W (EdD) is the author of six children’s books. His most recent book is The Anxious Osprey (Books for Children Publishing), a story of an osprey with a fear of flying and of fish.

1960 Marjorie Browne retired last fall after 55 years as an international relations specialist in the Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division of the Congressional Research Service. For much of her career, she focused on the United Nations and international organizations, serving Congress and constituents with numerous reports, committee prints, and individualized responses to correspondence. Marjorie’s nonvoting delegate in the House of Representatives, Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington, D.C., entered a tribute to Marjorie into the Congressional Record.

1962 Brian Turner sends an update: “From the dearth of submissions lately by the Class of 1962, it would appear that we are all somnolescent, narcoleptic, or dead. To the contrary, at least one of us is still active enough to dispel such rumors. So here is what I’ve been doing:

“I retired three years ago from doing electromagnetic modeling and field testing for the defense and intelligence communities and resurrected the geological research that I shelved when I left teaching at George Mason University. In March, I presented two papers orally and one via poster session at the annual meeting of the northeast section of the Geological Society of America in Albany, New York. As a result, plans are being made for further research with a professor emeritus at Syracuse University.

“If that isn’t enough, as a traditional Anglican priest and retired lawyer, I act as the chancellor (lawyer) for both my parish and my diocese. Since the bishop gets my legal help for free, he has also made me chair of the Board of Examining Chaplains, whose job is to administer and evaluate both written and oral examinations of candidates for Holy Orders. Actually the bishop has repaid me by sponsoring my orders for acceptance by the Scottish Episcopal Church and the International Anglican Fellowship. Now to develop the brogue.

“Finally, I wrote a manuscript on how to solve the toughest sudoku puzzles by using a form of mathematical logic (rather than relying on someone else’s software), but I need to find a publisher.

“In my spare time, I mow four acres of lawn at my riverfront property in Virginia and wish I had time to go fishing.”

1967 George Shaw, a professor emeritus of geology at Union College, is the author of Earth’s Early Atmosphere and Oceans, and the Origin of Life (Springer); and the editor of Earth’s Early Atmosphere and Surface Environment (Geological Society of America).

1968 Lynn Maunula Cleveland is the author of a mystery e-book, A Fish Out of Water (Lindex, 2015). . . . Hank Kaplan ’72M (MD) was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Washington’s medical school, where he was a chief resident. Hank is a medical oncologist practicing in Seattle.

1971 Charles Waugh has written a science fiction novel, Nu Book 1: The Esss Advance (Lulu), the first in a trilogy.

1972 Martin Morrissey retired in November as an international 767 captain for American Airlines. Martin’s aviation career began with NROTC training as a freshman at Rochester in 1968. After graduation, he served in the Navy for six years, followed by a 37-year career at American.

1974 Financial consultant Jim Grubman writes: “I’ve published my second book on wealth psychology, Cross Cultures: How Global Families Negotiate Change across Generations (FamilyWealth Consulting), with coauthor Dennis Jaffe. My work with North American and global family enterprises continues to grow over time. I also continue to be blessed with my near-40-year marriage to my wife, Jeanne, and with my wonderful children and grandchildren, all in the Massachusetts area.”

1976 Seth Margolis has written his seventh novel, The Semper Sonnet (Diversion Books). He writes: “My earlier novels include Losing Isaiah, which was adapted as a film starring Halle Berry and Jessica Lange, and Closing Closets, a satire of the overheated New York real estate market. In addition to writing novels (and the occasional travel piece for the New York Times), I am still very active in my ‘day job’ as a branding consultant, working with organizations in financial services, pharmaceuticals, and philanthropy.” Seth adds that he’s married to Carole Zelner, and that Carole is a real estate broker with the Corcoran Group. They live in Manhattan. In addition, they have “two grown children, Maggie and Jack, who also live in Manhattan (but pay their own rent!).” Maggie Margolis ’12 is an associate producer at NY1, the Time Warner 24-hour news channel.

1978 Ed Goodman founded and runs a nonprofit organization, Tootsie’s Vision, advocating for blind dogs. He writes that he was inspired to start the nonprofit after the death of his first blind dog, Tootsie, and following his own diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. “It is the intrepid, determined, and joyous nature of blind dogs which has steered me into a happier life where I can challenge my limits and make the most of each day.” Ed has written and illustrated a children’s book, Stanley and Porkchop (Tootsiepop Press), the proceeds for which will go to the nonprofit, which is based in Corrales, New Mexico, and advocates for dogs nationally. The book “tells the true story of two unwanted blind dogs who endured separate journeys to [Ed’s home], and subsequently enjoyed an unusual, but deep and lasting, friendship.”

1979 Mark Bergman has been named association executive of the Vail Board of Realtors and its subsidiary corporations. He’s practiced real estate for 14 years and has volunteered with a diverse group of nonprofits. He adds: “I’m a lifelong skier who missed my opportunity to take time to be a ski bum before joining the corporate world.” . . . Rich Boon, a construction engineer and principal of Construction Support Services in Littleton, Colorado, won the Colorado Roofing Association Lifetime Achievement Award last February. He’s pictured at the awards ceremony with his wife, Martha.

1980 Howard Rudzinsky sends a photo of himself and Bruce Forman from the Photonics West Conference in San Francisco last February. Howard adds: “Mike Thomas ’89 gave us our yellow alumni R’s, which we wore proudly on our badges with many other U of R alumni in attendance at the largest optics/photonics conference in the U.S.” Howard and Bruce both live in the Boston area and are “friends from Gilbert basement going back to the fall of 1976. We’re still friends with Steve Jensen, Arthur Brown, Hal Goldstein, Chuck Weinstein, and Glenn Mattioli.”

1982 Iain Currie sends a photo of himself posing with Rocky in Tengboche, Nepal. Mt. Everest is in the background.

1983 Murray Rudin (see ’91).

1984 Scott Rummler has developed Laserthread Chatwork, “a next-generation messenger for the iPhone.” The application combines Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram friends into a list and makes them available on a single platform. “Laserthread is the East Coast contingent in the mobile/social/messaging wars,” Scott writes.

1989 Mike Thomas (see ’80).

1990 Lisa Chapman Clay sends a photo of Rocky with her golden retriever and New England Patriot fan, Henry.

1991 Madhu Vijay, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Aviation Capital Group, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ninth annual Orange County (California) Business Journal CFO of the Year awards dinner last January. Murray Rudin ’83 shared the news, adding: “I was the emcee for the event and was tempted to break into a chorus of The Genesee, but wisely did not.”

1992 Jeff Reznick received the NIH Director’s Award in recognition of his “exceptional leadership and scholarly oversight of the collections and programs of the National Library of Medicine’s History of Medicine Division.” Jeff is chief of the division.

1995 Keri Claiborne Boyle writes: “I have some fun news to share! I’m the author of a three-book children’s series being published by HarperCollins Children’s Books. The first book of the series, Teddy the Dog: Be Your Own Dog, launches in May. Geared for kids ages 0 to 10 (and for all those who are young at heart), the book tells the ‘tail’ of Teddy the Dog, a feisty and witty divine canine who always wears sunglasses and can best be described as ‘attitude with fur.’ Books two and three will follow in 2017 and 2018.” . . . Gerald Rustic writes that he earned a PhD in earth and environmental science from the City University of New York last September, and is a postdoctoral research scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. His paper, “Dynamical Excitation of the Tropical Pacific Ocean and ENSO Variability by Little Ice Age Cooling,” was published in Science last December. . . . Tom Stone lives in Rochester and works remotely for Dale Carnegie Training, based in New York City. He’s coauthored a book, Interact and Engage!, published by the Association for Talent Development, a professional organization for the corporate training industry.

1996 Joseph Brown, a partner at the law firm Hodgson Russ, received a community service award from the National Federation for Just Communities. Joseph is a former president of the Minority Bar Association of Western New York and is on the board of that organization as well as Neighborhood Legal Services and the Summit Foundation. In addition, he’s a vice president of Buffalo Prep, a volunteer mentor for law students at the University at Buffalo, and a coach and judge at moot court competitions.

1999 Jerramy Fine has published In Defense of the Princess: How Plastic Tiaras and Fairytale Dreams Can Inspire Smart, Strong Women (Perseus Books). Summing up her book, Jerramy writes that she is “an unabashed feminist who is proud of her lifelong princess obsession and more than happy to defend it. . . . [F]eminine doesn’t mean weak, pink doesn’t mean inferior, and girliness is not incompatible with ambition.” Jerramy lives in London and is the author of two previous books.

2000 Hilary Leeds writes that she married Roy Ben David in Youngstown, Ohio, last October. Pictured are: (back row, left to right) Ramsey Asaly ’03, Vijay Sookdeo ’01, ’09 (PhD), Jennifer Gates, James Doyle, Laurie Krantz Chorev ’01 (T5), and Neda Barzideh Levy; (front row, left to right) Tomasz Czajka ’01 (T5), Hilary, Roy, and John McVay ’05. She adds: “We live in Maryland, where I work in science policy at the NIH and Roy owns a local security company.”

2001 Lisa Olender Newman writes that she and her husband, Seth, welcomed their first child, Zachary, in July 2015. “We are so proud to have become parents. We live in Albany, New York, where I’m a physician’s assistant and Seth is a pharmaceutical sales rep.”

2003 Owen Zacharias ’04 (MS) writes: “My wife, Sara, and I welcomed a son, Alastair, in November 2015. Alastair spent his first few weeks in the NICU at the Golisano Children’s Hospital, but due to the amazing U of R team, he was home in time to spend Christmas with his family.” Owen sends a photo of Alastair, adding: “Alastair’s peers consider him a very serious baby.”

2006 Jennifer Balaban and Jonathan Lax send a photo from their wedding. Pictured are (top row, left to right) Scott Mittelman ’00, Nik De Maria ’09, Kathryn Nave, Matt Morgan, Lindsay Sable ’10, Jennifer, Jonathan, Samantha Lewis ’08, Emily Paret ’08, Rebekah Mott ’08, and Michelle Heroux Conlon ’08; (front row, left to right) Ariele Strauss, Kelsey Gilroy ’11, ’15N, Sarah Dobrzynski ’10, and Kaila Pearlman De Maria ’09.

2007 Daniel Bud ’08 (MS) (see ’08).

2008 Kelsey Ferranti ’10W (MS) writes that she and Daniel Bud ’07, ’08 (MS) got married in Kennebunkport, Maine, in August 2015. “We met in 2007 through involvement in Greek life on campus. I’m an alumna of Delta Gamma, and Dan is an alumnus of Sigma Chi. We were thrilled to tie the knot surrounded by so many Rochester friends.” Pictured from left to right are Father Brian Cool, David Fallon, Max Ehrmann, Noah Stahl ’07, Elizabeth Runco Rawlins ’05, Benjamin McKee, Alanna Tievsky McKee ’07, Joseph Derrigo ’07, Mark Williams, Jamie Shapiro DeRight, Jonathan DeRight, John Ray ’09, Raymond Arbusto ’09 (MS), Brandon Best ’07, Rebecca Fallon, Jessica Almog, Anna Lynn Surace Williams, Akin Rawkins ’07, Hilary Bonaccorsi ’07, Heather Uvanni ’10, Nina Gadziala, Robert Sherman ’07, Emily Desmond Molisani ’06, Jenna Krebs, Aaron Molisani, Kyle Struble ’06, ’12S (MBA), Meagan Miller Struble ’06, Brett Catlin ’12S (MBA), and Mary Tyson-Catlin ’13S (MS), ’13W (MS).

2011 Brittany Hylen writes that she and D. J. Schwartz ’12 got married last August in Hornell, New York, and are living in Castle Rock, Colorado. “We were beyond thankful and blessed to have our closest and lifelong friends from U of R there to celebrate and share in our wedding day!” Pictured (page 57) are (back row, left to right) Steve Just, Casey Storme ’12, Jordan Blades ’12, Tom DeMatteo ’10, Kyle Sreniawski ’12, Brian Bezek ’12; (middle row, left to right) Rachel Kludt Ludwig, Sara Hutchinson ’12, ’13 (MS), Nicole Goldman ’13, Thane Green ’12, Elyse Nagler ’12, Katie Kao ’12, Brittany, D. J., Adam Brinkman ’12, Alex Flint ’14, Alex Caghan ’12, ’13S (MS), John Whiting ’12; (front row, left to right) Natalee Sassaman ’12, Mindy Altemose ’09, Tony Visconti ’09, ’15 (PhD), Melissa Altemose, Liz Slupinski, Erin Clark, Rob Barnard ’12, Annie Moosher ’12, Niki Holmes ’12, Meg Liptak ’13, Pete Vercillo ’12, and Andy Breidigam ’12. . . . Roxana Ramos is a paper artist and founder and CEO of Lettra, a paper art and bookbinding business in Lima, Peru. She’s exhibited her work around the world, including in Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, France, and Taiwan. This year, she published a book, Interior Design Coloring Book (CreateSpace).

2012 Maggie Margolis (see ’76). . . . D. J. Schwartz (see ’11).

2013 Mark Lipstein writes: “Accepted and enrolling in the biological and biomedical sciences PhD program, fall 2016, at Harvard University!”