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Bulfinch Hall - Andover English with Francis J. 'Black Mac' McCarthy 1954-1955

Category: Summer 2026 issue

PA ’55 class notes Andover Magazine Summer 2026

PA ’55 Class Notes Summer 2026

Posted on by David Harrison

Roger Algase: As a Harvard Law graduate in 1963 I was working for Clarence B. Jones, a partner in a small civil rights law firm in NYC and a close associate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was under his direction that I prepared and filed the US copyright application for Dr. King’s immortal “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963.  This was after, at Mr. Jones’ direction, getting permission from one of Dr. King’s associates at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta to change a couple of lines in Dr. King’s speech that didn’t quite fit in with my Harvard English grammar. When I told the SCLC what I wanted to do, I half expected them to say, “Who  the hell do you think you are, young man!” But what they actually said was: “You can go ahead and change anything you want. Martin doesn’t care.” So I did.

Doug Fisher: Kate and I are leaving on a family Safari with 8 people to Tanzania soon (this July) and then we’ll celebrate Kate’s 91st birthday on July 20.

On the writing of his book: African American Doctors of World War I: The Lives of 104 Volunteers, by W.  Douglas Fisher and Joann H. Buckley (McFarland & Company, 284 pp., 2015), available at Barnes & Noble and on Amazon: “(Joann’s) curiosity led me to take a broader focus on the history revealing much more about the courageous black troops who volunteered and served in combat in France. When she learned about the black doctor, Dr. Rucker, who served under my grandfather, she asked a simple question. ‘Was he the only black doctor who served in the war?’ I had no answer. While doing our early Rucker research we learned he attended a training camp for black doctors at Fort Des Moines. . . . Medical Officers Training Camp – Colored (MOTC – Colored). . . . [T]here was nothing about the individual trainees who participated (in the) . . . report written by the Camp Commander, a white physician. . . .

“We searched for two solid weeks (at the National Archives). . . . [C]art after cart of storage boxes filled with file folders . . . from WWI. Many had not been looked at for 70 years. . . . As we prepared to give up, Joann was looking through the very last storage box. . . (and) observed that the last document was unusual. . . two pages wide, almost four feet long . . . . (The) Heading read: TABLE OF MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS – COLORED – RECEIVING INSTRUCTION, MEDICAL TRAINING CAMP, FORT DES MOINES, IOWA. . . . This ‘Lost’ Roster contained names, hometowns, ages, medical colleges with graduation dates, training dates at camp, the number of days they received instruction, and their next assignments. They all arrived there as 1st Lieutenants in the Army Medical Reserve Corps. They were already educated, experienced doctors and all they needed was training in how the U.S. Army operates both in peacetime and in wartime combat. . . .

“[W]e devoted the next six years to developing biographies for every one of them. . . . One evening we ran into (Harvard) Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. by accident . . . at the Mayflower Hotel in D.C. . . . He . . . asked us (for) more information about our project and. . . later (included) 15 of our bios in his newest edition of “African American National Biography.” . . . During 2016 we made more than a half dozen formal book presentations for various groups of readers and scholars. . . . Our audience was usually dumbstruck just to learn that 400,000 black Americans served in the Army during WWI, and that 40,000 of them were combat troops who fought valiantly and suffered heavy losses. . . . After the war, with the Army’s demobilization, their efforts were largely forgotten. We welcomed the chance to tell their story.”   Excerpted from Memoirs William Douglas Fisher: My Life so Far. . . (Self-published, 313 pp 2023), pp. 188-189, 214, 218, 226.

Walt Howe and wife are working on a PA ’55 Zoom meeting.

Steve Kaye: I’m working on a scheme to host five players from the Berlin Phil to play with our resident pianist at Millbrook Music Salon millbrookmusicsalon.org. We have the Balourdet Quartet coming this weekend, three of whom will be staying chez nous, they are of that statifyric world of fine artistry. They will be joined by our resident pianist and music director Sophia Zhou to make a quintet. They will be playing at a local church in the village.

Don Oasis: Ellen and I will summer in Saratoga Springs for the racing season. If any of you are close please call 978 394-1131.

Peter Parsons: I read about the monster 7.8 earthquake in faraway Basilan June 7.  We felt no quakes up here in Baguio. During WWII my dad went ashore in Basilan to visit a sugar warehouse only to find himself getting shot at by Japanese! I’m planning my next book, a compilation of these WWII events. Starting with the one in which the neighborhood kids nominated me to be their designated hangee, as in a western movie we had all seen. This was in Manila just before WWII descended upon us.

More on my website from John Carswell and Jack Doykos plus obituaries for John Daly, Ben Dorman, Charlie Helliwell, Gerry Jones, and David Page.

Non Sibi! – Dave

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

John Carswell: “Tom Burns and I saw demonstrated the so-called thermite reaction in [‘Weary’] Weaver’s chemistry lab – a Sudden Heat Delight. We heisted the powders back to Twink Catlett’s and my room [2nd floor Adams Hall North] and its working fireplace, where we caused these timid-seeming chemicals to ignite, predictably, like young lovers in the high heat of passion. Serious fire and heat! A bit of carpet was scorched, a bit of floor to boot. A stink ensued and Tom and I hoisted windows and fanned like mad. Mr. Hulburd must have been out coaching. The adrenal rush is obviously to blame for my life of sneaky misdeeds and mad adventures – if only in my over-charged imagination.” [Excerpt from letter last October]

Jack Doykos: Joanna and I just returned to Rye Beach where we live about 800 yards from Steve Clarkson in the summer and about 1200 yards from him in the winter at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Also at PGA National we are lucky enough to have a couple get together with Doug and Kate Fisher frequently. I speak with John Palmer and am fortunate enough in the summer to have a couple rounds of golf with him, often at his Portland country club in Maine.

Doug Fisher on the Writing of “African American Doctors of World War I”

Posted on by David Harrison

Doug Fisher on the writing of his book: African American Doctors of World War I: The Lives of 104 Volunteers, by W. Douglas Fisher and Joann H. Buckley (McFarland & Company, 284 pp., 2015)

[Amazon overview: In World War I, 104 African American doctors joined the United States Army to care for the 40,000 men of the 92nd and 93rd Divisions, the Army’s only black combat units. The infantry regiments of the 93rd arrived first and were turned over to the French to fill gaps in their decimated lines. The 92nd Division came later and fought alongside other American units. Some of those doctors rose to prominence; others died young or later succumbed to the economic and social challenges of the times. Beginning with their assignment to the Medical Officers Training Camp (Colored)–the only one in U.S. history–this book covers the early years, education and war experiences of these physicians, as well as their careers in the black communities of early 20th century America.]

“(Joann’s) curiosity led me to take a broader focus on the history revealing much more about the courageous black troops who volunteered and served in combat in France. When she learned about the black doctor, Dr. Rucker, who served under my grandfather, she asked a simple question. ‘Was he the only black doctor who served in the war?’ I had no answer. While doing our early Rucker research we learned he attended a training camp for black doctors at Fort Des Moines. . . . Medical Officers Training Camp – Colored (MOTC – Colored). . . . [T]here was nothing about the individual trainees who participated (in the) . . . report written by the Camp Commander, a white physician. . . .

“We searched for two solid weeks (at the National Archives). [C]art after cart of storage boxes filled with file folders . . . from WWI. Many had not been looked at for 70 years (since 1940). . . . As we prepared to give up, Joann was looking through the very last storage box. . . (and) observed that the last document was unusual. . . two pages wide, almost four feet long and . . . glued together. . . . (The) Heading read: TABLE OF MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS – COLORED – RECEIVING INSTRUCTION, MEDICAL TRAINING CAMP, FORT DES MOINES, IOWA. . . . This ‘Lost’ Roster contained names, hometowns, ages, medical colleges with graduation dates, training dates at camp, the number of days they received instruction, and their next assignments. They all arrived there as 1st Lieutenants in the Army Medical Reserve Corps. They were already educated, experienced doctors and all they needed was training in how the U.S. Army operates both in peacetime and in wartime combat.

“[W]e devoted the next six years to developing biographies for every one of them, including their military service experience. . . . One evening we ran into (Harvard) Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. by accident . . . at the Mayflower Hotel in D.C. . . . He . . . asked us (for) more information about our project and. . . later (included) 15 of our bios in his newest edition of “African American National Biography.” . . . McFarland Books. . . . recommended we announce and release the book in early December 2015. . . . It’s now available at Barnes & Noble and on Amazon! . . . During 2016 we made more than a half dozen formal book presentations for various groups of readers and scholars. . . . Our audience was usually dumbstruck just to learn that 400,000 black Americans served in the Army during WWI, and that 40,000 of them were combat troops who fought valiantly and suffered heavy losses. . . . After the war, with the Army’s demobilization, their efforts were largely forgotten. We welcomed the chance to tell their story.”

Excerpted from Memoirs William Douglas Fisher: My Life so Far. . . (Self-published, 313 pp 2023), pp. 188-189, 214, 218, 226.

Doug Fisher on his two years at Andover 1953-1955

Posted on by David Harrison

Excerpted from Memoirs: William Douglas Fisher. My Life so Far. . . (313 pp. illustrated, 2023)

On getting adjusted. . .

“New England was absolutely nothing like Arizona or Nebraska. The first thing I noticed was everyone wore tweeds and khaki’s instead of blue jeans and T-shirts. . . . The wine-red corduroy jacket and bright blue gabardine slacks [Mom] bought me looked nothing like what I encountered at Andover. I felt very self-conscious, and it took me a couple of months to convince my folks to pay for a tweed jacket and khakis. . . . Sherwood K. (Woody) Freeman . . . was from the San Francisco Bay area. . . bright, droll, amusing, and very unconventional. He dressed in the Bay area ‘cool’ clothing styles, not East Coast tweedy, and looked very much out of place. . . . He said he felt like he was on another planet at Andover. . . and didn’t return for his senior year.”

“I met Fred Pownall from Milford, Connecticut who lived at the opposite end of my dorm. Our acquaintanceship developed into a life-long friendship during our two years at Andover, four years at Princeton and two years in the military in Washington, D.C. . . . I will never forget one of our first conversations when Fred asked me where I lived. When I said Omaha, Nebraska he had a shocked look on his face and asked where the hell is that? As I tried to describe the location, he admitted his knowledge of U.S. geography ended at the Hudson River in New York and resumed at San Francisco in California. In his mind, everything in between was just open plains and Indian villages.”

On pranks large and small . . .

“One major prank engineered by a boy in our dorm named Dave Moore has become a classic in Andover school history. . . . It involved a fair number of students and required a number of steps to pull it off. The main north-south highway was blocked off and all the vehicles (cars, trucks, buses, etc.) going north were rerouted east through all the main campus buildings, past faculty housing and classrooms, before being redirected back onto the highway. Traffic traveling south was all rerouted into the West Quad, past faculty homes, past six large dormitories, and down a long, winding dead-end road called Hidden Field Road. The dead-end created an enormous back up. We watched with glee from our windows as the traffic problem grew worse and worse. It was dark, headlights were on, horns were blaring, and people were trying to back up or turn around but there was no room for that. The traffic just kept coming until some smart truck drivers figured out that they had to move the detour signs to let traffic flow south again. Even then it took several hours for all the trucks and cars down the dead-end lane to back out.

“The perpetrators were never identified or caught. They had repurposed local highway construction signs and A-frame barricades to create the detours and roadblocks quickly and managed to do it all after 8:00 PM when the campus was virtually empty except for a few people returning to their dorms from the library. Because so many people crossed the campus from the library during the time it took to put everything in place, it was impossible to identify the culprits. We laughed our heads off for hours watching it all develop and unwind. Pranking was an artform in the ‘olden’ days.”

[For another account see 1955 class note by Steve Clarkson in the Spring 2026 issue of Andover Magazine, p. 46. Lightly edited and reproduced on this website under the title “Down a Road Named Hidden Field: THE Story of the Great Route 28 Detour Caper?” https://davidclarkharrison.com/2025/10/06/down-a-road-named-hidden-field/.]

“The old fire escapes consisted of coils of long fire ropes that hung next to our windows on hooks. The ropes had a sling to slide over your head and under your arms  to lower yourself to the ground. . . . The fire rope . . . enabled a couple of classmates to empty all the furniture out of a 3rd floor [Taylor Hall] dorm room used by a student nicknamed ‘TODO’ (pronounced TOE DOE) short for his full name, Tony Doherty.  When TODO came back from the library one night, he found his door upside down on its hinges and his third-floor room entirely empty. All he could find inside was his fire rope trailing out the window. Pranksters had tied all his furniture (desk, chair, dresser, and bed) to the rope using his neckties, towels, and underwear and then pushed it all out the window.

“We huddled inside our rooms waiting to see what would happen. All hell broke loose when the Housemaster looked outside his downstairs window and saw TODO’s furniture. He never was able to determine who among his 20 charges was responsible, but we all had to help restore TODO’s room. I felt too new to initiate my own pranks, but I was a willing, helpful observer and kept my mouth shut.”

“Senor Merriam, my Spanish instructor was another real character. . . . I recall Merriam accidentally throwing his shoe through an open second story window while trying to gain the attention of one of the students who was distracted. Everyone got a great laugh out of it, including him. The boy who was the target for his shoe was sent downstairs to fetch it. Even funnier, the target student was Les Blank, the center on our football team, a big man with a great sense of humor. To taunt Senor Merriam, Les wore a necktie to class that hung down from his collar to the floor. It satisfied the tie requirement and everyone got a great kick out of it.”

On girls. . .

“Andover was an all-male school in those years so activities with the opposite sex usually occurred at home while on vacation. The school did organize a few ‘tea dances’ with nearby girls’ schools but they were formal and closely watched. There was a well-known Burlesque Theater called the ‘Old Howard’ near the railroad station in Boston where students with time to kill between trains often spent an hour or two. The social environment at school was constrained and we were encouraged to work out excess energy in sports and studies, not always easy to do.”

“One time I thought I discovered a new path to social engagement by joining the Glee Club. The group traveled to girls’ schools to serenade the young ladies. My only stage career prior to that had been dancing the ‘Can-Can’ in a wild costumed dance line on stage in Tucson. Here I joined 39 young men and spent six weeks learning to sing together. I sang first base because by then my voice had changed. The Glee Club director [Willie Schneider] listened carefully as we polished our production for the road. Something bothered him and he decided to listen to each boy sing his part individually. All 39 of us had our turn. After listening to us sing he decided to perform it without my voice, and it came together perfectly. I was deeply disappointed because we were only a week from our first performance at Dana Hall in Wellesley and I had worked hard to learn all the songs. [“If I Loved You,” Rodgers & Hammerstein (Carousel, May 1945) performed at Dana Hall.]  My disappointment came not so much because I loved singing but because I wouldn’t be able to travel and meet young girls. Anyone who has ever heard me sing in person understands the Glee Club director’s decision, especially my children.”

“When the cold weather came, I decided to learn an outdoor winter sport and chose ice skating. I volunteered and worked as one of the assistant managers on the varsity ice hockey team. . . . Our hockey team manager, Walton J. McLeod, III, . . . didn’t know how to ice skate and we learned the hard way. Walt became a close friend in 1954 and that close friendship has continued more than 65 years. He went to Yale, then law school becoming an attorney and politician in South Carolina where I met his family and toured the state meeting relatives and friends. He fixed me up with a date, the lovely ‘Miss Chesterfield County’ in Cheraw, SC and introduced me to a nurse in Waterboro whose mission was to bring young men into manhood. Later Walt had the chance to meet my family. We’ve always had a lot of fun. Until recently, we saw one another annually, either in South Carolina or Florida.”

“Eighteen years after I graduated in 1955, Andover became coeducational (in 1973). I’ve always felt a bit envious of the students since then.”

On the joys of drinking. . .

“The travel from Omaha and Andover usually involved a long, tiring two-day passenger train ride. . . . [T]he second leg was from Chicago to New York (aboard the well-known 20th Century Limited). . . the best part. It was an Express passenger train with amenities and because the drinking age in New York State was 18, I was able to buy beer and drinks when the train passed through the state. My schoolmates aboard the train would try to buy enough ‘inventory’ in New York to last the rest of the trip.”

“Another friend was Hewitt Brown, a very funny man from Louisville, Kentucky. We were both cigarette smoking pool players and shared many laughs. Once we rode the train together going home at the end of the school year. The trained stopped in Louisville on its way to Chicago and I was invited to stay over with him for a weekend. Hewitt had an older brother at Yale and his father was an insurance man and active in the local country club. One night we dressed up and went there for an annual ‘Kentucky Derby’ social event. Although the drinking age was 21, and we were still teenagers, we had free access to everything being served. We used his family membership number to charge food and some drinks. Hewitt didn’t want his parents to know about the liquor we drank so he ordered drinks using a fictitious name and fake club membership number. It worked like a charm and his older brother covered for us when we got drunk. I know we had a wonderful time but don’t recall much about it. We always wondered if anyone was ever billed.”

“After my graduation in 1955, I returned to Omaha for the summer and operated the Class VI liquor store on the [Offutt] Air Force base. This was a really busy but fun summer job. What a great graduation gift!”

On playing too much pool. . .

“During my second trimester, I became more engaged in the social aspects of school. I started hanging around with some guys just talking and smoking cigarettes outside our dining hall. I played pool more than I studied and became 2nd best pool shark in our class, just behind Tony Roosevelt, a brilliant student who left Andover for college in 11th grade and finished Medical School in record time. That was not the case with me. My academic rank tumbled down to 210 out of 215 students. The dean of the school wrote to Dad saying ‘Doug has given a lot to Andover during his first two terms here, but he hasn’t let Andover give him much. If he doesn’t improve his performance substantially in the final term this year, he will not be invited back for his senior year.’

“The jig was up! Dad reminded me I was now 16 years old, and at 17 years old I would be old enough to enlist in the Army as a private and he assured me I had parental permission to do so. . . . I got back to work and managed to survive that year, returned to finish my senior year, and was accepted into Princeton. . . . I still played pool occasionally, but not much. Some friendships from my senior year have extended for many years, including one with Art Hotchkiss, a very good athlete who became a successful dentist and oral surgeon. We, along with a few other aging classmates, still try to golf together once each summer at Bald Peak in New Hampshire

On what Andover meant. . .

“My two years of education at Phillips Academy completely changed the direction of my life. It showed me possibilities and opened doors for me I never knew existed. It was the best ‘gift’ my parents ever gave me, along with their unending love.”

David Douglas Fong December 7, 1937 – February 2024

Posted on by David Harrison

Dear Mr. Harrison,

I am remiss in not having notified your class that my husband David Fong passed away in February 2024 in San Luis Obispo, CA, where we had lived since 2000.

David was born in Shanghai, and his family then emigrated to Brazil in 1951.

He came to Andover as a foreign student and was one of the very few Asians attending—not always easy. But he appreciated the solid academic preparation for his studies at Wesleyan and Stanford.

He earned a PhD in English literature at Stanford in 1967 and taught in Hawaii, Los Angeles and  Bellevue, WA. He met a lifelong friend at Andover: Richard Bergmann of Mill Valley, CA, who died in 2015.

Sincerely,

Susan Fong

Gerard E. Jones January 23, 1937 – February 10, 2026

Posted on by David Harrison

Woodstock, VT – A devoted reader, dog-lover, friend, husband, and father, Gerard Jones (Gerry) died on February 10th, 2026, at age 89. Sometimes right but never indecisive, Gerry was quick to answer the phone with an opinion on everything from the Yankees’ newest fielder, the 1923 collapse of the Ottoman Empire, or that day’s politics.

Born in 1937 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Richard and Betty Jones, Gerry spent his early childhood years in Shaker Heights and Winnetka, Illinois. When he was 12, Gerry’s family moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, where he learned to love history at Greenwich Country Day School and lace his skates on the pond beyond his house.

In 1952, Gerry headed to Phillips Academy Andover for high school, where he dove into American History, sports, and leadership opportunities. He took advantage of a fortuitous vacancy on their ice hockey team; a Thanksgiving break spent deflecting pucks in football cleats prepared Gerry to return to Andover as a goaltender, a position at which he would excel throughout high school and college. Along with stopping 66 pucks in a record-setting game against St. Lawrence, Gerry became the first ACHA All-American in Ice Hockey at Yale before he graduated in 1959.

After Yale, Gerard enlisted in the Navy, where he served for two years, touring Southeast Asia on a minesweeper before attending Yale Law School. He met his soon-to-be wife, Emily (Graves) Jones, during the summer of 1963. They married in the summer of 1965 and moved back to Greenwich, where they raised three daughters.

Every morning for twenty-five years, Gerry hopped the pre-dawn train to NYC, where he was a founding law partner of Richards and O’Neil during the busy 1980s world of mergers-and-acquisitions. In 1990, he started his own firm, Arch Street Law, in Greenwich. Nights found him relaxing in front of a Yankee or Rangers game while shamelessly sneaking Ben and Jerry’s spoonfuls to the dogs at his feet.

In addition to planting daffodils and caring for his favorite dogwood trees, Gerry loved competing against his friends in tennis and golf, and in boisterous Sunday-morning touch football games, earning the nickname “Give-and-Go” Jones. His daughters (and many of their closest friends) count themselves lucky to have learned ice hockey from Gerry; from 1978 to 1990, Coach Jones pioneered the Girls’ Ice Hockey program at the Greenwich Skating Club, encouraging young women to join the team and “play the body.”

The allure of living in Vermont full-time drew Emily and Gerry to Woodstock for their retirement. Watching the river from his deck, waving at neighbors, and having dinner outdoors with his wife and new friends brought Gerry great joy. In this phase of life, Gerry was also fortunate to realize long-held dreams of teaching history through Dartmouth’s ILEAD program. Gerry and Emily also immersed themselves in history by traveling. Whether exploring cathedrals in St. Petersburg, summiting mountains in France and Africa, or skiing in Utah, Gerry was invested–companions appreciated the knowledge he shared, and that, despite his enthusiasm, Gerry would be packed and “just ready to go home to his dogs” a few days before the trip was over.

Gerry taught his daughters to support what they loved; his many volunteer positions included serving as a Trustee for Andover, a member of the Board of the Vermont Law School, and chairman of the Board of the Nature Conservancy of Vermont.

Of all these jobs and roles, however, few rivaled being a grandfather. When his seven grandsons would come to Vermont, Gerry was there, ready to babysit, host a holiday, ask about each boy’s classes, friends, and interests, and chef up crispy, crepe-like pancakes. One lifelong friend described Gerry as “one with rare emotional intelligence, someone who could connect people both personally and professionally. He was always cheerful–optimistic, almost to a fault.” Another noted, “he was the consummate friend, as loyal as a Labrador.” Gerry was an organizer, always there for everyone. He will be greatly missed.

Gerry is survived by his daughters, Ginna (Anders Halverson) and Leila (Nick Shields), and by seven grandsons: Will, Charlie, and Toby Halverson; Theo, Henry, and Cyrus Shields; and Spencer Jones. He was predeceased by his daughter, Cathy Jones (Dave White), and his wife, Emily Jones. A service will be held at 2:30 pm on Friday, April 24, at St. James Episcopal Church (2 St. James Place, Woodstock, Vermont).

— Valley News  03/26/26

Call for Andover ’55 class notes Summer 2026

Posted on by David Harrison

To my PA ’55 classmates and their partners in life and love,

The window of opportunity has opened for sounding off in Andover Magazine’s summer issue. Those who can may email their thoughts to 74apollo350@gmail.com. Those who can’t may do so by phone (303) 746-5983 or by regular mail (address below). By June 26 if you please.

Those who would like to stay connected via Zoom meetings Walt Howe and I would like to know. He’s at walt@walthowe.com / 781-932-8240 (Maryland). If there’s enough interest a classmate can volunteer to host meetings at our convenience or school staff can do it at their convenience. The Spring issue has Walt’s thought along with a call for volunteers.

On a serious note 

When we’re not touched by our own lives at the moment — when we’re not moved to share from our own experience — we can be touched by others’. Like Edith Eger’s life that ended recently. A Holocaust survivor, friend of Viktor Frankl, and psychotherapist, who wrote The Choice: Embrace the Possible (2017). A testament to the value of character and family being there for one another. To usefulness that chooses how to take a hit rather than just reacting to it.

A reflection on what matters: timeless, relevant, and moving. And a prompt for our class’s reflection. But one among many that can be used to do what seniority does best: share its wit and wisdom to guide the less experienced. In a class note if not anywhere else. The vague idea that entered my mind when I looked across the quad from my room in Rockwell House toward Bishop Hall. A dorm for seniors. Role models for how it’s done. Character being there for family. 

And not so serious

Joie de vivre has been the motif for the last few issues but that could change. Heading into summer Walter Winchell will no longer be culling gossip for his column from backstage at GW Hall. Where he’s been mingling with the glitterati and literati of Broadway and our class, as he did when he hung out at Sherman Billingsley’s Stork Club. He’ll be taking up residence at another venue across campus where he can mingle with another element. The Mob. Wise guys in on the hustle, shooting pool in the basement of the Commons. Smoking cigarettes.

You know who you are. Tough guys. Hustlers. The kind Winchell kept track of with his police radio. Who until now have been shunned by our class notes. But no more. Your chance to make the big time is here. With notice in the NY Daily Mirror and enough swagger to blow the lid off Sam Phillips Hall. Courtesy of a class secretary who’s all heart. A secret admirer who wished he too could wear dirty white bucks but never had the courage.

To the memory of four who did us proud: John Daly, Ben Dorman, Charlie Helliwell, and David Page. Pillars of support for country and community, family and friends. Exemplary lives that earned the support they were given in return. You can read about them on my website. Four more reasons why I’m honored to be your class secretary.

Dave Harrison
74apollo350@gmail.com / (303) 746-5983 / https://www.davidclarkharrison.com
2210 Nelson Ave. Apt. A  Redondo Beach, CA 90278-2428

Charles Harold Helliwell Jr. October 29, 1937 – April 16, 2026

Posted on by David Harrison

Charles Harold Helliwell, Jr. (“Charlie”), 88, passed away peacefully on April 16, 2026, leaving behind a life defined by devotion to family, service, and community. Born October 29, 1937, in New York City, he was the son of the late Charles Harold Helliwell and Nanette Green Helliwell.

Charlie is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Karen Roggenkamp Helliwell, with whom he shared homes in Dover, MA, Cape Cod, and Vero Beach, FL. He is also survived by his sister, Sally Helliwell Harper, and her husband, Jack Harper, of Tyler, Texas.

He was a proud and devoted father to Jennifer Helliwell Stoner and her husband, Dick Stoner, of Sherborn, MA; their son, Keaton Stoner of Cambridge, MA; and their daughter, Micayla Stoner Cissel and her husband, Woody Cissel, of Key Biscayne, FL, and their children, Sawyer and Annabelle Cissel.

He was also the loving father of Holly Helliwell Fabyan and her husband, Mark McHugh, of Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, and Boston; her son, Wesley Fabyan of Seattle, WA; and her daughter, Alyssa Fabyan Brockbank and her husband, Chris Brockbank, of Virgin Gorda, BVI, and their children, Kolie and Elsie Brockbank.

He was sadly predeceased by his son, Charles Harold Helliwell III (“Trey”), in 2001.

Charlie’s early years included a humble start in a two-room schoolhouse in Randolph, New Jersey, followed by boarding school at Phillips Academy Andover on a work scholarship, where he graduated in 1955 with the Aurelian Honor Society distinction. He next attended Princeton University on a Navy scholarship, earning a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1959. Just four days after graduating, he married his childhood sweetheart, Karen, and the two began their life together with a cross-country drive to San Diego for his service as a Naval Engineering Officer. He served as a Lieutenant (j.g.) aboard the USS Paul Revere, working as a main propulsion engineer.

After completing his military service, Charlie earned a M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from MIT. He went on to a distinguished career in management consulting before spending over 20 years as Deputy Director of the Center for Construction Research & Engineering at MIT. There, he contributed to international infrastructure projects, including desalination and development work across the Far East.

Charlie and his family made their home in Dover, MA, where he was deeply involved in civic life, serving on the Warrant Committee and as a Selectman, volunteering as an EMT, participating in church leadership, and supporting the Dover Foundation.

A lifelong boater, Charlie’s happiest moments were spent on the water either sailing in Tiger Lily or putting around in Tiger Tender. Beginning in 1965, summers in Harwich Port became a cherished family tradition. At Stone Horse Yacht Club, he served in many roles, including Commodore (1983-1984), and was a dedicated mentor to novice sailors. He also enjoyed many years as a member of Dedham Country and Polo Club and later Eastward Ho, where he embraced golf and Cape Cod life in retirement.

Charlie will be remembered for his steady leadership, generous spirit, and enduring love for his family, community, and the sea.

A Celebration of Life will be held on June 28, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., at Saint Christopher’s Church, 625 Main Street, Chatham, MA.

David Nelson Page June 5, 1937 – February 15, 2026

Posted on by David Harrison

David Nelson Page, 88, a resident of Vero Beach, FL, and Sunapee, NH, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, February 15, 2026. David was born on June 5, 1937, in Manhattan, the first son of Mary Auchincloss Page and Nelson Lawrence Page.

Raised in Darien, CT, David attended St. Luke’s School and later Phillips Andover Academy, graduating in 1955. He went on to earn a degree in Art History from Brown University in 1959 and completed his formal education at the Yale University School of Architecture in 1963.

David met the love of his life, Lee Porter, in 1964 while both were attendants in a friend’s wedding. As they walked down the aisle together, he turned to her and said, “This is not the last time we’ll be walking down the aisle,” foretelling nearly six decades of love and devotion. They married two years later, in July 1966.

David’s architectural career spanned forty years, most of it in southern New Hampshire. After beginning at a small firm, he opened his own practice in 1979 — PMR Architects in Nashua, NH. What began as a firm of two grew into one of the state’s larger and more respected architectural practices. Under David’s tireless leadership, PMR specialized in large-scale government projects, as well as commercial buildings and residential homes. It’s nearly impossible to drive through New Hampshire without seeing structures that bear his influence.

A selfless volunteer and philanthropist, David served as treasurer of both the Unitarian Church of Nashua, NH, and later the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach, FL. A dedicated Rotarian for more than thirty years, he could be found each winter volunteering at Nashua’s annual Christmas tree fundraiser and supporting countless Rotary programs. He also gave generously to his alma maters and to the schools attended by his children and grandchildren.

Besides his family, David’s greatest passion was ocean sailing. In his younger years, he crewed in multiple Newport-Bermuda races and crossed the Atlantic Ocean at least twice. A proud member of the Cruising Club of America, he often served as an inspector of racing sailboats. David also belonged to the Yale Club of New York, the Brown Club of Vero Beach, the Lake Sunapee Yacht Club, and the Moorings Club of Vero Beach — organizations whose missions he actively supported.

David was predeceased by his mother, Mary; his father, Nelson; and his sister, Catherine Agnew Page of Jackson, MS. He is survived by his beloved wife, Lee Porter Page; his brother, John France Page, of Arlington, MA; and two sons, David Agnew Page (Laura) of Wenham, MA, and Andrew Donald Page of Kittery, ME. He also leaves five cherished grandchildren — Eleanor Lee Page, Mary Royce Page, Ann Cooper Page, Lila Elizabeth Page, and William David Page whom he loved and supported dearly.

A celebration of David’s life will be held this summer in New Hampshire. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to the Lake Sunapee Protective Association, P.O. Box 683, Sunapee, NH 03782.

Benjamin H. Dorman 2 January 1938 – 28 March 2026

Posted on by David Harrison

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Benjamin H. Dorman, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, who died suddenly following a brief illness on 28 March 2026. He was 88 years old.

Ben was a man of remarkable character whose warmth, quiet wisdom, and distinguished career touched the lives of all who knew him. Born in Massachusetts on 2 January 1938, Ben was the eldest son of Ben and Alice Dorman, and is survived by his younger brother Merrill, a former US Navy Commander. He attended Phillips Academy, Andover, before going on to Stanford University, where he read Political Science, graduating in 1959 and he subsequently earned his Juris Doctor from the UCLA School of Law in 1966.

Ben practised law for over 63 years. Admitted to the California Bar in 1963, he began his career as an Associate Attorney at Adams, Duque & Hazeltine in Los Angeles before joining the legal department of Fluor Corporation, a leading international engineering and construction company. This chapter of his career took him across the world: to London, where he established the company’s European legal support office in 1972; to Saudi Arabia, where he served as Vice President of Fluor Arabia Limited; and to the Netherlands, where he held the position of Manager of Sales for Fluor Europe. He later returned to London as Vice President of Marketing before leaving Fluor in 1985.

In 1985, Ben established his own private legal practice in the Greater London area, advising both UK and US companies on a wide range of commercial matters including engineering contracts, joint ventures, property development, employment law, and corporate mergers and acquisitions. He was admitted as a Solicitor to the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 1994, and remained an active member of both The Law Society and the California Bar. He served as Legal Adviser to Project Management International Plc from 1987 to 1992, and continued in private practice right up to his passing.

In 1966, Ben married Jonnie Wright, a partnership of nearly 60 years and together they raised two children: Andrew (born 1969) and Lauren (born 1971). Andrew is married to Jamie and they have three daughters — Madeleine, Chloe, and Sophie — and live in California. Lauren is married to Moz Gamble and they have two children, Zac and Rosie, and live nearby in Ascot. Ben was enormously proud of his family and cherished every moment with them.

Ben was a man of remarkable energy and wide-ranging passions. He was an accomplished golfer — formerly captain at the Wentworth Club — and a committed tennis player who had represented Stanford at collegiate level. He ran three marathons, including twice in London and once in Paris, and was both an avid skier and a qualified glider pilot. Travel was another passion and he and Jonnie travelled extensively, exploring the world with their family. Music was another lifelong joy. Ben was a member of the Royal Harmonics Barbershop group and the Windsor and Eton Choral Society, where he served as Treasurer. He was also a devoted supporter of animals — his home was never without beloved rescue dogs — and a committed philanthropist, donating to numerous causes including Guide Dogs for the Blind, the Thames Valley Ambulance Service, the RSPCA, and several children’s cancer charities. He served as a Board Member of TASIS England school and was a passionate advocate for education. He was a very proud alumni of Phillips Academy and Stanford University and supported them throughout his life.

Ben Dorman will be profoundly missed by his wife Jonnie, his children Andrew and Lauren, his grandchildren, extended family and friends.

Funeral Service 

The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, 7 May 2026 at 12:00 noon British Summer Time At St Michael and All Angels Church, Sunningdale, Berkshire, UK. For those who are unable to attend in person, the service will be livestreamed at: https://funeral-av.co.uk/ben-dorman-thursday-7th-may-2026. The service will be available to watch for up to 3 months.