Classmate Travels and Other Photos
The ’67 Whiffenpoofs in the California Desert
Our ’67 Whiffenpoofs have stayed close after all these years. They convened in March for their annual get-together in the Southern California desert, organized by Geoff Neigher and his wife Karen.
Four days in Palm Springs saw them performing a full 45-minute concert at a local retirement home, especially enjoyable because all the grateful residents knew the words to the Whiffs’ old songs.
The group also sang at La Bonita’s restaurant in Palm Springs, again for tourists at the overview in the magnificent Joshua Tree National Park, and at Melvyn’s Restaurant, located within the grounds of the historic Ingleside Inn, famous for its entertainment and made more so by the presence of our Whiffs.
In a group photo taken by Tom Jones at Joshua Tree are, left to right: Belinda Beckett and Norm Hile, Peter and Laura Beeson, Bill and Sherry Tift, Tim and Ann Rice, Gail Jones, Karen and Geoff Neigher, Eleanor and Charlie von Stade, and Walt Buhl. Participating in the event but not photographed were Bob Burke, who made the trip from Summit, NJ, and Jim Manor, who came all the way from Brighton, England.
Their gathering and performances are further confirmation that, as the Whiffs say in song, “You make the world go ‘round!”
L-R: Liza McClelland, Marianna Cohen, John Raben, Sara Magovern, Mike Leahy
Doug McClelland and his wife Liza have arranged hosted and non-hosted trips to Argentina and Chile since 1998. Fly fishing for trout has been a major focus but trips have also included visiting the Mendoza wine country, golfing, condor watching, hiking and riding. In 2018, Mike Leahy and his wife, Sara, John Raben and his friend, Marianna, went with Doug and Liza to a fly-fishing lodge in Argentina, on the banks of the Futaleufu River, close to the Chilean border. One day they visited the small town of Futaleufu, Chile and had lunch there.
L-R: Cheryl, Andy, Alessandra Misarti
For their first trip to Europe since Covid, Andy and Cheryl Delbaum visited Piemonte, Italy.
They’ve traveled many times to Italy, with some two dozen visits to Barbaresco, Roero, and Barolo, in the Piemonte region, where they’ve known several winemakers for many years… so much so that two families have “adopted” Cheryl and Andy as their American “Aunt & Uncle.”
On this trip they flew into Rome, taking in the sights and recovering from jet lag for 3 days, and celebrating Cheryl’s birthday. Then, en route to Piemonte, they visited Adrian Misarti and Alessandra, and their beautiful dog, Scout, and experienced the beautiful Orvieto, “…all more than wonderful,” says Andy.
Then on to Piemonte, visiting their Italian “families” and celebrating Andy’s 75th birthday with them.
View their photos here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dsFMuiLv1DnAnmwq7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8MzGA1gK7zNhwzqYA
https://photos.app.goo.gl/cRgCFyh3ZRscJeh17
L-R: Belle, Peter, Jay and Susie.
Belle and Peter Petkas visited Susie and Jay O’Brien in Amarillo, Texas on their way to Silverthorne, Colorado a few weeks ago and had dinner at the OHMS Cafe, short for “On Her Majesty’s Service.” (The original owner served in the British Navy.)
“OHMS is the best steak house – and possibly the best restaurant – in Amarillo, a real gem,” says Peter. “We drove from Houston to Dallas and visited Belle’s daughter and son-in-law and granddaughters there, then drove to Amarillo for one night and on to Colorado. A 2,600-mile round trip. We’ve done it before, a challenge, but the scenery and the vistas were magnificent.
“The contrast between the Texas panhandle and the Rockies was well worth the drive – our second year in row for this adventure and for a visit with the O’Briens in Amarillo. Jay was the chef at his home last year, in the back yard, of course. This year, we hosted an incredible meal at the OHMS. On our return this year, the O’Briens were previously engaged, but we enjoyed Napoli, surely the best Italian restaurant in Amarillo, serving fried calamari to die for, frankly, the best I have had on the planet.
“All the streets in downtown Amarillo are named after US Presidents and are wide enough for herds of cattle to pass through. Some of them probably belong to Jay!”
L-R: Victor, Dena and Tony
Victor Ashe took a break from his campaign in May to welcome Tony and Dena Swil, who live in Israel, to Knoxville.
L-R: Victor, Richard and Doug
Doug Rund and Victor Ashe visited with Richard Beeman last March at McKee Gardens in Vero Beach, Florida. Doug is considering retirement there from Columbus, Ohio, where he practices emergency room medicine and advises local firefighters at the scene. Richard invited both of them to join the active Yale Club of the Treasure Coast, which hosts Yale speakers who welcome a break from New Haven winters.
Andy Delbaum and his wife Cheryl visited her sister in Ninilchik, on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska this summer. Armed with a long lens and a keen eye for photo opportunities, Andy assembled an album… READ MORE
“Our Man in Bhutan” Doug Schofield and his wife Janet Schofield have been in Bhutan 11 years, while visiting or working in more than 120 countries worldwide during their careers. With a wide variety of contacts and many contributions to Bhutan, including launching the private Royal Thimphu College, Doug and Janet are completing books on their experiences there. A Tibetan monk took time off from his 3-year meditation to snap this picture of Doug – complete with Yale hat – and Janet in front of a 15,000-ft mountain in Bhutan. They expect to be returning to the U.S. soon, as three daughters and family ties pull – and those mountains get ever-harder to climb.
Doug McClelland (left) and Mike Leahy (right) spent a week in January fly fishing in Patagonia, Argentina. They are pictured on the shores of Rico Pico Lago Tres.
Rick and Nita Luis with an old friend, Sen. Amy Klobuchar ’82, on March 7 at a Thank You party for her Minnesota supporters at Windows on the World on the 50th floor of IDS Center, the tallest building in Minneapolis. The senator had spent the day campaigning for Joe Biden in Michigan. “She recognized Rick right away and gave him a hug,” says Nita. Don’t miss Rick and Nita’s travel photos at the bottom of this page!
Victor and Doug
Doug Rund and his wife Sue recently visited Victor and Joan Ashe in Florida, where Victor had rented a condo for a month. While there they visited the historic Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale, which is open to the public.
Steve, Joe and Rick
Steve Small, Joe deRaismes and Rick Moody walk into a bar in Boulder, Colorado, and the bartender asks, “Is this some kind of reunion?”
Moody responds, “Yes, this is some kind of reunion.”
Small adds, “Connecticut.”
DeRaismes says, “Aah, but we were so much older then. We’re Boulder than that now.”
— Randy Alfred
Barry and David
Enjoying a round of golf in Palm Desert, Barry Bardo and David Corcoran spent a sunny – and very windy – day on the course in late January.
Barry and his wife, Ann, were visiting from coastal Camarillo. David and his wife, Carolyn, live in Falmouth in summer, and Palm Desert during the winter.
During the wind-whipped round of golf, the former denizens of Branford and Silliman had a great time together, and agreed they weren’t quite ready to compete for the senior version of the Tyng Cup – or the Masters’ green jacket. Fore! and Boola!
Harry Blumenthal and his partner Murray Pitts near Siracusa/Syracuse, Sicily.
Harry Blumenthal reports, “Our trip continues to be wonderful with museums, beautiful scenery and delicious meals.”
L-R: Sefik, Jim and Bob
Sefik Buyukyuksel, Jim Miller and Bob Allison last summer aboard a “gulek,” or wooden sailing vessel, built by traditional craftsmen on the southern coast of Turkey for more than 1000 years. “They’ve added some modern conveniences, however, that contributed to a marvelous Aegean ’67 mini-reunion hosted by Sefik and his wife, Idil Biret,” says Jim. “Bob and his delightful wife Nancy Sullivan added much to the pleasure of our one-week sojourn on the sea. One highlight was seeing Bob and Idil (certainly one of the great concert pianists of our generation, who has released more than 100 recordings of Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Rachmaninov, Liszt, Schubert, Schumann, Ravel and others) seated side-by-side at the electric keyboard. With great aplomb, Bob taught her the blues, and they joyously played a number of songs, Idil improvising fantastic blues arpeggios in the treble clef as she watched Bob’s hands to her left, as my wife Alden and I looked on transfixed.”
Andy Delbaum and his wife Cheryl visited her sister in Ninilchik, on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska this summer. Armed with a long lens and a keen eye for photo opportunities, Andy assembled an album of dramatic photos – of majestic Alaska and its eagles. “I particularly loved the opportunity to ‘stumble’ over wall-to-wall eagles. We stayed at a cabin with a fabulous view of Mt. Redoubt.” Enjoy the trip, complete with majestic mountains, moose, bears and eagles, with Andy and Cheryl. Click here to view the album.
Belle and Peter Petkas at the Cordoniu Winery in Spain
John Herman writes in: “Wife Diane and I are spending a nice weekend with Bob Lehrer and his wife Sheri Rothenberg on Lake Michigan, where he has a delightful cabin. Here is a photo of the four of us, still enjoying long conversations, walks and learning. And of course the sunsets. Today we are looking at the newest National Park, Indiana Dunes, which is next door to his place.”
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Photo L: Diane and John Herman, and Robert Lehrer. Photo R: John and Diane Herman, Robert Lehrer and Sheri Rothenberg. John and Diane recently spent a delightful weekend visiting Bob and Sheri at their cabin on Lake Michigan, enjoying long conversations, walks and learning. And of course the sunsets. The friends also visited our nation’s newest National Park, Indiana Dunes, which is next door to Bob and Sheri’s cabin.
Rick and Nita Luis have sent us many photos from their intrepid travels. Please click the photo below to view them.
Rick and Nita Luis on Easter Island. for more photos of Rick, click this photo.