June Hunter and husband Ken are planning a vacation in York, Maine, a favorite location since they were married. June keeps busy volunteering for her church and the thrift shop. An exercise leader at the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, she recently joined a senior-citizen group. June and Ken have two grandchildren who are college graduates, and two who recently graduated from high school.
Class notes councilor: Mel Horowitz, [email protected]
Robert Sweeney is doing consulting work on shoreline erosion and visits his daughter in Hawaii often.
Hank Maus and Patricia Jones see Sue Gaffney, Danny Shultz, and Millie Fletcher regularly. Hank and Pat serve on the Finger Lakes Museum Board of Trustees and enjoy spending winters in Arizona.
Shelley Gruber Karp, Linda Levinson Kessler, Sue Byron Wallace, and Doris Edelstein Hirschorn reside near Boynton Beach, Fla., and visit one another regularly.
The Albany Public Library Foundation honored Dr. Alice Green as a 2018 Literary Legend for her contributions to literature and the City of Albany.
Class notes councilor: Sheril McCormack, [email protected]
Andrea Zamorski Hampston passed away in January. Corky Petrick noted that Andrea recently returned to the Albany area, and maintained close contact with her Psi Gamma sorority sisters throughout the years.
Tim Brown, who attended Albany for one year and joined the Kappa Beta fraternity, passed away at his home in Humble, Texas, in May.
Edward J. Reid III and wife Carol Eames Reid ’65 of Oneida, N.Y. celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends at Turning Stone Resort in May. Ed presented “How I Met Your Grandmother,” a slide show for their family. The Class of ’64 will celebrate its 55th reunion in 2019. Stay tuned for information and share your news.
Class notes co-councilors: Alan Minarcik, [email protected]; Bill Robelee, [email protected]
Jim Hottois of Vancouver traveled to Syracuse four times this year to serve as a pilot for Civil Air Patrol missions supporting the New York Air National Guard’s training activities at Hancock Field.
Karen Goldstein Blocker has enjoyed her time since retiring from teaching in the Rondout Valley Central School district in 2003. She and her husband live in the Catskill Mountains near their children and grandchildren and spend winters in Ocala, Fla. They enjoy traveling, community service, cruising, and spending time with family and friends. Their oldest grandchild, Alex, is a scholar-athlete and started college at UAlbany this fall. Go Great Danes!
Last summer Gale Brinn McCall and her daughter spent three weeks in Northern Ireland, met some wonderful people, and did a lot of geocaching. In January, Gale traveled to the mountains of Guatemala to work with children. Her son relocated from Europe to southern India due to work. Gale and husband Art will miss visiting him in France and Spain.
Class notes councilor: Judy Madnick, [email protected]
Vincent Abramo has served the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings for 26 years. He manages the safety, health, and general welfare of thousands of construction workers building U.S. embassies around the world. Vincent is a founding member of the Rockefeller College Advisory Board and assists in the development of University programs.
Susan Meyer continues to do executive and personal coaching, primarily with women over 40 who are figuring out their next steps. She is the author of several books, including Fifty Over Fifty: Wise and Wild Women Creating Wonderful Lives (And You Can Too!) and How to ZAP Your Obstacles to Create Your Success.
John Kienzle retired after 36 years as a high-school history teacher. He is now involved in TV music production under the brand “WIZARD MUSIC,” and has been producing for shows in Bedford, Mass., for two years. John produces two 30-minute programs for each show and integrates history with the music of that composer, performer, or genre. He has produced shows on Gershwin, John Denver, Tony Bennett, Barbara Streisand, and more. WIZARD MUSIC programs are run on local cable TV networks in eastern Massachusetts and on YouTube.
Aileen Roberta Schlef founded Creative Alliance Communications in New York in 1997. An international consultancy, CAC’s relaunch in Washington, D.C., concentrates on non-profit organizations and corporate community relations. Aileen consults with the National Hispanic Medical Association on projects to end health disparities in Latino communities. This year, she served on the planning committee for Sen. Robert F. Kennedy’s 50th memorial at Arlington Cemetery. She is currently organizing an event at the National Press Club honoring the senator’s birthday in November.
Class notes councilor: Canon Kay Carol Hotaling, FHC, [email protected]
The Class of 1968 will celebrate its 50th-year reunion and induction into the University at Albany Half-Century Club during Homecoming, Oct. 19-21. Please contact your class councilor, Linda Bopp, if you plan to attend.
Berta Klein-Berti is involved in dance, teaching, and relaxation and wellness activities. She holds several graduate-level degrees in counseling and education, creative arts in therapy, spiritual psychology, and science. Berta has studied at Michigan State University, Drexel, and Santa Monica.
David Northrup taught high-school English and recently won a Distinguished Alumni Award from Fulton-Montgomery Community College. He spends his time writing about the Mohawk Valley area.
Scott Merkelson pursued a career in dentistry. He is a member of the American College of Dentists and a senior staff member at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut.
After his time as a DJ at WSUA, Richard Stevens taught high school mathematics and continued to D.J. at various activities in the Hudson Valley. He resides in California.
Gail Parsons taught French for many years, then obtained a nursing degree. She is an R.N. and lives in Plattsburgh.
Many alumni from the Class of ‘68 are retired teachers. Attend our 50th reunion in October to hear more stories and catch up with classmates!
Class notes councilor: Linda Stehr Bopp, [email protected]
Warren Winslow serves as the 44th president of the New York State Golf Association (NYSGA). Elected in October 2017, he will serve through December of this year. Warren, an active member of the UAlbany Alumni Volunteer Council, is an avid supporter of UAlbany student-athletes and the Great Dane Athletic Club. He has served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors for several years.
Joel Volinski was inducted into the Florida Public Transportation Hall of Fame after serving 35 years in the industry. He served as director of Broward County Transit 1983-1993, then as director of the National Center for Transit Research at the University of South Florida until retiring in 2017.
Ellen Kurtzman Triebwasser was ordained a rabbi by ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal in January. She retired from the New York State Office of Mental Health and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities in 2008. Ellen and husband Jonah live in Dutchess County.
Cathy Ladman was recently on “Modern Family,” “Scandal,” and “How To Get Away With Murder.” She is currently in the cast of “I’m Dying Up Here,” now in its second season.
Nate Salant’s collection of pre-Biblical and Biblical artifacts from Jerusalem was on display at the Chabad of Alabama in the summer. Artifacts, which range from 4500 BCE to 634 CE, include chalices from the Davidic Kingdom, a seal of a high priest of the Temple, a stone bowl from the Second Temple, and crucifixes from the fourth and sixth centuries.
The Class of 1978 will celebrate its 40th-year reunion during Homecoming, Oct. 19-21. An informal gathering Saturday night will include a walk down memory lane at Washington Tavern and other beloved pubs. Activities will be determined after we know how many are attending.
Robert Connors is retired and spends his time at the Penn National Golf Course in Fayetteville, Pa., with his wife, Judy. His 38 years of service with the Military Health System included 20 on active duty as a Navy Medical Service Corps Officer. Bob worked as a health-information technology research administrator for the U.S. Army Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center in Fort Detrick, Md., prior to retiring.
Stu Gruskin is the chief Conservation and External Affairs officer for The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental group.
Kathy Kass is an attorney working as counsel to the Commercial Division, New York Supreme Court, New York County. She blogs about travel and fitness at “Will Run For Miles.” Read her blog at http://willrunformiles.boardingarea.com. Kathy has run 112 marathons.
Mark Mazur of West Chester, Pa., is retired and “living the dream” with wife Donna. He enjoys walks through Longwood Gardens. He says hello to classmates, with a special shout-out to fellow chemistry alum Robin Nissan.
Karen Helfer Meier retired after teaching for 36 years. She remains close with five of her best friends from freshman year.
Janet Rombough O’Neil is an associate professor of graphic design and the director of the graphic-design program at Fairleigh Dickinson University School of the Arts. She designs for the home-decor market and is currently illustrating two children’s books. Janet has painted more than 100 animal portraits for national rescues and shelters, bringing attention to animal-welfare issues around the world. Her work can be viewed at www.janetoneil.com.
Susan Satkowski was appointed Honorary Consul to Norway in Pennsylvania.
Jeffrey Segal spent the 2017-18 academic year as a visiting professor in the government department at Harvard. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Law and Courts Section of the American Political Science Association in September.
Class notes councilor: Nancy Benz, [email protected]
Steve Munro of West Palm Beach is semi-retired, still doing taxes for individuals.
The Albany Public Library Foundation honored Dr. Frankie Bailey as a 2018 Literary Legend for contributions to literature and the City of Albany.