40th Reunion - June, 2004
See reunion photo gallery
We had such a wonderful time at what had to be one of the best 40th Cornell reunions ever! So many more of you came than we had dared hope would make it back to Ithaca and the weather was the best we have ever had for a reunion — picture perfect for our many outdoor venues. If visualizing for five years what turned out to be a perfect backdrop for our many unique class activities could have produced these results, we’ll sign up for that job for our 45th!
And with so many contacts made among friends over the months before
reunion, with the help of our affinity chair, Ed Dealy, there was
a wonderful spirit of renewal and reconnection throughout the weekend.
So many of you have let us know what a fabulous weekend it was for you,
as it was for us.
Enthusiasm for this reunion began early as many classmates approached us
with ideas for what became a weekend filled with varied, stimulating,
and fun activities. A large committee arrived on Tuesday evening at
Risley Hall, including our decorations chair, Joanne Herron, to
transform this historic grand dame into a beautiful, welcoming
headquarters. Ginny Mai delivered armloads of pots of flowers on
the hottest day of the summer. Bruce Wagner had prepared blow-ups
of our graduation pictures and Bob Friedenson produced pictures
of our arrivals on the spot. Linda Meltzer readied our
pack-in-its-own-pocket red windbreakers/souvenirs—did you realize it
does?--and our class president, Nancy Persily, welcomed every
classmate and guest who arrived on Thursday. Other classmates served as
warm greeters at headquarters and hosts at all of our events and meals.
Our meals were all excellent, starting with an Italian picnic dinner on
Thursday evening. The welcoming class event of the weekend was later
that evening: a multi-media presentation of the results of our more than
slightly tongue-in-cheek class questionnaire sent to each of you before
reunion. The results and presentation, designed by Bruce Wagner
and Joan Melville, were hilarious and brought us together as we
laughed at ourselves as we were forty years ago and are now.
Friday morning saw us at the Johnson Museum of Art for a reception and
tour of the photography donated by our classmate, Thomas Mann,
followed by our Class of ’64 Forum with Professor Karl Pillemer,
arranged by Carolyn Neuman. Both Lenni Weitzman and
Michael Wachter, professors themselves, spoke with us and stimulated
thoughtful discussion.
At noon, with weather made to order for a hike, a large group left for Enfield, organized by Alice Friedenson and Barbara Attardi; others attended an AA&P Exhibit and Symposium, featuring six of our classmates.
As the afternoon waned and the sun shone magnificently over the lily
pond at the Plantations, we gathered for a memorial service conducted by
Rev. Alec Wendell on the Class of ’64 Pavilion, to remember our
classmates who had passed away. Then Elizabeth and Hunter Rawlings
joined us at our Western Barbecue under the tent at the Plantations, a
wonderful event including banjo music, after which we hurried back to
our headquarters tent for the best rock ‘n roll party on the hill. That
and every evening, conversation lasted into the wee hours in our warm
and comfortable lounges.
Saturday afternoon began with President Jeff Lehman’s favorite Cornell
menu, a delicious picnic lunch, at Beebe Lake with President Lehman and
his wife Kathy Okun attending. The a cappella group, Class Notes, sang
and eight of our Class of ’64 JFK Award winners attended for their first
actual meeting with one another and were honored by Scholarship Chair,
Joan Melville.
After lunch, over 50 classmates joined Professor Rusten of the Classics Department for a discussion of the play Antigone, arranged and hosted by Nancy and Steve Einhorn; and later many others heard an update from Janet King on Our Health and Well-being.
Again, the weather was made to order for our cocktail party on Willard
Straight’s Terrace overlooking Lake Cayuga. Between that and our Class
Banquet in the Ivy Room, where the Hangovers serenaded us and we
presented reunion athletic awards to our classmates, we squeezed
together for our 40th Reunion Class Photo on the Straight’s steps.
Sunday morning we loved hearing the Sherwoods again, enjoyed brunch
under the breezy Risley tent (where our windbreakers were in evidence,
elected our new officers, and said our goodbyes, sadly, for another five
years. (As we checked out at noon, showers and clouds moved over Ithaca!
Many, however, are understandably making plans to return for CRC, the
Continuous Reunion Club, next year. Five years is just too long to wait
for a reprise of such a fabulous weekend!
Barbara Lutz Brim
Susan Mair Holden
Don McCarthy
40th Reunion Chairs