1950
Richard Saunders (FRM) writes, “I have lived alone since my wife died about five years ago and I have a daughter and a son who come to my house with their spouses on a schedule, which they devised to cook dinner for me. I live only a half-mile from my office and have a son/employee who transports me. My health is good so I am really living a charmed life.”
1952
Howard Rothe (PSE) writes, “Still kicking around in Palm City, Florida where I have lived in retirement for the past 31 years. Stopped playing golf a few years ago but enjoying life and the good weather. Best to all other ’52 grads.”
1957
Jerome Klein (FOR) writes, “Staying compliant with Alberta Canada, pandemic guidance and rules while staying healthy and active with masked
and distanced outdoor activities, Zoom exercise classes, and educational presentations. Best wishes to Class of 1957 and all ESF alums.”
1958
Nicholas Tipple (WPE) writes, “In 1970, I established Tipple Logging and Lumber that consisted of a logging operation, a sawmill, a planer mill, and a retail sales store. In 2003, I sold my operation to the Meltz family, and worked for them until I was 70. They called my old enterprise Ghent Wood Products, and have been very successful adding dry kilns, a large planer, two molders and supporting equipment like several fork lifts, and improvements in storage facilities. They have been able to sell lumber all over the United States. I am now 84, and still in good health, and living comfortably on my retirement income. My first wife left me for her drinking buddy. I am remarried, have a nice house, and watch my old enterprise prosper, wishing I could have done as well as the subsequent owners are now. I understand that the growth of trees in New York state and the Northeast is such that the forest could easily support many other enterprises like Ghent Wood Products. A healthy forest industry could do wonders for the economy of Upstate New York as well as much of the rest of the Northeast. It is in the power of ESF to promote forest industry if they were really interested.”
1959
Bruce Dayton (WPE) writes, “I am still retired in Florida and love to go to the many beaches. ESF is a wonderful college!”
1960
Hugh Canham (FRM) writes, “Several of us from the Class of 1960 had a good chat on a Zoom meeting during Alumni Weekend. We decided that we would like to involve more of our class and will see if the Alumni Office can arrange for us to have another Zoom meeting sometime this winter. Need everyone’s emails. Other than that, I have been busy getting out a revised Facts of New York’s forests and forest products industry and writing up the history of the New York Forest Owners Association.”
Daniel Wojcik (LA) writes, “Professionally, I was a Founding Principal of Saratoga Associates, landscape architects, architects, engineers and planners in Saratoga Springs, New York, was selected as a Fellow in the American Society of Landscape Architects…retired from active practice approximately 10 years ago and occasionally provide advisory services to state and local agencies. Became re-involved in Boy Scouting as an assistant scoutmaster of a local Clifton Park, New York troop and joined the staff at the first national Jamboree at Summit, West Virginia in 2017. As a former Eagle Scout, I was proud to see my son and two grandsons achieve Eagle rank as well. My wife, Carol, and I are enjoying retirement at our home in the town of Halfmoon, New York and spend much of our summers at our Berkshire camp.”
1963
Frederick Gerty (FRM) writes, “Not much happening in what we thought would be an auspicious year — 2020. Mostly we stayed here on our horse farm, attending to lots of maintenance and other work, while remaining cloistered. Have done some riding, and visited the beach once, and enjoyed shooting trap on a neighbor’s farm. Looking toward healthier and better times in 2021.”
Charles Schwarz (FRM) writes, “After 37 years with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and 15 years with the North Central Pennsylvania conservancy, I’ve finally retired. Doing a lot of nature photography and blogging and still get out in the woods every day. Life is a gift, make the most of it.”
1964
John Marvin (FRM) writes, “Enjoying my 27th year of retirement from the U.S. Forest Service. Now living near Portland, Oregon. In surviving COVID-19 shutdowns, I’ve been playing with my childhood toy trains, restoring a 1965 Mustang, and growing food in my garden and greenhouse. Two grown daughters have made retirement very interesting.
Jesse Dubin (EFB) writes, “Being housebound due to the horrible pandemic has given us some more time to communicate with old Kappa Phi Delta brothers. It has been good to hear from C. John Kruger (’64, PSE), Eddie Kilduff (’65, LA), Dean Phelps (’65, FRM), Pete Murphy (’63, Undeclared), Les Monostory (’65, EFB), Ron Thompson (’65, FRM), and Tom Zabadal (EFB). I hope all the Kappa Phi brothers are OK. Stay safe all.”
1965
Daniel Chappelle (FOR) writes, “I continue to live in Sacramento, California with my wife, Bonnie Davis. We came here in 1994 after I retired from the Michigan State University faculty where I taught and conducted research in resource economics, specializing in economic impact analysis. After moving here, I consulted part-time for 10 years on projects concerning economic development based on forestry and recreation sectors in the Lake States.”
1968
James J. Mason (FRM) writes, “Riding my bicycle almost daily. Walking and tending to my three dogs. Writing short stories. Preparing my vineyard for spring. Occasionally emailing back and forth with fellow ESF graduates about how destructive the former administration has been with respect to the ideals that were reinforced in our college experiences.”
1970
Thomas Catchpole (FRM) writes, “What a year to try not to remember. This is my 18th year being a retired forester from the U.S. Forest Service, Sierra National Forest in the Sierra Nevada of California. My educational wood products for teachers business, substitute teaching jobs, and newspaper writing job were going just fine until Friday, March 13, 2020 when our schools closed, events canceled, and most work I had canceled from COVID-19. We went through months of parents and teachers learning how to use Zoom and virtual everything, even church. Things were going along as good a possible in our foothill town of Prather. There was possibility of partly opening schools and other things as the heat of summer went on, our world appeared to end on Friday, Sept. 3 around 4 p.m. when a wildfire started between Shaver Lake and Big Creek, near Camp Sierra. It went from about 1,000 acres on Friday to over 40,000 the next day, had jumped the San Joaquin drainage and was in Madera County where it burned about one-third of Big Creek, it gained tens of thousands of acres each day. The fire was uncontained for over a week, we and 45,000 other people were evacuated. It was headed toward Prather so we packed up and left. Firefighters stopped the fire about 4 miles from us. We evacuated for about nine days. As I write this on Nov. 30 it is 95 percent contained and has burned 379,895 acres. The mid-November snow stopped progress of the fire. Twenty percent of the students in our school district lost homes from the fire. We know dozens of people who lost homes. School is now in session under COVID-19 safety measures. My wife and I have been infected by COVID-19 for the last 15 days and are fighting symptoms. 2020 has not been a good year. Hope everyone else did better.”
Paul Warren (FOR) writes, “Enjoying retirement, plenty of time for fishing and other important things in life. Also do a little consulting a day or two a week to stay active.”
1971
Rob Mrowka (FRM) writes, “After a full career with the USAF, U.S. Forest Service, Clark County, Nevada government and the Center for Biological Diversity, I am now fully retired and only doing voluntary work for conservation and the environment. Upon departing New York state after college graduation, I worked across the country in many fabulous places, and I returned to my Western New York homelands to retire. We live on 11 acres in Machias and are enjoying our secluded hermitage!”
Edward Zemeck (FEG) writes, “I moved back to my hometown of Schenectady, New York following the loss of my beloved wife Toni after 48 years of a loving marriage blessed by two children; a son Matthew Joseph and daughter Heather Marie. I am practicing as an expert witness providing investigations and testimony for attorneys and insurance companies for litigation relative to issues regarding construction site safety and health. I currently hold a Sports Car Club of America Novice Permit on my way to a Full Competition License competing in the Spec Miata Class. And I am still celebrating being a Stumpy forever.”
1972
Roy Hopke (FRM) writes, “I have mostly retired. LuAnn and I have sold our farm, moved back across the street to the house I used as my office, and plan to spend winters in Florida.”
Ross Morgan (FRM) writes, “At 75 I continue to work as a forester in the private sector, managing small private holdings in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. I am fortunate on two fronts: to be healthy enough to mark trees in silvicultural treatments, find boundary lines and do inventory and other field work, and to be able to work with my daughter and son-in-law, an ecologist and a forester.”
1975
Spencer Jarrett (FRM) recently moved from Seattle, Washington to Bennington, Vermont. He is surviving COVID-19 by finishing writing a book, giving online performances on the blues harmonica, creating marketing materials for a wounded veterans’ organization, and volunteering at a hospice. He is glad to be hiking in the Eastern forests again.
1976
Michael Corey (EFB) writes, “Well, like everyone else in the world, I’ve been trying to navigate all things important while keeping COVID-19 in mind. It’s a struggle. Meanwhile, I’m now semi-retired, having ended my full-time job as a family specialist on Jan. 1, 20. I now serve as a full-time volunteer and part-time paid EMT in the town of Minerva, located in Essex County, New York. A little after Covid-19 descended on us all early last spring, I began recalling and actively utilizing my love for field biology. I put together a near-daily plant-or-other natural thing-of-the-day posting on Facebook, which has become a very pleasant habit for me. Much credit goes to ESF for helping to establish my love for the woods! My family has lived here in Minerva for the past 27 years — it’s a good place to be. My lovely and patient spouse Sue works full-time as the Indian Lake Theater Director and part-time as Elections Commissioner for Essex County. Both our children (one is 36, and one is 30) are married and with their spouses have bought homes in Albany and Orange County. Life goes on, despite pitfalls”
Richard Feldman (EFB) Published an anthology “Biodiversity and the Climate Crisis: Essential Understanding & Connections” (2020; revised 1st edition, ISBN 9781793515964), to present these two important topics to mid-level college students and the general public in 11 readings. He continues to enjoy teaching diversity of environmental science & policy courses at Marist College for majors and non-majors. He anticipated new travel and social distancing challenges for the two field courses that he teaches but is fortunate to have access to a 12-acre nature preserve at the north end of campus, as handy as Oakwood Cemetery at the south edge of ESF.
1977
Edward F. Klein (FRM), a family physician in Slate Hill, New York, has retired, having served the community for 20 years. Previously, in 1994, Ed retired from the United States Air Force after achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel. Ed remains an ardent environmentalist and ornithologist. He lives with his wife, Amy, in Orange County, New York. They spend time on their property doing their part “restoring natives to suburbia” and, as recommended by Professor Doug Tallamy, bringing nature home.
1978
JoAnn Cornish (LA) writes, “Like many of my classmates, 2021 is my year to retire. I have been with the city of Ithaca, New York for almost 25 years, 10 years as the Director of Planning and Economic Development. I have loved watching my city evolve and grow and feel I am leaving it in good hands with a great staff. I remember with joy all my friends and the wonderful education at ESF. A shout-out to all my friends and classmates.”
John Derevjanik (EFB) writes, “I took advantage of the COVID-19 lockdown and hit the books to get my Associate Real Estate Broker’s License. My wife Cindy and I are excited to have a second grandson on the way sometime in mid-December. Hopefully we will get to visit our grandchildren in Virginia once it’s safe to travel again.”
1980
Sherman Distin (LA) writes, “After 26 years with FedEx, I have retired to my lake in North Carolina. Look me up!”
Michael Stein (EFB) writes, “Great memories, house on the hill, great classes, great beer, and great ladies… where are Pete and Tim? Contact me at 201-342-9486 or 307 Prospect Ave, Apt. 12d Hackensack, New Jersey, Lisa!?”
1985
Joseph Meehan (EFB) writes, “Upon graduating ESF, I jumped around with the National Park Service chasing desert bighorns, rounding up bison in the Badlands, canoeing the canyons of the Rio Grande, hiking the Grand Canyon, fighting wildfires in the Rocky Mountains, and chasing drug smugglers in airboats through the Everglades. I came to Alaska to work with brown bears for a summer which morphed into 30 years. My career took me to the far reaches of the Aleutian Islands, the North Slope, the rainforests of Southeast, and most everywhere in between. Volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, 7.9 earthquakes, Exxon Valdez oil spill, brown bears, Norway rats, Pacific walruses, seabird colonies in the millions, state legislative chambers, and a myriad of other notable experiences fill my memories. For the past 22 years, I have been managing the nation’s largest state-run wildlife refuge program for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. As retirement approaches, I’m looking forward to again wandering in the wilds of the world, something that started my career. To you new ESF’ers, keep your minds and your paths wide open; something terrific might just fall in.”
Kristofer Alberga (EFB/FRM) writes, “We are joining the ranks of empty nesters with three kids heading off to colleges, one to UNH for natural resources/sustainability and a second to Fort Lewis for mathematics. My youngest will be starting at SU for civil engineering this fall. We will be paying a little closer attention to the football program as he also earned a preferred walk-on spot on the team (https://cuse.com/sports/football/roster/patrick-alberga/19516).”
1994
Landis Hudson (FRM) writes, “I’m living in southern Maine where I’ve been working on river and stream restoration projects as the executive director of Maine Rivers. My daughters are in college. I run and swim as much as I can, which this summer included a family iron-man triathlon with people running, swimming and biking in five states. Happy to hear from any classmates!”
1995
Avery Y. Kamila (ES) writes a food column called Vegan Kitchen that is a feature in the Portland Press Herald, Maine.
1999
Dr. Stephen Brown (ES) writes, “My primary research focus at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has been developing rose root (Rhodiola rose) as a new cash crop for Alaska. The plant has many uses, but is primarily used as a non-toxic substitute for caffeine.”
2005
Andrew Gacek (FRM) writes, “Kids are growing quick, Gianna (14) and Ian (16) are both working hard towards their goals and dealing with the pandemic. I am finishing up my 12th year at Cornell providing law enforcement to the campus and the surrounding City of Ithaca and Tompkins County, New York. Not much has changed despite the pandemic, other that my waistline with a lot of curb side pickup orders. Enjoying time in the woods or on the water in my free time.”
2014
Anastassia Zabirova (EFB) writes, “I’m starting a non-for-profit working educational farm in Cochecton, New York called Unbroken Acres. Miss ESF dearly, my peers and professors. Thanks for everything.”
2015
Zachary Dunbar (CHE) writes, “I’m an epidemiologist with the University of Wisconsin. It’s been a busy few months trying to manage this pandemic!”
2016
Justin Coleman (EFB) writes, “The challenges we are facing as humanity are beyond our individual comprehension. I didn’t know how difficult of a road it would be to tackle all of these problems, but I would not change it for anything and am grateful for what I have been able to do. Keep up the good work and whatever you do, don’t quit.”
Nicole Madden (EFB) writes, “Currently I am a Natural Resources Technician for the Army National Guard’s Natural Resources Office at Camp Edwards in Cape Cod. So far I have done box turtle telemetry, frosted elfin surveys and prescribed burns. Absolutely love it and would not be where I am in my career without ESF!”
2020
Nichole Angell (EFB) and Tyler Muller (EFB) toasting with the ESF graduate glasses that they received courtesy of the ESF Alumni Association.
1970
This year, Robert Cooper (EFB) and his wife, Ellen, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary as well as the high school graduation of their oldest granddaughter, Lexi. They are pictured with their family.
2013
Dan Clark (FRM) married his partner, Melissa, under the full moon on Oct. 31, 2020.
2018
On Aug. 23rd, Ilana Weinstein (EFB) and Mattityahu Hollo (FRM) had a pandemic-friendly wedding ceremony. Ilana writes, “We were lucky to be able to share our day with our parents and a few fellow stumpies. We met freshman year at ESF and have shared so many special moments together at ESF and beyond. We look forward to creating many more memories together!”