Class Notes – Summer 2022

Have news to share with your fellow alumni? Send us a class note for the next edition of the ESF Magazine at alumni@esf.edu.

1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s

1953

Donald McConaughy (FRM) writes, “Janet and I will celebrate our 70th wedding anniversary in August. We reside at Patriots Colony near Williamsburg, Virginia.”

1955

Dan Meyer (FRM) writes, “A passage from my recently completed memoir reads: High school, and to an even greater extent college, is where we make choices about whom to befriend, confide in and be influenced by. Hopefully, we choose persons that care for us and help us on our journey. Fortunately, the friends I chose did that for me, and I am so grateful for them all. To those of you still with us, I’d love to hear from you (520-495-5509). Better still visit if you’re traveling in Southern Arizona—we have a spare bedroom!”

Edward Stone (LA) writes, “I have retired twice. First as chief landscape architect, U.S. Forest Service; second as clockmaker of 19th century wall and shelf clocks. Hair is now white but still flat top as the Army gave me when drafted in 1956. My black lab and I often head for our club field where we fly model airplanes. I also occasionally teach friends how to make clocks or do other wood-working chores in my well-equipped shop. Life is good—even for elders.”

1956

James Curley (LA) writes:  “Still ’alive and kicking’ at Collington CCRC in Maryland. Pandemic restrictions are continuing to ease with masks required only in the gym, rehab, and health center. Swimming pool is open, too. Parties have resumed in the courtyard and auditorium as long as there is some excuse, e.g. Derby Day, Preakness, Belmont Stakes, April Fool’s Day, Memorial Day, Spring, or “just because.” Wildlife is expanding beyond pesky deer browsing our gardens to brazen foxes. However, beavers have left their dams behind again, maybe to return in the future. Residents have reported seeing bald eagles near the ’lake.’  Theaters continue with only the occasional cancelation due to COVID. The few times we’ve gone to restaurants in D.C., they have been packed.”      

1958

Charles Huppuch (FRM) writes, “I continue to stay active as a volunteer forester for the Cyrus McCormick Farm (owned by VA Tech). I oversee volunteers and initiatives to maintain the interpretive trail and fight invasive plants.”

1959

Jan Vrooman (LA) writes, “I’m still hanging out at my home on Silver Lake and looking forward to doing some fishing. I am active with The Friends of Letchworth State Park, a not-for-profit that works to maintain and improve Letchworth State Park. Check us out at friendsofletchworth.com. My grandson is now attending ESF. He’s carrying on the tradition and getting a great education.”

Robert Daoust (FRM) writes, “Retired and living in Huntington, West Virginia. I enjoy reading about my 1959 classmates.”

1960

Jim Coufal (FRM) writes, “Carol and I and the family have weathered the pandemic with comfort and lots of shots. The time has given Carol (fabrics) and daughter Laura (jewelry) the opportunity to build up their inventories for their small business; I regret not having written more, but I have really enjoyed watching videos of SU basketball, football, and lacrosse games of the years gone by. Great to see those such as Donovan McNabb, Gerry McNamara, and other greats. Keeping my hand in SAF affairs, like trying to prod returning to working with Habitat for Humanity to build houses.  I appreciate how ESF has developed over the years, and its preeminence in its field, yet I admit to worrying about the place of forestry at ESF. Write me at wanakena@windstream.net if you would like to arrange for a Zoom meet-up for the Ranger School class of 1957 or ESF class of 1960 and I’ll with Debbie et. Al. to set it up. Best to all, and thanks to Debbie, Jennifer and the staff for doing such great work.

1963

Charles Schwarz (FRM) shares, “It’s been 58 years since I left ESF and a lot has happened since then. Helen and I were married in May 1964 and are still happily together after all these years. Along the way we first had a daughter and then a son and they’ve given us three granddaughters. In August 1964, I entered the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant and was assigned to a research hospital at the Chemical Research and Development Laboratory. Two years in the Army was followed by a year working as a procurement forester for Brown Company, a major paper and veneer producer headquartered in Berlin, New Hampshire—the company is now consigned to history.  In October 1967, I began employment as a service forester with the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters. After a total of 13 years as a service forester assisting private forest landowners, fortune smiled with a promotion to Assistant District Forester. My new duties included supervision of maintenance of a 246-mile system of dirt and gravel roads and overseeing the district’s law enforcement staff, as well as management of the district’s Wild and Natural Areas, totaling over 23,000 acres. Retirement beckoned after 37 years with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and came to pass in June 2004. Retirement lasted about two weeks before I took the position of Land Protection Specialist with the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC), where I inspected properties under conservation easement, negotiated new easements and participated in acquisition of tracts for transfer to state land management agencies. After 15 years with NPC, it was time for a second retirement. Now I’m 80 and still wandering in forest and field virtually every day and gathering material and photos for my blog, ‘In Forest and Field’ (written under a nom de plume that some may recognize: Woody Meristem). It’s been a great life and I have ESF to thank for much of it—and it ain’t over yet!”   

1964

Ernest Paskey (LA): writes, “After reading the alumni notes, I recently began to reflect on my 1962 to 2010 career in landscape architecture. Thanks to the solid foundation provided by the College, I have enjoyed a full and rewarding career that included contributions to wildlife and natural resources management, wetland preservations, forest management, environmental impact assessment, planned unit development design, urban/neighborhood planning, and public recreation facilities. Thanks for all!”

1966

Robert Ungerer (CHE) writes, “Bob Haskins ’65 and I talk on the telephone one to two times a year and exchange Christmas greetings. I hunt stocked pheasants in Allegheny State Park and he hunts wild pheasants with one of his sons in Iowa on his wife’s homestead and now CRP land.”

1970

Dennis Parent (FRM) writes, “I am changing career gears again. I have sold my consulting forestry company (DRP Forestry) and will be assisting the buyer with my 40-years-of-all-aspects-of-forestry experience. If it has something to do with forestry, I can usually help them out. I am especially looking forward to mentoring some of the younger foresters in this company. I am very much looking forward to this change.”

Paul A. Warren (FOR) writes, “Still doing a little environmental consulting work a day or two a week— that leaves plenty of time for all the good retirement stuff.”

1971

James Wheeler (ERE) writes, “All is good!”

Brian Dowing and Nancy (Karris) Mayer met up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and show off their ESF Senior Reunion medallions!

1973

Robert Smith (CHE) writes, “Retirement is a challenge, but some consulting helps. Also taking some online classes in quantum mechanics to keep the neurons lubricated. Real pain getting old. Would love to hear from other Class of ’73 alumni. My e-mail is rwsmith2000@twc.com.”

1976

Bruce Jeffery (EFB) writes, “Enjoying retirement in the Nashville area with a vacation home in Guatemala. ESF made it possible for me to work on Japanese trawlers, run forest nurseries in Guatemala, count and measure trees, cut them down, skid them out, and 40 years of making paper in the United States and Canada. Life is good.”

1977

Brian Houseal (LA) writes, “we have moved to Brunswick, Maine, to be closer to family and grandchildren. I remain active as Chair of U.S. Biosphere Network, which seeks a balance between biodiversity, conservation, and sustainable communities and economies while addressing the imminent threats from climate change.”

1978

Tallest Tree in front of Bray Hall planted by Jim Perry ’78

Philip Hertzog (FRM) writes, “The tallest tree in front of Bray Hall on the ESF campus is an Eastern White Pine (EWP) mingled with exotic trees from all over the world. How did this simple American tree with five fascicles get there?  On the evening of May 12, 1978, Jim Perry (ERM 1978) carried a shovel in hand while I carried an EWP that I had previously purchased that day at the Manlius K-Mart Garden Center while driving my 1970 Ford Pinto Station Wagon. I did not have much money at the time and the EWP was the best bargain I could find with 4 to 5 whirls.  My parents, Dr. Frank and Doreen Hertzog, stayed on the quad serving as lookouts for security staff that may approach, while Jim and I planted the tree. My dad would later become friends with the Dendrology Professor Edwin Ketchledge and likely told him what Jim Perry and I had done. Jim and I placed a plastic bag with our names under the tree along with the names of several other students aware of what we were doing. Jim Keehn, ERM 1978, had come up with the idea of planting a tree under the ESF’s President’s office several weeks before, but was not able to join us. The next day we graduated. I recall a photo of Jim Perry, Jim Keehn and myself kneeling with the newly planted tree on graduation day, May 13, 1978, but have not been able to locate the photo.” 

1979

Betsy Fluckiger Bibla (BLA) writes, “Spent a week with Jayne Henderson ‘78 (EFB) in Panacea, Florida, visiting parks, preserves, and generally enjoying the great outdoors.

1981

Susan Guhl Browne (ES) and her husband Steff now live in Northwest Montana, near Glacier National Park. Susan writes, “We found a place in the woods and are happily retired. Our son, Keith, is a banker after graduating from Montana State University in 2020. Three generations are living nearby. We are enjoying the change of seasons with family close by.”

1983

Robin (Viola) Kruse (EFB) writes, “Both Mike ‘85 (EFB) and I are officially retired. We plan a trip east this summer. We’re also excited that our third grandchild will arrive in August, and that our daughter will get married next spring.”

James Sheibley (PSE) writes, “Macia and I are moving back to New York state this summer after 39 years in Wisconsin for me. I am excited to be close to ESF once again. Look us up in Buffalo!”

1985

John Haas (FRM) writes, “In June of 2021, I retired from the Town of Greenburgh as their Staff Arborist after 36 years of service. I enjoyed my service to the residents of Greenburgh and I am glad to give up the long commute.”

John Scanlon (FRM) writes “I retired 5 years ago this May from the NYS DEC Forest Rangers. Ellen is now retired as well, and we have been traveling quite a bit. Yellowstone, Glacier, and Grand Tetons last summer. Our son Shane is in Pennsylvania with his wife Natalie and we have a new grandson Adam Patrick Scanlon born in December. They enjoy our visits very much. Our son Ryan is in Lynchburg Virginia pursuing his MBA at Liberty. I deployed with the NYS Incident Management Team to assist with recovery efforts after the devastating tornado that leveled Mayfield Kentucky last December. Our team of 29 spent Christmas and New Year’s helping the people of Kentucky get back on their feet. Best to all.”

Teresa Witzel (FRM) writes, “I retired in December 2021 from the United States Forest Service after 36 years. A majority of my service took place on the Allegheny National Forest in northwestern PA. I am now enjoying a more relaxed pace and the time to do other activities.”

1988

Henry Bair (FRM) writes, “BIG SHOUT OUT to the classes of ’87 and ’88. Enjoying second year of retirement after 32 years as a forest/real estate appraiser. Staying busy working on the family vineyard in Naples, New York, and running a forest products business on the Tug Hill. If anybody plans to ride sleds or ATVs in the area, let me know at TugHillATV1@yahoo.com. I hope everyone has a great year.”

Peter Cullinan (EFB) retired after 32 years working in the nuclear emergency planning field for both county government and commercial nuclear power in Oswego, New York. 

Janet Essman Franz (ES) is a creative content professional for the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. She chairs the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Janet lives in Shelburne, Vermont, between the Green Mountains and the Shores of Lake Champlain, with husband, Paul, and two teenage sons. She enjoys alpine and Nordic skiing, hiking, running, kayaking, NIA dancing, yoga, attending live theater and savoring Vermont’s fresh food.

1992

Britt (Morecraft) Norris (ES) has been teaching high school science for over 20 years now on Long Island in New York. She is a wife, mother, hiker, biker, and gardener who cherishes family and friends, especially those made all those years ago at ESF.

1994

Donna Gartner Fahres (EFB) writes, “After traveling up and down the East Coast teaching environmental science in nature centers (New York, Connecticut), aquariums (Connecticut, Maryland), residential camps (Georgia), museums (Connecticut, Pennsylvania), and state government (Maryland), I have settled into Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, completing stewardship projects in local parks in my free time.”  

1995

Steven Schaefer (FRM) and spouse Jodi Schaefer (ES) write, “As parents of a current ESF student, it’s great to visit Syracuse and see
the growth and change on campus.”