In addition to writing his second book, More Snippets of My Life: Nature’s wonders and interesting folks along the way (Lightning-Press Book Printing),which is to be published this fall, Dave Bary (Galveston, TX) is also teaching two Life Story classes @ Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and volunteering at Galveston Island State Park as a Texas Master Naturalist restoring the Texas Coastal Prairie. He and wife Susan are having a great time with their 3 great-grand kids and 9 nine grand kids! The most impactful thing he learned at Cornell. “You can do anything you set your mind to.”
Kathy Van Buren Bomberger (Dune Acres, IN), an active volunteer with philanthropic groups in support of civic education and art appreciation, notes that she is most appreciative of being able to spend the winter months in her condo on Marco Island, FL. She is also proud to report that her grandson is in a master’s program in library information at the U. of Illinois (Champaign, Urbana).
Another proud grandmother, Brenda Shencup Lederman (Pittsford, NY), reports that granddaughter Juliet Kaufmann is a junior at Cornell where sister Caitlin is now a freshman! In addition to playing bridge and Mahjongg and gardening, Brenda is in touch with classmates Freddy Herrman Amstay and Marilyn Nankin Schuster.
Over the last 15 years, yeast geneticist Reed Brendon Wickner (Galesville, MD), NIH Distinguished Investigator, has discovered six different anti-prion proteins that have cured over 99% of yeast prions as they arise. “The hope,” he explains, “is that similar anti-prion systems in humans can be found and used to treat/prevent amyloid diseases in analogy with the way the immune systems are used against bacteria and viruses.” Wow! In his down time, he enjoys sailboat racing on the Chesapeake Bay with his wife Yang-ja Lee, studying math, physics, Japanese, and playing tennis.
Jack Loose (Huntsville, AL) keeps busy these days with yard and home maintenance, volunteering with a social group, exercise, golf, and following today’s politics!
In retirement, Rebecca Cook Corner (E. Lansing, MI) finds satisfaction with family, friends, her book club, and “fighting against loss of democracy.”
From Neil Schilke (Rochester Hills, MI): “Ro and I just (May 2025) returned from a fascinating trip to Japan. We had a perfect cruise planned with stops in 12 ports and shore excursions everywhere. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans, and bad weather delayed our departure from Tokyo Bay by 36 hours, which led to a couple of key cancellations. We visited the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery in Kobi, which is where Sake was first created in 1753. The early very labor-intensive processes are now fully automated in the original location, a remarkable technological evolution. Of the many temples we saw, the Chikurin-ji Temple in Kochi stands out. It’s connected to the huge Prefectural Makino Botanical Gardens that are overwhelmingly beautiful. We also made sobering visits to “Ground Zero” in Hiroshima and the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park including the Peace Park Statue, symbolizing a pledge to eternal peace. We learned many things about Japan, including the country is 80% mountains, there are 5 main islands but, overall, there are 14,125 islands and there are no trash cans in Tokyo because you are expected to put any refuse in your pocket, take it home and throw it out there. End result is that Japan is the cleanest place we have ever visited.”
Neil Schilke photos: Chikurin-ji Temple (Kochi); Hakutsuru Sake Brewery (Kobe); Nagasaki Peace Park and Peace Statue
Paul Schreiber (North Easton, MA) reports that in retirement he is busy with exercise, cannabis education and travel to Europe and the Caribbean.
After the death of her husband Chuck, Peggy Berquist Palmer moved to a Continuing Care Residence in Highlands Ranch, CO to be nearer to her two daughters. “I have a beautiful view of the front range of the Rocky Mountains!”
David (Buzz) Ruttenberg (Chicago, IL) is in contact with classmates Stu and Joan Weil Levin, Bob Goldberg, and Marilyn Goodstein Kushin.
Now retired, John Burns and his wife Helen have moved to a Continuing Care Residence in Adamstown, MD.
In honor of the 20th Annual Cornell Mid-Atlantic Club Crab Feast, Judith Shulman Weis, Professor Emerita at Rutgers University, presented a Zoom Webinar on June 17 entitled “Under the Shell – Crab Biology, Butter and Beyond.”
Judith Shulman Weis
According to Annie Abernathy, Curatorial Assistant at Johnson, “We’ve been using many of the gifts from the Class of 1962 Photography Fund in teaching this semester (spring/2025), including in classes such as Spanish Photography, Special Topics in Visual Representation (an architecture course requirement), and Dialogue Across Differences for Public Policy.” In terms of legacy, our photo collection is turning out to be most everything we could have hoped.
Take a moment, please, to send along news and updates (photos, too) of what’s happening with you and your family. And check out our class website for timelier information. Send your entries to: ❖ Judy Prenske Rich (email Judy) | Alumni Directory.