Class Notes
The 1950s and ’60s featured a Winter Weekend hosted by the junior class, which included all sorts of winter fun.
1952
Phil Brock wrote: “I spoke to Noel Siegel, and we talked about having a Phi Sig reunion sometime soon in NYC. I have been quite busy. I am still working, doing some part-time consulting work for two of my ex-competitors, one of whom used to work for me, and I find it very stimulating. I also play tennis three times a week, mostly doubles and sometimes singles. I’m lucky I can still run around. I’ve had a few replacements in recent years, a shoulder, two knees, and a hip. It’s amazing what can be done today.”
Posted 2020-07-10
I received an email from C.J. Nager about a class reunion that was planned for this October. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, plans for future events, including class reunions, have been postponed. C.J. also sent his own news: “This was a busy year for us. Selling our home in South Carolina, moving to Longboat Key, Fla., and recovering from open heart surgery ... we are the walking wounded!” Let’s all wish C.J. a great recovery.
Posted 2020-07-10
Engineering
On a personal note, I was honored to be selected as one of two alumni to receive the Albert Fox Demers Medal along with John S. Hamilton, Class of 1973, at the RAA Awards Dinner during the 2019 Reunion. Past recipients from the Great Class of 1952 were John Horton (in 1982), Al Krause (in 1987), Harvey Zeve (in 1989), and Robert J. Pavan (in 2017). I feel honored to join such elite company.
Posted 2020-05-18
Finally, on a somber note, we lost another classmate, Frederick E. Clark Jr., on June 21, 2019. Fred enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and, after completing his training as an aviation machinist’s mate third class, served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations. He was honorably discharged April 29, 1946. He then graduated from Hartford Veterans High School and, under the GI Bill, attended and graduated from RPI, with a BAE degree. He then worked at local engineering firms in Connecticut and then Jeter and Cook Architects before starting his own architectural firm. Ultimately, Fred was hired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serving as the Illinois State Architect for Farmers Home Administration in Champaign.
Posted 2020-05-18
John Winter also reminded me about our RPI days and said he uncovered a photo showing our classmate John Margenot, the president of the IFC (Interfraternity Council), awarding prizes to the queen and her court at the Interfraternity Ball, also called the Harvest Moon Ball. John Winter was the treasurer and recalled issuing a check to the Tommy Tucker Orchestra. They were one of the last to play on the college circuit. While at an EMPAC banquet two years ago, John was seated next to the current Grand Marshal. He had never heard of the IFC Ball. It went away with the “smokers” that the political parties ran to influence us naive freshmen. You can find more info about the balls at this site: https://archives.rpi.edu/exhibit-gallery/. Click on Student Traditions, then Dances.
Incidentally, John mentioned that he was impressed with the record that John Margenot has achieved as First Selectman “Mayor” of Greenwich, Conn. Look him up to get the full story.
John Winter told me he donated his ham radio equipment to a local club. It included a full Collins S-line. He and his wife, Marge, RSC ’55, are happy in their retirement home in Wichita, Kan. His son is now running his company, Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics. He is making lithium-ion batteries for business aircraft and has doubled the company’s size. Posted 2019-10-01
Incidentally, John mentioned that he was impressed with the record that John Margenot has achieved as First Selectman “Mayor” of Greenwich, Conn. Look him up to get the full story.
John Winter told me he donated his ham radio equipment to a local club. It included a full Collins S-line. He and his wife, Marge, RSC ’55, are happy in their retirement home in Wichita, Kan. His son is now running his company, Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics. He is making lithium-ion batteries for business aircraft and has doubled the company’s size. Posted 2019-10-01
John Drake read about the “First to Cross Atlantic Flight to Ireland” article in the Spring 2019 issue and requested a copy. He also mentioned that though he graduated with a B.S.E.E. and after consulting for 15 years, he taught aeronautical engineering at Purdue for 20 years. Now he is in a retirement home in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Posted 2019-10-01
Bud Hovey writes: My wife, Esther, and I celebrated our 62nd wedding anniversary on May 11, 2019, in Ogunquit, Maine.
Posted 2019-10-01
Engineering
In December 2017, Frank Wolz (BME) and his wife, Jean (née Mylner), celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary and Frank’s 90th birthday. Jean is a 1953 graduate of Russell Sage, where she majored in organic chemistry. Frank designed electrical and mechanical systems for commercial enterprises during his last dozen years of employment in the Orlando, Fla., area. They are now living in the Westminster Winter Park retirement community.
Posted 2019-03-10
Engineering
I received a most interesting article, which I will send to anyone interested as an email attachment, titled “Who was first to fly across Atlantic Ocean from America to Ireland?” It was prepared by a friend of Lewis Dewart (BAE), who resides in Nottingham Village, Northumberland, Pa. Lewis, who served as a 1st Lt. in the Air Force during the last two years of the Korean War, assembled the information about the early attempts to fly across the Atlantic in 1919 and provided it to his friend. Spoiler alert! One of four teams was successful.
Posted 2019-03-10
Harry (Bud) Hovey writes: Esther and I celebrated our 61st wedding anniversary by going to Shelburne, Vt., and visiting and touring the Shelburne Museum, the Vermont Teddy Bear Store and Factory, and the Shelburne Winery. Our anniversary dinner was at a quaint South Burlington restaurant called Pauline’s, where we had filet mignon and fiddleheads. (I think the chef gathered them himself.) On the way home on Mother’s Day, we stopped at Ben & Jerry’s and toured their factory. All told, it was a great weekend.
Posted 2018-10-10
Engineering
It is with deep regret that I have to inform you that Joseph Mansfield (B.Ch.E.), a longtime Morris County, N.J., resident, passed away on Feb. 16, 2018. He was 87 years old.
Joe grew up in Manhasset, N.Y. He graduated from Xavier High School in New York City, where he was a member of their highly decorated Rifle Squad. He was in officers’ training in ROTC and was the senior class president. He was a very active member of the Class of 1952, organizing and participating in RPI reunions until very recently.
He entered the U.S. Navy upon graduation and served as a junior officer aboard the destroyer USS Daly during the Korean War. After leaving active duty, Joe began his long and successful career as an investment banker, consultant, and venture capitalist. During this time, he obtained his MBA from New York University.
Joe married his beloved wife, Grace, in 1958 and moved to Morristown in 1963 with their growing family. They enjoyed a very active life together and traveled throughout the world until Grace’s death in 1991. His greatest joys were his family and his faith. Joe was a parishioner of the Church of Christ the King for over 50 years. He was an usher for more than 35 years at the Sunday mass, always wearing a vast assortment of what are fondly called “Joe’s fancy pants.” Those of you who attended our reunions may remember some of those pants.
As a very active grandfather, Grandpa Joe/Poppy attended countless birthdays, special occasions, sporting events, holidays, and graduations with great joy and enthusiasm, always cheering and sporting his colorful pants.
He is survived by his children, Robin O’Connell and her husband, Sean, Kristin Dunn and her husband, Chris, Joe Jr. and his wife, Susan, Kelly Brown and her husband, Allan, and Megan. He will be greatly missed by his 11 grandchildren.
While I sent Joe’s obituary by email to my mailing list, there are some Class of ’52 members who are either not on my list or who have new email addresses and did not get the obit. So, if you want to honor Joe, please feel free to make a donation to RPI in his memory. Posted 2018-10-10
Joe grew up in Manhasset, N.Y. He graduated from Xavier High School in New York City, where he was a member of their highly decorated Rifle Squad. He was in officers’ training in ROTC and was the senior class president. He was a very active member of the Class of 1952, organizing and participating in RPI reunions until very recently.
He entered the U.S. Navy upon graduation and served as a junior officer aboard the destroyer USS Daly during the Korean War. After leaving active duty, Joe began his long and successful career as an investment banker, consultant, and venture capitalist. During this time, he obtained his MBA from New York University.
Joe married his beloved wife, Grace, in 1958 and moved to Morristown in 1963 with their growing family. They enjoyed a very active life together and traveled throughout the world until Grace’s death in 1991. His greatest joys were his family and his faith. Joe was a parishioner of the Church of Christ the King for over 50 years. He was an usher for more than 35 years at the Sunday mass, always wearing a vast assortment of what are fondly called “Joe’s fancy pants.” Those of you who attended our reunions may remember some of those pants.
As a very active grandfather, Grandpa Joe/Poppy attended countless birthdays, special occasions, sporting events, holidays, and graduations with great joy and enthusiasm, always cheering and sporting his colorful pants.
He is survived by his children, Robin O’Connell and her husband, Sean, Kristin Dunn and her husband, Chris, Joe Jr. and his wife, Susan, Kelly Brown and her husband, Allan, and Megan. He will be greatly missed by his 11 grandchildren.
While I sent Joe’s obituary by email to my mailing list, there are some Class of ’52 members who are either not on my list or who have new email addresses and did not get the obit. So, if you want to honor Joe, please feel free to make a donation to RPI in his memory. Posted 2018-10-10
Harry "Bud" Hovey was pleased to celebrate his class' 65th Class Reunion on October 12-15, 2017 with a total of 15 of his classmates attending: Howland (Bud) Adams, Charles Ammann, Frederick Beyerlein, Reyman Branting, Alan Conners, John Crush, Harry (Bud) Hovey, Walter Johnson, Alfred Krause, William Lillis, Charles (C.J.) Nager, Arnold Silver, Paul Totta, Robert Sy, and John Winter, along with some wives and other guests.
Bill Lillis, who was co-captain of the lacrosse team, and Bud Adams, who was the equipment manager, sat at the same table and had a great time discussing their roles during RPI’s fantastic lacrosse years. During the dinner, John Crush gave a tribute to their deceased classmates, and later, they all had an opportunity to discuss briefly (some less briefly than others) what they got out of RPI. The highlight of the evening, however, was guest speaker Dr. Mary Simoni, dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS), who became an honorary member of the Great Class of 1952 when she donned one of their commemorative golf shirts! The event closed with all attendees singing Rensselaer's alma mater along with the a cappella group Duly Noted.
John Margenot, who was the elected vice president of the Class of ’52, phoned C.J. Nager after Reunion and said he has been serving as the mayor of Greenwich, Conn., for 10 years. Posted 2018-03-15
Bill Lillis, who was co-captain of the lacrosse team, and Bud Adams, who was the equipment manager, sat at the same table and had a great time discussing their roles during RPI’s fantastic lacrosse years. During the dinner, John Crush gave a tribute to their deceased classmates, and later, they all had an opportunity to discuss briefly (some less briefly than others) what they got out of RPI. The highlight of the evening, however, was guest speaker Dr. Mary Simoni, dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS), who became an honorary member of the Great Class of 1952 when she donned one of their commemorative golf shirts! The event closed with all attendees singing Rensselaer's alma mater along with the a cappella group Duly Noted.
John Margenot, who was the elected vice president of the Class of ’52, phoned C.J. Nager after Reunion and said he has been serving as the mayor of Greenwich, Conn., for 10 years. Posted 2018-03-15
