Yale Divinity School

Notes from 2007

Ray Brewster ’52 B.D., an old, weary and worn-out octogenarian, still managed to stumble aboard a River Boat in July 2007 and cruise the rivers Danube, Main, and Rhein from Vienna to the village of Amersterdam. There he found a museum with a replica of the ear Van Gogh shaved off for a friend. The tour guide was unsure whether this was Vincent’s response to Mark Anthony’s speech in Julius Caesar.

Charles Brown ’52 B.D. after three months of retirement, accepted an assignment in December 2006 to serve as chaplain at St. James House, a residential nursing center in Baytown, TX, owned and operated by the Episcopal Diocese of TX. Since Bettye and he are very involved in aging issues, it seemed appropriate to take this additional journey to concentrate on pastoral care, teaching and celebrating weekly Eucharist. In short, they are again enjoying the opportunities of ministry. After 35 years in Ardmore, OK, where he served in mental health and aging care administration and development for the OK Diocese, they are now back in TX and close to Houston. They greatly enjoyed the 55th class reunion.

Robert Bunch ’52 M.Div. began chemotherapy on August 2, 2007 for multiple myeloma (a form of bone cancer).

Marshall Campbell ’52 S.T.M. was in Costa Rica in September 2007 on his 34th Elderhostel program.  Earlier Elderhostel travels have taken him to New Zealand, France, Italy, Russia, Canada and Mexico, as well as into National Parks in the United States.

Will Campbell ’52 B.D. received the prestigious William Sloan Coffin Award at the Alumni Awards Banquet held during the 2007 YDS Convocation in recognition of his ministry in the causes of justice, peace, and love.

Gerald Cooke ’52 B.D., ’58 Ph.D. continues as clerk of Lewisburg Friends Meeting (unprogrammed), joining in peace and non-violence and prison groups, and assisting in sons’ home care for former wife (Brigitte) in her struggle with losses brought on by dementia.  Gerry maintains a home, adding on a sun porch this summer to maximize access to winter sun. His own weakening of memory capacity reduces his attachment to Japanese and Chinese to enjoyment of calligraphy.  When he can no longer get to the golf course, he can call Hebrew and Sanskrit characters into service as well to grace his waking hours!

Dewitt Farabee ’52 B.D., ’64 S.T.M. sings with 25 other men for an Elderhostel at Stetson University in Deland, FL and other groups; teaches a Sunday School class; plays tennis at Beach Mountain, NC, and Brevard, NC; spends a week at Sanibel Island, FL with good  fishing and a week at George Island, FL; and life moves on at 81.

Warren Groff ’52 B.D., ’55 Ph.D. and his wife Ruth celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in Aug highlighted with a reception at the York Center Church in Lombard, IL, the congregation where they have been active members since 1960.

Paul Hammer ’52 B.D. was awarded the 2006 Metropolitan Faith in Action Award by the Greater Rochester, NY Community Council of Churches.

Henry V. Harman ’52 M.Div. and elder son Pete have not stopped after each completing traverse of entire 2,175 mile long Appalachian Trail (AT). They are now hiking the Tuscarora Trail in sections. That 250 mile long trail runs roughly parallel to the AT between Northern Virginia and Central Pennsylvania.

Canby Jones ’52 B.D., ’56, Ph.D. gave two endowed lectures at Union College, in Barbourville, KY last November. One was entitled “George Fox; the Man and His Message” the other “Lamb’s War.” He has recently written two articles for Wilmington Yearly Meeting’s Witness on “The Biblical Basis of Peacemaking.” In September 2007 he saw the dedication of the new Quaker Meetinghouse on the Wilmington College campus in Ohio as: The T. Canby Jones Meetinghouse, quite an honor. With dizziness problems he now gets around with a cane.  

Philip Krug ’52 M.Div. has seen lots of theater recently. He made two summer trips of three days each to Vermont.  In May, he took an eleven-day Greek-Turkey cruise, spending two nights each in Athens and Istanbul. A stomach bug, three-fourths through trip, was countered by ship's nurse in a rump shot although Phil said he was on coumadin.  The event ruined him for a month, but he has since recovered.  Their four children decided to visit in September - alone - to just be the six again.

Sam Langley ’52 B.D. died on July 14, 2007 in Columbia, MO, according to his son Stan. Sam was the beloved pastor there of First Christian Church from 1970-91. He had recently endowed at YDS the Sam and Ima Lou Scholarship Fund. During their YDS years Ima Lou served as Dean Liston Pope’s secretary.    

Bob Loughborough ’49 B.A., ’52 B.D. assigns 40% of the profit from his book, Love Without Walls, to Habitat for Humanity to help get the homeless off the streets.

Bill May ’52 B.D., ’62 Ph.D. finished teaching for the Department of Religious Studies at University of Virginia in the spring of 2007. He holds the Maguire Chair in American History and Ethics, Library of Congress, for the fall of 2007. In 2009 he will give the Stone Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary. This past spring he lectured at Harvard Law School on Professor Michael Sandel’s The Case Against Perfection and at Duke University on “Aging:  From Fate to Calling.”

Michael McGiffert ’52 B.D., ’58 Ph.D. is nearing completion of a long-in the-works book on puritan covenant theology, 24 chapters in draft and counting. His wife Genevieve died in March 2007. The last lines of her obituary were, “Genevieve loved light. She waited for the morning, and she died with her face to the rising sun.”

Donell Miller '52 M.Div. married to Marjorie 56 years, with seven surviving children, ten grandchildren, five great grandchildren, including Sarah, a fellow student of piano.  He spent 45 years as a part & full-time pastor, 23 as a professor, 39 as a therapist. He’s written 26 books including four novels. Currently, he is CA MFT, sings in the choir, and does Bibliodrama for University United Methodist Church. 

Roger Nicholson ’52 M.Div. wrote a book several years ago, Temporary Shepherds (Alban Institute, 1998), on the interim ministry for congregations in transition. The publisher for his 36 years (1958-94) teaching at YDS Club in CT and his present one in PA have both recently honored him with Paul Harris Fellowship awards ($1,000 each). These have been used by Rotary International for worldwide programs, such as, combating AIDS and polio.

Gaylord Noyce ’52 M.Div. was honored for his 36 years (1958-94) teaching at YDS by his classmates at their 55th Reunion celebrated during the 2007 YDS Convocation. He was lauded for his impact on the pastoral ministry through his teaching and his 12 books. 

Jack Peatling ’52 B.D. died on May 15, 2007, according to his daughter Jane. He was a cited authority on cognitive development and was the author of numerous articles and published several books in the field of Christian education. His two daughters made a generous contribution to the YDS ’52 Scholarship Fund in his memory.  

Ed Powers ’52 B.D. enjoyed an Elderhostel in Turkey in June 2007. He serves on the faculty of the New School – Milano, the New School for Management and Urban Policy, NY, NY and on the Faculty Senate.     

Hal Shorrock ’52 B.D. was honored in November 2006 at the 100th anniversary celebration of Seigakuin, Japan Boys Junior and Senior High School. He was the first newly appointed Disciples missionary to Japan after World War II. He was thanked by a group of the 1947-48 students for introducing them to American football. One of these boys became one of Japan’s best-known television and radio sports announcers.

Dick Stazesky ’52 B.D., ’53 S.T.M., ’54 M.A. in August 2007 renewed his appreciation for his Methodist heritage on a Wesleyan Heritage Tour in England in commemoration of the 300th anniversary of the birth of Charles Wesley. In May he participated in an Art and Spirituality Tour in Spain.

Bob Ziegler ’52 B.D. serves as volunteer coordinator for the 35 persons who present several Horizons Unlimited cognitive stimulation programs monthly in the health facilities at Cornwall Manor, a United Methodist retirement community.  His wife Harriet, when employed, wrote the scripts and created the program kits on more than 150 subjects. Bob and Harriett moved to Cornwall Manor, Cornwall, PA, in 2001.