Bench Strength

Also, see following notes, posts from John O’Connor, from Joe Hale and friends, from Ray Munchmeyer remembering John Roche, from Ron Kurtz reporting Pete Farrell’s retirement as woman’s track team coach at Princeton, and from Forrest Hainline about use of his poem in a new composition.  As time permits, additions to the regular Class Police Blotter section will appear.

Was the tepid response of some Congressmen to President Barack Obama’s U.S. Supreme Court nominee mere politics, or was it a keen disappointment that the President had overlooked the nation’s true wealth of legal expertise, the roster of lawyers who are members of the Class of 1968? Will history forgive the President for overlooking such as these: the experienced Magistrate Jeff Keyes; Forrest Hainline; a choice of Walshes, Matt and John; Jim Davis; a choice of Bradys, John and Bob; Bryan Dunigan; Bill Knapp; Walt Moxham; John O’Brien; Dan Lungren; savvy Thomas F. McKenna; Dennis O’Dea; Mike Minton; Ed Kickham; Tom Moore; John O’Connor (see the following post); Neil Rogers; Mike Burman; Dick Kelly; Tom Brislin; Tom Durkin; Tony Shaheen; Brian McTigue; Ed Farry, Jr.; Mike McGarry, Ralph Neas, Mike Heaton? Neither Pat Furey nor Dick Farina would need to relocate.  Is the U.S. Supreme Court so deep in rugby talent that it can do without the likes of Tom Condon, Mike Brennan and Tom Gibbs? So who’s not one?  Throw a dart at this 40th reunion party (Tom Weyer in Kansas at the time), hit a quality lawyer candidate for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Sure, a Harvard background is respectable; (Chris Murphy has one, and is also a lawyer, so there). Well and good. But who has made such Solomonic decisions as someone who’s had to allocate four Boston College tickets among five family members, or one St. Mary’s phone number among three roommates, and this in January in South Bend? Assembled as a class back when a squeeze of the shoulder and “Do your best” constituted test preparation, our lawyer classmates have long lived by their wiles in courts and other legal settings populated by those who think the law is not beautiful or sacred but functional. We’ve lived in triples and quad rooms so we understand prison conditions. And here’s the crusher: the class jurists have been able to show that Class President Tom Weyer was in Kansas at the times of the alleged events of reunions five through forty-five.

The President may not have known where to reach Jeff Keyes, who had gone with Meg from Edina, MN for a late winter respite at their Naples, FL home. Gathered with them one night were Will Dunfey and Joan, Bob Brady, and Dennis Reeder and Elise. Bob Brady was returned from Mideast travels. In the midst of all the reminiscing, Jeff may not have heard the phone.

Setting aside the relatively petty concerns of the U.S. Supreme Court on a fine May, 2016 afternoon in Charleston, SC, where Jim lives, Jim Davis and John Walsh ascended to settlement of all the world’s problems before turning their fine legal minds to another issue: whether to order another round.

John Roche‘s friends stepped forward quickly when the late January hockey game ceremony honoring Joe Kernan and classmates lost in Vietnam did not include John’s name along with the others: Mike McCormick, John Crikelair, and Bruce “Duke” Heskett.

Mike Kucmicz‘s September, 2015 death prompted memories from Roger Guerin about Mike’s strengths and fearlessness when they lived in Farley Hall. Please remember Mike in your prayers. Please remember, too, the mothers of John Walsh and Arch McCarthy, who died in February, and Tom Gibbs‘ sister Maggie Gibbs, who succumbed to cancer in April, 2016.

Mrs. Loretta Walsh’s sizable family gathered after her funeral at Butterfield Country Club, where a fine library displays a pristine copy of the Norton Anthology, donated by member Bob Ptak.

Walt Moxham, with no Supreme Court duties on his calendar, will come to the Michigan State game. He wrote: “I will bring some Niagara Beer to our class tailgate party. My boys and I are planning to be there. Will also bring some “real” Buffalo chicken wings for all. Tried to get Tom Brislin to join us, but he has a wedding. Tom and I did get together for the BC game at Fenway.”

Time grows short, everyone. Update your Facebook status and show that you are attending Class Reunion 50, the real gathering of champions.

Use www.ndclass1968.com for early viewing of class notes, messages, photos and for posting of your own notes. For length and maybe out of concern, the magazine staff occasionally trim; for example, the printed version never includes our Police Blotter section of the class notes. Contact Tom Figel, 1054 West North Shore, Apt. 3E, Chicago, IL 60626, tel. 312-223-9536, tfigel@reputecture.com