Tom,

I have of course been remiss in getting you items from the Left Coast, relying instead upon Forrest “Primeval” Hainline and Richard “Consul General” Pivnicka to do the bragging for our small contingent out  here.

But I thought this item should not be overlooked. I am a nominal co-producer with Ridley Scott and Tom Hanks and companies on the “Felt” movie, title yet undetermined, soon to start shooting, starring Liam Neeson and Diane Lane. That is not the item.

In various projects I have undertaken, the latest being further research for the script, I have reviewed many of the newspaper articles written back in the day. Of the thousands of  Watergate articles written (over three thousand by the Post alone) there were no more than ten that I would consider of seminal  importance.

Two of the most important articles were written by….Class of 1968 members, Pat Collins of the Washington Star and Tom Condon of the Hartford Courant. That is the item. I think a shout out to these guys would be in order. This is so even though they are neither from here or Chicago!

Hope you are well.

John

John D. O’Connor

JOHN ROCHE REMEMBERED

(From Ray Munchmeyer, May, 2016)

I was thrilled to see that Joe and Tom caught the oversight about John Roche’s death at the hockey game. John has been noted at all our Reunion Masses since our first in 1973, but he somehow was missed on this list . Thank you, Joe and Tom.

John was one of my best friends at Notre Dame , and it is somehow hard to believe that he has been gone for 47 years. John and I only knew each other for 5 years, as he was killed in Viet Nam one year after graduation. In those 5 years, we had many memorable times together , but one day remains etched in my mind more than others.

Our last St. Patrick’s Day was in March of 1968. Along with some other Sorinites , we managed to do what would later be called a “Pub Crawl ” through the streets of South Bend. We started in the late morning, and finished late that night at the Senior Bar.

It was a bittersweet day, as we remembered all the other good times we had together, but all knew that this wonderful time of our life was drawing to a close. We also knew that unpleasant times were not far ahead for the class of 68. Those of us in ROTC were acutely aware of this.

Sadly, some of us experienced the ultimate unpleasant time in the next few years.

Every St. Patrick’s Day since, my wife pours me a green beer, we toast John , and remember. I must confess that long before I finish that green beer, my eyes are moist, and I am choking back a few sobs. I get through it by thinking of Sorin Hall, the Senior Bar, and the good times.

John was a remarkable man, a great friend, and a blessed addition to my life, if only for five years.

His sister and brothers and I have stayed together over the last 47 years. Nancy lives in the same town as we do in Massachusetts, while Chris lives in New York City, where we have our other house. When we get together , we always remember John, and I thank you all for doing the same.

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

Another accomplishment from San Francisco, where Forrest and John O’Connor have established, apparently, a new Notre Dame writers colony:

During April, 2016, Forrest Hainline’s  poem “Holding Hands” was included in Joan Szymko’s composition “Shadow and Light,” performed at the University of Oregon April 8 and 10, 2016.  “Holding Hands” was originally published in the anthology, “Forgetting Home, Poems about Alzheimer’s” ed. Anna M. Evans.

Forrest A. Hainline III
Goodwin Procter LLP
Three Embarcadero Center
24th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111

fhainline@goodwinprocter.com
http://www.goodwinprocter.com

Bryan Dunigan, who was part of an annual reunion held by the baseball team, sent a photo and a note celebrating the hospitality of Gerry and Linda Goetz on February 20, 2016:

This is a photo of our baseball team mates taken at Jerry Goetz’s home course in Lutz, FL. on February 20^th in celebration of Jerry’s 70^th Birthday.  Included in the picture are our classmates Joe Kernan, Jerry Goetz, Tom Cuggino,  and me.   Also in the picture are Dick Licini, Tom Lux, Nick Scarpelli, and  Roy Martin.  The Gators were fed a lot of golf balls on this weekend.   Linda and Gerry Goetz are to be commended for their outstanding hospitality—and for putting up with all of us!!