Class Notes

Class Notes

1953W

Peter Ferguson writes: “I had the rare privilege of participating in a baptism of my great grandson this summer on Martha's Vineyard, where I have a cottage in the campground of 300 or more other cottages. My two other grandsons were baptized there 20-plus years ago!”

1956

Phillip L. Holt writes: “I am definitely planning to attend Reunion 2026. Whether I come alone or with some family will be their choice. I would have like to attend this year as well, but my writing has been consuming all of my spare time. I have two books in preparation. One is centered on my experiences growing up, and large portions drawn from my days at Wilbraham.

Seventy years must surely make such a transformation in an evolving educational institution as to render its earlier days hardly recognizable. Buildings mostly remain, renovated inside, maintained outside. But architecture isn’t the reason for the place. People come, stay, make a difference, move on, retire, depart. All leave their mark on the student/alumni body. None was as young as I when I arrived in 1954. So, no one is there now who was present then. That is what reunions are for.

Over the last three years, I have folded into one novel many of the nuances and people (many names changed) remembered from Wilbraham combined with some life lessons reluctantly learned.

Statistical response for purposes of the “normal” alumnus update:

·      Retired from Bath Iron Works after 12 years in configuration and change management in the DDG 51 USS Arleigh Burke Class Guided Missile Destroyer construction and life-cycle management programs.

·      Retired and moved on to The International Butler Academy in the Netherlands to train for a fifth career in personal service.

·      Now rusting elegantly in Maine and serving part time at the new Cancer Treatment Center at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston in customer service.

·      Six, no, seven children legal or adopted, 12 great and 14 great, great-grandchildren and a cat shared with my youngest son who lives with me.

·       No longer sailing, nor bicycling, nor diving, nor skiing; just reading and writing.

 

1959W

William A. Tychsen writes: “Splitting my time between Colorado and Estero, Florida. Enjoying pickle ball, biking and golf. Just cranked the big 85 and am very grateful for my family and companion Bonnie. Family, son and daughter are in Colorado, but we will all be in Florida for Christmas. Visited Dave Griffith ’59W and wife, Kaki, in Portland, Oregon, last summer. Will spend time with Dick Morgan ’59W in Florida early in 2026.”

 

1974

Robert Jenkins writes: “After graduating W&M, I joined the Marine Corps for four years. I did ‘Boot Camp’ at Parris Island and got orders to Twentynine Palms, California. After getting discharged from the Marine Corps, I attended Northeastern University in Boston. While at NU, I did a semester tour at Danish International Studies (DIS) in Copenhagen, Denmark. After graduating NU, I worked for Polaroid in Cambridge, AmEx, American Banknote Holographics, VCON and VTEL (both video conferencing companies). We were making a presentation to Lehman Brothers about a desktop IP video solution on 9-11. I was on the 39th floor of WTC-1 when the first plane hit. Many things happened over the next 10 years - I started a construction business in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and eventually moved to Beverly (Massachusetts) to renovate a beautiful 150-year-old Victorian on the water ... I moved to Carefree, Arizona, and own VETSBuilt Contracting and about to retire soon! Cheers!”

 

1980

John Banas III writes: “Ahlan to all my WMA friends! My wife, Margaret, and I toured Egypt in October. The Nile and its 10,000 years of civilization was truly stunning - a perfect match to the new friends we met there. My love of history began in 1977 at WMA, and I've carried that joy of learning my whole life. Sadly, I also have to share that my father, Dr. John S. Banas Jr. (Wibraham, Class of 1955), died in May at his Monaco home. He always considered his time at Wilbraham Academy as the pivotal point on his life’s path, a sentiment we shared. This year would have been his 70th reunion. He wanted me to pass along a final warm embrace to his Academy friends, along with his gratitude for a life that found its direction there.”

Nancy Law writes: “Sarah Riveira Toppe and I both graduated in 1980 and came to Cornell following. We had played on the girls basketball team when we only had I think eight players, because girls had been admitted to Wilbraham only a year before we started. In November, we got together when she and her family visited Ithaca. It was wonderful to catch up and to share about who we’re in touch with and remember some of our funniest memories at W&M. I thought you’d appreciate this photo of us from their Airbnb.”

 

1986

Dr. Mark A. Warburton writes: “This is Mark Warburton ('86) and former English Teacher at WMA. I've lived in Cleveland for 15 years now, and, in July 2025, Mike Zadig, my friend and former colleague at WMA, drove out from Boston to visit. We had the pleasure of meeting up with Peter Weeks (Class of 1999), who also now lives in the Cleveland area. It was amazing to catch up!” (Caption, from left: Peter Weeks ’99, Mark Warburton ’86 and Mike Zadig)

 

2012

Nicole C. (Robitaille) Castonguay writes: “My husband and I just welcomed our first baby boy, Marshall Anderson Castonguay, in August! We’ve lived in Portland, Maine, for 10 years where I work as a sales manager at PTC, and Andrew is a sergeant with the Portland Police Department.”

 

Ryan McLarney writes: “I got married on Oct. 18, 2025, to my wife, Rebecca Burt, at Wild Sugar Homestead in Newbury, Vermont. Rebecca's father has had a family genealogy performed and her family is one of the early residents of Wilbraham (late 1700s). The street next to the new restaurant (Pafumi’s) on the corner is named Burt Lane, which we assume is named for her family. Discovering this connection has been a meaningful way to link our present to a much deeper family legacy.”

 

2013

Claudia J. Woloshchuk writes: “I recently completed my doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) at Alliant International University, California School of Professional Psychology. I am working as a postdoctoral fellow in San Diego, California. I’m excited to continue to use my training to support individuals and communities in the field of mental health.”

 

2021

Nathan Gould writes: “I'm joining the Army's WCAP (World Class Athletes Program) and then the national team this spring in San Diego for 7s rugby. I'm pretty excited. I'm in Oklahoma right now doing field artillery BOLC (Basic Officers Leaders Course), which isn't too bad.”

Emma Feeley writes: “I recently graduated from Sacred Heart University with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I passed my licensure exam to become a registered nurse in July and have started my full-time position working at Baystate Medical Center on a medical-surgical telemetry unit. I look forward to the start of my nursing career and helping make a difference in my patients' lives!”