Kenyon College Alumni Magazine

Murray J. Smith, Gambier, thanks Thomas A. Lucas, Shari Krikorian and their son Nate “for hosting (and tolerating)” the above-mentioned mini-reunion. “Shout-out to Kevin J. Martin for being the lead organizer, and to Matt Mees’ wife, Elizabeth, for listening quite patiently to the old war stories.”

Richard A. Rubin, Mill Valley, California, remembers, “As editor of the Collegian my junior year, I crusaded to have the college eliminate the dreaded compulsory chapel requirement. Not only had it deprived generations of homework- or party-weary students hours of precious sleep on Sundays, it forced them to worship at places perhaps not of their own choosing, at odds with the fundamental values of a liberal arts education. Happily, the board of trustees agreed to its rescision. To my surprise, I received a very gracious and approving letter from the Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Ohio — who happened to be the chair of the Board of Trustees at the time!” Richard also recalled visiting Paul L. Newman ’49 in 2005 at his home, along with former president Georgia Nugent and fellow trustee David Horvitz. Richard’s friend Maurice Kanbar H’06, a San Francisco inventor/philanthropist, recently deceased, had just made a $1.25 million gift to the College — contingent upon Newman’s willingness to meet. “The meeting was a great success,” Richard recalls, “with Newman refusing assistance, preparing and serving lunch — Newman’s Own, of course. I will never forget his self-effacing response when I asked if we could have our photo taken: ‘Sure, but you realize a hundred of these is worth one Robert Redford.’”

Isobel C. Rosenberg was thrilled to attend so many Kenyon weddings, she reports, including Jacob Hegge’s in Greece, where she was proud to be one of the few Kenyon guests who weren’t on the swim team, and as maid of honor for Frances J. Alston in October. “My boyfriend and I adopted a puppy, a black spaniel mix named Lyra, who is perfect in every way. Lyra is settling in to her pampered life as the only child of two consultants very well.” Finally, once upon a time, during her front-desk shift at the KAC, Jane E. Simonton checked out a basketball one night to Nathaniel A. Epstein ’16. On July 8, 2023, Janie and Nate married. “Kerry M. Kennedy officiated,” Janie reports, “and her simultaneously light-hearted and emotionally resonant facilitation had the whole room laughing and crying in equal measure. Steven E. Schmidt and Will Spencer ’16 offered readings about love during the ceremony, and many other Kenyon friends celebrated with us into the night.”