Class Note / Up Close
Some Class Notes make us want to know more.
TweetSummer 2011
Lynn Kleinbaum Trager, Al Trager (center couple), Pat Kelly Fenton and Rich Fenton (right), all ’72; Evelyn Treister Packer ’73 and Bob Packer (left) — a rank outsider — toured Turkey; Rhodes, Mykanos and Katakolon in Greece; Rome, Italy; and Sevilla, Spain, in May 2010, celebrating the “big 60” achievement or impending achievement. Speaking for the group, we had a blast and wish our fellow 60-year-old friends and you young ones the best. –Richard Fenton ’72
These friendships started more than 40 years ago in Hughes Hall in Hinman College and include Linda Kelly Kempner ’73 and Steven Kempner ’74 (who couldn’t make the cruise). Lynn, Al, Pat and Rich moved into Hughes in 1968. Evelyn and Linda arrived in ’69, Steven in '70.
The four couples stayed in touch, visiting and vacationing together through the years. One of the highlights, Fenton says, was the Hooples reunion at the Tragers’ home in 2009. The Hooples, Fenton explains, was a University-sanctioned social club formed by some Hughes Hall freshmen in 1968–69. Besides playing sports, they formed a relationship with Social Services and Susquehanna Valley Home (SVH) in Binghamton, resulting in children being able to come to campus for good old-fashioned fun.
Female friends of the Hooples, including Pat, Lynn, Evelyn and Linda, began a similar program with girls from SVH.
After graduation Al and Rich became house parents at SVH, caring for 12 boys.
Fenton describes the secrets to successful travel: “We try to keep it light (here are Evelyn, Lynn and their knight in Rhodes) and let the location dictate planning. On the Greek cruise, we all came up with Greek names (Zeus, Medusa and others) by which we referred to each other for the week. Silly but fun!
“Evelyn, Pat and Linda are the planners and map out attractions, itineraries, hotels. Bob, Al and Steven are the food guys — determining where to eat, especially where to find gyros and gelato. Lynn and Rich are the wine stewards, making sure we have enough to drink. Steven may be the most patient doctor in the world, fielding questions from our aging group at every get-together.”