Peg Board

ALUMNI
NOTES
homes and multifamily residential
complexes in Eagle County. Even as he
contemplates slowing down soon to join
his recently retired wife, Leslie, he imagines
that he’ll continue to do some design/
building work, while starting to travel more,
both on the road and in the air, to visit
locales in the U.S. and abroad. An avid
aviator, Steve flies volunteer missions for
the nonprofit group Light Hawk—which flies
over protected, open-space land parcels
to do aerial surveys—and spends time with
his grown children and grandkids.
Andy Wells is semi-retired after 40 years
in general medicine and emergency care.
“Going back to the way I began,” Andy
said, noting that he still sees patients and
can “take care of 90 percent of issues for a
flat fee. Just me call or stop in Tuesday or
Thursday.”
62
Edward “Ned” Groth III
nedgroth@cs.com
Denny Hopper and his wife, Joan, (below)
visited Darrow recently and met Jason
Bumbray ’17, who is the benefactor of a
scholarship funded by the Hoppers. Denny
is looking forward to his 55 th reunion in
June.
65
David Groth
dgroth1@aol.com
David Thompson Jr.
thompsondvd@gmail.com
David Groth (top of next column, right) and
Assistant Head of School Craig Westcott
recently shared a toast using the Darrow
School “Tree of Life” glasses, a gift David
received in recognition of his membership
in the Planned Giving Legacy Society
(see page 48). A resident of Silverthorne,
CO, he was excited to review a list of his
classmates and looks forward to being in
touch over the next few years in planning
for their 55 th reunion.
66
Patterson Sims
simspatterson@hotmail.com
Patterson Sims primarily lives in NYC, and
is spending more time on a former farm in
northeast Pennsylvania that he and his wife
own. He serves as a co-chair of the Board
of Independent Curators International,
managing director of the Saul Steinberg
Foundation, and is president of the Leon
Polk Smith Foundation, as well as a board
member or advisor and consultant for
several other visual artist foundations and
arts boards. In recent years he has curated
one-person exhibitions of the work of Willie
Cole, Richard Estes, Lavern Kelley, Joyce J.
Scott, and Betty Woodman. His wife, Katy
Homans, is an art book designer. Their two
daughters, who are in their early twenties,
are based in Southern California. He really
enjoyed his 50 th reunion and the chance
to see classmates and the Darrow campus
looking well and happy.
Peter Tillson writes, “After Darrow, I headed
off to the University of Pennsylvania, and
after an abbreviated stay, Uncle Sam gave
me the opportunity to visit Vietnam. After 18
months, a bronze star, and, most importantly,
survival, I returned to Penn and got a degree
in Chinese. Next stop was Martha’s Vineyard,
where for five years I ran two bars and a
restaurant. Lots of feverish recreation but
little chance for advancement. Got my first
‘big boy’ job at age 30 in the insurance
business (the only industry that would hire a
hippie, ex-bartender Chinese major). Stuck
with it and recently retired as senior V.P.
and CMO of Boston Mutual. Along the way I
married twice, the latest to the love of my life.
I’ve been graced with four splendid children.
Depending on the season and the usual
obligations, we divide our time between the
Boston area, Martha’s Vineyard, and Vero
Beach, FL. Still burning the candle at both
ends and trying to evade the Grim Reaper. So
far, so good. Have fun out there, dudes.”
68
Stephen Golding
golding@ohio.edu
Jonathan Ely and his wife, Caroline (above),
live in Spencer, MA. They are both retired,
have two kids, and grandkids. They were
both emphatic about how Darrow positively
impacted Jonathan’s life. Most of the trim
work on their house was done by Jonathan,
skills he said he learned in Hands-to-Work.
They are looking forward to attending the
50 th reunion in 2018.
The sisters of Peb Gilbert, Brooke and
Amanda (pictured above), visited their late
brother’s alma mater in October with their
spouses. They selected a spot in a Handsto-Work
orchard for an apple tree and a
pear tree to be planted in Peb’s memory,
along with a commemorative plaque.
DARROW SCHOOL 39