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Alumni NotesAllen West ’48 emailed: I want toorder the copies each of “Anything butOrdinary” and “Fill the bathtub!” Howcan I do that? Are they still available?Editor’s Note: These books areavailable from lulu.com and Amazon.There isn’t much news of mygeneration. I did have lunch with Daveand Molly Crawford-Potter ’48 inAugust. They have moved from theirhome in Cambridge to a retirementhome, also in Cambridge. She is thesame effervescent person she hasalways been, although slowed down(like myself and everyone our agewhom I know). I am still enjoying thePot, and am delighted that we canget along without dues. I hope thatchange alone will contribute a lot tothe Malcolm Kerr ’49 Endowmentinitiative. He was a good friend ofmine, and remains a fine symbol forthe school.Richard Thomas ’66 visited ACS withhis son on Friday, November 9, 2018.He sent this email the next day toNivin Rawda Fac: Please thank Husseinfor a wonderful tour yesterday.He’s also running the half marathontomorrow. And a lot faster than we will!After ACS I went to Fordham Universityin New York, flew in Vietnam, andstayed in the Air Force for twentyyears. I attended Nursing School (mywife is a nurse) but went back to flyingafterward. The pay was so differentand I had three kids wanting to go tocollege! (I always feel like I have toapologize for not staying in nursing).I retired in 2011 as captain on theAirbus 320.I married a cute Irish American girlwho’s kept me out of jail or rehab andvery happy for 48 years. Our kids arefantastic. By far the best thing we’vedone with our lives.Family Secrets (excerpt)I’m happy ACS has become whatit is. My visit to Lebanon has beenwonderful, but I have a lot of anxietyabout its future. One bright spot isthat - of all the things Beirut is - it’sabsolutely full of schools and students.I take heart from that.By Nicholas BromellRichard Thomas ’66 and sonPhoto courtesy of Nivin Rawda FacNick Bromell ’68 reconnected withACS classmates at the class of ’6850th reunion in Seattle where he dida reading for the group. He emailed:It was indeed a pleasure to see you.I found the whole experience ofour reunion very moving and amstill processing it. And thank you somuch for your interest in “FamilySecrets.” You can imagine, I am sure,how thrilling it was for me to read itto my old classmates. The essay wasreprinted later in a collection of essaysabout childhood.“Scooter and Me,” which ACS readersmight find interesting can also beaccessed directly here: BPS3Mxo4Originally published in Harpers,is available here: https://umass.academia.edu/NickBromell/PapersIn The Teachings of Don Juan, CarlosCastaneda learns from his Yaquishaman that each person has his“spot” in the world, a place wherethe strength of the earth wells upand protects him from the demons ofthe psyche. But because of the workmy father used to do, I come fromnowhere and have no spot. Often I feelI’ve built my life atop an emptinessthat could implode at any moment. Itis, moreover, an emptiness held firmby silence, by the untellable oddityof my childhood. My wife, who rollsher eyes when my most mundanechildhood stories play out in placessuch as Baghdad, Piraeus, Petra, orShiraz doesn’t believe that I am awedby her childhood in a small Catholicparish on the south side of Chicago.She can’t understand that I envy herbecause she is a real American—because she experienced a childhoodother Americans recognize. We alltry to make sense of our lives byhaving stories to tell, and, like allnarratives, these stories are subjectto conventions. The chief of these, inthis country at least, is a prohibitionagainst the exotic. A Southernboyhood, or a prep-school boyhood,or an only-child boyhood mightbe interesting, but to be told, theymust be grounded in the ordinary.If the prep school is in Bogota, or ifthe father is a Rockefeller, the storybecomes unreal and untellable. And ifthe father is a spy—or, as he prefers tocall himself, an intelligence officer-thestory becomes untellable twice over.Page 4 The Diaspora Potrezebie December 2018

Alumni Notes ContinuedCarl Einarsson ’69 wrote: hoping tofind someone that was in my thirdgrade class at ACS in the 1959-1960school year when Dad taught physicsat AUB for one year. Contact Carl atfbuck3@sbcglobal.net.Dan Swenson ’69 emailed: I was goingthrough boxes of my parents’ thingsand found David Hills’ ’67 yearbook.Due to the start of the Six Day War,school at ACS ended early beforethe ’67 year books were distributed.Somehow David’s year book ended upwith my parents. I would like to send itto him.Polly Freeman-Lyman ’72 Thank youso much for this latest issue. I was justa little kindergartner at ACS and ourfamily was only in Beirut one year,school year 1959-60. But there werefive children in our family, and wemade some lifelong friends!In any case, I think that perhaps the“unknown” boy swimming with theothers in the April 1960 photo in theSeptember issue might be my latebrother John Freeman ’65.sameness - in Lebanon since I leftin 1977. From the outdoor ’chillax’space for High Schoolers atop the old’BD,’ the array of the campus belowembraced the familiar contours of thegym, the courtyard with its centraltree surrounded by benches (butwithout Mr. Gibson’s motorcycle!) andthe happy din of Elementary students.But behind this facade is an entirelynew school, replete with 3D printers,a Computer Lab, and other assortedelements common to modern, topflight international schools. Thestudent body has been completelytransformed, but their interest inlearning and their youthful enthusiasmare evident and familiar. Much haschanged since my generation attendedACS, but much remains the same.the alumni email list when you get achance. Thank you and I look forwardto receiving ACS emails in the future!ACS is in good hands, and I willcontinue to visit. My thanks to theschool staff who embraced a visit bythis ACS old-timer.Zelinda Makepeace-Douhan Facwrites: My father took this photoof our arrival at Boston Logan fromevacuation from Beirut in 1967.Note the evacuation “garb”. Thosewere the days when we dressed fortravel. Please send on to Art if youhave his email.Bayard Dodge ’73Photo courtesy of Nivin Rawda FacZelinda Makepeace Fac, Eleanor Pontes Fac, andArt Hebert FacHani Bashour ’03Photo courtesy of Nivin Rawda FacRamzi Kaiss ’13 visited ACS on October25, 2018.Bayard Dodge ’73 visited ACS onFriday, November 2, 2018.For the second time in as many years,I visited Lebanon, after a hiatus of 35years. My visit was a combination ofmeetings, excursions, and visits withfriends old and new. I spent a day inthe Beka’a with an NGO promotingeconomic sustainability for Syrianrefugees and poor Lebanese. I foundthe gravesite of Daniel Bliss, founderof AUB. I met an urban planner whohas promoted a heritage trail in rebuiltdowntown Beirut. And of course, Ivisited ACS.ACS is in some ways a reflection ofthe substantial changes - and theHani Bashour ’03 visited ACS onSeptember 10, 2018. Nivin RawdaFac contributed a note and photofrom him: It was great to meet youthe other day, and thank you againfor the tour of ACS. Please add me toArt Hebert Fac replied: Thank you somuch for reconnecting me with LindaMakepeace-Douhan whom I have notseen nor contacted since June 3, 1967.I have no recollection of that photo.Could you send me a copy please?Page 5 The Diaspora Potrezebie December 2018

In MemoriamGeorge Henry Miller, Jr., MD ’42 a resident of Livermore,passed away at age 90 on July 28, 2015. George attendedpublic schools in Iowa before studying at the AmericanCommunity School in Beirut, Lebanon. He graduated fromPhillips Exeter Academy in 1942 before proceeding toPrinceton University. George earned his doctor of medicinedegree from the University of Pennsylvania School ofMedicine in 1948 followed by his medical internship andresidency in Urology at the University of Chicago.George served his country as a member of the U.S. Navyserving briefly in WWII and re-enlisting in 1951. Aboard theU.S.S. Consolation hospital ship he was dispatched to Koreaand Japan for active duty and entered the Naval Reservein 1954. George taught at the University of Chicago andthe College of Medicine at the University of Florida andwas promoted to assistant dean and full professor in 1968.George later served as Chief of Staff at the VA Hospitalin Gainesville, Florida and then accepted the position ofChief of Staff at the VA Hospital in Togus, Maine, where heremained until his retirement.Although his sheep and horse farm kept him busy, Georgealso enjoyed photography, golf, reading, camping, cooking,and lathe woodworking.George is survived by his sons Baynard, George, and Duncanand daughter Sarah Ward; six grandchildren and sevengreat-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, hissister, Martha Miller Vance and his wife of 67 years, Sarah.Eli Robinsky ’42 passed away August 1, 2018. Reported byhis widow Marisha Robinsky.Harry Hubert Hall ’50 diedpeacefully with his family at his sideon October 4, 2018 in San Jose.Harry was born January 17, 1933 inSan Francisco, CA to Hubert Harryand Mary Isabella (Nicolls) Hall. Hemet his loving wife, Diane Roberta(Simpson) Hall when both servedon the camp staff at a Boy Scoutcamp. He grew up in Burlingame,attending Herbert HooverElementary School and BurlingameHigh School. He graduated fromthe American Community Schoolin Beirut, Lebanon (the familylived in Beirut for three years while his father was chiefengineer for the Tapline Oil project). Upon returning fromBeirut, he enrolled at Stanford University, earning his BA inInternational Relations in 1957. He later earned his teachingcredential and a masters in secondary education and begana 30-year role as an educator with the Campbell UnionHigh School District in CA. He started as a teacher and laterhe moved to district office positions as a supervisor anddirector. Harry served 30 years with the U.S. Army on bothactive duty and as a reservist until 1980.Harry maintained memberships in a great many fraternal,social, professional, and service associations including theMiddle East Institute and dedicated many years of service tohis community as a member of the Boy Scouts of America(75 years - Eagle Scout) and Girl Scouts of the USA (60years), Lions International (50 years), and the AmericanRed Cross (60 years).He spent his retirement years responding to dozens ofnatural (and man-made) disasters around the countryincluding: 9-11, Hurricane Katrina, Loma Prieta Earthquake,Lexington Wildfire, and two trips to Guam for typhoons. Hebelieved very strongly in community service.He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Diane; his childrenRoberta (Mark) Pitsenbarger and Howard (Corrine) Hall; hisfive grandchildren; and two great grandchildren. He waspredeceased by his parents and his brother, Stuart ’57. Fullobituary: eported by his daughter Roberta (Hall) Pitsenbarger.Pete O’Connell ’62 died on October 10, 2018. Survived byhis brother John ’63Reported by George Herrmann ’63: John and Pete were thesons of the Air Force attaché at the Embassy in Beirut, andthey lived up above the city. Through an arrangement withthe school, Pete drove a little Ford Falcon from home to ACSeach school day, parking the car behind Kamil’s shop next tothe school.I lost track of Pete when he went off to college, but got backin touch with him when the internet arrived; we have beencorresponding for the last 30 years. He lived in The Villagesin Florida, a community whose residents own golf carts thatare gussied up with Rolls-Royce and Ferrari grilles. Pete andhis wife Bonnie were avid tennis players and travelers.Page 6 The Diaspora Potrezebie December 2018

In Memoriam ContinuedJohn Freeman ’65 died in 1981. Reported by his sister PollyFreeman-Lyman ’72.Francis Bilbool ’68 After finishing his schooling at ACS,Francis left Beirut and went to Israel. He had been acceptedto Brandeis University and was going to go to go to theStates to complete his education after touring Israel aswe had cousins there. He fell in love with the country andapplied to Jerusalem University and was accepted. There hecompleted a BA in economics. After finishing his degree, hewent to Glasgow, Scotland and did a MA in economics.He then went back to Israel and by that time we had allmoved there. Francis worked in the family business at thetime as my mother established a cosmetic business makingcreams and shampoos based on the papaya fruit.institution in Mansfield and Richland County Jail. He wasan avid West Virginia University Mountaineers fan but hislove of the Mountaineers was exceeded only by his loveand appreciation for fine foods. He will be remembered as aman who was passionate about his interests and his work.In 1983 Karl married Mary Jane Duffey, who preceded himin death in 1997. Karl was also preceded in death by hisparents. Karl is survived by a sister, Laura Walker and abrother Frank ’70 of Melbourne, FL.Geoffrey David ’72 son of Lawrence and Martha Davidboth Faculty members from 1971-1976, died at age 64 onSeptember 10, 2018. He was born on August 7, 1954 and issurvived by his sister Dee David.Francis married and had two children, a boy and a girl. Inthe summer of 1992 he and his wife went to Holland onvacation and the night prior to their flight back to Israelhis wife realized that he had died in his sleep. It was a verytraumatic event for her and all of us. His children at the timewere three and four years of age. Francis was a very lovingand wonderful father and husband and dearly devoted tohis family.We still miss him greatly. From Norma Bilbool, Francis’ sister.The Jerusalem Post published a fascinating story aboutFrancis’ mother: “The Rose of Jericho”. Also known asthe papaya lady, Rose Bilbool died at the age of 102. ByAbraham Rabinovich dated April 5, 2012.Karl P. Hubeny ’71 age 60 passed away unexpectedly March18, 2014, at his home. He was born Nov. 16, 1953 in Hollis,NY to Karl and Shirley Hubeny.In his younger years, he moved with his family to whereverhis father’s engineering job took them. They even lived inBeirut, Lebanon, where he graduated from an AmericanCommunity High School. Hubeny attended West VirginiaUniversity, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in socialwork, graduating magna cum laude. He also got his master’sdegree in social work at West Virginia University, beforeattending the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland for three yearsto get his specialization in couples and family therapy.Patrick M. Gallagher ’76 of Fairfax, VA passed away onAugust 29, 2017. He is survived by his mother, Cecilia; threebrothers, Chuck ’74, Mike ’77, and Tom ’81; sister, Mary’85; his three sisters-in-law, nieces, and a nephew plus manyfriends. His father, Charles passed away in 2003.Karl worked 35 years as a clinical social worker andconsultant in several locations around Pennsylvania andOhio. Karl had worked as a counselor at a state correctionalPage 7 The Diaspora Potrezebie December 2018

In Memoriam ContinuedSummer in the City – MinneapolisFrank Ford Fac died in Australia in early October 2018.By Cathy Bruder ’77Jennifer Layther, from Arts South Australia, describedFord as “a luminary of South Australia’s arts and culturalsector for more than 50 years. As the founding Chair of theAdelaide Fringe, and the driving force behind the AdelaideCabaret Festival, as well as a leading light within many artsorganisations from the Adelaide Festival to Australian DanceTheatre (ADT) and Country Arts SA, Frank was not only adynamic and passionate advocate for the arts, he was partof the bedrock upon which South Australia’s ‘festival state’was built,” Layther said. “His loss will be deeply felt by theentire arts community.”Our belated SITC gathering of alums occurred Thursday, 20September 2018, at Bernadette Samanant-McCormick’s’77 home. Of the 25 total alumni listed for the entire stateof Minnesota, six attended with three regrets - so a decentresponse rate of 25% on a weeknight with torrential raincausing local flooding on the highways!He was for years head of the Department of Drama at theUniversity of Adelaide, having taken his masters in fine artsat Columbia University in New York, with further studiesat Harvard and Sydney University. In Adelaide he was theteacher, mentor, and guide to a generation of those involvedin all parts of the theatre and performing arts industry here.He was also active as a writer and director in Adelaide, andan honorary member of Actors Equity the theatre division ofthe Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance.Bernadette graciously hosted a dinner and invited all to telltheir “story” of Lebanon. Wael was amazed to learn that somany other ACSers lived nearby and we made him promiseto attend the next reunion in Salt Lake City. Our visiting classof ’77 guests rallied to support Melo Soghanalian-Hansen’77 in her efforts to chair the ACS reunion in 2019. Beckybrought wonderful baklava and Donna shared great storiesof her early years at ACS and gave me the name of herfavorite Lebanese restaurant in the Twin Cities. Margaret’sdaughter joined us later, bringing along two visitors fromSweden so we all had a lot to talk about. As I just movedto Minneapolis in March, I was happy to have a chance toconnect with old friends and learn about the area.He is survived by his long-time partner Sam Harvey. Source:adelaidenow.com.auFront Row: Donna Fakhreddine Fac, Becky SwensonHamoud ’70, Wael Awada ’15, out-of-state guest MeloSoghanalian-Hansen ’77, Bernadette Samanant-McCormick’77, out-of-state guest Karen Hajj ’77Back Row: out-of-state guest Leslie Parker-Nelson ’77, CathyBruder ’77, Margaret Samanant-Jones ’76Page 8 The Diaspora Potrezebie December 2018

Class of 1968 Celebrates their Fiftieth Reunion in SeattleBy Joy MartinForty members of the ACS class of1968 convened for our 50th reunionin Seattle October 5 - 7, along withfour faculty members from ourtime at ACS and some alums fromother classes, ’67, ’69, and ’70.Many people were attending an ACSreunion for the first time, and somecame from as far away as Europe.There is something particularlyintense about meeting as a class, asopposed to an all-school reunion.For the most part, except for a fewpeople who had left ACS some yearsbefore graduation, everyone kneweveryone, and those who didn’t knoweveryone, knew someone. We knewthe teachers, Bill Blakemore, BobFoster, Sarah Rich, and Art Hebert.Sometimes we had to squint a bit torecognize each other, but mostly wedidn’t have to squint at all! Becauseof knowing each other, howeverlong ago, we often felt like we werejust picking up from yesterday inour conversations. And many peoplewished they had longer than aweekend to talk!lead to the extinction of humanity.A dinner at Daniel’s Broiler on LakeUnion near the Center for WoodenBoats included group photos, camerasflashing everywhere, and continuedconversations and some standup talksby those who hadn’t had slides.On Sunday a group tentatively titled“The Enormity Project“, met with Billabout trying to solve global warmingin a year, with ACS minds meeting.Also Sunday some went sightseeingin Seattle and met over breakfastor lunch or dinner, creating newmemories as alumni began departingone by one.Talk is of another class reunionsoon .so class members whocould not attend .keep ideas andsuggestions coming. We have still somany wonderful photos from the pastat ACS and from the reunion comingin. The class of 1968 made a groupgift of 2055 to the Malcolm Kerr ’49Endowment in addition to individualgifts.You might want to check out an oldRadio Lebanon performance andinterview by ’68ers Peggy Atwood,Jan Harris, Dave Gonshor, and ChrisKhattar ’69 on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/yat5s8bw. Such beautifulsinging! Such beautiful memories!After a Friday night reception, a slideshow allowed those who wanted to,to say something about their lives, atACS or after. Many people felt it was amagical evening, and some were evenclose to tears, faculty included.Thanks to wonderful work by aprogram committee headed byDorinda Dorsey, on Saturday therewere discussions with faculty, andseveral talks presented on the MiddleEast by people who still go thereregularly. In a program ably andgracefully chaired by Ann McDonaldDold, Bill Blakemore talked about theclimate crisis and the necessity ofstopping temperatures which couldBack row: Rob Sivak, Bill McClelland Laziza, Blane Ryan Henley, Steve Patterson, Phil Davies ’67, MarkWilliams, Irene Saba-Marie, Jeff Chaffin, Tom Najemy, Don MaxwellMiddle row: Art Hebert Fac, Linda Handschin-Sheppard, Jim Richards, Ted Swedenburg, Ted Seto’69, Nick Bromell, Bill Blakemore Fac, Sarah Rich Fac, Geoff Braun, Jane Kilgore, Bob Foster, HilarySmith-Bowker, Marty Tune-Briggs, Jenell Howard McGee, Cheryl Hanna-Pereira, Sally Onnen-Duncan,Dorinda Dorsey (hidden), David Hamilton, Barbara Muller, Christine WynneFront row: Carolyn Bates-Bonner, Christine Littlejohn Wheeler, Catherine Graham-Kelly, AnnKirkendall-Stewart, Sherri Allen-Wright, Marcia Tabor-VanSkiver, Jane Christopherson, Joy Martinbehind Pam Shannon, Pam Wagner-Langfitt, Joanne Markarian-Kubler, Ann McDonald Dold, PeggyAtwood, Kim Henry, Neil Dale (hidden), Fred RogersPhoto courtesy of Spencer Chaney and Don Maxwell.Page 9 The Diaspora Potrezebie December 2018

Shipboard Romances: A Foreign Service Dependent StoryBy George Herrmann ‘63On leaving our assignment to India in 1959, my fatheragain booked us on steam ship

Mail checks to: Pat Hinds '56, Treasurer AA/ACS at 304 Calle Moreno, San Dimas, CA 91773. For donations of stock: DTC transfer: TD Ameritrade clearing # 0188 TD Ameritrade, INC, 1005 N. Ameritrade Place, Bellevue NE 68005, 800-669-3900 For credit to American Community School Account Number: 863-385-632