Charles Bernstein

I am so saddened to read of Peter's passing.  It represents a "lost opportunity" insofar as I, too, am situated on the Left Coast and had no inkling that he was in San Diego, which I visit from time to time.  I have many fond memories of Peter.  

He and I painted houses together for several years after high school.  He linked me up with a contractor the first year and we painted a house a week during the summer, splitting the revenue in thirds.  The next year, we were able to eliminate the middleman and did much better by splitting the revenue in two.  Thereafter, Peter pursued other interests and I continued on my own the following summer, making enough to support myself fully during a year living and going to school in France.

Prior to freshman year in our east coast colleges, Peter, Jack Kiefer, John Roche, and I went scuba diving in Rhode Island for a week, staying at the Migel family cottage on a beautiful bluff overlooking the ocean.  I found a plane that had crashed into the ocean and, in doing so, had an eel wrap itself completely around my body, which jolted me in the murky, one-foot-visibility water.  I had a good laugh, though, when I hoisted it into our rowboat and terrified the other three guys who were already out of the water.  We ate the eel as well as many clams that we found in the nearby inlet mud using our toes.

Peter was, as far as I know, the first person in our class to buy a motorcycle, a 500cc AJS, as I recall.  It required a kick start, which would launch you several feet in the air if the engine ignited half-way down the stroke.  I bought a BSA 250cc shortly thereafter, and it provided me several years of joy upon my summer returns from college.  I remember with great relish bypassing the long line of cars wending its way into the Ravinia Festival.  Not only was it a "chick magnet," John Baylor so admired the bike that he agreed to accept it in trade for two weeks for his 1960 (I believe) Corvette convertible.

Peter and I were riding our motorcycles through the woods in the Forest Preserve one day when I received a life lesson that I still do not fully understand, though it seemed meaningful then and still does today.  We had ridden down narrow trails for close to an hour, our legs torn by thorns and our endurance about to run out, when we reached the end of the trail at a lagoon.  We saw a person fishing on the other side of the lagoon.

"Hello," shouted Peter.  "Where are we?"

"You're on an island," replied the fisherman, his voice echoing through the lagoons.

We were surprised, but Peter continued.  "How do we get off the island?" he inquired.

"How did you get on the island?" the fisherman responded.

Eventually, we did find our way back, but I find the last line sounding in my head from time to time when I sense, as Bob Dylan said, that something is happening, Mr. Jones, but I don't know what it is.

Bob Keitel and I were sharing an apartment in New York's Chinatown when I last saw Peter in 1970. He was, I believe, a resident at the time at Presbyterian Hospital and living near Columbia University on the upper West Side.  He and Terry invited me to dinner.  I made a mistake and took the wrong subway uptown (the two cross half-way up) and ended up getting off at 116th Street in Harlem.  I then had to walk, in the dark, through Morningside Park, which was a haven for drug dealers and muggers.  I finally made it through the park, only to find that its magnificent wrought-iron gate was locked after dark.  Afraid to retrace my steps, I ended up scaling the fence in my business suit and arrived roughly on time.

I regret not maintaining my relationship with Peter.  I offer Terry and their family my condolences on the passing of a terrific guy.  I think of him often because he was an important part of my maturation.

     --Chuck Bernstein

Leslie Desmond

Yes, I too remember Pete fondly, but in an odd sort of way, unlike Chuck, who has real memories.  In our class of ~1200 (one of the all-time largest, I believe), it was impossible to know everyone, but I recall "knowing of" many more.  Pete fell into that category for me.  I recall a cute guy, tall and thin, probably from Winnetka, or some other toney suburb (I was from the more pedestrian Wilmette, or so I thought then).  The funny part of my recollection, however, which was only cleared up yesterday when I read Pete's obit, was that I thought he was Jeannie Magill's brother, cousin, or otherwise related--not ever having seen his name in print.

I remember Terry Sheehan, however, better.  She and I were in a home room together at Howard/Wilmette Junior High, although Terry also fell into my "know of" category.  I remember a tall, dark-haired girl, who seemed to have all the poise I lacked.  My sympathy goes out to you, Terry, and your lovely family, for your loss.

What struck me the most, however, when reading Chuck's beautifully-written and poignant comments, was how we recall best the people who played an important part of our maturation.  For me, two of those people were Betsy Cohen and Mindy Nix.  In a time when many of the females (then "girls") were far more timid than our male counterparts, Betsy and Mindy stood out as beacons.  For example, one hot summer day, Betsy and Mindy went to Riverview dressed in rented nun's costumes (which were heavy black wool), in order to gain free admission to the park and the rides, which was apparently a perk back then in Daley's fair city.  Ladies, wasn't your order "St. Agnes of the Lake?"  

Another instance of breaking the mold of expectations for females was when Betsy and I went to one of the NT dances--November in Nairobi.  (I doubt if we'd be allowed to use that nme for a dance today, but that 's another issue.)  I believe Betsy, being a junior class officer, was in charge of planning the dance.  When the evening approached, neither Betsy nor I had a date, and of course, back then a girl couldn't go to one of those functions without a date.  Betsy and I solved that problem by making an elephant costume, and attending together, incognito, under a grey sheet.   I vividly remember that afternoon in our basement--dying the sheet grey, making a paper maché head and trunk out of a laundry basket, and a tail iit out of wire, and painstakingly gluing red sequins all over it, just so we could attend the dance, which Betsy planned, without dates.

.Finally, my third example is of Mindy, seeming to be far more enlightened than I, pointing out a few of our senior minister's yearly sermons (we attended the Wilmette Methodist Church together.).   She tol me that he gave an anti-Catholic, an anti-alcohol, and (perhaps) an anti-Jew sermon each year.  I hadn't recalled any such discriminatory sermons--I was probably fooling around and not listening to any of the content .

speaking of  NT and motorcycles, my dad recently told me an interesting story.  (He was NT class of '40, my mom was Nt class of '41.  Mom is no longer with us, but Dad is, at 91, still with us.  We've been having lots of fun together this summer in Aspen.,). Anyway, he told me about one of his Kenilworth buddies who had a motorcycle at NT  and drove it around the Evanston Community Golf Course.  I asked him immediately if he had been out in jail--one of my husband''a teenage pranks was to hang out with a group of guys who drove some sort of vehicle--motorcycle or truck--over the greens of a private course in Cincinnati, which landed him in the pokey.). Anyway, Dad said "oh, no, he had a job riding around the course on his motorcycle, encouraging faster play, helping with problems, etc.  Apparently golf carts hadn'tyet  been invented in the late thirties.  

In retrospect, I realize just how rich an experience we had at NT.  The education was phenomenal, experience in sports extensive (even though it was only  "pre Title IX" GAA), and our classmates were distinctive, many going on to fascinating careers-Gene Siskel, Bob Stickgold, Mary Claire King, to name a few.

is anyone interested in a mini- reunion/bithhay party sometime in 2015?  Although it would only be or 52nd. We will be turning 70 next year.  As  on other classmate just said, "We're seeing these obits far too frequently yeses days, and perhaps we don't have time to wait.

i would suggest a 2015 birthday party in Aspen.  Memorial Day weekend is relatively reasonable--the weather can be iffy so airfare and lodging are cheap, compared to the rest of the season in Aspen.  If it sound interesting, e-mail me, Leslie Desmond, at paslrd@aol.com, and I can put something together.  I bed we'd get Debbie Stephens , Winnie Unger, Lil Eberhart, Betsy , Mindy, and all others who have ties to the mountains, and maybe more, who want to experience the Rockies with LR friends.

i 

Leslie Desmond

Hey, I'm sorry but something went goofy with my post, and it wouldn't let me proof the last portion--hence the errors.

 I wanted to mention that yesterday I had a private, one-person, three-minute memorial service for Bob Harper.  You may recall from our 50th that Bob was in a wheelchair.  Several years ago, he skiied into a tree on Ajax, and, unlike the Kennedy kid, lived through many operations and other medical problems.  Well, coincidentally, Bob recently bought a house in Snowmass, just up the road from us, of which I was unaware until Joel Nilsson came to visit Bob.  Anyway, yesterday, on my morning walk, I briefly honored him as I walked by.

I bet we'd get Joel, Donna Shodeen, Chuck, and others too numerous to remember and/or name, to come help us celebrate our 70th.  Don't forget--Leslie Desmond at paslrd@aol.com.  Memorial Day weekend, 2015.  BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!

Sue Giallombardo (Walker)

When I think of Pete I see his happy smiling face..He always seemed to be upbeat and energetic - I'm pretty sure he sang with Senior Boys Ensemble..He and Terry were one of 7 or 8 classmate couples who married.

Great idea, Leslie - I'll help spread the word...I've been going there since the late 1979's taking my kids for spring break skiing.   Add TJ Dunn and Pete Diltz , Barb Pritchard to the invite list..and see if Jack Kaufman is still there..Debbie may know. I'll be in touch. Love, SueG

Andie Bartholomay (Sheaffer)

Pete Migel certainly led a rich a full life.  So sad to hear of his passing.

Celebrating our 70th's sounds fun,  Great idea by Leslie Desmond!  Count me in and I'll bet Kandy Anderson O'Brien and Ellen Foley James will consider it too!

Karen (Kandy) Anderson (O'Brien)

Chuck what a wonderful post!  Thank you!

I am so sad to hear about Peter.  I am in San Diego and, like Chuck, had no idea he and Terry were here.  Yes, a missed opportunity...

Peter and I were both Northfield kids,so we shared same danoing school, summer camp, neighborhoods. He was cute and nice and smelled good at the dances!  I once had the happy experience of going to dinner with his family and him at the Buffalo Cafe in Chi. where we each "gamely" chose something exotic from the menu and shared bites of elk, bear, frogs legs, etc. A sweet family and a nice memory.

His obit was a revelation of accomplishments both professionally and personally.  It is so interesting to see the path he chose. 

I would like to add my condolences to you, Terry. I am very sorry.

Howard Klee

I was deeply sorry to hear of Pete's passing.  We were good friends at New Trier but lost track of each other when we went off to separate colleges.  We were both in AP chemistry together, and studied together on many occasions.  It is possible that a beer or two was involved in these sessions.  I remember working on some lab writeups together and talking aabout our future plans and interests.  Pete was interested in medicine then, while I thought I would be a chemist.  He obviously followed thrrough and was a great success with family and patients.  He had a ready smile, a good sense of humor and a strong desire to succeed.  He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Howard Klee

Sue Giallombardo (Walker)

I sent copies of your  comments to Pete's family and received this note:

My brother forwarded the notes you sent with the memories from my father's classmates. They were wonderful to read and very much appreciated.
Thank you.
Thea Migel
(Peter Migel's daughter)