This update comes via Dudley Kay:
Dudley,
Thank you for urging us to share Dartmouth memories and Dartmouth after-life. Though I majored in economics, I was unenthusiastic about pursuing it as a career. Rather, I followed my father and brother into medicine after a year tuning up my mediocre chemistry grades. I went to the U of Minnesota Medical School, interned at the U of Hawaii, specialized in orthopaedics at Mayo Clinic, and then a fellowship in hand surgery at the U of Colorado. Since then, I have practiced general orthopaedics with a subspecialty of hand surgery in an orthopaedic group located in my home town of Mankato, Minnesota.
My wife Jane, our three sons, and the practice of medicine lead me to the conclusion that I have been a lucky man. Life’s challenges have been surmountable and I am grateful. Many vivid memories of Dartmouth include Steve Meyers and Bay Wille at the basement bar in Phoenix mourning the untimely death of Otis Redding. Another memory of one of the “big weekends” included a 90 plus decibel band from Philadelphia. I can still see the music lover Bay Wille smiling and standing about two feet from one of the speakers while he was “boppin and sloppin.”
I am looking forward to reviewing the video tribute to Giff Foley mentioned in “The 69 Times.” Though I didn’t hang out with him, we knew each other and he was always very friendly. I remember a nice guy and definitely one of the more interesting characters on campus.
My plan is to retire at the end of 2018. Friends in my age group often look at me with a look that communicates “what’s wrong with you?’ when I tell them that I am still working. I admit, It can be quite a jolt to look in the mirror and see a senior citizen staring at me. I am thankful that I am still here to look at that shocking sight.
Mike Kearney
