Michael David O’Rourke

FAVORITE MEMORIES OF WILLIAMS

I have hundreds of memories of my time at Williams. If favorite can be plural, all of them are. Fred Rudolph was a significant factor in my transition from a person going to school to a person who appreciated that scholarship, study, creativity, and insight are self-generated . . . not delivered by a professor . . . but revealed. I wrote Fred a note several years ago. He took the time to write me back and even said (pretended?) he remembered me. I’ve not forget him.

WILLIAMS CLUBS / ACTIVITIES

Theater, Committee on Undergraduate Life (CUL), Junior Advisor, class historian / graduation event, Gurgle

CURRENT INTERESTS, PASSIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS

We live in Tubac, Ariz., a tiny village (pop. 1400) 40 miles south of Tucson, near the Mexican border. Tubac is an artists’ community, grappling with how its future will be shaped. We’re involved in navigating the process of accommodating the inevitability of progress with preserving a village character and culture that, once bulldozed and franchised, will be lost forever. We also support the local Center for the Arts and a historic Spanish-era Presidio struggling to thrive. We can walk to 27 holes of resort golf, and play more than our scores and handicaps would indicate.

LIFE SINCE GRADUATION

Fifty years. It seems like just this side of forever when you’re 18 and traveling off to college. At least it was for me. But here it is. Fifty years of experiences, learning, wishes, dreams, and decisions since graduation.

The central figure in my story is Alyssa. Still. We married in 1971. Some of you sent us on our way that June 12th. We’re together after 50 years because we rather like being together. Alyssa survived being brought across the country to the Pacific Northwest, my misplaced obsession with career stuff, managing her successful real estate career, and cancer. She is still a remarkable person after 50 years. And while it’s not puppy love, it’s still love.

We have two incredible kids, Teka and Topher. Our greatest pride is that they have deep-keeled individuality and the moral compass to be successful human beings. Teka is raising two boys in Colorado, and Toph and Angela keep up with daughter Aggie in Queens, N.Y. We see our grandchildren not enough, and we deceive ourselves in thinking they don’t see us as old.

I characterize our last 50 years’ experiences as rewarding and our decisions as generally good. Our setbacks and missteps have been few, and in hindsight, minor and inconsequential. (Amazing how some matters seem “so important” at the time and so not important with the passage of a little time and the emergence of other “so important” matters.)

Our current world is filled with people who inspire us to live in the moment, savor the simple, and appreciate the routine. We golf with 86-year-olds and discuss cinema and books with a 92-year-old brain surgeon. Two siblings have seasonal homes in Tubac, and we still love the wonder of a good road trip, so friend and family visits are frequent.

We count several classmates as special friends even after 50 years.

For us, this is happiness.