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McMullan, Robert

January 30, 2026 /

Robert McMullan moved from Dallas to Darien with his wife in 1999. From then until he retired in 2021, he was active in several Darien organizations, including Darien Y Guides and Princesses, Little League (assistant coach for three years), the Darien Foundation for Technology and Community. He was a longtime member of the YMCA and was a member of the Wingmen, an “old guy” rock band that played several times at Darien Summer Nights. After he retired, his wife and he began spending more time in Florida, but they missed Darien and bought a house in Rowayton in 2025 with a plan to spend more time up here.

Robert graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1980 and received an M.B.A. in 1984 from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He started his investment banking career at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette until it was acquired in 2000 and then moved to Credit Suisse. In 2007, he switched careers and joined Blackstone and through 2021, raised money for Blackstone’s private equity and related funds. After 10 months of retirement, he went to work at a new private equity firm in Miami in November 2022. Robert plans to re-retire in the next several months, and this time to make it stick.

Robert has three children: Mollie, 27, and fraternal twins Robert and William, 23. All of them attended Darien schools through middle school. Mollie attended Trinity Catholic High School in Stamford. Robert attended Darien High School, where he played baseball and basketball. William attended Canterbury School in New Milford, Conn., where he played tennis and water polo. Mollie now lives in Nashville, Robert lives in Phoenix, and William lives at home in Rowayton and commutes into Manhattan.

Biggart, Bob

January 28, 2026 /

Robert (Bob) Biggart has lived in Darien since moving here with his family here in 1955 when he was one. Bob graduated from Princeton University and received his law degree from Fordham Law School in 1979.

Bob was a lawyer for over 40 years. He started at Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft, a law firm in New York City, and then in 1984 joined the PepsiCo law department, where he worked for 30 years. In 2013, he became the general counsel of Fortune Brands (a home products company headquartered in Chicago with consumer brands including Moen, Master Lock and Therma-Tru Doors) and retired in 2021.

In 1979, Bob married his wife Lynn, who also grew up in Darien. They are the parents of five daughters, including two sets of twins, all of whom attended Darien public schools. Four of their daughters live near each other in the Chicago area and one daughter is in Seattle. Bob and Lynn also have five grandchildren.

Bob enjoys biking, skiing and playing chess.

Carley, Jack

January 28, 2026 /

John (Jack) Carley grew up in Stamford. He and his wife Maura have lived in Darien since 1985. They have a son and three daughters, all of whom attended Darien public schools, as well as six grandchildren.

Jack holds an undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross and a J.D. degree from the University of Chicago. He worked for 43 years at Con Edison, where he served as in-house counsel representing Con Edison and its affiliates before various state and federal regulatory agencies.

He has been a member of St. Thomas More Church since moving to Darien. His interests include reading, walking and following the fortunes of the New York Yankees and New York Giants.

Brewer, Jack

January 28, 2026 /

Jack Brewer moved to Rowayton eight years ago after having lived in North Stamford for 45 years. He graduated from Rutgers University, spent a year working at Bankers Trust Company, attended Columbia Business School and spent the next 55 years building Brewer Yacht Yard Group and finally co-founding Safe Harbors Marinas.

He has been married to his wife Peg for 63 years. They have three children: John, who owns two marinas in South Freeport, Me.; Bill, a real estate attorney in New York City; and Kelly, a homeowner in Rowayton.  Jack and Peg have seven grandchildren, five girls and seven boys, ranging in age from 25 to 14.

DeLuca, Frank

January 28, 2026 /

Frank DeLuca is originally from Greenwich and now lives in Rowayton with his wife Linda, to whom he has been married for 42 years. He attended Brunswick School in Greenwich and graduated from Skidmore College in 1976 with a degree in early childhood education and psychology. He went on to work in the field of international travel and tourism for a few years, before taking over ownership of his family’s pharmacy and medical supply business in Old Greenwich.

His relationship with Darien began when he met Linda, who was born and raised in town. You could say he was a part-time resident of Darien, spending time and holidays in town with Linda’s extended family. After marrying, Linda and he operated the family business together for over 25 years before retiring. Since then, Frank has done volunteer work with Greenwich and Stamford Hospitals, the Norwalk Family and Children’s Agency and several other organizations. In his ample spare time, he enjoys reading a good book and gardening in his little yard. He owns a 1966 Mustang convertible, and when he is not driving it around town just for fun, he can be found in his garage tinkering with it.

Lunch & Theater, Mar. 1, 2026

January 19, 2026 /

The Social Events Committee has arranged a lunch and theater outing on Sunday, March 1 in New Canaan.  Lunch will be at Lombardi’s (lombardisnc.com), in downtown New Canaan.  Following lunch, a short drive to Waveny Park and the Town Players of New Canaan (tpnc.org) theater to watch One Man, Two Guvnors a hilarious farce by Richard Bean, set in swinging 1960s Brighton, England. The play was a major hit, originating at the National Theatre in 2011and transferring to the West End and Broadway, nominated for seven Tony Awards.

The plan is to be seated at Lombardi’s by 11;45. The play will begin at 2:00. The cost for lunch and theater is $100 per person.  Guests are welcome.  Sign up during the Wednesday general meetings or email Ted Helms (thelms125@gmail.com) or Chuck Andreae (candreae1@gmail.com).

Dr. Olena Lennon
“How the War in Ukraine Could End”
Feb. 4, 2026

January 15, 2026 /

In three weeks, Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine will be at the four-year point since the beginning of the current invasion, or 12 years as measured from Russia’s Crimean seizure in 2014. The presentation by Dr. Olena Lennon will discuss the mounting questions on how to find a path to end the war.

Some observers believe that Russia’s war effort is based on a strategy of wearing down Ukraine through a brutal campaign of daily bombing and drone attacks against its citizens and energy infrastructure, a war of attrition designed to eventually overpower Ukraine’s military. Olena will update the presentation she gave to the DMA in January 2024, in the early phase of the war. She will take stock of the current battlefield situation, what’s at stake for Ukraine, Europe and the United States, and discuss the prospects for victory by either side or the path forward to peace.

She grew up in a Ukrainian city in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine that is approximately the combined size of Darien, Stamford and Norwalk and that has been under Russian control since 2014. She first came to the United States on a Fulbright fellowship in 2004. Upon completion of her master’s degree and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in educational leadership, international relations and statistics under the Fulbright auspices at the University of Nebraska in 2010, Olena moved back to her native eastern Ukraine. She then moved to Connecticut at the end of 2013, shortly before Russia invaded eastern Ukraine and annexed Crimea.

She is now a practitioner in residence of national security at the University of New Haven, where she teaches courses on the U.S. foreign and defense policy, international relations and comparative politics. Olena is widely recognized for her expertise on Ukraine, Eurasian geopolitics and election observation missions. She was also a scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. and has dedicated her research to domestic and international politics of Ukraine, as well as Eurasian politics and security.

Olena has been a regular participant in scholarly and media forums related to issues in Ukraine, facilitating informed and objective analyses of the ongoing war. She also serves as an election observer with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and has completed several election observations missions in the region. Her work has appeared in Foreign Affairs, The National Interest, Demokratizatsiya, Eurasian Geography and Economics, and other outlets.

She will provide a current, in-depth and insightful talk on the state of the war and Ukraine’s challenges and opportunities. Some observers argue that Ukraine has no option but to continue fighting, especially since Moscow has not abandoned its maximalist objective of subjugating the country. Anything short of a Ukrainian victory, they warn, could embolden Russia, increasing risks to NATO and the United States. Her concern is that Ukraine, as the victim of unprovoked Russian aggression, may be left without sufficient U.S. support at a critical moment, enabling Russia not only to defeat Ukraine and remain a long-term threat to Europe, but also to escape accountability for its war crimes, setting a dangerous precedent.

Video Presentation

Summary of Presentation by Dr. Olena Lennon on Feb. 4, 2026

Dr. Lennon began her presentation with the fact that Russia’s full-scale invasion is nearing its fourth year and that the broader conflict dates back to Crimea in 2014. As Ukrainian and Russian representatives are currently meeting amid increased Russian bombardment of Ukraine’s energy grid, she observed that negotiations often coincide with military pressure designed to weaken Ukraine’s bargaining position.

Dr. Lennon believes that while the fighting is in Ukraine, the war is larger than a bilateral conflict — Ukraine is the battlefield in a broader struggle involving Russia, the West and China. She said Russia controls about 20% of Ukraine but emphasized this has never been about territory alone; it is about identity, legacy, and imperial ambition, with Russia’s core objective being the elimination of an independent Ukraine. She described Russia’s attrition strategy as increasingly focused on civilians, as evidenced by systematic attacks on power, heat, water, drone swarms designed to exhaust air defenses protecting those resources, and “double tap” strikes on repair crews. Ukraine has adapted with decentralized, improvised air-defense teams, including civilians and disabled soldiers shooting drones from rooftops and windows, along with a rapidly expanding defense-tech sector.

Because Russia has paid heavy military costs while gaining little ground, it has intensified strikes on civilian infrastructure — power, heat, and water — to erode Ukrainian morale and force political concessions. Ukraine has adapted through national mobilization, innovative defense technology and widespread use of drones, creating a new form of “kill-zone” warfare dominated by unmanned systems.

Turning to deterrence, she warned that global nuclear arms constraints are eroding while China’s growing role complicates U.S. strategy. Further, the 15-year-old New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (“New START”), which is the only remaining nuclear treaty, expired on February 5, 2026.

Dr. Lennon stressed the West cannot change President Putin’s intent, only degrade his capabilities — especially by tightening enforcement against selling Russia dual-use components feeding its missile production. She added that measures such as constraining the Russian “shadow fleet” help but are insufficient while China and India keep buying discounted Russian oil.

Dr. Lennon expressed skepticism that peace talks would produce a lasting settlement, noting that neither side has achieved its core objectives and that both still believe victory is possible. She doubted a popular uprising in Russia would end the war and said that Europe, though economically far stronger than Russia, lacks unified command and political will. Concluding, she warned that while supporting Ukraine is costly for the West, a Russian victory would be far more dangerous and destabilizing, and that earlier Western indecision helped shape today’s prolonged conflict.

Lunch & Hockey, Mar. 21, 2026

January 8, 2026 /
The Dinner and Hockey social event originally scheduled for February 7 was cancelled due to inclement weather.
It has now been rescheduled as Lunch and Hockey for Saturday, March 21. We will begin with a family-style lunch at 12:00 noon at the famous Ralph ‘n’ Rich’s (www.ralphnrichs.com).  Lunch includes salad, two different entrees (chicken parm and salmon piccata), a pasta dish (meat sauce), coffee, tea or a soft drink and Italian cookies and pastries for dessert.  Wine, beer and other drinks may be charged separately.
Following lunch we will proceed to Total Mortgage Arena, a short 4-minute walk from the restaurant, for the AHL hockey game between the Bridgeport Islanders and the Hershey Bears (top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals). The game starts at 3:00 p.m. and usually ends around 5:30 p.m.
We will carpool for those interested.  Parking is free. The cost has been reduced to $67 per person. Checks should be made payable to “DMA”. You may sign up at the DMA meetings, or reserve by sending an email to: gehrwbrown@gmail.com.  Any questions? Please email or call Gehr (203-655-3713).

 

Bowling Jan. 6, 2026

January 6, 2026 /

We started the new year off with 11 bowlers and seven were at or above average. Pretty good!

We had three 500 series: Frank D had his 10th in a row at 523, highlighted by an opening game of 200. Tom had high series of 561, highlighted by a middle game of 205. And Mr. Music Man, Marty, had a 531, which was his third 500 series in a row (I suppose we’ll have to now take him a bit more seriously when he gives us bowling tips Emoji). At +63, it easily qualified Marty for BoD honors. Other plus series came from Bill at +12, Tom at +26, George G at +33, Ted at +37 and Ben at +43. Ed was just on his average. Spare of the day came from Bill, who converted a 5-7-9.
Let’s hope the plus scores continue next week.

Robert (Peter) Edwin Kenyon III

January 5, 2026 /

Robert Edwin Kenyon III, known as Peter, passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side on December 21, 2025.

Peter was born in Chicago on July 27, 1938, to Robert Edwin Kenyon, Jr., and Doris Bokum Kenyon. They moved to Old Greenwich when Peter was six years old. He graduated from Kent School in 1957 and Columbia University in 1962. Shortly after graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy in San Diego and served for two tours of duty on the destroyer Bausell (DD845), on which he saw action off the coast of Vietnam. After his active military service, Peter went on to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve for another 20 years.

Peter met the love of his life, Kathleen O’Neill, in San Diego. They moved to Darien in 1972, where Peter enjoyed a long, distinguished career as both a reinsurance underwriter and broker. He retired from Guy Carpenter & Co. in 2014.

Peter was most proud of his family, and nothing was more important to him than the time he spent with them. He shared his love of the water with them, spending many a beach vacation together in Nantucket over the years and taking his kids out early in the morning on fishing trips, where he painstakingly taught all of them how to cast and reel one in. Peter taught his kids and grandkids many of his own passions, including, but not limited to: sports and the importance of teamwork; traveling, both exploring new places and going back to favorites; all things food-related; anything related to the Navy; and the impact of volunteering and community service. Most important, both Peter and Kathy would drop everything to be there for their loved ones, and that had an everlasting impact on the family.

Upon moving to Darien, Peter became a devoted volunteer of many organizations. He served on the RTM for District II and was elected moderator of the RTM for six terms. He was a parishioner at Saint Luke’s Parish, serving on its vestry, being an usher and faithfully staffing the dessert table at community suppers. Peter coached his son’s Darien Youth Hockey team, served on the PTO at Tokeneke School, worked on Darien’s Environmental Protection Commission, raised funds for the Darien Old Timers Athletic Association, mentored candidates of the Navy SEAL Recruiting District Assistance Council and supported the Middlesex Genealogy Society.

Peter was blessed by the gift of life, having  received a heart transplant in early 2002. Both Peter and Kathy felt strongly about honoring his donor by giving back through volunteering at Yale New Haven and mentoring patients waiting for a transplant and those living with a left ventricular assist device.

Peter is survived by his wife of 59 years, Kathleen O’Neill Kenyon; his daughters Kelly (Dave) Wheeler, Michelle Kenyon (Frank Persico) and Robyn (Mark) Kammerer; his son Jonathan (Janine) Kenyon; his grandchildren Jack, Charlie and Ali Wheeler, Benjamin and Isadora Kammerer, and Jonty and Nicky Kenyon; his sister Pamela Force; and many nephews and nieces.

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