Class Notes

Over the last 15 years, almost 100 classmates who were on my original mailing list are no longer there. Most of the deletions are a result of their retiring from their jobs and not sending me an updated email address. If you are not getting periodic emails from me requesting news, you are one of them! Please send me your correct email address and your news so that I can share it with our classmates. It seems the older we get, the more we want to check in on those who had such an impact on our lives. Life in Atlanta continues to be good! I love having my daughter and her family just 20 minutes away so that I can see her adorable boys (ages 6 and 4) frequently. My son and his family are in Pensacola for the next year and it’s so much easier (and cheaper) getting to them than when they were in Europe. I’m living in a wonderful small community where we get together weekly for wine, snacks, and conversation. We often over-indulge, but there’s no driving, so we’re extra happy.

Kathryn Burruss Stapleton writes that she and Dan are enjoying living in their log house on Bull Run Mountain near Manassas. Last spring they went with their church group to Turkey and Greece, then joined some other friends on a Danube River cruise, followed by a car trip through Transylvania.  They were out of the country for nearly five weeks but really enjoyed it and it seemed a good way to celebrate fifty-three years of marriage. They also visited her former MWC roommate, Irene Bouroudjian and her husband, Nishan in Raleigh, NC.

Susan Ford Irons is enjoying life in Yorba Linda, California. She and husband Jim are both retired, he is busy with golf and she still “dabbles” in teaching as a substitute at her former high school. They enjoy traveling – their last trip was to Alaska. They also are thrilled with their granddaughter, their first, born to their son and his wife in September. They live in Southern California, so they have the good fortune to see her and love her often.

Suzanne Mason Haff writes that their daughter and  two grandchildren, ages 4 years and 6 months stayed with them July and August. She said it was so much fun and, although it was exhausting, it brought such joy. Her daughter and her husband are both biologists and on the faculty of Australian National University. Suzanne was in Canberra in March for a month. Her cataract surgery was a great success and she finds the world look brighter! Their son and his girlfriend of 13 years moved from LA to NYC in September. She saw Mary New Gill Berryman (new husband), Cheryle Comstock Martin as well as Rochelle Liefer, Judy Hawley and several other MWC classmates at their Newport News 55th high school reunion in October . She is keeping up with others from MWC on Facebook. Her county, Orange County, NC, won the AARP national award  being an age friendly community. With many others, she has been involved in the planning process and is proud of the work the Department on Aging staff have done to make this such an easy and pleasant place to live for not just the young folks, but those in their 80s and 90s as well.

Agnes (Missy) Bush Shives from Salisbury, NC, and her sister, Hannah Bush (MW class of 1968) from Staunton, VA, visited Zion, Bryce, and Grand Canyons in September. The weather was perfect for hiking during the 7-day Road Scholar trip, which took place as the National Park Service is celebrating its 100^th anniversary.

Rebecca Tebbs Nunn was crowned Ms. Virginia Senior America in 2016 and competed in the Ms. Senior America Pageant in Atlantic City in October. She was happy that it was judged on talent, interview, evening gown, and philosophy of life and that there was no bathing suit competition. She has been traveling around the state representing the Commonwealth and senior ladies. She feels it’s an honor to speak for senior citizens and remind people that age is just a number.

Lynn Bard Jones lives about 4 miles from Becky and Kacky Hudson Fox is only 45 minutes from her.

Jackie Ward Fulcher, Janet Poland Stein, Mary Alyce Johnson Roberts and Donna Kakalec Jensen had a mini-reunion in 2000 at Becky’s home in Raleigh. She and her husband Spike have been married 52 years and moved to her hometown of Kilmarnock in 2006. She is now serving her third term on the town council and is Vice-Mayor.