Class Notes

Corinne “Conni” Conley Stuart and husband Bonar of Toronto miss their lakeside vacation home but have everything they need in their condo, including a salt-water pool, exercise room, and yoga classes. Conni recently recorded additional dialogue for the Canadian film Old Stock, which was scheduled for release during September’s Toronto Film Festival. Other than occasional TV cameos, Conni felt that might be her swan song. She returned to live theatre, playing a 90-year-old woman in Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women – hardly typecasting for our energetic Conni! The summer issue of UMW Magazine featured a profile of her and her extensive acting career on page 37. Earlier in the year, Bonar was admitted to the hospital but contracted a bug during his stay and had to return twice. Still, Conni praises their national health plan; a personal care worker, nurse, and physical therapist visited Bonar daily. Conni was amused by an account of former roommate/ suitemate Norah Pitts Byrnes’ physician husband, who complained like the rest of us during his recent experience as a patient in Atlanta.

In Stockbridge, Mass., Primm Turner ffrench had surgery earlier this year and, over family protests, immediately left for her summer home in Ireland. Since husband John’s death, there have been several retrospective exhibits of his ceramics there, and Primm is involved in archiving his work. Betsy Thorne Bultman and husband Phelps made their annual springtime trek from their South Carolina home to their New Hampshire farm and their autumnal return. Conni ended her suite report by saying she can’t believe she and Bonar made the 750-mile trip back and forth to the Bultmans’ so many times “in our youth…like only three years ago!”

In Palestine, Texas, Katherine “Kate” Mayo Schmidt’s brother and sister-in-law visited from Hampden Sydney, Va. They were joined by her sister from Huntsville, Ala. Bill Jr. and wife Terri came from Albuquerque, N.M., for an Easter visit, and Kate anticipated spending Christmas at their home. After 70 years of contract bridge, Kate recently learned to play duplicate bridge and planned to participate in a July tournament.

Elizabeth “Betty” Fischer Gore of Fairfax, Va., still swims. She took a May trip with sister Mary, who spent a year at Mary Washington in 1947, before transferring. They visited Mary’s daughter in Holley, N.Y., and took a boat ride along the Erie Canal.

Frances Houston Layton attended her cousin’s May wedding in Fredericksburg during UMW’s Commencement Weekend. Perhaps you noticed pictures of the traditional procession, where several graduates wore mortarboards perched on the backs of their heads, one corner pointed skyward. Mrs. B. must be spinning!

Anna “Andi” Dulany Lyons and Marion “Wendy” Selfe Kelly had a May luncheon gabfest in Lynchburg, Va. Marion said Esther Reece McVeigh suffered a small stroke in April and, with daily therapy at Westminster Canterbury Health Care, was getting better. Marion said Westminster took good care of its residents during the power outages and oppressive heat. She and husband George made their annual trip to New York City, toured the newly revitalized American wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and visited the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. During their stay, granddaughter Katie came from Poughkeepsie to have dinner with the Kellys, who attended her Boston wedding last December. The newlyweds were to move to Australia for Katie’s husband’s job as an engineer with the world’s biggest mining company; they expected to be there for at least two years.

After the windstorms, Betty Bond Heller Nichols of Lexington, who was without power during triple-digit heat, traveled two hours to stay with daughter Cathy. After her near-death experience in January, B.B.’s doctors are happy with her progress. She looked forward to a repeat performance of last year’s successful four-piano Christmas sing-along.

On Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Judy Stone Johnstone and Bob put their Melfa farm on the market and moved into an Onancock retirement apartment. The first of their grandchildren married in June, another was to follow in October, and Judy and Bob hope for great-grandchildren soon. Frances “Blackie” Horn Nygood spent her gorgeous May birthday without water at her Delaware home but prepared to weed and trim. The spring weather there was odd – hot by day, freezing at night – and she was still using an electric blanket.

Because of extreme heat in Bristol, Lucy Vance Gilmer’s family postponed her July birthday celebration, and her friends rescheduled a cookout in her honor. One of Lucy’s Virginia Intermont College “daughters,” whom she and late husband Sherman mentored as church parents when the girls were students in 1967, visited earlier in the year. Another spent Memorial Day with Lucy, helping her place flowers in cemeteries in memory of family members. Lucy feels blessed to have good friends in Bristol. She visited her sister-in-law in a South Carolina assisted living home and is grateful she can still drive more than 300 miles in one day. Lucy received a birthday note from Barbara Trimm Wright of South Hill, Va., who’s active and healthy but was recovering after a stint in the ER. Barbara stays in touch with Alta Towe Fogelgren of Virginia Beach and Helen “Bebe” Lowe ‘48, who moved into a Delaware assisted living complex. Alta and her husband of more than 60 years winter in Florida and are widely traveled.

Dolores “Dee” Ross, a retired educator who maintains strong ties with our alma mater, faithfully attends the annual April luncheon for scholarship donors and Heritage Society members at the Jepson Alumni Executive Center, meeting and visiting with recipients. Erma Whitaker Bockoven and husband Fred also represented our class again this year. As Fabulous Forty-Niners, we’re proud of our six classmates who have endowed scholarships and are Heritage Society members. Four of our classmates who are no longer with us also were Heritage Society members, so our class has a total of 10 established endowments. We also have the Class of 1949 scholarship for designated donations. With no contributions made for the 2011- 2012 fiscal year, the total remains $49,837.88, with another award to be made to an incoming freshman next year.

An April information meeting in Irvington, Va., drew a good turnout of area alumni. Director of National Alumni Engagement Cynthia Snyder ’75, longtime director of alumni relations, is responsible for forming new alumni chapters in areas not already represented. She brought the group up to speed on changes since their days on Marye’s hilltop. Dee felt Cindy had a good response for the proposed new Northern Neck chapter. Before the meeting, Dee hosted a brunch for Mary Washington friends. She also hosted UMW President Richard V. Hurley and wife Rose when they were in Kilmarnock, Va., in May and called the Hurleys “a delightful couple.” Dee attended the Colonial Downs races, until excessive heat caused cancellations. When the storms struck Kilmarnock, her recently installed backup generator provided comfort for her and her four-legged companion, Joe. Dee planned a two-week trip to Europe in September for a river cruise to Amsterdam and a two-day stay at the Greenbrier in December with her bank group.

Our heartfelt thanks to those who responded to our plea for news. As ever, love to all of you from both of us.