Class Notes

It is with great regret that we report the loss of Diane Hays Neuman. She had been in declining health and finally succumbed to lung cancer in March after a heroic eight-year battle. We send our sincere condolences to her husband, her sister, Lynne Hays, and to Sue Smith Goodrick, Diane’s college roommate who kept us in the loop.

Many of you may know that our own Bonnie Davis Hall was completely blindsided recently by a surprise diagnosis of breast cancer. She has completed a successful lumpectomy and has undergone chemo and radiation treatments to be sure all possibilities are covered. As usual her reports are upbeat and cheery.  Such a special spirit makes her much loved at any time and she has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of concern and love from friends, family, and classmates.

Jody Campbell Close said she blew it.  All that hoorah about attending our 55th reunion and exhorting you to attend, and she didn’t get to go after all. As she stood on the three-step utility stepladder to reach over her head and lift her suitcase down for the trip– you see where this is going? Yup, she fell. She had a neighbor take her to the emergency room to make sure nothing was broken and she was told she should not travel for a week. She is fine now—nothing serious—but she missed out meeting with Pat Voelker Donnell, who came all that way at her urging, and Anne Angel McMarlin and Joyce Larrick Casey, who came together. In a phone chat recently with Sue Smith Goodrich, with whom she shares memories of high school and college, Sue shared with Jody that she is still enjoying her beautiful home and gardens and traveling to exotic places. She added that her main excitement for the summer will be a Viking Riverboat cruise on the Elbe River. She is so looking forward to another river cruise. She said the big cruise ships have their advantages, but the smaller boats and fewer passengers have a lot going for them too.

Pat Voelker Donnell said that Reunion was great fun, the campus was still beautiful, and the events well organized. She got to be great friends with Anne Angel McMarlin and Joyce Larrick Casey, who were there, and they exchanged addresses and emails. She said the new buildings were well adapted to the overall image that Mary Washington has always maintained, with red brick and columns and perfect landscaping. It was her first visit to the campus in years, and it left her with a feeling of pride and love for the college she had chosen. Pat belongs to the Delphi Group ,which is a body of folks who come together to discuss current or historic events and study issues, philosophy, and policies, each taking a turn at presenting an essay on a subject or person of interest. She reports that she has become the new editor of the Delphian newsletter and will be facing her own publishing deadlines in 2016.

Anne Angel McMarlin said that she and her husband, Bob, had a great time at the 55th reunion. She said it is always a special occasion to share time with her friend and former UMW roommate, Joyce Larrick Casey, and Joyce’s husband, Jerry. They enjoyed spending time with Pat Donnell and making her acquaintance. She said the new construction and restorations to the old buildings make UMW a beautiful campus.

Syd Collson Chichester reported no recent adventures, summer or otherwise.  She is just hanging out, enjoying her home in Fredericksburg and her longtime friends, etc. She won’t likely return to Florida until mid-October or thereafter. Syd spends much of the year in Vero Beach, Florida, where she volunteers at an after school program helping elementary kids with homework. She also works at the Environmental Learning Center in nearby Wabasso, Florida. She can be found teaching and encouraging at the “Touch Tank” where she says most of her visitors are first- through third-graders whose intelligence and enthusiasm are inspiring. Syd says she has learned so much just imparting facts to the little ones. She said it keeps her old brain on task and active! The Environmental Learning Center is putting together a nature trip to, of all places, Cuba!  She is tempted to sign up if she can cajole one of her close friends or her daughter, the arborist/ horticulturist/ landscape designer, to join her. She wonders who would have ever thought she would be even contemplating a trip to CUBA! In May, Syd joined friends on a senior bus trip to New York City. They toured a variety of memorable stops, and attended a Broadway musical described with many superlatives. Syd was especially glad to have a few quiet private moments at the 9/11 memorial in Manhattan, which she found especially moving. In June she visited with Grace Hall Sullivan, who shared freshman and sophomore years with us at MWC, and other friends to celebrate her birthday.

Karen Larsen Nelson went to Las Vegas in February to finally celebrate the long-awaited marriage of one of her granddaughters, and their four-year-old twins were their only wedding attendants. In mid-April Karen drove to Florida in their little trailer for the college graduations of son Jim and his oldest daughter, Maggie, both from the same college and both with degrees in secondary education. They made stops at various national parks along the way and also had a brief visit and dinner with Jody. Their return trip to Arizona was through, but not in, most of the bad weather in Texas. They are now ensconced in their summer home until fall, enjoying beautiful weather and summer friends. She, too, wishes she could have been at the reunion, but with the graduation trip on May 1, she was unable to stay on the East Coast for the whole month.

To those of you without email, a special note from Jody and Karen: We keep in touch by email with almost everyone, but about a third of you don’t get our monthly notes or our special bulletins. We want to hear from you, too. If you have an email address please send it to us so we can add you to our mailing list. If not, please write us a note letting us know how you are doing. We aren’t looking for you to report on receiving the Pulitzer Prize, but of course if you do receive such an accolade, please let us know that, too. We are happy to hear everyday news— what you are up to, clubs, associations, and family news. We miss you!!!!

And, to all of you, please continue to send us your updates.