Class Notes

Mary Wash’s Class of ’69 is still “rocking and rolling.”

Most of us in this class are debating about going to our 50th high school reunion this year. Phyllis Newby Thompson had a blast at hers this past month in Southboston, Virginia, and she has a great photo on Facebook with herself and Carol Greenwood Trejo, Karen Dyer Kessler and Betsy Crews Nelson. They all attended Halifax County High School. You would never know they are grandmothers from looking at the photo!

My spouse of 36 years, Ann Benson, suggested that she and I kick off a Class of ’69 UMW scholarship based on need and merit, as I benefited so greatly from the scholarships I received while attending Mary Wash. So, we are kick starting it and I hope all of my ’69 classmates will participate, no matter how small or large, by 2016 so we can actually meet our first calls of ’69 scholarship recipients when we are at our 50th college reunion in 2019. Now that I am retired and have sold my company to 42 employees, Ann and I are doing folk music concerts again like we did 35 years ago in Dallas before we moved to California. We have a five piece band called “More Joy,” and we sing at least one protest song per concert. It is in our blood.

Regina Sneed is in San Francisco and is excited about the legacy scholarship. She attended the UMW alumni dinner for Northern California just recently. Regina is enjoying her retirement from her position as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Education.

Suzanne McCarthy Van Ness went on a two-week Mediterranean cruise with UMW roommate Barbara Macon Sacha and her husband, Tom, last fall. Suzanne and I have been actively involved with a much younger alum in getting the Northern California UMW chapter up and running.

Berry Wade Perry went on a pilgrimage to Guatemala sponsored by the Seekers Church in D.C. They built a library and communications center in a mountain village while staying in Antigua.

Lyn Gray Holmes and her husband, Jim, bravely and without hesitation returned to Liberia after the Ebola outbreak was on the decline. They only evacuated by orders from their employer and returned the minute the ban was lifted. Most of their incredible life’s work has been in Liberia, there to help make a positive difference for the lives they touch.

Anne Witham Kilpatrick and I will be attending our 50th high school reunion in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in October. Anne introduced me to the music of the Beatles just before they appeared on the Ed Sullivan show. We knew from first hearing the 78 rpm vinyl record of theirs—I Want to Hold Your Hand—that they were going to be a huge hit.

Anne and her UMW roommate, Jeanine Zavrel Fearns, met Suzie Bender Winterble and Toni Turner Bruseth in Austin, Texas, for their annual reunion. These four women have stayed in close contact for more than 45 years. They had a blast reliving old times.

Anne also went to her South Carolina State Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) conference in March. She happened to sit down next to another Mary Wash grad, Elba Pitsenbarger ’58. DAR discussions disappeared into lively remembrances about men on campus (male alert!), UVA boys, Seacobeck, etc. Elva managed to get her degree with post-WWII government grants by going to college in the summer and working during the winter. Elva is the State of South Carolina Media Historian. Anne reminds us there are always Mary Wash sisters around!

Bev Holt and her partner, Debbie Alpert, celebrated Bev’s mom’s 90th birthday party a few months ago. Her mother is called Willie and she is still beautiful.

Betty Adams’ report was very short: “Life is good.” That tells the whole story for a lot of us fortunate and educated women from the class of ’69!

Any more news? Feel free to contact me at irish@harrell-remodeling.com.