Class Notes

From Kim: A lot of us have hit the half-century mark or are preparing to. So far, I love my fifties, but it is hard to believe that we graduated from college so long ago. Ken and I are now in our 19th year with the computer business, and the yoga studio just celebrated its second anniversary. Time goes way too fast. In addition to my businesses and my yoga practice, I have now taken up hiking. We are fortunate enough to have the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge just north of where we live and I have been hiking most weekends since January. I have also started blogging on WordPress about my hiking experiences. Yoga and hiking are affording me new opportunities all the time, and I incorporate photography whenever I can. Life is busy and fun!

Jennifer Lee Parrish’s daughter graduated from high school earlier this year and is attending the Savannah College of Art and Design. In addition, Jennifer was elected in April to a three-year term on the Executive Council of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA). ADTA is a national defense lawyer organization with one attorney per community of 1 million people and she is the Fredericksburg member. The Executive Council is the governing board of the ADTA. Congratulations to both of them!

Jane Ellen Brennan Herrin is still self-employed, and her main client is photographer Joe McNally. She guides his social media across all his social channels and travels with him and the crew once or twice a year. At the end of the summer, she attended PhotoshopWorld in Las Vegas and had the opportunity to do hair, makeup, and styling for the Cirque de Soleil performers. She also assists Joe with his podcast, BTS with Bill and Joe. In addition, she has a group of smaller clients who come to her for personal and business branding, social media training, strategy, analytics, and media coaching.

Jane Ellen and her husband, Jim, still live in the same house they bought when they married in 1993. Anna Grace turned 10 in May and started middle school at the end of July, as she entered fifth grade (Putnam County goes year round). Jenna rules elementary school, as she is now in fourth grade. Anna Grace is in her second theatrical production as a workhouse orphan in Oliver at Cookeville Performing Arts Center. Both girls are looking forward to the Cookeville Children’s Theater version of The Wizard of Oz. Jane Ellen reports that both girls are hilarious, smart, and sarcastic, and she and Jim couldn’t be more thrilled about that combination.

Jane Ellen’s parents are alive and well in their early 90s, but Jim’s mother passed away earlier this year. In addition to the four human members of the household, the Herrins also have Gracie, a 13-year-old shepherd and Akita mix that they rescued from the local shelter; Max, a 15-ish blue heeler mix; Scout (named in reference to To Kill a Mockingbird), who is half English shepherd and part blue heeler and black lab, too; and three guinea pigs.

Julie Magness, like many MWC alumni, has celebrated the big 5-0 and survived. The celebration for the Pisces started last August with the trip back to Alaska, the land of her birth. Numerous other celebrations for the 50th continued for many months—hey, it’s a milestone birthday so you should celebrate for a long time—and now she feels like she’s at least 51! Alaska was awesome and everything she dreamed of so she’s saving pennies to go back. Julie and Kathy celebrated 14 years together in October (five of them legally married!!) and she is looking forward to 14-plus more.

Toni Moore Milbourne continues as editor of the Shepherdstown Chronicle in West Virginia. After nearly 20 years in the newspaper business, she is considering a potential run for local office in 2016. Her oldest daughter, Polly, graduated last May from Fairmont State University and will finish her master’s degree with FSU in December. Son Allen has moved from learning the trade of hardwood floor installation to commercial heating and air. Maggie recently started 11th grade and Samantha started 10th grade. After visiting Mary Washington’s campus in June, Samantha has hopes to continue in Toni’s footsteps and attend. An upcoming tour is in the works. Toni and husband Tom celebrated 25 years of marriage this year with a trip to the Connecticut shore.

Please keep sending updates, either to my email address or you can find me on Facebook under Kim Jones Isaac.