Class Notes

Phone call from Irene Piscopo Rodgers while visiting Kay Rowe Hayes during the weekend of the latest reunion. They planned to attend some of the activities. Both sounded great. Irene had a 17-day stay in Australia. Her next bucket list plan—a cruise from Florida to Copenhagen. Irene attended a committee meeting in April at UMW with scholarship students and learn about their research projects sponsored by Irene and Don. Kay decided not to run this year as chairwoman of the Fauquier County Republican Committee.

Lois Gaylord Allen announced the arrival of two new grandsons. Dominic was born on New Year’s Day and Carson was born in June. And a great grand-daughter is expected in December. All her kids now live close. Howard, her husband, is still in a mild stage of Parkinson’s. Gay is still volunteering a day a week at the humane society.

Mary Massey’s year was hard work settling Jack’s estate and completing several house projects. She and her dog, Gigi, are volunteers at a nearby nursing home and bring much delight to the residents. Mary is in her 27^th year at the Audubon Naturalist Society. She also keeps busy with her exercise classes, concerts, museums, and dinners with friends. She and Gigi also walk three to four miles each morning to keep healthy.

Charlotte Wohlnick Wiggs and Archie celebrated their 50 th wedding anniversary this past year as well as Archie’s 80 th birthday. They took a magnificent cruise to Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom including Scotland. Their son Alan received his engineering certification and their granddaughter Anna, Tracy’s daughter, continues her love of acting.

Gloria Winslow Borden wrote to update the last three years. 2015: Carolyn and Mike’s daughter, Kate, married in June in California. There were trips to Texas and Hawaii. 2016: Gloria lost her sister, Marilyn, in January. Beth and Don’s daughter, Amy, graduated from college in Texas. Caroline’s daughter, Jennifer, graduated from high school in California. Gloria took a trip to Montreal at Thanksgiving and a river cruise from Paris to Normandy with daughter Cynthia and Rob that Christmas. 2017: Kate and Neil’s son, Charles, was born in March. Beth’s Kristen graduated from college in Texas and Cliff’s Ashley graduated in Alabama. Gloria celebrated her 80 th birthday with her four children in June, receiving many postcards of memories from friends. Cynthia and Rob took her to a World Series ballgame in Houston, a bucket list checkoff. She stays busy with luncheons, coffees, community events, church, and more. Her decision to move to Houston to live with her daughter Cynthia is final. She will have her own quarters but will miss her 42 years in Virginia.

Barbara White Ellis is pleased with her successful knee replacement surgery in May. By August she had returned “to the saddle.”
Marcia Phipps Ireland wrote she and Gary made it to her roommate’s party in Annapolis after our mini-reunion. Kids and grandkids are all doing well. Son Kent’s daughter Larissa entered Boston University in 2017. They are living there now, traveling less and enjoying their house.

Alan, Celeste Shipman Kaufman’s husband, sent a lovely Christmas letter to continue Pug’s consistent news over many years. Alan wrote family and friends have been most helpful. And thanks to golf, following Smylie in his tournaments, his exercise program, business activities, he has stayed busy. He has appreciated all the calls and letters. Jeffrey, their son, and Pam are very proud of their celebrity golfer, Smylie (Pug and Alan’s grandson). Luckie, the next in line, is a CPA, lives in Birmingham, works for McGladney Inc. in their auditing department. Pug and Alan’s daughter Julie and husband John are pleased to announce their oldest son, Austin, has completed his Ph.D. at the University of Alabama in August. He is engaged to Elizabeth Lasiter. Julie and John’s daughter Frances married Matt. They produced the first great, Mills, born on Christmas Day. Matt is finishing his residency indentistry at the University of Birmingham. Frances teaches fifth grade. Julie and John’s Daughter, Sarah, is a sophomore at Lanford College and was planning an “honors college” trip to Italy for three weeks in January.

Barbara Gordon McNamee and Bob have been busy. Bob started the year with some medical emergencies but all is well now. He golfs twice a week, runs, and does much exercise in the gym. Barbara has traveled from one synchronized meet to the other this year in the USA plus Hungary and Chile. Plus she was a judge in the world championships. The competition was large and the weather was rainy and hot, but she saw friends from all over the world. Barbara and Bob gave each other surprise 80th birthday parties! Barb gave Bob a river cruise on the Danube and a visit to Budapest. Karen, their daughter, is now a grandmother.

Joan Whittemore Loock wrote Jim had an extremely successful knee replacement using the latest technology. Recovery was quick and painless. Joni has had during the year several eye procedures – cataract, cornea transplants, and vitreous. She’s hanging on. In July she visited with Mardi in Virginia and son Curt and wife Peggy. They twins Amanda and Sammy are 14. In the fall they took their annual trip to Wisconsin so Jim could see his daughters Sarah and Kristen and the grandchildren Logan, Mary, Hunter, Ashley, Emily. In October, hurricanes changed their 25 th anniversary plans so they are going this coming April on Jim’s birthday. They did have their two weeks in Playa del Carmen in Mexico. Jim continues to work at the pro shop at the golf course. Joni continues to volunteer in the emergency room at the local hospital.
Barbara Bardnt Miller bemoans the quick passing of years, but the routine of cutting and stacking wood, mowing, gardening, changing of seasons, and reveling in the beauty of the Genesse Valley from the rockers on her front porch. Her ponies, Rosie and Sweetie, enjoy being ridden across the land. Labor Day weekend she joined some UMWers at the Warrenton Horse Show. Barbara stays busy with the Genesse Valley Hunt Club, sings in the church choir. Wayne continues to volunteer for the There’s a Home hospice.

Jane Tucker Broadbooks and John had a very cold white Christmas. They continue to enjoy their apartment. They are about ten minutes from Jon Karl and Catherine and ten minutes from Catherine’s parents, which lends itself to many family gatherings. Jane wrote John continues his dialysis treatments each week and his support groups. Jane knits shawls for shut-ins. They continue their love of antiquing. Jon Karl is vice president for communications for Illinois Realtors. He travels a lot. Catherine teaches GED and English at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield. Tucker is a sophomore majoring in history at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. He is still in the marching band and planning to study abroad a semester in his junior year. Anna is a junior in high school. She plans to study nursing but has not made her college choice. She continues to play the piano. Virginia is a freshman in high school. Her interests are with design or architecture. She plays alto sax.

Frances Bourke Firth celebrated Christmas Day with 15 family members. Her youngest daughter, Kristen, was a little under the weather due to major surgery and bacterial pneumonia. All is well now. Bunky and John were leaving in January for a three-week tour of the east and west coasts of South America and a week in the American archipelago.

Eleanor Markham Old’s husband Arthur and their children are fine. Their grandson Tyler is a senior at Savannah College of Arts and Design. He plans to apply his computer skills to the computer gaming industry. Their grandson Parker is in California, starting his career in computer graphics in movies and commercials. Arthur and Martha traded their two cars for a 2017 Rav-4 hybrid. Arthur wrote it’s an old folks car. You can get in and out easily, turns on a dime, and safety features that keep you in the proper lane and give you a warning if you’re too close to others. His lament: How to turn on the radio and headlights. Way to go Arthur.

Sally Warwick Rayburn and Jim took over babysitting duties so their daughter Ginny and two of her three children could go on a ski trip to Utah. In February they celebrated their 60 th wedding anniversary. They celebrated with a ride on the EAA’s Ford Trimattor antique aircraft over Naples, Florida. They wrote it was delightful. On their annual trip to Hawaii, they took their son Steve and his wife Cindy. She is a geologist and was able to view Kilauea volcano up close and personal. As a climax to their trip Jim contracted pneumonia, had two heart attacks, a stent put in, a pacemaker ambulance and many medical indignities for most of the months of April, May, and June. He finally quit and is happy to say is doing well enough now, though Sally hasn’t forgotten those scary times. In August they took their RV to visit friends in Greensboro, stopping by North Carolina to visit son Richard and family. October finds them on a cruise with friends from Quebec to Fort Lauderdale. November is their RVing group trip to the Keys where they celebrated Thanksgiving. Richard and family joined them and it’s official Richard is the fastest turkey carver in the Rayburn family.

Julia Coates Littlefield and Mo went to the UK for a week in July. Julia is in the Grace Episcopal Church choir. They sang in the Welles Cathedral, a dream come true! Julia and Mo managed to tour other sites in England and Ireland. All is well with family. Beth and Mike still in Mechanicsville. Their son, Jack, has been promoted at his marketing firm and will be moving from Charlottesburg to the Denver office. Scott and Susan and grandchildren Chris and Mary Graham are returning to Lexington and living with Julia and Mo until all is settled.

Virginia and Lucas are still brokenhearted – so very unexpected for this to happen to dear Matt. Lucas is in third grade, growing very tall (3 inches in three months) and has discovered a new interest – the piano. I am thrilled and hope he continues.