Class Notes

Hi, Ladies.  Short column this time. You write, we print.

Judy Davidson Creasy and her husband spent a reminiscing vacation in the home they used to own in New Zealand, at invitation from the present owners.

Natalie Robins Lehmann-Haupt had a delightful visit in California with Elaine Freedman Horschman this Spring.

Sandy Poole:   For her 80th birthday,  her spouse, Barb, took her for a 5 day visit to Sandy’s home town, New Orleans,   They both had a wonderful time, especially Barb, who’d never been there.  And Barb, younger, and a recently ordained  Episcopal priest, has been appointed to serve in a church in Easton, MD, not too far away from their home.

Rose Bennett Gilbert sent us this response to her July birthday card:  “I spent a week on Nantucket with family and friends to celebrate. Aesthetics aside, age hath its rewards. I have more experiences and insights to write about, a growing collection of people I cherish, and a lengthening memory bank…in which a favorite deposit is MWC and the important times/friends that date from those halcyon days.”

From Karen:  We enjoyed summer at our resort in the high country with reasonable summer temperatures, and starry nights.  We are now back home and delighted to be active again in our unique church, which is embedded in an assisted living facility, with a full time pastor and several weekly activities. We are almost as old as some of the residents, can relate to them, and they appreciate our service to them.   The highlight of our week is the Memory Cottage service and how much joy it brings the residents and to us.

For those on our regular email correspondence, last winter we challenged you to send us your comments on the following question a friend asked me:  “Why do you want to stay in touch with old ladies you haven’t seen in 50 years, and will probably never see again?”  We had many responses, but the theme of all of them was a continuing fondness for the place and time we shared as young women in transition, and a continuing bond with the old friends and classmates who shared that special time in our lives. There was a theme of acknowledgement of the positive impact MW had on our lives.   MW molded and melded us into women with pride and respect for our college and each other and the fine arts—we had a real sisterhood. MW prepared us as no one could have imagined then: for roles of leadership, sending us out as the vanguard of an expanded role opening for women.  We were on the cusp of women having new value in the workplace and in society. We still  hear the echoes –“All hail dear Alma mater we sing our praise to you, high on Marye’s hilltop”…..you finish it.

Some thoughts from Jody:  I continue to enjoy the mental exercise of genealogical research which involves so much that MW taught us- history, political science, geography,  psychology, sociology, logic, and respect for heritage while the tech-advances we’ve seen since our salad days add to the fun.  One does get used to appreciating very tiny advances at a time however! For Christmas 2017 I gifted the children and grands with the first introductory chapter of our family story.  Am now working on surname-group chapters, so this Christmas they will get another chapter or two-I hope.  After 14 years of partnership, Karen and I still breathlessly and expectantly await news for our next monthly news flash.  We count on your notes and pictures to  spread the word, so that old friends are assured of your well being. We know you value those friendships you made so many years ago. And we know if you can manage it you will join us in Fbg in 2020 for our  60th anniversary.

Please send news to the designated class agent according to the first letter of your maiden name.

From Connie:

Jerri Barden Perkins, “I love Paris and traveling there as often as I can.  In May I was with the Harvard group to discover the world Thomas Jefferson encountered during the years he served as diplomat from the newly formed USA.  Although I worked there and visited for over 20 years, I always love leaning more on the history, architecture and culture.  For those of you familiar with the Wheel at Place de la Concorde, it was dismantled on our first day.  The Wheel was fun but the view sans it is spectacular!  Traveling to family wedding in June in Maine.  The bride, granddaughter, accompanied me to Paris and her sister will join me in Paris for the New Year.”

Clara Sue Durden Ashley wrote that she does not need to have more chemo for her recurring ovarian cancer, but is taking a daily hormone pill instead, with no ill effects on her daily life.  So far so good.  She continues to work at the quilt shop in McLean, VA.  She and Clarence have put their house in Great Falls, VA, up for sale, but don’t know where they will go when it sells!  Lots of stuff to sort through and their four sons are helping to take some of it.  Son Dennis and his family left for Guantanamo Bay Cuba on July 6th.  He works with the Navy as a civilian and they will be there 2-3 years.  His wife Maria is of Spanish heritage and speaks the language, but they don’t expect there will be much, if any, contact with the Cubans.  Son Andrew has started a new job working with a Norwegian company that manufactures and markets munitions.  He will remain in Arlington.  Son Park’s daughter Noelle, age 11, has been figure-skating in competitions for a few years and is very serious and conscientious.  She goes to the rink for two hours 3-4 times a week and concentrates on her skating the entire time.  Her teacher used to skate with the Ice Capades.

Carolyn Crum Pannu wrote “I am still teaching adults from all over the world and on June 15 we had our cherished International Day. We had a Parade of Nations, luscious food, and outstanding performances, even made the Chinese Internet News!  In a few weeks, I will visit Renee in L.A. we always have such fun—talking non-stop, dining, seeing movies and theater performances and generally having the best time ever.  Too, I will visit my daughter, Kara, who moved to Marina del Rey last September and is basking in the sunny days and variety of lots to see and do.

So glad to hear that Pat Scott Peck returned safely from her fabulous trip to Scotland.”

Madeleine “Maddie” Contis Marken

“I have had a wonderful year and my password these days is ‘grateful.’  I am still working as a social worker for Cape Cod Health Care and for a Visiting Nurse Company. I tell people I will give up working when I start to lose my way to the office.  I am continuing to run in road races.  I don’t win too many anymore….those young whipper snappers who are 75 are beating me in my age group.  It is still fun to be part of that group of people, however, because they are generally up-beat, healthy and young.

Fortunately, I am still traveling and hiking. This past Fall we hiked through Yosemite and Sequoia, magnificent.  My daughter, one of my running friends, and I just returned from a week’s hike down the coast of Galicia/Spain. The scenery was magnificent. The trails were on the high moors along the coast. We crisscrossed the Camino de Santiago on several of the days which you all know is the Pilgrimage hike, ending up at Cabo Finsterra where the Camino also ends. We do self-guided hikes. We are armed with maps and directions and only have to carry a day pack as our other suitcases are transported to the next night’s lodging.  On one of the days it was a very good idea that we learned to find our way with a compass. The trails through the moors all looked the same, beautiful but confusing.

Cathy Ledner Kuttner and I still get together at least once a year in Mystic, Connecticut, which is half way for each or us.  She looks wonderful and is busy with volunteer projects.

I had a laugh this past year.  I took a course at the local college on Jefferson and Washington. The professor was about our age and a UVA graduate.  We had a few chuckles reminiscing about our college years.  We both remember that the Honor System was a most remarkable part of our college experience.  I might mention that I still am in awe of the spirit of Mary Washington and its goat and devil traditions!”  (Maddie lives in Falmouth, MA)

I received a note from Ellen Gotwalt Willing with the sad news that her husband Bill died on June 16^th at age 95.  They were married for 30 years in May and she can look back at all the wonderful trips, etc. that they had together, and they “sure loved each other and that’s what it’s all about.”  Bill’s mind was so sharp but the body just got worse.  For those of us who attend reunions, Bill was one of the regular husbands, adding his charming personality to the enjoyment of our gatherings.  We will miss him.

CONDOLENCES

Ellen Gotwalt Willing ‘61, who lost her husband

My health and other news is good, so Andy and I have been busy: Lower Mississippi Riverboat cruise in March where we caught up briefly with Carole Grant LeMay and Ralph in Natchez; celebrated daughter Elaine’s 50^th birthday with family in the mountains near Boone, NC in July; did a kitchen upgrade; and made a few trips to Duke for routine check-ups.  Our big trip is coming up in Aug-Sept to Northern Spain & Portugal with OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel)!  I have asked Maddie for her input on the area and here are her comments: “I think you will love Portugal and Spain by the way.  I love Lisbon but it is fast becoming a tourist destination and many of the old neighborhoods by the water are being torn down for condos, etc.  I saw a huge difference between a year and a half ago and three years ago when I spent time there on my way to hiking in Madeira.  Porto was one of the favorite cities however.  It still looks like an old European city.”  Thanks, Maddie, and to all who wrote!  Love, Connie

From Renee:

Sandy Phillips Conklyn sent some news all right…OUCH…she fell, landed on her outstretched hands, thus needing carpal tunnel surgeries.  She still has numbness and poor grip, but says she is hoping for the best to get back to her workshop. Sandy’s oldest granddaughter graduated from law school and is studying for the Bar, (I remember that time well…three days of hell taking the exam!) and will start an internship in DC in September.  The older grand twins graduated from high school, Elly is headed to Temple and Ryan will go to VA Tech.  Sandy tearfully parted with her Tibetan Mastiff puppy due to her diminishing strength and the puppy’s increasing size and power.  But, she has a great new home with lots of love from her new pet parents, fenced in land and a swimming pool!

 Mary Hatcher has had a lot of rain recently [Wilmington, NC]; she is preparing to build an ark!  Weeds have loved the rain, so there is lots of work to do to kill them.  Meanwhile, Mary has traveled to Colonial Williamsburg, Newport, RI, Myrtle Beach, SC, Phoenix, AZ and Florida!  I guess next, she’ll the visit the other 45!

Sylvia McJilton Woodcock and Stuart enjoy being in good shape (at our age) and traveling to see their son, daughter-in-law and 22-month old grandson in Charleston.  At home, Sylvia is kept busy being President of the Residents’ Assoc. at Windsor Meade, Williamsburg, VA.  Stuart held that position three years ago, so she has a good source of information to draw on right in the house!

The UMW (for the purists among us, MWC) Foundation will hold a retreat in August.  Our Class of  ’61 will be well represented by Sylvia, Lynne Williams Neave, and Lloyd Tilton Backstrom.  You go, girls!!

Peggy Howard Hodgkins is feeling stronger now!  Very happy to hear that!  So she actually left Maine for a cousins’ reunion in Hilton Head.  Her last time there was 45 years ago…she said, “my how it has grown.”  Peggy also went to Georgia to see her sisters, brother and sister-in-law and their 89-year old aunt!  Peggy writes sadly that “Cancer is taking my dear brother-in-law, John, who is teaching the family about ‘grace'”.  Peggy sends love and wishes to everyone for good days and lots of joy.

My News: I’m beginning to have second thoughts about moving to the desert.  We had really awful humid and VERY HOT, triple digit, weather here recently.  My plan to rent something in L.A. in the dog days of summer has come upon information of staggeringly high rents in my area.  I dunno, maybe an Air BnB for a few months would be do-able.  Plus, L.A. has been my home since 1975 and I love my life here. What can I say: a quandary.  Classes at UCLA Extension continue.  In Sept., I’m going on a National Parks Tour. We’ll visit Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, Bryce and Zion, and Albuquerque.  I haven’t seen the first three places, so I’m looking forward to that.  I do have a friend in Albuquerque, so that’ll be nice, too.  My wonderful little “faux grandson” is now 9.  He is a terrific kid.  Won a Math Genius award at his school! Happily, I get to see him often.

It was wonderful to hear from the four of you.  Maybe you can nudge the rest of our classmates to get back to sending news to me?  I echo Peggy’s wishes to all of you for good health, good days, and joy.

____

Kay Slaughter wrote: “Sorry I didn’t contribute earlier. I had a horrible spring cold that I couldn’t shake.   X-rays kept finding nothing in lungs. But I suddenly had mobility problems until a friend in a gossip chain heard about it and asked if I was taking drug levaquin, which had paralyzed her adult son. Voila! That was it.  Eventually MDs determined I had ‘walking pneumI receivedonia’ and likely, mono.   I’m trying to write a Wash Post health piece about it — it was a strange and frightening period.  I’m fine now but not overworking and definitely smelling the roses.

We will commemorate Aug 12 in Charlottesville this year with a Community Sing In. And I’ll commemorate it also with rededication to the political process.  In October, I’m traveling to the Veneto area in Italy to see Palladian Architecture with the Center for Palladian Studies, a group for which I do some Newsletter editing and administering.  Daughter Margaret lives nearby and my son and his wife near Franklin in eastern VA, so I’m in C-ville for the duration.

Writing a little, reading A LOT.

Nancy Edwards Brockman lives in Cary, North Carolina, close to her two daughters and their families, and two grandchildren. She has always had a passion for music and has become a certified music practitioner for healing, specializing in therapeutic harp playing at the bedside, playing weekly at Transitions Life Care Hospice, Rex Hospital’s NICU, and ICU. She has been interviewed on TV and enjoys also the rich cultural life in Raleigh.

Beverley Sulpice Persell still lives in Alexandria and is so excited that Blaire Persell, her granddaughter from California, just graduated from UMW and plans to live in the D.C. area. She is the daughter of Bev and Bob’s late son Bobby who was an air marshal. Bev’s father is 97 and lives an active life in Florida.

Louise Couch Girvin and John are living in Kentucky and celebrating their 55^th anniversary and the graduation of their granddaughter Emily from University of Kentucky who has just been hired as the first alumna to teach in her original elementary school. Their daughter Joelyn, a junior at Eastern Kentucky University, has just been accepted in the occupational therapy school.

Kathleen Sprenkle Lisagor’s grandson Brett Burcher graduated from Stafford High School. It’s gorgeous and new, and the floor plan and athletic field have changed from the days when Kathleen several others from Mary Washington did student teaching in senior year. Brett is headed for the engineering school at Virginia Tech, bringing back special memories Kathleen shared with Barry there. This makes three generations; Brett’s dad also went to Virginia Tech.

Peggy Downs Gerber and John had quite an adventure on a Holy Land spring tour. The group met in Tel Aviv and traveled to Nazareth, stayed on the banks of the Sea of Galilee, the area of miracles where Jesus met the disciples Peter, James, and John. Then the group arrived in Jerusalem. On May 15, the new U.S. embassy was officially opened. This was the same time the Palestinians and Israelis were firing at each other in Gaza. Needless to say their families were worried, but they were safe in Jerusalem and landed back home with stories to tell.

Pat Mackey Taylor is enjoying her seven grandchildren, six of whom are girls. She raised six children, five of whom were boys, and had to wait till age 66 to become a grandmother. Now she calls herself a circuit rider, traveling between Virginia Beach and Northern Virginia to babysit. Spare time is spent as a docent at the Hampton History Museum and in classes at the Christopher Newport University LifeLong Learning Society. She planned a fall paddlewheel cruise on Oregon’s Snake River, following the Lewis and Clark route.

Myrtle Lee Dean France, Nancy Powell Sykes, and Kathleen Sprenkle Lisagor were invited to represent the Society of 1908 (all graduates of 50 years or more) and march in Commencement this past May. Unfortunately Kathleen was on crutches after a fall and had to watch remotely.

Nancy Powell Sykes is enjoying traveling again after two years of surgeries (joint replacements). She spent two weeks at Christmas with her daughter in San Diego. Now she eats out with friends and takes bus day trips.

Montgomery County Museum, where Sue Grandy Farrar is director again, sponsored a concert as part of the Mountains of Music events in southwest Virginia. Betsy Carper Cole and Sue attended the concert. Joan Akers Rothgeb had a week’s visit in Houston, Texas, with Mary Lott Haglund and husband David. While there Mary and Joan traveled to Bastrop to meet Lucy Ritter Todd for lunch. As a surprise Lucy had invited Janice Tucker Goebel ’76 to join them. Janice is retired and also lives in Bastrop. Janice and Lucy discovered several years ago that Janice knew Joan when she was growing up. Lucy has a studio in the wonderful modern Bastrop Art Gallery and paints there. At a Women of the Rotary lunch Mary and Joan met another Mary Washington alum, Pat Voelker Donnell ’60.

Maggie Walker McAllister arranged a lunch in late spring at a beautiful winery near Harrisonburg. Those able to attend were Maggie, Emily Lewis, Bettie Stewart Kienast, Georgianne Maloy Hull and Joan Akers Rothgeb. Emily stays in contact with Helen Alexion James, who lives in Virginia Beach.

Nancy Cheek Mitchell lives in Winchester and husband Robert continues to practice law there. They have been busy attending graduations of grandchildren. She and Joan were finally able to meet for lunch this spring. Their conection goes back to high school, when they met at a state student government conference.

We extend our hearts and sympathies to Kathy Clark Wray, who lost her husband last fall.  She was Nancy Powell Sykes’ roommate for three years until she left to marry her Marine. Her three sons are nearby in Stockton, California.

Our condolences to the family of Steva Jenna Kellenberger. Her son reports that she and her husband died recently. She enjoyed her friends and life at UMW and was a world traveler with her husband and dad who was in the military. Godspeed dear classmates for sharing your news even if you are downsizing and constantly learning in this technical world! Notes and calls are welcome too!

Beverley Sulpice Persell wrote, “My granddaughter Blaire Persell graduated from Mary Washington  this spring.  She lives in California so her mother and brother flew in for her graduation May 12th.  She will be living in Arlington , VA with a roommate who went to Mary Washington too.  She is presently looking for a job with the US government.  My husband Bob and I will help her furnish her new apartment.  Several cousins came from Richmond and her grandparents and uncle attended her graduation.”

Well reunion has come and gone but I certainly did hear from many of you, if only briefly to let me know you couldn’t make it.  Those present at reunion were Karen Gustafson, Linda Musselman Voight, Lola Bergman Siddall, Amanda Wichard Cebrowski, Peggy Baylor Sturt, Ann Wallace, Jewel West Norman and husband Jim Ledbetter, Peggy Barrett Hine, and husband Robert and Linkey Booth Green with husband David.  Unfortunately I was sick on Saturday so am not in the class picture and missed the Saturday events.  Friday night was wonderful!!!

Those who contacted me to let me know they couldn’t make it included Alex Riddleberger Fagan, Connie Waterman Lampert, Anne Rasmussen Lyles, Diane Lovewell Melton, Patsy Ballou Hindman, Kay Barrett Billisoly, Betsy Lydle Smith, Karen Vandevanter Morrison, Courtney Lawson Sjostrom, Mary A. Settle Johnson, Stella Tsourounis, Nancy Pida Remmers, Eunice-Ann Fisher Grove, Ann Reardon Crowley Rowe, Barbara Moore Wheeler, Carol Van Ness Clapp, Lois Smith, Mary Ellen Morris Chewning, Gay Wood Green, Barbara Yancey Williamson, Charlotte Hood Alexander, Mary Alice Christmas Richardson and Mary Kay Fortney Cook.  Many of these classmates had graduations, weddings, husband’s reunions, family illness or just plain distance that kept them away.  I do appreciate hearing from all of you and hope this won’t be the last time you contact me.

Barbara Bold Ducker wrote, “I, too, am sorry to miss the 55th reunion.  I still have fond memories of our special 50th…can’t believe it is already 5 years later.  Tom and I have had a busy few months.  After living at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Ga. for 8 lovely years, we decided to move into a retirement community near Lake Lanier, just north of Atlanta. We sold our house quickly, scaled down to a 1700 sq. ft. apartment at Lanier Village Estates here in Gainesville, Ga. and began to enjoy the experience of true independent retirement living. Over April 27 – 29 we did take some time away from moving and unpacking to attend Tom’s 55th UVA Medical School Reunion in Charlottesville. It is always fun to see the guys in his class who try to return every 5 years. But, also returning, were Mary Stuart Booth Ruhnke and Beth Lisle Turner who were in our 1963 MWC class. Their husbands, Ted Ruhnke and John Turner, are Tom’s classmates.”

From Arlene Drescher Wilson, “Can’t come but have a little news….back in Feb I took a break from painting and created the costumes for the performance “Visual Listening” at Vanderbilt’s Ingram Hall. The dance was conceived and executed by Jen Jen Lin and the Chinese Arts Alliance of Nashville.  This city is growing at 100 people each day so it’s well reflected in the arts community .  Went to Lynchburg VA to see 4 year old granddaughter and family for Mother’s Day, following a surprise appendectomy 3 weeks before! I’ll be seeing Julie Burch Southall soon as her son lives here in Nashville.”

Eileen Hildebrand Andrews and Ray enjoy life, both  playing golf and she plays bridge. They had 4 grandchildren’s graduations this spring.

Susan “Palmer” Walbridge Davies I am sorry I am unable to attend. I will miss seeing you all. I am going back to New Bern, NC, where I lived for 12 years prior to moving here to The Villages, FL. The son of “my second family” is graduating from High School at the top of his class as his sister did 2 years ago. This is a Bosnian family who escaped to New Bern (the Interfaith Ministries sponsors refugees) and I met them because I was a volunteer teaching English to several Bosnian and Burmese families. My friends arrived educated and their son was born in New Bern, daughter being 5 when they arrived. Vesna has a degree in Accounting so she is now the CFO of the Ministries. Stan is an Engineer but there are not many great opportunities for these qualifications in NB, He has worked at Hatteras Yachts in various capacities. A very special family and I try to visit as often as I can, also my son  (a retired pilot in the Marines) lives on the water in New Bern and I love staying and visiting with him.

In late summer, Karen Gustafson her husband and will fly to Italy for two months. In the north— Milan, Bergamo, Mantua, Verona and Venice—we’ll see old friends, opera, the Venice film festival and the architecture Biennale, traveling by train.  Then we’ll rent a car and do a mini grand tour, seeing Palladio’s villas around Padua and Vincenza, mosaics in Ravenna, lots of art in Florence, and eat our way through Bologna and Parma (home of Parmesan cheese and Prosciutto di Parma).   Throughout, we’ll do a mix of hotels and Air B&B apartments. I’ve been studying Italian on and off for 40+ years, and have visited and studied in Italy, but still speak like a toddler. I’m hoping this trip will help me break my language barrier.

Beverly Bird Miller wrote, “Sorry to miss the reunion!  Paul and I moved to the Village of Deaton Creek in Hoschton, GA  2 years ago and absolutely love our home and all the activities in this over 55 gated community!  (Paul says this is like living on a cruise ship only no oceans!)  Staying active in a variety of activities!  Our grandchildren are keeping us busy and we love living near them.  If any come to the Atlanta area come see us!”

Janice Coleman wrote , “MW has so many scattered events which i would love to attend; however, being out of state forces us to pick and choose. Since both of us have scholarships at MW and enjoy contact with our recipients, we feel drawn to attend the Scholarship Luncheon. When in Fredericksburg, we also enjoy inviting our recipients out to lunch, one at a time, to become better acquainted with each one. Hearing about their individual accomplishments and career goals has been encouraging about the future of MW and our country. As much as we would enjoy the reunions and other events, our focus should remain supporting the students.

I will take this opportunity to thank you again for your diligence in keeping the class of ’63 informed. Currently, I am working on starting a MWC alum chapter here in The Villages, Florida and may be sending an official notice of that to Class News.”

Linda Gulnac Steelman wrote, “We are planning on going to Bill’s 55th at Swarthmore…a family gathering of sorts since our two boys are also alums and will be there with their kids. Unfortunately it is the same weekend, otherwise we would have considered attending. Both Bill and I are stepping down from our professional lives. Bill has early stage Parkinsons and we want more freedom to visit family while we still can.

Diane Lovewell Melton wrote that Kitty Shannon, Lois Smith McDaniel, Bev Sangston and I discussed coming together, but then all of the other parts of our lives got in the way. I will be sorry to miss seeing you and the other nine of our classmates. Please tell us who actually attends. It may inspire us to plan farther ahead and to come next time.

And from Russell Hatcher Haggerty  “…will be at grandson’s graduation party this wk end and next wk in Md for gran daughter’s …that time of year..2 grans already in college ,2 more next fall and another one from 8th….life is good…keep in touch and sometimes see the following MW women..Nancy Gibbs, Sally Tarrant, Mary Saunders Latimer, Beth Lisle Turner, Lois Smith McDaniel, Beth Wharton Williams, Bev Kepner Puma, Linda Herrold Hansen, Cecelia Rice…feel blessed to have these women still in my life though I do not see them as often as I would like…John and I travel whenever we can”

Mary Saunders Latimer writes …”My daughter is getting married again this Saturday, otherwise I would have tried to get our crew together.  Our crew being Russell Hatcher Haggerty, Nancy Gibbs and  Beth Lisle Turner.  Sally Tarrant Bernert is in our group but has been in a nursing home in Richmond for years with Parkinson’s. So sad.

Lila Davis says she finally started the move back in to her house after 5 months of renovation.  She had a sprinkler pipe break in Jan causing a major flood of the house interior.  She will spend her  time for June and July unpacking, sorting and rearranging stuff

Susan Rutan Joehnk got together with Kathy Friedman Levinson when she and her husband were in Southern California in Feb. They met for breakfast and Kathy and Susan talked non stop for 3 hours. Susan says that, “…the Levinsons have a beautiful home in Connecticut and come west to see their two children and for some better weather.  It was such great fun to see her and all those 55 years since graduation immediately disappeared.  We probably could have easily talked another 3 days.  As Kathy said, we got to talk about our children, our lives, some ailments (!), and some friends.”   Susan says that all of her family of 3 sons, wives, and 6 grandchildren live within a mile of each other which is wonderful for us.

Betsy Lydle Smith wrote, “I have been a class agent for the Class of 1963 for the past five years.  I am no longer able to do that.  Please find another agent for the class of 1963.  I’ve enjoyed doing this and wish you all the best.”

I don’t think I have ever contributed to our class news since I graduated from Mary Washington College, but I have always enjoyed reading what my former classmates have written. Thankfully I saved my “Battlefield” yearbook from 1964 and can refresh my memory as to who you are! I have no excuse now, so I volunteered to be our class agent, having retired in 2007 from my first career of eighteen years in public education (teacher, principal, assistant superintendent) and my final twenty-six years as the CEO of a start-up health foundation, created in 1985 through the sale of a large New Hampshire hospital. My two children are grown and traveling the world, while my second husband and I happily reside in rural Wolfeboro, NH. We first dated my freshman year (he was at UVA), but we went our separate ways. Forty-five years later we reconnected – but that is another story.

I would love to hear from more of you, not just about what you have accomplished, but add what you are doing today, and perhaps memorable moments from your years at MWC.  I still smile at the vision of Suzanne Meyers, a friend from the class of 1965, rushing soaking wet from her prior swimming class into Dr. Van Sant’s philosophy class, late on a regular basis, totally disrupting the class with some far-fetched tale of why she was late. Dr. Van Sant always allowed the interruption with a smile. Or the Halloween night my roommate Ann Carney and I dressed up in Raggedy Ann and Andy costumes and knocked on Dr. Mitchell’s (English Professor) front door for trick or treat and scared him to death, he obviously expecting only little kids.! I’m sure you all have some serious or crazy, fun memories to share! I would so love to hear from you – WRITE!

Carole Whitehead Bolt Hylton wrote, “I was Carole Whitehead in 1964 when I graduated from MWC. Van Newman was my roommate all four years. After graduation I married Paul Bolt who I met at a MWC mixer in 1962. Paul was an engineer who designed warheads  for the navy at the Dahlgren Navy base. We had two sons and resided in Fredericksburg where I worked at Fredericksburg Christian School for 26 years,
first as a teacher and then as elementary principal. We spent many years traveling all over the country in our travel trailer visiting many beautiful national parks with our two sons.  We took a cruise to Alaska which we both enjoyed immensely. My husband died of Alzheimer’s which was a very difficult journey. I then moved to Waynesboro, Virginia to be near my son, his wife and two grandchildren. I started attending Wayne Hills Baptist Church and in Sunday School class I met a gentleman who had also lost his mate to Alzheimer’s.  We began dating and then married in 2010. We enjoy each other’s grandchildren, our church activities, and traveling.”

Summer in Atlanta was hot as usual! I escaped the heat in July to take a two-week river cruise around the British Isles. Although I won’t see any of our classmates, I’m traveling with a bunch of VMI ’64 grads, so if any have stories to tell about our classmates, I’ll share them in the next Alumni magazine!

Tennis is still my number one hobby, playing on three teams keeps me out of trouble and sort of in shape. My daughter’s family (she has two boys 5 and 7) lives 20 minutes away, so I get to see them regularly. My son is currently stationed in Pensacola, but is building a home in Clayton, Georgia which is less than 1 1/2 hours away, so I’m looking forward to plenty of day trips to visit them when he retires from the Navy.

If you have news, please send it to me so I can share it with our classmates on my mailing list. If you’re not on my list and want to be, send me an email and I’ll add you!

Pat Hartman Brownlee writes that she has been married to John for 51 years and they live in Southern California. They have 4 daughters and 7 grandchildren – 5 boys and 2 girls- from ages 15 to 2. They all live nearby so they get together a lot. They love to travel especially to Mexico and Hawaii and their health is pretty good for their age. Pat still does Mary Kay Cosmetics. She would love to see any classmates who get out her way.

Mary Montenecourt Goodfellow is a retired teacher who is happily married  [ 53 years]  to her childhood sweetheart/Colgate U. Graduate [ Chuck].  They live in her family’s 1890 home of four generations with an acre on a meandering river in New Jersey. They love their location – that the ocean/beaches is 45 min. to east, horse country 45 min. to west, NYC same amt. to NE. She and her husband treated their family of 17 (including their nine Grands) to a week on St Thomas for their 50th anniversary  and Turks & Caicos in February of this year. They enjoy volunteering with various organizations in the community. They’re being honored by the United Way of Union County at an event in June. However, she writes that family will always come first with her…with tennis and winter outdoor paddle/platform tennis a close second. She gave up skiing in VT a few years ago.

Felicity Hallanan writes that she and her friend Evelyn spend the long winters in northern New York saving up for their travels.Their 3 Road Scholar trips have included a Dutch barge up the Mosel River and a journey across Romania; this year it was the USA, from Charleston to St. Augustine. In July, they attended their 3d General Convention of the Episcopal Church, in Austin, TX.  And, she and her five siblings have created a trust to retain the 170-year-old family home of Windy Hill Acres for the next generations. Life is busy!  

Cheryl Gonzales Yancey enjoysreading everyone’s news! She is still working part-time at the Richmond Symphony and has been involved there in one capacity or another since 1969.  Cheryl and Sandra Clay Copler, her roommate during their sophomore year at MWC,  meet a couple of times a year for lunch to catch-up on news – she and her family are doing well. Henry’s and Cheryl’s wonderful blended family is a source of great joy to her; the children and grandchildren are living coast-to-coast with two family members in California, one in Florida, and most of the rest of them in Virginia, DC and Maryland. Her grandson graduated from Johns Hopkins on May 24 and has a job in the Baltimore area as a mechanical engineer. She is planning a trip to Charleston, SC in June followed by an August trip to “Royal London” with private tours of Clarence House, Frogmore and Windsor Castle among other sites.

Carolyn Davis Lakin Davis (Cookie) writes that she has enjoyed being president of Historic Port Royal, Inc. since 2016 and stays really busy. They have 2 museums (The Museum of American History on Rt. 301 and the Medical Museum on King St.), a Portrait Gallery containing 25 portraits of famous Americans with ties to Port Royal, a newly restored Colonial Meat House and a 1929 School for African American children now used for tours and school field trips. They also have ownership of two historic buildings that she is currently writing grants to restore. It seems almost like a full time job but it is a volunteer only organization and she does meet some wonderful people. One of the Board members is an archaeologist and a UMW grad. You can see them on their website or Facebook. Last November she did take off for a few weeks and traveled to Iceland and England with her two sisters. It was a very special time together and her brother-in-law’s family gave them the best tour ever in Liverpool. On a sad note, she wrote that Madeline Sue Rouzie’s husband, Frank Townsend, died recently. Virginia Hughes Jett and she recall how they dated all four years while they were at MWC and she was always talking about “Frankie”!

Rebecca Tebbs Nunn shared that she opened in a nine-performance run at Lancaster Players in White Stone, VA, after not having played a role on stage in 32 years. She has done a lot of stand -up comedy, monologues, etc., but has been directing all those years after acting with Helen Hayes Repertory Theatre on Broadway and numerous dinner and community theaters in the Washington DC area and radio and television commercials for over 20 years. She is acting with a friend of hers and together they bring over a hundred years of acting experience to the stage in a show entitled “An Evening With Two Fabulous Old Broads in Three Acts.” She is doing her alter ego Modine Gunch in the first act and then her co-star is doing a monologue, then a one-act entitled “Footprints” and last “Save Me a Place at Forest Lawn” which she directed senior year at MWC starring Meade Andrews  and Lang Scruggs  -they won a state award for the show when they took it “on the road” to Charlottesville in 1965. She is still serving as Vice Mayor of Kilmarnock and is now the State Director of the Ms Virginia Senior America Pageant. She was crowned Ms Virginia Senior America in 2016 and said it was a great honor and thrill and so much fun and travel.

Lynn Bard Jones lives about three miles from Becky and is a big golfer. She’s really enjoying her retirement years after setting up PX’s all over the world for the USMC.She says that HT Ritchey Donnelly ’64 lives in Pepperell, MA, and just recently lost her husband Russ. Margaret Cobourn Robinson  and husband Kenny went to Raleigh, NC area and had lunch with her sophomore roommate, Trudy Kitchin Kohl, in February. Trudy and Bill plan to move back to Virginia Beach by this fall once renovations to their home are complete. Kenny’s bucket list of touring every state capitol is almost complete. In April they flew to Oklahoma City, rented a car & toured 9 capitols in 10 days. She reports that the April landscape is 50 shades of brown and suggests never flying out of Reno. They have only ND, SD, MN & Wisc and they’ll have seen all 50!! Margaret learned to knit and found a cute pattern for a turban type hat and has knit several for women undergoing cancer treatment. That and Bunco and reading keep her out of trouble.

Barbara Hagemann Hester’s husband has had a foot operation. He’ll be home following rehab 5/15. She speaks with Donna Lingo Rauchon occasion and she’s keeping busy with friends. 2017 was a long year for Louise Stevens Robbins. It started well with a good January visit with Diane Copty Fadely while she visited her younger sister, Joyce, in rehab following back surgery. She had a hip replacement in April, but suffered a break of the operated leg for some mysterious reason and had a second surgery May 5. Meanwhile her sister declined and died in June. Louise was unable to go to the funeral, but was able to travel to Virginia in December for the funeral of Denise Elena Boyd, daughter of Donna Stevens Boyd ’62 and Harold Boyd, who died during liver transplant surgery.

The MW Lunch Bunch broke with tradition in May and met in Arlington VA instead of Fredericksburg. Seven classmates met at Essy’s Carriage House, where they had a delicious lunch served by Essy himself and enjoyed a lengthy, lively discussion. Mary Kathryn Rowell Horner and Katharine Rogers Lavery arrived early and had a few minutes to discuss downsizing and how nice it was to meet while Mary K was home for the summer. Lee Enos Kelley remarked that it was a really easy drive from Bethesda and suggested we keep having local gatherings. Lee and Joan Cuccias Patton compared hilarious notes of frat party experiences. Lois Rucker Scott and Joan were reminiscing about growing up in Arlington when Eileen Goddard Albrigo joined the conversation. Joan and Eileen discovered they had lived one block apart in junior high! Caroline Stone Ruppar and Lois recalled fond memories of good times with horses at the Hazelwood Farm near Fredericksburg, which is now a popular camp and foundation for children. Former “members” of the Lunch Bunch, Barbara Bishop Mann, Jana  Privette Usry, Carolyn Eldred, Sheila Denny Young, Anne Kales Lindblom, Diana  Hamilton Cowell, Pam Kearney Patrick and Anne Clagett were unable to attend because of other obligations. Sheila was overseas on a Rhine River cruise; Diana was touring the National Portrait Gallery; Barbara was busy with upcoming primary election preparations; Pam was still renovating her Cape May house; 
Class of 1966 p2 Kalesy was in the midwest visiting relatives. Kathy Goddard Moss, one of the “founders” of the lunch bunch, was out in California, unreachable by FaceTime that day. Eileen Goddard Albrigo mentioned that her son, Todd, and his wife, Carrie, were expecting a baby girl in October, bringing the Albrigo grandchild ratio to 11 boys, 3 girls!

Joan Cuccias Patton has been traveling extensively with her usual OBX visit, a surprise appearance at the family reunion in Newport Beach CA, an August trip to Ireland for a nephew’s wedding followed by a cruise from Basel, Switzerland, to Amsterdam. Joan still enjoys playing golf but has not had time to act in her community theater’s production this year. Lois Rucker Scott and husband Sam, both fully retired now, return very frequently to their high school alma mater in Arlington to watch their eldest granddaughter, a freshman on the Varsity squad, cheer for football and basketball games. Soon two granddaughters will be cheering there and Lois and Sam will become “bleacher champs” -very hard on their backs, however!

Caroline Stone Ruppar and husband Allan wintered in their Jacksonville FL home; spent spring and summer in their Reston VA home. In January they cruised to Cuba, then through the Panama Canal to Costa Rica. During spring break they hosted their 10-year-old Florida grandson for a tour of Washington DC.  Florida Congressman Rutherford’s office arranged a special tour of the Capitol with a visit to the floor of the House of Representatives, but the boy’s favorite part of the experience was the DC snow!

Carolyn Eldred, who received her master’s and Ph.D. from George Washington University, worked more than 35 years as an applied research psychologist, was featured in UMW’s Heritage magazine. She relocated to Fredericksburg in 2015 and has become very involved in campus activities such as MW ElderStudy’s stimulating programs, the UMW Department of Theater and Dance’s outstanding performances plus organized trips to live theater shows in the Washington DC area. In May Carolyn joined three department members and 14 other travelers on a trip to NYC for three Broadway shows. A highlight of that trip was having brunch with alum Natalie Joy Johnson ’00, who has performed in “Kinky Boots” for over four years. As an active member of the Heritage Society, Carolyn walked in the UMW academic procession at Commencement, accompanied by Barbara Bishop  Mann and Jana Privette Usry. Carolyn has also established a Carolyn Anne Eldred ’66 Scholarship to “support the natural and built environment, our animal friends and the pursuit of knowledge and justice.”

Anne Powell Young and husband Virgil moved in June from Tennessee to Fredericksburg, Anne’s home territory. She had one last, long sweet visit with Betty Birkhead Vickers, her dear friend and neighbor for many years, and spent hours on the phone with Julie Bondurant Freeman in SC. Just before moving Anne sent a copy of our reunion booklet to Ambler Carter, who admitted later that she had stayed up nearly all night to read it! After Anne’s three grandchildren Class of 1966 p4 helped her unpack boxes and books she was finally able to relax, reading leisurely in her den and on the front porch.

Mary Kathryn Rowell Horner wants to know if anyone else is having trouble downsizing!  Condo living in Florida has proven to her and Charlie the brilliance of worry-free, clutter-free living. However, back in Alexandria,  what will she do with her Carly’s dress box from 1966 or her freshman MWC sweatshirt? It’s a daunting task to sort out 50 years of collected items!  November was their 50th anniversary, previously thought to be celebrated only by OLD FOLKS!! Please visit Mary Kathryn and Charlie if you’re in Naples in the winter or Alexandria in the summer.

Barbara Bishop Mann and Robert took a 50th anniversary Rhine cruise last year, freeing her up to work on Virginia legislative issues this year. Bobbi, a member of the DKG Society state legislative committee, served a two-year term as co-president and attended conventions in that capacity. She has been passionate about K-12 education and worked hard to keep that issue warm for the June primary elections despite the General Assembly’s preoccupation with the Medicare expansion issue until the end of May.

Bobbi accompanied Carolyn Eldred and Jana Privette Usry in representing our class in the 1908 Society’s participation in UMW graduation ceremonies in June.

Ann Enders Hughes and husband Luther continue to enjoy retirement living near Charleston SC. Ann often thinks about MWC when she attends the Charleston Class of 1966 p5 Tibetan Society meetings and meditations because they carry her back to Dr. Leidecker’s class on Oriental Philosophy. In 2001, after Ann’s roommate, Joy Epley Dutkin died, she trained as a hospice volunteer in Joy’s honor, first visiting patients’ homes, then volunteering for weekly storytelling sesions at the local nursing home. Ann’s freshman roomie, Dottie Lewis Klutz, transferred to UVA nursing school then resurfaced in 1980 in Savannah GA, where Ann was living at the time. Dottie has become a professional storyteller who travels to events and meets with folks to record and preserve their memories. Ann believes she literally lived the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil while living in Savannah and considers 1962-1966 her golden years!

Terry Caruthers has resumed her writing with a series of short stories about her mother and life in beautiful, rural Monterrey VA. She published a book of Benny Tales, mostly about her father, and brought copies to our reunion. Terry and Don took a short vacation to Colorado in February, staying briefly in Beaver Creek before visiting Don and Kitty Downs Gregg, who gave them a wonderful tour of Colorado Springs and Boulder. In May Terry, Don and 64 friends from Lake Norman took a cruise of the British Isles, touring England, Scotland, Ireland and Normandy on D-Day. As the tour concluded Terry and Don explored towns of their English heritage. They had discovered earlier that Terry is a 10th cousin to Princess Di and one of Don’s 7-times great grandmothers was hanged in the Salem Witch Trials! This fall the grandsons return to college; one at UNC Asheville, Class of 1966 p6 one at the College of Charleston. The third grandson, a high school junior, is touring colleges and is considering UMW, partly to play soccer there. Terry is eager to visit her grandsons at their beautiful colleges.

Jana Privette Usry attended the 1908 Society event in June along with seven other 1908’ers, including Bobbi and Carolyn. After their 8 am arrival at the Alumni Center they were met with breakfast goodies, were “robed” and gifted with official “sashes” embroidered with the college seal and 1908 Society, to keep as members of the “inaugural group,” the first to participate in the commencement exercises. Following the ceremony in Ball Circle featuring many speakers and 1,000 graduates there was a delicious luncheon at the Alumni Center. Jana recommends that more of our classmates join the graduation festivities next year. Jana continues her Richmond choral activities, including singing in a choral ensemble in the annual production, “Live Art,” sponsored by S.P.A.R.K. Over 250 school kids participate in the after school program designed for students interested in the performing arts. About one-half of them are special needs children, including many with Downs Syndrome, and all the members of the “community choir” had to learn to sign all of the songs. Jana said that was a challenge even for her!

Susan Roth Nurin continues to be wrapped in her New York City world of excitement, specifically in ballet, symphony, Broadway, museums, lectures, volunteering, walking tours and opera. She has seen every opera performed at Class of 1966 p7 the Met this cultural season and heard her son play his trumpet for the 14th time at Carnegie Hall. After a performance of Carousel Susan went backstage to greet her son’s sister-in-law, who had a major dancing role. Susan also continues to give tours to Spanish speakers,  serve lunch to Holocaust survivors, volunteer at the opera and in an organization which aids the elderly.

Pam Kearney Patrick, a successful watercolor artist, joined a new gallery in Old Town Alexandria, the KYO Gallery, which had a grand opening May 25th.  The gallery is an international gallery with a virtual face as well as a brick and mortar presence and one of Pam’s paintings was on exhibit. Pam also exhibited two pieces at the Green Springs Gardens Show in Annandale. (Last time Katharine  Rogers Lavery, Sandra Hutchison Schanné, Genie McClellen Hobson, Eilleen Goddard Albrigo, Kathy Goddard Moss and Mary Kathryn Rowell Horner met there to see Pam’s artwork and to have lunch.) Pam took a sabbatical from painting to oversee the final stages of construction/renovation of their home in Cape May NJ. She and TaB planned to host friends there and enjoy the local summer fun of oldies concerts, Friday night dances, biking and beaching.

Katharine Rogers Lavery and husband Hank skipped the traditional OBX vacation this year to take a road trip through Florida to visit friends, relatives, Hank’s classmates and attend a grand nephew’s wedding in Gainesville. In May they drove to New London CT to attend granddaughter Mary’s graduation from the Coast Guard OCS, where Hank was her “presenter.” Out of 78 graduates about 25 Class of 1966 p8 had “presenters,” (qualified military family members), fathers, uncles, brothers  and spouses, but Hank was the only grandfather. After a short visit with another  granddaughter in New Haven, Katharine and Hank took the ferry across to Long  Island and visited with the remaining Lavery family members still in NY.

Diana Hamilton Cowell and Katharine share a connection to WVU with Katharine’s grandson finishing up an engineering degree there and Diana’s son enrolled in a political science graduate program. He works halftime as a policeman and was selected for a summer internship at the embassy in Dakar, Senegal. Diana maintains her international connections with citizens of Periers, France, the sister city of Bethany Beach DE, by organizing and hosting joint activities. She also continues to serve as secretary of the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Co. Auxiliary, also managing t-shirt orders and sales. Each October Diana participates in Inland Bays research projects coordinated with the Univ of Delaware and assists from April to October with fish count surveys, monitoring water quality in Assawoman Bay and recording statistics on the fish there. She and husband Dan keep perpetually busy with local church and social activities but did take time out last December to visit friends in Mt. de Marsan, France, take a cruise from Barcelona to Rome and enjoy a 3-day stay at a villa in Tuscany.Highlights of the trip were a visit to La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the seaside of St. Tropez, the “Miracle Square” in Pisa, the art of Florence and the Tuscany countryside.

Gail Balderson Dise:

I am so sorry that so few of our class made it to our 50^th class reunion as I have gotten to know a lot of our class through reunions.

I arrived at MWC in January and lived in a room in Mason tunnel.  After that it was 3 years on the first floor of Marshall Dorm with Mary Beth Dore, my friend going back to 7^th grade.  I met my future husband, Ray Dise in Marshall and we were married in 1968. I have now been a widow for 11 years.  I have been retired over 5 years from a 45 year federal government career.  My son and daughter-in-law both turned 40 this year and my two grandsons are in college.  I live in Lake Ridge, Va. near his family and stay busy volunteering to support a local ESL program; being part of the world wide Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) program; doing a newsletter and participating in monthly travel outing for a Senior Saints program; reading; and travelling.

In 2017 the big trip was with a group to the Holy Land with an extension into Jordan.  Highlights in addition to all the amazing biblical sites, were riding a camel, floating in the Dead Sea, being baptized in the River Jordan, and walking in and out of the ancient city of Petra.  In the fall, Mary Beth and I surprised Joan Gillis Baker, ’69 for her milestone birthday in Florida.  Coming up this summer is a trip to Amsterdam followed with a Baltic cruise that includes 2 days in St. Petersburg.  Before then, time will be spent attending a Navy retirement ceremony, a family wedding and a beach week.

Linda Raymond Ellison:

I can’t seem to stay retired.  In 2001, I retired from 30 years as a reporter, then editor at the Courier-Journal and Louisville times.  I taught for 15 years and retired again from Bellarmine University about three years ago.  Now I’m Editor-in-Residence at Simmons College of Kentucky, a historically black school built 130 years ago by former slaves who wanted a future for their children.  My husband, Bill (also a retired newspaper editor with an interest in history), and I have co-authored a second book, a biography:  The Two Lives and One Passion of Miss Louise Marshall, founder of the Cabbage Patch Settlement.  Our daughter, Susan, teaches anthropology at Wellesley College

Jane Wolfe Stilmar

My husband of 47 years and I reside part of the year in Alexandria, VA and part of the year in Kilmarnock, VA.  I am still a practicing CPA, working seasonally.  We have two sons, and the exciting news for us is that we plan to be grandparents for the first time in mid November.

I enjoy the quiet life of the Northern Neck—gardening, kayaking, and playing duplicate bridge.  Our home in Kilmarnock serves as a congregating spot for friends and family.  I also enjoy being close to certain amenities when in Alexandria—shopping, museums, movies, church.

Dixie Kopfler Susalla:

My husband, Paul, and I have been married 32 years.  We are both retired from the U.S. Navy.  We live in Sun City West, AZ, in a wonderful retirement community.  We both love Arizona!  We have no children other than our cutest fur baby which is my husband’s emotional support dog as he is handicapped from a major aneurysm.

Patsy Monahan Holden

I have been married to Mike Holden for 50 years in September.  We have 3 children-triplets—one daughter and 2 sons.  They all live in Austin, TX, a 3 hour drive from our home north of Houston in Kingwood.  We have 4 grandchildren. We are all going to Hawaii this summer to celebrate our anniversary.

I taught and was a school counselor for 30 years.  I also became a Licensed Professional counselor and have done that for the last 25 years.  Now I only work one day per week.  We enjoy water aerobics daily and I play cards, read, sew, work in the yard, entertain, and stay busy.

Joanne Hamilton Curtis

After graduating from MWC, I worked at Dahlgren, VA till Oct. 1967 and returned home to Newport News, VA to teach high school math.  I married Ronald Curtis in Dec. 1967.  We have 2 children—Brian who lives in Richmond, VA and has a daughter, and Wendy who lives in Denver, CO who has twin boys.  In 1975, we moved to Williamsburg, VA where after building our own house in Kingsmill (next to Busch Gardens and close to Colonial Williamsburg) we started our own custom home building business (Ronald Curtis Builders LLC).  We are still building custom homes in the Williamsburg area.  Ronald oversees the building and I do the books.  We hope to retire soon.  We visit our daughter and family in Colorado often as we have a place in Breckenridge.

Patsy Jones Lingle Kroll Mazzocco

I married Ted Lingle the end of my junior year and then came back first semester senior year and went to Germany with the Army and finished the last 11 units thru the University of Maryland.  I remarried in 1985, but Bill died in 1996 in a drowning accident.  I married Felix in 2004 and we live in Bonsall, North County, San Diego.  We grow 2.5 acres of Haas avocados on our home site.  We love our grandkids.  I have been taking bridge lessons to challenge my brain.  I should have played with Toddy and my other suite mates back at MWC.

Susie Pedigo

Presently I’m living in a month year old house with my dog and my cat.  I’m retired after 34 years of teaching.  I am a docent for Chrysler Museum of Art and teach classes in creativity.  I still take dance—post Modern and classical ballet, Hip hop, and Belly dance.  I’m taking voice lessons and basic music composition.  I write a little, paint a little, and weave a little.  I’ve become the Jill of all trades I always wanted to be.

Marie Campen O’Callaghan

I and my husband, Michael, have been living in the Lake Norman (NC) area since 1992 and are enjoying retirement since 2005 in Mooresville, NC.  We have travelled throughout all of our American Western States, as well as Europe and the Caribbean.  We enjoy gardening, reading, and our 5 grandchildren.  As part of our 50^th Wedding Anniversary travel/celebrations, we journeyed to Australia in February and fell totally in love with “the land down under”!

Mary Kline Johnson

College seems like yesterday or a lifetime ago, I can’t decide.  I have been married since 1972 and have two daughters.  One lives in D.C., and is a graduate of George Mason U.   Both she and her husband work in politics.  The second daughter graduated from MWC. She lives near Raleigh, NC, is a nurse practitioner, and recently gave us our first grandchild.

I retired after 40+ years in Juvenile Justice, as a probation officer, manager, and supervisor.  Now I volunteer in my community and church.  Husband, Doug, is also retired.  He golf’s and volunteers.  We both enjoy bridge and we do some travelling, mostly to see family and friends.

Virginia Blackwell Rigsby

We have lived in Orlando for 23 years.  My husband, who was in the cable TV business, retired ten years ago, and we are enjoying the ability to travel  This year, we journeyed to Africa where we visited animal preserves in several countries including Tanzania’s Serengeti.  We were in Africa five weeks and loved it so much we may return next year.  In July, we plan a trip north of the Arctic Circle with Seabourn, ending in a week-long exploration of Iceland.  We very much enjoy our leisure time here in Orlando.  John has a large family, and we spend many of our holidays with them.

Beverly Hammond McCauley

I’ve been in Williamsport, PA since 1975 with my husband, Bill McCauley.  For our 50^th wedding anniversary year, we are joining a Stephen Ambrose tour of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-1806, later in June.  It is an eleven days tour from Great Falls, Montana to Ft. Claptops, Oregon.  We have also just purchased a second home in Charlottesville, VA where Bill and I first lived while he finished medical school in 1970.  At this year’s UVA reunion, I was proud to speak to President Theresa Sullivan of my degree from Mary Washington College of The University of Virginia.

Mary Turner Boyd

I’ve lived in Charlotte, NC for many years and am fortunate to have several UMW grads living nearby—Kathryn Fowler Bahnson and Kay Majeski, ’66, Gloria Shelton Gibson ’69, and Sidney Robins Lockaby’71.  UMW classmate Catherine Wilson of Alexandria, VA and I have participated in two President’s Club trips—one to Egypt and Jordan in 2010 and the other a Mediterranean cruise in 2015.

My son, his wife and two children, live in Northeast TN.

Eleanor Frith Peters

I was so sorry we had so few at our 50^th reunion in 2017, but it was great to see those who made it!

My husband, Mike, retired from St. John’s College, and we are back in New York City after eleven great years in Santa Fe, NM.  We’re back at the same church we belonged to before we went to NM and are enjoying taking advantage of all the amazing NYC cultural activities.  As I write, we are on a cruise to celebrate our 50^th wedding anniversary.  We started in Lisbon, and will end in Dublin.

We’ll spend much of the summer in the mountains of NC, with family, with a couple weeks back in Santa Fe.

Our daughter, Becca, and her family live in Greenville, SC where she is a high school geography teacher and her husband, Patrick Jopling, is a dentist.  They have three children.  Our son, (Colonel, US Army) Mike, Jr. and his family are in DC.  His wife, Christy, is a US Foreign Service officer about to be posted to Spain.  They have two sons.

Nancy McDonald Legat

My husband, Dan, and I are really enjoying spending time with our family, especially our 3 great grandchildren.  We also enjoy traveling.  Our favorite place is Myrtle Beach where we spent our honeymoon 51 years ago!

I like to garden, to do a little writing and to do crafting.

Jane Farrar Montague

Even though it was a long way from home in Washington State, it was the best decision ever to attend our 50^th reunion in June 2017 and to spend a little time hanging out with Gayle Channel, Gail Dise, and Mary Beth Dore, catching up, and feeling again a part of the school.  I’m so impressed with our new President.  I’m happy I was able to be present at his talk and to get a better understanding of how our school measures up in the grand scheme of things.

If other classmates are vacationing or living in Washington State, please let me know.

Yvonne J. Milspaw

I retired from teaching college three years ago, and my husband, Douglas Evans, retired from his broadcast engineering job two years ago.  We still live in almost the same place as we grew up—south central Pennsylvania.  Our older son, Wesley, has taken part of my job, teaching humanities at a local community college, and our younger son, Brandt, has taken his father’s position as a broadcast engineer with his father’s company.

We are finally grandparents, with a grandson.

I am continuing to think about writing, and I attend professional meeting as often as possible.  Mostly I am spending time on a few hobbies like knitting, scissors-cuttings, and reading.  Doug is keeping very busy with his ham radio hobby, and volunteering for PEMA (the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency).  We try to travel as much as possible, and are planning a few weeks in Northern Ireland this summer with most of our family.  We both have Scots-Irish ancestors, but what is exciting is that they were originally Vikings who settled in Scotland and married locally.

Ann Dalby Cole

I am happily retired in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and also happily single.  I fill my days playing duplicate bridge, and attained the rank of Life Master about 2 years ago.  I also play percussion in Encantada, the Band of Enchantment, a concert, marching, and/or pep band.  I have 5 beautiful cats, and we are a happy family.

I travel with friends several times a year and have covered most of the Southwest since retiring.  I especially enjoy the national parks.  My most recent trip was to South Padre Island, Texas, for some beach time.  I also travel to bridge tournaments in Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California.  I went to Alaska and Hawaii as well.

I am interested in sports and I can be found at most of the home games of the Albuquerque Isotopes, a AAA minor league farm team of the Colorado Rockies.  I also enjoy women’s basketball and attend home games of the University of New Mexico Lobos.

Susan Church Dillon

John and I have lived the last 37 years in Oxford, Maryland, an historic, small town in Talbot County on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  We will celebrate our 50^th anniversary next year.  Both of us are retired, but, not really.  John serves on the board of the University of Maryland Medical System and is Chairman of the board of Shore Regional Health systems and our local hospital.  I was Head of the Upper School for The Country School in Easton for almost 20 years and am a trustee for The Gunston School and The Women and Girls Fund.

Our three children, Meghan, Lindsey, and Brendan live in St. Louis, Washington, DC and Philadelphia respectively.  We have 10 grandchildren!

I was so disappointed to miss our 50^th reunion last year since I have had a wonderful time at our previous one.  A grandson’s lax game took precedence.

Mary Beth Bush Dore

Thank you so much to those who sent information for the UMW magazine. The complete letters will be on line at “magazine.umw.edu” with some of the information that you sent in being in the printed version.  Please keep sending information that I can put into the spring issue.  Everyone seems interested in fellow classmates.

As for Casey and I, after enjoying our 50^th MWC reunion in June, we stayed awhile in DC with our RV and then travelled to Tidewater to visit with, again Gayle Channel and husband, Warren, Gail Balderson Dise, and other relatives and friends. before heading home.  In December, Casey and I, with our daughter, Ginger Marshall, ‘94 and her husband, Scott, took a week’s cruise to Cuba for our 50^th.  Cuba had been on our bucket list.  We loved the country and the people.

We have been downsizing this winter before starting out again with our RV to who knows where.

Everyone keep in touch.

 

A sizeable and spirited group of ’68 classmates enjoyed a fun 50^th reunion weekend in Fredericksburg. We will be remembered on campus for our feistiness, our tiaras, and our stamina on the dance floor. If you weren’t there, you missed a good time! And we missed you. Thanks to all who contributed to the reunion gift—the Class of 1968 is now recognized on a brass plaque in the beautiful, newly restored Amphitheatre. 

Many classmates toured the Talley House during Reunion Weekend. Staff explained the counseling services available to UMW students. Expansion of these critical services was made possible by gifts from Betty Dobbins Talley and her husband. And we were all so proud to see our own Donna Sheehan Gladis inducted as the new president of the Alumni Association!

Helaine Patterson, who lives in CT, was not able to join us due to extensive caregiving duties for family members in GA and FL. Quite a few classmates are serving in the same capacity, and we missed seeing each of you.

Also unable to attend was Eileen Curley Baker, who was on a Viking River cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam with her husband, Frank. They divide their time among residences in Rhode Island (summers), Florida (winters), and home base in Connecticut. Their four children—a science fiction fantasy writer, a health insurance adjuster, a pediatric oncologist, and a theater costumer—are all doing well, and they enjoy their four grandchildren, ages 5, 4, 3, and 2.

Mary James Wright received her MA in theater from Northwestern University after finishing at Mary Washington. She returned to UMW (1969-70) as a faculty member in the theater department, taking over Dr. Klein’s classes when he suffered his fatal heart attack. She served on the committee to make the campus coed, not knowing that her eldest son, Christopher Wright, would later graduate with the class of 1993. Mary had a varied career in children’s theater and instructional design, completing her career as Managing Editor of Time-Life Children’s Publishing and Education.

Barbara Bennett was one of the first women to work on Wall Street in 1968, and one of the first women to attend the Chase Manhattan Bank Credit Training Program. She earned an MBA in Finance from Fordham Graduate School of Business in 1973, and was an international banker traveling to Latin America for over 40 years, working at Chase Manhattan, Bank of America, and Citibank. She is currently CEO of Anari, Inc., working with large institutional investors. After collecting artwork for many years, Barbie now owns a beautiful art gallery (Q Street Fine Art) in Washington, DC.

Douglas Finney continues to work as a psychotherapist at Finney Zimmerman Psychiatric Associates. She has two offices, in Norfolk and Virginia Beach. She has developed a new and enjoyable side practice in sports psychology, working with high school and middle school athletes. She also works with the Old Dominion University football team as a “Confidence Coach”.

Mary Ellen “Ashe” Ashelford wrote: “What an upbeat, uplifting, positive, and FUN weekend—plus we all look fabulous!” A Class of 2003 alum approached her at the reunion with a puzzled look and asked “Is that a tiara?” Before Ashe could respond, she glanced at her name tag and said, “Oh, 1968. You’re in that cool class!” Ashe says that being there was totally worth the THI pain (tiara head indentations)! Georgia Carroll Sherlock also loved the whole reunion experience, and reported that two members of the Class of ’93 asked if they could join our class because we were the coolest ones!

Betty Dobbins Talley wants to thank all her classmates that took the time to stop by the counseling center. She has had some amazing travel adventures this past year—hiking the last 100 kilometers of Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain with friends last fall; visiting Argentina, Chile, and Easter Island in April; and a tour of Ireland right after the reunion. When she’s home (Sebastian, FL), she stays busy volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, Riverside Theater, Impact 100, and Vero Beach Museum of Art.

Sally Guy Brown had a wonderful time reconnecting with friends and seeing the campus looking so gorgeous with landscaping and beautiful new buildings.

The 50^th reunion made Pam Tompkins Huggins prouder than ever of our extraordinary class: “Every five years, we all get the joy of being with smart, successful, and sassy women.” She and Jim are still in Staunton and their guest cottage is yearning to see more of you. According to Pam, Staunton has gotten pretty hipster in recent years, with great restaurants, performing and visual arts, eclectic first class music, and history.

Mary Margaret Marston Monroe also loved attending the reunion. She and Richard became grandparents for the third time in April, a little girl born to their son and his wife. She was premature and very small, but growing now by leaps and bounds. She joins the grandboys, their daughter’s children, 9 and 12 years old. The Monroes are retired in Blacksburg, VA, and love life in the mountains. They stay active with volunteer work and traveling to visit the grandchildren.

Barbara Stevenson Kerkhoff wants to thank MWC for four incredible years of learning, growing, experiencing, and preparing for the rest of her life. Her enriching experiences included learning from Spanish and French professors who readied her to teach those languages to middle and high school students, and learning to play the harp from Jeanne Chalifoux, who sadly passed away in February. Barbara has continued to play the harp for weddings and other events. She noted that two electives were especially inspiring to her—Dr. Van Sant’s Contemporary Philosophy class, which helped her think in totally new ways, and Miss Pharr’s Short Fiction class.

An interview with Nancy Porter Atakan was featured in the 2017 Fall/Winter issue of Mary Washington Magazine. Nancy has lived at the same address in Istanbul since moving there in 1969. She and Mehmet are celebrating 50 years of marriage this year, and both sons and their families live within walking distance. Recent chemotherapy prevented Nancy from traveling to the reunion, but she was able to travel to a Berlin art event, a Madrid soccer match, and to Italy for a wedding. She continues with her art, and has shows scheduled in Istanbul, Canakkale, and Stockholm, as well as a show that will open October 30^th for three months at the ISCP Institute in Brooklyn, which she invites MWC classmates to visit if they are in the area.

For the last year (Liz) Morgan Golladay has been been dealing with the aftermath of the death of a spouse—the grief and loss, the finances, and the “stuff” that a life together accumulates. After the reunion (before which she officially joined the ranks of the Blue Hairs…literally!) she traveled to Raleigh for a four-day studio mentoring workshop with a married team of acrylic and collage artists. Now she’s back in the studio after a long hiatus as a caregiver, finishing several abstracts and working on others.

Lynn Belcher Fox was spending the summer and fall at her favorite place—the family cabin on the north shore of Gull Lake in Minnesota. She was enjoying the company of her four kids, four grandkids, three in-laws, and two friends of theirs who came to visit.

Leneice Wu wrote that she was still basking in the glow of the 50th reunion. “While we largely turned to our earlier relationships, we enjoyed our shared history of attendance at MWC with a much wider range of women. If nothing else, the gathering proved that ages 70-72 are just numbers. Our classmates have had very full and meaningful lives and the sheer joy of being together again was palpable. Our classmates remain an active, vibrant force, ready to face the world with a voice that demands to be heard. I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished!” Leneice retired in 2002 from the Library of Congress. Her daughter, Emily Wolf, is a stage manager in San Jose, CA, and son Paul is a paralegal in Waterbury, CT. Paul’s son, Lucas Royce Wolf, is named for Leneice’s late husband, Royce Wolf, who died in 2005. Leneice was remarried in 2013 to John Thomas, an attorney. They are in the process of moving to a senior residence in NoVA as they cope with John’s Parkinson’s disease.

Janice Bryant Lotterhos, Marilyn Wheeler Hiatt, Betty Haskins McClaskey, and Mary Lou Hull Soper continued their 50th reunion celebration in the Canadian Rockies aboard the Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Banff, also spending time in Lake Louise before flying home from Calgary. The breathtaking scenery throughout the trip definitely did not disappoint.  Along the way they watched parading Mounties on Canada Day, walked on a glacier, and soared above the mountains in a helicopter.  A happy bonus in Vancouver was dinner with Meg Livingston Asensio and husband Ash, who had just completed an Alaska cruise. At one point during the trip, a rainy day turned into snow at a higher elevation, affording the opportunity to tramp around in a holiday card snow scene in July. Those pictures made quite an impression on family and friends who were in the midst of a major heat wave at the time! Calgary was preparing for its famous Stampede, so cowboy hats were everywhere (even on Janice and Marilyn!). Although the beginning of the Calgary Stampede coincided with departure day, they got a taste of its spirit at an evening preview on the Stampede grounds. All in all, it was a wonderful way for four MWC grads to celebrate a 50+year friendship on a memorable trip.

Carol Hawtin wrote: “We certainly held our place as the ‘Most Fun Class Ever’ after our perfectly wonderful 50th reunion. Tiaras abounded, Sally is still beautiful, and Pam is still her friend after all these years of contention. MWC hosted a smashing weekend with endless classes, tours, food events, and a super band on Saturday night. Beanies off to Mark Thaden and the entire alumni group. You did us proud!”

Susan McCrory Braaten and husband Tom are enjoying retirement in New Bern, NC. After 36 years of seeing the world with the Marine Corps, Tom retired at MCAS Cherry Point and became the CEO of the local YMCA, then Director of Coastal Carolina Regional Airport. They enjoy volunteering and spending time with their daughter and her family, who live in Raleigh, NC. Susan has spent the last 10 years providing technology training and support at Keller Williams Realty New Bern.

Merrilyn Sawyer Dodson and her husband have enjoyed recent travel experiences. In 2017, they spent 10 days in France—touring Provence, participating in cooking classes, and visiting Giverny (Monet’s home outside Paris). This year, they spent five days enjoying the sun, sand, and surf at Atlantic Beach, NC. They are adapting their lives to Steve’s diagnosis of Parkinson’s.

Custis dorm suitemates Nelle McLaughlin Busch, Amelia Cooper Grosberg, Sharon Maddrea Nelson, and Kathy Nagy Schabacker were together at the 50^th reunion for the first time since the seventies. While they thought the tours, programs, and parties were terrific, the best part for them was visiting with classmates—talking, remembering, and laughing into the wee hours, just like 1968. They also loved the campus changes: men as matriculated students, more beautifully landscaped grounds, new buildings, and the growth in academic quality and offerings.

Stevie Danahy Larson and her husband Peter also enjoyed the reunion, especially seeing so many ’68 classmates laughing and sharing one another’s company. They are celebrating their granddaughter Avery’s accomplishments–finishing as Valedictorian of her high school class and Commonwealth Governor’s School. She will be attending William and Mary this fall as a Monroe scholar. Stevie and Peter were traveling to Sturbridge Village, MA, in July for a conference of American Period Furniture Makers. Stevie is caregiving for her mom, who has dementia and still resides two blocks from Mary Washington. She encourages classmates to donate to research for this dreadful condition.

Dodo Fisher Roberts has sold her house in Wilton, CT, and moved to a downtown apartment where she can walk everywhere with her new rescue pup—and never shovel snow again! She spent last summer on Nantucket as usual, but returned for her mom’s 100^th birthday party. During the winter she traveled to Florida, Vermont, Bordeaux, and London. Following the reunion she was headed back to Nantucket for the summer—MWC visitors welcome!

In spite of being on dialysis three days a week, Debbie Derr McClintock is president of the Woman’s Club of Farmville GFWC, as well as district chairman and former state arts chairman. She is vice president of Central Virginia Arts, Garden Club secretary, and sings with the Commonwealth Chorale. Mahjong, book group, a poetry group, and weekly painting club also keep her busy. Moving to downtown Farmville and preparing for an October family reunion were on her summer schedule after the reunion.

Seeing so many classmates made Bobbie Price Wallach feel like an undergraduate again. She wrote, “As usual, no one could really keep up with our famous and energetic class. After being inspired by the interpretive dancing of Morgan Golladay and Ashe Ashelford [at the new amphitheater], the Dancing Queens, including our May Queen Sally Monroe Kelly (or is it Pam Tompkins Huggins?), kept up our tradition of showing our moves at the all-class party. The late Dr. Laura Sumner would have been proud to see that seven of the majors she mentored from our class—Judy Henley Beck, Judith Jackson Jones, Pam Tompkins Huggins, Julie Deane Webb, Leneice Wu, Donna Harrison Lile, and I have all turned out quite well and revere her memory.” Judy Henley Beck, Donna Harrison Lile, and Bobbi extended the reunion celebration by meeting in Richmond a few days later to see an exhibit of the Horse in Ancient Greek Art.

Shortly before the reunion weekend, Ash and I moved from SoCal to Denver, where we are living in a 12^th floor apartment until our new house in an over-55 community is completed later this year. We have been very happy with the VA medical services being provided to Ash as we cope with his motor neuron disease. Right after the reunion, we spent an amazing three weeks on a land tour and Windstar cruise in Alaska. A float plane ride over the Taku glacier and frequent wildlife sightings were highlights of the trip, and we were blessed with fantastic weather. Not sure where we’ll go next, but we plan to keep traveling as long as we can!

As I was finishing this column, I was informed of the death of Kerry Walsh Sweet from pancreatic cancer. Kerry started with our class, but left for a year, returning to graduate in 1969. She and I had reconnected on Facebook, and were able to have lunch together when Ash and I were in Seattle last summer.

Meg Livingston Asensio

1968 Class Agent

P.S. As promised, I made up some “interesting” news about those classmates that did not send me updates. Lucky for you, there is not enough room to include it in this issue. I’d suggest sending me your news for the next column!

Exciting things going on with our indefatigable classmates, starting with Jenifer Higgins Clark.

She and her husband, Dane, a marine meteorologist, met 38 years ago. They live in Dunkirk, Maryland. After working for NOAA focussed on climate, oceans, weather and coasts for 30 years, they started their own business in 1997 called Jenifer Clark’s Gulf Stream (Webpage is jcgulfstream.com). They were the ocean and weather support for Diana Nyad who swam from Cuba who swam from Cuba to Florida when Nyad was 64.

They also routed Erden Eruc in his around the word row. (He was the first person in history to row around the world. She helps Coast Guard with search and rescue. She loves her “hobby” turned business and will never retire.

Two other tireless ageless women in our class are competing with Jenifer to see who works the longest! Beth Ball Townsend has her security business in Richmond, Va. with a large staff keeping people and their homes and businesses safe. Beth has moved to a special area in the city of Richmond called Church Hill, leaving the suburbs behind, finally and loves it. Downsizing to a historic townhouse has been a positive experience for her….from 2800 sq. Ft to 1600sq. ft.  She feels so much better in her more compact home, instead of getting lost and hiding out in her big tomb of a house in Mechanicsville. She loves the diversity of people in the city and somehow feels more connected to the outside. And she is still working fulltime running the company she started. She is a very happy grandmother as well.

The other tireless woman is Lyn Howell Gray. She is still in Liberia, Africa and her husband Jim is working full time heading up research at Cuttington University. They live 3 hours from Monrovia, now because rent was so high. While Lyn is being paid for a part time job now and calls herself “semi retired”, she of course is doing the work of a fulltime woman by starting her newest career ( all volunteer) in teaching primary school reading as a director of “Liberia Reads”, which was started by a Peace Corps volunteer in 2009. Lyn now trains and coaches Liberian teachers in 24 schools, soon to be 29 schools. They own a house in Blacksburg, Va. and plan to retire there when health or other factors make them to decide to leave.  The small house they have built in Liberia has a generator they run 3 hours a day for electricity to keep food cold and lights, and charge their computers. I don’t think they have running water. Lyn gets the class of ‘69 camping award!

Pam Hogan Baynard has news that her son Nathan and his husband adopted a baby boy last November. The adoption process was a roller coaster..two failed. Third time is a charm. Luca is a delight to be a grandmother to. Pam feels she should get the award for being the oldest first time grandmother in our class.

Karen Ralston has moved from Memphis to Melbourne Beach, Florida.  They found a perfect spot to build on, looking at the setting sun with dolphins cavorting and birds flying, not to mention the alligators and manatees. Their daughter lives there as well. They have a second home in Colorado to be near their son and grandkids…so Colorado for summer and Florida the rest of the year. Karen tells a harrowing story of breaking her neck last year on a cruise in the Mediterranean. She has fully recovered, but it took 5 months. She had a Parkinson’s related nightmare that threw her head first out of the bed onto the floor. The travel insurance covered the huge expense to get her from Santorini to Athens to Miami to Memphis. Her advice is to always have travel insurance that covers the cost of getting you back home and repatriated. Bonnie & Roger Hoopengardner stopped to visit them in Florida

On their way to Port St. Lucie. She also met with Linda Alderson’s hubby and some of the Mets staff for dinner. She is off to Lake Como for a visit with old friends. She gets the resilience award!

I, Iris Harrell, am consulting for two families affected by the Santa Rosa firestorm last October. One couple’s house in my neighborhood of 3000 homes burned to the ground and the other one had severe smoke damage. They needed help with insurance claims, getting a designer and contractor and acting as owner representative in their absence.

One couple had not even moved into their new home but fortunately had not sold their existing home two hours south of here yet. The other couple is loving in their second home in Nantucket this summer until their damaged home has been renovated. I am also chair of the  Building Committee here in my 3000 home HOA. There are 3 recreation centers and and auditorium, athletic courts, etc., half of which need major updating. (What’s a girl gonna do?) i am playing. Lot of pickleball, some golf, regular yoga classes and personal gym training, along with performing and leading a 4  person folk music band called More Joy. I am enjoying “retirement” and getting the most out of everyday I am still alive.

I got to visit this winter with classmate Sharon Dobie in Seattle while Ann and I were visiting her last surviving uncle who lives there. Sharon and I both were American Studies majors at Mary Wash. I had not seen her since college. She looks great!

On the retirement theme, Charlotte Padgett Duis sold her nursery several years ago and she has adjusted quite well to not working every day at the business next door. She is free to travel whenever she feels like it. She and her husband volunteer for various nonprofits.

Her main joy is her family. They go to lots of musical and sporting events. She loved watching the royal wedding and hopes that lots of folks heard the message for all of us to love each other.

Regina Sneed is enjoying living in her continuing care senior community in San Francisco. She says it is much like being on board a cruise ship, too much food, wonderful lectures and cultural performances and exercise classes. And the best part: no more housekeeping! She is a museum guide for public tours at San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art. She is still active in protesting all the same injustices that we protested in the 1960’s but with a 70 year old body. She asks “Is that really fair?”

Linda Disoway reports that Mary Pat Tull Jenkins passes]d away May 4th. She was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma and died within a month of her diagnosis. We have lost too many of our classmates from cancer. Linda is looking forward to our 50th class reunion.

Marianne Zentz  has a first grandchild in her life…born February in Houston…so she beats Pam Baynard at being the oldest first time grandmother of the class of ‘69! Any other competitors in this race?

Nancy Yeager Allard does her volunteering in her local library and church and occasionally babysits for the grandkids. She and husband went to Mary Wash for two of the Great Live Lectures. Last year she did a cruise in the Mediterranean and the Far East, which included South Korea, China and Japan, which had lots of cherry blossoms.This year she is traveling to Alaska and the British Isles with her sisters and spouses. She has completed her three part pledge for our class of ‘69 scholarship! She hopes the rest of you who can are participating in our class scholarship in some small way.

Ann Witham Kilpatrick and Jeanine Zaveral Fearns will be together on Memorial Day weekend. Jeanine is coming to visit Anne to see the Greenville Highland Games with lots of men in kilts and bagpipes…cute! Susie Winterble and Toni Turner Bruseth will meet in October for their annual reunion. These four get the faithfulness award for our class. They have been best friends since college and continue to deepen their relationship each year.

Hopefully I will hear from more of our classmates real soon!

Linda Gattis Shull reports she just had a knee replacement of a prior knee replacement from 11 years ago, so she is working on physical therapy and pain management. (I am sure she will be dance ready at our 50th reunion next year!)

MW roommate and best friend for life Barbara Burton Micou came to Charlotte, NC from Virginia to help her get through the first few days. Barbara was recruited back to work out of retirement by Chesterfield County public schools due to her experience in helping children with unstable home situations. She accepted the opportunity to help out.

This past spring Linda met our new UMW President, Troy Paino and feels our alma mater is in good hands.

Gloria Gibson reports she is looking  forward to seeing everyone at our 50th reunion in 2019. She is finally using the “r” word (retirement?) but admits it took her a while to get used to the idea of not doing her consulting work. She is now enjoying reading, yoga, exercise and just being in the zen moment. She has recently been in Coast Rica , New York City and is heading to Iceland next. I declare her formally adjusted to retirement.

Phyllis Newby Thompson is living in ‘Silicon Valley”, California and has a son living in Minneapolis and a daughter living in New York City. Her husband John Thompson says he will retire from his personnel search business, but he is really good at it. She has two golden retrievers that she adores, works many hours each day in her garden of maples, rhodies, conifers and lots of other plants. She writes about life occasionally, but only lets her dogs read it. (Her dogs are exceptional and well educated.) She hates the heat and has a bit of physical stability issues, but she does not let that stop her. They just sold their Hawaii condo and are looking for suggestions for another warm location to invest in.

She is counting the days until our 50th reunion next year. She wants to get to know each of us better.

Three more entries for the most currently famous ‘69ers…

(Fyi-some classmates don’t read the whole magazine, just the class notes. I want to get the ones who had write ups mentioned specifically in the class notes-

Dr. Marilyn Shull Black spent her career in chemical and environmental sciences, specifically  measuring indoor air quality and its impact on children’s health. Her studies show 75% of environmental exposure to contaminants for adults comes from the air they breathe. Marilyn established a fellowship in science at UMW named after her influential Mary Wash Chemistry professor, Dr. Bernard Mahoney, who retired from Mary Wash in 2007. Marilyn obtained her PHD from Georgia Tech. She is currently VP and Senior Tech advisor for UL Underwriter Labs.

Dr. Cathy O’Connor Woteki has rejoined the faculty of Iowa State University in the Dept. Of Food Science and Human Nutrition. She previously served as dean of the Agriculture and Life Sciences. She was recently inducted into Kappa of Va., the UMW chapter of phi Beta Kappa. Her prior job was chief scientist and undersecretary for research, education and economics at the US Dept. Of Agriculture.  She is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine. Kathy is matching funds for all of us who contribute to the class of  ‘69 scholarship from now on that will be celebrated at our 50th reunion by meeting its first recipient! Let’s go big!

I am surprised to report that I am being inducted into the BusinessnHall of Fame at the University of Mary Washington in October.  Who knew American Studies majors could be entrepreneurs!

See you all in 2019….which is so close!

Iris F. Harrell
Class of ‘69