Class Notes

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.”