Class Notes

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.