Class Notes

What a lovely 60th reunion we had! Fourteen of us, plus seven husbands, attended. Everyone looked well and in good spirits. Another chance to get together. As usual, UMW outdid itself –the staff and student volunteers were excellent. The Alumni College programs were well attended. Brompton was beautiful. As part of the 1908 Society the Friday class party was held in town at the Venue Restaurant. On Saturday, the weather was great, as well as the picnic. Tours were taken, buildings visited, and the book store was open! The All Class Party was extremely popular with a full dance floor, thanks to the band. On Sunday, the brunch was delightful and delicious. We bid our fond goodbyes and promised to return for our 65th! (We came in second in the Alumni Fund contributions – beat by the 50th reunioners!)

Dorothea “Dodie” Reeder Hruby and husband, Dale, came in on Thursday from their home in Williamsburg. She and her committee planned well as usual. Kay Rowe Hayes [Banner lists her as “Katherine.”] looked great and retired from politics finally was enjoying many activities. Sally Arnold Sullivan and Bill came. We tried to catch up on some talking. Molly Bradshaw Clark came for the day. Wish she had stayed longer. Mary Fredman Downing [Per Banner; Edna called her Friedman.] and Glen were very active – Mary Does a lot of “behind the scenes work” and Glen was a good conversationalist! Ann Rollins Pyle came with her daughter, Carolyn. [Banner said Ann has no children!] Was so glad to see her. We reminisced about the good old days. And Sally Steinmetz came. She said this was her first reunion – couldn’t believe it. It’s never too late Ann Brooks Coutsoubinas, who has been to all our reunions, I think, was leaving following week to tour England and Scotland with some family members. She stays active with the Greek church. Gregory is fine; Anastasia is living with Anna and job hunting. Marcia Phipps Ireland (Gary) and Marcia Spence Harrison-Thornton (Larry) presented a very caring memorial service for the girls we have lost but not forgotten. It was emotionally moving. Thank you.

Nancy Gwaltney Gillette and Bill opened their house for guests. Julia Coates Littlefield and Mo decided to make a team. It worked well. Scot, Susan, and the children (Chris and Mary Graham) have moved in with Julia and Mo. The kids are wonderful to have. Scott and Susan are looking for a buyer for their business in Georgia and new employment for themselves. Last August Mo and Julia attended his 65th high school reunion in Maine and also visited family. Mo stays busy on various church committees (They are looking for a new rector and choir director and renaming their church back to its original 1840 name.)

Irene Piscopo Rodgers came from New York early and spent some time with Kay. Irene is always planning to go somewhere. She watched her great niece in a performance at the Lincoln Center, a friend’s granddaughter’s West ceremony, visited cousins in Orland, to Pittsburgh to see her sister-in-law, nephew and niece and Irene’s cousin from England came for a visit. Irene made several visits also this past year to hear her students’ research presentation at UMW. She generally stays with Kay in Warrenton. Irene and a friend embarked on a 16-day transatlantic cruise from Florida to Copenhagen with stopovers in Azores, Ireland, and Amsterdam, to name a few. She also went on the Viking Christmas Market Danube River Cruise from Budapest to Nuremburg. She recommended the thermal baths and spa in Budapest. She was on three ship, two buses, and many canals– a lot of interesting places.

All of us are still traveling it seems, and we’re especially glad we traveled to our 60th.

Inga Kuun Barrett and Jack are now residing in a senior retirement apartment. It’s first-time apartment living for them. They celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary in November. They are in good health and do a lot of walking.

Gloria Winslow Borden moved from Virginia to a lovely in-law suite in Katy, Texas, thanks to Cynthia and Rob. It has eased her worry. This big move was in Marcy. In May she attended Cliff’s and Lynda’s daughter Kelly’s high school graduation. In August Beth’s and Dan’s daughter Megan married Russell. Kate, Caroline and Mark’s daughter, and her husband, Ned, had a daughter, Kayte in August. In October, Gloria was involved in an accident that totaled her car. Luckily, she is fine. Cliff and family visited Thanksgiving, which means Cynthia hosted for 18! What a year!

Barbara White Ellis spent a week at her favorite lake in New Hampshire in August with her daughter, Beth; husband, Jack; and daughter, Megan and her family. They had many relaxing days. Sterling Babs’ horse is now retired to pasture and enjoying it. A recent operation prevented her from attending the 60th. So sorry, dear.

Frances “Bunkie” Bourke Firth’s youngest daughter, Kristen, had major surgery near Christmas and bacterial pneumonia, which kept Bunkie busy. However, she still found time to have 15 for Christmas! They are planning a three ways trip to the east and west coast of South America and later a week in the Antarctica Archipelago! Wow – sounds cool!

Celeste “Pug” Shipman Kaufman’s husband, Alan, sent family news and a darling picture of Julie and John’s middle child, Frances, and one of Matt’s son, Mills – 18 months. Alan believes he will be the next golfer in the family! A sad note: Frances and Matt lost their second son, John Haven, soon after birth due to a genetic defect. We are so sorry – I know Pug has him in her arms.

Julie and John’s oldest son, Austin, completed his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and is job hunting. Sarah, their youngest, is a junior at Samford and is doing well. Jeffrey, Pug’s and Alan’s oldest, and his wife, Pam, and two sons are doing fine. Smylie married Francis in April. He injured his back, has been in rehab, and will return to golf in 2019. Luckie has bought his first house and continues working as a CPA. Both Jeffrey and Julie took advantage of sky rocketing process of homes on the golf course and sold their homes for something smaller. Alan is still golfing actively but has fit traveling into his schedule: San Diego, Carmel, Vero Beach, and Sacramento. He wrote his health is good and he feels fine. Many thanks, Alan, for not forgetting our class.

Barbara Gordon McNamee continues coaching swimming part time on the weekends. [Barbara is William & Mary’s synchronized swimming coach. – NT] She and the swimmers went to the University of Florida in February, and Tucson, Arizona, at the end of March. In May she was back in California for the Artistics Swimming Series Event. Summer brought one more visit to Orlando and the Pan-American National Championship. Then back to California for the U.S. Masters. (Wow – what a year. The word busy is understated.) All this time Bob stayed at home, playing lots of golf. Virginia had a lot of rain this year, which gave him the opportunity to do some mud cleaning. This year he bought some new clubs. The third time he played his age! [Underline Edna’s.] Talk about excitement. Barbara and Bob traveled to L.A. twice to see family. Brad and Connor (McNamees) live close to Howard, Margie, and Kate (Crabtree). Barbara attended synchronized swimming functions, and Bob went to his annual dental meeting in Chicago. In September, they had planned a trip to Charleston but the hurricane closed I-95 for a week. Thanksgiving finds them at Karen and Tony (Crabtree). Their son, Dustin, is now teaching in China. Chris and his family (Oregon) have returned from Hawaii to Virginia. Their kids are growing fast. Robb has a new home in Delaware. Lynn and Steph net Barbara at the new house. Barbara wrote she is a happy grandmother, is in good health and looking to 2019 being another busy year.

Letter from Eleanor Markham Old’s husband, Arthur. He has a new car and he likes it. James and Beth have their same jobs. Grandson Tyler graduated in June and is job hunting. Parker, who lives in L.A., is engaged to be married this year. He works as a composition lighter. (He makes the list of credits for RV, movies, and commercials.) How interesting! Arthur wrote he and Martha’s health is fine.

Lois Gaylord Allen and husband Howard will be great grandparents in May. Yea! Howard is struggling with Parkinson’s but Gay is at his side. Gay still volunteers at the Humane Society. She has cocker spaniels and cats, which she says are all getting old – she feels like she runs a geriatric ward with all the drops and pills she gives out. Gay heard from Ruth Gaines Hepner, who is finally retired.

Ann Watkins Steves and Bob traveled to New England for Megan’s (Linda’s daughter) graduation from Suffolk University and Stella’s (William’s daughter) performance in Sound of Music. They also went to Pagoda Springs again for the Corners Folk Festival. Bob enjoys water aerobics, and Ann volunteers as a librarian.

Mary C. Massey continues to volunteer at the Audubon Naturalist Society (28 years so far) and the Paint Branch Unitarian-Universalist Church. Recently, she became a volunteer at the Prince George’s Child Resource Center, where she helps immigrant children, ages four and younger, with a variety of activities (crafts, singing, reading, speaking English, and learning basic manners—helping prepare the children for public school) while their mothers study English. She became a great-grandmother for the first time in March to Aiden. Mary goes to concerts, museums, art galleries, and restaurants with six different sets of friends and cherishes the company of her little dog Gigi, a therapy dog at a nearby rehab center for over a year. She sits quietly in the laps of the residents who stroke her. The residents’ faces light up when they see her coming, wrote Mary, who is doing fine.

Jane Tucker Broadbooks and John are happy with the move they made last September to Springfield, Illinois. They are in a senior living residence with less housekeeping, cooking, and shopping only 10 minutes from their son, Jon Karl and family. The advantages are three meals a day, weekly apartment cleaning, bus service to medical appointments, shopping, and recreational bus trips, 130 new friends from their 60s to 100 years. They have many varied careers and many are male and female veterans. Jane participates in many activities, such as sewing, knitting prayer shawls. She is in a post-polio support group. Jon Karl is the Vice President for Communication in Illinois Realtors professional organization. Catherine teaches ESAE and GED classes at Lincoln Land Community College. Tucker, their oldest, is a junior at Truman University. He studied abroad his first semester at NYU campus in Prague, Czech Republic. He plans to become a museum curator/administrator. He has visited many museums in European countries. His parents visited him in October. Anne is a high school senior and plans to study nursing. She is active in speech competitions. She was recently designated an Illinois Scholar. Virginia is a sophomore. She still plays sax in the marching band and jazz bands. At this point, she is undecided about a career but leaned toward the design field. Jane wrote all the grandchildren play music. Jane wanted to attend the reunion but she and John have slowed down a little.

Virginia and I, as alumni of the University, are thrilled Lucas was accepted into UVA’s Enrichment Program for Young Students for two weeks. He has chosen a history and a science course. Anddd–one evening this summer Lucas has a “gig” to play in the same restaurant where his piano teacher plays. What do y’all think – historian, scientist, pianist? He’s 10! It’s a rule – grandmas are allowed to brag!