Class Notes

We have been sharing old photos and reminiscences in our frequent News Flashes with our classmates, on how much our time at Mary Washington influenced and directed our lives.  Many report that they are still active, visiting family and friends, traveling all over the world and several still not yet retired.  Hurrah for the Class of ‘60.  “We ain’t down yet!

Nancy Moncure Diess is still working at the National Gallery of Art, learning about a new trend          in art which she defines as “Wiki-Culture”– “Works of art are constantly in flux by serial additions.  A painting (or poem, or song) by one artist might be altered digitally by another, then another, until the original work is unrecognizable.”   She is still traveling the world, in addition to grandchildren’s swim meets,  graduations and weddings,  hoping to attend the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Liz Hill Heaney resides in New Jersey near her children and grandchildren, and is busy  attending bridal showers and weddings for the younger generation.   Bonnie Davis Hall and Ross toured Europe again this past year, riding every scenic train available, and visited with Carlotta Muse Rokita in Vienna, Austria who was recuperating from a hip replacement.

Mamie Sue Howlett Scott has survived many serious medical problems over the years, but still travels alone and with her adult  children.   Gretchen Squires Best loves living in North Carolina and is grateful for frequent family gatherings at home, or at family weddings and college graduations.  She and Graham have just welcomed great-grandchild #4 and were awaiting #5.

Sandy Poole stays busy, supporting Barb with her Episcopal priest activities.  Sandy has the unusual medical problem of a non-functioning pancreas and must take medication with each meal to assist in digesting.  Barb’s schedule doesn’t allow much travel these days and Sandy is enjoying the quiet life in their beautiful home

Jody is in maintenance and monitoring mode following breast cancer surgery last   fall.  September marks her one year anniversary. More recently Jody’s brother reports she made a spectacle of herself following double dental implant surgery.  Apparently the high powered   tranquilizer she was given knocked her silly, and she had the staff in stitches with her odd remarks and observations.  For someone who doesn’t drink or “do drugs” (other than the 8-10 pills a day for post cancer treatment and maintenance) we learned that at least she is a “Happy Drunk”.  She was indeed “falling down drunk” as the bruise and cut on her forehead attest. It took 36 hours to sleep off the drugs.  A  chastened and chagrined Jody  reports she isn’t sure how much of his story is true or just brotherly teasing but she sent flowers and an apology to the Dr.’s office just in case.

Karen had a great early spring, camping  in our little teardrop trailer in Big Bend National Park, TX in early April, then in Cottonwood, AZ, riding the Verde Canyon train, then visiting friends in Benson, AZ.  A week later I stepped out on our porch on a beautiful morning, fell, and broke my back spent two weeks in bed, then half of May and most of the summer learning to be active again.. Darrell is recovering from being my full-time caretaker and household manager.   We assist with church activities in several Assisted Living or Memory Care facilities Friday through Sundays, but managed to squeeze in several days in the mountains each week in our little trailer, enjoying the cooler weather.

From Connie:
Betty Alrich Latta wrote, “2019 started for me with a trip to Tucson, Arizona with friends from the Widows and Widowers Group.  We saw snow on cacti!   In March, I took my Portland, OR son and two grandsons to my timeshare in a beach hotel in Puerto Vallarto.  Healthwise, my chronic lymphoma (SLL) is still in remission, but I’ve been dealing with hip pain.  When a chiropractor and an acupuncturist didn’t help, I had hip replacement surgery.  The surgery (on May 13) went well, but recovery is slower than I had hoped.  I’m looking forward to exercising again and new travel experiences!”

 

Patty Cairns Hourin wishes “Happy 80th Birthday to all my classmates!  My sons are putting on a ‘birthday bash’ for me.  Hope ya’ll are celebrating, too! We continue to enjoy life in Diamondhead, MS.  Have lived here 42 years!  My new shoulder works great and I’m back on the golf course.  Our son Bill, lives here and has remarried, giving us another granddaughter and grandson!  His other daughters are 22 and 26.  Son Scott & family live in Fredericksburg and Michael is currently living in Hong Kong.  See you in 2 years! Clara Sue Durden Ashley has 14 grandchildren and manages to keep up with all of them!  She wrote:  “The most exciting news at this time is about our sixteen-year-old grandson, Palmer, who is now living with his family in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  His dad Dennis is working for the Navy there.  In February Palmer wanted to try to swim across Guantanamo Bay in a race with forty other participants.  Because he was so young, he had to undergo testing of his swimming skills.  He passed his tests.  Not only did he complete the swim of 1.7 miles, he became the youngest person on record to do so!  On June 15 he and his family will arrive at our house to visit while on the way to take Palmer to the Naval Academy where he will take a week of classes. Our granddaughter, Celeste, was graduated from college this year.  She and some of her siblings continue to excel with their music and one of her sisters is a beautiful ice skater.” Jerri Barden Perkins sent a text message (pardon the lack of complete sentences!) in February after a trip to Cuba: “Very educational. Makes current administration look good.  Loved history, Old Havana, even with crumbling buildings and broken sidewalks.  Once 1920’s-50’s Jewel of Caribbean.  Today people make $35/month.  Little food, lack infrastructure, nothing to buy, no air conditioning, 90 degrees in February. Makes one more appreciative of US.” Of course, she was thrilled and honored to receive Distinguished Alumni Award on June 1st!  Sylvia McJilton Woodcock and Stuart, Andy and I, and several family and friends were there to witness the recognition. Just got another text saying she’s “Off next Sunday (7/21) sailing in Greek Islands!  And learning – more with Met Museum.” Not much news from me travel-wise except for a couple of trips to Delaware, but am looking forward to celebrating my 80th with a family vacation at The Greenbrier in WV in August!  Health-wise I have lower back issues which slow me down…thank goodness for my dear strong hubby who is now 85!  Please keep sending your news to us agents so we can keep in touch – more meaningful as the years go by.  Happy 80th to All! From Renee: Well, here’s a first: I received a wonderful news-letter from Margaretta Kirksey Bir for the first time ever!!!  She seemed shy about writing, thinking her travels weren’t interesting.  WRONG!!  She is a most interesting and accomplished woman whom we have heretofore not heard from. “After living in the Washington area, Greece, and Germany, I am back in my hometown of Eutaw, AL, where I never thought I would be!  I have been a widow for over 25 years and the most exciting place I go is the cafe at the health food store.  When my husband died in 1992, I went back to college and earned another degree, a bachelor’s in accounting.  My youngest daughter and her husband moved to Kentucky from Mobile.  She had her first child, Georgiana Eliza at 40 in December.  Eliza is a name from my father’s aunt, Eliza Todd, a native Kentuckian. I volunteer for the Greene County Historical Society and serve on the hospital board.  In college, I devoted more time to The Bullet than to any class that wasn’t political science.  Now, I volunteer for the local weekly newspaper.  My insurance agent is the editor, manager, and reporter.  I write the city and county crime reports and ‘Remember When’, a column about events published in the paper 25 years ago.  I proof the eight-page weekly and cover events if the editor is unable. I spend a lot of time trying to keep my mouth shut.  I am the complete liberal.  At twelve, I cried when Adlai Stevenson lost the 1952 election.  Not only is every fiber of my being blue in a red state, but I am the quintessential news/political junkie.  I fall asleep with CNN.  My older daughter (a 1990 MWC grad) and older son share a house in Tuscaloosa, which is near, so I have family in the area.  My younger son, the father of my only other grandchildren and his family live in Fall Church.” Margaretta then asked how her letter was for answering my plea for news and making a lot out of a little?!  Well, she made a lot out of a lot!  She says it is always fun to read our class news.  I hope she remains a part of it from now on! I think the really fun and newsy letter from Matte McCeney Campbell was also a first.  If I’m wrong, apologies, Matte.  She said that since I said I really need news she would describe the scene in Nashville last Friday night.  My dear classmates, please stop thinking that what you say is not interesting. It is VERY interesting to your classmates.  Well, her description of a weekend night in Nashville is great! “Friends and I were sitting on the terrace of a downtown restaurant across the street from our gorgeous symphony hall watching the pedal taverns roll by.  These are conveyances on wheels featuring a long bar with bar stools and pedals.  Something like a surrey with fringe on top, but not exactly. The passengers face each other across the bar, chug-a-lug, pedal, and holler out at intersections or whenever they feel like it. I do not think the speed depends on how much they pedal. There were some open carriages…covered in sparkling lights and pulled by mules!  Also, scooters darting everywhere, some of their riders destined for emergency rooms as the night continued. My friends and I crossed over the street to the symphony to see Carmina Burana played, danced, and sung in a truly amazing performance.  Music City is one of contrasts, and a city of music of all types. In January I traveled to Barbados and other Caribbean Islands on a cruise where I met Sherry Farrington’s brother and sister in law from Portland, Oregon.  Sherry was a close friend in Mason dorm, one class ahead of us.  In February I went to New Zealand for a month.  I saw Jean Ryan Farrell and Frank on my recent trip to Atlanta where my daughter Ashley and her family live.  Grandson Campbell has just graduated from GA Tech. Granddaughter Libby has finished two years at Appalachian State and leaves for Australia soon for a semester of work there.  Maybe I will visit her this fall while she’s there, if I can find a traveling companion. Did any of us have bachelorette party weekends before our weddings?  Not like these!!  I saw a pretty, young bride-to-be strolling the crowded sidewalk wearing cowboy boots, short shorts, a Daisy Mae style top, and a short, white veil.  In her train were her friends dressed in the same way but with cowboy hats instead of the veil.  Up on balconies and rooftops were crowds of onlookers and partakers in this scene, most partaking more of liquid refreshment than the man at the next table to me eating his 24 oz. pork chop, the best he’s ever tasted. Life in Nashville is fun chiefly due to good friends in my golf, tennis, pickle ball, YMCA, and church activities. I have been a widow for two years and friends have given me lots of emotional support.   I have a nice cat who lets me live with him in the house I have remodeled and worked on for the past 35 years.  It’s the one we planned to stay in just a couple of years.  Always enjoy hearing news of my MWC classmates.” News from me:  It’s been a pretty quiet year.  No travels other than my National Parks tour last September, some long weekends in Palm Desert and Las Vegas.  I’m taking a break from my classes at UCLA Extension. The most recent catalogue offered classes I’d already taken.  I have a subscription to the Music Center theatres here and go often. One is devoted primarily to opera, ballet, and orchestra concerts; the other is a thrust stage house offering mostly plays; the largest is a Broadway type house offering plays and musicals, which I attend most often.  Cultural events lacking in the desert, by the way. Sadly, my dear, precious dog, Buddy, died in May. He was 14. Needless to say, I am heartbroken.  His absence in this house is huge.  I talk to him all the time.  There is some comfort from my two cats, Domino and Baby.  My wonderful cat, Dickens, died nearly two years ago. I still miss him. I thought another cat would be good for Domino.  I adopted a five-year-old cat last October after the death of her owner. At that age, I couldn’t change her name.  She and Domino, my most affectionate and playful black and white tuxedo cat, do NOT get along.  But they seem to tolerate each other most of the time. Enjoyed my annual visit from Carolyn Crum Pannu.  She and Pat Scott Peck are on a cruise, I think in the South of France.  Meanwhile, I hope all of you are well and will decide to write to me next time I come begging!!  PULEEZE!!!  From Lynne: I regret that I only received responses from two in my group; thank you, Janie and Sandy.  Without your messages I would only be able to write about myself !!!!  Nevertheless, I’ll begin with my activities, and there have been many of them!!   Everyone said that I should stay very busy, and I have done just that.  Since the beginning of the year, I have taken two trips to Florida, one to California to visit granddaughter at Stanford and one to San Antonio, my old home town.  I stayed with Frank and Bitsy Glasscock Duperior (she left MWC after Freshman year).  While there, another friend threw a cocktail party for me; Candes Parker Chumney was expected to attend but, unfortunately, she was ailing.  Also, Jill Cusack Clay was not able to attend.  As recommended, I’m not making any real estate changes in the near future.  I still love NYC and CT.  I play duplicate bridge twice a week, which I’m loving.  The drive to Litchfield is not easy, but it’s worth it once I get there.  I see many of others’ activities on Facebook, but do not think it’s appropriate for me to use that information for our Class News ….. so please keep in touch when I send the notices!!!  And if you have not received those notices, please send me your email address.  Janie Riles wrote that she and Jim visited her brother and family in Riverside, CT where they enjoyed Opening Day at the Yacht Club and had an enjoyable sail during the week.  They also visited the Hudson Yards in NYC and walked the amazing new sculpture “The Vessel”. (Janie, next time please call me; after 50 years in the city, I’m still a tourist at heart.)  Janie also visited her daughter (Annelise) and son-in-law (Hiro) at their new home at Northwestern University in Chicago.  While there, they took her to the Chicago Institute where she saw the Manet exhibit.  Janie is teaching painting this summer in San Diego. Sandy Walters Julifs and husband attended their youngest granddaughter’s high school graduation (in California) on May 24th and then on May 25th  their oldest granddaughter and her husband (in Illinois)  had their baby – a girl named Peyton Elizabeth McCarthy.  Needless to say, they are quite excited to have become great-grandparents.  (Congratulations!) Their other two granddaughters will graduate from college this summer and fall – one from the University of Alabama and the other from the University of Washington.  Both are going on to get master’s degrees. “Greetings from a recent octogenarian, Sue Wilson Sproul!  OMG, how did those years go by? Well, I think I’ve made the most of them, and I’m not finished yet!  What makes this a truly big year is our move from Tucson to Richmond.  My dear husband has agreed to relocate from the West- what a saint!  We’re doing it in stages on a ‘farewell to the West’ tour. We and the dog left Tucson at the end of April and drove, travel trailer in tow, to Dave’s brother’s home in Morro Bay, then on to his son’s in Davis, CA.  Seeing the bristlecone pines of the Sierras was our next objective, but we were thwarted by a snow packed road. Both of us have a keen interest in ancient SW native cultures, so we made numerous stops in Utah to see ruins and rock art.  A stop at Durango, CO at Dave’s other son’s which was followed by travel to Ghost Ranch, near Abiquiu NM.  Then we moved on to Colorado Springs to see favorite friends.  A week later we were at Dave’s sister’s home in Albuquerque.  From there, we parted ways.  I flew to Richmond and Dave remained in the West to pursue a photography project.  He promises to join me before too long.  We’re on the waiting list for Brandermill Woods, a retirement community near my daughter’s home.  In the meantime, I’m at my daughter’s, helping out with the 10-year old grandson while school is out.  Lots of changes are in the works, and it’s all good. Wishing all my Class of ‘61 friends well, especially this BIG year.

 

When we ladies of Class of 1962 met at our last big campus reunion we discussed trying to have “mini” reunions as the years are flying by faster! It appears more “lunch bunch
gatherings” are actually taking place.  In June MYRTLE LEE DEAN FRANCE who has
retired from Dahlgren called KATHLEEN SPRENKLE LISAGOR to say VANELIA OAKLEY
GALLAGHER and husband David Sr. had just lost their son, a computer scientist at
Dahlgren. The family has asked that requests for donations be made to the Kidney
Foundation or to consider organ donations. Several of us decided to meet for lunch at Yesterday’s in Montross.  Those attending were MYRTLE LEE, VANELIA, KATHLEEN,
LILLIAN ANN DIX SMITH and JOAN AKERS ROTHGEB. BETTY FORRESTER DAY was
unable to attend due to a family commitment. PAT BARRACK GIBSON now in Charleston
sent sweet words of ole school days and memories with these Northern Neck folks.
PAT recently had lunch with PAULINE WOMACK SPENCER in Cary, N.C.

Our condolences also reach out to BETTIE STEWART KIENAST who has just lost her mother and to BETSY WILLIAMS BROTHERS who has lost her husband Tom. ANONA
GETCHELL HOGWOOD wrote she has just lost her husband and retired from
Southside Va. Training Center after 27 years as Director of Physical Therapy. She and Don traveled coast to coast many places, among them Alaska and Australia. Don was very active with Shriners Hospitals for children which she continues to support.

LIZ KENNEDY THOMAS SLATE wrote that she, REBA CALBERT BAYLISS, BETSY
WILLIAMS BROTHERS, LYNDA PUCKETT HOWELL, and MARSHA ARLOTT WOOSTER
enjoyed an annual get together in Wintergreen Resort in May. They spent a day in
Lexington visiting VMI Memorial Wall where the plaque of (Pat)Paul M. Bayliss is
placed. Sadly in the spring REBA lost her dear cat Nedd.  LYNDA has spent her spring traveling to Utah with family for graduations. MARSHA attended her granddaughter’s
ballet recital in N.C. and then returned to her home in Santa Barbara. LIZ volunteers
and enjoys 9(of 10) grandchildren in Richmond.

In July for the eleventh year, LILLIAN ANN DIX SMITH and husband Curtis joined with a group of 300 plus Virginians to work at Standing Rock Reservation in North and South
Dakota. This group includes interdenominational, intergenerational, multicultural,and
multiracial members, as well as UMW grads Shelby Orlando, Hannah Pierson, and
Clifton Wise.
PEGGY DOWNS GERBER is quite happy to have completed her Bucket List of visiting
all 50 states! She, her husband John, and son David headed West this year. She and JANE WALSHE MCCRACKEN of California stay in touch. JANE looks forward to Megan  and Bryan, her grandchildren celebrating weddings this year.
DIANA COPPLE SMITH writes she is pleased to have joined a Pleasure Island Book
Club with interesting members like professors and editors. She recommends the
best seller “Where The Crawdads Sing ” by Delia Owens about a N.C. marsh girl.
JOAN AKERS ROTHGEB has visited JEAN CRAIG GOUGH in New Mexico. JEAN has just sent an exciting article about a ’91 UMW grad CHRISTY TAFOYA who majored in
Historic Preservation and has become the first woman to head the N.M. State Parks Post with 34 state parks!
NANCY POWELL SYKES enjoys her lunch bunches and had a lovely summer visit with her California daughter in Virginia.! KATHLEEN stays quite busy texting with her eight grandchildren and seeing the Nags Head Sport Fishing photos as her son Matt Lisagor  is living his childhood dream of owning a big boat named “Tenacity” and catching 170 lb. tuna!
Please share any new addresses and news. May your home and hearts be filled with joy
And have a blessed happy season ahead!

I didn’t hear from many classmates this time but did hear from some who don’t usually send in their news.  The first is Susan Woodward Kilborn who wrote that she and her husband still live in Chevy Chase Village.  She would love to see any friends/classmates who are headed to the D.C. area.

Betty Caudle Marshall wrote that she and Tom are moving out of their two-story house on a steep hill to a one-story house on a flat lot.  The view from the top lost some of its appeal when the stairs began to be more trouble. Betty says, “We have enjoyed seeing some of Tom’s elementary school classmates (also my high school classmates) over the last 5 or 6 years, including MWC classmates Ann Marchant Long and Betsey Burke Christian, wife of our high school friend, Meade.” Betty has been active in North Carolina Organization of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International for many years, having served as the state president about 10 years ago.  She is now the Treasurer of the NC DKG Educational Foundation who gave $10,000 in scholarships and grants last year to educators in North Carolina.  It is demanding, but rewarding, work.

Karen Vandevanter Morrison writes from Whidbey Island, “All is going well, island living makes things rather simple.  We seem to have grandkids coming rather regularly which is lots of fun.  Between Kent and me we have eleven.  They are fairly close in age and get along well.  Have had fun keeping in touch with Becky Ryan Dunkenberger during basketball season.  Virginia had a great season for those who do not follow college ball, they were the National Champions.  Tom Dunkenberger is a UVA grad as is my husband, Kent.  Becky and Tom also introduced me to my first husband, Kurt. Small world. I have recently joined the Pickle ball world and having super fun playing.  I am still playing tennis twice a week some days better than others. Travel so far this year has been around the state of Washington getting to know it.”

Betsy Chamberlain Hartz shared the sad news that Sally Tarrant Bernert died on April 30^th after a 35 year long battle with Parkinson’s disease.   Mary Saunders Latimer came up from Suffolk and Eleanor Powell Darden who had taught with Sally the first 2 years after MWC. Betsy says she and, “ Nancy Lee Leidy were part of Steel Magnolias – with Sally and another high school friend and we celebrated every Christmas and birthday with her and her precious daughter always had gifts for us from Sally – a true labor of love – we were blessed to have known Sally and her daughter.”

On another sad note, Charlotte Hood Alexander also died this spring,.

I had a nice letter from Rosalie “Ding” Moyer Schwarz.  She and husband Gene are enjoying life in Duck, NC.  They also do lots of traveling.  They were in Italy this spring and were at the Vatican on Easter Sunday. Their son lives in the DC area so they always fly out of DC in order to visit their grandkids before and after their trips.

Nothing much new at the Green’s.  We are looking at downsizing.  Last month we visited the place where Linda Gulnac Steelman and her husband plan to move.  It’s in Kennett Square, PA and is close to my daughter in Wilmington, DE.

Please send your news!!!

Warm greetings to you all! I regret that I didn’t hear from many of you, so I have little news to share at this time.

I did hear from Carole Whitehead Bolt Hylton, who 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.
Carole Whitehead Bolt Hylton

I presently am recovering from knee surgery, brought on I’m sure, from pushing our rather large snow blower this past winter. I foolishly would give it an extra shove with my right knee when the machine struggled to get through a hidden layer of ice beneath the snow.  I have begun to take issue with the picturesque way Robert Frost describes snow in his Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening.

In February my husband, Phil Deitsch, and I had had enough of winter and headed south to visit family for a few weeks. On our return to New Hampshire, we spent the night with my Mary Washington roommate, Ann Carney. Ann and her husband, toy expert, Noel Barrett, of the Antique Road Show fame, live in rural Carversville, PA. Ann and I had not seen each other for over thirty-five years.  We had a fabulous time.  Noel and Ann live in what once was a three-story, stone hardware store. Their renovations include a kitchen, designed and authentically furnished like an old soda fountain found in the 1940’s and 1950’s. It is awesome! The entire third floor is filled from top to bottom with antique toys.  My husband and I slept in a loft overlooking the third floor toy museum.  I was assured that at midnight the antique Punch and Judy and almost life-size NYC Rockettes puppets wouldn’t begin fighting or dancing.

I encourage you all to get in touch with folks who were your friends at Mary Washington. It was amazing to talk about old times, sharing stories that both of us barely remembered, and some stories, one or the other of us didn’t remember at all!  That’s probably a good thing!  Write when you can and share your memories or what you are doing now. We all love hearing from you.

Warmest regards,

Susan Rowe Bunting

Spring and summer in Atlanta have been wonderful. I am still playing tennis, but broke a finger on my dominant hand the week before the spring season started so was not able to play as much as I usually do. My being out for so many matches is probably why my Senior Day team (over 55) was able to win the City Championship this year! My broken finger did not stop my being able to put together killer line-ups! Other than tennis, I stay busy keeping up with the reading for several book clubs and spending time with my grandchildren. I haven’t gotten together with other Atlanta area alumni lately, but PennyPartridge Booth and I chat regularly. She lives only a few minutes away from her three North Carolina grandchildren and sees them frequently. She was delighted to go to her oldest grandson’s high school graduation in Ohio this year. Her two new puppies are also keeping her busy! I was happy to hear from a couple of long-lost classmates and was able (with the help ofAlice Funkhouser Flowers and the Alumni office) to connect a couple of roommates. If you are looking for someone, let me know and I’ll reach out and see if I can find their information. That being said, PLEASE send me your news when you have a chance. Katherine Wilkins Cicero Black writes that she attended Mary Washington 1961-63 and wishes she could have stayed longer.  Since she was a military brat, she transferred to University of Florida when her father was transferred to Florida. She enjoys the information from classmates and says she always reads every word of the classnotes. She now lives in Redmond, WA, in an over-55 community with her husband of 20 years. Helen Faith also writes that she enjoys reading updates from our classmates. She is still working 10 days a month at the Summit Christian Academy. Her part time job allows her to take care of her 97-year old mother (along with her two brothers), enabling her mother to remain in her own home!Louise Stevens Robbins writes that she spent the Christmas holidays cruising the Danube with her whole family, relishing the time together. Spring semester she mentored a group of students in the Tribal Libraries, Archives, and Museums class at UW-Madison in their work with the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, which meant a number of trips as far north in Wisconsin as one can go without falling into Lake Superior. In addition, she is a volunteer editor with the Simpson Street Free Press, an out-of-school time academic program chiefly for minority youth. She also co-chairs the Electronic Technology Committee of the UW Retirement Association and participates in a reminiscence writing group. She is looking forward to cruising the Caribbean with Diane Copty Fadely and Felicity Hallanan as well as Felicity’s partner, Evelyn Rule, in October.

Barbara Bishop Mann spent Thanksgiving in Mesa AZ with her “tiny Bishop clan”

and capitalized on being close to Midge Meredith Poyck by having several long

phone visits. Bobbi has been a student of yoga since 2012 but still hasn’t

mastered the “tree pose.” She was hurrying to class one snowy morning in

December when she received her very first speeding ticket. The judge assigned

her time at Defensive Driving School, where she was the “only silver-haired

participant” and she shocked and amused the inquisitive young folks there by

admitting she had gotten caught speeding! Bobbi remains very active in Virginia

politics. She has lobbied at the General Assembly for decades as an advocate for

public education. She and Anne Meade Clagett enjoy many political discussions

and both are fans of Vince Flynn and his novels. Bobbi was honored in March with

the VEA-Retired Distinguished Achievement Award for many years of service to

teachers, students and public schools. Bobbi attended the amazing research

presentations of UMW graduate students on the Stafford campus, traveled to

Charlottesville the next day for the DKG Virginia State Convention, then followed

up with Temple Grandin’s presentation on autism at the Richmond Forum. Bobbi

wonders, “Who says retirement is easy?” Bobbi and Robert recently celebrated

their 52^nd wedding anniversary.

 June 2019 Class of ’66 p2

Diana Hamilton Cowell celebrated her son’s Master’s degree in political science

from WVU in May and looks forward to his working for the State Department

Foreign Service. Diana and husband Dan celebrated their 50^th wedding

anniversary in June with a “big shindig” in Bethany Beach. In July Diana t

raveled to Periers, France, for the dedication of their museum, which is named for

her father, the commanding officer of the army unit which liberated Periers in

1944. The museum also honors Henri Levaufre, her father’s friend, for whom

Diana had earlier delivered a eulogy stating his importance to her family, the

town of Bethany Beach (sister city to Periers) and the 90^th Army Division. Other

than hosting family and friends Diana is involved in her church’s hospitality

committee, the South Bethany Women’s Club, Property Owners Association and

Neighborhood Watch. She also continues serving as Secretary of the Auxiliary for

the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Co. and participates in the Inland Bay Fish

Count from April through October each year.

Judy Wells Clark honored veterans by playing a D-Day Commemorative program

with tenor Scott Williamson. Judy remains very active serving as church organist,

piano teacher, voice instructor and performing at various programs in the

Roanoke area.

Katie Green and her choir, The Houston Choral Society, performed Haydn’s “Lord

Nelson Mass” in June 2018 at Carnegie Hall in NYC. It was inspirational to sing

June 2019 Class of ’66 p3

with over 120 vocalists plus orchestra in such a grand hall, with tourist-y time for

sightseeing in between rehearsals and the performance. In September Katie met

her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in Paris. Their airBnB was within

walking distance of the Eiffel Tower, museums, restaurants with fantastic foods

and wines. They took the Eurostar back to London, then on to their home in

Cardiff, Wales, where Katie finished out her vacation. She returned to Cardiff

again this June for a long visit, taking short trips with the family to the north

western region of Wales to see the rugged terrain and lots of castles. It’s difficult

for Katie to have her family oversees except for the travel opportunities when

visiting.

Sandra Hutchison Schanne celebrated grandson Riley’s graduation and proudly

mentioned his acceptance to Embrey-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona

Riley’s lifelong ambition of becoming a pilot is finally becoming a reality.

Terry Caruthers celebrated her mother by publishing her second book,

“Memories of My Mother Mabel” with poetry contributions by her cousin, Jim

Hines. The initial essays plus photos Terry shared on Facebook were fascinating

and both of her books contributed much to the local history of Highland Co. VA.

Kathleen Crawford Hoffman has written a book, “Little Papers Are Journalism

Too,” about her newspaper career in the 60s, 70s and 80s, mostly in Culpeper VA.

Of course, Mary Washington is mentioned. The book is self-published, available

June 2019 Class of ’66  p4

on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and various other places. Kathleen was a year

ahead of Mary Carter Bishop ’67, whose book, “Don’t You Ever,” was recently

featured in the alumni magazine, at Albemarle High School near Charlottesville

VA, and at Mary Washington. Kathleen and Mary, though they never knew each

other, shared the same journalism career, Kathleen with local newspapers, Mary

Carter with larger publications.

Ginny Bateman Brinkley celebrated the publication of her novel, “Goddess-A

Child of the Sixties” and reveled in the positive response it received, especially

from MWC classmates. The story borrowed largely from the undergraduate life

we all experienced! Ginny proudly announced in May that her book had been

named as a finalist in the 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Ginny’s

granddaughter Brittany, during her third year at Julliard in NYC, performed in the school’s opera “Dido and Aeneas” (as the only underclassman in the cast) and

traveled in June with the group to do more performances in London, Versailles

and Greece. Brittany spent her summer as an actor in “Macbeth” at various parks

in the Adirondaks.

Kitty Downs Gregg and husband Don traveled to NC to visit her roomie, Terry

Caruthers and her husband Don and to attend a gala Terry was chairing at Lake

Norman. Next was a lunch in the clubhouse of the Trump National Golf Club near

there and a stay at Terry’s lovely lakeside home. Kitty and Terry were

 

June 2019  Class of ’66  p5

maid/matron of honor in each other’s weddings and have stayed close ever since.

Next was a stop in Orlando to see son Chris and his girlfriend Debbie, who were

taking a long weekend there. Chris, who used to live in the same Arlington

apartment building Kitty and Terry did in ’66, bought a house in Springfield and

commutes by train to DC for his job as an FAA financial analyst. Daughter Cindy

and her husband Tom live in Castle Rock, a haven for young folks, a half hour from

Kitty and Don’s Denver home. Cindy and Tom both telecommute for Accenture;

she as a manager, he as head of computer security.

Marty Spigel Sedoff, though living in Minnesota, annually scores comprehensive

English tests for Mississippi sixth graders, sometimes six days a week! Marty still

enjoys dancing with Rhythmic Feet, a tap group which regularly entertains

multiple times a month at places like the VA Veteran’s home; at Friendship

Village, a senior community in Bloomington MN; and at the Como Pavilion in St.

Paul for National Tap Dance Day. The group has ten members ranging in age from

60 to 80, who all take tap classes at Sweet Feet Dance, and perform in the

studio’s June recitals at a local nursing home. Participants and audience alike find

much joy in their dancing. Marty also coordinates theater trips to NYC for the

Edina High School theater students and staff. This year (her ninth trip) included 35

members with admittance to workshops with NY performers followed by a

Sunday matinee of “Hamilton.” In December, while at her brother’s funeral in

June 2019  Class of ’66  p6

Roanoke VA, Marty spent some time with her MWC roommate, Shirley Dulaney

Gearheart and husband Rodney. It had been many years since they last met and it

was wonderful to catch up on the family’s news.

Pat Lewars Pace and Linda Glynn Hutchinson spent two weeks in September in

Iceland, marveling at the unique landscape and seeing the area where the

European shelf is separating from the North American one, thus dividing Iceland.

Pat spent the March Madness season in Seattle with her brother and sister-in-law,

enjoying the early broadcasts of all the games. In May Pat and daughter Liz toured

England and Paris, where they saw Stonehenge, enjoyed Evensong at St. Paul’s

Cathedral with the marvelous acoustics of Christopher Wren’s dome. They

happened to be at Windsor Castle when the first public picture of baby Archie

was taken! Pat and Liz celebrated Mother’s Day in Paris and dined at night on the

“first floor” of the Eiffel Tower, about 20 stories high. After a June Alaskan cruise

and glass-top train trip to Denali with her brother, Pat took a month-long

excursion with Linda Glynn Hutchison to Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania and

Scandinavian countries. When at home Pat keeps busy with grandchildren, church

work, home and garden maintenance.

Mary Kathryn Rowell Horner and husband Charlie emptied their Alexandria home

in December and sold it in March. They spent the winter golfing and socializing in

Naples FL but haven’t found any MWC goats or devils there yet! Because their

June 2019  Class of ’66  p7

NoVA condo was rented they stayed in Florida until July, then returned to

Alexandria until mid-October. Mary Kathryn really enjoys the freedom of living in

two small places without the 50-year accumulation of “stuff!”

Pam Kearney Patrick, our accomplished water color artist, sold two paintings at a

show at Strathmore (Bethesda MD) and has six others on display in the Cape May

NJ SOMA gallery. Pam keeps in touch with Pam Hughes Ward and in April visited

with her art buddy, Carol Bingley Wiley, and husband Pete. Pam and husband TaB

have finished their renovations at their Cape May house and, after living in small

quarters for several years, they have finally unpacked all of their household

goods! Pam said it felt like Christmas but then they had to start the process of

sorting and thinning out.

Elaine Gerlach McKelly and husband Tim took a wonderful 15-day land and sea

trip to Alaska. They saw beautiful Denali National Park, flew over glaciers in a very

small plane, visited native villages and museums before boarding a Princess cruise

ship to sail the Inland Passage to Vancouver. This “trip of a lifetime” was followed

by several short trips to Key West FL, Ocean City MD, Lancaster PA (their

homeland) plus visits to grandkids’ colleges. Elaine and Tim have three

grandchildren at UNC in Wilmington, one at Christopher Newport in VA. Three

more graduated high school in May and one granddaughter is attending UMW.

Elaine and Tim sorted out years of accumulated things, put their house on the

 

June 2019  Class of ’66  p8

market and prepared to move to a retirement community in Durham NC in

March. They are excited to be living in an “adult Disneyland,” as the community is

fondly called.

Annette Maddra Horner and husband John continue to settle into their new life

in Richmond. They are renovating and restoring the neglected gardens in their

1895 home; he doing hardscape and grass, she doing landscaping and planting,

with minimal help from professionals. Annette and John enjoy frequent visits with

their two Richmond grandchildren plus two others near Charlotte NC. They take

days off to enjoy the offerings of the New Richmond (RVA) such as James River

activity, parks, farm markets, art and music, restaurants and wineries. Annette

attended a Mary Washington reception in Richmond and was pleased to meet

Bobbi Bishop Mann, Pat Lewars Pace, and Susan Bogese MacLaughlin there.

Ryan Stewart Davis and husband Roger moved from Port Townsend OR to a

retirement community in Seattle to be near all their children. They celebrated

their 51^st wedding anniversary, but only a few weeks afterward, Roger became

seriously ill and passed away. Ryan is still adjusting with a lot of support from

family and friends, old and new. Patty Bergin Bergman lives nearby and has been

very helpful. Ryan and family traveled to Arlington National Cemetery in July for

Roger’s inurnment. We extend our sincere heartfelt condolences to each one.

Anne Powell Young and husband Virgil have created their own cozy retirement

June 2019  Class of ’66  p9

spot after moving from Tennessee to Stafford VA. They are enjoying their new

home in a wooded area and Anne is looking forward to participating in UMW

activities and seeing more of our classmates. She keeps in touch with her long-

time Tennessee pal, Betty Birkhead Vickers, who at last report was on a ten-day

trip to Greece. Anne also sees Carolyn Eldred, who is actively involved with UMW

events and excursions.

Carolyn Eldred has her “ear to the ground” regarding possible plans for our 55^th

reunion. She mentioned that the 1908 Society, to which we now all belong, will

have a tent offering a table for each class represented. We will have to plan our

own separate activities and several classmates are already looking into that.

Carolyn was inspired by an alumna from the Class of ’50 who led the singing of

the Alma Mater at the UMW donor luncheon last spring. Besides her UMW

Theater activities and 1908 Society functions Carolyn volunteers with the Historic

Fredericksburg Foundation. She also participated in a snowy winter’s day MWC

Lunch Bunch gathering in Fredericksburg with Barbara Bishop Mann, Sheila

Denny Young, Pat Lewars Pace, Annette Maddra Horner and Anne Powell

Young.

Linda Mitchell Spiers retired at the end of May from her 15-year position as

rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Collinsville CT, and soon after left for a two-

week pilgrimage to Israel and Palestine. Her group was 35 travelers from the

June 2019  Class of ’66  p10

Episcopal Diocese of CT, including two bishops. Linda then took some personal

time before looking for a part time or provisional priest-in-charge position in one

of the local parishes. In the fall Linda traveled to Virginia and Rehoboth Beach to

visit family and friends. Our 55^th reunion is also on her travel list.

Ann Kales Lindblom claims that her bucket list is spilling over! In March she and

husband Steve cruised through the Panama Canal plus five other Central

American countries. In April Ann flew to Paris with daughter Beth and

granddaughter Ellie for a three-generational fling and recommends it highly for

the rest of us. Ann is also eager to re-energize our reunion effort.

Genie Hobson McClellan is retired but still maintains emeritus status at

Nemours/Alfred DuPont Hospital for Children. She goes to her office part time to

finish up publications and assist in the Molecular Diagnostics Lab.  Genie and Don

bought a 25-foot Winnebago View motorhome in 2016 and have enjoyed touring

the US. They joined their daughter’s family for a week on Mullett Lake in

Cheboyan MI, crossed the Upper Peninsula (the beautiful Mackinaw Bridge), took

a sunset cruise at the Pictured Rocks of Lake Superior and hiked around trails and

waterfalls. In Wisconsin they cruised the Wisconsin Dells, saw the Ringling

Brothers Circus Museum plus a show in Baraboo. Their summer journey was a

long, adventurous trip out west (details later!) and our reunion is on their

calendar.

 June 2019  Class of ’66  p11

Kathleen Goddard Moss and husband Tom celebrated their 53^rd wedding

anniversary in their retirement community in Oakland CA. When Kathy turned 75,

a big deal to her, her neighbors said she “was just a baby!” Rather than travel to

Spain this summer Kathy and Tom hosted their daughter and family from Spain

and enjoyed having their son’s family nearby to join in the festivities. Kathy finds

Oakland to be an interesting and diverse community with a fascinating history.

She was excited to have Barack Obama come to speak and expressed an interest

in his recommendation of a book, “There There” by Tommy Orange, which

describes much of the Native American life and influence in Oakland.

Eileen Goddard Albrigo flew to Oakland in February to visit the Moss family and

enjoy some much-needed “twin time” with Kathy. Eileen was impressed with all

the friendly, outgoing, congenial neighbors there. At home in Virginia Eileen keeps

busy with 14 grandchildren ranging in age from 6 months to 18 years. The eldest

entered Virginia Tech this fall and the others keep Eileen going with birthdays,

graduations, confirmations, ballet and choir performances plus many sports

activities. Husband John has not retired and is still working long hours.

Betsy Chappelear Tryon proudly announced that granddaughter Maddy accepted

an offer to attend The Citadel in SC this fall to play women’s volleyball. Betsy and

daughter Maureen have spent the last few years traveling to all of Maddy’s high

June 2019  Class of ’66  p12

school tournaments, the last of which was in Dallas TX. It’s bittersweet that

Maddy will be so far away from California, but Betsy plans to come east

occasionally to see her and will definitely plan to attend our next reunion.

Susan Roth Nurin continues to embrace the New York City life fully with daily

doses of opera, ballet, symphony, plays, museums and Broadway. She manages

this without great expense by using “rush (day of) tickets,” lottery and rehearsal

attendance. She volunteers at the Metropolitan Opera (free attendance), acts as a

tour guide around the city for Spanish speakers, interacts with Holocaust

survivors, visits and assists many elderly residents. Susan also takes frequent

walks through Central Park, which is across the street from her apartment.

Cathe Cantwell Luria celebrated her 75^th birthday with a major fiesta at their Ajijic

home near Guadalajara, Mexico. Daughter Sacha (coordinator and teacher at an

international baccalaureate school in Oregon) attended during spring break and

Cathe’s brother came from Atlanta. The local mariachi band was a surprise! Cathe

spends two eight-week sessions preparing for choral concerts with Los Cantantes

del Lago, takes weekly voice lessons from the director and also sings with the

Anglican Church choir. She takes Spanish lessons twice a week to improve her

Spanish conversational skills and has joined the Rotary Club in Ajijic. Cathe and

husband Eric really enjoy living in Mexico but take time to visit the kids and

grandkids in Portland for several weeks during the year. They do not miss the

Portland rain!

June 2019  Class of ’66  p13

In December Katharine Rogers Lavery and family celebrated grandson Karl’s

mining engineering degree from WVU plus the birth of grand-nephew Eamon and

great-granddaughter Emersyn, followed by the usual holiday gatherings. May and

June graduations included granddaughter Maggie’s commissioning from AF ROTC

at JMU to 2^nd Lieutenant with an assignment in nursing to Eglin AF Base in Florida,

her fiance’s UVA graduation, granddaughter Erin’s chemistry degree from George

Mason University and then four grandchildren‘s high school graduations two

weeks later. They’re headed to Wake Tech in Raleigh NC, Univ of Arkansas, NC

State and Eckerd College in Florida. Although most of the family still lives in

Northern Virginia the grandkids are scattering near and far. In August two

branches of the clan rented two houses in the Outer Banks of NC –a welcome

reunion after two summers away from the beach. Katharine and Hank continue to

be active with church, church music, tutoring math, senior bowling league, the

Pentagon Sailing Club, senior fitness classes at Ft Myer VA plus a myriad of family

activities and events.

Grace Marie Bamforth Garriott wrote in January that her dear roommate and

friend, Pat Johnson Orgain, had suddenly and unexpectedly died of an apparent

stroke. Grace Marie and Pat’s families have been very close; shared many couples

experiences and mutual children’s events and activities for many years. Our

sincere condolences to both families.

June 2019  Class of ’66 p14

In memoriam:

 Pat Johnson Orgain, January 2018

Condolences:

To Ryan Stewart Davis on the loss of her husband, Roger, October 2018

To Anne Meade Clagett on the loss of her husband, John Wilcox, May 2019 

Christine Brooks
After living in Vienna, Va. in Fairfax Co. for many years, Christine bought a condo in Reston, Va. in Fairfax Co. and moved there in early June.  The condo is next to woods which she loves and there are many walking paths throughout the area to explore.  Her cat, Oliver, loves to see all the birds outside.

Gail Balderson Dise
Gail spent Mother’s day weekend in Myrtle Beach/Conway S.C. celebrating grandson Jason Nugent’s college graduation from Coastal Carolina University.  Jason then headed to N. Y. City with his degree in Accounting and Finance for a summer internship at Ernst and Young. In the fall he will attend graduate school at UVA.

Mary Mac Harris
Mary Mac and Craig moved to a low-maintenance house in 2016 in Midlothian, Va.  And they are enjoying the escape from snow and lawn care.  She still maintains a small flower garden which she enjoys very much. They will celebrate their 50^th wedding anniversary in the fall with a Rhine river cruise.Their son, Sam with his wife and 3 children live in Crozet, Va.  Their daughter, Kelly, lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and son.  They all enjoy getting together each summer. Mary Mac loves her volunteer job as a first grade reading tutor at a Title I school in Richmond.  She also goes regularly to yoga and plays a little golf just for the exercise.

Nancy McDonald Legat
Nancy and husband, Dan, live in Lexington, SC where they enjoy retirement, spending time with family, traveling, and church activities.  Nancy enjoys crafts, gardening, and a little writing.  They both seem to be busier than when they both worked.  They have 3 daughters and sons-in-law, 7 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

Susan Safran Potter
Allen and Susan continue to travel, whittling down their “bucket list”.  They attend Braves games, Georgia Tech football and basketball, other venues.  They recommend museums in Cartersville, Ga., northwest of Atlanta—The Booth Museum and the Tellus Science Museum. Susan enjoyed our 50^th Reunion and will try for another reunion at 55 years in 2022.

Laurie DiPadova-Stocks
Laurie and her husband are moving from Parkville, MO (Greater Kansas City area) to Gilbert, Arizona (Phoenix Metro area).  Her institution has opened a new campus in Gilbert and is transferring her there with special assignments. This will be a new adventure for them as they have not lived in AZ although her children did while in school.  Both of them live in Southern California now so Laurie and husband will be closer to them as well as to their other children.

Dixie Kopfler Susalia
Dixie traveled to D.C. for a family funeral in March and combined that visit with a trip to Delaware to see her suitemates—Vivian Crater Gray ’67 and Janet Gutmann Schreiber’67.  They had a wonderful time catching up, talking about Mary Washington and how it has changed, and making plans to meet again for a cruise to Mexico in October.

Mary Beth Bush Dore
Casey and I have been stay at homes this winter, cleaning out memorabilia, enjoying the Beaufort area, manning the USO Savannah Airport desks and being with our daughter, Ginger ‘94, husband Scott, and our two grandchildren, Zac at USC and Kari working back in Va.  Ginger finally attended her first reunion and enjoyed seeing her friends, Amanda Boshears ’94 and Laurie Brown ’94 and visiting with her godparents  Gayle ‘64 and Warren Channel in Portsmouth, VA.
Keep sending me information about what you are doing so that I can put them in the next magazine, even if they are early in the year. Your classmates will be interested.  Thank you for all the information you have sent me as your class representative.

From outgoing class agent Iris Harrell:
You missed a rocking good time at our 50th class reunion at Mary Washington at the end of May this year.

We had 100 from our class attend. Rick and Rose Hurley came as honorary ‘69ers. We raised the most money of all the reunion classes attending ($1.8 million dollars-the total for all 13 classes was $3.6 million.)and almost $300k of our money raised was dedicated to the class of ‘69 scholarship initiated awhile back by my wife, Ann Benson. Real acceleration occurred when classmate, Cathy Woteki added a challenge of matching $100k if our class raised the first $100k. We did it gals! Big time! Our goal is to help future new students needing financial assistance  and to know that the class of ‘69 is paying forward in perpetuity.

Jane Jackson Woerner and husband have returned to eastern VA after 38 years in Florida.

They will spend 3 to 4 months each winter in Florida and the rest of the year in Urbana, Va.

Jane as our senior class president led the reunion Friday night 50th anniversary dinner comments, Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda as former Va. poet laureate read one of her poems at the dinner and classmate, Patti Boise was ever behind the scenes from the beginning of this grand reunion planning. It truly was the best reunion we have ever had.

Betty Olander Adams wrote that the 50th reunion was almost magical….heartwarming stories and great camaraderie. She was thrilled to reunite with her roommate Chris Ann Phillips Farhood, a psychoanalyst and artist in Manhattan. Chris landed there to go to grad school with her late husband, Bill. She never left.  Chris’s family now claim to be permanent New Yorkers.

Betty is in the middle of building two houses on a farm in Hume, Va. while maintsining their current farm and home in Howard county. She and her husband are into horses.

My suitemate, Carol Hewitt Guida (an architect) attended the reunion from her distant home in Australia and suitemate, Lyn Howell Gray attended from Liberia, Africa. No one can accuse our class of not reaching out to the boundaries of the outside world! Carol’s youngest son is a writer and is currently editing transcripts of court cases in Australia. Her oldest son is in his father’s architectural firm, also in Australia.

Lyn and Jim Gray celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Washington, DC on the Saturday after the reunion. They have a home in Blacksburg they are working on, which will become their future retirement home. Lyn is now preparing for her 10th Liberia Reads! training in 6 new schools, bringing the total to 35 schools obtaining better teaching and better materials for reading skills in Liberia, where they have spent most of their adult life.

Bev Holt, attended the reunion from Raleigh, NC. Her wonderful mother just passed away the week before the reunion at the age of 93. I was able to attend the graveside memorial in Richmond with Bev the day before the reunion started. She and her wife, Deb spend as much time as possible in their beach house in Wrightsville, NC.

Bev Holt and I were in Willard together when I was a junior counselor. Margie Garmey (‘71)and and Jane Touzalin (‘71) came up just before the reunion and met us at Allman’s BBQ, our old  BBQ gathering place from decades ago. It is still there, girls! It was great to see them!

Anne Witham Kilpatrick, my high school compadre was at the reunion with her suitemate, Jeanine Zavrell Fearns.Anne spends a lot of time with her DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) and is now the South Carolina state committee chair. Anne’s granddaughter after graduating from college this summer will work as analyst with the military.

Anne, Jeannine and Susi Bender Winterble and Toni Turner Breuseth have an annual reunion of their own yearly….this time in Greenville, SC. Anne celebrates her 50th anniversary with her husband, Roger Kilpatrick this year.

Marianne deBlois Zentz (she still looks like she did in college, a feat in itself) is enjoying life in Sarasota, Florida. She was a big help to me along with Christie Wineholt at decorating our Saturday picnic   Reunion tent. Christie and I brought out tools in our suitcases to manage proper mounting of our gathered  mementos from the sixties. Needless to say, our tent was the best and only one decorated this year.

Marianne and Christie are seeing which one of them can be the oldest to have a first grandchild….(my money is on Christie).

Karen Ralston was at  the reunion along with Bonnie Page Hoopengardner, Linda Marret Disoway and Linda Huff Alderson. Karen is moving to Melbourne Beach, Fla. on a canal for winters and will spend summers in Breckenridge, Colorado. She has planned trips to Iceland and Africa.

Karen, Bonnie, and Betty Ferguson Foster were visiting Linda Huff in her New York apartment when the 9/11 planes hit the towers in 2001. They were in the audience of the Today show when it happened. They were already bonded from Mary Wash life together, but this created an even deeper bond between them.

Karen Ralston reminisces about what we all have lived through together through these last 50 years- Viet Nam, the moon landing, the first tvs, computers, cell phones, the internet, passenger jets, Woodstock, the Stonewall riots in NYC leading to the first gay pride march, race riots, Presidential assassinations, and 9/11, 2001. We have gone through so much, but we have survived and flourished through it all.

Bonnie Page Hoopengardner just checked off their 7th continent with an African safari last year. She and her husband Roger also celebrated their 50th anniversary. She and her grandkids will be rafting down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon this year. She has 6 grandkids. (Marianne and Christy-you must catch up!)

Donna Julian, Carolyn Day O’Leary and Jean Polk Hanky were also at the reunion, along with Nancy Stevenson Leeper. Donna’s husband has had serious health issues, but is doing ok now. She went on a trip to Cuba with several friends this year. She also made a short pilgrimage to Guadalupe this past year.

One of the highlights of this class reunion for me was the luncheon of 6 of the 7 American Studies majors from our class. The current head of the department, Krystyn Moon hosted us and it was the first time the 6 of us had ever been together. Karen Rogers, Liz Wilbur, Virginia Wheaton, Nancy Allard, Sharon Dobie and myself. The stories of the careers and travels of these 6 women was book worthy. The other highlight was playing pickleball with President Troy Paino and his wife. They are good athletes and are doing wonderful things for Mary Wash.

As luck would have it, my 5 years as your class scribe is finished. Linda Eadie Hood will be the scribe for the next few years. She can be reached at linda.hood@me.com.

Our classmates have decided we should have another Mary Wash reunion two years from now. We have already lost 18 of our classmates and there will be more losses to come. Some of our classmates attended their very first reunion this time…and it was worth it for them and us.

Keep in touch, girls. We have a common bond through our history together. And we still make a difference in this world. Long live the works, lives and legacy of the class of ‘69!

Iris F. Harrell
We are all in this together…2019