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.