Class Notes

[Editors’ note: Longtime class agent Edna Gooch Trudeau regretfully resigns as class agent with this, her final submission. We wish her all the best and thank her for her service to the Class of 1959 and Mary Washington! You can send future 1959 class news to classnotes@umw.edu.]

Ann Brooks Coutsoubinas was in Florida last Thanksgiving. In 2019 she and 17 members of her family vacationed in England and Scotland, where a family christening was held. I heard from Ann again in 2020, and despite the pandemic she was taking things a day at a time. Daughter Anastasia was working for a local drugstore, and every day was hectic with old people demanding their pills.

Lois Gaylord Allen’s son, his wife, and six red-haired grandchildren spent last Christmas with her. She has reduced her volunteer work at the local humane society. She has four cats and two dogs of her own. She dearly misses Howard.

In 2019, Joan Whittemore South and Jim spent a week at a resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, for his birthday. September found them in Wisconsin visiting Jim’s daughters, Sarah and Kristin, and grandchildren, Logan, Mary, Hunter, Emily, and Ashley. They attended two University of Wisconsin Badgers football games.

Joni fell, broke her right arm, and spent eight weeks in a hard cast and several more in a soft. She also planned to have shoulder surgery.

2019 was a year of changes for Mary Massey, who left her house of 35 years and moved to a senior citizens community two miles away. She loves her grand apartment and access to grass, trees, space, and privacy. Mary was volunteering for three organizations, taking an exercise class, and joining friends for activities. Last September, she and her sister visited Lake George, New York, with family members.

Barbara Gordon McNamee and Bob had a mostly good 2019. Barbara is a longtime administrator and judge of synchronized swimming competitions and was busy with that work until, on a judging trip in California at Easter, she fell and fractured her pelvis and tailbone. Son Howard Crabtree and his wife, Margie, took her to the ER and cared for her till she was able to fly home to Bob. She was recovered and back to work in eight weeks.

They had visits with Chris and Youngmi, Karen and Tony, and Rob.

Barbara Barndt Miller lost Wayne on June 25, 2019. He had several problems and hospital visits but passed peacefully. They had moved to Pennsylvania toward the end of 2018 and stayed with her daughter, Ann, until their new home was ready. Family members, her church, and the community into which they moved have been very supportive.

Arthur Old, widower of Eleanor Markham Old, wrote his usual humorous and newsy letter. He’s doing well.

Irene Piscopo Rodgers had a lot of company in 2019. She took a river cruise and kept up with house repairs.

Barbara White Ellis was preparing a birthday party for a friend, with a limited guest list because of the pandemic. Yes, 10 is the magic number. Babs has had two hip replacements and was doing well but had not been able to ride, so no horse shows. A friend had been exercising her horse for her. Babs was still on her farm.

Frances Bourke Firth had cataract surgery and hip replacement surgery in 2019 and was unable to attend reunion. Her youngest child was getting married, and she and Roger had planned a trip to Egypt, pre-pandemic.

Sally Warwick Rayburn lost Jim in February 2019. Jim had experienced several strokes, so they decided to sell their home in Florida and return to Greensboro, North Carolina. Jim picked the apartment. Sally returned to Florida to pack. Jim was moved to skilled nursing care after a few weeks. Sally returned to join Jim, but he passed away the day she arrived. She is doing OK. She likes the apartments, has made new friends, and has renewed old acquaintances.

2019 flew by for Kay Rowe Hayes. In May she attended the UMW graduation of grandson Matthew Hayes ’19 (who went on to earn a master’s degree from William & Mary’s Mason School of Business in May 2020). Matthew’s twin brother, John, graduated the same day from Christopher Newport University. They are the sons of Kaye’s son Tom and his wife, Tracy. In August, Kay visited sister Susan Rowe Bunting ’64 and Phil in their lake cottage in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.

Kay’s oldest, Kathy, loves living in Chula Vista, California. She volunteers at the animal shelter, serves on the county rescue team, and received a gold medal as the 2018 volunteer of the year in San Diego County. Kay’s daughter Karen and husband Harry enjoy life outside Atlanta. Tom and Tracy welcomed their college graduate twins back home while one attended graduate school and the other prepared for a new job.

Kay called with an update in February 2020. She was recuperating from pneumonia and downsizing. In the book department alone she had enough to start her own Barnes & Noble.

Gloria Winslow Borden’s news from 2019 included the wedding of a granddaughter in California, another granddaughter’s college graduation in Phoenix, a family trip to Oahu, and World Series games with a grandson and other relatives.

Jane Coates Littlefield and Mo said son Scott, his wife, Susan, and their children, Chris and Mary Graham, fill their house with much activity and joy. Chris was a senior in Stuart Hall in Staunton. He was enjoying scholastic and basketball success and was college-hunting. Mary Graham had done well in elementary school and was looking forward to Maury River Middle School and sixth grade.

Scott and Susan continued to manage the laundry pickup and delivery service business they were trying to sell in Augusta, Georgia.

Out of the blue, a call from Fay Jessup Young, my first-year suitemate. Sadly, she lost Avery two years ago. Two of her children live close, which is a big help. Her oldest granddaughter was touring the Netherlands when the coronavirus showed up, but she arrived home safely. Where are Carol Noakes Robinson, Eugenia “Jean” Ellis Perkins, and Patsy Peterson Griffing? Unfortunately, I could give no answers.

Although quarantined, Jane Tucker Broadbooks and John really enjoy their senior apartment. John had some health issues but was doing better. Jon Karl drives his dad to weekly kidney dialysis. Jon Karl’s son Tucker is a college student, and daughter Virginia was finishing high school. Jane and John celebrated their 60th anniversary June 25. (Trivia – so do Marcia Phipps Ireland and my daughter, Virginia Trudeau Rogers. How about that? And it is my mother’s birthday.) Jane said Molly Bradshaw Clark is in a senior apartment and still living in Florida.

Well, my dears, it is hard to believe we have known each other since August 1955. We were all at the beginning of our new lives, and none of us knew what would happen next. Fortunately, we turned out to be an outstanding group of women with exciting careers, good husbands, lovely children, and for some, single, rewarding livelihoods.

Thank you for all these years. It has given me great joy to share your stories, read, and write about you. (I tried not to talk about myself, but when Virginia and Lucas arrived, I had to write a sentence or two.)

Here it is, my 53rd year. My brain’s wishes do not coincide with my body’s decisions! My macular degeneration is at the point that it is extremely difficult for me to read and write, and I feel I can no longer serve as your class agent. It breaks my heart. It seems I do not have a choice. Please accept my resignation as class agent for 1959. I love you all!