Class Notes

This is my last submission as class agent. It’s been a pleasure hearing from so many of you over the last almost 20 years. If you would like to serve as class agent, or to share news or notice of a death of one of our classmates, write to classnotes@umw.edu. If you have news to share directly with me or those on my mailing list, please continue to send those to me at my email address above.

Like many others, Felicity Hallanan was disappointed that we couldn’t visit campus for our 55th reunion this past May. She noted that 2020 will be remembered for events in our lives that did not happen, as well as those that did. She looked forward in hope that the Class of ’65 will, indeed, be able to gather for reunion May 14-16, 2021.

Last summer, someone drove through three rooms of Lee Smith Musgrave’s home. The car went through the garage door and the mudroom and came to a stop in the guest bathroom – all while Lee was in the house. Her home was declared uninhabitable until a structural engineer declared it safe for repair. She took refuge with a neighbor for 11 days.

In November, she and a neighbor enjoyed a Caribbean cruise, a welcome relief from the home-repair chaos. But this summer brought more strife. Lee stepped off her scale and her femur cracked. She had surgery that day, and a rod and two screws were inserted to hold the bone together. She hoped to go home from rehab in mid-August.

Janice Helvey Robinson and Rob are still in the Atlanta area, with their children close by. Their weekly visits are now driveway visits or Zoom meetings. They decided several years ago to travel in the United States and have been to Jackson Hole, Vail, Mount Rushmore, and Glacier National Park. Their last outing was a New Orleans-to-Memphis cruise on the Mississippi River. They did all things Elvis along with barbecue, Beale Street, and Sun Studios. No more travel plans until we get a vaccine! Meanwhile they play bridge online and record their church choir pieces individually, to be put together into a virtual performance.

Linda Patterson Hamilton has been cancer-free for nearly two years, and she and husband Austin celebrated their 53rd anniversary in June. She’s participated in a weekly Zoom meeting of Tremble Clefs, a Parkinson’s disease singing therapy that strengthens vocal and swallowing functions. She is also writing a novel set in Virginia.

Carol Meese continues to paint and exhibit. Her latest body of work was done during the stay-home phase of the pandemic.

Margaret Cobourn Robinson and Kenny spent January to March in Vero Beach, Florida. Margaret’s brother passed away June 16, but they were blessed to fly out to Seattle to see him the week before.

Kathie Drake Burgess practiced family law for 20 years and specialized in helping victims of domestic violence. Cheryl Gonzales Yancey just retired for the second time.

On a sad note, we have lost several classmates recently. Sara Rieger Trub sent news that Phyllis Eure Rodrigues passed away on April 17 due to complications from COVID-19. It was very sudden, and her family was relieved that she did not suffer a prolonged illness. The nursing home director said she was wheeling around and being her funny, warm, and friendly self that very morning, and the staff was shocked and heartbroken.

Saralyn Judd Pinson passed away in December 2018. Gertrude “Trudy” Kitchin Kohl passed away Oct. 6, 2019. Margaret Cobourn Robinson and Trudy were roommates sophomore year, and Meg was able to see Trudy a few days before she passed. Ed Amsbury wrote that Carole Dirling Amsbury passed away July 30, 2020.