Class Notes

After Barbara Bishop Mann and husband Robert took a well-deserved, two-week July vacation to Maine and Canada, Bobbi fell ill and was diagnosed with a rare, though curable, form of leukemia. She is now in remission and able to resume her normal routine, but she and Robert postponed an October trip to China. Bobbi and Jana Privette Usry attended Richard V. Hurley’s presidential inauguration in September. They agree that President Hurley’s description of his blue-collar, working-class family roots and his decision at age 25 to enter college are inspiring.

Linda Glynn Hutchinson, Pat Lewars Pace, and two other friends spent August in Eastern Europe, visiting Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Krakow, and Prague. Pat’s favorite part was dipping her feet in the Baltic Sea. Linda particularly liked the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa to which many travel to see the Black Madonna icon. They enjoyed the freedom of tour-free traveling, said that four was the perfect number to share cabs and the cost of local guides, and found that beer was cheaper than water! Pat and Clair Gollihew Cosby sadly reported the passing of Pattie Tuggle Miller, who lived with her husband in Ashland, Va. Pattie and Clair belonged to the No Standards Book Club of Henrico County, and the members made a gift in Pattie’s memory to the UMW library, designating it to be spent on the literature collection. Pattie was a career middle school English teacher, and Clair misses her wit, smiles, laughter, and “rock-solid support during hard times.”

Susan Roth Nurin retired from teaching in Annapolis, sold her house, moved back home to New York City after 45 years in Maryland, found a fabulous apartment overlooking Central Park, and began indulging in ballet, symphony, opera, and theater. She watched a private rehearsal of Swan Lake with members of the New York City Ballet, conversed with the general manager of the Metropolitan Opera, attended rehearsals of the New York Philharmonic, visited the World Trade Center memorial pools, and took guided tours through Central Park. Susan traveled to Sarasota, Fla., for son Justin’s October wedding to Melissa.

Yvonne March took her first trip to South America in the fall. She spent two weeks in Argentina with her brother and sister-in-law, and they visited Buenos Aires, Cordoba, and Iguazu Falls, which is reportedly more spectacular than Niagara. Relatives in Buenos Aires shared information about the family history in Cuba. Yvonne went alone to Peru to visit her sister-in-law’s family in Lima and spent three days in the city’s historical center admiring the ancient architecture. She flew to Cusco and caught the train to Machu Picchu. Before returning home with Chris to Tampa, Yvonne spent a week in Miami with family and friends.

Betsy Chappelear Tryon traveled to Scotland last summer with daughter Maureen, friend Brian, and granddaughter Maddie for her cousin Amanda’s wedding on the Isle of Skye. Betsy’s mother was born in Renfrew, near Glasgow, and many family members still live in that area. Amanda married an Englishman, Neil Gaiman, and it turns out that he’s one of Betsy’s favorite authors. She’d read most of his books before she learned of her cousin’s engagement. His best-known book, Coraline, was nominated for a Golden Globe award. Betsy and sister Kathy spent a few days in Glasgow before the wedding. Attending the reception at McDonald Castle, visiting crofts that belonged to relatives long gone, and listening to the pipes played by a distant cousin are some of Betsy’s cherished memories. Back home in Southern California, Betsy continues her “meet and greet” position at LAX and loves it. She represents five cruise lines, Princess, Disney, Carnival, Crystal, and Cunard.

Winnie Woodson Stribling regrets missing our 45th reunion but planned to attend her 50th high school reunion next summer in Richmond with Eleanor McJilton Thompson. The hand-bell choir Winnie conducts in Alamo, Calif., gave a moving Sept. 11 performance. She and husband Brad traveled in November to Kona, Hawaii, to enrich their stargazing avocation near the Keck Observatory.

Pam Kearney Patrick sent photos of herself dressed in a champagne-colored Victorian gown and her husband in a top hat, gloves, and tails. They were standing in front of a Victorian home in Cape May, N.J., where they were participating in the annual fall celebration, Victorian Week. Pam’s watercolor paintings have been on exhibit at the Mansion at Strathmore in Bethesda, Md., for the Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society show; the Ice House Gallery in Washington; and the Durant Center in Old Town Alexandria. Pam has enjoyed reconnecting with Pam Ward Hughes, who has been traveling on assignment for the State Department, and her fellow watercolor artist, Carolyn Bingley “Bing” Wiley, who regularly travels to Virginia during the winter to visit friends and family.

This summer Susie Williams Cluff and husband Mike visited Taos and Santa Fe, N.M.; traveled China from Shanghai to Beijing; had their annual junket to Newport, R.I.; and visited their children’s families. Daughter Kristin is in Kansas, and son Michael is in New Jersey. Susie planned to visit her sister this spring in Beverly Hills, Calif. Susie and Mike celebrated their 46th anniversary and were downsizing their five-bedroom home, perhaps with a move to Vinson Hall, a community for retired sea service military personnel. Mike retired this year but teaches night courses at the Naval War College in Washington, D.C. Susie enjoys antiquing, which currently involves more selling than buying.

Sandra Hutchison Schanné spent a few weeks in Denver this fall welcoming her twin grandchildren, Alexis and Van Mills, and helping care for their big brother. Sandra realized how much easier it must have been for her own mother to help with grandbabies when she was 20 years younger than Sandra is now! It was challenging to drive a strange car in a strange city, learn her way around a different kitchen, and call up energy reserves she didn’t think she had. Husband Richard stayed home to supervise their remodeling project, extending the kitchen to include a new dining room with a workroom-photo lab above it. Son-in-law Shawn, meanwhile, said he would build Sandra a deluxe mother-in-law suite if she would stay on in Denver.

Martha Roberts and husband Russ of Fredericksburg took the auto train to Key Largo, Fla., in November, but Martha promised to be back in time for our 50th reunion! Linda Spangler Berkheimer and husband Phil left in November for Egypt and Jordan and hoped the political unrest in the Middle East wouldn’t interfere with their plans. Linda has extra copies of the DVD slide show she made for our 45th reunion if anyone would like one.

After a lifetime in Virginia, Terry Carruthers moved in June from Lovettsville to Mooresville, N.C., on Lake Norman near Charlotte. She and Don are retired yet continue to do part-time consulting. Don works from home doing divorce mediation via a T1 line and big screen in the basement, and Terry travels to Northern Virginia for orals coaching. Terry found a walking buddy, joined the Newcomers Club and the Golden Girls Club, and enjoys the garden, travel, dinner, wine-tasting, and bridge clubs. She and Don joined a Bible study and a boating group, and Terry volunteers at the Give-Back Consignment Shop for Christian Missions. She enrolled in a painting class, and Don auditioned to play tenor sax in the Lake Norman Big Band. Terry wonders how they find time to babysit and attend sports events with their six North Carolina grandchildren, but they do!

Carolyn Perry Grow and Dave continue to work diligently for a complete recovery from Dave’s second stroke. They bought a second home in central Pennsylvania rather than endure difficult travels to and from the Charlottesville area to visit family. They, and their cats, enjoyed the cool summer and have adjusted to the excellent medical and veterinary resources there. Carolyn and Dave are getting used to being called “halfbacks,” the term for people who move from north to south and finally settle halfway back. Carolyn and Dave were joined by Pat Thompson Greenwald and husband Paul in their Keswick, Va., home in September. Pat and Paul, married 28 years, took assignments in Hawaii and Germany at the end of their careers, retired from their government jobs at Fort Meade, Md., and moved from Annapolis to The Villages in Florida. Pat misses Maryland and her children and stepchildren so much that they’re considering buying a second home near them.

Joan Cuccias Patton, who is retired, spent a week in Newport Beach, Calif., with all her children and grandchildren for a family wedding and attended a second family wedding at a winery near Los Gatos, Calif. In October, she spent two weeks with friends following the path of the Illinois regiment during the Civil War, from Vicksburg to Natchez to Mobile. After Thanksgiving, Joan headed for New York City to see shows, tour the city, taste good food, and give Susan Roth Nurin some competition. Upon returning home, Joan planned to tutor and substitute teach, then leave in the spring for a long journey through Italy.

Kathleen Goddard Moss and husband Tom enjoyed a quiet autumn following a busy spring and summer filled with reunions, houseguests, and trips. In addition to our fantastic 45th reunion, they attended Tom’s 50th reunion at Harvard and Kathy’s combined 49th and 50th high school reunion. Their former exchange student from Turkey stayed four months with them, with her 3-year-old son, her mother, her husband (when his work allowed), and their newborn baby girl. Kathy and Tom’s children came from Spain and California for simultaneous visits so the children and grandchildren could enjoy each other’s company. Other visitors included old friends and Kathy’s brother and family from Seattle. Kathy and Tom flew to Spain for two weeks, camped in Ohio with two daughters’ families, visited Tom’s sister in Canada, and took their annual trip to Hilton Head, S.C., with Eileen Goddard Albrigo and her family.