Class Notes

The Facebook page for the Class of 1969, “University of Mary Washington class of 1969 alumni,” has become quite active. Log on to find updates from classmates, and feel free to post something so I will have news to report next time.

Many classmates live in the San Francisco Bay area, including Suzanne McCarthy Van Ness, Phyllis Newby Thompson, Reggie Sneed, and Iris Harrell. At a September mini-reunion, Suzanne, Phyllis, and Iris had fun at dinner at Iris’ country club and going through the old Mary Washington yearbooks. Iris had dinner in November with Carole Phipps and her partner, Paula, in Los Gatos, Calif. Iris hoped Carole would join her, Phyllis, and Suzanne to meet Lynne Richardson, the new head of UMW’s College of Business, at a November dinner at Boulder Ridge Golf Club, where the Alumni Association’s Donna Mejia also was to be present. Iris went to last year’s Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Ore., and spent time with friends in Klamath Falls, Ore., last September. Phyllis is looking for Valerie Dannehl and Pam Rodriguez. Can anyone help? Iris’ award-winning remodeling business is doing extensive remodeling on the California home of Phyllis, who also has a home with her husband on the Kona Coast in Hawaii, where they go to relax.

Barbara Burt Bowman lives in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago. Susan Taylor Bulk of Western Wisconsin teaches swimming, skiing, and logrolling – quite a departure for a math major. Pat Akers of High Point, N.C., is retired and spends time on Oak Island. Carol Johnson Williams lives in Alexandria but spends much of the winter in Naples, Fla. Karen Dyer of Richmond is single and teaches dance part time. Ann Chatterton Klimas of Bel Air, Md., lives close to her grandchildren and freelances online children’s items. Nancy Parker Soles got together this summer in Vail, Colo., with her roommate, Lou Myers Daly, who lives there.

Cynthia Lowdermilk met Betsy Crews Neilson in South Boston, Va., for lunch last July, when Betsy was on her way to coastal North Carolina to visit her great aunts. Chris Cole of Mount Dora, Fla., lives in a cottage built over the water and said she has an alligator dwelling and growling under her bed. Chris writes for many publications, including the Orlando Sentinel. She wrote an article, The Elizabeth I Knew, about Mary Beth Anania, also known as Elizabeth Edwards, the late wife of John Edwards, which was picked up by many newspapers. Mary Beth was Chris’ roommate in Mary Ball and transferred to UNC. She was an amazingly accomplished woman, and her death at such a young age was truly a tragedy.

Linda Gattis Shull and Gloria Shelton Gibson attended an August reception hosted by President Hurley and wife Rose at the Charlotte City Club in North Carolina, where they were shown the physical changes being made at Mary Washington. There should be lots for us to see at our next reunion! Anne Witham Kilpatrick attended the Highland Games in Charleston, S.C., in September then went to Myrtle Beach. She also attended her high school reunion then visited with Jeanine Zavrel Fearns and Suzy Bender Winterble.

I recently heard from Christina Askounis ’68, who started with our class but graduated earlier. Christina, who teaches writing in Duke University’s English department, published a novel in 1993 that was reissued in 2007, and she was working on a second book. She is married to an Episcopal priest who has a computer consulting firm and isn’t currently active in parish life. Daughter Elizabeth lives in Barcelona, Spain, and works for the Council for International Educational Exchange, which handles many American study abroad programs. Son Michael lives near Christina and her husband and has a degree in history from UNC at Chapel Hill but had been working in video production. Christina returned to Mary Washington in 1995, when she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Christina also knew Mary Beth Anania (Elizabeth Edwards) while at Mary Washington, has fond memories of her, and attended her funeral in December 2010. We are proud to claim Christina as a member of our class, even though she graduated a year ahead of us, and we hope she’ll come to our next reunion in 2014.

Patti Boise Kemp said the newly renovated Monroe Hall, with high-tech features, is open and still has the classical exterior we all remember. The Anderson Center, a gym and convocation center, also is now open, and a hotel is set to be constructed in Eagle Village. Perhaps we can book it for our reunion in 2014. Patti attended President Hurley’s inauguration, along with Jane Jackson Woerner, Connie Cline Bukzin, and Jean Polk Hanky, and said it was both traditional and creative. Patti also attended the inaugural ball in the new Anderson Center. She ran into Connie Hinson when they both volunteered at the annual Friends of the Rappahannock Riverfest.

At the end of last year, Betty Wade Miles Perry announced her retirement from the city manager’s office in Virginia Beach, where she worked in the organizational development office and served as an internal consultant to the city. She was looking forward to taking better care of herself, spending more time with her children and grandchildren, and traveling.

Please email me or post something on Facebook so I can let everyone know what you’re doing. I truly enjoy hearing from all of you.