Class Notes

prolific poet, has two more books coming out. Her poetry chapbook Vectors: J. Robert Oppenheimer: The Years Before the Bomb was published by Parallel Press of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries in December, and her new full-length poetry collection, The Life and Death of Poetry, published by Louisiana State University Press, is set for a spring release. She and Burke spent five weeks on Emerald Isle on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Mary Gilliam Dodson Larson’s first grandchild was due in December, and Mary planned to visit her youngest daughter and her husband in Seattle after the baby arrived. Jan Clarke of University Advancement at UMW visited Jerri Barden Perkins in her new location on Hilton Head Island, S.C. Ellen Rosenthal ’64 joined them, and they shared an evening watching the sun set and discussing how UMW students might become involved with Bread for the City, which offers medical and other services in the Washington, D.C., area. Ellen and Jerri have served on their board. Jerri hasn’t played tennis in years but dabbles at golf. She still works and was invited to give an adult education class on good clinical practices. Noreen Galvin Dunn was recovering from a stroke. Her business, Dunn Appraisal Services, is in Christiansted, Virgin Islands.

On the passing of our Cornell freshman suitemate, Ginnie Cusick Hanlon, in February 2012, Sandee Judkins Armitage said she was thinking of all (Janie Riles; Jane Snyder, who passed away several years ago; Carlotta Croghan; Sandy Kollendar, of whom we’ve lost track; and Nell Leary) that September day in Cornell. Sandee said Ginnie lived in Ohio and had two sons and an active theater career.

Eleanor Knight Jensen and Cliff left in August for a three-week cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey, visiting Istanbul, the Black Sea, and ports in Turkey, the Greek isles, Athens, and Venice. New destinations for them on this cruise included Bulgaria and Romania. They left in October for five weeks on their favorite Caribbean island, St. Barts. Lynne McCarthy finally got through her mother’s paperwork that she packed in 1992 and brought home from Norfolk, Va., but she hasn’t gotten through all her parents’ photographs. Lynn and I commiserate on how our lung diseases and constantly being on oxygen have changed our lifestyles.

Mary McMorrow Swanson of Clearwater and Chloe Irvin Weaver of Dunedin, Fla., met for lunch in July with Mary’s sister and Chloe’s husband, Bill. In May, Jean Ryan Farrell took a three-week trip, seeing Beijing, Xian, Chongqing, and Hong Kong, where son Robert met them for three days. Hurricane Sandy left Bev Carlson Shea and Jim in Bethlehem, Pa., without electricity for almost six days.

In advance of the fall election, Clara Sue Durden Ashley made several politically themed potholders. For Thanksgiving week, she planned to have 15 houseguests, including two sons, two daughters-in-law, and 11 grandchildren. For Thanksgiving Day, they were to have an additional two sons, one daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren, for a total of 23. Oldest grandson Christopher graduated from high school and takes online courses.

As of mid-November, I was still waiting to hear that the perfect lung had arrived. Andy and I relocated to Durham, N.C., in August so I could participate in the required pulmonary rehab, consisting of 23 sessions, both pre- and post-transplant, with continuing daily maintenance. Duke University Hospital is the best place for this procedure, and I’m grateful to be here. The downside is being away from family, especially our 5-year-old grandson, Leo, in Wilmington, N.C. Thanks to those who sent encouraging words. It all makes me more determined to get well!

From Renee: Peggy Howard Hodgkins planned a January cruise to the Southern Caribbean with Pat Scott Peck. Peggy and a cousin have a February timeshare week in NYC. She planned to spend time in March and April with friends and family in Arizona, Texas, and Georgia. Pat and Carolyn Crum Pannu took an October Mediterranean cruise.

Dick Burroughs, the widower of former Class Agent Annie Hopkins, said daughter-in-law Carol is back with Mamma Mia. Carol fell onstage several months ago and tore her Achilles tendon, but she returned to the production when she, Donnie, and their daughter moved back to New York from Las Vegas.

Bev Barkley Weaver, a roommate sophomore year in “the tunnel” with Candes Parker Chumney, lives in Cary, N.C., and works at the state Capitol. Her husband died five years ago. Peggy saw Candes, who’s busy with children and grandchildren in San Antonio, Texas, a few years ago, and has emailed with Cindy Scott Morcott. Gene England Simonds of Oxford, Va., came to our 50th. Husband Harrison died a few months later. Renee Skinner Wheeler of Springfield, Va., where Skip was in the military, sends Christmas letters with news of her three children and her grandchildren. The six of them were on Willard third floor, back hall.

Sylvia McJilton Woodcock and Stuart sold their house and two boats and were preparing to move to an independent living villa in a United Methodist continuous care retirement community in Williamsburg, Va. Stuart was to have hip surgery in February to correct a previous surgery. They spent some time with Marcia Minton Keech and Bill in Hilton Head, S.C.

Mary Hatcher and friend Bill traveled to Texas, visiting the San Antonio Missions Trail, the LBJ Ranch, and Mary’s college roommate, Kathy Byorum Whaley, in Copperas Cove. Mary attended a Friends of the Collection meeting and tour in Williamsburg, had lunch with Betsey Hueston Hansen, spent a summer week in Lake Erie, Pa., and planned a December trip to Phoenix.

I had one more chemo in November and was to take December off before beginning radiation. I can’t thank you guys enough for your well wishes, prayers, emails, and cards. Tests show that I’m cancer-free! When my blood counts are good, I can attend events with crowds. In October, I saw Lily Tomlin’s one-woman show, and in November, I saw Barbra Streisand at the Hollywood Bowl. I’ve managed to have some fun through all this!

To the rest of my group, I wish you’d send news.

From Lynne: During Superstorm Sandy – named after my husband, Sandy – we didn’t lose power in NYC or in Connecticut, so we provided shelter for less fortunate family and friends. We had seven people, including my goddaughter (daughter of Jill Cusack Clay, who was only at Mary Washington for one semester) and family, in our city apartment. Sandy and I went to check our place in Litchfield and were joined for four nights by middle son Parker and his wife, three children, and a chocolate Lab.

Becky Young-Butler Guy was inducted as an honorary member of UMW’s Kappa Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa last April. The ceremony was held in Seacobeck with 46 student inductees. Speakers included Professor of Mathematics Suzanne Sumner, Chapter President and Associate Professor of English Gary Richards, and Chapter Historian and Distinguished Professor of Classics, Philosophy, and Religion David Cain. Chapter member and former Virginia Poet Laureate Carolyn Kreiter Foronda ’69 read an original poem.

Judy Saunders Slifer and twin sister Eleanore Saunders Sunderland got together with Babs Buse Johnson, who was preparing to move to Orlando, Fla., to be near one of her daughters. Her other daughter lives in Washington State. Babs traveled recently to Seattle and Denver. Judy and Eleanore planned a May river cruise from Budapest to Bucharest and lunched with Sue Butzner Maschino. Eleanore was to celebrate Christmas with her family, including her ex-husband, in Winter Park, Colo. She spent months healing after breaking her ankle, and Judy takes a protocol for multiple myeloma.

Sandy Walters Julifs of Sterling, Ill., planned to retire in January after 40 years, 29 as CEO, with a nine-county community action agency. She’ll be a consultant to the agency and continue her involvement with community activities. They visited their oldest son and family in Los Angeles for Thanksgiving.

Elizabeth Ann “Bitsy” Wright Coxe and sophomore roomie Connie Booth Logothetis have been friends since they were 16-year-old “Army brats” at Fort Benning, Ga. Bitsy’s thoughts and prayers are with Connie, who was a bridesmaid in her wedding, as she awaits a lung transplant at Duke. In October, mutual friends Dee Doran Cairns and Doug visited Connie and Andy at Duke on their way to Washington, D.C., to see Doug’s 96-year-old mother, and drove from Montgomery, Ala., lunching with Bitsy and George at the Hopkins Club in Baltimore. Bitsy and Dee, who also was in Bitsy’s wedding, were freshman roomies and have been friends since they were seventh-grade “Army brats” in Arlington, Va.

Jane Riles still teaches painting in San Diego and planned to take artists with her in September to a house she rented on the beach in Cannes. She and Jim were wintering in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. On trips between Miami and Calais, Maine, Pat Scott Peck visited Lloyd Tilton Backstrom and Art. Pat does historical and genealogical work at the Library of Virginia, and the three of them enjoyed wine and Prince Edward Island mussels at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. In September, the Backstroms stayed in a B&B in Diecimo, Tuscany, then went to Florence.