If you prefer to submit Class Notes by mail, send to:

UMW Magazine – Class Notes
1301 College Ave.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401

1961

Connie Booth Logothetis (A–G)
connielogothetis@gmail.com

Renee Levinson Laurents (H–Q)
arjle@aol.com

Lynne Williams Neave (R–Z)
lyneave@aol.com

Please send news to the designated Class Agent according to the first letter of your maiden name.

From Connie Booth Logothetis: Not much news this time, but many thanks to you who answered the call. First a correction from the Fall issue of the UMW Magazine, Pepper Jacobs Germer and Hank live in Arkansas, not Arizona! I guess those postal codes are not well known! Sadly, we have lost two classmates this year: Marian DeMaio Danco on January 19 and Elizabeth B. Prince on August 10. We send our deepest sympathy to their families.

Kelly Cherry wrote: “I am so sorry to hear that Prince (that was what we called her) is gone. My news: New book of poems forthcoming from LSU Press in February. And Burke and I recently had a week in NYC. Burke had to push me around in our travel-wheelchair, but we got where we needed to go. I’m happy to say I can still walk a bit. Just not those ten-mile blocks in NYC. Also, I received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. My best to everyone.” Congratulations on the Lifetime award!!

Jerri Barden Perkins: “This year was memorable for many reasons but I wish to highlight three. My Papal visit where I had the honor and privilege of being presented to Pope Francis. Volunteerism has been an important part of my life since MW.  I have begun to volunteer at the Free Clinic here on the Island (Hilton Head) known as VIM and a model for a number of Free Clinics in the US.  It makes me feel good about what I am able to do for others. Finally, I am delighted that I have connected with Marcia Minton Keech and Connie from MW.  It gives me tremendous pleasure to call them and share some of these life events both from and with them. Best wishes for health and the Holidays.”

Georgeau “Georgie” Rahnias lost her husband George last year after 53 years. (George and my husband Andy were HS classmates in Greece! CBL) “My youngest daughter and family moved to Reston for work and I followed this August and settled in Gainesville, Va. It’s a great place to be. I have a lot of support here, the people are great. Was at UMW graduation this year to see my granddaughter receive her degree.  It was very emotional to be back there.”  Come back for our next reunion! [13550 Heathcote Blvd., Suite 339, Gainesville, VA , 732-673-2761]

From Carolyn Crum Pannu: “Just returned from Napa, CA, with daughter, Kara, in Wine Country where Embassy Suites had activities, food, and libations for all ages and stages.

Will spend Christmas with son, Raj and family (grandson Alex is 12 and ever so much fun). All of us there delight in solving word games and watching sports events; Alex excels in soccer and baseball. Well, that’s all, folks. I wish you all health and peace in the coming year.”

News from Patty Cairns Hourin & Jim:  “We continue to live in Diamondhead, MS in the house we built in 1978.  Our son Bill (also Diamondhead resident & Delta pilot)  married Valentina Pavalesque  this summer and they are expecting our 7th grandchild this Spring. His daughters (19 & 23) will have a baby sister!  Son Michael & Katrina will be living in Hong Kong for 2 yrs while he flies for FedEx.  Grandson Jim is working in Saigon, Vietnam. Looks like we’ll be taking a trip!  Granddaugher Caroline works in the music world of Nashville.  Son Scott & family continue to enjoy life in Fredericksburg, VA.   We enjoyed seeing lots of classmates at the 55th and hope to see more at the 60th!”

Clara Sue Durden Ashley wrote: “In June Clarence and I were in Charleston, SC to witness the marriage of his nephew.  The wedding was held outdoors on the grounds of the Magnolia Plantation on the Ashley River.  From there we were able to motor down to St. Augustine where we visited our son Dennis and family for a couple of days. Late August found us in Beaver Creek, Ohio, the home of our son Park and his large family with seven children.  His wife is so organized! In October our oldest grandchild, Christopher, was married!  Maybe I will live to become a great grandmother! I am still working in The Quilt Shop of McLean where I do quilt repair.  The dog chews can be particularly challenging.”

Heard from Joan Gibson Lippold: I really don’t have much news to share. Jim and I stay busy traveling, being with family and friends, and enjoying our house overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. Jim and I love cruises, but at our age we find European river cruises are more our speed. We have cruised all the rivers of Europe, plus rivers in Russia and China. Also, we have done many Princess cruises, but no longer care for the giant ships. Grand Circle Tours caters to seniors and offers a slower pace, lots of free time, low-key kind of trip. It’s more casual than Viking cruises and only Americans are on board. We have loved all 11 of our Grand Circle trips.

We did a tour of England, Wales and Scotland this summer which was delightful. In October we spent a week with our daughter and family in Texas to celebrate our granddaughter’s 17th birthday. These years are passing so quickly!! The week before Christmas we are going to spend in Disney World with our kids and grandkids…..along with a billion other people!  I realize this will come out after Christmas, but I would like to wish everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year.

And, Bev Carlson Shea says she doesn’t have much to share, but she enjoys getting together with son Dan and family which includes granddaughter Katherine and grandson Jack who live in northern NJ. The family enjoyed a Christmas dinner at the NYC Harvard Club; Dan works in NYC and has an MBA from Harvard. Bev and Jim live in Bethlehem, PA.

My news: Andy and I had a nice summer and fall – a week near Yorktown, VA with my sister Linkey Booth Green ’63 and hubby David; my August birthday lunch with Mary Hatcher; a quick weekend in DE where we had dinner with Barbie Upson Welch and Charlie; an aborted (due to high water) paddlewheel riverboat cruise in October (missed Matthew!) from St. Louis north to Red Wing, MN which we and another couple changed to a road trip, stopping at the places the boat would have stopped, and more. Next year in Feb we are going on a cruise to Cuba for a week. My health is holding up and I celebrated the 4th anniversary of my lung transplant in Dec! Keep in touch with me and others in our wonderful class of 1961.

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From Renee Levinson Laurents: Sandy Phillips Conklyn and Dan met their new month-old twin grandsons in San Francisco just before Thanksgiving. River and Kai are Sandy’s son’s second set of twins! “What a joy at almost 77 to hold new babies again.” The older ones are Ellyse and Ryan, 17, from his first marriage. The oldest grandchild, Bridget, is in her second year of law school at U. of Ore. On a less happy note, two months ago, Sandy and Dan had to euthanize their “…beloved Tibetan Mastiff, Ketu.  He was almost 10, but we were not ready to lose him. I guess we are getting too old to have wonderful big dogs again, but eventually, we will look for a rescue dog to rescue us from the loneliness and quiet!  My best to everyone at this special time of year.”

Congrats on the twins, Sandy.  And so sorry to hear about your wonderful dog. Yes, a rescue is in order. It helps. I lost my Golden and rescued a Bichon Frise mix, who did rescue me!

Mary Hatcher’s renovations to the bathroom are done, and next comes the kitchen. Honestly, it’s worse than moving!  Mary and Bill have set out for  Phoenix and then back to Williamsburg, VA after Christmas.  They survived Hurricane Matthew in October with minimal damage and not even a  power outage (in Wilmington, NC)! The weather gods smiled on you two!

Sylvia McJilton Woodcock and Stuart went to France in October  and spent five days in Paris at a B&B in the Marais District…just a ten minute walk to Notre Dame.  Next, they spent a week in the Burgundy Region on a well appointed barge that held 12, but there were 10 of them.  They traveled “…the canals and locks through the most beautiful scenery ever.  Most days we had a walk in the morning and the afternoon. One day, I walked eleven and a half miles…and lived to tell about it. [WOW…good for you!] Stuart did some walking and a then rode a bike on the paved roads that paralleled the canals.  We had a crew of seven with three FULL meals a day, a different red and white wine and three regional cheeses for lunch and dinner each day.  It’s a good thing we walked a lot!” Twenty family members gathered for Thanksgiving in their daughter’s new home on their 90 acre farm.  Eleven spent the night. Added joy was to hold their new three month old grandson from Charleston, S.C.  Congrats on him!  And what a wonderful trip you had to France.

Marcia Minton Keech and Bill also survived Matthew in Savannah. After traveling to western Georgia for five days, they returned to a  big cleanup job, but were lucky. Jerri Barden Perkins on Hilton Head was hit harder, so during cleanup, she went on a wonderful trip to Italy.  I hope she will tell you all about it because it was very special.

I would like to have heard about that adventure from Jerri!  After my fabulous trip to Australia and New Zealand, I taught a class on the Constitution at UCLA Extension during the summer quarter. It was a lot of work, and I’ve become proficient in “bum” since I retired.  I attend classes there too and love them.  Astronomy and Cosmology, Current Events, and Shakespeare!  Fun…and no homework!

So, get busy, my dear classmates, and start writing something to send to me for the next installment.  I’m sure our classmates are as eager as I am to hear from you. Stay well, everyone.  And have a wonderful, happy, and healthy Christmas and all good things in the New Year.

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From Lynne Williams Neave: I thank the very few of you who responded with a little news this time. We’re always busy this time of year preparing for the holidays and families. I have a little news about Sandy’s and my activities. We took a marvelous trip to Canada in October with friends, beginning in Montreal where we boarded the Seabourn Quest and cruised through Quebec, visiting marvelous places including Quebec City, Prince Edward Island, and Halifax, NS. In early November, we visited Art and Lloyd Tilton Backstrom for a few days before going to Fredericksburg for the UMWF meeting. Lloyd describes her life as “not very exciting”, but I think it is extremely exciting!! They spent Thanksgiving at Kiawah followed by ski trip to Vail, and plan to go to Sun Valley in January (for what she describes as their “body tune-ups”). To add to their “excitement,” Art fought and caught a 26lb. red fish, called a drum!!

Sue Wilson Sproul and Dave are another extremely active couple. They spent Thanksgiving in Albuquerque visiting relatives of Dave’s. They have just completed a year in Tucson, Arizona, and love all of the music, art and dining venues the town offers. They have met interesting people at their gated 50+ community, but they do miss being around younger generations. Sue describes their big event in 2016 as a trip to France (inspired by Peter Mayle’s “A Year in Provence”), visiting Avignon, Arles, and taking a canal barge through the Canal du Midi, with stops in the Camargue National Park and the medieval city of Aigues-Mortes. From the village of Sete, a bus carried them through the countryside to ancient abbeys, wineries, and the cities of Narbonne and Toulouse. They flew from Toulouse to Paris and spent another wonderful week enjoying the sights and tastes.

Jim and Janie Riles continue to shuttle back and forth between Ft. Lauderdale and San Diego, having difficulty deciding which place they prefer. When in San Diego, Janie teaches weekly watercolor classes in her home studio, and when in Ft. Lauderdale, she paints with some great snowbird artists. She looks forward to taking a workshop at the Goldcoast Watercolor Society in January. In addition, they took an interesting cruise around Scandinavia and the Baltic region in June.

Graham Walker Burns wrote that sadly, Sarah Leigh Kinberg’s husband, Tom, died recently. He became ill in May, thus preventing him from attending our reunion.