Class Notes

One of Carolyn Keck Redic’s daughters was a June bride in Carolyn’s backyard bower, marrying a man she met at his mother’s yard sale. Quote from the bride: “You never know what you’ll find at these sales.” Another daughter flew to Fargo, N.D., with Carolyn to celebrate Carolyn’s 80th birthday.

Barbara White Ramer lived in Fredericksburg, attended Mary Washington freshman and sophomore years, transferred, and earned a master’s from U.Va. She spent 45 years in Fredericksburg as a teacher and guidance director and started a school for emotionally disturbed children. She moved to Roswell, Ga., to be near her daughter and two teenage grandsons. As assistant director of a small private school, she works with students with learning differences. Barbara has fond memories of Fredericksburg and Mary Washington. Her relatives attended, probably in the late ’20s and ’30s; her aunt was in charge of the dining hall while we were there; her dad owned Santee Restaurant; and she enjoyed working with Mary Washington student teachers as head of Walker-Grant Middle School’s science department. Nell McCoy Savopoulos wrote about the typical doctors’ appointments and medications. Ginny Kinniburgh and John are delighted they moved to Falcons Landing 11 years ago. Ginny had gall bladder surgery but was feeling great. She still directs the choir, and John’s photography keeps him involved with the Falcons Landing News. They met Kitty Garland Obenshain and husband Ray in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., for a January lunch at their condo overlooking the ocean.

Since husband John died last year, Honey Kerrins Friel and her tiny terrier-Chihuahua mix have shared her home with younger son Chris and his pit bull.

To celebrate her 79th year, Irene Maliaros Mathas traveled to Greece with son Ted, president and board chairman of New York Life, who had to be in Athens for an international conference, and his family. Later she traveled with son Tom and his family to Huntington Beach, Calif. Her sons hosted a November family reunion for her 80th. Barbara McFarland Carper and husband John joined them.

Deigh Renn Simpson prefers to think of 80 as “four score” and celebrated her birthday with a sleepover with a dozen women, a backyard fire, music, food, and the harmonious sharing of a single bathroom. She still lives in the small cottage by the river, where she grew up, and the annual get- togethers remind her of Marye. For a nostalgic kick, she suggests seeing Julia Roberts in Mona Lisa Smile, a virtual visit to a women’s college in the early ’50s. Deigh planned to see Barbara Faxon Stout and husband Hal.

Ginny Bailes will likely be harvesting from her garden when you read this. She celebrated her nephew’s February birthday in South Carolina and still hears from old roommates Kitty Obenshain and Betty Buck. (Kitty and Betty, will you please put me on your correspondence list?)

Peggy Hopkins Johnson and her sister spend weeks on the Keys in February and March. She loves her condo, with great people and activities. Nancy Melton Miller broke her leg, and her daughter and son-in-law welcomed her to their home and were spoiling her, waiting on her hand and foot. Having Nancy as a dear friend is one of the great blessings of my life!

My son Matt and his family arrived for an overnight visit in February just as snowflakes began to fall. Well before dark, we had about 6 inches! Matt had brought four sleds and had a ball with the four kids. I talked with Garnett Bell Crawford after our Madison was accepted at Salisbury University, on which she was set after learning about their great education program.

In April, our daughter, Lindsey, was to marry a great guy on the patio at Keswick. The next day our extended family was to celebrate Bub’s and my 60th anniversary and my 80th birthday with lunch together and an evening with a popular Charlottesville band. Bub and I planned a bus-group trip to Gettysburg and later an extended tour of the Canadian Rockies. Our granddaughter was to graduate high school and our first great-grandchild was due to arrive in Richmond in July!

It’s neat to get your messages! I wish I were more computer literate, but I do my best with help from a husband who spent his career dealing with the monsters.