Class Notes

Thanks to all who wrote. It’s nice to hear from those who don’t use computers, as I still have mixed feelings about mine.

Fran and Sally Hanger Moravitz’s home was spared during a microburst last summer, but trees fell and they ended up with lots of firewood. Their son, Mike, received a doctorate in history last May. One of their grandchildren was a UMW freshman. Sally’s niece and her family visited from Sweden, and she and Fran went to Portland, Maine. They traveled to Puerto Rico and kayaked, hiked, snorkeled, and night swam in the bioluminescent bay. Sally attended a Friends of Dance fundraising concert at UMW’s Dodd Auditorium. She and Fran stayed with Ann Strickler Doumas, and the granddaughters of both Sally and Ann joined them for dinner and the concert. Sally saw many Sacred Dance Guild friends and said those who are UMW graduates worked hard to put the concert together.

Anne Lou Rohrbach Culwell of Oklahoma took an October bus tour through the Smoky Mountains and saw a lot! She has four grandchildren, about 16 greats, and a great-great- grandson, Jax, was born the day after Thanksgiving. Ann still works but planned to visit London and travel through the Chunnel.

Bee Melillo Shanahan said John had always brought her coffee and sometimes breakfast in bed, paid bills, and pumped gas, and she was adjusting to doing these things herself. During Hurricane Irene, daughter Betsy and her spouse helped when the cellar flooded, ruining everything inside. She looked forward to going to Florida after Christmas. Hang in there, Bee! Mary-Margaret Papstein Carter invited Mary Kate Bird Dellett of Arizona to lunch at her winter home in Scottsdale. Mary Kate was in the middle of the busy tax season; she volunteers to prepare taxes for the elderly. She took time off to fly back to Oregon to see oldest daughter Katherine receive Oregon State University’s distinguished alumni award. Her daughter also gave a speech about her work as assistant secretary of the Army. Carole Kolton Bryson, who related the sad news of Harry’s death in February, was coping and keeping up with activities. Long ago, she started a book about the days at Mary Washington and thought she might get back to writing that. Dotty Booth Sanders and Dewey travel a lot so he can run marathons. He had run 58, with more planned this year. She’s the cheerleader and driver and said it’s hard enough to drive the 26.2 miles much less run them.

Jim and Jackie Whitehurst Hertz had a tough year. Jim was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and had bypass surgery. Jackie had been caring for him when she was diagnosed with cancer. She had extensive surgery at Johns Hopkins in October, and received follow-up chemo and radiation. Jim was in assisted living while she recuperated. Ann Strickler Doumas and Bill took a Caribbean cruise on the Queen Mary 2 during the holidays. They enjoyed the sights and warm temperatures but came home with cracking coughs. She likes University of Mary Washington Magazine and said each issue gets slicker. She and Bill attended inauguration events for Richard V. Hurley, and Ann made sure the Anderson Center seat the Class of ’55 bought reads as Carol Cooper instructed.

Laura Milster Orville of South Dakota lost husband Harry in June, following a progressive illness, and moved to Westhills Village in August. She knits, sews, does crossword puzzles, and belongs to a writing group. She walks a little farther each day – to keep her muscles toned. She agrees with me that being a little old lady has advantages. She said that if you’re old enough, you can flirt with anyone, and she thinks her doctor is starting to treat her like his grandmother.

Sally Wysong Puckett lost 19-year-old daughter Valerie in 1981 and is alone now after husband Ralph passed away in January 2011. She’s taking it one day at a time, lives on 10 acres in Pylesville, Md., and stays busy. She mows eight acres but has help. Her Jack Russell, fox terrier, and basset hound keep her company.

Jean Wiley Everly was at Mary Washington for two years, then married. Her husband went to George Washington, worked in the family funeral home, and was in the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve. They bought a log cabin and a farm with ponies and horses in Shenandoah, intending to live there and vacation at their waterfront home in Callao, Va., but ended up doing it the other way around. They have three children, 13 grandchildren, and six greats. Jean wants to know about her Mary Washington roommate Charlotte Leavell.