Class Notes

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

From Connie: Mary Gilliam Dodson Larson spent a month in Seattle with her first grandchild, a girl; Rowan Caroline James Grollman arrived in December.

Carlotta Croghan Clark and Pres were in Florida until April, playing tennis despite arthritis. They plan to take the entire family of 10 to a Lake George resort for a week this summer for their 50th anniversary. Their four grandchildren are teens, and two are driving. Our freshman class president, Graham Walker Burns of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., transferred to UNC but loves being in the loop. A mother of seven, she has a disabled son living with her, sells real estate, and helps her daughter with her two daughters.

Many of us, including Betsy Ottley Taggart, were shocked and saddened by the death of Mary Jane Fitzpatrick in a December fire at her Richmond home. Mary Jane was a music major, as was Betsy, and an incredible pianist who taught at VCU.

Clara Sue Durden Ashley and Clarence babysat son Dennis and Maria’s three redheaded boys, ages 4, 7, and 11, in St. Augustine, Fla., in February, while the parents went to Puerto Rico for a week with their fourth son, an infant. They visited us in Durham, N.C., en route from Columbia, S.C., and planned to visit family and friends in Florida in March. Clara has long worked at the Vienna Quilt Shop, which was to move to a new Virginia location and reopen in April as the Quilt Shop of McLean.

Dee Doran Cairns and Doug’s grandson, Chris Brown, married Jordan last fall. Doug’s mother, Doris, is 96. His sister, Patty Cairns Hourin, and Jim live in Diamondhead, Miss. Their three sons hosted their 50th anniversary celebration in March. Patty and Jim visited Patty’s brother, Scott, and wife Debbie in London. Patty plays golf and tennis, and Jim golfs.

Ellen Gotwalt Willing and Bill of York, Pa., wintered in Naples, Fla., and traveled to Bryce Mountain, Va., and Ocean City, Md., with Ellen’s daughter’s family. Despite recent medical issues, Bill enjoyed his 90th birthday celebration in January with all the kids. Ellen takes exercise classes and swims. Babs Buse Johnson cleared out her Bowie, Md., home of 46 years this winter so she can sell it and move to her new house in Orlando, Fla., near her younger daughter and family. Babs’ older daughter lives in Seattle.

Jean Ryan Farrell and Frank traveled to China and Tibet, skied in Utah, went diving in Curacao, and explored the West from Southern Utah to Yellowstone. Sons Frank and David, who live nearby, spent much time with third son Bobby last summer, when Bobby’s family, Singapore residents for several years, were at Jean and Frank’s lake house. In October, a washing machine hose burst in the night, causing a major flood and three months of repair.

Eleanor Knight Jensen and Cliff of New Fairfield, Conn., spent five fall weeks on St. Barts. In December, they took a Caribbean cruise, followed by a cruise around South America. Janie Riles and hubby Jim’s two daughters and their families visited them in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where Janie and Jim had been since December. They took bridge lessons, and Janie attended an art workshop in Myrtle Beach, S.C., to get ideas for her own September art workshop in France. They planned to return to San Diego in April and add an art studio and a bath to their home.

I received a new right lung in December at Duke University Hospital, where Andy and I had been since August. I no longer need supplementary oxygen, am gaining strength through pulmonary rehab at Duke’s Center for Living, and hoped to return to our Wilmington, N.C., home in April. We’re grateful for this miracle and for the love and support of classmates, friends, and family.

From Renee: Marcia Minton Keech and hubby Bill sponsored a February meet-and-greet for President Richard V. Hurley and wife Rose in their Savannah, Ga., home, and Marcia is excited about the direction in which he’s taking UMW. She talked to Sylvia Garland Wickwire and Jerri Barden Perkins, who is semi-retired from National Institutes of Health and moved to Hilton Head, S.C. She skied in Sun Valley, Idaho, in March. Bill’s cancer was back, and they planned another trip to Johns Hopkins and to see their children and grandchildren in Northern Virginia on the way up. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Bill has beaten this monster before, so hopes are high he can do it again. Marcia and Bill’s twin granddaughters were impressed when they took them to UMW in the fall.

Peggy Howard Hodgkins’ last winter escape was from Maine to San Antonio. Nephew Scott and wife Jill welcomed twins. Peggy spent three weeks with her sister, Jeanie, in Athens, Ga., and visited Lynne Williams Neave and Sandy in New York in February. When the snow in NYC prevented long lines for Broadway shows, Peggy saw Superman, Newsies, My Name Is Asher Lev, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Peggy’s grandson, Matthew, 15, took third place as “ski master” for class-A skiers, competing in downhill, alpine, and slalom.

Nancy “Pepper” Jacobs Germer and Hank spent three weeks in New Zealand, seeing border collies work the sheep, going to the top of the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere, and exploring the North and South Islands. Sylvia McJilton Woodcock’s husband, Stuart, had hip surgery and was back to exercising at the wellness center. Sylvia was to attend a spring meeting of the UMW Foundation, which is building the Hyatt Place hotel at Eagle Village.

I completed a few days of chemotherapy before Thanksgiving and two months of radiation in February. When I feel stronger, I hope to take another cruise. Thank you all for your loving wishes and prayers.

From Lynne: I received little feedback this time, with several comments about the brutal winter. We were fortunate to spend some time at our little place in Florida. We put the condo on the market and would like to travel more while we’re still healthy. I’ve become slightly addicted to bridge and have been taking lessons and trying to earn duplicate master points.

Lloyd Tilton Backstrom and Art still love to ski, traveling to Vail, Colo., and Sun Valley, Idaho. Dave and Sue Wilson Sproul enjoyed a four-day snowshoeing/ Nordic skiing house party in the mountains. They spent Christmas in Albuquerque, N.M., with Dave’s sister and family, then spent a week in Tucson, Ariz., where Sue weathered 19-degree days and knitted caps for homeless children in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. During spring break, Sue went to Virginia, where she saw “roomie” Bette Marchant George, an executive coach, on a trip there last year.

Bitsy Wright Coxe’s knee was recovering nicely. Jim and Carolyn Spell Robertson celebrated their 50th anniversary in June at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Ala. Their kids held a dinner for them and invited their closest friends. Sandy Walters Julifs retired from the Community Action Agency in January, but a torn rotator cuff was delaying her and Harold’s desire to travel.

After a bad fall in January that required transfusions, platelets, and a month of constant at-home care, Judy Saunders Slifer planned a May cruise with Eleanore Saunders Sunderland from Budapest, Hungary, to Bucharest, Romania.