Class Notes

By now, those of you in the northeast have surely thawed out. Others who had weather problems are hopefully back to normal. It was good to receive holiday greetings, but I keep getting less and less news, unfortunately.

Gerry Boswell Griffin of North Carolina visited former neighbors in Atlanta in July, attending a luncheon with church friends and visiting her former church. She drove with daughter Judy of Phoenix to Jekyll Island, seeing friends and doing touristy things.

Carol Bailey Miller attended a December Virginia Horse Shows Association (VHSA) meeting at the Homestead in Bath County, where nominees were inducted to the VHSA Hall of Fame. Carol made the induction speech for Nautical, the palomino that was the inspiration for Disney’s The Horse With the Flying Tail and was on the U.S. equestrian show jumping team that went to Europe and had lots of wins in the ’50s and ’60s. A VHSA historian emeritus, Carol received the Virginia Horse Council’s distinguished service award.

Jane Frazier Snead’s remaining parcel of her Fredericksburg farm, Braehead, is 20-plus acres, with the buildings that are the “heart of the farm” and her residence. Originally a dairy farm, it has been in the Snead family since 1937. They had offered horse riding classes, day camp, and boarding since Jane’s husband, Emmett, died in 2002, but it became too much responsibility. Now Jane’s son George and wife Roxanne lease the property and run an agritourism business, with pick-your-own strawberries and a produce market. They restarted the school tours and educational programs Jane and Emmett did for 30 years. Jane enjoys watching her 8-year-old twin grandsons grow up in a wonderful environment. She showed paintings and photography at Fredericksburg’s Art First Gallery in October.

Nan Riley Pointer and Joe traveled to Alaska with family members and others. They’d been before but saw new territory, despite Joe’s bout with prostate cancer. After radiation, he was doing well. Sons Glenn and Owen and their families live nearby and help with the farm. Glenn had been driving grain trucks; Owen’s son, Christopher, planted soybeans and wheat. He’s in his second year of community college, wants to attend Virginia Tech, and was considering something in agriculture. Nan is district and conference parliamentarian for United Methodist Women and historian for the International Order of the King’s Daughters and Sons, updating files and fixing new museum displays. She received the annual Founders Award at their branch convention.

A call from Puerto Rico in February informed me that Alicia de Rivera-Cruz passed away. She’d had health problems. Carmen Zeppenfeldt Catoni said Alicia introduced her to Luis, her husband of 62 years, and was godmother to her son, Luis Angel. Carmen hadn’t seen Alicia recently, as she no longer drives and husband Luis is not in good health.

Virginia Hardy Vance of College Park, Md., was considering moving to Tallahassee, Fla., in spring. Betty Gavett Breeden of San Diego was recuperating from a November fall with no broken bones but lots of bruises. At the advice of family, she was using a cane. Betty still sings, mends books in the library, and is chair of her church trustees.

Sadly, Kay Venezio Boffa passed away. We remember her as active on campus, as a senior-year member of May Court, and from reunions. Kay moved to Vermont in 1985 to be near grandchildren. She earned a master’s degree in developmental psychology from Columbia University and retired at 70 from teaching college psychology in New Jersey and Vermont. She leaves sons John in Washington, D.C.; Peter in New York; Paul in Worcester, Vt.; and Christopher in Charlotte, Vt.

Billie Mitchell Hanes was enjoying her new home in Virginia Beach. She and Dick lost son Bob in January 2013 due to heart-related problems. Billie was hospitalized for 10 days for pneumonia, and her eyesight has failed, but she was positive and upbeat.

Marcy Weatherly Morris and Juney Morris’ grandson Paul is engaged, granddaughter Erin gave birth to Oliver before Christmas, and all the grands and great-grands were doing well in school and with extracurricular activities. Wasn’t that a great article about Marcy and Juney in the fall/winter issue of this magazine?

Hope to hear from more of you soon.