CLASS of ’69 – SPRING NEWS

Proud grandparents, Nancy Roe Hebdon and Fred announce that grandson Christopher will attend George Washington Law School in September. Barbara Sims retired in 2015 after 30 years with the same executive search firm. She remains in New York doing volunteer work and choral singing. My childhood chum, Karol Bedyk Strang and Bill (whom she met at a Hopkins/Hood mixer) have 2 married sons and a grandbaby on the way. Karol has a doctorate in clinical social work, but is now retired, living in the Asheville, NC area and enjoys quilting and dulcimer playing. Marty Silcox Hankins and Fred will celebrate their 45th anniversary with a trip to the Pittsburgh area and meet up with Libby Miller Jacobs and husband Jack. Marty plans to retire from teaching next year and pursue Master Gardening. Thanks to Facebook Esther Kofod Whitfield managed to reconnect with her roommate, Joanne Fodor. Do consider Esther’s memoir, The Libyan – a fascinating and compelling read. As a result of renewed health, Sarah Jane Snyder Raffety is devoting more time to family and church as well as exercise and painting. She is also about to publish a children’s book. Margaret Dunkle has retired from her position as Lead Research Scientist at the Dept. of Health Policy at G.W. Univ. and now lives full time in Maryland after spending years in the workforce in DC, Boston and LA. She will receive the 2016 W. D. Schaefer Helping People Award for Calvert County in June. After 40+ years in Alaska, Jill Stanley and husband Adam are moving to Greenfield, IN. – via a motorhome! Chris Diehl retired from teaching math in 2007 but remains an adjunct teacher at her local community college. She keeps in touch with former roommate, Marya Rusinak of Cincinnati. Joanne Ingoldsby Peters looks forward to summer trips through New England and a jaunt to Ireland come fall. Meanwhile she quilts, golfs and gardens. Maureen Clancy continues to write her food blog – Matters of Taste. She, husband T, and their sons all enjoy skiing and biking – even completing a couple of bike Centuries (100 miles) each year. Travels to Vienna, Austria and Northern Italy are planned for summer. Maureen recently visited Diane Campbell in Boston. Sharon McDonald Sayles and husband John are completing 18 months of providing care for their grandchildren, ages 12 and 14. Soon the “kiddos” will relocate to Keene, NH. Jan Erbacher Greening checked in from Austin, TX where she cares for her elderly Mom, records texts for the blind, and participates in a French conversation group. Her careers included teaching grades 7 – 12, as well as ESL, and marketing technical software. Boca Raton resident Linda Lam looks forward to spending a month in NC this summer. Carole Downing Staton and Emily Smith Brownson and spouses attended the girls’ 50th high school reunion in Salsibury, MD last summer. Carole loves retirement – and her 4 ½ year old grandson. Jean Swan and husband plan to trace the Lewis and Clark expedition this summer in their RV. Their son will be married in November. Also following the Lewis and Clark route are Meredith Owen Atkinson and husband George. The trip will include Glacier National Park where the couple honeymooned. Despite facing spinal fusion surgery, Peggy Jackson Wyckhouse continues to teach food preparation and nutrition classes. She has a son (and 3 grandsons) in St. Louis and a disabled daughter in Las Vegas. Pat Etzel Parker and her husband found “surprisingly gratifying” their mutual 50th high school reunion. Cynthia Werner Biber continues to work in NY at the Frick Collection. She frequently travels to Maine where her 2 daughters live and to Switzerland, home of her brother. Despite a few family health scares, Ellen Kiel and Russ had a wonderful trip to Barcelona in October. Current projects include a wellness ministry at church and New Story Leadership. Betsy Seele Gotta is still involved in square dancing, “calling” 4 or 5 nights a week. Summer gigs include stops in Des Moines, Toronto, and Regina, Canada. Cheryl Brown Dreiling has two loves – her 2-year-old twin grandsons, and traveling. This year she’s been to India, the Italian Riviera and in July will head to the Baltic Sea. Ginny Monaco Hatfield (a “professional volunteer”) was recently tapped as on the of 5 Inspiring Women of the San Fernando Valley by the United Chambers of Commerce. As new Tesla owners, Dave and I, Sayre Roney Steere are seeing the country “gas free.” We’ve been to South Florida, where we visited with Valerie Dietz Polansky (our husbands are HS and USNA chums), the Hill Country of Texas, western Tennessee, and soon all the way to Seattle to visit our girls – and take an Alaskan cruise.