On a gorgeous weekend in September, Ellen Bosek McMahon hosted a mini-reunion with Marcia Ritter Doiran, Lynda Strasser Brooks, Pricilla Munkenbeck Cherrin, Fran Vogler Groves, Laura Lee Hickman and Sharon Dahlstrom Cannon at her cottage in Haven Beach on Long Beach Island. The devastation caused by hurricane Sandy was no longer visible, with a beautiful, large beach and dunes. It was the perfect weekend for sun-bathing, good food, wine… and so much fun to catch up with second floor Memorial friend Sharon from freshman year! She lives in northern Virginia with her husband Carl. They missed Ann Shackleford Silva and Lisa Ohler Kennedy, but hope to do something similar next year with all in attendance!

Lynda Strasser Brooks and her husband Jay are semi-retired and have been living in Wilmington, NC for the past three years. They love the climate and coastal life style here. Their son Sean and his wife are living in Raleigh, only two hours away, which is great because they had a beautiful baby boy 11 months ago. Lynda and Jay go to Raleigh frequently to see our grandson!  Life is good! Anyone visiting the Cape Fear area is welcome to stop in!

Since Hood’s last Alumni Update, Cheryl Cuddeback went on a business trip to Cincinnati. Being a live long New Yorker, she thought it was really cool getting a different perspective of city living in a beautiful town. Cheryl learned that the predecessor of the Brooklyn Bridge was the Roebling Bridge, a bridge named after John Roebling that connects Kentucky to Ohio. It was like living in a mini-NYC. Cheryl wishes well to fellow Hoodlums and feels so blessed to build the memories we have.

Retired now, Barbara Baird Rogers is enjoying this new chapter in her life. Jim and Barbara are still a very happy twosome, with three daughters’’-in-love and seven grandchildren, between the ages of 1 and 7. Their two standard poodles keep them hopping. Deedee Gustafson Dohan lives nearby, and of course, they both wear our Hood rings proudly when they get together!  Wish I still had mine, but unfortunately it was stolen years ago.

 Anna Kluth vonLindenberg and Von have certainly been enjoying boating this year. They spend half of their time aboard their boat in Cambridge from May through October and then continued the great loop from Chicago down to Tampa last December. They just returned from a trip down the inland coastal water way to the quaint town of New Bern, NC. They plan to go by car to Hilton Head for a month this winter. Von and Anna are in good health, and she has been enjoying bike riding, yoga, Pilates, and water aerobics. Anna is involved in the environment, garden club, landscaping committee, social committee, book club, and local public issues. Their grandkids are ages 9, 7.5 and 6, and are adorable and thriving.

 Arlene Russo Bujeses’s inspiration for working as a fundraiser is generated by studies in Gerontology and Death and Dying at Hood. This year she chairs the 18^th Annual Boxart Auction for East End Hospice. As a Board member, she is privileged to see the importance of the great work being done on behalf of this great cause: end of life care, with love and dignity, open to all. Arlene has also become involved with Project Most, an after-school program for children of working parents.

Aldan Weinberg became a grandfather for the third time in September. Turner Allen Florance was born to his daughter Casey and husband Keith. His first name is Al’s middle name. His two granddaughters live in Pittsburgh with his son and his wife. Since retiring in 2015, he has been busy moving to a new house in Frederick with Connie and raising money to try to save the studio of famed local artist Helen Smith, also a former faculty member.

Thank you to everyone who shared with their fellow classmates. Hearing from you brings back such great memories. I continue to work for a firm marketing and designing the best retirement plans for small businesses. Since the ladies in my office are all crafty, we’ve been making wreaths and other decorative items along with having an occasional paint party. Hope everyone has a wonderful 2017. Wishing you, your families and friends the best! Debbie Page Rath