Dianne Beebe Barske
907.227.4436
eldibarske@gmail.com

News I received for this column was such a mixture of sadness and joy. Bonnie Kloeblen Hagerman commented, “As we age, the news is not always good news.” Husband Dick died in May of 2018 from bladder cancer. About a year earlier, Bonnie had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. “That my cancer was caught early is a rarity for which I am very thankful. My prognosis is good.” Bonnie keeps busy with Care Wear Volunteers, Inc., an organization she founded in 1990. Now nationwide, Care Wear’s volunteers sew, knit and crochet items for preemies in hospital NICUs.  A new venture is making infant bereavement sets (blankets, gowns, hats and booties) from wedding gowns. Your old wedding gown can be donated to Care Wear Volunteers through Bonnie at 102 Mercer, Court, #23-5, Frederick, MD 21701. Another classmate who recently lost her husband is Bonnie Scull Hawkes. In a sad Christmas note, Bonnie said, “My wonderful husband and best friend for the past 46 years died on August 18, 2018.” Geoff died in Lions Gate Hospital, North Vancouver, British Columbia, following surgery. Geoff and Bonnie had long been adventurous travelers, cruising together all over the world, and had been very active in Vancouver’s ski community. More sad news comes from Mary Melville, who lost her brother, Charles, on November 13, 2018. “My sweet, brilliant older brother died after a 25-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease.” He had practiced law for most of his career in Cincinnati, and spent a lot of time in his home woodworking shop “building beautiful furniture and musical instruments.” Adding to the list of lost family is a note from Faith Parker Mentzer. In a year, 2018, that Faith calls a “train wreck”, Faith lost her youngest son, Heath. He had been a picture of health, according to Faith, and died very suddenly. “Frank and I are still trying to wrap our heads around what happened.” Faith continues to teach higher math classes, part time, at Saint Mary Catholic School in Hagerstown, MD. “Thank heavens for that. It is the only thing that has kept me sane this past year.” It is difficult to share so much sad news, and much sympathy goes out to Faith, Mary, and Bonnie Hawkes and Bonnie Hagerman as they have faced these heartbreaking losses. I did receive six notes of happy news from classmates. New life has come to Anna Buhr Cole, in the form of a baby grandson, Benjamin, born to daughter Elizabeth. He celebrated his first birthday on January 8. Anna adds, “It’s true – being a grandparent is great.” Anna and husband Miles traveled to Spain, Budapest and Amsterdam during 2018. Sara “Sally” Wislar Farneth also shared news of travel and grandchildren, traveling a lot to be with family through the holidays. Sally had a brief visit with her Hood College roommate, Carol Miller Hnath ’67, in MI, while on her way to Madison, WI to see daughter, Kate, and her family there. Then it was on to Tucson to see son, Greg, then back home to Pennsylvania, dodging storms. “We’ve concluded these long drives are not so much fun.” There was an additional trip to Maine to be with eldest daughter and her family. Now the focus is on downsizing to get their home ready to market. Terri Petrillo Connolly shares grandchildren news. The oldest grandson is now in high school, and a new granddaughter was just born. “We feel truly blessed.” Husband Frank just published his first novel. And Terri and Frank celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary in 2018. Jane Dearstyne Veeder and husband Chuck traveled to Scotland for three weeks in 2018, with Jane’s younger brother and sister-in-law. “We had a wonderful time – gorgeous scenery and friendly people.” Ginny Wheeler Jones and husband Charlie feel they now have the best of all worlds, sharing time between their two homes in their two favorite places – Maryland and Florida. Ginny adds more happy news. She is celebrating seven years since retirement, eight years since aortic heart surgery, and 17 years as a breast cancer survivor.  They have grandchildren in both the University of Delaware and Lafayette College in Easton, PA. One last note involving grandchildren – and a surprise encounter. Pat Vozar Bailey was attending grandparents day in Bel Air, MD this past November, when in walked another grandmother, Hood classmate Susan Worth Fiala! Pat exclaims, “What are the chances of having two ’66 Hood grads in the same 4^th grade classroom!”