Carol Harkness Kilrea reported a wonderful visit from Sue Truby Peterson. “Bill and Carl are good pals and they went to Wyoming mule deer and antelope hunting. Susan and I visited the city, walked along the Lake Shore and bird watched in the dune/wetlands National Park (Beverly Shores is in the middle of the Park). We all went to the Notre Dame/Stanford game; won in the third overtime! I had bilateral kidney surgery in April at Northwestern; surgery was on Monday and Wednesday and removed all very complex stones! The 14 grandkids are all doing well––three college graduates and three will graduate in May,” said Carol. Cathy G. Newhouser had surgery in Atlanta for spinal stenosis; she is doing well in rehabilitation and is going to Costa Rica in February!

Carolyn Stevens Amstutz wrote, “I went to England to visit my daughter and her family and spent five glorious days in the Scottish Highlands. Both daughters and families were with me in August for two weeks––in North Andover and on Cape Cod; we enjoyed the beach, particularly the grandchildren––ages 11, 9, 8 and 5. In July, I fell and broke my neck. I’m in a cervical collar, and hope to avoid surgery. I am so thankful my accident did not happen while I was still Stan’s caregiver. I plan to go to England for Christmas. In August, my sister passed away unexpectedly. I was glad that the girls were both here, and we made a quick trip to Lancaster, Pa., for her funeral.” Genie Smith Durland was unable to attend the reunion; it was held at the same time as their Quaker annual meeting, the religion in which she and Bill are active. Genie went back to school and, in studying the Vietnam War, became radicalized. It was during this time she met her current husband of 30 years and they are both peace activists. Starting in the mid-70s, Genie and Bill became active in documenting the Israeli/Palestinian human rights abuses. They lived and worked in Palestine for a number of months and now write and hold workshops. Bill authored Immoral Wars, Illegal Laws referencing the religious, historical and political issues of the area; the book is carried on Amazon. Genie and Bill have a blended family of eight children and 17 grandchildren.

Louise Reed reported, “I survived Hurricane Sandy with a few branches down and no power for three days. I swim daily and knit for Project Linus making afghans for children in local hospitals. I sing in a senior choral group; we perform for local nursing homes and senior centers.” Mary Jane Saylor Campbell is the major caregiver for her husband who has Parkinson’s disease and is helped by her daughter, an interior designer, who lives with them. Their son, an architect, lives just 12 miles away. Mimi Spaulding Keyser wrote, “In October, we attended two Road Scholar events in San Diego and Los Angeles on art collectors and their collections. I am working on genealogy of my family and met two cousins from different families. I enjoyed a short visit with my sister and her family. We volunteer on Tuesdays at the library and Wednesdays at the hospital. We are going to Fort Myer, Va., in February. We are currently downsizing and have found some happy homes at local historical sites and the Museum of Industry for some old artifacts.”

I, Molly Smith Sperandio, had surgery in July to remove an ovarian adenocarcinoma tumor. It was stage 1, encased in a mass and they found no other cancer cells in 17 nodes/sites tested. It also cured my incontinency because the mass was sitting on my bladder! In June, my immediate family joined in interring my son’s cremains in the Arlington Cemetery Columbarium and then all joined in the annual family reunion in Bethlehem, Pa.––our 31st at my sister’s home, Kitty Smith Dunn ’47. In August, I drove again to Lancaster, Pa., for a reunion with my cousins. My 22-year-old grandson joined the U.S. Navy and he planned to enter training in January. Nancy Paul Stimson reported, “I had a wonderful Viking river cruise to Prague, up the Elbe River to Berlin. Bob took me to Paris for nine days. My son-in-law has been battling bladder cancer. He had a new bladder built from his intestine; that part is working, but the chemotherapy has caused blood clots in his leg that keep moving to his lungs. He is a Coumadin failure, so gets stomach shots twice a day to thin his blood.”

Sara Davidson Haney responded, “We were almost untouched by Hurricane Sandy. My canoe made a dash for freedom but was retrieved by friends. I plan for Christmas in Utah with grandchildren then winter in Florida. I travel, teach and volunteer for a program of riding for the handicapped.” Sarah Bulin Hanson said, “I attended the Hood Museum semi-annual meeting (remember all of your Hood memorabilia would be gratefully accepted and archived) and the 65th annual performance of the Messiah featuring the Hood Choir and the U.S. Naval Academy glee club.” Susan Winter Smith reported, “I exercise three times a week and walk other days, especially now that I have recovered from my third spinal surgery in four years, the second this year. I am fortunate to have an excellent neurosurgeon and physical therapist. Our oldest granddaughter attends Western Washington Univ.”

Tommie (Barbara) Thomas Yinger wrote, “We spent a recent evening with Bill and Sue Almy. We lunched with Bobby Kaufman Harrison, along with several of our high school classmates. In November, I had lunch in Frederick with Gretchen Beckhelm ’60 and her sister Barbara, a grade school chum of mine. Their father was choir director at Hood in the 40s and responsible for starting the Hood/U.S. Naval Academy joint presentation of Messiah. Thanksgiving was spent in New York City. I will decorate one of the six houses in Reedville for the annual Museum House tour, and help make 200 fresh green wreaths for my garden club’s annual fund-raiser. In December, Bob and I ‘escaped’ for three weeks, cruising in the Caribbean to learn more about the Mayan culture in Belize, Honduras and Guatemala; and to visit Antigua, Barbados and Granada. We will spend Christmas in Kingstown, St. Vincent, and my birthday in Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, and several other ports.”

Class Reporter: