Special guest editor Joy Engle Demas agreed to do her magic as an English major and craft this version of our class news so I could get ready for my adventure trip to New Zealand between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Many thanks, Joy, from Lynn MacDonough Morrow! News focused on appreciation of our 50th reunion (“fabulous” was frequently employed) and reports of the 50th class reunions of spouses, 50th wedding anniversaries and the Sandy super storm. Arden Moore Reynolds and husband celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Europe rather than at the Hood reunion. Once home, Arden discovered from “Barbi’s Beautiful Book” that Ethel Kintigh Spence lives only 40 minutes away and made plans to meet her (after 50 years) for lunch in November.

Two couples, Mike and Matile West Hugo and Penny Misirian Mardoian and Art celebrated their 50th anniversaries in Maine in August, while Judy Hammond Blatchford and Parker, complete with children and grandchildren, celebrated their anniversary on an Alaskan expedition in June. Jean Lenhart Golden, who introduced Mike and Teal, made a fine speech at their celebration, and Penny and Art’s son Richard and wife Christine hosted the party for them on a beautiful evening. Reports of the Sandy super storm were written by classmates awaiting her, in the midst of her, and after she had moved on. Beth Davis Pauley wrote after preparing for Sandy, “The boat is in the garage, kayaks and sailboat are in the basement, porch furniture in the garage and basement. Firewood on the porch and the fireplace set for use. I have a 16-feet deep, 10-foot wide sink hole on the bank in the front yard; we will see what happens with that.” Beth, we need an update! Jane Hoskins Bollman, Judi Simonsen Ziobro and Joy Engle Demas survived in Maryland with heavy winds and rain; Penny Mardoian reported trees down, no water and seven days without power. Rusty Papst Houghland and Bill may be winners of Hood’s Sandy survivors circle (although we have not received Beth’s final report). They debarked in New York on Sandy weekend after an anniversary and Rusty’s birthday trip on the Queen Mary 2, then fled Penn Station “with what appeared to be millions of others.” Awaiting them in their driveway at home in Saybrook, Conn., was a fireman with a mandatory evacuation order. They battened down the hatches within the allotted two hours and took refuge in Worcester, Mass. Thankfully, their home is not damaged; we hope other classmates were as fortunate.

Regina Schlank Pyle wrote that she, Liz Decker Rogers and Jody Merritt Watson stayed at Beth Pauley’s prior to the reunion and had the opportunity to see Beth’s more than 600 quilts. For Regina, special treats were Sara Zimmerman’s sermon at the chapel service and spending time after the reunion with her little sister, Sandy Borrelli Ricci ’64 and her husband. Regina spent five weeks in her home in southern France this past summer with Monty, her rescue cairn terrier accompanying her. Phoebe Adams Marshall, Debbie Warner McPhail and Pam Roberts Welham all attended their husbands’ 50th reunion at the U.S. Naval Academy in September 2012. Walt Welham was co-chair of the event. Pam reported “a very busy five days.” Phoebe visited with Gail Higgins Bosser’s widower and other family members who attended with him. Two weeks after the Hood reunion, Lillian Detrick Blood and Dave attended his 50th Amherst reunion but their travels did not wreak havoc with Dave’s garden. Lillian said the veggies were abundant and she took baskets of them to the office to share with patients. A short-term job with Erie County Senior Services in Sandusky, Ohio, finds Carol Belstra Lloyd still there eight years later and enjoying sailing and sailboat races, although she travels home frequently to her house in Lemont, Pa. Carol has five sons and was heading to San Diego to visit the newest granddaughter. She wonders how many of us are, like her, still working.

Barbara Arthur Pretzsch, she of “Barbie’s Beautiful Book,” writes that they spent last summer working in a campground and recreation center, one near Sally Hensen and Susan Henson Trotto with whom she was able to visit. Barbara Kirby Stewart celebrated her mother’s 99th birthday in Florida. Betty Wright had her second knee replacement on Aug. 14 and feels “so much better.” Like Nancy Turner Hecksher, Betty wrote to thank everyone who worked to contribute to the success of the reunion. Nancy and Betty, we thank you for the hard work, but especially for the memories.

Class Reporter: