Dottie Snyder Engle
301-371-5170
dengle3699@aol.com

Congratulations to those of us who outlasted the awful winter. Special thoughts go to Mary Verdella Wagner Nelson and Paul, near the waterfront in Boston, who endured over nine feet of snow in a month. They were house bound, but fortunately did not need to get out for work. Paul even happily filled in as the concierge to accept deliveries to the building. Nancy Craven Jacobus enjoyed a fabulous trip to Paris and the Normandy beaches where she took beautiful photos. Our sympathy to Nancy on the sudden dead of her brother Bob who lived in California. Speaking of photography, please visit Marilyn Monson Baldi’s wonderful albums and galleries at www.imagerybymarilyn.com and www.torchegalerie.com. Marilyn, an avid traveler, has been to 30 countries in the past few years. Jo Ann Twilley Plichta, M.A.’86 and Mary Ann Holloway Ford-Naill, M.A.’79 visited Helen Buss Mitchell and her husband in Ellicott City, Md. Helen is still teaching women’s studies and updating her philosophy books. Gail Kloeblen Spertzel has become quite an artist and photographer. She and her husband have moved to the retirement community of Homewood where Bobby Campbell Rickman, M.A.’75, P’96 lives. Condolences to Dianne Lawson Hadermann whose beautiful mom died at age 97. Since Dianne and I had attended school from third grade through Hood, and because I liked her mom, I decided to go to the visitation. I was so sure of where I was going, but went to Ridgeville Road in Mount Airy instead of Ridge Road in Damascus. So I missed by about eight miles, I think. I even had the obit in my purse. Why do I shim? Condolences also to Joanne Zink Markey on the death of her husband.  Dottie Hussennetter Ritz and husband Bob had a trip of a life time to Italy arranged by Bob’s priest. The highlight was being in a position to almost touch the Pope as he came by in his Pope Mobile. Pat Taylor Santelli and her husband had her first trip to Hawaii to visit their USN officer son and do some sightseeing. They spent time on Oahu and the big island. She also had her first time in the Bahamas snorkeling for lobster and conch off their friend’s fishing boat. She lost her only beloved sister to cancer after Claire had fought a three year battle; our condolences Pat. As for me, Dottie Snyder Engle, we suffered some losses, too.  My 97-year-old brother passed last spring and Ron’s 90-year-old brother in August. My biggest event was a treadmill accident. A member at our gym left his running while he went to the bathroom. I didn’t see the track turning and stepped on it to retrieve a TV remote to hand to daughter Robin. When I stepped on with one foot, I got hurled at four miles an hour into a wall about three feet behind hitting my head and shoulder. I was fortunate, because as badly as that hurt, I only had a sprained shoulder and finger and a cut below my eyebrow and a big hematoma above. Four days later, we were having our 55th high school reunion, so I went to a salon and got my hair done and a makeup job that had me looking red carpet ready. The day after the accident, Ron took me to my local doctor. We sat on chairs with a little table between me with my very bruised and battered face. People would glance at us and then away. Wonder what they were thinking? Domestic Abuse? Did I mention that we are pretty well known in our community? Life seems to be filled with deaths, operations, grandchildren and trips. I vote for more of the last two. Who is up for an unofficial reunion the weekend of June 10, 2016? A Friday evening dinner at the Engle’s and weekend activities as you chose. More information will follow. Recently, Bobby Campbell Rickman’s husband Charlie slept out of this world at home in bed in the middle of the morning. Charlie asked that there be no visitation, funeral or memorial service. Instead, he asked that all you who wish to honor him will do a service for someone in his name. He was very much into service himself. Bobby said there will be a celebration, “a party” in the spring. His obituary appeared in the Frederick News Post on February 27. Bobby is always right there sending cards for every occasion. Since she has been our Hood Reunion chairman forever, please send her a card: Barbara Campbell Rickman, 7351 Willow Road #11, Frederick, MD 21702.  Phone number is 240-629-1960. She is doing very well. I, Dottie Snyder Engle, made a surprise visit to Pat Pinto Tawes and George in Crisfield and found they were moving to a waterfront condo, also in Crisfield. George is still recovering from a stroke and Pat finds that she cannot keep up their present waterfront property.