1966
Dianne Beebe Barske
eldibarske@gmail.com
907.227.4436

News of various sorts – both happy and sad – has come to me as I write this column. I know Nancy Frederickson Sherlin was smiling when she shared news of the May sales of her stained glass art. “While retirement for many is a glass of wine and a book, I still enjoy creating beautiful glass, even when I am spending most of my spring at work.” Husband Grover had just finished putting her May sales from an arts festival into a database. “He discovered I sold over 500 pieces in the 18 days of the festival. No wonder I am tired and ready for tomorrow’s trip to Hawaii!” Nancy has been selling her stained glass at Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, TX for 26 years. More outstanding, happy news comes from Pat Chapple Wright. Pat, recipient of Hood’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2011, received the President’s Distinguished Alumni Medal from the City University of New York at the Lincoln Center in May. Pat is an internationally known primatologist, anthropologist and conservationist, recognized for her extensive study of lemurs in Madagascar and the preservation of its rainforests. Pat comments about her recent award. “The President and Provost of CUNY hosted a dinner for me on May 29, 2018 in honor of my receiving this award. Dinner was delicious and delightful.” Congratulations, Pat! What an honor for you and for Hood as one of our classmates! On a much more somber note, Harriet Rudman Weiner writes, “My significant news is that my husband Alan passed away in April, 2018. We were lucky enough to have celebrated 50 years of marriage last year. I have been receiving a lot of support from my family – son Jay, daughter-in-law Deb, grandchildren Ben 12, Maya 10, and Jenna almost 5; son Andy, daughter-in-law Emily, grandchildren Ryan13, Jake 10, and Mallory 7. Also thanks to my three sisters.” Looking ahead, Harriet added, “In August, I will be going with Jay’s family on a Northern European Disney cruise. That will be a new experience for me, and I am greatly looking forward to it.” We are very sorry for the passing of your husband Alan, Harriett, and hope the cruise surrounded by family lightened your days. More sad news but a well-deserved tribute, came from Susan Worth Fiala, recognizing her many decades of friendship with her Hood roommate Elizabeth (Beth) Harlow Foster. Beth passed away suddenly on August 19, 2017. After graduation, Beth traveled to Ireland to try her hand at professional steeplechase racing. Susan adds, “Mainly, she ended up mucking out stalls, so she returned to Maryland and became employed at IBM in Hagerstown.” Many years working for IBM followed, involving some international travel. The friendship between Susan and Beth is a testimonial to cherished, longstanding friendships begun at Hood. Beth and Susan traveled together for many years. They went to Key West, FL, each February after Beth moved to Florida. (Through the magic of Facebook, I’ve been able to see happy pictures of them on these jaunts together! I got to visit with Beth a bit at our 50th college reunion, and will never forget her disbelief when I shared that I, who considered myself a professional artist of sorts, did not have a working website. We laughed together loudly about this, and I returned home to Anchorage, compelled by Beth to create that website!) Perhaps this is the place to add that Elliott and I no longer live in Alaska. I still have to pause to recognize the reality of that sentence. After 42 treasured years in that state, which deservedly calls itself the Greatland, in the fall of last year, we moved to McMinnville, OR. Moving was hard. But – and I’m surprised to say this – we are loving our new home. McMinnville is welcoming and friendly, a pretty, small-college town, surrounded by farmlands – and full of wineries and art galleries. (I am now a proud member of the Sketchy Artists of Yamhill County!) Both our son and daughter-in-law graduated from Linfield College here and have settled nearby with our little granddaughter. We have another son and his wife also in the area, along with two adult grandchildren in Portland. The pull of so much Oregonian family just got to be too strong. Our new address is 380 SW Huckleberry Court, McMinnville, OR 97128, and our new email is eldibarske@gmail.com. (You will see us out and about exploring our new home state, especially its coastline and beaches, in our recently purchased RoadTrek.) We welcome visitors!