1978

Kathryn Brown Sandifer
717-762-3045
klsandman2002@yahoo.com

Hello Classmates, and as one of you pointed out this is the BIG 6-0 year and who can believe that??! Thank you to all who responded to my email request for INFO/Updates. Sandra Perry Polett wrote to let us know she is living in Tustin, CA (Orange County) where she has had her own Professional Organizing business for 10+ years.  She and her husband (Doug) of 31 years have a daughter, Gabrielle (Abby) a senior music major at Westmont College in Montecito, CA. I enjoy volunteering, occasionally paddle boarding, binge watching “Orange is the New Black” and traveling.  She is able to visit with roommate Cindy Saunders Dunard ’80 every summer when she and her family rent a vacation home in Corona del Mar, CA. Most important of all, my family and I are all blessed with good health although the years are taking a toll on my energy levels! Susan Dornbusch Sohn wrote that she keeps in touch with Lynette Cuthbertson Smith, Linda O’Connell Fansler, Darcy Becker Lynch. She bought an old beach house on the Potomac River (St. Mary’s Co). While packing & purging she reminisced with all her old HOOD stuff! Such great memories of College days!!!  Daughter Betsy will be getting married June 2017.  Son Andrew has two children, Grace 4 &Luke 2. Change is very difficult but this will begin my new chapter in life as I turn 60! My address will be 18151 River Road, Tall Timbers, MD 20690. Sue Stilwell Tyng and husband Rick just had their third grandchild. His name is Finn. Rick is coaching high school tennis and is the tennis pro at Prospect Bay country club. Sue is having an awesome time being a grandma playing on the golf team and working part-time as a designer. Hugs. Suzanne Bohn Richardson Sadly informs us of her father- Edward H Bohn Jr’s death in November 2015.  (My mother Catherine H Bohn passed away 8 months earlier.   On a happier note, she and husband Jim will celebrate 15th wedding anniversary this September. Tonya Thomas Finton expresses-Life is good! She’s volunteering at a local thrift and as a member of the Hood Board of Associates. I’m having a blast reconnecting with Hood. She and Tim hosted a reception for newly accepted students -great to meet the next generation of Hood students.  Her youngest son is back from a year in Italy, it’s wonderful to have him on this side of the Pond again. I stay in touch with a lot of my Coblentz buddies, even former President Martha Church, via Facebook, and Tim and I are attending the wedding of my roommate Brenda Hughart Payseure’s ’82 daughter this July in Pittsburgh.  Nancy Newman Thevenet has had a tough year.  Rick, her husband of 30 years, passed away in November after a courageous battle with Cancer.  Faith, family and friends sustained her.  She and Margaret Harrison Wade went on a trip last month to Israel and the Holy Land sites.  They had an amazing time!  She will see Priscilla Graham, Sally Howard Cooper, Claudia Henry Barkmeier, Liz Metz Coulter ’77 and Lisa Muran this summer. Martina Crum-Martin questions – Can you believe this is the BIG 6-0 YEAR for the Hood Class of 1978??!! We celebrated the occasion by visiting Yosemite National Park for its 100th anniversary of the National Park System. Since finishing her associate’s degree in May in Early Childhood Education, she is filing paperwork for Teacher Credentials from the state of CA and is now anxiously awaiting the results. She hopes to be assigned to a T-Kindergarten classroom in the fall. Husband Hal entered into his 5th year as VP of Supply Chain/Manufacturing for Aerojet/Rocketdyne in Sacramento, CA. Theresa, 31, an attorney, moved to St. Paul, MN in October to accept a legal position in the compliance department of Wells Fargo. Eric, 29, moved to Vancouver, WA for a 6-month wind turbine training program in sustainability. He recently completed his education and is busy interviewing for jobs in the industry. He loves the outdoors and hopes to travel overseas before settling on the west coast. Claire, 25, will move to New York City where he was accepted into a 2-year MFA graduate program at New York University. She writes poetry and hopes to be famous one day. Claire is excited to begin her new adventure! Bryan, 21, is returning to Scottsdale Community College after working for over a year in a supply chain company much like Amazon.com. He plans to study business with an emphasis in finance.  Then he plans to transfer to Arizona State University for his degree. As you know many of us from the Class of 1978 are turning the Big 6-0 this year. How exciting!! Hal & I will spend a week in Hawaii in July. Not only for vacation ~ but more importantly ~ celebrating the fact that ALL our children have moved out! Hip! Hip! Horray! Our hearts go out to many of our Classmates who have had illnesses or lost loved ones! As another issue goes to press I wish you all health and happiness as we face the Future; please send me your updates all year long. Blessings, Kathryn (Kathie) Brown Sandifer.