Nancy Ludwick Warrenfeltz ‘76

nlwfeltz@hotmail.com

Thanks for all the updates!

Gail Lippert Ebersole: 2013 has been a busy year for my family! In January, our oldest daughter Lindsay had our second granddaughter Nora, who joined her 2 1/2 year old sister Lena. Lindsay is a wedding photographer in St. Croix, USVI. Then in May, our youngest daughter Lauren got married. She works as a sonographer at Johns Hopkins Hospital. In other news, in 2010, I retired from 34 years with Baltimore County Public Schools (20 years as a teacher and 14 as a middle school assistant principal) when my husband Brad became President of Washington State Community College in Ohio.

Lynn Furtek Eubanks: How many times have I sat down meaning to update my Hood news, but life seemed to get in the way! Anyway, a lot has happened this year, particularly with our grandchildren. Jacob (grandson #2) graduated college in May and began a youth ministry job in Michigan.  Carly (granddaughter #1) graduated high school and has begun college in New York.  The next two granddaughters have moved on up to the high school and middle school. Rilee, the “baby”, started kindergarten this year! The years have flown. And let’s add that my nephew was married in May; he is the son of Emily Gibbs Furtek, ‘75. As for us, Jack and I finally started working on our bucket list trips, taking a cruise to New   England, Canada and the St. Lawrence Seaway followed a month later with our trek to Machu   Picchu and Lake Titicaca. If you get a chance GO! I don’t think we’re doing this bucket list “thing” right, though; every time we check something off the list we add two more things to it!  We are living in Tennessee near the foothills of the Smokies…still teaching…for now! And next year promises to be even more eventful.

Debbie Huff Nicholson reports: My son Justin married Lydia Cross in August.  They had a beautiful garden wedding on Cape Cod–it was a picture postcard day.  Sue Transue Hoge and her husband Phil were there and a fine time was had by all.  The wedding photos of us all out on the dance floor reminded me of our Hood party days–some things never change!  The newlyweds are living in Rochester, NY where Justin is working on his Phd in political science. Back on the home front, Norm and I are moving to the Portland area of Maine in January 2014 (yes, that’s right, moving north in the winter!).  He wants to retire shortly, but I’m not quite ready for that yet, so I’m on the job hunt. Can a Jersey girl make it in Maine? Well, we’ll see!
Torie Hoveman Seeger: I have two bits of news.  The first is that my husband Geoff has retired.  He found a part-time “gig” at the local Home Depot, which suits him just fine.  Enough to keep his whole day busy (part-time in morning, then attending to home stuff and his Mom in the afternoon.)  It seems to keep him out of trouble and he is no longer dealing with bureaucratic issues, which pleases him.  Secondly, our son Ben has volunteered for overseas duty again.  He is currently in Texas and will, at some point, leave for Kuwait for the remainder of his one year contract.  He is with the Army National Guard and I would ask all alums to say a prayer, or keep a thought for all service men and women still in harm’s way and serving in our country’s military and diplomatic corps. God Bless our Military!

Linda Fox-Jarvis: David & I are looking forward to grandkids, as now both Stephanie and Brian are married.  Stephanie got married in June and was a beautiful bride.  It was a really big wedding with ten bridesmaids and ten groomsmen.  Her husband Tyler is a local  accountant.  Funny, they actually grew up in the same neighborhood and had mutual friends in college (went to different colleges) but never knew each other.  I am so excited that Stephanie has joined me in my real estate business.  It is so great teaching her the ropes and knowing I can pass along my business of 30+ years to her eventually.  Brian and Amanda are doing well in Fairfax, VA.  They both are working at Azure Blue, a computer engineering company.  My husband David is still working for BAE Systems and supervises the Norfolk and Jacksonville operations.  We hope to retire in the next 5+ years but who knows.  When we can vacation, we enjoy our cabin south of Charlottesville and our shared home in Normandy France with our two dogs – Wiley the Westie and Izzie the Schnoodle.

Barbara Woolmington-Smith: Craig and I are continuing to work—our retirement was pushed back because of the recession these last five years. But we work out of our home office and can work short days, so it actually works out fine.  We are planning to close up the business in about three years and possibly move to Asheville, NC.  We have purchased some land back there and Craig’s family all live in South Carolina.  If any Hood classmates know the area or live in NC, I would love to hear from them because I am still ambivalent about moving to a new community after spending our entire married life in California. The kids are living at home at the moment but both are working. They came home to live temporarily and have stayed on.  It is time for them to get their own places.  Harrison wants to move to San Francisco where his job is located—unfortunately it is very expensive to live there… I see roommates in his future.  Alisha works at the local veterinary office and does lots of pet sitting so she is rarely home.  It looks like she may move back to Oregon—where she went to college—and get settled up there.  Our health is great and we enjoyed a vacation to Kauai in Nov 2013.

Hi from Kurt and Libby Crouter Holter: We are having a busy year. I have gone back to Hood for my Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Kurt stays busy with his commercial and college photo work. Our son Andrew is on a Fulbright Scholarship, teaching English to students in Kyjov, Czech Republic, for a year. Our older son, Colin, is teaching music composition and theory at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, with his wife of one year, Jessica Narum. We are so happy that both of our sons and daughters-in-law are having wonderful adventures. We plan to visit them soon!

Larry & I are doing well. We have vacationed at the Outer Banks twice this year. Once in June for my family reunion and then in November for the OBX Marathon with our son Jim & his family. Jim ran this race and placed 3^rd in his age group and received a special pin for his medal. He ran his best time ever & qualified for the 2015 Boston Marathon. We love spending time with our grandchildren. Jim & Liz have 2 girls: Madeline is 5 years and Chloe is 2 years.  Our daughter Lindsay & her husband Nathan live in Seattle. We visit them about twice a year. They are parents to our grandson, Jacob, who was 1 year old this past October.

Please email me your Hood news. We love hearing from all of our classmates!

I bring you news from The Nifty Nineties Class: I just celebrated my ninetieth birthday a month ago with family, cake And another occasion with friends and wine. Our class used to sing together, remember? “Fortyfive, fortyfive, we’re the class with the VIM, we’re alive!…on to Victory we strive!”1 Oh, yes! The war began in our freshman year and ended when we graduated. For me, that led to two years of teaching at the high school in Frederick, then married my Navy pilot with Phyllis Green McCardell and Connie Delphy attending at the church on Frederick’s courthouse square. Fast forward, I’ve been an Oregonian ever since, raising three sons and doting on seven grands and five ( soon to be six!) greatgrands. Bruce died ten years ago, I sold our beach house and have lived in a cozy condo ever since. I’ve been lucky to have good health, most of my marbles and manage to drive and keep up quite a few activities, book club, bridge, school volunteering, etc.Over the years, Carol Beal Head and I have been in touch and shared visits and Hood reunions. Carol is still in the home she and Ed shared for years and  her two sons and daughter, Suzanne, live near by. Ed died last year and Suzy has endured many surgeries from cancer, also lost her husband, but perseveres. Carol uses a walker, but has great home help so gets out for bridge and socializing. Fran Delaplaine Randall keeps busy writing books, has made a goal to complete a chapter a month of Frederick’s history and her family’s part in it. When we spoke, she was scheduled to present a talk that very afternoon. She stated, however, that she IS a dinasour, has no computer, and likes writing the old fashioned way.( That’s VIM !!I ) I spoke to Lois Long Harley’s son-in-law who reported Lois is now living in a Florida retirement home, and dealing with Alzhelmer’s in a memory area. Our best to her and daughter, Hope. Sarah Wrenshall Steinmark sent an email some time ago that she and her husband had moved to a lovely retirement home in Pittsburgh to be near their daughter. They have met some very nice people and ” deal with some ailments…to be expected at our age”, I think we all understand that! She remembers Hood days with great fondness and sends best wishes to all of the class of 1945!

Judy Ballinger reports, “The combination of being newly married to a man also recently retired from “regular” work and both of us getting increasingly busy with our own and friends’ art ventures has snowballed into a much too busy schedule. Our challenge now is figuring out how to slow down.”

Kris Campbell Joyce was a guest artist in Hokkaido, Japan, for one week and then traveled the country with BJ for two more weeks. Kris had taken a semester course on the history of Japanese art at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and was well prepared for some of the things she saw. That trip was the highlight of her year.

Leilani Chen Viney retired 2 years ago, and is still a little in shock. “I’m still doing competitive ballroom dancing both with my husband and a professional teacher. It’s the closest thing I know of to the fountain of youth! I still keep in touch with my roommate, Gwenn Sterling Engle.”

Beth Costello Hobby enjoys “gardening, s’mores in the backyard with friends, not riding that darned bike like I should, eating out, giving art restoration seminars, re-doing the church landscaping, having a glass of wine now and then with my buddies, and really enjoying most of what it is to be 68! And, I’ve been a Great Aunt now for 5 months – how fun is that?”

Barb Cummings Stacks had very busy year. “We have just moved into a smaller house and are buried in boxes. Our new address: 42 North Main Street, Essex, CT. Telephone: 860-581-8770. There was interest in my book at our reunion and I am excited to share that it has been published. Childhood Roots, Raising Children Birth to Eight. Please email me for a copy.”

Angela Milea Mogin has a new grandson, Jason Andrew, the second son of youngest daughter Lauren Mogin Giamonna, born last January 23.

Ginny Munson Hammell moved twice in a year. “I have considered moving to Florida, but there are too many connections here…and now that I’m alone, I relish the (fast diminishing) friends and haunts here. Unhappily, no grandchildren yet.”

After teaching high school students with mild to moderate learning disabilities for sixteen years, Kitty Nevin Rieske was more than ready to retire. “Now I am enjoying being able to stay up to watch the Red Sox win the World Series and then sleep in the next morning! We can now travel on non-school vacation weeks and stay for more than a week.”

Jeanne Perkins Hofferkamp and Steve are expecting their third grandchild in December. They took a great road trip to Arizona and visited Grand Canyon and are still enjoying retirement.

Laurie Seymour Carlson spent the first half of the year recovering from a labyrinthectomy. “Since I live just a five-minute walk from my daughter & granddaughter, they are a big part of my life. I love it and feel truly blessed!” Her son and his family are also nearby.

Debbie Smith Aldrich has been free of breast cancer for three years. “Our library and my church provide me with a lot of pleasure.” Her children are both nearby, two grandsons are in college with one more to go, and Debbie has four great-grandchildren through a step-daughter.

Johanna Van Wert Thompson and Michael and both “retired” from part-time jobs this year and have very full days attending grandchild functions, traveling, and taking classes through William and Mary. “Fall is a wonderful time to visit Williamsburg and I would love to hear from anyone whose journeys bring them to this section of Virginia.”

Gail Witham Pohl and Doug had a memorable 2013, with trips to Italy and China, and a surprise quadruple bypass for Doug in August. One week after Doug’s surgery, they were in Pennsylvania for Gail’s 50th high school reunion. “The doc made me promise to drive and to make very frequent stops!”

Barb Wood Spellman had a busy year. “My husband retired in August of 2012 so there has been more time for travel. In October we added two granddaughters to our family. That brings us to seven grandchildren and four of them are girls — quite a change for someone who had four sons.”

I, Barbara Morgan Herron, retired at the end of June and started helping Craig with his film and video work. A highlight was working with actor Eric Roberts. I’m also retiring as Class Reporter. It’s been fun, but it’s time to move on.

MARGARET HART KAMINER:  I live in Cashiers, NC; my daughter and her family are also here; my son lives in Boca Raton where he is a senior VP and lawyer with a commercial firm. I try to keep in touch with Meredith Sorenson Harris and Alice Riddle Metry and hope to get together with them soon. I am planning to see Sylvia Blackburn Felcyn in November in Greenwich Conn. I have been a widow for 11 years. I keep busy with lots of volunteering, baby sitting and a great deal of bridge playing.

MIRIAM SPAULDING KEYSER: We are in the midst of frantic downsizing, give away, and preparation to move – all in 6 weeks.  We made the decision to move to Oak Crest, an Erickson Senior Community north of Baltimore, MD on August 22nd, put the house on the market on the 31st and sold it in16 days. We move in 2 weeks. I feel like my head is spinning. I wake very early in the morning and can’t get back to sleep so I pack or go online and send pictures to the family of items I can’t take; hopefully someone will want them.

BARBARA THOMAS YINGER: My new e-mail address is: bbyinger@va.metrocast.net.  I attended my 55th reunion with 9 classmates from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and 2 husbands.  My eye surgery for glaucoma went well and Bob’s heart procedure has had good results.

ANN COPELAND BILLINGS: Greetings from Northfield, MN where I’m visiting 3 of my 10 Grandchildren (ages 2 1/2-16).  Can’t believe how old I am but they surely keep me young, along with duplicate bridge, tennis, church and great friends back in Walpole and Weston MA.  I occasionally see Louise Reed and hope to reconnect with Carolyn Stevens Amstutz soon.

CAROL HARKNESS KILREA: Celebrated our 55^th reunion from Mass General in Boston – Sue Truby Peterson and Syl Davison Rost represented the “hoodlums” and the hospital treated us all royally! Reunion was followed by a week in Maine with Carl and Sue; my pal, Bill May, and Carl have common interests and we always have such fun together! Visited good friends in Snowmass and managed to catch a sizable brown trout with a fly rod! The house was at 11,800 feet which challenged my Meniere’s disease but what a beautiful area! Now have 6 college grads (4 of them living in Chicago) and 1 more next year before the exciting cycle for the next 7 begins! Hope to get to Marco Island for a month and a week or so in Hobe Sound – winters here in NW Indiana by Lake Michigan can be a test!

ROBERTA GEEHAN HORTON:  Last May, Bob and I took a “Trip of a Lifetime” to the Naples, Italy area.  We stayed in Sorrento with lovely view across the Bay of Naples to Mt. Vesuvius.  We were taken by AHI Travel to Pompeii, Herculaneum, Naples Museum, Capri, the ancient Greek temples of Paestum, and the Amalfi Coast. In August we went to Idaho and Montana.. While hiking in ID, I fell dislocating my right shoulder and fracturing my humerus. After two days of R & R, we got back on the trails and enjoyed the beauty of the area, although I was bound up in an immobilizing device.  Months of physical therapy are ahead.  Four grandkids are in college now and another college grad just got married.

ELSIE LYONS HINKHOUSE: Idaho is covered with one spectacular scenic route after another – so very, very different from the East Coast which is also so spectacularly beautiful.  Having lived in Pennsylvania, Maryland (Hood), Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina before moving to Idaho, I am a devoted Easterner loving the opportunity to learn about the other side of our country.  The best part is being close to two of our daughters and the grandkids.  We still have one daughter and her family half a continent away in Texas who we see several times a year.

SALOME “GINGER” SMITH REICHART passed peacefully September 16, 2013. Her husband Lieutenant Commander Harold L. Reichart Jr., USN R wrote, “Most of her life was centered around our five daughters and 15 grandchildren. Her obituary appeared in The Virginian Pilot on September 18 and should be available online. You can always call me at 757-421-0404 or 757-633- 1347.”

MOLLY SMITH SPERANDIO: A summer filled with family travel kept me quite busy. My FL granddaughter graduated HS 6/3 and I flew out to CA on 6/4 to see my grandson graduate HS– 4 more to go, 3 in CA and 1 in FL.  I enjoyed being with my 4 grands and also saw my son in CA; enjoyed touring the Bowers Museum. I had 3 road trips to PA – our 33^rd annual family reunion; our cousins’ reunion and my 60^th HS class reunion.   Studying for AARP Tax Assistance is next. I continue with my volunteerism in church and community.

Hi everyone!

I hope all is well with my fellow 2003-ers!  Not too much to report this time, but what we do have is super exciting, so here goes!

JJ Bell writes that she finished the Marine Corps Marathon this fall – her third time running this marathon, and her fourth marathon overall!  I was lucky enough to see her run past when I was spectating during the 2012 MCM, so it’s good to hear she did so well again this year without my moral support.  (Just kidding, JJ – congratulations on a great accomplishment!)

Next, a wedding!  Elizabeth Ide-Niemann got married to Captain Gregory Niemann on October 5th, 2013 in Siler City, NC.  Torrey Campbell ’04 was a bridesmaid, and Elizabeth’s little sis Amanda Reinken ’05 was in attendance as well.  Congratulations to the happy couple!

And speaking of happy couples – Taryn Chubb is now wearing her Hood ring on her right hand!  She and Dr. Mark White were engaged in October of 2013.  Last I talked to Taryn, she said their plan was to get married in 2014, most likely in the late spring/early summer, in her home state of Kansas.

And another engagement – mine!  Shortly after we bought a house in Leesburg, VA this summer, Matthew MacDonald and I (Leah Giambarresi) got engaged!  We plan to get married in September 2014 in the Frederick area.

I think that’s all we have for this round – everyone, keep those updates coming!

CELEBRATION ALERT – NEWS FLASH

Hey hey hey hey hey (Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike)!  The class of 1979 35th Reunion is in June 2014 – join us for the fun!   Do we need a hospitality suite for gatherings?  It’s planning time!

Bernice Graesch
Last August 2012 we sold our Fort Lauderdale, FL home of 16 yrs and relocated to Boca Raton, FL.  I am in the process of closing my small drapery workroom and am ready to begin the next chapter looking for a new “job”.  My husband, Patrick, is Executive Director of Manufacturing & Operations at Nipro Inc. (glucose tests strips – TruTest or Walgreen’s label).  Our 26 year-old son lives and works in Davie, FL; our daughter, Morgan, 22, is soon to be a PTA.  I keep in touch with a few Hood friends and get home to NJ to visit family about once a year.

Donna Gault
I am busy teaching English as a Second Language, a volunteer position near my home in Owings Mills, MD.  My students are from Guatemala, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Pakistan, and India and I love teaching adults.  They are gracious and we have such fun.  I also teach a ladies Sunday School class.

As a hobby, I sew.  I’ve made 18″ doll (American Girl) clothes for a friend’s 9 year old daughter, quilts, purses, and each year I’ve made Christmas presents for the entire family.  One year it was aprons geared towards each person’s interest.  My stepfather is a vegetarian – his apron fabric was lettuces, my son and youngest brother are anglers – fish fabric for them.  But I have yet to make an apron for me!    THE SUN SHINES FOR 79!

Ginni Natter
Mid- June 2014 I will be the Mother of the groom and I will gain a new daughter.  Work responsibilities are ever changing – keeps life interesting.  Granddaughters are growing too fast.

Janet Mullen
Top three things to be anxious about, since you asked:  1. my company will have enough funding (small non-profit relying on grants);  2. my children being adults and my parents getting old;  3. being able to retire before I’m too old to enjoy it.

Ruth Seel
Life is good – almost empty nesters!  Traveling as much as possible.  Now many trips to Houston since our oldest daughter and family moved there.  It is hard to have the grandchildren so far away after living in the same town!  Thank goodness for Facebook and FaceTime.   Molly, our Hood girl, is preparing for May 2014 graduation.  She’s in the application process for the Peace Corps.  Top ten list:  finding great airfare, racking up airline miles, fall leaf colors, hugs from my students, daily laughs, clean floors, empty clothes hamper, Cock-a-poos who snuggle

Steven Grigas is thankful for the following:
1.  I am now a full Partner in Akerman, LLP – over 540 attorneys, 19 offices, in 8 states plus DC.

2.  I’ve been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2014 Guide in the practice area of Health Care Law.

3.  My son ranked 34th in the Florida High School cross country runners with a personal best 5K time of 16:09.  His high school team placed first in their regional race and are competing for the state championship.

Trina Clickner
It’s formally confirmed.  I seem to have (temporarily?!?) traded in my mobile computing career for a low-profile, low-budget, low-stress life of fiddling, looking after my aunt with Alzheimer’s/dementia, adorable basset hounds, scuffed up cowboy boots, red lipstick and a used Suburu Forester.  All is super duper – I just wish it paid more!  :o)  What’s next!?!

Hello all… This class news update is going to be very short because I haven’t heard from ANY of you!! I’ve kept in touch with a few Hoodies personally, but i’ve got NO class news to share… Come on, those of us that read the magazine want to hear something from our old classmates!!  I’m setting a challenge… can at least five classmates please send me some news for our next update!? please!? In the meantime, I’m sure you’re all as busy as I am, so have a peaceful and blessed holiday season. All the best to you wherever you are… remember to look me up if you come to the high country of Colorado!!

While my life (Heidi) has settled into running after a toddler and panicking about the classes I haven’t yet prepped for the following day, I’m glad to hear from our classmates who are (a) experiencing the same life craziness and/or (b) have more interesting things to share. So without further ado….Eliza Adams is starting her 11th year of teaching at the Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore where she has been continuing her love of teaching Preschool. In her spare time at school, Eliza also tutors Middle Schoolers and participates in various committees on campus. Eliza is enjoying the city life in Baltimore and lives in historic Mt Vernon, surrounded by arts and culture. Since graduating from Hood in 2001, Eliza has continued her passion for singing. Eliza sings with the choir “Bach in Baltimore” where she is the section leader of the sopranos. Eliza enjoys singing Bach pieces in her choir but has also sung pieces composed by Mozart, Verdi, Brahms, and Rachmaninoff. Eliza recently went to a luncheon hosted by hoodlum Stephanie Mellinger ‘99 where she saw fellow hoodlums Jamie Hentz White ‘99, Melanie Jacobs ‘99, Sherie Love ‘99, and Aimee Kaplan ‘00. Eliza has also kept in touch with Katie Janke Swann ’00 and Amber Wilson. Kudos to Laura Benson Blake who got married to Bobby Blake on August 10, 2013 in Fitchburg, MA. Hood Alum Rebecca Fishack ’03 was in attendance. Hats off to Sylvia Proctor Kilpatrick who said, “lots of great things for me.” Her twins started kindergarten, she graduated with her MBA from UMUC this past spring and received a promotion to HR Manager at her job. Congratulations to Niki McElroy and fiancé Toren Grant who recently got engaged. They’re still enjoying the “moment” before setting a date. Thanks again for keeping us posted on your respective lives whether you’re settled in or still evolving!

Stephanie Gardner is now teaching 3rd grade at Cranberry Station in Westminster,MD.

Tiffany Channing recently moved to Virginia Beach, VA to begin the Psy. D. Program at Regent University.

Ali Kelley just started her fourth year at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School as the Communications Specialist and still enjoys coaching cheerleading at Maryland Allstars Athletics Inc.