Marjorie Blakeney Filmyer
215-925-2348
mbfilmyer@comcast.net

Dear classmates: Thank you for the many replies via mail and phone which I received in response to my plea for news. As you can imagine, several of us have been attending funeral services. Shirley Benson Rice received word of the passing of Ginny Bare Francis, P’72 from Ginny’s daughter after she had attended the service for Doris Reininger DeHart in October 2014. Ginny mentioned that Doris had received the Distinguished Graduate Award in recognition of “her decade of contribution to society.” In addition, she was a “dedicated public servant who served on over a dozen state boards.” Bette Blome Winyall reported that Milt has suffered some traumatic injuries, but they push on helped by “four wonderful and exceptional grandsons.” Bette is chairman of the Little Theater Company and is slated to direct the April production. Janet Beck Agnew is now living with her daughter and can be reached at 1390 Southern Hills Blvd., Hamilton, OH 45013.  She comments that, in time, she’ll get use to the colder weather as compared to living in North Carolina. M.F. Six Copenhaver is happy to report the last family wedding of her grandchildren and the arrival of the third great-grandchild. M.F. got together with Joan Lowry Taylor and Jean Oliver Reymer and her husband Bob. What did they do? Talked and talked! Ever faithful to my reporting requests, Corinne “Corky” Edwards Shulman reported time spent in NYC for the engagement party of her granddaughter Maile. Corky grew up in the “big apple” and enjoys returning. Louise Ford Ralph enjoyed the lovely wedding of a grandchild in Savannah–she even had fun dancing the night away. Louise mentioned that Terry Montrastell Meier is managing with a positive attitude regarding the stroke that has impaired one side of her body. Jayne Gillis deConstant called to tell me that she had five feet of snow against her back door. She’s grateful for having a son with a snow blower to shovel her out. Luckily, she hasn’t experienced a power outage as so many have. Barbara Heiss Jackson is feeling the loss of another dear friend – Ginny Bare Francis, P’72 leaving only four of the Round Robin Contacts remaining. Elaine Henderson Cortelyou enjoyed the Christmas season with a visit from her family and returned with them to Raleigh, N.C. Elaine attended her 70th high school reunion last June. Her “lunch bunch” members are slowly dwindling in numbers. Katherine “Katsy” Maguire Rafferty no longer has her mountain condo, but continues to enjoy driving trips from Colorado to California. She topped off this year’s travels with a two-week river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. Mary McClain O’Connell has given up her frequent tennis matches but enjoys spending time with her many good friends where she lives. She loves catching up with you all by reading the Hood class notes. The good news is that Louise “Tootie” Renninger Rittenhouse, P’74, G’07 has recovered from her 4th melanoma surgery. Unfortunately, her home suffered roof damage from one of the recent winter storms. I, Marjorie Blakeney Filmyer, am growing weary of the snow and cold weather that has limited my activity this winter.  Despite the winter weather, I was able to make a trip to the Midwest to visit my dear brother. I remain living in my home in Philadelphia and enjoy the company of my friends, children and grandchildren that live near-by. News from our class always brightens my day.  In addition to those specifically mentioned, I heard from Anne Chaney Mesmer and Elizabeth “Betty” Paterson Reims that all is well with them and they look forward to reading your news. Thanks for staying in touch and best wishes for a healthy 2015.

Elizabeth Anderson Comer
410-243-2626
ecomer@eacarchaeology.com

Ann Barber wrote, “The fall was very exciting! Elizabeth’s boyfriend proposed while they were vacationing in Italy. They’ve decided to have their wedding September 2016 after buying a house in November. And, I had a fabulous trip to South Africa. The first week we stayed at Zulu Nyala Safari Lodge. Seeing the animals in the wild was more exciting than I could have imagined. Then, we flew to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls and then back to South Africa to Cape Town for a week. We had a great driver who took us to see everything we wanted. The sights and people were amazing. It’s a long flight, but well worth it. It was the trip of a life time. The winter here in New Hampshire has been filled with snow and cold. Bring on spring!” Ruthann Melching Arneson, P’12 sent this news, “After nearly 20 years as an education specialist for the local Head Start agency here in Huntington, W.Va., I left in June to take a position at Marshall Univ.  I am now an assistant professor in early childhood education. I am still working on finishing my doctorate in curriculum and instruction, but hope to finish that by the end of the year. My husband has been at Marshall in the College of Education for 28 years. We are enjoying working together. My daughter Emma is finishing her master’s degree in biology at Marshall after graduating from Hood in 2012. Our son Ethan is doing well as a junior in high school.” Dale Hilgartner Cirillo wrote, “In my life, we’ve had some changes… on Oct 21, 2014, my youngest son Matthew and his wife Cara had a little girl, Layla Brynn Cirillo! She is our first granddaughter and quite adorable! In June 2014, my eldest son Jonathan and his family Christi, Nathanael, Joseph and Samuel came back from a Navy Tour in Japan! They are now in Chesapeake and loving all the snow that they are getting at the coast!  My father Colonel Peter Louis Hilgartner died January 8, 2015. He was ready to go be with the Lord in heaven! We had him 87-years on this earth and we were very blessed!!! His memorial service was amazing with 10 relatives, son, grandsons, nephews and son-in-laws being honorary pall bearers. His funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, with full military honors, will be at the end of June. We are looking forward to great weather and a lovely service at the Old Post Chapel. Jim and I continue to live outside Warrenton. I am now a teaching assistant in an ID, intellectual disabilities class in Marshall, Va. I love Marshall Middle School and the students and staff! Jim and I live in a 100+ year old house on Grace Episcopal Church Casanova’s property. We have some chickens, a few guinea fowl and we love to work in our vegetable gardens! We have a lovely congregation and live in a beautiful area! I hope all is going well with everyone! Blessings!” I (Elizabeth Anderson Comer) am still conducting archaeological projects and working as a volunteer at the Catoctin Furnace Historical Society just north of Frederick. Margaret received her MPhil from Cambridge Univ. in January and we had a great time observing the ancient traditions that are part of the ceremony. She is a Gates Cambridge scholar, so she will be returning in the fall for her Ph.D.  Jacob is also there getting an MPhil in land economy. He joined the rowing team and has been trying to explain “bumps” to me…. since the Cam is too narrow for boats to race side by side, they bump each other to advance! Anne is finishing her senior year at the Baltimore School for the Arts and trying to decide where to go next year. This past weekend we got to hear her sing as part of the 2015 High School Honors Choir at Carnegie Hall. Very exciting!!! Send some news my way so we can keep up the class of 1977 tradition of never missing a column!

Susan Boebel Alis
757-229-8541
susanalis@yahoo.com

Pam Noble wrote, “I am still employed almost 24 years (March 2015) at the scientific library at NCI, Fort Detrick. I have taken an on-call job working for Frederick County Public Libraries. I am volunteering with the Alumni Heritage Committee for Frederick High School and I’ve sought the expertise of the archivist of the Hood archives several times. My oldest son Austin graduated with a history degree (just like dear old Mom) from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. He is deliberating on what graduate school to attend in the fall. My middle son Hollis will graduate from high school this May which is quite an achievement for him since he has autism. We are even enrolling him at Frederick Community College part-time in the fall. My youngest Lauren who is 9-years-old, is a few years away from all of this excitement, but she has mentioned going to Hood.  Of course, that all depends on what career she wants to pursue. She was impressed with the Claire McCardell (fashion designer from Frederick who attended Hood College) exhibit at the Frederick County Historical Society. So, who knows!”

Jean Wheatley Hilchuk, Class Reporter
jhilchuk@aol.com

Marilyn Barnett is alive in New Orleans but states she has nothing to report. Betty Lee Daubenspeck Carl is very active.  Betty still plays golf, bridge and enjoys a cocktail hour. Nancy Ogden Carson and her husband live in a retirement center and enjoy life there with all the activities. Several of their children live nearby. Janet Louise Coblentz Cover was one of our two classmates that attended our 70th reunion in June. I am going to call her back so we can share more news. Gertrude Flagg Dalzell still lives alone in her own home with her son. She has another son that lives close by and she still drives. Anne Schwab Dulabahn has sold her home and moved to a retirement center. She has given up driving. Peg Traver Emery’s husband passed away and she is selling her home and moving to her sons in Texas. Ann Wikel Hausman is now in a retirement center and has sons close by. Mildred Geiple Hufnagel still drives. One son lives with her and another lives close by. Annabelle Sunderland Kepler still lives in her own home. Her husband died five years ago. She too is still driving. Mim Fowler Orth still lives in her own home. Her son lives close by and takes her where she needs to go as she no longer drives. Mildred Patzig remains in her lovely home in the N.C. mountains. She has help come in daily to help her. But she is alone at night. Emma M. Vonderheide Rhoderick has moved to a new home on the Cheaspeake Bay next to her son. The view is great she says. She will enjoy it more when she finishes unpacking. Phyllis Carts Searle lives by herself but people pick her up all the time as she is not driving. Mary Alice Knobloch Smith‘s husband died this past December. She still plays bridge and has several children that live close by which is nice. Phylliss Fine Soza reported that her brother Harold died last month. He and I were in elementary school in third grade. Phylliss told me that she is blind. I was not aware of this. Mary Lou Chorley Touart is busy as ever. Her girls are doing well; one is an actress and one and artist. Mary Lou is still at her retirement center, but is moving to smaller quarters. Helen Stottler Leaver has resigned as treasurer of an organization so she will have more time to work on the history of family. That takes a lot of work as I did that 10-years-ago. I, Jean Wheatley Hilchuk, gave my car to my nephew as I am no longer driving. It was probably the best thing as I cannot walk alone. I ride my scooter around the halls of my retirement center.

Lucy Song Gilbart
301-305-2792
lucygilbart@yahoo.com

Kelly Robertson Lane wrote, “I just have completed a Child Development Certification covering growth and development, nutrition, and assessment for young children. I am also using my Hood B.A. in print communications and currently finishing up a book of nature inspired poetry dedicated to my Mother, Lottie Robertson who passed away in 2011.” I can be reached at:
klane2929@gmail.com, 3117 Bancroft Rd. Baltimore, Maryland 21215.

The Class of 1994 needs a new class reporter. Please contact the office of alumni relations at alumoffice@hood.edu or call 301-696-3900 if you would like to become the reporter.

Allison Horne, Class Reporter
auntieal@verizon.net

Hello classmates….long time, no hear.  Hope to see many of you at our 35^th reunion in June!  I have been very remiss in getting reminders out to all of you over the last 18 months so you could send me updates, but I received some in the last week that I wanted to share.  Susan Patton Fox and her husband, Bob, relocated to Northern VA in 2007. She sold her law practice in CT and ‘career-switched’ to teaching middle school Social Studies and Language Arts.  Their oldest daughter, Ashley, got her Masters in Theology and Catechetics at Franciscan University of Steubenville Ohio and is now working as a DRE (Director of Religious Education) at Our Lady of Angels in Woodbridge, VA.  She and Susan write a blog together: Hopeinlove.org.  Their son graduated from Longwood University in VA 3 years ago, got his Accounting certificate, and tried his hand as a professional golfer in FL – before deciding to go for the young life as a CPA in Manhattan while he was still single.  Their daughter, Katharine, graduated from Franciscan 2 years ago and has been working as a Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse at National Children’s hospital in DC.  She married Jonathan Boulos last June and is now expecting Susan’s first grandchild, Lucy, in late May!  Their youngest, Maryjacqueline, is due to graduate from Franciscan this year as an Elementary Education teacher.  Susan says they are all incredibly grateful for God’s Blessings.   Jen Goerk Lyden wrote that last fall, three of her photos were selected for a group show entitled “Five Artists” at Heaven Gallery in Asbury Park, NJ. One of the pieces sold to a local collector and the curator was her Jr. High art teacher in Ridgewood, NJ.  Diane Cain Proctor has a new job as Reading Specialist and started her own private tutoring business. She uses the Orton-Gillingham approach to tutor dyslexic students in every grade, K-12.  Her three daughters are all on their own now: Alison is 27 and finished a year in the Peace Corps in Namibia and then worked in New Delhi, India for her internship. She finished her Master’s degree in May 2014  in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management from SIT, Brattleboro, VT.  Middle daughter, Sarah, just turned 26, finished her Masters’ degree in Clinical Psychology and lives in Valdosta, GA with her husband, Andrew who is in the Air Force. Sarah is now working as a Case Manager at an out-patient psychiatric hospital. She does be psycho-educational/skill building groups, assessments, discharge planning, and chart audits.  Her youngest daughter, Andrea, 23, just finished college at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY. She loved this college! She majored in Psychology and Art and would like to explore art therapy options in the future.  Diane lives in MA and has been taking care of her elderly parents, both 83. She has taken up gardening, knitting, crocheting, walking, and spending lots of time with family and friends in Old Orchard Beach, Maine.  Valerie Cerrone Nelson passed on the new that her daughter (Alexandra, 26) got married in September to Christopher Mann!  It was a lovely party and they were thrilled to have Cathyann McCann Ray and Judy Reamer Egan ’81 with them for the event!  She really enjoys her new career as a midwife, and the practice at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx.  She says, “Catching babies is wonderful, and I love working in women’s health!”  Deborah Sheetenhelm Hammond reported that she retired from local government in March, 2014 and since that time I has published two novels; In the Eye of the Storm and The Big Sky. Both are available through amazon.com so check them out!  She has a third novel, called The English Rose that should be available in March and has five additional books in development.  Jennifer Reinbrecht is a massage therapist in Denver, CO. After Hood, she headed west for the Mountains, following Carl Kline, Hood’s interdenominational minister, to South Dakota for peace and justice work. She met her husband, became a graduate teaching assistant, and earned her Master’s degree in Sociology while waiting for her husband to graduate. They have been in Denver for 30+ years, having enjoyed hiking, backpacking, white water rafting in the past and now enjoy road trips, day hikes, gardening, and exploring whether and they can afford to retire. They are active Airbnb hosts, and have met wonderful people from all over the world.  As for me, I have been with Marsh USA for over 22 years, working in Philadelphia as the Finance Manager for the Mid-Atlantic offices.  I live in an old, historic house in West Chester and love spending time with my family and friends, especially on the Eastern Shore of MD or at the Outer Banks in NC.

Nancy Ludwick Warrenfeltz
850-995-0051
nlwfeltz@hotmail.com

Always good to hear from our class. Here’s the latest news. Please email me your updates so I can include it next time. Thanks! Kathy Anderson Jewell reported, “Just after the deadline for the summer issue, our daughter Kristin Jewell Zoller and husband Zack welcomed Ian Michael Zoller on July 24, 2014. Ian joins big sister Nora who is now 3. They recently moved to Bel Air, Md., into a lovely new home. My husband Chip was appointed to the new position of director/chief of the division of Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services for Frederick County, Md., in August 2013. He enjoys his new position and continues to be very busy. I keep active with a new position at our church. I am sewing for pleasure again and helping with the care of our four grandchildren. With all of them 3-years-old and under, it is wonderful to watch them grow and change.” Anna Collins Pasqualucci wrote, “My career in biotech has taken a 180 degree turn into folk art. After more than 25 years in cancer, agricultural and pharmaceutical research, I enjoy painting custom window screens, educating people about this Baltimore tradition and learning to become a web master for my new hobby. I look forward to annual May pilgrimages to OBX with my golden retriever and appreciate living a few miles from my son and his wife and my daughter. Artist member: www.PaintedScreens.org.” Maggie Lindsay Doyle and her husband Paul welcomed their first grandchild Grace Doyle Enslow born on January 20, 2015. Grace weighed 4 lbs. 12 oz. and is doing well for arriving early into the world! Congrats, Maggie and Paul! Donna Parker Bannwolf, P’17 wrote, “Our son Steven is attending Hood and is a sophomore. His favorite professor is Len Latkovski. It’s funny because my roommate Nan Clark had Dr. Latkovski when we were at Hood!  I visited with Len on campus and he is still very popular with the students, who stopped by to say hello in the student center. Also, I ran into Noel Lester at Brewer’s Alley with his kids and grandchildren. He was my music professor at Hood and is doing great–looks exactly the same. From my end, I just started a new job with the Frederick County Public Libraries as the corporate and community partnerships manager, managing public relations, marketing and partnerships for the library system. So far, so good! This is my third time living in Frederick. It seems a well-worn path between Texas and Maryland, for us.” Nancy Strangfeld Cauwenberghs enjoyed a weekend trip back to Frederick last November. They saw a show at the Weinberg Center for the Arts in downtown Frederick and had dinner at the Old South Mountain Inn in Boonsboro… sitting atop scenic, historic Turner’s Gap and still very quaint. They traveled to Harpers Ferry and to other local battlefields. Plus, they stopped at a Virginia Winery. Thanks for the news, Nancy! Sally Woomert Hinder and her husband live in Churchville, Md., where they have been for 37 years. Their children are grown and they have four grandchildren who they are blessed to see on a fairly regular basis. Sally has run a small business selling baked goods at the Bel Air Farmers Market on Saturdays for the past 18 years. In the winter, she substitute teaches in several of the Elementary schools. Barb Woolmington-Smith wrote, “Craig and I are still working, but our kids have moved out (or in one case almost moved out). We are thinking of selling our big house in a year or two so we can downsize. We both think getting out of the SF Bay Area earthquake zone would be a good idea, so we are looking at the Sierra foothills near Sacramento. We also own land in Western North Carolina and could move there, but I am not sure I want to leave California for the mountains of North Carolina. If anyone out there reads this and wants to comment on life in North Carolina, please email me because I would love to hear your views. No permanent decision has been made, but I’m sure we will sell and move somewhere else in just a few years. I realized some time ago that I have only lived in brand new houses my entire life (except for the few years I lived in a condo when we were first married). Both houses I lived in when growing up, my parents were the first owners and the house that we live in now we built back in 1988. Looking at homes that are not new, seems so foreign and hard for me without thinking I have to completely redo and upgrade all the interiors. We have a lot of looking and compromising to do. I am still trying to expand my Etsy business: www.babywearbybabs.etsy.com  by learning and using social media to get the word out. If anyone needs a special handmade baby gift, check out my shop. Both kids are working, but single and happy. No grandbabies anytime soon.” As for us, Larry and I were crowned 2015 King and Queen of my Mardi Gras Krewe of Les Gals. We had so much fun dressing up as Pirates for the skit. With Larry back on two feet, we keep busy with all of our activities. Life is good! Thanks for the news updates! Always good to hear from you!

Barbara Maly Fish
919-688-9125
barb2fish@yahoo.com

I send the sympathy of the class to the family of Lynn Marx Silverman, who died on May 8, 2014, after a 15-month battle with pancreatic cancer, and to Sandy Borrelli Ricci, whose husband Renzo died on August 7, 2014. Carol Eisenberg Miller wrote that she was looking forward to attending the Hood-Albright basketball game with the local Hood group in Reading, Pa. (Hood won 71-59). She continues to serve as treasurer on the Pennsylvania State Extension Board and is also very active with Opportunity House, a local charity that includes a homeless shelter, a 24/7/365 day care center, a child abuse prevention program and a job training resource. After much consideration, Margaret Myers Sanders and her husband are moving to Willow Valley, a retirement community in Lancaster, Pa., her hometown. She is looking forward to all the amenities offered at Willow Valley and will enjoy being just an hour away from her little granddaughters. Margaret wonders if there are any other Hood folks at Willow Valley. After 47 years of teaching math, social studies and language arts to middle school students, Mary Cockram Morse retired in 2012. Since then, she has become a snowbird, spending the winter months in Bradenton, Fla., and the rest of the year in Ann Arbor, Mich. She has joined a church in Bradenton and sings in the choir, including an occasional solo. She is also taking private ballroom dance lessons and was recently in a showcase, dancing the tango with her teacher. She was looking forward to going on a dance cruise at the end of February. When she wrote, Carol Smith Mills and her husband had just returned from a wonderful Road Scholar trip to Miami Beach and Key West. She enjoys spending time with their 6-year-old grandson and 3-year-old granddaughter. She also volunteers at a local hospital near her home in Doylestown, Pa., where she delivers menus to patients and will soon work in the new pediatric wing with animal-assisted therapy. Carol and her fox terrier, April, do a reading program at a local elementary school. She finds that first graders love reading to April. The bucket list for Dave and Carol Hottenstein Parker included visiting all 50 state capitals and touring their capitol buildings. They celebrated their 50th anniversary by going to Hawaii, the 50th state. They liked the concept and design of the capitol in Honolulu best of all the ones they have visited. It is designed to represent a volcano and opens into a central courtyard and the exterior columns represent palm trees. The Parkers found the capitol in Harrisburg to be the most opulent, with lots of gold leaf; the high-rise office building in Omaha, Neb., the least interesting; and the one in Pierre, S.D., the plainest. The Parkers are very involved in playing duplicate bridge. Carol directs at their local club and serves as club administrator in January and February when many players leave Ohio for warmer climates. Dave and Carol planned to attend the Gatlinburg Regional Tournament in April in hopes of earning enough points to make American Contract Bridge League Life Master. The Parkers also have three “wonderful” grandchildren that they enjoy greatly.

Molly Smith Sperandio
727-393-7446
mollymom76@gmail.com

Nancy Paul Stimson reported, “The new year was moving along in grand style. Bob was recovering well from his massive heart attack. Our oldest granddaughter had an Xmas wedding, December 27 in historic Philadelphia. It was beautiful, like a fairy tale; the only sad part was her father died last March but my daughter Valerie did a great job and held up well. We were looking forward to a trip to St. John in the Caribbean in March. In the meantime, they enjoyed New England’s cold.” Sara Davidson Haney wrote, “The holiday season was great. I spent early Christmas day in Connecticut with my younger son and his family and then flew to Utah for the remainder of Christmas with my older son and his family. It made for a long day but was lots of fun. I am now waiting for some repairs after a large tree fell on the power lines. I’ll be on my way to Florida for some warmer weather and to enjoy my horses. I have been enjoying volunteering at a local therapeutic riding program, but right now it’s too cold for both horses and riders. I am happy to be healthy and here!” Barbara Thomas Yinger said, “My holidays seem to always begin with gathering greens, making wreaths and decorating one of the houses for the local museum Christmas Tour–all as a member of the local garden club. We did have a few days in Maryland with son Scott and family, and then a week’s cruise to the Bahamas in January. In February, she planned to spend another few days at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Show to take two classes and get re-inspired. Unfortunately, Sally Masten Peterson passed away on February 28, 2015. A few months ago, I had called her on the phone because I did not hear from her this Christmas. Her husband George died last summer after a long battle with throat cancer. Sally had been receiving chemo for about a year. I don’t know how the mis-information got in the last news item that Barbara Beckhelm Moore was in the class of ’62. She never went to Hood but did live there when her father taught music. We were best friends from first grade through junior high school before the family moved to Iowa.” Peg Reeves Leopold wrote of her daughter Barbara’s marriage in Washington and her trip with her son Rick and his girl to Costa Rico. They hit the beautiful beaches Rick loves and surfs, but Peg found visiting part of the Monte Verde cloud forest and walking the seven steel suspension bridges at the top of the tree canopy, amazing. David and Julie moved to Richmond and the grandchildren are excelling in their interests. Peg still “plays in the dirt” with the master gardeners and “twists her bones” through her yoga classes. Peg shared a Christmas letter from Ginger Smith Reichert’s husband Hal, who is handling this second year after her death busily dealing with health and house problems and extolling the virtues of children, grandchildren and his newly received title of “Great” grandpa. A brief note from Syl Davison Rost said that she and Dwight are enjoying life with relatively few problems. Molly Smith Sperandio reported, “I don’t know if it is an age thing or what, but there always seems to be something physical plaguing me as time goes on.  In September I had a total hip replacement, having put it off from the year before when the surgeon told me I’d go to a cane, then walker, then wheelchair if I didn’t have the surgery. After having to use a cane, I decided to listen to the doctor.  Now I’ve been diagnosed with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and I’m going to put off again the prescribed surgery. I’ll wear the wrist stabilizers (actually, I won’t, because they cause me more pain and are more a hindrance than a help!) and take the cortisone shots for a while and see how that works. Other than those fun things, life goes on as usual. My favorite season of tax preparation is here and having to deal with the ACA is a challenge. Easter came early, so I am singing and ringing with gusto. Ushering for three different theaters gives me lots of great shows and concerts to enjoy. I was not about to head north in March for my annual sisters’ reunion and had to put that off until April–I’m a Floridian and don’t want to chance dealing with what you all have had once again this year. Stay warm and healthy my friends!”

Mary Townley
hoodmlt@aol.com

Hello Class of 1983!

It has been quite the winter here on the East coast with snow falling everywhere, but as I write this column, spring is but a few weeks away.  Thank you to those who shared their news with me.  Please feel free to send your news to me or to Hood directly for publication in our column. Let me get right to the news.  Shelley Wagar Sabo writes, “My work continues to keep me very busy and I love my job. Was able to spend a week in Puerto Rico in January for work and enjoyed the break from winter. My daughter Courtney graduates from the community college in Northern Virginia this May and will move to South Carolina this summer as she begins her last two years at Coastal Carolina University this fall. That is it for now. Looking forward to summer and the Cape and some camping in the Adirondacks.” I also heard from Ann Kitson.  Her daughter, Kate, continues her studies at Hood College and her son Tucker continues to serve in the Navy (thank you Tucker). Ann and her husband Steve relocated to western Massachusetts where Ann is now working for Baystate Children’s Specialty Center. Pam Stamey Inskeep writes, “It has been ages since I wrote a note for class news, so here goes. On 8/8/08 at 8:00 p.m., I married John Allen (“Johnny”) Inskeep and became stepmom to Jessica Sarah Inskeep. My husband used to work as a cable installer in Manhattan in New York, and in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Twenty-one years ago, he suffered a back injury on the job and was declared disabled. He can walk and do light lifting, but he cannot sit or stand or drive for long periods of time, and he is always in pain. But, my husband deals with it all very well; he has good days and bad days. He has a wonderful sense of humor, and we laugh a lot and just enjoy life one day at a time. Our daughter, Jess, graduated from the University of Delaware in May 2008 with a B.A. in History, a minor in East Asian Studies, and a minor in Disability Studies. After graduation, she joined AmeriCorps’ Teach for America (TFA) program and was invited to teach at Seaford Sr. High School in Seaford, Delaware. She is doing such a fantastic job there that the school’s administrator asked her to be the lead teacher in the special education department, and she is a homeroom leader for TFA. She is also still participating in her sorority, Delta Gamma, by being an advisor to the DG chapter at Salisbury College in Salisbury, Maryland. In addition, she earned her teaching certificate while teaching at Seaford Sr. High School and is currently working towards getting her master’s degree at the Georgetown, Delaware, UD campus. She enjoys teaching, but her ultimate goal is to work in special education policy administration. Jess has worked very hard to get this far on her career path, and we are very proud of her accomplishments. Her heart and mind are in the right place; she is determined to make a difference in her students’ lives by obtaining the educational resources they need to succeed in school and in their community. As for me, I have been working part-time for New Castle County, Delaware, as a Community Service Worker II – Library Aide – at the Bear Library since June 2013. I provide customer service to patrons at the Circulation Desk and work on back-office library tasks. I love working at the library, helping patrons and promoting community events, including literacy programs for adults and children. I also participate in two book clubs: Bear Library Book Group and a ladies’ social book club. It’s great connecting with other book lovers. In addition, I am self-employed, part-time, as a private tutor primarily for elementary (K-6) subjects, especially English language arts, reading, writing, and math. I enjoy helping students increase their understanding of the subjects they are learning in school. In my spare time, have also been trying to start a crafts business. Perhaps, I will have more time to devote to that enterprise in 2015.That’s my life in a nutshell – helping kids, helping adults, and helping family. Once in a while, I take time out for myself, reading, watching TV, and dreaming of things I want to do and places I want to go. My husband and I like to go out to dinner and go to the movies. We are such a good match for each other. It seems as if we just got married, when, in reality, we will be celebrating our seventh anniversary of marriage in August 2015. Boy, how time flies!” Ruth Ravitz Smith shared the following news, “This is old news but in Feb 2014, the Memorial girls – Gretchen, Sarah, Cindy, Suzanne and I got together in Frederick for a mini reunion. It was the first time we had all been together since graduation. We had so much fun; we are doing it again in March. Professionally, I just launched my own business – RRSmith Global Solutions, providing government affairs and strategic engagement services to clients.”  Valerie Kaufmann writes, “I have never sent in anything to be included in a newsletter before but here goes: I am living in Hagerstown, MD with my husband of almost 40 years. After a career of teaching in Washington County, MD I worked for nine years at the MD State Department of Education as the Branch Chief of Early Learning, Division of Early Childhood Development. For the last three years I have worked as Principal at Funkstown School for Early Childhood Education in Hagerstown. It’s a great little school serving prekindergarten and kindergarten students and the perfect location to finish out my career in early childhood education.” Trish Wilson shared that she “…lives on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and three cats. She has written numerous short stories for dark fiction, horror, and erotica anthologies under the pen names Elizabeth Black and E. A. Black. Her first family saga/thriller novel “Secrets and Lies” will be released by Eldritch Press in 2015. She will publish it as Elizabeth Black.”  As for me, your class reporter, my life in Richmond is much calmer these days.  Over the last year, my wife, Carol daughter, Emily and I were involved in a nationally covered lawsuit to bring marriage equality to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Having the support of nationally renowned lawyers, David Boies and Ted Olson was beyond words amazing. After a year of winning two important court cases, many press interviews and overall craziness, a decision came down. On October 6, 2014, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to review our case (along with six other cases). At that moment marriage equality became the law of the land in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.  It was an exciting day for our family.  That day, Carol and I renewed our vows on the steps of the John Marshall Court House in Richmond with Virginia’s Attorney General, Mark Herring.  In mid- February, we celebrated our thirtieth anniversary with nearly seventy close family and friends. We are so happy and honored to have been a part of changing the law of the land. Suzanne Johnson writes, “Gretchen Smith Coviello, Cyndy Stearns Price, Sarah Hoover Dietrich, and Ruth Ravitz Smith, our Class of 1983 Memorial Hall group, and I all met last February 2014 in Frederick for the first time as a group since 1983. It was such a joyful and amazing weekend, we decided we’re going to do whatever we can to make it an annual event. Our next get together is a slumber party weekend here at my home in Moorestown, NJ and we can’t wait! We’re excited that Angie Sievers Beachley ’84 is going to be join us too!”

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Mary