For those of you on my email list you have already learned of the unexpected and sad news of Ken Beem’s (husband of Barbara Miller Beem) passing in June.   Barbara met Ken through Guy Gray.   Prior to Hood, Guy was a student at Montgomery College serving as a lab assistant to one handsome, strapping Professor of Geology, Ken Beem.   Guy made the introductions happen, and the rest has been their history.  For 23 of their 40 years Ken and Barbara shared a byline and were regular contributors to AntiqueWeek and New England Antiques Journal.  They enjoyed writing about antiques, collecting antiques, and loved researching and writing about historic property features while being hosted at lovely inns and restaurants and touring back of the house/behind the scene places.  Barbara continues to write, but her editor, Ken, is terribly missed!  Ken leaves behind daughter, Katherine McKerrow, and three grandchildren, Ruby, Marigold and Roland.  Barbara and her mom are finding the 86 year-old Catonsville home with 14 rooms overwhelming.  It is on the market and hopefully will have sold by the time this goes to print.  Let us know where you are Barbara!  We wish you strength.  May the many wonderful memories you shared with Ken sustain you.

Vicki Raeburn Benton, along with husband Leigh, sent a quick note wishing everyone a wonderful holiday.  Leigh was diagnosed in June with a major blood infection.  His appendix was micro-bursting toxins!  The appendix was removed and after a month long regimen of intravenous meds all was and continues to be well. Leigh still tends to his jewelry business, is site manager for Middletown Carting and serves on the Orange County Legislature in NY.  Vicki still proctors exams at Touro College.  Vicki caught up with Beth Guertler Godfrey, Nancy Melroy Faustine, Jenn Fifield Allen, Patti Loser Godwin, Joyce Manbeck MacKellar and Beth Rittenhouse Dupont on a conference call.  They hope to make it a quarterly event.

Their sons are content in their current positions.  Chris, Jess, Camden (10) and Jace (8) live in Viera, FL.  Chris is COO of Beachside Physical Therapy and the DPT for the LPGA Tour.  Summer travel has been extensive across the US, Hawaii and Canada with the tour.  On the players’ days off, Chris gets a fair amount of greens time in with them. Jess is an OT in the Brevard County schools.  Both sons play baseball.

PJ, Lisa, Marty (10) and Ryan (8) live in New Windsor, NY where PJ is a Detective and Crime Scene Investigator.  Lisa continues with her successful in home jewelry business.  https://www.facebook.com/LWDLLC?pnref=lhc.  Both sons are avid hockey players.

Ann Cuppia Gandy shared she spent time visiting Liz-Anne Arant Allen in January.  They connected with Donna Nelson Hyde (Hood ’68) and enjoyed comparing notes on their tenures at Hood.  It sounded to them that it was pretty straight laced in ’68. Really?  I vividly remember streaking and bra burning in the Fall of ’73.  I was too body conscious to bare all, and I was so under-endowed that my training bra would have been the only one in the pile!!

Liz-Anne was coerced by Ann Gandy to make a trip east.  Liz spent two weeks – one week connecting with cousins and an aunt she hadn’t seen in a about 50 years, and the second week was road tripping with Ann.  They visited USNA with Mark and Laura Bultemeier (Mark – USNA ’73) for a nostalgic return, and then visited Hood which neither had visited in 25 years.  They met up with President Volpe, enjoyed seeing the blending of the old construction with the new, and the bookstore supplied the necessary apparel for the rest of their trip… to NJ to visit Billie Weise who they had not seen since graduation.  The three have committed to making the next reunion.  On their way back to Columbia, SC  Ann and Liz stopped to pick up Ed Stuckey (USNA ’73) to visit with them for another few days, and then Ann flew back with Liz to CA for some more fun in the sun.  Great memories shared and made for sure!

Billie Weise joined Virginia Keane Bukovac on Cape Cod for a week of lobster in anything, wine, lots of laughter, sailing the bay and biking the Shining Sea Bike Path.  Billie just returned to teaching and coaching high school tennis after a year’s hiatus from getting a “new neck.”

Dot Herdle Files shared she led a large church weekend called a Walk to Emmaus.  She continues to manage the county 4-H horse club.

I, Sally Johnson Leland, am officially “off the road.”  I’ve hung up my travel directing shoes.  Husband, Doug, is winding down his life-coaching practice and is currently enrolled in a Maine Guide Training program.  Doug’s folks are 90, so we can get over to VT with ease…and suspect we’ll need to with greater frequency.

Continued hope, peace and safety to those fleeing their homelands, and peace to those within our borders that feel isolation and hopelessness. Remain healthy, active and safe.  My very best to you and yours for the coming year.