Karin Ninesling Infuso
910.400.5137
kinfuso@aol.com

Christine Bradley Pecor is an adjunct faculty member at Frederick Community College.  She and her husband have 9 grandchildren and try to attend their various sport activities.  Chris and Bob enjoy travel, especially cruise travel, and have visited Yellowstone NP and Mount Rushmore.  Deborah Clancy Butler retired from her pastoral position at a church in CA, and she and her husband relocated to Washington State where her husband established a yacht-rigging business. Her two sons still reside in CA.  Deb keeps in touch with Hood friends via Facebook.  Dana Eser Hunt still works for a Cambridge, MA public policy research firm.  Her work focuses on problems related to opioid addiction and trafficking, which “unfortunately” keeps her busy.  Lauren Frankel spent a week in Nimes, France to attend the wedding of Martha Herbert Bounoure’s younger daughter.  Georgeanne Madouros Contoyannopoulos also attended, and they had “a grand visit”.  Lauren is busy with her consulting work providing executive coaching for independent schools and non-profit organizations.  Lauren’s daughter and her wife live in Minneapolis.  Lauren loves the Twin Cities and enjoys her visits there.  Rosalyn Goddard Phillips and her husband have lived in CA for over 43 years and recently celebrated their 46^th anniversary.  They are retired and enjoy hosting house concerts for touring folk musicians.  Roz’s primary hobby is playing clawhammer banjo in an Appalachian string band. Roz and her husband enjoy traveling, to Europe, in the USA, and to various music festivals.  Their son and daughter both live in CA.  Mary Holmes Dague and her husband married in 1970 in Coffman Chapel with Dr. Smith officiating and Marty Hassell singing.  They are still happily married and have two sons.  Mary’s tinnitus and hearing loss ended her dance teaching career years ago, but she remembers the dance program at Franklin and Marshall College that she helped start in 1970.  After receiving an MA in dance, Mary taught at F&M which now offers a major in dance.   Elizabeth Houghton Fulmer and her husband continued their motor home tour of the US National Parks. So far, they have traveled and driven 55,000 miles.  This Thanksgiving, they will do something different and celebrate the holiday on a Panama Canal cruise.  Susan Jones O’Donnell downsized this year to a patio home not far from her previous home in CO.  She is active in the outdoors and also has a mountain home.  Sue retired from federal service in 2012 but does some consulting for the Office of Personnel Management.  Sue travels, recently to Italy and Croatia, plays duplicate bridge, and takes lessons to overcome the Smith Hall version of bridge.  Sue has been in touch with Laura Martin Shafer and Margaret  Muncie.  Sally Lottich Thompson still lives overlooking Puget Sound and sells real estate in Seattle. Sally loves her beautiful city with its intellectual, empathetic, progressive values, “especially in this day and age”.  Sally’s older daughter lives in NC with her author-husband and two children.  Sally’s younger daughter lives in San Francisco and has a career in retail design and management.  Sally will travel to Denmark in December to visit Dikte Kirchheiner Holm who was a foreign exchange student while we were at Hood.  Dikte and her husband and daughters live in Ribe, a Viking port established a thousand years ago.  Margaret Muncie and her husband travel a lot, mostly short trips to visit family and friends.  Peggy’s daughter and her husband had to evacuate their Coconut Grove, FL home during Hurricane Irma and spent 8 days in SC with Peggy. Peggy and her husband went to Steven’s 50^th reunion of Berkeley Divinity School at Yale and to Peggy’s General Seminary Board meeting in NYC.  They also enjoyed a UNC-Miami U football game with both daughters and son-in-law.  Donna Newman is fully retired and has “stepped up” her traveling.  She went on a land tour of the Baltic countries and St. Petersburg, Russia, saw a lot of the countryside, and was able to interact with local people.  The tour guide was 20 years old when the Soviet Union collapsed and offered “amazing perspectives” on Russian life.  Karin Ninesling Infuso and her husband recently traveled to SD, MT, and WY including Yellowstone NP and Grand Teton NP.  They stayed in historic lodges and saw lovely scenery and much wildlife.  The highlight of the trip was an exquisite 8-inch snowfall in Yellowstone NP.  Karin and her husband enjoy retirement and the time it allows for civic groups, book club, MahJong, and their delightful 2 year-old grandson.  Karin sees Ada Karen Blair as often as Kari’s busy schedule allows.  Anne Parkin Pierpont sent sad news of her husband’s passing in January 2017.   He and Anne struggled for several years with his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease, and it was a “sad way for a robust and wonderful person to die”.  Because he was a conductor and composer, the funeral included his music.  Jeanne Bryant Wyland, Anne’ roommate at Hood, attended the service. Anne and her daughter grew closer through the ordeal, and we send our condolences to them.  Nancy Schneider Alder traveled to WI in a 4-seater prop plan to visit childhood friends.  Nancy’s grandchildren are in the 5^th to 7^th grades, participate in numerous sports, and get good grades.  Nancy keeps busy with volunteer activities in Gettysburg, PA.  Ruth Sands Smith e-mailed from Easton, MD where she, Myra Holsinger, and Marie Oliver Brackbill were gathered to celebrate Myra and Marie’s birthdays and reminisce about Hood.  They visited Wye Mills and the Old Wye Church because Ruth is on the board and is an administrator there. Marie works part-time in a library, and Myra is a docent at the Library of Congress. Vickie Smith Diaz and her long-time partner met Sandy Doucett Greenberg and her husband for lunch in Annapolis, MD.  Sandy, a talented knitter, created 2 blankets for Vickie’s first grandchild and a shawl for Vickie.  Vickie and her daughter will cherish those thoughtful gifts from a long-time thoughtful friend. We are sad to report the passing of your class reporter and friend, Karin Ninesling Infuso.  Karin passed away on December 14, 2017. We offer our sincere condolences to Karin’s family and friends.

Sharon Burns Walsh
410.749.0426
sharon.walsh68@gmail.com

With only a few months left until our 50^th reunion, Susan Marano and I hope your plans to be part of the weekend are well underway.  If you’re not there, we can promise that you will be missed.  Mary Bloodgood VanHyning was headed to California to visit her daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters in late October. She envies people whose grandchildren live nearby.  She definitely plans to be at the reunion as do several people from French House. She had heard from Linda Winter-Blacksher that she will not be able to attend the reunion because of a previously scheduled trip to Italy. Marjorie Field Trusler retired in 2005 as a professor of French and Spanish at West Virginia Wesleyan College.  She has spent the last ten years doing all the community work, traveling, visiting, reading, exercising and lolling that she didn’t have time for when she was working. She has been looking for an awe-inspiring answer to the question, “So what have you been doing since you retired?” People keep asking Sue Warshaw Stinson if she’s busier in retirement than she was while working, and her response is a definite, “No, I am definitely busy but rarely frantic as I used to be.” She thought she was finished with professional work after her book was published in late 2015, but is still finishing a couple smaller projects.  Her major activities these days revolve around volunteer civic engagement at the local, state, and national levels. She works with the League of Women Voters (including committees and action on Immigration, Social Justice, Voter Education/Registration, and Fair Elections) and also volunteers with a couple of community agencies.  “And then there is the increasing amount of time I have to spend to keep my body going with as little pain as possible.  Jim and I occasionally fit in some travel, including our fourth Road Scholar trip this past spring to Peru.  I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.”  Gail Davis Williford is in the midst of packing for a move to the Austin, TX area.  After 41 years she has left Houston to return to the city where she first lived in Texas.  Both of her children and her ex live in Austin.  Daughter Jean is a social worker at Seton Hospital in Austin, and son Richard works in commercial real estate.  John is retired.  Gail retired from the ministry and now works as a life coach and fills in doing weddings, funerals, etc.  She says, “I love having the opportunity to stay active in people’s important life events.  Life is good.”  Also in moving mode was Charlotte Sizoo Whitenight who was leaving her home in Catonsville, MD last November for a new one in Baltimore.  “My advice to all my classmates is never stay 25 years in one house, unless you’re more disciplined than I about clearing clutter!  I’m doing the baby-boomer thing, moving to a downtown city neighborhood, Baltimore City, into a high-rise condo.  The neighborhood is fantastic, a block from Johns Hopkins University, vibrant, walkable and filled with students, lots of new restaurants and entertainment.”  Since she has friends and volunteer activities in the general area, she will no longer be driving 20K miles per year.  As a member of the Class Gift Committee, along with Sandy Gerwin Herndon and Pam Nicholson Neuman, Charlotte thanks those in the class who have supported Hood’s Annual Fund each year, and thanks you in advance for your continued, generous support. Everyone’s support is especially crucial in our Reunion year.  The Committee was thrilled to have 8 major donors by last October who pledged donations of $60,000 to the Scholarship and Annual Funds.  $28,000 was already received as cash donations for the scholarship by late October.  The total goal for the Class of ’68 gift is $136,000, with a 68% participation rate.  Of this total amount, our specific goal for the Scholarship is $64,000.  Charlotte adds, “This seems ambitious but we can do this!  I chose the painless way to donate, a direct IRA donation.  Look on Hood’s website for information on IRA donations–it’s really easy!” She encourages everyone to think about including Hood in your will for any amount or percentage as have eight of our classmates. We’d love to be able to announce at the Reunion luncheon a substantial increase in this number. Many thanks to Pam, Sandy and Charlotte for taking on this considerable fund-raising effort on behalf of our class.  Hoping to see everyone at Hood in June!

Emily Kilby
443.485.7443
erkilby44@gmail.com

After a long absence from this report, Susan Fox Sanitate reports about her good life in Pleasant Ridge, Mich., a “vital and diverse community” 10 miles north of Detroit which “IS alive and well and a great place to visit! Susan’s son Michael and family live about 30 minutes east of Pleasant Ridge, and she is fortunate to be actively involved in her grandchildren’s lives. “Julia, 15, is bright, creative and loves animation and musical theater,” “She’s now taking driver’s training which is giving us rapid pulse rates! Michael, Jr., 11, is smart, funny and strong-willed. He loves hockey and most sports and handles having Type 1 diabetes with increasing independence. He was diagnosed at age 5, it has been quite a journey for all of us. I really know how bad a hockey locker room smells!” Giovanni, Susan’s husband of 20 years, has two children with families in Sweden. Those four grandchildren range in age from 4 to 15, and the Sanitates try to visit them every other year, an exhausting but wonderful undertaking. “I’m holding it together health wise with regular exercise and as much time outdoors as possible,” “I miss sailing and horses, but opportunities for both have dissipated. I read and spend time with friends and drink coffee and beer!” Susan’s enthusiasm for car and train travel is not shared by her husband, but they make occasional visits to Sedona, Ariz., and to see her brother in Cody, Wy. “My fondest Hood memories center around living in Coblentz Hall and my time at the barn and riding,” Susan recalled. “The weekends at Mr. B.’s mountain cabin, taking care of the horses, eating fried chicken and fresh baked pies and following him in the cart hitched to Blue –what a blast!” Chris Plankenhorn Tischer’s first note arrived the day she had just celebrated her November birthday with Nancy McAdams Baggett, whose latest cookbook The Art of Cooking with Lavender has been selling well since its November 2016 publication. “Joseph and I keep getting up in the morning and keep going,” Chris wrote. “He has swallowing issues and has lost a lot of weight, and peripheral neuropathy limits his movement and makes driving impossible. I am still very much involved with the Washington Calligraphers Guild and doing commissions, teaching and making my own creative calligraphy pieces. I love every aspect of lettering and feel lucky to have this outlet, even though arthritis is nipping at my hands! This past year included some major body adjustments, such as rods and screws in my back and rotator cuff surgery, topped off with cataract surgery. Someday soon, I’ll be brand new!” Chris took her twin granddaughters, 11, who live in Hammonton, N.J., for a stay at her winter house in The Villages (visitors are welcome) and a visit to Universal Studios. “Too hot, too many people and too hard on Grammy!” she wrote, “but they are such good girls and just wanted to have fun. Yes, I had some too.” In mid-November, Chris and Joseph were included with the family of her first husband David Myers in the wreath-laying ceremony at the the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Chris’s Marine helicopter pilot husband never returned from Vietnam, 50 years later he is still listed as MIA. “Ken Burns’s powerful series on the Vietnam War brought back vivid memories of that tumultuous time,” Chris wrote, “It was our ‘coming of age.’ Think of all the powerful conversations we could have reflecting on what those 50 years have meant in light of today’s news stories and politics. Can anyone picture Virginia Lewis’s Town Hall Lecture?” The Tischers planned to visit Lynn Burkhardt Ogden and Sam at Thanksgiving, just a couple weeks after Lynn was scheduled for a much-needed hip replacement. The Ogdens stopped the sale on their Shepherdstown, W.Va., home after an unsatisfying attempt at resettlement in a retirement community. JoAnn Smith Alspaugh has lived alone in Frederick overlooking Baker Park since her husband’s death 14 1/2 years ago. She wrote, “I love my house and vegetable garden and read a lot along with doing genealogical research.” Of JoAnn’s three sons, the one with two daughters, 12 and 14, lives nearby. Her artist son works in Los Angeles, and the youngest, 33, born when JoAnn was past 40, is a 2007 Hood graduate who has been teaching English in Japan for the past eight years. “My two older boys are getting close to 50,” JoAnn mused, “which really makes me ask, ‘Where have the years gone?’”

Barbara Maly Fish
919-688-9125
Barb2fish@yahoo.com

More than 20 of our classmates live in Florida, and Hurricane Irma affected them in various ways. In Fort Myers, Barb Wallwork Reynolds and husband Bill, along with their dogs, evacuated to their daughter’s home in Cape Coral. Barb and Bill were there for eight days, using a generator until power returned to their own home. When they returned home, they found downed tree branches and missing pool cage screen panels. Dawn Rieser was without power for one week in Ocala but had no property damage. At daughter Lori’s insistence, Betsy Beachley Winger evacuated Leesburg to Pennsylvania to get away from Irma. Lori had to stay in Winter Garden because she was required to be on the job at Disney World. Betsy stayed in Pennsylvania and learned that there was thigh high water in her cul-de-sac, with water rising within six feet of her back door, plus a six-day power outage, but no real damage to her house. Gail Casady Macneill and her husband have enjoyed their active retirement in Ponte Vedra Beach. Their home was not affected, but nearby oceanfront properties and the beaches were.  Because they live on a barrier island, the Macneills had a mandatory evacuation, but this has happened only twice in about 15 years and Gail says their lifestyle is worth it. In Arcadia, Cathy Bowman Parrella lost most of the roof off her workshop and barn, but her house sustained no damage. Pam Wallace Johnson says Irma was kind to Naples. From their other home in Massachusetts, Pam and her husband watched on CNN how the eye of the storm went over their downtown neighborhood, but the predicted 14-foot storm surge did not happen. When they returned to Naples in late October, they found broken palm trees and missing pool cage screens. Joanne Hicks Urgese had minor branch and debris damage in Palm Coast and considered herself very fortunate. In 50 years of hurricanes, Irma was only the second time that Anne Goodwin Draper had to board up their barn house in Chattahoochee. Fourteen people, including three generations, six pets, and four college girls, planned to seek refuge with the Drapers during the storm, but stayed home when Irma changed her course. Anne, who says she loves a party, had everything ready: rooms, beds, kennels, litter boxes, food and booze. She missed all the company when no one came. Larry and JoAnn Winer Sutton celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary by evacuating Boca Raton, but Irma spared Florida’s east coast. Both the Suttons are retired, Larry as a Delta pilot, JoAnn as an ESOL teacher. If you watched TV during Irma’s invasion, then you know that the Florida Keys were hard hit. From Key West, Janet Hayes reports: “When I arrived at Hood in 1960, we had just been through Hurricane Donna which took out Marathon and a stretch of US1 in the Upper Keys. One of the first people I met was Snow Philip, my half-sister, who was surprised that my mom and I had been able to get off the island. Snow and I bumped into each other about 35 years later, a few days after she moved to Key West. Our beloved island has lost much of our historic canopy and our flowering tropicals, much of which we will toil to nurture or replace. Snow was traveling to watch her daughter compete in an Iron Man, so she missed the angst of Force 4-5 winds over hours, followed by 10 days without electricity, five days without running water, 15 days without Internet or TV. She also missed the spirit of reaching out to help neighbors and all the behaviors which restore one’s faith.” Janet adds, “Key West will be back in toto within several months, the Lower Keys in a year or so. Marathon again took a hard hit and Big Pine, Sugarloaf, Ramrod, and Cudjoe lost hundreds of homes. Many of the affordable homes and apartments which house teachers, health personnel and service workers are on those islands, so hotels and restaurants are facing employee shortages. Snow’s home as well as mine came through with only garden destruction.” South Carolina residents Ellie Berklite Harris and Mary Jo Sottile Manning reported on Irma’s impact. Ellie and husband Alastair evacuated from their home on Kiawah Island to visit friends in Virginia. Their home sustained no damage. Earlier, their daughter’s family in Katy, TX survived Hurricane Harvey with no damage except flooding within inches of their front door. Mary Jo and Mike live on John’s Island, where the tidal surge left them with a lawn full of debris, but no yard damage that couldn’t be fixed and no damage to their house. Mary Jo says, “The big difference for many of us is that we learned from Hugo, and homes built or redone since then reflect higher standards and a heightened respect for the harmful potential.”

Regina Schlank Pyle
617.267.0393
reginapyle@me.com

 

 

 

 

 

Judith Hammond Blatchford
My family and I continue in good health allowing Park and me to continue traveling a few times a year.  Most recently we had a beautiful trip to Greenland and the arctic areas of eastern Canada followed by two weeks in Tuscany, a nice contrast in extraordinary history and art appreciation.” With great sadness I learned recently that Sandra Warren Owens’ husband, Bruce, passed away on September 20th after a heroic struggle.  You may possibly hear more from her.

 

 

Susan Shinnick Hossfeld

 

 

Carl and I are beginning to travel again after a recent knee replacement, with two trips out west in the winter of 2018.  One trip is with the International Rotary Ski group and one with the children and grandchildren to Snowmass, Colorado. After the Rotary Ski Trip we plan to continue our travels to Santa Fe.  In the Summer we are taking an Elbe River Cruise which leaves from Berlin and ends in Prague with stops along the way in Meissen, Dresden and Wittenberg. Before the trip we plan to extend our visit to Luebeck and extra time in Berlin.  Sometime in the near future, we hope to go to New Orleans which is on our bucket list.  Carl and I both enjoy catching up on everyone’s news!

 

 

Rusty Papst Hougland

 

 

Last January and February Bill and I enjoyed a great ocean front condo on Amelia Island, Florida. During the summer we welcomed children and grandchildren to our old farm house in Connecticut.

 

 

Penny Misirian Mardoian

 

 

This summer I hosted the Blatchford’s, Bollman’s, Hecksher’s and Hossfeld’s at my South Bristol, ME home for 3 days. The weather was fabulous. We visited a local boat builder, a historic ice house, the Pemaquid Lighthouse peninsula and the Coastal Botanic Gardens in Boothbay.

 

Phoebe Adams Marshall

 

I’m still playing tennis, singing in Masterworks Chorale and our church choir.  Am also on the Vestry at church.  Hope all is well with you.

 

 

Barbie Reeves McGee

 

 

This past year has been has been a year of loss for me. Last December my brother who was my only sibling passed away at age 63. Then in June of 2017, we lost our Afghan Hound suddenly. The worst loss was that of my husband of 46 years in July. Larry had health issues for the past two years but his passing was not expected. I try to keep busy including teaching two days a week but it has been a struggle for me. I have had a lot of support which I am grateful for.  A new chapter of my life begins. Hope all is well with you.

 

Martha Atkinson Meadows

 

I taught my last class at Hood last spring and am still adjusting to less planned days.  My grand-daughter, Corryn, has transferred to Hood-a third generation Hoodlum!  I traveled to Normandy, France on a Hood alum tour with my two daughters.

 

Linda MacDonough Morrow

 

George and I spent a week in Crested Butte, CO to attend his son’s wedding.  What an honor that George was Mac’s Best Man!  With the extra time in the mountains, we enjoyed 4 days of hiking when the aspens were at their most spectacular sunshine color in September.  Wedding day was the only one without sun…..but photos of the bridesmaids walking under white umbrellas in the SNOW were unique and the views of snow-capped mountains on Sunday’s hike were only possible due to the wedding day precipitation.  The bride rolled with it and never lost her cool–showed off her cowboy boots under her wedding gown as her acknowledgement to function over fashion.

 

Beth Davis Pauley

 

Lou and I just returned from a riverboat cruise up the Rhine River. We are season ticket holders for Drexel Women’s basketball games. We attended the Navy vs Tulane game at the Academy. In two weeks we go to Virginia Tech for a football game. Ulia, my granddaughter, will graduate from Virginia Wesleyan in May; Rachel, my granddaughter, is looking at colleges for next year as is Lou’s grandson, John. Life is good.

 

Joan Terpak Plitt

 

I am retired from the newspaper I worked for, but I still have several businesses going. I have been an antique dealer and also a Mary Kay consultant for the past 30 years. Presently, I attend numerous classes at the York campus of Penn State University. These are OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) classes that cover a broad range of subjects. I highly recommend them if our classmates live in an area where they are offered. As part of our June visit to Myrtle Beach (SC), we met Phoebe Adams Marshall and Al near Charleston and they were gracious enough to show us around some of the islands and areas where they previously lived. We had a great time and try to get together with them every summer.  We are great-grandparents to Jacob who will be 2 in December.

 

Barbara Arthur Pretzsch

 

I still line dance, and attend several exercise groups and a crochet group.  We have added a dog to our menagerie.  Evie belonged to the owner of a house we bought to renovate who couldn’t take her with her.

 

Sandy Owens

 

Here is my sad news. My husband of 35 years, Bruce, passed away on September 20^th at Emory Hospital in Decatur, Georgia. He had suffered from lung and heart issues for several years. I’m still getting my life back together with the help of family and friends near and far.

 

Regina Schlank Pyle

 

Having sold my home in France last winter, I delighted in spending the summer in Boston.  At the end of September, I left on a 7 day road trip with my pal, Monica, and her large dog Francesca, an Italian Spinone, in the back seat.  Destination Phoenix, where Monica was born and now moving back to escape Boston’s cold winters.  2,690 miles were travelled in the most direct route because sightseeing with Francesca was not an option but we gained an appreciation for the vastness of the country, the thousands of trucks that transport our everyday needs and the friendliness of those we met along the way.

 

Elizabeth Decker Rogers

 

Great trip to see a close friend in Chattanooga during Oct. What a happening city! Great public art, nice galleries, museum, fine repurposing of old buildings, worth the effort & lovely old house of all sizes. Warm weather so leaves were still green. Plan a trip to India in Dec with son Matt, his wife Deepa, whose family is originally from India but now live in Australia, my 2 grands & Deepa’s family. Keeping my fingers crossed that no medical issues pop up. Thanksgiving will be with family, not sure where yet.

 

Helen Hill Rountree

 

I am retiring at year end, long since stopped taking wilderness trips. I’m selling the apartment Asa and I shared for nineteen deeply happy years; renovating a pied a terre in the same building, including a to-the-studs demolition of the 1928 (!) bathroom. In August, I bought a wee Cape on .12 acres in my home town. We call it Grafton Manor; my 2002 Subaru, Bentley, graces its very short driveway. It is walking distance to my family’s place, where I will continue to battle fruitlessly the five entrenched invasive vines. I will also do some writing, mostly on race, in my view, our nation’s greatest sin and one too many of us continue obdurate about. If I can, I will work with little boys who are struggling to read.

 

To my pleased surprise, this year my book was republished after 35 (!) years. It demonstrated that, theory to the contrary, capital flowed from productive sectors to financial centers. Sound familiar? It’s now one in a set on economic history for libraries around the world. (My younger colleagues were more impressed that this doddering old woman had a letter published in Rolling Stone.) I have been very lucky, had extraordinary, unimagined, professional opportunities, worked with men and women of intellect, wit, and grace. Google lists 298,000 citations for my name; if you put it in quotes, it plummets to 1,200. Much more appropriate.

 

To me, political issues are too real for real people for me not to be ever-active.  The most intense and most fun, in 2007, I collected an email group of 800 women from all over the country to work for the election of Barack Obama. On NY Primary Day, February, 2008, I stood in intermittent rain for twelve hours for a last chance to affect people’s votes. It nearly did me in. You take your joy where you can find it. You have to. With all, I grieve for what will be lost if Homo sap. doesn’t swiftly reverse his heedless race to self-immolation. Who will there be to thrill to Shakespeare, Leonardo, Bernini, the great acts of kindness and courage of people throughout history who struggled to make the world better?

 

My grandson is 6’3”, thin as a rail, a history buff, and terrifyingly knowledgeable about professional sports. My two daughters are good women, journalists, one managing editor of a global finance weekly, the other an investigative reporter and producer with This American Life. My brother, CA, 62, who has Down Syndrome, thrives, to the happy amazement of his cardiologist. He will share his Star Wars obsession with anyone willing to sit still. Hearing the Bee Gee’s Saturday Night Fever music, he is instantly on his feet, John Travolta to a T. It’s a good life.

 

Barbara Kirby Stewart

 

Paul and I are still enjoying life in our special part of Maine.  We did, we think, our last cross country road trip last summer to Sonoma for grandson Zachary graduation from Sonoma State Univ.; and the to San Diego for granddaughter Meghan’s high school graduation.  Along the way I crossed a few more things off my bucket list – Devil’s Tower, the Huntington Library, Kings Canyon and Sequoia NP. Back in Maine continued on with volunteer activities, quilting, rug hooking, gardening, tai chi and more walking now than hiking.  I still celebrate birthdays with Janet Zwinck Morrison who summers in Milbridge.

 

Elizabeth Kovacs Washburn

 

Sadly Guil’s stepmother (gorgeous blonde) died recently (in her 90’s). We got a new dog. (Our Josie had died in Jan.) New dog a sweet Papillon/Cavalier mix, a “pavilion” named Ginger.

 

Jody Merritt Watson

 

We are escaping with our son and family to Quebec for the Thanksgiving weekend, since they don’t celebrate at the same time we do.

 

Pamela Roberts Welham

 

In June, Betsy George Ohnegian and I stayed with Janet McDougall in her newly renovated apartment (beautifully done!)  for a mini-55th reunion in New York City.  Betsy and Janet had planned a wonderful few days for us along with ample time to talk and reminisce.  We saw “Come From Away” and loved it all- the staging, songs, and message about a small town in Canada that welcomed stranded travelers after the 9/11 attack.  We went to an evening concert in Central Park at the Naumberg Bandshell- the weather was perfect and the music wonderful!  A long walk in Central Park to the Conservatory Garden was followed by a delicious lunch at the cafe run by the church where Janet sings in several concerts during the year. My special request was to visit the MoMA.  The exhibits and lunch didn’t disappoint.  We probably had the best four days of weather in NYC of the summer which added to making this a memorable trip. Hard to believe that we all met as freshman living in Shriner Hall in the fall of 1958- 59 years ago.

 

Sally Zimmerman

 

In September I was back in Germany for the whole month, adding up to a total of four months or a third of the calendar year October to October 2016 – 2017.  This time I worked with two Unitarian congregations — Hamburg and Luebeck — in a variety of ministerial roles that included giving an hour-long lecture in German in a 12th century building in Luebeck on the subject of  R.W. Emerson’s Transcendentalism.  Thank the professor-goddess Mary Elizabeth Osborn, Hood English teacher in 1958++, for teaching us how to write a good narrative. For the lecture in Luebeck, my source was Emerson’s journals which I find much more interesting and less ponderous than his essays.  Dear Miss Osborn, you’ll never know how much I’ve grown to appreciate your wisdom!  In Luebeck, I was out of my comfort zone with the German while quite secure with the organization of my comments.  Since coming home in early October, I’ve resumed work with the University of South Florida OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) as a volunteer in multiple roles, including teaching and Board member. Lately I’m learning that it takes no effort to overcommit ones self, and no effort to gain back the five pounds that I somehow lost in Germany from climbing stairs and walking everywhere while eating unlimited amounts of great bread and delicious cheese.

 

Marty Kaiser Canner
410.747.0321
plcanner39@gmail.com

Katharine Baum Wolpe
212.677.5469
kwolpe@gmail.com

Doretta Ruggles Allison is still active in church and community. She sings in the church choir and is active in the women’s group and does crafts with the children in the after school program. She is a member of the Kiwanis Club. She is about to start on a mural at The Zone, a recovery center for addicts. She has five grandchildren and spends a lot of time with them. She invites any classmates who visit Atlanta to contact her and come to visit. Sally Bennett Edwards is still working part-time at The Valley Press newspaper. This past summer she took her five children to Iceland and she plans to tour the Dutch waterways this coming spring. She has nine grandchildren. Only three live nearby, but she sees the others in the summer. Mary Anne Fleetwood is still living in Rehoboth Beach, DE and is hoping to visit the Southwest again. She keeps in touch with friends there who advocate for wild horses and burros that are being killed by private and public interests. She remembers her days at Hood with much joy, especially the riding program, her horse, Starlight, the Smith Smoker Society, and classes with Miss Osborne. For the past ten years Johanna “Jody” Fox Peter has been living in Singapore. She retired four years ago. She has a son who lives in Australia and a daughter who lives in Singapore. She also has five grandchildren. Anne Bierstein Grenfell had open heart surgery for valve repair and replacement in January 2017. She is studying Reiki, an ancient Chinese deep relaxation therapy. At the request of her grandson, she is writing her autobiography. Vivian Bruckel Harvey has started a Dining for Women chapter in Columbus, OH. She would like to communicate with any classmates who participate in Dining for Women groups in their area. She is thinking of attending the annual conference of these groups in May 2018 in Washington, DC. She will travel to Guatemala from January 3 to April 3. She invites classmates to join her. Shirley Garrett Haley has moved into a condominium in Catonsville and has a new lifestyle, that of caregiver for her husband, Ed, who has advanced prostate cancer. He is feeling well at the moment, so while life is slower, it is full of blessings and joy. Hilda Koontz has lectured on nineteenth century American history for several years and has added public education about PTSD to her schedule. Her most recent lecture was for the annual international medical conference sponsored by the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. Dorothy Willis Rainwater and husband, Roger, who live in Florida, survived the hurricanes with minimal damage to their property. They attended the International Balloon Fest in Albuquerque, NM in October 2017. They are members of a chase team for friends who own balloons. Dorothy is active with the local chapter of the National Organization for Women. Sandy Murphy Schmidt and husband, Bob, continue to travel. A September cruise on the Mississippi River from St. Louis to St. Paul was followed by two weeks of pasta and vino with friends in northern Italy. They are grateful that life is good and that they are well. Beth Lee Zehnder and husband, Chuck, attended his sixtieth Frederick High School class reunion in October. Carol Handwerk Ziegler’s husband, Jesse, passed away in July. We send our condolences to Carol and her family. She and Barbara Hyde Sands ’65 connect through church and Hood activities. They hosted three Hood Choir girls when the choir sang at Trinity Lutheran Church in Reading, PA. Carol Eisenberg Miller ’64 was also involved in the planning for the choir concert. Marty Kaiser Canner and husband, Paul, moved to the Charlestown Retirement Community in August. Marty recently received sad news from Marilyn King Jessen’s daughter, Karen Lazo that Marilyn passed away from lung cancer on June 29, 2017. Katharine Baum Wolpe still enjoys life in NYC’s East Village and remains active with her church and Democratic club.  She and Philip have now enjoyed 5 years of loving companionship, a new record in her life.  She’ll be spending Thanksgiving with her brother Chris & family near Denver, CO. Ann Coleman Alexander took an exciting 15-day trip to Greece in August with brother Bill and plans to travel to China in April 2018. Grandchild #7 is expected in November. Ann is preparing for Christmas with her church choir and family. Carolyn Adams Sprinkle now lives at Stony Point Cottage, an assisted living facility for seniors in Richmond, VA.  She loves not having to prepare meals and clean, and enjoys the activities. Her 3 children live nearby. Mable Philipp Pochedly enjoys living in Long Beach, CA.

Audrey Heyman Rooney
aerooney@windstream.net
859-317-8341

Linda Loring Loveland writes “our Los Angeles grandchildren (Miles and Audrey, age 5 and 2) with their parents, Mike and Sally, visited us here in NJ for two weeks over Christmas. The kids had never seen snow before so were delighted with a two inch dusting one morning.  They had to learn about mittens.  Never needing them in California, they quickly embraced them when they tried snowman making in the back yard at 24 degrees. A few days later our lake froze solid which opened a new adventure when we stepped off the dock and trekked along the shoreline while the ice groaned under foot. As the temperature dropped into the single digits we made ice lanterns. Fill a bucket with water and leave it out overnight.  The next morning after removing any unfrozen water turn the bucket upside down and the remaining ice slips out providing a hollow center. After dark we put a lit candle inside to create a glowing spectacle. On the last night of their visit, we lit eight ice lanterns and then we sang “Jingle Bells”.  Audrey really loved her mittens. I found them hidden in her bed after she left.” Gretchen Beckhelm:  “After 21 wonderful years in Florida I moved back to Iowa in June to be close to my family. I may need to hibernate through my first Iowa winter in 61 years! My new condo in a Cedar Rapids retirement community was completed in November. Until then I enjoyed living all summer with sister Babs”. Gretch has fond memories of 2 Hood “careers”: four years with the Class of ’60 and five years in the ’40s when she and Babs lived in Meyran with their House Mother Mom. Margret Cederholm Bonito left her psychotherapy practice in July. Maggie is still an active potter with two shows coming up, and enjoys the company of inspiring professionals “a pleasure only exceeded by visits to Hood where the ceramics program is dazzling.” Planned Parenthood and women’s health issues are among her list of causes. She is active in the Garden Club of Essex Fells, NJ where her team crafted a Scottish Yule theme for Drumthwackett, the Governor’s Mansion, in Princeton. Daughter Lisa is a journalist sophomore art major at Skidmore; granddaughter Ava is a sophomore art major at Skidmore, and son Andrew is director of operations and CFO of a restaurant group in Manhattan. Maggie misses being an actress. She’s considering doing volunteer work for Actors Equity. For fun, she’s learning Mahjong. Grace Elliott has learned to play bridge after her retirement move to Leisure World of Maryland. Her partners include 89, 96 and 101- year old grandes dames who are her mentors and inspiration. In October Barbara Taylor Hyde hosted a dinner party for Barbara Bailey Reinhart, her wife Sally Stott and mutual friends. Barb and Sally spend winters in Florida, summers in Vermont. I’m busy with church activities especially our Food 4 Kids program when we pack bags of food for needy elementary children to take home for the weekend. The program which I started with 10 women helping now has about 40. Where there is a need, the ladies meet it and I am the chief fundraiser; imagine that!! Ann Wareham and I are signed up for Hood’s Dutch waterways trip in early April. I see Ann when I have oncology appointments in NYC which is great. Looking forward to skiing again this winter, family is well, I have no complaints! Sally Fletcher Murray reports the birth of twin grandchildren in December 2016 and the final return to the U.S. of her sister Nancy Fletcher Artlett ’59 in July. Both families gathered at Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria, VA, in August to welcome Nancy home and celebrate her 80th birthday. In September Sally, daughter Susan and Sue’s two sons spent a fun weekend with Anne Kurka Woods at her home in Pittsford. In October Sally and Nancy visited the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, FL for a fundraiser and benefit. The Center, founded by their mother, Eleanor Fletcher, is a multi-million dollar sea turtle education, research and rehabilitation facility.  Sally continues to be involved in election and education boards and activities. “We’ve had less travel this year than usual” writes Karen Nordberg Sanders.  In early June we celebrated Don’s 80th in Bermuda. In October we drove from home in Golden, CO, to Purdue to see one of our nine grandsons perform. Three generations of trombonists in the family! Don plays in two bands and we both sing in our church choir and with a larger Chorale. We were in Texas in November for a granddaughter’s wedding and will spend Christmas in Georgia. We enjoy being close to our youngest son’s family in this beautiful state! Maryann Whitehead Scherzo and John celebrated his 80^th birthday in Denmark while on a Baltic cruise with his brother and sister-in-law. John continues with his CPA practice and they manage to travel after every tax quarter. “Been living on Mercer Island, WA for 37+ years, and have no desire to relocate…both daughters and three grandsons live nearby. If you’re near, stop by!” Ellen McDougall Schlachter still lives in her “little old (1700’s)” house in Northport, NY.  After graduation she taught junior high school for ten years, resigning when son Jim was born in 1973.  After her husband’s death in 1994 a friend persuaded her to work with pre-schoolers which she enjoyed for 8 1/2 years. She is now fully retired.  On the phone recently with Sally Fletcher Murray, the two conspired to relate a Home Ed Lab anecdote, also starring our late and beloved Ellen Perry Croll. While lab teacher Miss Ezzard was entertaining lunch guest Dean Sherrill in the adjoining dining room, Sally and McDouge were fetching a casserole from the oven in the nearby kitchen. The casserole went straight from oven rack to floor and with straight faces they scooped it all back in the dish and served it, Ellen muffling hysterics.  Audrey Heyman Rooney in her eighth year back in the Bluegrass, is still reveling in the completion of a Poetry Gauntlet 100-poem challenge in December.  A four-day retreat in the east Kentucky hills was a perfect place to polish it off, what will become of the collection is a project for the New Year.  The Kentucky Bach Choir went from strength to strength with the B-minor Mass in March and a Bachtoberfest benefit in October. The fourth Audrey Rooney Vocal Competition finals are April 14.  Our Friends Meeting is a continuing gift to my life, singing, and widening circle of kindred souls. Stuart Croll sent the following words from Ellen Perry Croll’s Grand Canyon graveside service to Sally Murray asking that she share: Stu writes: All went well.  Everyone was tense and emotional but we got through it.  The graveside service, minimal but adequate, was done by the local Grand Canyon Community Church pastor. Most of his comments were based on the obituary that I wrote with your help, but he paraphrased well and included the 23rd Psalm and verses from Corinthians which I cannot recall but were most appropriate. Riley put a note in the grave but later she sent an Instagram to her friends along with a picture. I suspect the essence of her note to Ellen was what she wrote to her friends. For some time now, I have been saying that you are not moving on but doing things in a different way. She might have picked up on that but she did it in a very philosophical and poetic way. From Riley’s Instagram:  “You may feel like you are sitting at the edge of a cliff with no idea how to return.  But as life continues you find yourself coming back to the real world and steady ground. . . .you are not really moved on, but living in a new and different way.” Thank you all who sent news.  Special thanks to best Kentucky girlfriend Dr. Nancy Coleman Wolsk, Mt Holyoke ’61, for priceless help at the computer.  Please send your stories to me: aerooney@windstream.net or by phone: 859 317-8341.Old-fashioned letters and postcards particularly welcome!  227 Owsley Ave; Lexington, KY 40502.

Anne Wilson Heuisler
410.377.5026
aheuisler@comcast.net

To classmates:

Here is the unexpurgated version of the December 2017 class of 1959 news.

If you have a classmate/friend who does not use email, please print out a copy and send it to her and encourage her to mail me her news.

TARUN COMEGYS JOHNS

Facebook post 10/12/17

This is the story of late August, Sept, and early Oct:  After all the work on Trillium this summer, there was little time left to sail, but Lassie and I had a glorious sail to Ram Island, back to Sears Island, and tacked back to the harbor. Belfast harbor is a beautiful place to be with sights of all kinds in every direction. Savannah decided at her birthday party that she should come home with me for a visit. We climbed the fire tower at the welcome center, took a walk, and she found her lobster buoy swing right away. The Mountain Ash filled with berries was a beautiful canopy for her. The next weekend brought Eric and Linda to indulge with me in a special evening dinner at Blair Hill Inn. A special treat to ourselves which everyone needs occasionally. The next day the three of us weeded, pruned, and planted a huge chrysanthemum in Ken’s garden at the cemetery. A huge job made simpler by many hands! Linda had to go home, but Eric stayed another day and we played tourist in Rockwood after church at the Log Chapel. Lassie and Wayde came up to celebrate their Sept birthdays at the Moosehead Family Campground. They washed the very high windows in my house and I joined them for a steak dinner over their campfire topped off with birthday cake. I so appreciate the help the kids give me. Belle’s belles, the granddaughters of my grandmother Belle, had their annual reunion in Maine this year. It was so good to share our beautiful region with them and the foliage did develop during their stay after a pale beginning. They left on Oct 5^th and by the 7^th when I left, the foliage had become full blown. I am on my way to sea again, this time with Capt. Michael Pittinger and Betsy Pittinger to deliver a 49′ sailboat from Deltaville, VA, to Clearwater, FL. This will be a 24/7 schedule around Cape Hatteras down the coast past Cape Fear, through the Keys and back up the Gulf of Mexico to Clearwater. I shall post a site on my page where you can watch our progress if you wish.

 

NANCY FLETCHER ARTLETT

3/19/2017

The sorting process in a hoarder’s closet is more paperwork than I’ve ever had!  Hopefully I am beginning to see the end of a long procedure in Probate.  I am emptying the house – enough responsibility for one person.  They [the Artletts] have a 2-car garage, a boat shed and a rumpus room with pool table to sort out!  (packed beyond words!)  I just want to get back to Virginia for my 80^th birthday in August. My Little Sister, E. Paige Wisotzki ’61, died recently.  I had 6 deaths reported in one week.  Each one feels like a chunk of skin has been cut out of me.  So sorry to hear about our May Queen and my roommate, Starr Culver Weihe.  Good thing we do not know what’s coming!  Impossible to predict! My first trip to Virginia for Thanksgiving and Christmas was overwhelming – after 25 years on the beaches here!  The holiday activities plus the wedding – seeing family and old friends with decorations everywhere, good music, special programs, a variety of food, wonderful company – everything was super.  It was hard to return to Sydney.  Stopped to see Nancy Rogers Huntsinger  and Fritz on my return trip.  They are terrific hosts! Summer was hottest on record here.  Now March has been the wettest month in history and it’s not over yet.  Flooding is continuous in some areas.

 

GLORIA FRIEDMAN PACHINO GREENSPUN

10/10/17 Here I am again with some good news!  Alex PACHINO (Bart’s oldest son) is touring with Noah Cyrus (Miley Cyrus’ younger sister) as her lead guitar.  They are the opening act for a two-month tour with Katy Perry!  While they are in the New York area–they played Madison Square Garden last week– they are going to make an appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show tomorrow night (October 10^th)  He will accompany Noah (maybe singing with her) when she performs her new single out called “Again”.  It is very exciting for them and all of us! (11/5/2017)  Due to many requests for this information, I am sending this update on The Brave.  Tomorrow night, Monday, November 6^th, 10:00 p.m. On NBC, the episode being aired is one that was written by Jamie.  I do hope that you are enjoying the exciting and thrill-packed episodes that have preceded hers.  You know I am always happy to see her name appear, and, so very pleased to know that most of you are watching this show.  Hopefully, it will continue to be a success!

Thanks so much for letting me brag and be her fan club president!

 

MARCIA KING WILKE

The big events in my family have been the high school graduations of three grandchildren. My grandson is now in the Army at Ft. Sill, OK, and the twin granddaughters are at Western Washington University in Bellingham in the northwestern corner of the state. They are not rooming together, but their dorms are close to each other. The other grandchildren will soon be 12 and 14, now in 8^th and 6^th grades. I will fly east Nov. 1^st to visit a nephew/niece and to attend my matron-of-honor’s 80^th birthday celebration in Columbus, OH. I hope to see former neighbors as well. I continue to teach two adult students and to direct the hand-bell choir at my church. Also, I volunteer once a week for the soup kitchen at my church.

 

JUDY MORELAND GRANGER

Fall is teasing us here in central Texas, at least the nights are finally cooler.  We put about 7500 miles on our old but comfortable car between early May and mid-October.  Our granddaughter, Lacey Carter, graduated from the University of Colorado, and after a lovely visit during that exciting time with Don and Karen Nordberg Sanders ’60, we headed to California to spend a week with Bob’s brother and sister-in-law. On the way we visited 3 of Utah’s fabulous national parks, Arches, Bryce Canyon, and Zion–amazing! While in California we went up to Sequoia N P, adding a fourth wonderful park to our list.  Coming home we came within 60 miles of the Grand Canyon, so made the trip in time for breakfast at the El Tovar, overlooking the canyon itself.  In August we drove to North Carolina to my brother and sister-in-law’s home in the western mountains, right under the direct path of the solar eclipse.  Couldn’t believe it, but rain drove us indoors where we watched it on TV! On our way home, via Columbus, Ohio, and a visit with my 94-year-old aunt, we met Carole Jones Rogers for breakfast before heading across I70 to Columbia, MO, and a weekend with our eldest and his wife.  I said that was the last road trip for both the car and me, but October found us going 1200 miles without ever leaving Texas.  We headed for the border and spent a long weekend at Big Bend NP. We don’t need a border wall there, huge cliffs bordering the Rio Grande, a beautiful place. We’re hanging in there health-wise, see nearby family often, feeling pretty fortunate!

 

GAIL MULLIKEN PAINTER

A message from Gail’s children, Greg Painter and Cheryl Cassella, 8/28/2017:

 

Yesterday [8/27/2017], we lost our mother, grandmother, sibling and friend, Gail Painter. Gail bravely faced her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and blessed all of us with her beautiful smile right up until the end. Gail was filled with wonder of the world around her, and she traveled and explored the world for most of her adult life. She and Roger lived and raised our family in California, Australia, Kwajalein, Minnesota and Washington. Gail worked as a travel agent, opened her own travel business, Global Travel, and attempted to see and explore as much of the world as she could. Her sense of civic pride and duty was an essential part of who Gail was. She was devoted to her church and Rotary and worked tirelessly to give back to the community that she loved. A memorial service in her honor will be held sometime in January 2018 to allow all family members to attend. Information will be shared as we confirm details. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer’s Association. We will miss our mom more than we can express. We are so lucky to have been a part of her world. We know she would want all of us to find a way to smile at someone today in her honor.

Love, Greg and Cheryl

 

JOANNE PEPER MILNOR

10/9/17 I’ve been in PT for several weeks and seeing some progress restoring my back muscles after open back surgery. I have been pronounced in “remission” for my auto-immune disorder, dermatomyositis. Now for the fun news: I am still active with the local symphony. Just sponsored and staged a flash mob of the Carmina Burana (type in for You Tube: Long Bay Symphony, Carmina Burana flash mob Dillards) for our season opening concert & celebrating their 30^th year. River cruise on the Rhine and Mozelle rivers, Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland this past August/ Sept. and had a good R&R trip. Active in my church fundraising program and supporting numerous arts orgs. in the area. Still having fun and learning how to get around on a cane.

 

JEANNETTE PHELPS

Getting blood drawn once a week since 2009 to check platelet count.  Feel fine otherwise.  Vision impaired. But getting around to meet my needs.  Doing crossword puzzles and reading on an e-reader so that I can change the font size.  Cataract surgery was a big help.  I’m ageing as gracefully as I can.

ANNE WILSON HEUISLER

I have a new home and a new knee.  In August I moved to Blakehurst, a retirement community in Towson, MD.  I love the ease and serenity of this carefree life.  I had to resign my job at Stevenson University because of a flare-up of my right knee, so I bit the bullet and scheduled replacement surgery.  I found it to be not nearly as bad as I had feared and am perking along in recovery. I met a resident here who is a Hood alumna—Mary Dickinson Cohen ’61.  We’ve had fun reminiscing, especially about the music faculty and classes. I heard from my little sister, Jeanne Duncan Jehl ’61, and we plan to have lunch after Thanksgiving. Gayle Hamilton Blakeslee and I are meeting Mary Louise Trout Haddad and Carol Wick Ericksen at Buckley’s Tavern (Wilmington, DE) on November 18^th.

Thanks to all who contribute news. It’s fun to hear what you’re doing.

 

Anne

 

 

Marilyn Garis Kellow
262-334-5782
maggiehood1958@gmail.com

Cynthia Williams Bohakersays this past year has been interesting, but all is well. Her daughters live in Sparta NJ, Kyoto, Japan, and Phoenix AZ. Her grandchildren range from 1 to 32 years of age. Susanne Smith Evans says that the lower Connecticut River and Long Island Sound are lovely at this time of year and she is enjoying some late Fall sails. She is also involved in the Holiday House Tour in Essex. The town’s architecture represents the 1700 period up to today. Sue no longer recognizes the word “old”. She says “vintage” sounds so much better!!! Jane Walton Godfrey says that everything is OK. She and Dick will be married 60 years in December. She still remembers how she had to get permission from Dr. Truxal so that she could return to Hood to finish her senior year……how times have changed!!! Susan Brown Melech would like for classmates to let one another know if they are planning to attend our 60^th reunion in the Spring of 2018. Anne Walton Merriken had a second total knee replacement in July. She has had great results and thankful that she has only 2 knees. They plan to go to Alabama to celebrate their granddaughter’s 5^th birthday. Carolyn “Cyp” Patton Meyer’s husband, Richard, died of congestive heart failure in March, after being in Hospice since last November. She is busy settling his estate and downsizing. Joan Bennett Moran visited family members in MD and GA this summer. She continues to be involved in church and community activities and welcomed her 3^rd precious great-granddaughter, Nikoletta Tsapakis, in March. She sends news that Carol Horwath Klecka’s son Mark has moved back to Florida from Chicago. She is happy to have some family close by. Hurricane Irma gave all of them a scare, but they experienced only strong winds and power outages. Jeb suggests that our class should consider purchasing a Hood brick in memory of our deceased members. Mary Allen Reynolds’ knee surgery went well. She is now busy with household projects, making her bathroom accessible and a complete redo to her bedroom. She says, “Shopping on the net makes choices much easier. You can design a whole room without spending a penny.” Elly Baumgart Ritchie has been busy traveling this year. A trip to Canada for the graduations of 2 grandsons….one college and other high school. A trip to Lynchburg VA and several to NJ Shore, including one there in February with Joan Enterline to celebrate her 80^th. Penny Adams Rogers relates the sad news that her husband passed away on June 19^th of pancreatic cancer.  She wrote from Boston while spending time with children and friends on a trip to NYC Montreal and Halifax. The trip was a healing gift and a wonderful way to be together and celebrate her husband’s life and go again to his favorite musical, Hamilton. She will be headed to visit in FL before going home to Hawaii. Jenny Krohn Rose’s grandson Adam received his master’s degree in technical math at UC Davis and now is studying for a PhD. Her granddaughter Ana will graduate from high school this spring. Their Portuguese Water Dog, Rosie, is entered in 2 AKC rally events in November, when they hope she will get her AKC companion dog degree. Carol Huelsen Warrington and husband Bob are doing well and are extra busy selling their home in Duxbury MA and moving to May’s Landing in NJ. Summers will be spent there near family and winters will be in Venice FL where she sees Joan Bennett Moran and Carol Horwath Klecka. I had a nice visit on the phone with Sara Lea Callaway Redmon. She has accepted to chair our 60^th reunion next spring and hopes everyone is excited and planning to attend. She is anxious to tour the campus and downtown Frederick. She wants to encourage everyone to fill out the “Data Form” and to contribute your pledge for our class gift. As the time approaches, I would be happy to keep you up-dated via email as well as our class website as to those of you who plan to attend. It would be great to have a nice gathering. It is so much more fun and meaningful to see familiar faces on “our campus” from the1950’s. I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year…………..Maggie

Muriel Chait Durbin P’81
310.395.4389
msmuz@aol.com

Helen Yinger Reed – Jim and I are healthy and active. We still live in Braddock Heights.  Our three boys are doing well and our three grandgirls are a delight. Oldest girl graduated from Hood and is in the workplace. The other two ages 10 and12 are in Middletown schools and are involved in lots of activities. The younger girls live next door so they keep us very busy! Becky Eppers Byrd– I continue to do many crafts and volunteer work. Fortunately, my health is basically good. Went with my oldest daughter to Ohio in September to see my sister-in-law and one of her sons & family. October brought middle daughter and family. They will be back for Thanksgiving as will youngest daughter and family. Very much looking forward to the family time.  Alison Malloch Curran I moved into an adult community and it has been quite a change.  Sold the house of 35 years and moved to Seabrook an Erickson Community and it is great.  No more responsibilities that go with the house.  It’s about 5 miles from the house so I still can see all my old friends and enjoy my old activities.  Sure is better during storms, rain or snow, not having to worry about downed trees or cleaning up afterwards. Ginny Turnbull Hecklinger– I have sold the house and moved to Homewood in Frederick where my daughter is in the administration. The timing was right because I wanted to take a trip to New Zealand and return to get settled in a new place. The trip was amazing and will be a wonderful memory forever. Brother Jack and his wife set it up, we traveled the North and South Islands as well as Stewartstown, the gateway to the world. The job of moving turned out to deprive me of all energy and test my mind of keeping track of where everything was being placed or downsized. All is well; I’m happy here -7401 Willow Rd. Apt.349, Frederick, Md.21702. Carole Oswald Carter, Susan Peters Roetzel Wirths, and Sandy Newing, and I had lunch together and want to extend the invitation whenever anyone comes to Frederick. I love being 10 minutes from Hood! Kathy Crook Heidelbach– Life continues to be very busy for me at my retirement community. I am finishing up my second year as secretary of our residents’ association, still enjoying chorale, chapel choir and handbells. Have found knitting baby hats for the local hospitals and scarves for our servicemen to be a rewarding way to spend my spare time. Enjoyed being with Becky Eppers Byrd and Ginny Turnbull Hecklinger at the Legacy Brunch in late September. Only got to spend two long weeks at Bethany Beach this summer. Family is well, with two granddaughters out of college. Cinny Sternberg Schein– Just came back from a great Hood tour to Apulia, Italy.  Hood was beautifully represented by Nancy Gillece ’81 and I met many interesting Hoodlums, including Marge Lesser Elfin, who taught at Hood when Nancy was a student. My family is all fine: twin grandkids are going on junior semester abroad, Besy to New Zealand and Will to Capetown South Africa.  My sons (and wives) are all doing well. I’m still performing with the Sun-Coast Duo Pianists and with the Venice Musicale group, but dropped out of church choir – too much going on. Sally Hamilton Bundy- I have just started a mission for the Mormon Church. I’ll be a missionary for the Family Search Center, helping people search the family history of their ancestors.  It can be done on the Family Search site and other sites on the computer.  I’ll serve a couple of days a week for a year and a half.  My only other news is a new great grandbaby making 32 great grandchildren.  Life is good and my health is still OK.  It is great to hear from everyone. Carole Oswald Carter is still just involved with local woman’s club thing….flea market, refinishing and replacing seats on chairs, knitting….just regular small town “older women” stuff. As for me, Muzzy Chait Durbin, it has been a busy fall. Attended my oldest grandson’s wedding in Sept in Ireland and the following week I went to Spain and Portugal with his mom, Patti Durbin, a great two weeks. I’m still working, love my work as a travel agent, and recently did honeymoons for third generation clients. Loved hearing from everyone. Here’s to a healthy, happy 2018 for all