Trina Clickner
727.366.1424
trinaclickner@gmail.com

Betsey Ditto Lillard – I am loving retirement, visiting my kids, my grandson and traveling. I retired from work as an admin in large medical office, am taking Spanish class, volunteering at Ft Frederick State park, and speaking fluent German (Hood classes have paid off!).  Husband Ric:  retired from Regional Fire Manager – Western Region, MD Dept of Natural Resources.  Daughter Kristina: wedding planner in Costa Rica with her own company, Perennial Weddings – her son is four and speaks both English and Spanish (hence Spanish lessons!).  Son Alex:  professor of Earth Sciences at Georgia State U in Atlanta, part time stunt performer in movies.  Granddog: Copper. Ginnie Roth – Life in Boston is wonderful – my family is here.  I love living walking distance to Harvard Square and I’ve done some fun condo renovations.  We took a fantastic Rhine / Mosel river cruise last Fall.  I love my job working in the legal department at a genomics research institute (The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard).  Patents, licensing and trademarks are very different from the litigation and regulatory work I did in DC.  It is very interesting and not as fast-paced.  While I do miss Washington and Frederick, I’ll miss our reunion as we have vacation / family reunion plans.  Best wishes to all for a great 2019!  Janet Wehking Mullen – I’m a grandmother – son Greg adopted a baby girl at Thanksgiving!  Tom and I bought a house in Edenton, NC on the Albemarle Sound.  I’ll be retiring any day now and then will move from MD to NC. John Anderson – John will be anxiously awaiting our reunion in early-June and the arrival of his first grandchild mid-June!  John is hoping for a great turnout, can’t wait, and sends love to all!!  Joyce Lavado Soucy – Our youngest daughter, Beth:  was just married in Seattle to a wonderful guy and hired by Airbnb – so excited!  Our oldest daughter:  in Annapolis with her husband and 18 month old son, working for a NGO.  Great things for Paul and me:  summers in RI / winters in FL.  Enjoying life!  Special shout out to Linda, Shafer, Sue Kulow and Suzanne Valmas.  HELLLLLOOOO! Marianne Hastoglis Gravely: I am RETIRED after 30 years working for USDA – just in time to keep from being furloughed!  I had a wonderful career.  I told my colleagues (babies, all) about how the USDA was often featured in our Hood Home Economics coursework, and then how when we would drive by the huge USDA buildings on the downtown mall during weekend visits to DC.  Back then I would often think how WONDERFUL it would be to work there.  Then, less than a decade after graduating that career dream came true for me once I moved to Northern VA from Japan.  My husband Alan retired from the FBI, my son Thomas (HUD Special Agent), and daughter Marie (high school teacher) live in the area.  My youngest daughter Hope (General Dynamics) lives in Virginia Beach. The oldest two are moving to California soon but we still plan to retire to Virginia Beach within the next few years.  So, as we like to say, “we’ll always have Hope!”.  I am an avid quilter and even though I am retired, I still don’t get to spend enough time at my sewing machine.

Nancy Ludwick Warrenfeltz
nlwfeltz@hotmail.com

Kathy Anderson Jewell’s husband, Chip, retired on December 31, 2017 from Frederick County Government.  He is now president of their local fire department and writes for several publications.  They both enjoy “grandparent care” days with their 5 grandkids – which certainly keeps them young.  Chip and Kathy traveled to Switzerland in September 2018 and were on a “Switzerland by Rail” tour put together by Trains Magazine.  They had great weather, great traveling companions, and great views from the top of the Swiss Alps. David and Linda Fox-Jarvis are doing well in Virginia Beach.  David has retired for the second time as of last December.  He retired from the Navy after 20 years in 1993 and then retired from BAE systems after 24 years. Linda continues working hard, full-time in real estate.  Their daughter, Stephanie, joined Linda about 10 years ago as her partner in real estate and 3 years ago they purchased a RE/MAX franchise – RE/MAX Coast & Country.  Linda had the best year ever in 2018 and loves working with her daughter.  Linda & David welcomed their first grandchild into the world in January 2018.  Carter Wynne is truly the center of their world.  Their son Brian is married and lives in Fairfax Virginia. He is in management with Amazon Web Services.  Linda and David feel very blessed. Jane Olsen travelled with friends to South America, specifically Chile and Argentina.  They toured the Chilean coast on an adventure cruise, the highlight of which was seeing Magellanic penguins nest building on a small island in the Chilean fjords while sitting in a zodiac in the middle of a driving snow storm.  Jane highly recommends Chile.  The people are very friendly and the scenery is spectacular. Lynn Furtek Eubanks writes: 2018 was a year of ups and downs. She lost her brother Robert in July. (Bob was married to Emily Gibbs Furtek ’75). Then Lynn spent an incredible week with the kid and the granddaughters … first time in years! Then had an incredible trip to Egypt in early December followed by an extended Christmas celebration in NJ with all four children and five of their six grandchildren! Michele Smith Guyette: For Michele, it was the first full year of being retired from teaching. The vast majority of her working days were spent as an hourly sign language interpreter. She now works for several different interpreting agencies, Madison school district and UW Madison and LOVES it! She feels like she’s “a student in the classroom of life.” She’s constantly learning, experiencing and meeting new and interesting people. She enjoys gardening, learning how to keep bees, walking with her neighbor, biking (on an E-bike…the only way to keep up with husband Paul) and going on an occasional camping trip with Paul and friends. She’s also been getting acquainted with the Bible. Michele now knows what retired people mean when they say they are busier than when they worked full time. She occasionally finds a spare minute … but then forgets where she put it. Paul’s year included flying to Claremont, CA with Michele in May for their daughter Madeline’s graduation, then driving back to Wisconsin in her car, visiting friends and stopping in antique shops on the way. In August, Paul was drafted into “Madeline’s Movers” and flew to California to help settle her into her apartment. Torie Hoveman Seeger writes of many changes this past year. Husband Geoff had major surgery for which they were not prepared, but has come out of it beautifully and they feel very fortunate!  Their son Ben finished 10 years with the Army National Guard Reserves and is working at a major medical research company as a mechanic.  He loves everything about the job.  His three daughters (grandkids 11, 7, and 3 years) are doing very well.  They were able to take the oldest on vacation this year and she learned a lot about Grandma and Grandpa.  She admitted to her grandfather at the end of the trip that she didn’t think she was “the hiker you and Grandma are.” A real compliment to us coming from a healthy 11-year old! Last but not least, Torie retired.  January 18th was her last day of work. She will be finding all sorts of things to keep busy and will keep us posted once she’s had a chance to experience some of them. Susan Rivers retired from Maryland Department of Natural Resources on August 1, 2018 and is still getting used to being retired.

Leslie Hawkins
509-947-1838
Hawkins.leslie.a@gmail.com

Sally Parkhurst Van Why is now a grandmother of 4 because her son and wife had twins Lily and Sam in 2018, joining 5 year old Jackson, and 3 year old Emma, and she loves being a grandparent!  Patti Suydam Ritter said her 2018 highlight was a trip in October to visit her brother in law and wife in Portland, then visiting Maui as a group for 10 days.  With a condo on the beach, they got to view beautiful sunsets every night.  Charlie Miller Ponticelli was back on campus in October for a gathering of the Global Studies Advisory Board, visiting the students and being a part of this great program.  She had lunch in the fall with Kathy Nixdorff Wilson, and laughed their heads off about being butterflies in our Soph Revue, (along with Mary Stevenson and Sue Woolhiser)!  Sue Rothmann Griffin wrote that she is still working at the New Canaan, CT library, although now thinking of going part time or retiring, and loves spending time with her granddaughters 7 year old Piper and 2 year old Sidney. As for me, Leslie Hawkins, 2018 highlights of included being back at Hood in June, receiving the Distinguished Alumna Award, and having my sisters attend the luncheon with me; they had a great time at our reunion!  I fulfilled one of my bucket list dreams with a terrific trip to Australia and New Zealand in November and look forward to more fun travel this year. Thanks to Elaine Williams Bielenberg and Lorraine Sharp Kish who have agreed to co-chair our 50^th reunion in 2023.  Last year’s reunion was fun for those who attended, but we hope to have many more show up for our 50^th so please reach out to classmates you’re in touch with, and those you haven’t seen or heard from in a while, check out our class Facebook page HOODLUMS CLASS OF 1973, and have fun with those connections.  In the meantime, keep your news coming to me!

Mary McMunigal Burland
610.733.4009
maryburl5@gmail.com

Mindy Laighton Wilcox
619.823.6230
mlwilcox3@gmail.com

Janice Letts Utsch completed her 44th year as a Library Media Specialist at Lower Cape May Regional School District and states that retirement is not in her near future. Janice and her husband Ernie live in Cape May where Ernie runs the family marina on Cape May Harbor.  Since Janice works during the school year and Ernie works all summer, her vacations consist of sitting in her back yard on the Cape May Canal with a good book!  She visits her daughter, Rachel Utsch ’11, in Baltimore and reports that Rachel still travels to Frederick every week to sing with the Frederick Community Choir and to sing the Messiah every year. Cynthia Chabot Tencza retired in December of 2014 after almost 28 years as a children’s librarian. After 20 months of retirement, she and her husband Bob started a new “full time job” – day care for their 6 month old grandson, Sawyer. He is now 2 years old, and they have him 3 days a week this year.  Their son Nate, 41, died tragically on April 25, and their daughter, Gretchen, 37, gave birth to their second grandson, Callan, on April 26, joining his big brother Sawyer. Cindy says that Gretchen and her family will help keep them going, giving them joy, as they grieve and remember their son. Diane Wooding Burgess and her husband Ed were Nate’s godparent.  Our sincere condolences to Cindy and her family. Jane Darling Spratt, formerly known as Jed, went to Canada to finish her degree after she left Hood.  Since she is Canadian, she said it made sense.  She settled in Toronto after university where she met her husband.  She dabbled in a couple of different fields and eventually went back to school earning a diploma as a library technician.  She finished off her working career in the library of a very large Canadian law firm.  She has four children, and three grandchildren (with another one coming soon!). She and her husband, Rob, spend winters in Florida, summers at their family cottage, and the in-between times in Toronto.  They try to squeeze in a trip during the spring or fall.  This fall they will be doing a river cruise from Budapest to Prague. Mary McMunigal Burland and Bill recently welcomed the arrival of two grandchildren. Brendan and Kristina’s daughter Shelby was born in November, 2017 while Patrick and Kate’s son, Matthew, was born in May 2018.  That brings their total, so far, to 3 granddaughters and 1 grandson.  They both are still busy substitute teaching and are looking forward to summer when they can spend more time on Kiawah Island.  This is the 48th year of teaching for Mary, which she finds hard to believe. Mary and I are always very glad to hear from you.  Please send us your news any time and we will include it in the next issue of the magazine.  We would love to publish news from all our classmates.
Pam Borden Heckert and Clark have sold their home in Delaware and are now permanent Colorado residents. Clark has published a novel titled Sudden Storm which is available on Amazon and Pam is working on one of her own to be ready this spring.

Sharon Burns Walsh
410.251.8566
sharon.walsh68@gmail.com

I decided to reach out to classmates who weren’t able to come to our 50^th reunion for this column.  The reunion was an emotional high for almost everyone who attended. If you were one of those people who couldn’t attend and I haven’t contacted you yet, please send me an email for the next column.  Your classmates missed you and would love to get an update about you. Kathy Rieser moved to St. Petersburg, FL two years ago with Jill, her partner of 10 years, after 40 years on the farm in the western Catskills of upstate NY.  It was a “big change– no more animals, no more snow and ice and cold– but lucky to still be working as The Trash Queen and still able to do physical labor.”  She and Jill are also vendors at Brocante, a monthly vintage market in St. Pete that keeps them busy. She saw Cynthia Newby last year when she was in the area.  Kathy would love to hear from classmates through email or Facebook, or let her know if you’re passing through St. Pete. Sally Eser Stuart wrote: “I enjoyed the postings online about our 50th reunion and was sorry not to be able to join all of you. It looked like a wonderful trip back in time! I suddenly recalled and re-sang some of the songs from “Good Grief, It’s the Sheik.” I had hoped to attend, but the past year was very busy for me handling the health crises of others. My mother died at age 97 before Christmas. My husband of 50 years was in a car accident last January and continues to work toward recovery. Thankfully, the rest of the family are very well — three adult children and five grandchildren. Until last January I was working as a medical social worker. Prior to that I was a director of Christian education and hospital chaplain. After Hood, I got an MTS degree from Candler School of Theology (Emory University) and an MSW from Dominican University in River Forest IL. We started out in Atlanta, moved to Chicago for 12 years with Fred’s law practice, then came back to Atlanta in 2009. So that’s about it! Fifty years in a nutshell. It’s been great!” Lucille VanBaaren and I had a lovely chat on the phone, in which I learned she has an advanced degree in toxicology and continues to work as the person responsible for Global Regulatory Affairs for Estee Lauder. She works mostly in New York City and at the company’s R&D facility.  While she doesn’t do much traveling for work now, she has spent considerable time in Asia, Latin American and Europe on business.  Although she had expected to retire before now, she was persuaded by the company to stay in order to complete a special project. She expects to retire in 2019 and isn’t sure what she’ll be doing after that except spending more time with her two grown children and two grandchildren, ages 16 and 14, who live nearby. Carrie Wissler-Thomas: “I am still President/Executive Director of The Art Association of Harrisburg, the nonprofit art school and gallery, which keeps me very busy 6 or 7 days per week. I manage the art school for youth and adults, coordinate our extensive community exhibition program, and oversee a part-time staff of 5. My husband will be retiring in February, but I plan to continue to work, as my work is truly my mission. I still paint and exhibit my own work as well. Scott and I travel to Scotland and England every Oct. for three weeks of hiking, visiting friends, and touring historical sites and museums. This April, however, we are going to Greece and will visit Crete and Santorini – fulfilling my dream ever since I wrote my Hood Honors Paper on “Lyricism in Minoan Art”! Our son Dylan, his wife Sheena and our grand-daughter Catherine live nearby and we enjoy spending time with them.   We have lived in our Uptown Harrisburg home since 1991 and love being in the city…our house is literally a “house museum,” filled with our extensive art collection, and we like sharing it with the public in fundraising tours and soirees to benefit the Art Association. We have a busy life, which is why I did not attend our 50^th class reunion!” Remember that our next big reunion is coming in 2023, so if you missed the 50^th, resolve now to join us for the 55^th!

May Mumma Ohman
eohmanjr@gmail.com

Many thanks to Pat Rosner Kearns for serving as our class reporter! I will be taking over for her as of 2019. I am hoping to hear from many of you for the next issue of Hood and will be sending a letter about a month before the next deadline in the hopes you take a moment to share your news with all of us. Look forward to hearing from you.

Dianne Beebe Barske
907.227.4436
eldibarske@gmail.com

News I received for this column was such a mixture of sadness and joy. Bonnie Kloeblen Hagerman commented, “As we age, the news is not always good news.” Husband Dick died in May of 2018 from bladder cancer. About a year earlier, Bonnie had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. “That my cancer was caught early is a rarity for which I am very thankful. My prognosis is good.” Bonnie keeps busy with Care Wear Volunteers, Inc., an organization she founded in 1990. Now nationwide, Care Wear’s volunteers sew, knit and crochet items for preemies in hospital NICUs.  A new venture is making infant bereavement sets (blankets, gowns, hats and booties) from wedding gowns. Your old wedding gown can be donated to Care Wear Volunteers through Bonnie at 102 Mercer, Court, #23-5, Frederick, MD 21701. Another classmate who recently lost her husband is Bonnie Scull Hawkes. In a sad Christmas note, Bonnie said, “My wonderful husband and best friend for the past 46 years died on August 18, 2018.” Geoff died in Lions Gate Hospital, North Vancouver, British Columbia, following surgery. Geoff and Bonnie had long been adventurous travelers, cruising together all over the world, and had been very active in Vancouver’s ski community. More sad news comes from Mary Melville, who lost her brother, Charles, on November 13, 2018. “My sweet, brilliant older brother died after a 25-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease.” He had practiced law for most of his career in Cincinnati, and spent a lot of time in his home woodworking shop “building beautiful furniture and musical instruments.” Adding to the list of lost family is a note from Faith Parker Mentzer. In a year, 2018, that Faith calls a “train wreck”, Faith lost her youngest son, Heath. He had been a picture of health, according to Faith, and died very suddenly. “Frank and I are still trying to wrap our heads around what happened.” Faith continues to teach higher math classes, part time, at Saint Mary Catholic School in Hagerstown, MD. “Thank heavens for that. It is the only thing that has kept me sane this past year.” It is difficult to share so much sad news, and much sympathy goes out to Faith, Mary, and Bonnie Hawkes and Bonnie Hagerman as they have faced these heartbreaking losses. I did receive six notes of happy news from classmates. New life has come to Anna Buhr Cole, in the form of a baby grandson, Benjamin, born to daughter Elizabeth. He celebrated his first birthday on January 8. Anna adds, “It’s true – being a grandparent is great.” Anna and husband Miles traveled to Spain, Budapest and Amsterdam during 2018. Sara “Sally” Wislar Farneth also shared news of travel and grandchildren, traveling a lot to be with family through the holidays. Sally had a brief visit with her Hood College roommate, Carol Miller Hnath ’67, in MI, while on her way to Madison, WI to see daughter, Kate, and her family there. Then it was on to Tucson to see son, Greg, then back home to Pennsylvania, dodging storms. “We’ve concluded these long drives are not so much fun.” There was an additional trip to Maine to be with eldest daughter and her family. Now the focus is on downsizing to get their home ready to market. Terri Petrillo Connolly shares grandchildren news. The oldest grandson is now in high school, and a new granddaughter was just born. “We feel truly blessed.” Husband Frank just published his first novel. And Terri and Frank celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary in 2018. Jane Dearstyne Veeder and husband Chuck traveled to Scotland for three weeks in 2018, with Jane’s younger brother and sister-in-law. “We had a wonderful time – gorgeous scenery and friendly people.” Ginny Wheeler Jones and husband Charlie feel they now have the best of all worlds, sharing time between their two homes in their two favorite places – Maryland and Florida. Ginny adds more happy news. She is celebrating seven years since retirement, eight years since aortic heart surgery, and 17 years as a breast cancer survivor.  They have grandchildren in both the University of Delaware and Lafayette College in Easton, PA. One last note involving grandchildren – and a surprise encounter. Pat Vozar Bailey was attending grandparents day in Bel Air, MD this past November, when in walked another grandmother, Hood classmate Susan Worth Fiala! Pat exclaims, “What are the chances of having two ’66 Hood grads in the same 4^th grade classroom!”

Barbara Maly Fish
919.688.9125
barb2fish@yahoo.com,

Congratulations to Karen Kuechenmeister Lehrhaupt who married Ron Kolosek on September 13, after vehemently saying “never again” for years.  She met him while taking one of her usual walks. It turns out that he was living 12 houses away from her, but she had never met him or his late wife. After a brief conversation, they moved on to coffee, movies, dinner dates, etc. and now Karen will be Karen Kolosek as soon as the paperwork is complete. Sadly, just six weeks after the wedding, Karen was diagnosed with cancer and is in the midst of chemo and radiation treatments. I know that we all send good thoughts and prayers to her. Congratulations also to Diana Hoke Smith, who received the National Court Appointed Special Advocate of the Year Award for her work with children in the foster care system. She began volunteering for this group after her retirement from teaching. Husband Joel is also retired, although that hardly applies to a couple who take care of 12 rescue dogs and three rescue cats on their 16-acre homestead in Young Harris, GA. As Diana says, she and Joel don’t travel much! Diana also writes for children and has had some of her poetry published in Highlights and other magazines. Google her! Ron and Kay Starcher Klausewitz are enjoying both retirement and the birth of their first grandchild, Oliver. Both Ron and Kay earned doctorates and worked as college professors, Ron in computer science and Kay in education. The Klausewitzes have retired to South Hadley, MA, where they participate in the Five College Learning in Retirement group. Nancy Hopkins Southard’s husband John retired in December after a 50-year career as a dermatologist. They had a taste of the retired life this past summer when they lived at their lake house while their Winston-Salem NC home was being remodeled. Nancy and John drove back to Winston-Salem twice a week to check on the progress of the remodel, to collect mail, and for him to see patients.  In October, Nancy went on a walking trip to Ireland with a friend. Family vacations included a trip to Block Island with John’s family, Nancy’s trip to Mount Gretna with her sisters, and visits with their sons Tim in Atlanta and Rob in New Orleans. Grandson Kelton is a sophomore at the U. of South Carolina and his sister Lindsay is a high school junior. They are Tim’s children and live in Atlanta.  Connie Heard Damon must not need much sleep. On February 5, she will depart for Kenya for the sixth time. She does missionary work at an orphanage for high school students and over the years has raised funds for them to have a well, a vehicle for emergency transport, cottages, a medical center, security fencing, and a recently completed additional classroom. Connie says, “I have been blessed to be able to send my sponsored ‘daughter’ there to the University of Mombasa where she is a sophomore.” When not in Kenya, Connie still lives at Melody Lane Farm, where she enjoys the company of her donkeys, goats, a horse, and chickens. She is also a Lay Leader in her Methodist church and has been a Hospice volunteer for over 30 years. Scarlett, her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, accompanies her in animal therapy for patients in nursing homes. After over 50 years of teaching piano, she is phasing out that work but still retains several students. She also accompanies two choral groups who give Christmas and spring concerts. On top of all this, Connie loves to travel to foreign countries. She toured Greece this past fall and will visit a friend in Germany in July 2019. She has already planned to attend the Oberammergau Passion Play in 2020, with future plans to go to Israel and Iceland. If reading about these classmates intrigues you, think how much more fun it would be to talk to them in person. Remember that our 55^th reunion will take place on the weekend of June 7-9. I hope to see you there!

Dottie Snyder Engle

301.371.5170
dengle3699@aol.com

Bobby Campbell Rickman contributed to the RLEEF(Resident Life Enrichment Endowment Fund) which is to provide experiences to residents at Homewood, a retirement community in Frederick. She gives money and also time spreading sunshine and delivering mail.  Jo Cissel Doyle‘s beloved husband Jim died suddenly February 2018.  She is slowly adjusting to “singledom” and contemplating life’s changes. Jo is still active with activities and organizations in Salisbury and has the support of family, but they are not in close proximity. Marcie Smith White and husband, Derek, were downsizing and ready to move into Pennswood, a retirement community in Newtown, PA, after years of being on the waiting list, when Derek died suddenly in December of 2015. Marcie left their home since 1977 and moved on and has found friends and worthwhile issues in which to be involved including peace, social justice and continuing learning. Their one son, a twin, died of pneumonia at age 45 and the other twin got married to a gal whose mom is a Hood alum. Marcie keeps in touch with Mary Batten Preston who lives in Wilton, CT, and Verna Larson Lyons. Verna reports that they found a condo (2900 Redmont Park Circle, #200, Birmingham, AL 35205). They have traveled to Perth, Australia and Indonesia, Lake Tahoe, Chicago, New York, and spent Christmas in Redondo Beach, CA, with their son. Sue Colton Gibbons has settled in Norwood, MA, with her daughter and three grandchildren. Her title is Granny Nanny which involves transporting, shopping, cooking, laundry and delightful times. She’s active in church, teaching ESL to two adults from Brazil, and home schooling one of her 11 year olds. She would like to catch up with others in the Boston area. Kathy Anderson Houchens and Dave attended our 55th Hood reunion in June 2018, and visited family and friends up and down the East Coast. First stop after Frederick was WV to see Kathy’s sister and husband for a mountain top experience on Lookout Ridge. Then on to friends in Wilson, NC, and on to Durham, NC, with a visit with daughter, Janet, and Ed.  In August, they had a lovely trip to New England and in September were in San Diego where they caught up with Brenda Eklund Pearson.  Then they traveled back to DC, for the Prostate Conference.  Nancy Craven Jacobus sold her home in Elon. She is still near the Elon campus and her old activities. Her main activities are yoga, quilting and trying to help her retirement center get their computer websites up to date and into the modern age. She and her family really enjoyed the Christmas festivities. In June, our class celebrated our 55th reunion, and like the past several reunions, everyone was invited to the Engle Inn for Friday evening dinner on the deck and catching up. We had about 20 in attendance, sadly missing our host, Ron. Gail Kloeblen Spertzel was about to take a 14 day cruise when the apartment beneath her caught fire, and she had to deal with smoke damage.  She was able to get her travel stuff out first and while she was away, the apartment got cleaned.  Cindy Klopp Butler, flew down from Ottawa and spent six nights with me during the reunion before I delivered her to her brother who met us in Annapolis. Cindy and I visited Lin Chait Solomon and her family at a brunch where we got to meet her children and sister Jo. Her one daughter had already had two kidney transplants and was awaiting another. Her granddaughter also was on the transplant list.  Dottie Hussennetter Ritz came and spent three nights, overlapping with Cindy.  I see Diane Lawson Hadermann once a month at our high school dinner. Lois Baumgardner Spurrier has been having a lot of health problems and looking for a retirement placement. Mary-Verdella Wagner Nelson has many challenges due to Paul’s declining health and other matters, but handles all with grace and is buoyed up by the love of her three fantastic grandsons. Zabbie Huff Quinn reports that the riots in Paris have been close to them, but not on their street.  They were off to London to have Christmas with their two daughters and their families.  Sarah Schaeffer Morse is busier than ever helping her middle sister who had complications from knee surgery and a broken leg where she had been living in NC.  Sally gets help from other family members and her sister is now in a full care unit near Sally.  A new granddaughter will enter the Morses’ lives in February, 2019, and will join her brother thanks to daughter, Ellen. I, Dottie Snyder Engle, recovered from my broken right hand and elbow that I incurred in January 2018 and a shattered vertebrae in July, so that Robin and I were able to go on a 16 day trip to Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland.  Great trip, but I feel it was overshadowed by our trip to southern AZ in September.  We flew into Phoenix, spent four days there including visiting Scottsdale, Taliesen West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home then drove to Tucson for six days visiting all the national parks, botanical gardens and driving within seven miles of Mexico to see the organ pipe cacti at Organ Pipe National Monument. We plan to go back one spring and hope to find the cacti blooming, See America first! On December 14, 2018, the basketball court at Middletown High was officially dedicated to Ron with his signature on both sides of the court.  I have sent the remarks that I made, a video and some news articles to some of you who knew him best. If anyone else would like any of these, let me know. He spent a great amount of his time there and loved almost every minute.  We had a joke that he loved basketball more than me, and he said, “But Honey, I love you more than track.”  Stay upright, out of hospitals and keep on truckin’.

Regina Schlank Pyle
617.267.0393
reginapyle@me.com
Gail Dawson Clarke:  I’ve been in Florida now for quite some time. I was raised a military brat used to relocating again and again. I attended 13 different schools before college and as some of you may remember, I was a transfer student to Hood in my sophomore year. Remaining in one place is almost an uncomfortable feeling. Therefore, when the opportunity for me to relocate arose, I met it with joy. I will be moving in a month or so to the southwest corner of Colorado to a small village outside Durango in the Four Corners Region. There will be mountains to view, lots of horses and wild critters, Indian ruins to explore and a significant lack of mosquitoes, red tide, gators, and mugginess. The acreage is adjacent to the Southern Ute Tribe Reservation and, since I’ve worked with and on Native Reservations in past job experiences, I hope to be able to volunteer some time there. Just now I am waiting for the snowy travel weather to clear and assessing my condo contents …but soon I will be able to contribute a new address for other Hoodlums to either write or visit. Hmmm, do we even write these days besides e mails, texting or snatches on Facebook? I dunno. Hope the rest of you are well.  I’m still vertical with a minimum of aches and pains which I attribute to these damn birthdays that insist on creeping up on us every year!

Ann Holmes Flatt:  2018 was unusually full – some good, some bad. JP, my dear husband of 55 years died of lung cancer in October. His illness was mercifully brief. A lovely memorial service was held in November. Most recently we have traveled to Switzerland this summer with our entire family plus friends and their families. Three generations – such a treat! We enjoyed hiking in the alps and enjoyed the many delights offered by the Swiss culture. Kids and grandkids are all well, pursuing many varied interests. Grandkid’s ages range from 24 to 8!   I still sing with the Worcester Chorus. We are presently rehearsing the Verdi Requiem for a concert in March in Worcester’s magnificent Mechanics Hall with full orchestra.  I also enjoy weekly gatherings with a group of artists where we draw or paint and enjoy each other’s company and friendly critiques.  Yoga, hiking and some fitness training are helping to curb the inevitable challenges of age. I am recovering well from my stem cell bone marrow transplant done exactly 2 years ago and remain ever so grateful for my unknown yet very unselfish donor.  Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

Susan Shinnick Hossfeld:  At the end of January, Carl and I will take off for Telluride, CO where Carl skis with the International Rotary ski group and I enjoy the activities of the group and the beautiful town.  In March we leave with Jeff, Craig and the two grandchildren for our annual trip to Snowmass, CO.  Later in June the entire  family will leave for Hawaii to celebrate Carl’s upcoming 80th birthday.  We have signed up for a cruise that visits the four main Islands and many activities along the way. Best wishes to all for a happy and healthy New Year!

Midge (Rusty) Papst  Hougland:  Bill and I are still living the lives of migratory birds…fall and spring in a 55+ active adult gated community in Haymarket, VA, summer in Old Saybrook, CT and winter on Amelia Island in Florida.  Life’s good.  This summer my daughter and I are doing a Viking Cruise around the British Isles and Norway.

Penny Misirian Mardoian:  My son, Richard, and I traveled to Armenia, my heritage, in October. Armenia is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, had the first alphabet and became a Christian nation in 301. It is an amazing country. We all gathered in PA for Christmas where I saw Nancy Hecksher and husband, Ben. I am off to Florida for two weeks to see friends who winter there from spending summers in Maine.

Phoebe Adams Marshall:   feel as though my news is always the same.  I play tennis, sing in a chorale and in our church choir.  I love to read and cannot be without a book.  Happy New Year to one and all, and I hope we all have a good 2019.

Kathy Morisse:  Things are going reasonably well these days (health and otherwise). One of my current goals is to retire from various retirement jobs/responsibilities and embrace the concepts of relaxation and enjoying the moment.  Only mild success so far.  However, on a trip to the Rockies last summer for the first time I actually let someone else do all the driving and planning (Road Scholar) — from Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons, to Yellowstone and Glacier National Park, and into Canada (Waterton National Park, Banff, and Jasper).  It was my first time in that part of the world and it provided a wonderful range of sights and sensations (and altitude, and smoke from forest fires, a couple of adventures, and great companions).

Lynn MacDonough Marrow:  George and I are blessed to have wonderful relationships with our children, extended family and cherished friends.  We shared the following news in our Christmas letter in hopes that our friends will also keep us up to date with their lives as well.  All my children and grandsons gathered at Arch Spring Farm for Thanksgiving.  Over that weekend we celebrated Andres’s 12^th birthday by creating small weavings at a local arts and crafts place called “The Makery.”  Other grandsons’ birthday celebrations over the summer included visits to the Cherry Crest Adventure Farm, the Red Caboose Motel, PA Railroad Museum and the Adidas Outlet Store.  All the boys (ages 6, 9, 10, 12 and 14) are doing well in school and sports.  I don’t know how parents Laurie & Miguel and Austin & Colleen handle their schedules.  Ralph joined Melanie on her work trips to Indonesia, Europe, and California this year, to which they were able to incorporate time off to visit far flung family and friends, plus tourist stops along the way.

After 7 years of “practicing” with my 5 grandsons, we deemed George “qualified” to have grandchildren of his own.   On March 6 Elizabeth Jean Smith made him a grandfather!  Because her parents, Meg and Dan, now live in State College, we have had the pleasure of spending lots of time with her and watching her grow into a darling 10-month-old.  Dan provides child care enabling Meg to continue her graduate program in music conducting at Penn State School of Music along with a half-time job as band director for Lock Haven University AND a volunteer position as director of the Bellefonte Municipal Band.

Meg’s siblings came from London and from Denver at Easter to meet their baby niece.  In May, Mac & Brea, Bonnie & Gabor, Meg, Dan & Elizabeth, and George & I all shared a condo in Winnipeg, Canada where we gathered for a Pedlow/McKenzie reunion.  I was happy to meet McKenzie cousins as well as to enjoy polar bears at the zoo and the impressive Canadian Museum for Human Rights.  They all traveled again across time zones to spend Christmas with us.

Other than our trip to Winnipeg, our own travels were close to home this year; we decided to delay a visit to London for April/May 2019.  George continues to research the old deeds of my farm and surrounding properties as well as tying things together with his accurate GPS technology.  Much of my time is spent as a volunteer at church and at The Village, which honored me as their volunteer of the year in 2018.  George became an official resident of The Village at Penn State (rather than my guest) which entitles him to health care, meals and other benefits.

Marvia Slade Perreault:  Finally got together with Bobbi Arthur Pretzsch and Linda Martin McManus for a 10 day trip to New Orleans, which included a 5 day cruise with Bobbi’s line dancing class!  Gail Wood Fortin was unable to attend as she was still grieving the loss of her 2nd daughter, Carla.  I had shoulder replacement surgery last July.  Unfortunately, it failed due to a fall shortly after that surgery, which also resulted in broken ribs.  Just had the shoulder revision surgery last week, during which it was discovered my rotator cuff had gradually shredded due to the fall.  Crazy, right? Once I heal from this latest surgery, I’m facing hand and right shoulder replacement surgery.  Ain’t arthritis great??!!  I like to say that whoever called these the golden years should be shot at dawn, if not before!  Beats the alternative, tho!  May 2019 be a better year, in so many ways!!

Joan Terpack Plitt:  We had a wonderful Christmas visit with our son John and grandson Noah over the holidays. We are very proud of Noah. He is 17, does well in school and has his own business. While visiting us, he had several photo shoots for a possible modeling job. Our daughter and her family live in York about a half mile from us, so we see them often and the whole family got together at Christmas. Our granddaughter, Alyssa, is in the Navy Reserves and pursuing studies in cyber security through online classes with Purdue U. Our other granddaughter, Emily, is mother to 3 year-old Jacob, a beautiful, curly headed little guy who is special to all of us.  John and I are doing well and continue to be involved in our antique business.

Regina Schlank Pyle:  I continue to enjoy living in Boston and sharing my condo with Monty (9 yr. old cairn terrier) and Rossy (14 yr. old cat).  My days are filled with volunteering, dealing with condo issues and keeping up with friends – near in person and  friends -far via email.  I also enjoyed some fun travel.  Attended a bar mitzvah held on Mercer Island, WA – the celebrant is a granddaughter of a dear friend.  It was a joyous, family oriented ceremony so very different than those I experienced growing up in the Catholic Church.  I spent Thanksgiving visiting my niece and her family in Manhattan Beach, CA – what a wonderful place to live! And spent the New Years’ holiday with an old friend who relocated to Phoenix  – however the weather was as cold as in Boston.  My best news is that my grandkids, Katie and Cam Laughlin, having graduated from college, are now living in Boston.  Great to see them often and keep up with their new exiting jobs.

Sally Zimmerman:  At home in Tampa, I continue to volunteer for USF OLLI as board of advisers member and as instructor for courses including German conversation, Transcendentalism, and Bauhaus architecture.  In the fall, I vacationed for five weeks in Germany, visited friends in Hamburg, studied the Bauhaus movement in Dessau, and took a two week refresher course at a German language school in Schwaebisch Hall near Stuttgart.  Love this Mark Twain quote, Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow mindedness….   

Judi Simonsen Ziobro;  Ed and I are enjoying retirement, ”grandparenthood,” and our own pace of living.  Our health is good, other than usual aches when we try to do things that we did 25 years ago – which at that time, caused no after effects.  We get to see and interact with most of our kids’ families and that is a real joy to us. To see our kids become such great parents means we must have done something right  (where else would they have learned it from?)  But our life is pretty simple and – to us – very rewarding!   Hope others in the class can jazz up this column with their adventures.