1944

V. Jean Wheatley Hilchuk
407-767-6863
jhilchuk@aol.com

I called everyone who had listed their phone number with Hood. Those who no longer had an active phone were Mal Barnett and Betty Jane Foehl Tomaselli. Therefore I was unable to reach them. Emma Vonderheide Rhoderick passed away April 20, 2016. Barbara “Bobbie” Gill Jesser moved to a senior care residence in Connecticut. She has a one-bedroom apartment, still drives and all is well. She was about to celebrate Christmas with all of her family who live nearby. She says best wishes for 2017!” Margie Muth Alibasah was reported to have twin great-grandchildren. Chorley reported this info. Betty Lee Daubenspeck Carl still drives her own car. Her day is spent playing golf and bridge and at happy hour. Nancy Ogden Carson lost her husband this past year. She has a cat named Pumpkin, which occupies part of her time. Janet Coblentz Cover lives in a retirement center in Frederick. Gert Flagg Dalzell has given up driving. She still lives in her own home, but she did fall and break her wrist this past year. Milly Geiple Hufnagel lives in her own home. Her son lives with her. Her daughter died this last year as she was given the wrong medication. Mary Alice Knobloch Smith lives in her own home. She still drives and plays bridge. In the last year her immediate family had a reunion. There were 62 people in attendance. Phyllis Fine Soza and her husband lived in an assisted living place. Her husband has a wheelchair, and she has a walker. Mary Lou Chorley Touart is also in a retirement home. She still works on their magazine. Two of her daughters are actresses. As for myself, I too live in a retirement center. I am in the independent living section. I play bridge for entertainment about six times a week. I go in the pool daily as that is the only place I can walk. I use a mobile scooter in the halls. In my apartment I use a walker and ride it backwards. Peg Traver Emery and her daughter came to see me. She lives on the west coast of Florida. She lives in her own home. Her son lives with her. Edna Iason Louis lives in her own home. She has someone to come in and help her. Jean Wheatley Hilchuk (Wheats)

The deaths of classmates Patricia Johnson Speier and Regina Bond Wade took me by surprise when they appeared in last issue’s list of the deceased, so I went searching for more information. The obituary I found for Pat, a retired teacher in Prince Georges County, reported only that she was born on February 17, 1943 and passed away on Thursday, December 24, 2015, and had resided in Oxon Hill, Maryland. There was more information about Regina, who had attended the 50th reunion accompanied by her daughter looking the picture of good health and vitality. Seven months later she was gone. Her obituaries appearing some time after her death show what a rich and creative life she had lived: “Regina Ruth Bonn Wade, 72, of Columbia, Md., died on January 18, 2016 following a brief illness. She was the daughter of the late Robert H. and Osie G. Bonn. Survivors include her husband, Everett Wade of Baltimore, a daughter, Amy Wade and her husband John Dutterer of Glen Burnie and their children, Samuel, Jakob and Isaac, sons Eric Zeisel of San Diego, Cal., Matthew Wade and his wife Anette Vehus of Watertown, Mass. and their daughter, Anika. She was preceded in death by an infant son, Zachary. Also surviving are stepdaughters Deborah Wilson and Jennifer Tuttle of Greenville, S.C. and their children Nicole, Joshua, Alexis, Gavin, and Brianna, sisters Nancy Gibson of Bel Air, Janet Saunders and Alice McDaniel of Severna Park, Linda Bonn of Baltimore, brothers Robert Bonn of Rochester, N.Y., Donald Bonn of Silver Spring, an aunt, Ruth Bonn of Annapolis and many nieces and nephews. Regina grew up in the Anneslie neighborhood in Baltimore. She graduated from Hood College in 1965. After college she worked in school and local libraries. She worked as a children’s librarian for most of her professional career at Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore. She taught Mother Goose on the Loose and after retiring, taught Music Together in Columbia, Md. She loved to paint with watercolors, take photographs of plants, draw with colored pencils, knit, sew, work on crossword puzzles and play with her grandchildren. Regina had a beautiful spirit, a warm smile, a love for children and music. She was so creative and could take discarded sweaters with holes in them and turn them into the cutest baby booties you have ever seen. She loved to teach and really slowed down to listen to children and grown-ups, exploring ideas with them and entering into their worlds. She had an amazing imagination, and could transform the space she was in with a story or a song. She was playful and childish in the best sense. Her excellent artistic skills were matched by her gentle sense of humor. She was a tremendously gifted and giving children’s librarian who shared her knowledge with colleagues throughout the Enoch Pratt branches. Her calm and thoughtful approach to working with children truly enriched them. Regina was the type of adult who would sing Girl Scout songs in the car, play with toys that were meant for children, roll down small hills with her daughter at midnight on a snowy walk. She never hesitated to love someone with an extra moment. She had wonderful, creative ideas and always found a way to connect with people. During her work at Enoch Pratt, there were many young mothers who wanted to adopt her to be a grandmother to their children. She helped them feel confident in their new role as parents. She was a warm, comforting presence. She gave good advice that was based on common sense, knowledge and experience. She always valued the importance of learning through play. Regina was a sweet, gentle soul and a peacemaker. She viewed life through her own special window on the world—seeing joy in the little things and finding beauty where others might miss it. She was so gifted and with such a generous heart. She had a profound understanding of, and connection with, children.” Jamie Barr Gartelmann wrote that she and Peter are still going strong and that tending a large cutting garden on their northern New Jersey farm for roadside bouquets keeps them busy in season. Jamie continues her involvement in the local garden club, most recently working in the Community Education and a Pollinator Garden Project, but she would love to go associate when there is an opening. The two sons’ families living nearby partake of the produce from their vegetable garden, and the five grands enjoy picking and eating the bounty for snacks. Two of the grandchildren attend the high school where Peter worked as a counselor, and a third is headed to high school in the fall. The two older grandsons are continuing the family hunting tradition, doing their part for deer control and putting meat on the table. Cora, a horse nut at 15, is doing well with her IEA equestrian program, “which should keep her away from the boys for a while yet.” Three of the kids worked on a local farm and learned a lot waiting on customers and stocking bins. Cora also has another barn job and plays violin in the high school orchestra. “We are thankful that the high taxes here in Morris County, are at least benefiting our grandchildren, who all do well academically in these super schools,” commented Jamie. Even though the Gartelmanns remain very busy in New Jersey they regularly travel to second homes in Maine and North Carolina. In November they visited Charleston to celebrate their 50th Anniversary. On one return trip from North Carolina they stopped for an overnight with Ann Fulton Warren and Tom in Potomac, Md. With the Warren’s daughter Jessie and family settled in Connecticut after several years in Hong Kong, the entire Warren family was home for the holidays. Diana Beers Lobdell and Ralph celebrated their 50th anniversary in June 2016 and in early December were on a cruise ship heading for India, Sri Lanka, Burma and Singapore to celebrate. They returned in time to celebrate Christmas with Ralph’s mother, who turned 100 in May 2016, surrounded by her family of 25 people. Diana has kept in touch with Hood roommate Helen Harrison Arrington, whose husband of 53 years died in April. “Dean and Helen met our sophomore year in the fall when he was at Hood with the U.S. Naval Academy choir to sing the Messiah,” Diana wrote. “They married in November 1964 in Pittsburgh. Regina [Bonn Wade] and I were in her wedding. Helen and Dean had retired three years ago in Delaware, but returned to the Lebanon, N.J., area, their longtime home, to be near his doctor and two of their three children. Dean had a short but very aggressive illness, and Helen took care of him until the end. I have spoken with Helen several times, and am very proud of her.  She has a positive attitude and has found a house to buy within an half-hour of her daughter Lisa and son Brian and not too far from her son Brad living on Long Island. She has three grandchildren, ranging from about five to twenty-two—but don’t quote me on their ages.” Barbara Casey Ruffino wrote “Life is good. My husband Russ, Episcopal priest, is now serving the Church of England as temporary chaplain in Palermo, Italy. We have been here, off and on, for the last two years and love it. This is our fifth assignment in Italy, and since Russ is fluent in Italian it has been great for us and for his parishes—Orvieto, Como, Milan, Naples and Sorrento and Palermo. I still work part-time in government-contract consulting out of the Washington area, mostly to have a little extra $$ for travel and, at our age, for ‘body parts and repairs.’  Three years ago, daughter Jane moved to Stockholm, Sweden, after 12 years living Dublin, Ireland. She loves living there, and we love visiting even in winter. Son Mike is in the magic land of Los Angeles where he is a music composer for TV and films, primarily for Anthony Bourdain’s shows.” Barb tries to keep in touch with Chris Plankenhorn Tischer and Joe, and Barb Hyde Sands and Larry, but with everyone’s travels it’s tough to find time to get together. Throughout the 2016 holiday season, Cathie Byers Meredith was living in a sort of limbo after having found out in late November that one of the bypasses performed three years previously had failed and that her heart was starving for oxygen. Treatment decisions were complicated not only by the potential for damaging the remaining functioning bypass during a second open-chest surgery but by the fact that suitable replacement arteries hadn’t been found in either Cathie’s arms or legs. Finally, the Hopkins cardiac surgeon seemed to have developed a workable strategy, and surgery was scheduled for February 8. The evening before, Cathie got a call telling her that her doctor would be operating all that night on an emergency case and would be too tired to do her surgery as scheduled. The rescheduled operation on February 16 got as far as the ribcage incision through which the implant would be made and the groin incision for the heart-lung machine and chest tubes. But then the surgeons discovered that the “good” artery from the arm wasn’t long enough and the leg vein then harvested was too narrow. Thus, a couple of hours into the planned six-hour surgery, the bypass was aborted, after which Cathie spent five days recovering at Hopkins. “So, now I’m having  to recover from a very bad incision and am in the same situation as I was in the fall,” she wrote in early March. “There are two other very high risk options. I am seeing my cardiologist next Wednesday [March 8] to discuss what’s next. I am not a happy camper, but I’m alive, so every day is a plus.” For Kathie Cribbs Tromble, 2016 was the usual family-filled year, with an August road tour taking her and Burt to St. Paul, Minn., to visit a childhood friend and a couple cousins, then to Lincoln, Neb., where another friend lives and on to Lyons, Colo., home of the Tomble’s lawyer daughter Connie, her husband and first-grade son. Daughter Alice, in residency in the burn unit at University of Arkansas, shares parenting duties of two young sons with husband J., while their other lawyer daughter Kate directs social-justice projects at Holy Trinity Church in Georgetown, D.C. Kate and her husband are busy with the activities of their two teen daughters. Closest to the Trombles’ central-Maryland home are son Wayne and his family of four school- and sports-involved teenagers. The abundance of family paid off in November when children and grandchildren provided assistance during Kathie’s recovery from knee-replacement surgery. The other knee was likely in line for replacement in February. Along with all the above, Kathie and Burt have remained active in local volunteer and social activities. Deborah Demmy Thomas continues to recall the delights of our 50th reunion. “I thought the campus looked great, and I came away being as proud as ever to be a Hood alum,” she wrote. Debby and Gary celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in January in a quiet fashion but hoped that they can take a celebratory trip at some point. Debby’s weekdays are still occupied with childcare for five-year-old granddaughter Caroline and her weekends with serving as a nurse at the Grier School. Boston-suburban dweller Lynn Farnell took time from making Christmas jams to send in her newsiest Hood news which was that she had tracked down her freshman roommate, Joan Spurgeon Brennan, in Denver. Joan left after freshman year to attend Cornell, then married and worked on Wall Street until she and her husband retired to Denver. Her husband died a few years ago. This year when Joan was on her way to Boston to visit her daughter and grandchildren she met with Lynn and they had a lovely long brunch to catch up! Lynn herself headed to Pennsylvania on Christmas Day to visit with sister Jean, also a Hood alum, and her large family. Like me, Lynn became an “orphan” fairly recently with the death of her mother and remarked,  “Not sure I like being the oldest in the family!!” Lexie Horne Bickell wrote from Columbus, Ohio, that “life has been interesting for me and I have been very fortunate.” The Bickells are frequent travelers, with their latest trip being a Rhine River cruise in May, 2016, preceded by a week in Switzerland. “We love river cruising and have been on the Danube twice in the past few years,” wrote Lexie, “and we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in June in New York City!”  Lexie, a costumed interpreter at a living-history museum in Columbus, is enjoying “becoming” a woman of 1898, wearing the period clothes and interacting with the visitors to draw them into “our” era. For the previous five years she’d helped represent the Civil War experience. “It has been fascinating to learn the similarities between life today and life in 1898,” she wrote, “and to discover how many aspects of our life today began in the late 1890s. I love the fact that my grandparents came of age during that time! We all have specific characters—I am the president of the Women’s Study Club, typical of the women’s clubs that took root on a national level in 1894. Among other causes of the time, we are working hard to gain women the right to vote and to establish child labor laws. I believe that in the 21st century women have a way to go to insure fair treatment, but we have come a long way since the 1890s!” Part of the Bickell family lives in Columbus and part will be moving there this coming summer, so more fun is in store for Lexie. “It is all good!” she wrote. “I so enjoyed seeing everyone at the 50th Reunion. It was a wonderful trip down memory lane as well as a chance to reconnect with dear old friends. Come out for a visit! We love company!” HannahJane Hurlburt claims, “I’m very lazy since I stopped working.” nevertheless she mustered the energy to travel from her Greenwich, Conn., home to visit Priscilla Obreza in Guelph, Ontario, last summer where they did their usual—always theater, used bookstores in search of out-of-print books, outdoor summer concerts and more. “Priscilla is well, and we still talk a bit about the 50th!” wrote HannahJane, who also reported that in December Sandy Hickman Lee was earning her way across the Pacific to Tahiti and near by islands by teaching knitting classes on board a theater/film-themed cruise. Nancy McAdams Baggett’s son David Baggett, a Univ. of Md. graduate and successful tech innovator and entrepreneur, was the commencement speaker for the December 2016 graduating class of his Alma Mater. “An innovative thinker who has been writing software since childhood, Dave Baggett is always searching for new ways that technology can solve everyday, practical problems,” reads the speaker bio. “The son of an electrical engineer and cookbook writer, Baggett earned degrees in computer science and linguistics from the University of Maryland in 1992.” I’ve appended the rest of the bio at the end of this column if you’re interested in learning the details. Nancy is rightly proud of her son’s accomplishments. Jane McKinney Ingrey wrote, “I am doing well for the state I am in…aches and pains and an eldest child who will turn 50 this next year. Our family is doing well, with each grandchild finding his or her path of growing up. How time flies by, with one in college and the others close behind. We continue our nomadic lives that go between Florida and Lake George, N.Y. We wish the Auto Train went door to door! My hope is for us all to walk forward this next year making our own ‘worlds’ a better place with kindness and generosity.” Mary Lew Penn Sponski finds it hard to believe it has been 18 years since John and she “retired” to the countryside of Virginia. John’s main commitment is to the board of the Montpelier Foundation, home of James and Dolley Madison in Orange, Virginia. [A side note from me, Emily Kilby—For the past six years, I’ve been doing some serious historical research into the history of Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area next door to me in Cecil County, Md. In 1927, William du Pont, Jr., who owned Montpelier at that time, started buying up contiguous small farms here to create a 7,000-acre estate he called Foxcatcher. My mission has been to reclaim the social, family and industrial history that vanished once du Pont and a number of relocated Orange County employees displaced the families who’d lived here for more than two centuries.] Mary Lew serves on the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia. The Sponskis also travel extensively while they are still able to do so and invite any classmates visiting in the Charlottesville area to get in touch. Jo Ann Sether Bowes claims no major changes her life, and she continues to find Loch Haven, Penn., a great place to live. Husband Ron’s Alma Mater, Lock Haven University, named a building Bowes Hall in recognition of their donations. As president of the local historical society, Jo manages all the details for preserving and maintaining five properties, fundraising, volunteer oversight, program development and so on. One of the job requirements has been learning grant writing and computer skills. Jo continues to enjoy birding trips for fun and stress relief, and last summer she introduced her two sons and their families to cruising with a Bermuda trip on the Anthem of the Seas. Her favorite amenity on board—the robotic bartenders. Since attending our 50th reunion Lissa Shanahan has been traveling and learning to quilt. One of her trips involved taking her six-foot-tall, 16-year-old grandson on a four-day stay in New York City. “Trying to keep up with him was hard on my five-foot, 73-year-old body, but we had a wonderful time.”  Next was a cruise accompanying her brother and his wife from San Francisco to New York City via the Panama Canal —“amazing engineering for 100 years ago!” Prior to these adventures she had spent most of the winter of 2016 visiting her son Scott and his wife to escape the Indiana winter. When at home, Lissa attended three different quilt guilds’ meetings and worked to complete her first quilt. This May, she’s off on an Alaska cruise. “If anyone wants a place to stay for the Indy 500,” Lissa wrote, “I have an extra bedroom.” Before reporting her own “humble news,” Gretchen Walter Pinkerton put in a plug for our “brilliant classmate Sally Fairfax,” whose academic and personal accomplishments are enumerated at her publisher’s website. “Google ‘Sally K. Fairfax  SAGE Publications,’ “ Gretchen suggested to reach that site. “Sally appeared in a recent dream of mine, which sent me on the search. Sally is also on Facebook, for those interested.” As for Gretchen’s recent life, she wrote, “not a great year for me and Jack. We were in a horrendous auto accident on Mother’s Day, when a driver coming from the opposite direction crossed the center line and hit us head-on. He died at the scene, and we were taken to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, which has an excellent trauma center. We had no life-threatening injuries, but plenty of broken bones and severe bruising. Seat belts, airbags and a sturdy little Hyundai saved us, along with some blessings from Above.” The Pinkerton’s recovery has taken most of the year, with a lot of help from family and friends. Jack took the worst of it, Gretchen said, and continues to have mobility and intestinal issues following abdominal surgery for a tear, plus an awful C. difficile infection associated with the long hospital stay. “Now we are back to semi-normal, with both of us volunteering for Meals on Wheels and my serving as program co-chair for the Bradford Woods Women’s Club, a great group of ladies that raises funds for local charitable causes. A new set of kitty siblings, Sidney & Samantha, has added a lot of merriment to the house, and we continue to enjoy the cultural & sporting life of the super city of Pittsburgh – Go Steelers, Penguins, & Pirates! Happy 2017 to my Hood classmates!” [David Baggett speaker biography continued: By the time Baggett graduated, he had already founded companies that designed video game development systems and published interactive fiction. While pursuing his master’s degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he became part of the team behind the groundbreaking and wildly popular Sony PlayStation video game “Crash Bandicoot.” Besides giving Sony a mascot, the game series from Naughty Dog Inc., where Baggett was a programmer and vice president, was pioneering in its graphic speed and detail. In 1997, Baggett co-founded ITA Software, which revolutionized how people could travel with the help of cheaper and more powerful computer programs. By assisting airlines like America West and websites like Orbitz, the company’s software greatly expanded the choices and convenience of booking flights. As COO, Baggett oversaw software development, operations and customer relations, expanding the company from 20 employees to more than 500, with revenue topping $70 million a year. In 2011, Google acquired ITA for $700 million. More recently, Baggett, founder and president of Arcode Corp., has focused his creative and entrepreneurial spirit on email and messaging: his new startup’s product Inky makes it easy for anyone to encrypt their email with any mail account, ensuring confidentiality and preventing identity theft and phishing attacks. Baggett also sits on the boards of the University of Maryland College Park Foundation and the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. Named a distinguished alumnus by both the College of Arts and Humanities and the Department of Computer Science, Baggett has supported undergraduate scholarships and post-baccalaureate fellowships at UMD in linguistics research.

CLASS NEWS 1962:  FALL and WINTER

Class Reporter:  Regina Pyle, substituting for Sally Zimmerman

Thanks to everyone below who sent news which appears below as submitted.

A shorter version (750 words) will appear in the Alumnae News.

Wishing everyone the best for 2017!

Betty Appel Bailey

We are still living in north country San Diego and our daughter and her family live nearby.  In May Tom and I took a 9 day coach trip through the Canyons starting in Phoenix, on to Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, rafting on the Colorado River, and then to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon.  In September we flew back east to attend Tom’s

55^th Naval Academy class reunion.  It is always great fun to see old friends some we have known for 50+ years.  I still miss two of my dear friends from Hood both of whom have passed away….Care Dickely Heeks and Carol Bahlke Holmes.

Judy Hammond Blatchford

We’re enjoy good health, and volunteer jobs (especially working with senior citizens), continue to travel (this past year to Baja California and Scotland), spend summers in the Adirondacks, have 1 granddaughter who has graduated from college and 4 of the 5 are taller than their grandmother!

Gail Dawson Clarke

This end of summer I took a cruise up North away from this Florida heat. I went along with 4,000 of my “closest friends” cruising up to Boston, Maine and Canadian coastal towns. At the same time, I learned that a friend from middle school has a cottage in Bar Harbor, Maine. So…after 61 years she and I reconnected and the years just melted away. I fell in love with the down-east Maine coast…the rugged coast line, the unique birds, the lifestyle and the grit and respect for the environment of the lobster men. My children are in a good place…one in the North Carolina mountains and one down here in Florida partnering with his high school friend to distill rum. For a while my legs were problematic, but I am in good health now. We seldom appreciate it when we have it, but once it disappears, oh how we value it. Cheers to you all, ladies of Hood. May the coming year bring you many blessings. I’d love to hear from you (gc.mumstheword@gmail.com)

Sunny Griffin

While I imagine that many of my classmates are having great grandchildren, I have just gotten my first – twins who are now 8 months old, Mabel and Oliver!  We are going to Thailand this winter to try to sell our house in Chiang Mai because I don’t want to be on the other side of the world from my only grandchildren, and my daughter really needs help with twins. I am loving being with the babies and don’t want to miss a moment of their lives. It is particularly wonderful because I had to work all the time when my daughters were young so it is such fun playing with babies.

Doris Dalziel Kimball

All the decades disappear when I connect with Hood acquaintances.  George and I still go to Anna Maria Island in April when the gulf is warm enough for Yankees and grands have their break.  We will participate in our 9th Road Scholar adventure, this time in Martinique.  A trip to Sedona in February will give us another chance to hike through those stunning red hills.  Same volunteer jobs give us a chance to pay back for the many blessings we have received during 54 years together.

Penny Misirian Mardoian

I had a mini-reunion with Judy Blatchford and Nancy Heckscher and husbands at the end of October. My grandson, Michael, will be spending a semester in Barcelona through Trinity College. I will be in London for a week at the end of March. My life is busy and full.

Lynn MacDonough Morrow

George and I are gearing up for what will probably be our final mission trip to Nicaragua.  January 2017 will be my 8th trip; it has been a meaningful part of my life over the past decade and a source of satisfaction that George has enthusiastically joined me on the trips.  One of the missionary couples is retiring back to the US; it is not clear that the local church will continue to sponsor trips and we would eventually “age out” of being able to participate so it seems like a natural time for us to say our good-byes to our Nicaraguan friends when we are there for 10 days this winter.  We can continue to support the educational program of providing school supplies to the local kids through financial contributions.

Barbara Arthur Pretzsch

We have just moved to a new house in the same town, more space, big back yard to hold our 5th wheel and fenced for the dogs. I have been too busy to do much but “pack up” and “unpack” and find stuff I could before we moved. Hope everyone is enjoying a prosperous new year.

Regina Schlank Pyle

The drama of selling my home in France unexpectedly continued throughout the year with the French real estate lawyers, aka “Notaires”, causing mischief and bureaucratic delays. A young family who rents in the association and have family living there presented themselves as buyers in March.   Ideal buyers until their need to get financing arose and there is no provision for banks to give preapproval for a loan.  Fast forward I spent two weeks there in July trying to get the deal moving and a closing was set for November lst.  That morning the notaires discovered a “petit problem” – i.e. the shares of my house hadn’t been transferred to the buyers as necessary.  A novel solution was suggested and approved that the buyers move in as tenants until the mess had been cleared up.

I’m more that delighted to say that as of 12/29, a mere 16 months later, I no longer own property in France.  Given the length of the process, I dread receiving an accounting of the legal bills which will be paid from the proceeds of the sale.  Once done the remainder will go for scholarships to Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government and for research at Mass General Hospital’s cancer center.  Of course I have lots of wonderful memories and will return to visit friends but it’s a great relief both mentally and financially to have it off the books.  And whenever someone rhapsodizes about owning a house in the French country side, I remind them of a four letter word that begins with “R”.

One of the pleasures of living in Boston is that friends want to visit and many did – including some from London and Beijing.  I spent Thanksgiving with my niece and her family in Manhattan Beach.  Her boys, 10 and 13, take after their father and every day weather permitting, they suit up, grab their boards and head for the beach. Really fun to watch. Life in Boston remains busy with wonderful friends and a couple of non-profit boards. Monty, my 6 year old cairn terrier, continues to co-habitat with Rossy, a domestic short hair who’s now 12.   Both are a delight and every night assume their side of the bed.  To say the least life is good.

Barbara Stewart

Paul and I are continuing to enjoy life in Maine.  We seem to be into cross country road trips.  We had a great one last summer visiting two grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Ryan graduating from high school in Missouri and California.  2017 will have two more graduates in Sonoma and San Diego…Zachary from Sonoma State and Meghan from Eastlake HS which will give us an excuse for another road trip.  I am still into rug hooking, quilting, and some watercolor attempts, plus community volunteering.

Elizabeth Kovacs Washburn

My daughter, Natasha, is in Spain and London visiting granddaughter, Jacquelyn, who is on junior year abroad with Boston University. Their pictures on Facebook are stunning. Ted and I had a “miracle” Christmas. Our dog Josey came back from death’s door Christmas Eve.  We had a “doggie” Christmas with Josey and Natasha’s dog, Bene. We also hosted Christmas yummies  after church. ‘Tis the season of joy and gratitude!

Jody Merritt Watson

No big trips this year, but Peter and I are enjoying the good features of condo living. I started a book club here this year, and can’t believe it is my first one! We still love living in Maine, with all the erratic weather patterns and hopefully some good snow storms this year.  Our kids and grands all live in Portland, so it’s great to keep up with their concerts, sports, and busy lives. All of them enjoy skiing but are anxious to sample snowboarding this winter. Can our 55th be right around the corner?!?

Sara Zimmerman

One of my hobbies for decades has been the German language. It all started back in high school when our music teacher drove a car full of us from Harrisburg to NYC.  We stayed overnight and in the space of two days saw three musicals.  One, off Broadway, was the Three Penny Opera.  At 16, I fell in love with Kurt Weill’s score and Bert Brecht’s lyrics, and memorized the lyrics in both English and the original German.

Wildly skipping far ahead, in Oct and Nov 2016, I completed a two-month intensive German course at the Goethe Institute in Freiburg im Breigau, Germany, my fourth course at a GI in the space of 53 years. In my section this time, my 12 classmates came from nine countries including China, Thailand, Japan, Syria, Israel, Italy, Barbados, England, and Switzerland and averaged in age about 23.  I’ve always enjoyed working with young people and international experiences.  Now in December 2016, I’m in Switzerland working on family history. The Zimmermans were Anabaptists, persecuted by local governments for their religious principles, and fled to Alsace, France where they settled before heading to the US in the 18th century.  My nephew Mike in Harrisburg is the true family genealogist; I’m assisting him with translations of documents and by taking photos of the very small towns of our great-great-great-great-great grandparents.  With much gratitude to Regina for being correspondent.
revsaraz@gmail.com

Judith Ziobro

My news isn’t news, in that Ed and I do pretty much the same things – eat, sleep, do a little exercise daily, and enjoy as much time as our daughters and their families are able to share with us.  That makes for some boring reading, but from my perspective – a great life.  I still do volunteer accounting, and money-handling work at my church, sing in the vocal choir and ring in the handbell choir regularly.  Earlier this year I helped the church prepare several hundred “Days for Girls” kits for some primitive areas in Swaziland.  Since I was the only one who admitted owning a serger, I wound up making 600 liners for the project. Needless to say, I keep busy doing the things that I like.

To classmates:

Here is the unexpurgated version of the December 2016 class of 1959 news.  There were fewer replies this time, so I won’t have to cut so much for the newsletter.

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.

JANE ATMORE BROWN

No new news for me.  I am loving my retirement community here in Vero.  It was an excellent choice for me.  Lots to do to stay active and a great feeling of security.

CATHERINE BROOKE BUCKINGHAM

My daughter and I are taking a cruise to Cuba on a Greek line out of Montego Bay after Christmas!  Our diocese has a Companion relationship with the Episcopal church in Cuba.  25 years ago I helped begin our Companionship, so it will be wonderful to visit once again in the luxury of a ship. So many loving, giving people to see once again.

TARUN COMEGYS JOHNS

The year of 2016 has been an amazing adventure. Last winter after spending a week on a friend’s schooner in Key West, I drove north visiting friends along the way to my ‘winter home’  in Reisterstown. Early Feb I flew to the Bahamas for six weeks of cruising on Finesse, the boat I had crewed on for two weeks earlier in Oct. My captain considered me to be a co-captain which allowed me to do much of the navigating building my own confidence. We sailed from Abaco Sea down through Eleuthera and crossed over to the Exumas and sailed down to Staniel Cay. Snorkeling, fishing, iguanas, dolphins, hiking over the islands, meeting so many wonderful folks — it was truly a stress free paradise and a trip I shall never forget. The big item this summer was spending time on my boat in City Island, NY, then sailing it to Belfast, ME. I did bring a crew person along to handle the anchor and be an extra hand in many other ways. In the past two years I have sailed the East Coast except for the last 100 miles to Canada — next summer — and from the north of the Abacos to the south part of the Exumas. I can’t believe I had such opportunities! I plan to head south after the first of the year and back to sea, but just found out I have a triple root canal first.

NANCY FLETCHER ARTLETT

11/10/16 I am excited about spending my first Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family in 25 years! My eldest granddaughter is getting married the day after Thanksgiving, so the rehearsal dinner will be our Thanksgiving meal under a tent with heaters in my former home…..should be interesting. I hope to view retirement villages between the Charlottesville- Richmond area. So I fly from Sydney to Washington, DC. next Thursday and return in January hopefully stopping to visit Nancy and Fritz Huntsinger on the way! The Artlett family will probably still be in the process of mediation….no solution yet…and I have lived in limbo for over a year already. I have signed my affidavit and am prepared to get to court. It will cost all of us, but I have already spent more than I had planned! Life changes yearly and often we have no resolution or solution to circumstances. Friends have been terrific on both sides of the Pacific and my sister will be happy when she can hand over the paperwork she has managed for the past 25 years…..a huge help. Shall keep you informed!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year after a restful Thanksgiving! J Love, Fletch

GAYLE HAMILTON BLAKESLEE

11/10/16 Natalie and I are just back from a fabulous trip to northern Italy. Luckily missed the earthquakes although some in our group felt a couple of them. Traveling as much as possible as we turn the big 80.

EDEE HOWARD HOGAN

Just retuned from a two week People to People tour of Cuba so interesting meeting many wonderful people on that beautiful Island nation.

Was there two weeks so it was an extensive exposure and learned you can live without credit cards and limited wifi. It was good to return home (the day after Castro died) and appreciate our freedom and high standard of living.

The ’55 cars beautifully restored were fun and a nod to many fun times in them in the past.

MARCIA KING WILKE

I’m doing well. I’m scheduled to play Christmas carol duets with a friend who plays piano and flute at an Alzheimers’ facility and the retirement community where I live. One is this coming week and the other the weekend before Christmas. It’s been good to have a goal to work toward.

Family was here for the annual Hot Air Balloon Stampede. Unfortunately, it rained so balloons did not go up but we had a good time, anyway.

Handbell choir is playing this coming Sunday and again on Christmas Eve so I’ve been busy with that as well as practicing the piano.

Change of apartment last April so, if anyone wants my address, it is 1500 Catherine St., D303, Walla Walla, WA 99362.

KUULEI MOBLEY GREEN

11/12/16 This is Kuulei Green.  I no longer have good vision but I’m able to get around for myself.  I’m still living in Idaho so I don’t see many of the classmates but I’m fine.  Merry Christmas to you all,

Kuulei

LINDA MOHLER HUMES

I don’t have much news. Things are perking along pretty uneventfully which at this stage of life is good. I’m busy with a big genealogy conference Cumberland County Historical Society is having next fall. The coup is that CeCe Moore is the keynote speaker. My travels are now in the USA: New Jersey shore with my family and sometimes Maine and Chautauqua. My granddaughter Chloe is the light of my life. At seven she has moved on from Disney Princesses to American Girl dolls – thankfully.

JUDY MORELAND GRANGER

A year of wonderful family celebrations: in Columbus, Ohio in July, to celebrate my uncle’s 94th birthday, a trip that included a day with Carole Jones Rogers, then on to Grand Haven, Michigan, for a Granger family reunion, Bob’s brother, nieces and nephews, two of our sons and 3 of our grand children.  Celebration of Bob’s 80th in September here at home, with both of our brothers, all four of our boys and 7 of our 8 grandchildren.  Joyous times, feeling blessed with pretty good health, keeping busy, missing my Hood friends, as I am too far away!  Crazy Texas weather, 20s tonight, 70s on Monday!  Judy Moreland Granger

GAIL MULLIKEN PAINTER moved in May to Brookdale Silver Lake, an Alzheimer’s care facility in Silver Lake, Washington.  Her children, Greg and Cheryl, welcome communication from her friends.  In August, Greg wrote, “Speaking and language are particularly hard for her, and she is not able to form complete sentences most of the time. She does still recognize her family, but people and memories are beginning to slip away from her.  She still loves eating and shopping and is involved in every social activity at her facility. Mom is able to express that she is happy where she is, but does realize that things are not quite right with her brain.”

JOANNE PEPER MILNOR

11/10/16

I’m having a “bout” with sciatic nerve pain and had to postpone my river cruise on the Rhine & Mozelle.  I’m enjoying getting ready for Christmas, but with fewer decorations this year, but still cooking the favorites. Still involved with numerous arts organizations in the community. Jo

JEANNETTE PHELPS

11/28/16

Eagerly awaiting a campaign-free year ending in 7!  I’m eager to toast my birth.

6/23/2016  I am enjoying a renewal of friendships with eight of my high school friends and even took an oil painting class (on my bucket list) offered by one, Carolyn Councell, at our community college.  Carolyn is a well established local artist.

JOAN VICTOR BOOS

6/24/2016

John is finally home from rehab as of yesterday and starts outpatient rehab on Monday. We were very fortunate to get home safely after a trying trip with a stop in the emergency room of Reston Hospital in Reston, VA. John had a seizure in Dulles Airport on our trip home.  Fortunately, we had a wonderful nurse escort who finally got us both to Columbus, OH sadly after a 30 hr trip and 2 missed flights.

I still hope we will see you at our 60 reunion.  

ANNE WILSON HEUISLER

So far this year has been good, knock wood.  I am tutoring writing again at the Stevenson University Academic Center and am doing some free-lance editing, which I enjoy very much.  I finish my two terms as clerk of the Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church session in January and will miss being “in the know” but will not miss the clerical work.  I met Mary-Lou Trout Haddad at Buckley’s Tavern in Wilmington, Delaware, twice this year, once with Gayle Hamilton Blakeslee and once with Carole Jones Rogers.  Gayle and I planned a third get-together in January.

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

Anne

ANNE WILSON HEUISLER

6102 BUCKINGHAM MANOR DRIVE

BALTIMORE, MD 21210

410 377 5026; aheuisler@comcast.net

Penny Rogers Adams and husband had just returned to Hawaii after a month long visit to Florida, NY and Oregon.  They saw the musical Hamilton while in NYC and said it was fabulous.  They are very involved in UH Cancer Center Medical School as volunteers.  Penny still goes overseas with the State Department, but not as often, says “jobs are not really desirable….it is not like the old days.”  One of their daughters lives in Hawaii so they have three grandchildren to enjoy often.

Kay Stubblebine Cox and Dave are “peachy keen.”  They celebrated Dave’s 80^th with their 2 sons and wives by taking a river cruise down the Danube from Budapest to Nuremberg, Germany on the Viking Ship Jarl.  Kay recently found the “Sing a Song to Your College” record which was sponsored by the class of 1958 and sure did enjoy it!

Some friends took Joan Enterline back to Frederick this spring.  The campus was blooming and brought back memories!  They also enjoyed visiting the boutiques in the downtown area.

Susanne Smith Evans was planning some stateside trips to Maine and the Vineyard.  Her granddaughter Emily graduated from Wheelock and has a teaching job in Boston.  She says, “Don’t know about you but I am ignoring the calendar (mainly because I don’t want to believe it)!”

Anne Walton Merriken celebrated her 80^th at Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama, with sons and family.  They try to spend as much time as possible with their 3 year old granddaughter.  They had a mild winter in OK, but had too many tornadoes in May.

Peg Jacobs Jones does not feel her age.  She writes, “This past January I flew to Arizona – cleared out my condo in Sun City in preparation for putting it up for sale the first week in April.  I drove a fully loaded 16’ truck from S.C. to Brooktondale NY.  What an adventure – I was alone!  It was an easy drive & such fun to see the looks on men (under 70) watch this old lady climb down & gas up the truck.  I wish I had my camera handy – it was a great adventure.  Took 4 days.”   Recently, she had an early birthday celebration in Winthrop WA with her son, daughter, and 3 grandchildren. Also, celebrated oldest grandchild’s  graduation from high school.  Now back to reality……weeding and general housework.

Jane Walton Godfrey writes that the Godfrey Family is doing well.  All 3 daughters and families, including 8 grandchildren (ages range from 15 to 32) still live in NYS.  Dick and Jane are involved with a church that specializes with adults with special
needs.

Jeb Bennett Moran sees Carol Horwath Klecka every month and Carol Huelson Warrington when she and husband Bob are at their place in Venice FL.  Jeb has had a wonderfully active and blessed year. She and Don went to Saint Lucia in January, travelled to GA in February to watch granddaughter Melissa star in her senior musical, attended granddaughter Molly’s graduation from Ole Miss in May, headed for IL to attend a huge Moran reunion on July 4^th and is very excited to be going to London in August, a gift from Don to celebrate her 80^th.

Jane Hollister Nicodemus returned to Hood in May to see her granddaughter, Katie Bailey graduate.  She is the 4^th generation to graduate and they received a nice compliment during the ceremony.  Jane’s mother-in-law also a Hood graduate.  Jane says that she and Bob have health problems and he was in rehab for a while, but has returned home.

Mary Allen Reynolds planned to take a trip to Yellowstone Park in August to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the national parks.  This has been on her grandson’s wish list for several years.  She hopes “Old Faithful” will not disappoint them.  Recently, Mary took a “Girls Trip” to Atlanta to meet with the leomoto of her Ikebana School.  It was quite an adventure!  They drove all the way and ages ranged from 72 to 88.

Elly Baumgart Ritchie had a wonderful 80^th birthday with family and friends in Rockville hosted by Joanie Enterline.  She is still renovating and downsizing ye ole family residence and preparing for the annual family gathering at the Jersey Shore.

Symmie Martell Schmidt has sold her house in New Jersey and has move NYC.  She works part time at Connor Boutique in Barney’s.

Marthanne Stephens Smith has just come off of a stint as Nurse Ratchet with husband Duff’s second hip replacement and a pace maker. She says, “I don’t have the best bed side manners, but he pulled through.”  Stills bikes and goes to the gym 4 or 5 times a week unless she can think of a good excuse not to!  She still takes classes at the Community College of Baltimore County and greatly enjoys art appreciation classes taught by a fabulous professor from Malta.  They plan to spend some time this summer with their 2 girls, grandkids and brother and wife.

Penny Hunt Solum was headed to the UK and France for the month of June.  She has been in touch with Liz Conklin Collins and reports all goes well with her.

Anne Merrick Vosti has now moved into a 24/7 care taking role of husband Ken as his health continues to deteriorate.  Fortunately she is surrounded by family and help.  Ken is so good natured and never complains.  She has been taking painting lessons which has been a wonderful adventure.  Ricky says, “The key in these big changes in life seems to be to see it as an ‘opportunity’ for growth so that is what I am trying to be about!!!”  She has 12 grandchildren and a great granddaughter.  They find that one on one visits are easier now than the large family get-togethers of the past.

Mary Keener Warfield reports the sad news that her husband, Edward, died on March 18^th of cardiac disease.  She says that they have had an amazing life together for 43 years.  Edward was a retired Episcopal priest who dedicated his retirement years to pastoral care and touched many lives with his grace and love.  Mary, may all those years of beautiful memories comfort you.   God bless you during the difficult time of grieving………………………remember you are never alone.

Carole Moore White and Fritz are in relatively good health and love living in Ponte Vedra Beach FL with much of their family nearby.

Jo Olmstead Witherington is still going strong and traveling.  She had a wonderful time in the Alps, going to the Baltic capitals in July and then off to Bali and Java in September.  She writes, “As long as my health is great I will keep traveling and singing.  I have a concert in June and will be singing the Messiah in August.”  She had a wonderful 80^th birthday planned by her granddaughter at a place called “Howl at the Moon.”

On June 10^th, I had unexpected surgery to repair a tendon that was about to rupture in my right wrist.  I was in a cast from fingertips to my underarm.  Consequently, our class news did not get submitted by the deadline.  I was suddenly in a cast from tips of fingers to underarm.  Had no use of my wrist and arm for 10 days and then splints for the next 12 weeks.  Sure did make for a different summer!  I will forward this column to the class news website, send it to all who have email addresses and send snail mail to others anyone else who requests a copy…………………………………….Maggie

 

 

 

 

 

 

To classmates:

Here is the unexpurgated version of the summer 2016 class of 1959 news.  I had to cut it severely to comply with Hood’s 750-word limit for the summer magazine.  That leaves us with about a sentence apiece, so please forgive me if I stripped your news item of its details.

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

Merry Christmas from the Wanderer     2015

The adventure continues. I did not leave Ariosa and Capt Mike Pittinger Jan. 1, but remained in Boot Key Harbor, FL, enjoying the community of the mooring field, St. Columba Episcopal Church, and the many sailing friends I met. All the time I was learning more about boat maintenance and different ways to do things. Mike is a great captain and mentor never missing an opportunity to teach me something new. It was truly an incredible experience. Someone accused me of just having too much fun! Friends in Key West provided a wonderful holiday season starting the New Year with a progressive dinner in their homes and watching the winch be dropped from the top of a schooner mast—Key West tradition. I met crew who introduced me to Schooner Spirit of Independence and Capt. Rick Sands who became a huge part of my sailing support system. I joined them for some of the sunset cruises as guest crew and highly recommend this attraction when in Key West!

Watching the sun rise and the dolphins feed, toasts and conch horns for the sunset, bright full moons shining on the water, Sat. night potlucks and open mike for the mooring field, happy hours meeting folks from all over, manatees in the harbor, swimming at Sombrero Beach, and snorkeling on Sombrero Reef. Always something going on at St. Columba’s and I sang in the choir in the spring through Easter.

In March Mike and I drove to Annapolis for a sailing workshop. Luckily, he was home when he developed a ruptured appendix with serious complications. His fiancée, Betsy, was an incredible nurse seeing him through the next 8 weeks. I returned to take care of the boat and was made skipper of Ariosa! All went well and my sailing friends provided any help I might need. Longtime friend Elaine Gilbertson came and spent several days with me. We joined in the fun of “The Battle of the Conch Republic” on Spirit of Independence and Key West life. Elaine has caught the sailing bug again! Such is the life of a sailor in winter!

Mike returned in May with weight lifting limits and Dick Couture to help crew on our return to MD. Sailing back in heavy weather as we trailed a fickle tropical depression ANA up the coast provided an exciting trip with winds to 35mph and extremely high waves. Dick was great crew to Beaufort, NC, when he had to leave. Mike and I continued on running into more messy seas in the Chesapeake before completing our journey at Solomons Island. Such an adventure I had never dreamed would be mine! I was truly blessed when I sailed into Annapolis last fall.

May 22 I left Ariosa and flew to Maine with four graduations on my schedule — Tarun Porter, a BS in biology and a BA in French from University of New Brunswick; Lauren Johns graduated with high honors from John Bapst High School, and Cameron Porter from Bluefield High School, PEI. Working in France as an au pair for twin babies, Clarkson University to study engineering, and working at snow making at Lake Louise, Alberta, before entering university — a wonderful mix of talents and great personalities.

Off to Rochester, NY, for a family celebration of Becky Comegys’ life, then down to the Eastern Shore to check out Trillium. It was determined that keel damage had been done when I was hit by another boat while at anchor sailing down from Maine. With good advice from Rick Sands I was directed to City Island, NY, where the boat was transported and has been put in A-1 condition in a great boatyard —Consolidated Yachts. I stayed with Joey and Jim Peace on their lovely farm while arranging all this. Again, friends had come to the rescue and I enjoyed some time quite close to where I grew up! A high school class reunion took me back to DE and a good visit with John and Ellen Hamilton in Dover. The touchstones of our lives become even more meaningful as the years go by.

July11 found me finally back on Shoals Rd. to stay for the summer. The basement guest room was renovated from last fall’s flooding just in time to receive Oscar and Anh Damiani and daughter Kim from Italy! Our AFS son from Gov. TJ High School years had returned and a glorious weekend with many of the family found us cruising on the Katahdin, paddling on Prong Pond, and enjoying hours of chatting and eating around the campfire.  Too few days in Maine this year, but I’m always thankful to return to Shoals Rd.

Little time to sail in the summer, but I did have  a great day aboard Misti and Dan Guerin’s Bristol 35 on Penobscot Bay. After sailing the whole East coast, I still find Maine to be as good as it gets!

Sept. found me in Williamsburg for a Rittenhouse girl cousins first reunion. A grand venue for lots of catching up over too many years, so we have already scheduled a second reunion in Memphis next fall!

Mike came to Maine for a fly fishing week in Sept and to see where it was I live. Eric and Linda came for a weekend of fun and Mike taught her to fly fish. She was a natural and all hoping for more fishing time.

I closed the house in Oct. and drove to NY to visit Dave and Lynn. Foliage across the NE mountains was magnificent. Dave and I drove to Clarkson University to visit Lauren in her new surroundings. From there I came to Reisterstown, MD, the home of Mike and Betsy and my “winter headquarters” between adventures.

I flew to Marsh Harbor, Bahamas, and spent the last two weeks of Oct. on S/V Finesse, Capt. and owner Lloyd Lippe. We had met through Rick Sands. It was as fine a sailing trip as I have ever experienced — lots of sailing. We anchored at Manjack Cay for a week where we met Bill and Leslie who built their home (the only one) 24 yr ago. They shared their bountiful fruit, their knowledge, and their skills teaching us how to open and clean our conchs. In turn we were able to help haul some lumber up the hill for a neighbor who is now building and to go with them to Green Turtle Cay for supplies. Finding the conchs and fixing cracked conch, watching dolphins eating breakfast by the boat, seeing the turtles swim out with the tide, snorkeling, hiking, and taking in the beauty of this paradise was magical. We also sailed south to Lynyard Cay and caught a beautiful 26” mutton red snapper while trolling on our return to Man O War! My last night there and the chef at the Dock ‘n Dine prepared the fish three ways for us to enjoy! And there was still a filet left for Lloyd to eat!

Back to MD on Nov 1 and the next day an invitation to join Ken and Sara Aiken on Tintean to sail from Annapolis to Green Turtle Cay!! We left on the 5^th and motored down the Chesapeake to Norfolk in thick fog. The weather cleared for a nice trip through the locks down the ICW in the Dismal Swamp — a new experience for me. Elizabeth City, the Harbor of Hospitality lived up to its name as we spent the weekend there being entertained by friends of the Aikens. Then to River Dunes, a luxurious marina for 2 nights before going to Oriental, NC, for an annual maintenance check. Unfortunately, the check revealed a number of problems requiring lots of work which closed the window of opportunity for me to continue to the Bahamas and return in time to fly to Alberta, Canada, to spend Christmas with Merryman and family.

I had driven to Aiken, SC, to spend a few days with Larry and Jocelyn and stayed through Thanksgiving. Bloodies and Bagels on the lawn, Blessing of the Hounds, and dinner with friends at the Green Boundary rounded out a festive day. I returned to Oriental to meet Mike and Betsy who would bring me back to MD.

I have enjoyed seeing lots of friends and relatives for lunches and visiting Ginny Stanhagen at her new cottage in Winchester as I prepared for Christmas in Banff. The shopping is done and I fly out tomorrow on Dec. 15 to see the Porters in their home of the next 3-5 years in Edmonton, Alberta, while Stephen works on a project in the tarsand fields.

I thank God every day for giving me the friends and family I have and the strength and energy to enjoy all my adventures.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Tarun

The capt/owner [of the sailboat] has been recovering from surgery since March 15, so I have been aboard alone. It has been an exciting time during which I have also spent a number of days on Spirit of Independence in Key West visiting and sometimes, guest crewing. We begin the sail north around May 1 arriving in Maine in time for granddaughter Tarun’s graduation with two degrees at UNB (Canada). From there I shall be joining a friend to sail the coast of Maine from east to west returning to Bangor for Lauren’s high school graduation. Cameron is the last high school graduate end of June on PEI, Canada.

Tarun

A Hood reception in Sarasota to meet the new president. Fun sharing a table with Martha Allen ’59 and Carol Horwath and Joan Bennett Moran ’58.

 

 

NANCY CURRAN CROWLEY

Hope you are doing well. Age has a way of creeping up on us. We have a few aches and pains but we are still able to move around.  Thank God

Our family has three graduations this year, two college and one high school.  We are only making it to the high school graduation. The others are in Chicago and Boston.

Here we moved from the cold in New Jersey to warm California.  Now our family is moving east to the cold zones.  There is something wrong with this picture.

Last year we were able to take a couple of cruises.  We like it if we don’t have3 to fly.  Fortunately we are able to cruise out of San Pedro.  This time we took a coastal cruise and a Mexican Riviera cruise.  It is so nice to be able to relax and be pampered for a week.

NANCY FLETCHER ARTLETT

Frank Artlett passed away on October 12^th.  We had a Thanksgiving Service on October 15^th so I have buried the two men in my life within a month!  I will probably return to the states and begin the next chapter of my life in Richmond….near two sons.  My third son, who lives in Hungary, will visit next week for three weeks to help me sort out a collection of junk that Frank compiled for decades since he built the house in 1947…..a big job. He was a hoarder. I came here with two suitcases…..will probably need a container to get out of here. My quilting stash is the most important personal property.  I am starting to send boxes of very meaningful items across the Pacific.

Nancy Rogers Huntsinger recently had shoulder surgery. She is a trooper, but this surgery was more than she had anticipated, I think!  Both of us have been cut too many times. The wounds are now talking!!

Frank Artlett

ARTLETT, Frank Arthur
Passed away peacefully at age 94
Late of Riverwood
Loving husband to Nancy and father to Janice, Graham, Stephen and Warren and their families. Forever in our hearts.
A Thanksgiving Service, celebrating Frank’s life will be held at Punchbowl Uniting Church, 11-15 The Broadway, Punchbowl on Thursday 15/10/2015 at 11am. Frank will be privately cremated.

 

 

**********

 

GLORIA FRIEDMAN GREENSPUN

1/4/2016 Here I am again!  Jamie has been working at NBC writing for the show, Chicago PD.  Her name appears in the credits at the beginning, and in big letters it says Producer JAMIE PACHINO.  It should say writer of this episode after that at some point.  The show airs this Wednesday, January 6th at 10:00 P.M. on your NBC channel.

On Tuesday evening (the 5^th) there is Chicago Fire at 9:00 and Chicago MED at 10.  These two shows are running a story this week that will connect to Chicago PD on Wednesday.  BUT!  You don’t need to watch them all.  They each reset their part so you are up on the storyline on Wednesday, and each one can stand alone when it is shown.

Jamie is in Chicago this whole week.  She is on set to be there to consult on the filming of her next segment to be shown soon.  You will be advised!

Thank you again and again for putting up with me.  Many of you have asked for this, and the others were chosen because I think you like Jamie!  In any case, I hope you enjoy the show!

I am happy to inform all of you that Jamie has written the Hallmark Christmas movie this year.  It is being shown this coming Sunday, December 6^th at 8 p.m. EST on the Hallmark station!  It is called The Bridge and is based on the best selling book of the same name by Karen Kingsbury.  Jamie has told me that it is a sweet story and should please a wide audience.

I hope you will be able to watch it, or DVR it.  The Hallmark people liked it enough to have Jamie write a sequel to it for next year!

Hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving festivities and will have a happy holiday season and a New Year filled with good health and good times!

Thanks for putting up with this very proud President.

Gloria

GAYLE HAMILTON BLAKESLEE

6/1/2016 Just back from a perfectly wonderful trip by ship from London to Bergen visiting English southern coast and islands of Ireland and Scotland. Such beautiful gardens.

EDEE HOWARD HOGAN  

Had a most interesting trip to Lima Peru in February fascinating place and on our time zone! March took me to Kauai and a wonderful week on that enchanting Island. I leave tomorrow for a Culinary Adventure in Portugal  First granddaughter is getting married in Wisconsin May 21 so am looking forward to being with all the family. Love the travel and also enjoying all that Washington  DC has to offer.Memorial Day and off to Bethany Beach until end of September- Classmates welcomed!. .

CAROLE JONES ROGERS  Dear Friends, Just home from Olivia’s graduation.  It was great and I thought my friends who have a political bent might be interested in Matt Damon’s Commencement speech;  You can find it on Matt Damon’s web site or MIT website under news MIT.edu.  Boston papers called it bold for the occasion.  One of Olivia’s friends sure did not like the part about our banking system (she is headed to Wall Street).  Anyway, we are very proud of her and her four year record of all A’s and two B’s (pardon the bragging; Olivia would be mortified, but I am a grandmother and she is my only grandchild, so figure I am allowed just this once)  Each department had a reception tent so was nice to meet Olivia’s classmates and their parents at the Civil Engineering, Environmental and Energy Studies.

MARCIA KING WILKE

My husband, Norm, died in February, and I moved in April from assisted living, A222 to independent living, D303, 1500 Catherine Street, WW 99362. Now I have to go back to cooking, although I do occasionally eat in the dining room. Anyone have good recipes for a single person?

I forgot to mention my sister, age 88, died the week before Norm, so her service was in March. I was able to attend that in Westminster, MD.  Our brother, age 91, died last June, but neither of us were able to get to his service in western NY. Luckily, his son and all my sister’s kids, grandkids and great-grandkids were in Westminster so we had a good gathering. My family was unable to attend. That’s what I get for moving all the way across the country!

Norman Wayne Wilke

Born: March 13, 1932
Died: February 18, 2016

Norman W. Wilke, 83, of Walla Walla, died peacefully at home on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016. He was born to the late Charles and Etta Grace Wilke in Troy, Kan.
In the early 1940s the family relocated to Portland. Shortly after graduation from Jefferson High School, he enlisted in the Army and served as a sergeant in the Korean War. After returning from the war, he received his engineering degree from Oregon State University and moved to Walla Walla where he worked as a structural engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for 31 years, retiring in 1989.
Prior to marrying Marcia D. King in 1963, he had two awesome sport cars: a Triumph TR3 and an Alpha Romeo. His love for Marcia, however, surpassed his love of those cars and their sale may be part of the reason he and Marcia had a wonderful marriage of 52 years, resulting in three children and five grandchildren.
Norm is survived by his wife, Marcia. Their living children include Cate Lyon of Walla Walla and Allison (Stuart) Blankenship of Spokane. He is also survived by daughter-in-law, Gwen Wilke and grandchildren Morgana and Maya Wilke of Kenmore, Wash., as well as Caleb, Lilith and Silas Blankenship of Spokane.
Norm was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings and his son, Christopher.
At his request no service will be held. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Heifer International of whose work Norm was especially fond, to Walla Walla Senior Center at the Park for which he delivered Meals on Wheels, or to the charity of your choice.

EMILY RUTH MICHAEL KAHN

Emily Michael Kahn passed away in Kennebunk, Maine, on December 8, 2015, at the age of 79 after battling cancer. She was born on July 23, 1936, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Monroe and Esther Michael. She is survived by her beloved husband, Charles, and her daughter, Maggie Hall (Perry) and her son, Howard Schloss (Debbi). She is the proud grandmother of six; Hallye Hall Perkins (Stephen), Emily Hall Billingsley (Baxter), Michael Schloss, Lindsay Schloss, Gigi Schloss and Matthew Schloss; and one great-grandchild, James Perkins. Emily grew up in Baltimore and New York City, where she attended high school, and after that attended Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. She lived in New Orleans for 42 years and moved permanently to Kennebunk, Maine, in 2005, where she had vacationed for three decades and had a second home. Emily had an indomitable spirit, loved her family, adored to give parties, was passionate about tennis and was an avid fan of the New Orleans Saints and Boston Red Sox. She loved children and dogs. For many years she volunteered at the Children’s Hospital of New Orleans, helping kids suffering from cancer. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 Route 1, Scarborough, Maine, 04074. To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Emily’s Book of Memory Page at www.bibberfuneral.com. Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer Street, Kennebunk, ME 04043.

ANNE MONTESANO KERPSACK ELLIS Sad to hear that Frank Artlett died.  When I was in Australis, he took us all around to his favorite places.

Our Hood College mini-reunion was cancelled this year because of ill husbands, but we keep in touch by phone.

I was blessed to have four families plus Bob Sr. here for Thanksgiving.  Between my house and the Joe Kerpsacks, we were able to accommodate almost everyone. We ordered dinner for 24 from Publix with all the trimmings.  Went to the beach and enjoyed the sun.  All voted to return next year.

I am loving my new home in Emerald Lakes – large rooms, nice yard, close to church and easy to get around.  I swim every day and am looking forward to the garden club, Florida style.

Summer at Conesus Lake found me adding my things to my grandmother’s and mother’s, and I fashioned a family picture wall for posterity.

First Christmas in Florida.  I have reacquainted with Montesano cousins about 1 hour away.  I am staying put because I need some downtime.

JUDY MORELAND GRANGER

A little news, mainly about our summer travels.  Eleven of our family gathered last Saturday evening to share in celebrating our 57th anniversary–a blind date at Hood that went really well–thanks, Jan Knecht ?? (name now).  We leave after July 4, heading for a Granger family reunion on Lake Michigan, stopping on the way to be with my aunt and uncle in Delaware, Ohio, as they celebrate his 94th birthday.  He was a lucky young Lafayette grad, “90 day wonder” as they called them in the Navy, scheduled, before the bombs dropped and the war ended, to be part of the invasion of Japan.  We’ll spend some time while we’re there with Carole Jones Rogers.  In late August we head to the mountains of North Carolina to spend a week with my brother and sister-in-law in their summer home there–they escaping the Florida heat and we the Texas!   On the way we’re spending a day at the WWII museum in New Orleans–everyone says it’s amazing.

JOANNE PEPER MILNOR

I just finished “screening” (for artifacts) at an archaeology dig in Surfside Beach, SC @ the Ark Plantation. And the Long Bay Symphony Season has ended & so has my volunteering there. All will pick-up again in July. And so I have a brief period of time to catch up on house maintenance & yard work. My brother will visit in June and then I will river cruise in the fall, Switzerland, Germany and, France, followed by a visit to friends in Spain. Life is good in South Carolina.  Jo Peper Milnor

JEANNETTE PHELPS

J.P. enjoyed reading The Peabody Sisters.  “My winter will be enriched by the author Margaret Fuller and more mid-19^th-century women.  And a quart of vegan tomato & eggplant soup is in my fridge – cures all colds.  J.P. says hi to everyone.

MYRA SILBERSTEIN GOLDGEIER 5/2/2016 has moved to a retirement community, The Forest at Duke in Durham, NC.  Myra said she wanted to be near one of her children, close to a good medical facility, and close to an airport.  She found all three stipulations and is in a roomy 2-bedroom cottage as of 4/27/16.

MARY-LOU TROUT HADDAD suffered a broken pelvis last winter, which really slowed her down for a while.  She loves to read and appreciates suggestions.  She also finds Facebook very entertaining.  Mary-Lou and Charles recently attended a granddaughter’s college graduation.

CAROLYNNE VEAZEY LATHROP

Well, I get email AND Facebook so clearly I have no excuse for being late with class news.  But it will be early for next time!

I just got back last week from a week at my son Nathaniel’s near Boston. I went then in order to see my grandchildren, Kierthan, 14, and Annika, 12, in the fall play of the Concord Youth Theatre,  “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”  Annika was in the chorus and Kierthan was Pharaoh, which meant he had to impersonate Elvis.  Thanks to Youtube he was able to research Elvis’ style.  I was also able to see Nathaniel play cello in the New Hampshire Orchestra, both in rehearsal and in concert.  The soloist was  a very good violinist, Jennifer Koh.

Nathaniel will also be playing in the pit orchestra for the New Hampshire Ballet (Manchester) performance of The Nutcracker in the coming weeks.  Any of you in New England might want to add that to your Christmas activities, as I’m sure it will be delightful.  Last year I saw the Boston Ballet’s version, as Nathaniel was playing with them at the time.

Since I am working only two days a week at the University of Dubuque, I can go a little more often to visit my New England family, but for a shorter time, since I don’t have any vacation days.  My younger son, Toby, lives in Madison, Wis., and surprisingly I see less of him than my New England contingent.

I’m going back to a physical therapist again for a few sessions trying to correct a balance problem.  I think it is caused by medications so I’m not sure what they can do, but I want to avoid falling.  It has been three years since I was diagnosed with celiac disease so I’ve pretty much adjusted to the gluten-free diet, though I have been known to cheat.  When I started eating gluten-free my supermarket had almost nothing, but now they have a variety of products.

Anne, I hope you are recovering from you ankle injury and getting around better.  And I hope every one else reading this is well, too.

JOAN VICTOR BOOS

May 4, 2016

I’m writing from my hotel room in Johannesburg SA where I am currently staying while my husband, John, is recovering from a fall while on safari in Kasone, Botswana. We had him med-Flighted to Milpark hospital here for treatment.  He suffered a subdural hematoma and concussion.  He is recovering and we are waiting to hear from his travel insurance about plans to fly him home to Columbus, OH.  He is slowly improving and is currently stable enough to travel. He is not a happy camper!

Fortunately our son is with us and is helping me since this side trip was not on our itinerary.  We hope to leave within a week and our son will return to his family in Lusaka, Zambia.

I hope that the next time I write things are better.  Joan Boos

May 5, 2016

Things changed yesterday. John became unresponsive and they did an emergency CT scan and found out he had developed a chronic subdural hematoma which can occur after a head injury.  Pressure from fluids while the injury is healing build up and have to be released. They operated yesterday afternoon and removed the clot and liquid build up. He was still sedated when we left yesterday and will be for another day. He will have to remain there in ICU until he shows improvement then moved to another ward. In other words, he will be there for another three weeks.  Fortunately our son and daughter-in-law are with us. I would be floundering without them.  Plans are, my son will fly home to Lusaka on Sunday and Katrina will stay with me until his return the following weekend. They have two young children,11&13, at home and both work.

Regards to all and keep John who many of you know in your prayers.

6/16/16  We arrived home on Sat. Jun 11 and John was admitted to the hospital for evaluation. He was transferred to Ohio Health Rehabilitation Hospital on Tues and is in an intense rehab program probably for 2 weeks or to be determined.  He improves every day. Our daughter and her family arrived yesterday.

Thanks to all the Hoodlums who sent prayers and good wishes.

SUE WILSON OFFICER

Am missing all my friends on the East Coast.  My back is not getting any better & keeps me pretty much at home.  Changes from day to day.  Am trying everything but nothing has helped so far.

ANNE WILSON HEUISLER

I had a pretty rough winter, beginning last fall with a broken ankle from Ambien-induced sleepwalking, falling down seven steps.  My sister moved in to help me until I could handle the stairs.  Then she had knee surgery, and it was my turn to help her.  But she didn’t recover.  Something mysterious affected her mentally, as well as recurrence of chronic digestive complications, and her condition deteriorated until she died on December 19, 2015.  Carole Jones Rogers arrived a few hours after Jeannette died.  She spent the night here on her way to her daughter, Caroline’s on the Eastern Shore.  Carole was a great comfort to me.  I was devastated.  Jeannette and I did so much together, especially in the years since Phil died.  She had worked on writing a memoir for years.  I found it on her computer and added an epilogue and produced a pdf copy as well as a printed copy.  It is really a wonderful story, a narrative of her life and family as well as the story of our parents and extended family.  It is a priceless gift to all who loved her.  I recommend that we all follow Jeannette’s example and try to write our stories.

ANNE WILSON HEUISLER

6102 BUCKINGHAM MANOR DRIVE

BALTIMORE, MD 21210

410 377 5026; aheuisler@comcast.net

 

2015

Sarah Tapscott
301-807-7821
st12@hood.edu

It’s been a whole year, can you believe it?!  What a crazy and life-changing year it’s been doing so many great things all over the world.  Here’s what some of us have been up to:  James Sola began working as a contractor for Elanco where he has been developing both existing and new enzymatic assays.  Emily Eckard completed her first year of graduate school and will start full time fieldwork at Manor Care Pittsburgh in January 2017.  She is doing a Masters of Occupational Therapy program at Chatham University.  Adam Bir is a Financial Advisor with AXA Advisors in Buffalo, New York and lives in Tonawanda, New York.  Aaron Bowen-Ziecheck has been living in Lancaster, England while studying for his Masters degree in Information Technology and Management at Lancaster University.  He hopes to return to the US after graduating and start a career with an IT company.  Julianne Berg is currently finishing up her service year with AmeriCorps in South Carolina. Since August 2015 she has been working as a VISTA with the Palmetto Project and serving as their volunteer and story bank coordinator.  She finds the work to be extremely rewarding and wants to continue to work for non-profits in the future.  Andrew Musick started working in HIV research in a NIH/NCI lab at Fort Detrick.  He currently works in the Translational Research Unit within the HIV dynamics and replication program (HIV-DRP).  In May 2017 he plans on presenting his work in the 2017 HIV Dynamics and Evolution conference in Scotland.  Chelsea Rudy has been a long-term Special Education Substitute at Oakdale Elementary in Frederick County. She has not started graduate school but plans to pursue it in the near future.  Heidi Marino is currently a graduate assistant and in the ladder portion of her Masters degree program at Shippensburg University studying Communications with an emphasis in Strategic Public Relations.  Her Masters thesis focuses on the use of public relations to increase brand visibility for a fashion-based 501(c)3 nonprofit in connection with the Shippensburg University Foundation.  Stephanie Kelley graduated from University of Maryland, Baltimore County with a Masters in Social Work and a concentration in clinical behavioral health in July 2016. Stephanie is now employed as a Masters level clinician at an outpatient substance abuse treatment facility.  For a few months, Cody Lopez was substitute teaching but recently became a National Park Service Ranger for Catoctin Mountain Park in Thurmont, Maryland.  Russell Melendez works for the city of Baltimore as an Operations Technician Apprentice.  He’s responsible for keeping all the pumping stations and storm drains operational and keeping track of the amount of water being pumped daily.  He says, “life is great!”  Herman Cohee married Christine Carter ’14 in May of 2015 and celebrated their first year anniversary this past May.  He works for Amazon at the Fulfillment Center in Middletown, Delaware.  Maja Tavra got married and is now Mrs. Mendes. After graduation she traveled to California and Turkey and is learning the Turkish language.  She works with NCR in her home country of Serbia.  She lives in Belgrade but plans on coming back to the USA by the end of the year.  Naeisha Palmer is a kindergarten teacher in the Cape Henlopen School District in Delaware and recently bought her first home.  Alex Bodroghy began medical school at the prestigious St. Georges University in Grenada in January 2016 and loves every minute.  Jena Stone spent this past summer walking from Georgia to Maine. In April, Jena (trail name, Skittles) set out from Springer Mountain in Georgia to walk all 2189.1 miles of the Appalachian Trail with the hopes of reaching Mount Katahdin in late September.  Natalie Guerra has been working as an accountant for a small business in Alexandria, Virginia.  In a year she will be getting married to her fiancé Joey Maltais.  This fall she will begin classes to obtain her CPA.  Samuel Lopez started working in Frederick Community College’s Library and their Tutoring & Writing Center in April and gave a presentation on Frederick’s churches at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in August.  I, Sarah Tapscott am still Publicity Chair for the Choral Arts Society of Frederick and instructing local color guards.  In November 2015 I was promoted to Operations Lead for a 4-part corporation but I’m actively looking for opportunities in the event management industry.  I’m also beginning graduate school soon!  Keep an eye for my e-mails, send me your updated info, and keep doing great things 2015!

 

 

2011

Megan Dancause
717-285-7056
mdancause@comcast.net

It’s hard to believe that it has been five years since the class of 2011 left Hood College. What isn’t hard to believe is that the class continues to achieve and strive for great things. The class of 2011 has been keeping busy, as usual. LT Shane Brady, fighter pilot in the US Navy, is attached to the world famous VFA-151 Vigilantes providing a blanket of freedom while deployed on the USS John C Stennis (CVN-74) in the Western Pacific.  LT Brady flies the Navy’s premier Strike Fighter aircraft, the F/A-18E Super Hornet. Kayla Murphy Caw married Matthew Caw in October 2015 at Shade Trees and Evergreens in Frederick, MD. Sarah Johnston Comer, M.B.A,’14 earned a Master’s of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Human Resources from Hood College in May 2014 and was inducted into the Delta Mu Delta business honor society. She began a career in Records Management in November 2014 and married Matthew Comer in September 2015 amid the beauty of the New York Adirondack Mountains. Juliana Eaton Cooney and her husband are expecting their first child this fall, a girl due October 5^th. Megan Dancause earned her Master’s in Business Administration from Lebanon Valley College in May 2016. Lauren Dods is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree at UMUC for Management, with a specialization in Emergency Management. Jessica Miller Kehler married Garrett Kehler on November 7, 2015. In attendance were Hood graduates Jennie Huntoon ’10, Katie Bergin ’09, Maggie Paulk ’11, Anna Kovacsics ’15, Stephanie Hanthorne Miller, M.A.’14, Ashley Eaton ’10, and James Taylor ’12. Eve Maryn relocated to Phoenix, Arizona where she has been teaching kindergarten for almost a year. Whitney Plummer has been working at Experient-inc for three years and is getting married in October 2016. Emily Cucchi Raines and her husband purchased a home and moved back to Frederick. Emily also accepted a new job working as a Marketing Manager for a Cloud-based IT company. Reco Siler, M.S.’16, C’16 earned his Master’s in Information Technology with a Cyber-security certificate. He has been working at ORACLE as a Support Analyst for three years. Victoria Utoh ’10 was recently accepting into the PhD program at Seton Hall University where she will be studying higher education. Victoria will begin this fall!

2010

Ali Kelley
410-531-1108
aekelley06@gmail.com

Ashley Eaton started a new job as an accountant at LTBD, PC. She graduated in June from George Mason University with a M.S. in Accounting.

2008

Megan Phillips Rosier
megankrosier@gmail.com
mkp11@hood.edu

Sarah Haney Koons
240-520-6523
sjh6@hood.edu

There must be something in the air for the Class of 2008. There is a lot of happy wedding, baby and career news to share! Charly Mulligan married Bethany Culler on October 2, 2015. Charly and Bethany currently live in Hagerstown with their daughter Katelyn. Jennell Washington Lowry and her husband welcomed baby girl Alyssa on September 11, 2015. Marjorie Bodrogi Musary married Michael Musary, Jr. on May 16, 2015 in Reisterstown, MD. The newlyweds currently live in Prospect Heights, IL. Stephanie Garrett Soukup, M.D., recently finished as Chief Resident in Pediatrics at Sinai Hospital, and she will be starting as a primary care pediatrician in Olney, MD. Stephanie and her husband Andy had a baby girl in December. Candice Pfiester Moreland is working at Berkeley Family Medicine and Urgent Care as a PA. She has two beautiful little girls. Megan Tooker is working full time as a case manager at Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa, FL. It is a transitional housing program/shelter for homeless families. Megan will also be starting the Masters of Social Work program at the University of South Florida in August. Ashley Sirtautas Murphy, M.A.’11, C’10 and husband Justin, current Computational Science student at Hood, welcomed Ryker Madden Murphy to the family on January 16. Ryker was 7lbs, 5 oz and 20 inches long. The whole family is doing well. Amanda Jimenez Alley and her husband Patrick have been moving around; Boston, to MD to Maine, and finally settled in Rollinsford, NH with their two beautiful boys. Amanda keeps busy working part-time at the town library, blogging for two websites (Fit4Mom and Seacoast Mom’s Blog), and keeps active in several local mom’s groups. Patrick rehabs old mill buildings as the project manager for a local contracting company. Amanda’s godmother, Mari Padilla Spina ’86 was recently at Hood for her reunion and made Amanda so nostalgic that she is ready to come back! April Street Der had a busy spring. She graduated from Loyola University on May 21^st with a Masters in Counseling Psychology. On June 17, 2016 she married Anthony Der in Elkridge, MD. Malissa “Mal” Lamont Petterson wrote a stage play entitled, The 800th Annual Salvation Swing-Off. After their premiere run in Madison, WI, it was accepted to the New York International Fringe Festival in August. This is her third show produced in Madison, with the fourth due to hit the stage in 2017. As for me, Megan Phillips Rosier, I am still enjoying my full-time career as an Accountant for FMH, but I also decided to take up a 2^nd job as a Zumba instructor. Thanks for sharing all of your news and have a fantastic summer!