Sayre Roney Steere
850-233-0238
sayre1126@gmail.com

Once again, unsolicited, I received an email from Esther Kofod Whitfield, who is practically a neighbor of mine in nearby Tallahassee, Fla. She reminded me that she was one of four “foreign” students at Hood in 1965. She transferred to the Corcoran School of Art in 1967 where she met her future husband, The Libyan, which is the title of her new book. In it she tells of her 5 years in Libya during the horrific years of Ghaddafi’s rule. The book in many ways is a memoir, with actual events, accurately chronicling Libya’s historical and political facts. She has since divorced and is now happily married to Ron Whitfield, a chiropractor. Esther has a son and a daughter and two grandchildren (her time at Hood, by the way, is mentioned in Chapter 2). Another published author is Valerie Dietz Polansky. She recently wrote Quick Review Cards for Medical Laboratory Science as well as updated a previous medical publication. She claims now to be fully retired allowing time for her and Gary to travel in their motorhome. Year 2014 found them visiting the Canadian Maritimes––Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Carolyn “Kip” Cantagalli Dumaresq is also officially retired from the position of secretary of education of the Pennsylvania Dept. of Education–after 45 years in the education system! She and her husband have purchased a new log home on 14+ acres with a pool and a training center for their three Border Collies whom Kip shows in agility. Meredith Owen Atkinson and husband George are both retired allowing them to spend a couple of months each year visiting their daughter and family in Truckee, Calif., and their son in Park City, Utah where the cross-country skiing has been fabulous. Meredith continues to teach a literature class in her hometown of Norwell, Mass. Sue Korff Hammer continues to raise alpacas and drive around in her ’64 GTO convertible! Mary Anne Thune Lasko gets together occasionally with Joy McGinnis, both of whom were stunned at some of the changes on the old college campus. Virginia Pagan Schragel is pleased to announce she has been breast cancer free for five years. Life is good for her and her family. Jill Stanley checked in from Alaska with news that her daughter Rayna Green in her 5th year of studying sacred music at Hebrew Union College will be ordained as a (Jewish) cantor in May. Jill is the director of the local Reform synagogue choir and spends a great deal of time dancing–square dancing, round dancing and Israeli folk dancing. Bettina Smith Tucker has endured a couple of life-changing events recently. She lost her husband Hal almost two years ago and in April 2014 she retired from her 15-year position as a woman’s advocate and court advocate for victims of domestic violence in the midcoast region of Maine. Last summer she managed to coax roomie Sharon MacDonald Sayles from her summer home in the Adirondacks on Gull Pond to visit Tina’s summer home on the Maine coast in Round Pond–a big reunion after 7 years. Speaking of “roomies,” my dear friend Cindy Kannapel Weiss and husband Glenn are about to embark on a cruise through the Hawaiian Islands–a somewhat belated 45th anniversary celebration. Cindy won’t have to wait long upon her return for the birth of her third grandchild! All is well with me, Sayre Roney Steere, here in the Florida Panhandle. I’m winding up my stint as a district director within the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs with one more obligation ahead of me–a convention in Boca Raton in April. Last summer we traveled out west, visiting daughter Joan and family in Seattle – with a camping side-trip to the Orcas Islands, then on to Palo Alto, Calif., to see daughter Doris. The West Coast crowd all came here for Christmas, making this Grandma mighty happy.

Out of the blue, even before sending out my plea for news, I heard from Karen Wagner. I have fond (and not so fond) memories of our days in Mr. Sprigg’s Music 101 class Freshman year – yet she went on to great things in the field while I basically sing in the church choir. In January she retired from a 42-year administrative career in higher education in the performing arts, the last 35 years at The Juilliard School as VP and Dean of Academic Affairs. Karen is amazed at how her career path took shape following our Hood College days. Administration was not something she sought out, however in December she was surprised to receive the Julliard President’s Medal (for service to the arts), reassuring her that it was a worthwhile journey. The question now is where to spend this next chapter of life…east coast or west?” Karen attended our Reunion and was pleased to spend some quality time with Gail (Mullison) Osburn, as well as congratulate Carolyn (Kip Cantagalli) Dumaresq, Secretary of Education for Pennsylvania, on her being chosen the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award. Kip writes that “we are an exceptional group of women and we look great.” Also at the reunion was Marty (Silcox) Hankins who regaled over the beauty of the campus. She is 3 years from retiring from her teaching position at Odyssey. She and Ken just celebrated 43 years of marriage and delight in their 4 grandchildren ages 4 to 10. Marty recently reconnected with Libby (Miller) Jacobs during Libby’s trip to Baltimore. Sue (Korff) Hammer and roommate Mary Louise (Wittkowski) O’Brien were pleased to meet up with Sue (Barncord) Rinker and Ellen Kiel at the reunion, and toured the campus, the new sports complex behind Coblentz and parts of Frederick we never appreciated 45 years ago. Also in attendance was Cheryl (Brown) Dreiling who is pleased to report we have fully funded the endowed scholarship we started back at our 40th. Sharon (MacDonald) Sayles checked in from Halfmoon, NY where she and her husband, John, recently built a townhouse, now only 1 hour from their grandchildren, ages 10 and 12. She regularly mentors at their school. The Sayles just returned from a river cruise in France and a reunion with friends in Paris. They spend their summers in the Adirondacks. Chris (Lundt) Lambertus and her husband are “addicted” to river cruises and took one to Portugal in April. Next on their “bucket list” is one from Budapest to Bucharest and Transylvania. On a sad note, John Eaton writes the his wife Audrey (Penny) Karr passed away November 4th following a short illness. Nancy (Roe) Hebdon and her husband, Fred, welcomed a new grandson, Andrew Luksis, on March 9th. A few days later, on March 25th, son Charles and his wife presented Cindy (Kannapel) Weiss with her first grandson, William. Fortunately the little guy lives nearby so Cindy gets lots of snuggle time. Cindy and Glenn make frequent trips to Marco Island, FL and their annual summer vacation to Cape Cod is again on the agenda. Mary Anne (Thune) Lasko and Joel have retired, selling Washington Photocopy after 44 years in business. They will be moving into an apartment in a retirement community with outstanding amenities. Their daughter lives in Aspen, CO and their son and family (3 grandchildren) are in Bethesda, MD. Life is good for Sarah Jane (Snyder) Raffety – no news to report, but she wants to say “a cheerful Hello to all classmates, and wish everyone a happy summer.” Carole (Downing) Staton and Roy took advantage of son Andrew’s brief TDY at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma to visit him. Andrew’s wife remained back at Kadena AFB in Okinawa where they are stationed. Grandson Austin is 2 ½ and lives close by. I, Sayre (Roney) Steere and husband Dave are getting used to the “friendly skies” between here (Panama City Beach, FL) and Seattle, where daughter Joan and her 3 little girls live. We were there at Christmas, with a side trip to a ski resort in Bend, OR. Dave and I were content to observe from the warmth of the chalet while the family hit the slopes. We’ll return again this summer, this time to go camping with them, then stop off to visit daughter Doris in Palo Alto, CA.

Carolyn Cantagalli Dumaresq was recently promoted to Acting Secretary of Education for Pennsylvania, capping off 45 years in education. In her spare time she shows Border Collies in agility. Christine Lundt Lambertus suffered a broken foot in May, but despite the inconvenience of a “boot” managed to travel to Ireland and Scotland with her husband and their church group. Also in Ireland over the summer, meeting with local Ingoldsbys and genealogists, was Joanne Ingoldsby Peters. Penney Weatherby Brown and husband John are involved in a major remodeling of their master BR and bath. In July they attended the Grapehound Wine Festival at Seneca Lake, NY. Sadly she reports that Libby Marckwardt Oliver had a stroke in September. She is now home but faces vascular surgery in the near future. Marty Silcox Hankins continues to teach at the Odyssey School for children with language-based learning difficulties. As a sideline she and her husband have a pottery business in Hampstead – see www.shilohpottery.com. Maureen Clancy is still focused on her website “Matters of Taste” as well as occasional freelancing. Both sons joined her and husband T for a trip to Spain in early summer. From there she and T traveled to Germany and Poland in search of information on his long lost grandparents. See www.maureenclancy.com/2013/06/looking-for-a-good-meal-finding-a-lost-grandpa.html. Jill Stanley, who lives in Alaska, takes the prize for the busiest August. Her daughter was married in Portland, OR on Aug. 4 and her husband’s daughter tied the knot in Savannah, GA a week later! Nancy vom Eigen Rasmussen writes that she and 4 classmates – Sandra Jung Vrem, Nancy Roe Hebdon, Martha Mulford Gray, Linda Stockdale Warren plus Linda Walls Bradley (70), and assorted husbands, including Guy Gray ( ) had a mini- Hood reunion (their 8th) at an historic farmhouse on Whidbey Island, WA. in late August. Despite battling a rare autoimmune disease for which there is no cure Carol Wyman Harris continues working part-time in non-profit fundraising. In addition she and her daughter create handcrafted greeting cards, seasonal décor and gifts. See her website at www.ccuniquecreations.wix.com. Christine Diehl retired from teaching after 37 years and is now an adjunct professor at a community college in New Haven, CT. Punkie Van Wert VanAs had a nice visit with Ginny Williams Confer when she was in Jacksonville for a horse show. Both Libby Markwardt Oliver and Penney Weatherby Brown visited with Sue Korff Hammer at her farm and were quite comfortable around her alpacas. Sue and three other former Terrace House residents – Mary Louise Wittkofski O’Brien, Debbie Dick Holbert, and Barb Hoagland Ziegler got together at Sue Taylor Shoch’s cottage overlooking Swan Pond in Dennisport (Cape Cod.) They were joined by Ruth Conger Crespi (’67). Following retirement Bonnie Martin Plankey and her husband Frank spent 6 weeks in Australia and New Zealand. Then health issues intervened – a cardiac ablation procedure for Bonnie and kidney failure for Frank. He had a kidney transplant in September and is now doing well. Travels can resume. They have great support from their 2 sons and 4 grandchildren. Since Sarah Jane Snyder Raffety’s husband retired, she has been discovering how to manage a serious back problem with therapy, water aerobics and traction. Ginny Monaco Hatfield has turned into a professional volunteer following retirement from political life a decade ago, primarily maintaining a one person immigration consulting firm in LA. She and husband Paul have a vacation home on Lake Tahoe’s North Shore. Daughter Jeni has moved back to LA. Pat Warren Carlson welcomed second granddaughter, Lauren, to the family Oct. 21st. She delights in early morning day-care of big sister Brooke. Though retired, Pat still teaches master’s and doctoral classes at Delaware State Univ. Carol Crofoot Hayes recently had her daughter Lisa and one-year-old twin granddaughters visit with her in Bluffton, SC. Since the spring she’s traveled to the South of France, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Ireland, and the Pacific Northwest. Cynthia Werner Biber recently graduated from Seton Hall Univ. and has worked at the Frick Collection in NYC for 9 years. She has 3 children and 2 “greats.” I Sayre Roney Steere am enjoying my new position as Asst. District II Director within the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, although it entails frequent trips to Orlando for meetings. Both daughters and 3 granddaughters flew in for a visit from the West Coast in June. Dave and I had a grand time exploring Steamboat Springs, CO in August.