Special guest editor Joy Engle Demas agreed to do her magic as an English major and craft this version of our class news so I could get ready for my adventure trip to New Zealand between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Many thanks, Joy, from Lynn MacDonough Morrow! News focused on appreciation of our 50th reunion (“fabulous” was frequently employed) and reports of the 50th class reunions of spouses, 50th wedding anniversaries and the Sandy super storm. Arden Moore Reynolds and husband celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Europe rather than at the Hood reunion. Once home, Arden discovered from “Barbi’s Beautiful Book” that Ethel Kintigh Spence lives only 40 minutes away and made plans to meet her (after 50 years) for lunch in November.

Two couples, Mike and Matile West Hugo and Penny Misirian Mardoian and Art celebrated their 50th anniversaries in Maine in August, while Judy Hammond Blatchford and Parker, complete with children and grandchildren, celebrated their anniversary on an Alaskan expedition in June. Jean Lenhart Golden, who introduced Mike and Teal, made a fine speech at their celebration, and Penny and Art’s son Richard and wife Christine hosted the party for them on a beautiful evening. Reports of the Sandy super storm were written by classmates awaiting her, in the midst of her, and after she had moved on. Beth Davis Pauley wrote after preparing for Sandy, “The boat is in the garage, kayaks and sailboat are in the basement, porch furniture in the garage and basement. Firewood on the porch and the fireplace set for use. I have a 16-feet deep, 10-foot wide sink hole on the bank in the front yard; we will see what happens with that.” Beth, we need an update! Jane Hoskins Bollman, Judi Simonsen Ziobro and Joy Engle Demas survived in Maryland with heavy winds and rain; Penny Mardoian reported trees down, no water and seven days without power. Rusty Papst Houghland and Bill may be winners of Hood’s Sandy survivors circle (although we have not received Beth’s final report). They debarked in New York on Sandy weekend after an anniversary and Rusty’s birthday trip on the Queen Mary 2, then fled Penn Station “with what appeared to be millions of others.” Awaiting them in their driveway at home in Saybrook, Conn., was a fireman with a mandatory evacuation order. They battened down the hatches within the allotted two hours and took refuge in Worcester, Mass. Thankfully, their home is not damaged; we hope other classmates were as fortunate.

Regina Schlank Pyle wrote that she, Liz Decker Rogers and Jody Merritt Watson stayed at Beth Pauley’s prior to the reunion and had the opportunity to see Beth’s more than 600 quilts. For Regina, special treats were Sara Zimmerman’s sermon at the chapel service and spending time after the reunion with her little sister, Sandy Borrelli Ricci ’64 and her husband. Regina spent five weeks in her home in southern France this past summer with Monty, her rescue cairn terrier accompanying her. Phoebe Adams Marshall, Debbie Warner McPhail and Pam Roberts Welham all attended their husbands’ 50th reunion at the U.S. Naval Academy in September 2012. Walt Welham was co-chair of the event. Pam reported “a very busy five days.” Phoebe visited with Gail Higgins Bosser’s widower and other family members who attended with him. Two weeks after the Hood reunion, Lillian Detrick Blood and Dave attended his 50th Amherst reunion but their travels did not wreak havoc with Dave’s garden. Lillian said the veggies were abundant and she took baskets of them to the office to share with patients. A short-term job with Erie County Senior Services in Sandusky, Ohio, finds Carol Belstra Lloyd still there eight years later and enjoying sailing and sailboat races, although she travels home frequently to her house in Lemont, Pa. Carol has five sons and was heading to San Diego to visit the newest granddaughter. She wonders how many of us are, like her, still working.

Barbara Arthur Pretzsch, she of “Barbie’s Beautiful Book,” writes that they spent last summer working in a campground and recreation center, one near Sally Hensen and Susan Henson Trotto with whom she was able to visit. Barbara Kirby Stewart celebrated her mother’s 99th birthday in Florida. Betty Wright had her second knee replacement on Aug. 14 and feels “so much better.” Like Nancy Turner Hecksher, Betty wrote to thank everyone who worked to contribute to the success of the reunion. Nancy and Betty, we thank you for the hard work, but especially for the memories.

Class Reporter:

Hurricane Sandy flooding did not reach Kathy Baum Wolpe’s block in Lower Manhattan, but the electricity was off for a week, and luckily she was able to stay elsewhere. She visited Montego Bay in late August for the wedding of a nephew and spent Thanksgiving in Colorado Springs with her brother. Sandy Murphy Schmidt and Bob continue to weather the storms of life, including Hurricane Sandy. They got to see the cave paintings in Altamira on a great tour of Northern Spain and Portugal. Back in the U.S., they danced to the “oldies” at her 55th Phillipsburg High School reunion (I did the same with my friend Douglas at my 55th Altoona High School reunion in September). Sandy and Jeanette Phelps ’59 juggle volunteer hours and doctor’s appointment’s so that they can take advantage of all Baltimore has to offer.

Vivian Bruckel Harvey spent five weeks in India with a USAID program that involved visiting three agricultural colleges in two low-income areas. The hospitality of the students and faculty members was wonderful as was the scenery, especially the sight of a full moon over the River Ganges. On Dec. 19, she planned to return to Guatemala for four months, working with Mayan families and hosting three groups from the United States for 10 days each. If anyone wants information on traveling to Guatemala or would like to visit her there, you may contact her at www.vivianharvey.com. Hilda Koontz wrote that she and Spencer are immersed in Civil War sesquicentennial events. After spending two weeks at Antietam events, they were headed for Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 7-9. Next year will be the big events at Gettysburg, Pa. They were filmed at Harpers Ferry, W.Va., as part of the film The Men Who Built America. She is very happy because of the birth of her first granddaughter; she already has three grandsons. From the responses this time, it looks like a lot of us devote time to our grandchildren.

Muff Wright Peterson wrote that she lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland not far from her childhood home and midway between her children and five grandchildren ranging in age from 24 years to 12 weeks old. She remarked that she has such wonderful memories of our 50th reunion. Phyllis Alligretti Panico reported that she has retired from Astra Zeneca and the G.W. faculty and is now living in a senior community; she likes it very much. She has had some health problems but it has not kept her from interacting with her eight grandchildren, playing bridge, tennis and attending Bible study, plus writing articles for a local digest. Hope Paulson Carmen is also enjoying her granddaughters and said they are as different as day and night. Fran McCauley King reported that she is still the director of the pre-school at her church in Lancaster, Pa. Her husband of two years, John, and she sing in the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Chorus and enjoy seeing friends. Her son who lives near Richmond, Va., (Ashland) teaches advanced placement American history and has two daughters, ages 12 and 14. Her daughter and husband live in Connecticut and planned to move into a new home in the middle of December.

Anne Grenfell reported that her granddaughter Jenna is enjoying life at Widener Univ., in Chester, Pa., and her grandsons, Jeffery and Gunnar, are doing well in school and extracurricular activities. She has really started to write in earnest, a nonfiction book about her life with her husband Pasco. She plans on finishing it and getting it published next year. She is tutoring elementary students in math and English, does yoga and Pilates, Zumba dancing and of course, ballroom dancing with Michael. She certainly has the energy level to be envious of! Our condolences go out to Marilyn King Jessen who lost her beloved husband George in August. They had been married for nine years and had enjoyed many wonderful trips. She is thankful that her son now lives close to her in Virginia Beach. She also reported that Jan Bettman Leslie and Dave have moved to Des Moines, Iowa, to be close to their son and family. Marilyn enjoyed having lunch with Jan while she was living in Williamsburg, Va. Well, I, Doretta Ruggles Allison, plan to move five houses up the street into my renovated home in January. Everything will be new except for the brick walls and the foundation. I will have a dream kitchen that I designed and a lovely sunroom in the treetops and many other upgrades. After I get settled in, I will issue an invitation for you all to visit!

Class Reporter:

Ginger Gudebrod Smith is doing fine in Bartow, Fla., since recovering from a stroke four years ago. She reads a lot as a book club member. Like many, Ginger admits she has her iPad mini on all day. With motherly pride, Ginger relates that son John has finished writing his third book. He must have his mother’s genes! A chat with Ruth Bovier Witt revealed she swapped her home economics degree to become an elementary teacher. Amazing! She belongs to a sewing group where her sewing talents go to charity. Bo has traveled to China, Israel and Egypt. Marty Evans Marcello and family own a family camp in Maine, but live in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. She said autumn is truly beautiful there. She has two daughters who live 20 minutes away! A third daughter lives in California.

Enjoying life for 23 years in North Carolina is Carol Eilerts Geney. She excels in basketry and started when her daughter wanted baskets for her wedding. These are art baskets. Earlier, Carol had her own business designing bridal gowns and designed for a fabric drapery store. A most creative person! Jean Crabb lives in Westminster, Md. She is now a retired high school teacher. She swims three days a week and plays golf. Jean does a lot of babysitting for family and helps her sister who has cancer. Jean told me that Berta Lou Pocock Dietz lives in Alaska now. Jean goes to visit her. Sally Corbin Rogers is actively selling her art work at shows and in galleries in Wisconsin where she has lived for 40 years. She has won a few awards and her favorite art pieces are created in water colors, pastels and block prints. She enjoys her two sons and grandchildren who live nearby. Ginger Button Larkins is now known as “Ginny.” She lives in Seattle with “an olde dog” who likes to hike and explore. Ginny is a super volunteer for the homeless shelter where she serves food once a week. She also delivers food to the elderly/infirmed for the Food Bank. She previously worked with a Sudanese family once a week to facilitate their adjustment to the United States.

Ellen Perry Croll is my closest Hood pal in nearby Tucson, Ariz. She is my friend, philosopher and guide while I am adjusting to the great Southwest. She was elated that her son and family were coming from Utah. Living on a small lake with a walking path outside her door, Betsy Gillespie Parrish enjoys a new community in Winnebago, Ill. She recently went on a nature conservancy trip off the coast of Georgia with Phyllis Scarborough Hoyer. To relax, Betsy reads detective books, paints floral watercolors and quilts. After living three years in Frederick County, Md., Floy Miller headed north to Massachusetts. She lived in a Boston condo, purchased a vineyard home, and taught French. Then the travel bug bit Floy. She has traveled to Amsterdam and knows Paris streets better than Boston. She has also visited the Baltic States, South Africa and Namibia. When home, Floy swims five days a week, and bikes or kayaks. She also reads and enjoys cooking.

This fall Jean Ford Joseph returned to Hood and was awed by the many new buildings. Jean did reach her Hood career goal: teaching the deaf for 40 years at the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford, Conn. Currently, the book club and knitting club are Jean’s primary interests. She also visits Cape Cod frequently and her four grandchildren in Ohio. Jean maintains contact with Elise Quintard who lives outside of D.C. in Maryland. Sadly, Judy Purcell Cotter lost her son to cancer. The class of 1960 is sad with and for Judy.

I, Fran Fisher LaCroix, had a wonderful Peace Corps reunion in Ethiopia with my Peace Corps volunteer teacher group of 1962-64. I taught 10th grade English in Debre Berhan, Ethiopia, for two years. Those students returned to teach in their home provinces. Out of the 150 original Peace Corps volunteers, 70 returned for the reunion. They met with the president of Ethiopia and the American ambassador. Volunteers also returned to Debre Berhan where there is now a university. My husband and I also toured a number of historic sites.

Catherine Brooke Buckingham had a hip replacement on Nov. 27. We hope all went well. Nancy Curran Crowley reported that she and Joe have had a rough year with illnesses. Joe is recovering from shingles, vertigo and cancer. The Crowleys had a great family Thanksgiving, hosted by their oldest son and his wife. They celebrated the birth of a fifth granddaughter. Tarun Comegys Johns has a new knee that she said is as good as or better than the original. She experienced a fabulous adventure in August by traveling to the High Arctic and has established a connection for helping an Inuit school in the northernmost community in North America. She said that a wonderful group of people went on the expedition, and she had the opportunity to see and do things she had never dreamed of. Tarun also reports that she is a great-grandmother as of Aug. 30 when Savannah Lee arrived. Tarun took her annual trip to Sarasota, Fla., in November, enjoying a visit with Martha Shortiss Allen. Tarun planned to spend Christmas on Prince Edward Island.

Nancy Fletcher Artlett wrote that last summer she enjoyed a most satisfying trip from her home in Australia to visit family and friends in the U.S. While attending a high school reunion in Massachusetts, she stayed with Carol Ann Watts Davis ’61 (Merle Lehmkuhl Best’s Little Sister). Later, she spent a relaxing and fun time with Fritz and Nancy Rogers Huntsinger in Ventura, Calif. She also enjoyed a gathering of former neighbours and friends in Richmond, Va. Fletch said that she and her husband Frank (now 91) are aging but doing their best to keep going. Gloria Friedman Greenspun and Dick spent Thanksgiving in Los Angeles with three of their children and families. They looked forward to visits from Dick’s New York daughters and Gloria’s daughter Jamie during the Christmas break. Jamie Pachino is writing scripts for Franklin and Bash, a show in its third season to be aired on TNT. Gloria and Dick plan to spend January through April in Naples, Fla. Hurricane Sandy flooded their basement in Baltimore, leaving a mess. The Meyran group–the Greenspuns, Anne Montesano Ellis and friend Jim Price, Jan Knecht Huber and husband Leo Ditz, Dan and Betty Kutz Mager, Myra Silberstein Goldgeier and Merle Winer Pollak ’58 and husband Tom Benson–met in the Pennsylvania Brandywine Valley in early October. They visited Longwood Gardens, Brandywine River Museum and Winterthur, dining in lovely places and celebrating their collective 75th birthdays.

Mary Ann Guild Simmons sends campus news that the interior of Brodbeck Hall has been painted. The ceiling is a deep blue with glossy white beams, and the walls are a blue-grey. The elegant friezes have been cleaned and are now pure white. “The hall looks great,” said Mary Ann. “The campus is planted with drifts of pansies, and all the horticulture is groomed and looking very good. Men are outside skateboarding and around town cycling and jogging and looking good, too. It appears to be a healthy, happy time at Hood.” Gayle Hamilton Blakeslee and Natalie Starr sold their apartment in Washington, D.C., and have moved to Broadmead, a retirement community in Hunt Valley, north of Baltimore. Janet Hobbs Cotton is in her fourth year as a Hood trustee. She said it is a pleasure to serve and be a part of the dynamic changes happening on campus. Janet invites everyone to visit Hood soon. She recommends tours of the Athletic Center, which opened last fall and has “a fabulous basketball arena as well as exercise rooms, offices, classrooms, etc.” The College also now has new tennis courts near the 7th Street entrance and a new playing field with artificial turf. Janet added that the swimming pool has been enlarged and renovated, and a new facility with offices and changing rooms has been built. Janet said that sports have become a significant factor in student enrollment, and Hood has done a remarkable job in three years to be in step with athletic needs. “The staff has also done an excellent job on landscaping and maintenance all around the campus,” Janet continued, making the campus beautiful. Brodbeck Hall has been restored; the main auditorium looks wonderful. Less noticeable improvements include sprinklers in the residence halls and a new heating system throughout. Future plans include new classrooms and labs in the Hodson Science Center and a renovation of Tatem Arts Center. A study of how best to use Gambrill Gym is under way.

Edee Howard Hogan’s husband, John Edward Hogan, died on Nov. 7 at Cadbury at Lewes, Del. Edee was with him and said she is thankful he is at peace. Edee underwent a total knee replacement on Oct. 22 and spent time recovering in rehab at the same skilled nursing unit where John was staying. Her daughter Chrysti was with her for the surgery, joined later by her son Terry and his wife. Carole Jones Rogers came through Baltimore twice last summer. She helped take her granddaughter Olivia to MIT and evicted her rent-delinquent tenant from her deceased mother’s house (a process which took months!). Carole played an active role in the build-up to the November Presidential election. Her communications from the front lines in swing-state Ohio were gripping. She described the struggle to maintain early voting and then the long lines of people and many miles of cars lined up in both directions from the early-voting site. As an Ohioan, she was besieged with political mail, television ads and people brandishing placards. After spending many hours canvassing and making telephone calls, Carole managed to get tickets to the Obama rally with Bruce Springsteen. She said, “I am guessing that I may be the oldest white woman to rap with Jay-Z. Just put my arms in the air and rocked the way the young people in the arena around me were doing.” After all of this excitement Carole spent a quiet Thanksgiving with son Bobby and was looking forward to a week with daughter Caroline and granddaughter Olivia at Christmastime.

Marcia King Wilke and husband Norm have been seeing doctors this past year but hope that they are now on the mend. After back surgery in January, Norm celebrated his 80th birthday in March. He now uses a walker or a cane to aid his balance after a bad fall in early July. Marcia and their older daughter Cate flew east in late September for a family reunion, spending three days in D.C. Marcia talked on the phone with her Little Sister Connie Koste Cox ’61 who lives in Alexandria, Va. Marcia and Cate then celebrated Marcia’s sister’s 85th birthday in Westminster, Md. Carol Koreywo LeGore substitutes two or three times a week in any academic subject at the local high school in Walkersville. She is frequently requested by teachers because she is such a reliable veteran. Carol enjoys gardening. Both sons live nearby in Walkersville. One granddaughter is getting married. The other is a junior at James Madison Univ. and is spending a semester in Belgium. Kuulei Mobley Green has been living in Idaho for four years now. Kuulei’s son Marc lives in Boise, and her daughter Amy lives in Los Angeles. Kuulei is happy to be able to continue using her seminary training by serving as a supply pastor for her church. She is chairperson of her church’s worship committee and feels that she has developed a meaningful nondenominational service for those who want to worship in this way. Alley-cat, her 20-year-old pet, died in September. Kuulei now has adopted Juan, a purebred Siamese from the San Juan Islands off of Seattle. Judy Moreland Granger and Bob had a wonderful road trip this summer, visiting family in Missouri, Ohio and North Carolina. They were in Columbus to celebrate Judy’s uncle’s 90th birthday and while there enjoyed an evening with Carole Jones Rogers and her son at her home. Another of the Grangers’ grandchildren graduated from high school in May, and the youngest began kindergarten in September. With eight grandchildren with the age span of 6-24, there is always some event to attend or celebrate.

Gail Mulliken Painter has had a rough few months. What should have been a routine cataract-removal surgery in mid-August became complicated by a staph infection in the affected eye. Gail made three or four trips to two eye doctors each week for more than two months. The frequency of visits is decreasing, and Gail is thankful that her eye is finally progressing. Gail planned to spend Christmas in New York City with her daughter Cheryl and family from Australia. She will then go to Florida for her annual month’s stay with her brother and five of Roger’s brothers and sisters. Jeannette Phelps continues to enjoy life in Baltimore, going to ballgames, movies and cultural events. Her favorite movie this year was Beasts of the Southern Wild. Joanne Peper Milnor and her former sister-in-law met in Amsterdam last spring for a riverboat cruise through Belgium and the Netherlands, where the tulips were just starting to bloom. Joanne celebrated her 75th birthday in mid-August by joining a group in Australia for a tour of the East Coast and New Zealand. She is now back in Myrtle Beach, chairing a fund-raising event for the local symphony and volunteering at the mission for the homeless. Joanne looked forward to her archeology group’s new dig at Brookgreen Gardens, a botanical/sculpture garden near her home, where she will screen and catalogue artifacts. In early November she joined a friend for a cruise and tour from Paris to Prague. Joanne goes to Sarasota, Fla., several times a year to visit her brother, who is active in the arts community there and chairs fund-raising events for that community.

Rachel Ravey Johnson and Carl continue to take wilderness trips in their canoe, and she especially loves her kayak. “As I age,” Rachel said, “I have become more of a ‘mermaid’ and can’t stay out of the water even when chilly!” Carl is still a pastor. Rachel creates stained glass. She is active with animal welfare and environmental groups and has been a Master Naturalist for three years, going into the woods as a volunteer. Rachel said, “The loves of my life are my husband, my daughters Beth and Leah, animals, water, Earth and adventure.” Martha Shortiss Allen enjoyed a May trip to Boston and New York, going to art museums, plays and great restaurants. She visited her friend Kay Keeshen in California, going to museums in San Francisco and to a favorite spot, the Tickle Pink Inn in Carmel, where they both had spent time with their husbands. Martha and her son Tom will spend the holidays with her daughter and family. Tom has two blue-eyed white huskies who talk! When he asks, “Who’s your master?” they respond, “You are!” They bark “I love you” clearly on the telephone. Martha has talked with Edee Howard Hogan, who is adjusting to the loss of her husband. Martha was surprised to encounter former Hood president Martha Church at the Ringling Museum (where Martha Allen was being honored for her service).

Myra Silberstein Goldgeier also reported on the Meyran group’s get-together in the Brandywine Valley. They stayed in a lovely bed-and-breakfast inn in Kennett Square, Pa. Nancy Smith Grissino did not attend the Meyran gathering this year because her brother was ill. Sonya Solosko Baum said she loves her new life in Florida. She sees Jane Atmore Brown about once a week, and one of their favorite pastimes is checking out all the wonderful restaurants in Jupiter to see if they agree with the local food critic. Sonya and Jane were looking forward to a holiday Caribbean cruise on the Celebrity Equinox in December. Mary-Lou Trout Haddad and Charles attended the wedding of their granddaughter Gaby on Nov. 10 in Bally, Pa. Joan Victor Boos wrote that this is their big year. Her husband John is retiring at the end of December, and they are heading for warmer weather in Florida, first to visit their daughter Heidi and then to spend time on Siesta Key on the West Coast. They planned to spend Thanksgiving on Jupiter Island with their daughter and other dinner guests Jane Atmore Brown and Sonya Solosko Baum. Joan received a cochlear implant in her right ear in August and the processor in September. She is working diligently trying to re-train the right side of her brain to understand words and conversation. She said, “It is a real challenge and makes me wonder how we ever learned to speak in the first place.”

Mary Faith West worked hard for the Republican Presidential campaign. She is an officer in the local Republican Women’s Club. Her son Christopher and family live in Charlottesville, Va., and are doing well. Two of his daughters won awards at St. Anne-Belfield School in Charlottesville, and his older daughter is in her junior year at James Madison Univ. working toward a master’s degree in childhood education. Son Michael Damien is a paralegal in D.C., looking forward to being able to use his doctorate in psychology eventually. Jim and Caroline Smith Russel stay in touch with him. Mary Faith said she is looking forward to a slower pace but meanwhile plans to host a family reunion over the Epiphany weekend. Pat Wever Knoll said that her best news is that she and Ron are both healthy. They stay busy keeping up with their grandchildren, ages 5-30, trying to go to all their special events and reminding them constantly about the importance of family and God in their lives. The Knolls got away to Hawaii in October for their 52nd anniversary, where they played golf, walked and enjoyed “a real vacation.”

Carol Wick Ericksen and Leif enjoyed a trip to northern Italy for two weeks this fall. Carol is happy to report no damage to their house in Avalon, N.J. from Hurricane Sandy. Carol is still playing golf several times a week in good weather, and her Hallmark store continues to prosper. Sue Wilson Officer recently rescued three small dogs. She continues to work with the National Search Dog Foundation. A large number of their teams (first responders and their companion dogs) helped in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, locating a number of people. In order to train dogs and their human teammates, the organization is building a national facility in Ventura, Calif., which will be used by all teams throughout the U.S. and Mexico. Sue added, “Right now we have three teams at the White House. It is an amazing organization, and I would be happy to forward any information to anyone who is interested in finding out more.

I, Anne Wilson Heuisler, continue to teach one class of English at Stevenson University. I love my new career! The students are terrific, and the material is enjoyable. I look forward to Gayle Blakeslee’s moving nearby and to other friends’ stopovers at my house as they pass through Baltimore. Please send news for next time; deadline probably will be in late May or early June. Please be sure to let me know if your email address has changed. When I send out a group email, several bounce back.

Class Reporter:

Carol Harkness Kilrea reported a wonderful visit from Sue Truby Peterson. “Bill and Carl are good pals and they went to Wyoming mule deer and antelope hunting. Susan and I visited the city, walked along the Lake Shore and bird watched in the dune/wetlands National Park (Beverly Shores is in the middle of the Park). We all went to the Notre Dame/Stanford game; won in the third overtime! I had bilateral kidney surgery in April at Northwestern; surgery was on Monday and Wednesday and removed all very complex stones! The 14 grandkids are all doing well––three college graduates and three will graduate in May,” said Carol. Cathy G. Newhouser had surgery in Atlanta for spinal stenosis; she is doing well in rehabilitation and is going to Costa Rica in February!

Carolyn Stevens Amstutz wrote, “I went to England to visit my daughter and her family and spent five glorious days in the Scottish Highlands. Both daughters and families were with me in August for two weeks––in North Andover and on Cape Cod; we enjoyed the beach, particularly the grandchildren––ages 11, 9, 8 and 5. In July, I fell and broke my neck. I’m in a cervical collar, and hope to avoid surgery. I am so thankful my accident did not happen while I was still Stan’s caregiver. I plan to go to England for Christmas. In August, my sister passed away unexpectedly. I was glad that the girls were both here, and we made a quick trip to Lancaster, Pa., for her funeral.” Genie Smith Durland was unable to attend the reunion; it was held at the same time as their Quaker annual meeting, the religion in which she and Bill are active. Genie went back to school and, in studying the Vietnam War, became radicalized. It was during this time she met her current husband of 30 years and they are both peace activists. Starting in the mid-70s, Genie and Bill became active in documenting the Israeli/Palestinian human rights abuses. They lived and worked in Palestine for a number of months and now write and hold workshops. Bill authored Immoral Wars, Illegal Laws referencing the religious, historical and political issues of the area; the book is carried on Amazon. Genie and Bill have a blended family of eight children and 17 grandchildren.

Louise Reed reported, “I survived Hurricane Sandy with a few branches down and no power for three days. I swim daily and knit for Project Linus making afghans for children in local hospitals. I sing in a senior choral group; we perform for local nursing homes and senior centers.” Mary Jane Saylor Campbell is the major caregiver for her husband who has Parkinson’s disease and is helped by her daughter, an interior designer, who lives with them. Their son, an architect, lives just 12 miles away. Mimi Spaulding Keyser wrote, “In October, we attended two Road Scholar events in San Diego and Los Angeles on art collectors and their collections. I am working on genealogy of my family and met two cousins from different families. I enjoyed a short visit with my sister and her family. We volunteer on Tuesdays at the library and Wednesdays at the hospital. We are going to Fort Myer, Va., in February. We are currently downsizing and have found some happy homes at local historical sites and the Museum of Industry for some old artifacts.”

I, Molly Smith Sperandio, had surgery in July to remove an ovarian adenocarcinoma tumor. It was stage 1, encased in a mass and they found no other cancer cells in 17 nodes/sites tested. It also cured my incontinency because the mass was sitting on my bladder! In June, my immediate family joined in interring my son’s cremains in the Arlington Cemetery Columbarium and then all joined in the annual family reunion in Bethlehem, Pa.––our 31st at my sister’s home, Kitty Smith Dunn ’47. In August, I drove again to Lancaster, Pa., for a reunion with my cousins. My 22-year-old grandson joined the U.S. Navy and he planned to enter training in January. Nancy Paul Stimson reported, “I had a wonderful Viking river cruise to Prague, up the Elbe River to Berlin. Bob took me to Paris for nine days. My son-in-law has been battling bladder cancer. He had a new bladder built from his intestine; that part is working, but the chemotherapy has caused blood clots in his leg that keep moving to his lungs. He is a Coumadin failure, so gets stomach shots twice a day to thin his blood.”

Sara Davidson Haney responded, “We were almost untouched by Hurricane Sandy. My canoe made a dash for freedom but was retrieved by friends. I plan for Christmas in Utah with grandchildren then winter in Florida. I travel, teach and volunteer for a program of riding for the handicapped.” Sarah Bulin Hanson said, “I attended the Hood Museum semi-annual meeting (remember all of your Hood memorabilia would be gratefully accepted and archived) and the 65th annual performance of the Messiah featuring the Hood Choir and the U.S. Naval Academy glee club.” Susan Winter Smith reported, “I exercise three times a week and walk other days, especially now that I have recovered from my third spinal surgery in four years, the second this year. I am fortunate to have an excellent neurosurgeon and physical therapist. Our oldest granddaughter attends Western Washington Univ.”

Tommie (Barbara) Thomas Yinger wrote, “We spent a recent evening with Bill and Sue Almy. We lunched with Bobby Kaufman Harrison, along with several of our high school classmates. In November, I had lunch in Frederick with Gretchen Beckhelm ’60 and her sister Barbara, a grade school chum of mine. Their father was choir director at Hood in the 40s and responsible for starting the Hood/U.S. Naval Academy joint presentation of Messiah. Thanksgiving was spent in New York City. I will decorate one of the six houses in Reedville for the annual Museum House tour, and help make 200 fresh green wreaths for my garden club’s annual fund-raiser. In December, Bob and I ‘escaped’ for three weeks, cruising in the Caribbean to learn more about the Mayan culture in Belize, Honduras and Guatemala; and to visit Antigua, Barbados and Granada. We will spend Christmas in Kingstown, St. Vincent, and my birthday in Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, and several other ports.”

Class Reporter:

Suzanne Eckhardt Morgan reported that Gena Marter Razik’s husband Ismael passed away Dec. 31. She attended the service at the mosque and planned to stop by for a few days on her way back to Virginia.

Class Reporter:

Sincere condolences to the family of Charlotte Endres Asch. Condolences to Nadya Klotz Giusi on the loss of her husband Valerio. By now you should have received the packet from Hood reminding us that our 60th reunion is coming up in June. Reunion chairperson is Sally Kuhns Giarratana, and she is working hard to make sure this is a memorable occasion for all. Please plan to attend. Once again, Peg Church Smith-Loeb is taking a class at Fordham Univ. in New York and going to the theater. She viewed the exhibit Monet Gardens at Giverny at the Bronx Botanical Gardens, and having visited the actual garden at Giverny she felt they had done a wonderful job of recreation.

Penny Fradd Vahsen and her youngest son went to Ireland for the Navy-Notre Dame game in September, then on to Rome for a seven-day cruise along the Riviera. The 156 U.S. Naval Academy graduates that she has sponsored over the years gave her an 80th birthday party in June with speeches, good dinner and gifted her with a new Camry. Jane Fruechtemeyer Dillon and Oscar have had medical problems this past year, but Oscar continues to do his research and Jane still enjoys reading as much as she is able. Judy Rank Loposer and Ken are “doing fine for a couple of seniors” and enjoy being with their family in Walla Walla, Wash. Does anyone remember the song Daddy Get your Daughter Out of Debt? Jerry Griffith Macomber was in the midst of co-coordinating the annual Christmas child for her church. The congregation is involved for just 1½ months, but it is a year-round job for Jerry from wrapping, storing and much more. Jerry also does a workshop for quilt squares—they are wonderful gifts made with love. Oppie Keeler Ludwig was awaiting Hurricane Sandy. They had been flooded twice in the past six years, but had no damage from Hurricane Sandy. Nadya Klotz Guisi’s husband Valerio passed away in June. They had been married for 56 years. Nadya recently finished a novel Magic & Pasta that will come out in early 2013. It is a love story that parallels their loves, but is not a memoir. Nadya is writing, teaching and has her family therapy practice—all of this has been a great help to her.

Janet Peek Clancy survived Hurricane Sandy and the snow that fell after. She has been going to San Francisco for about one month to be with her sister who had an aneurism in her brain, with significant brain damage. She realized that we never stop learning, as she navigated the hills of San Francisco with help from a global positioning system, and handled a dog that would rather run free than walk on a leash. Pam Presbrey Grinnell had been on the East Coast for several months, celebrating her 80th birthday with friends and family. Her grandchildren continue to give her much pleasure—they include one attorney who is a newly graduated magna cum laude. They all have interesting jobs or are in college or college preparatory school. Her first great-granddaughter was born this past May. Congratulations! Bev Rosenberg Sager also had some problems with Hurricane Sandy, but wrote to say she had been to Cuba and it was nothing that she had expected it to be. She spent Thanksgiving in California with her son and his family, and planned to go on a trip to Caicos in February. Katherine Sponsler Patten took a trip on the Elbe River this past June. She hopes to attend reunion in June if her daughter will be able to drive her. It is hard to believe it will be 60 years since graduation, but “I play bridge with women a little older than that,” said Katherine.

Jan Van Fossan was in the midst of a bad rain storm the day my email arrived and followed up with a note that she had a bad fall that injured her hip and shoulder. She did speak with Betsy McCain McAlpine ’51, who is her big sister, about her reunion. Marilynn (Lynn) Phillips reported that it was a good year. In the summer, her youngest son Chip brought his Chinese wife and three children to visit. With a scientifically oriented 8-year-old granddaughter and 6-year-old twin grandsons, she was busy. She had not seen them for five years. Lynn had her family reunion of sons and families for the first time and it was special. In August, she had to put down her beloved Sheltie, FiFi. “That was heartbreaking. I am lonely now, but my health is excellent. Activities include church groups, Tennessee Rock and Mineral Society, orchids, teas and many social functions. I am painting again, with one for each family for Christmas,” said Lynn. She walks daily on the golf course behind her house and designs and makes jewelry with precious stones but has not completed her courses with Gemological Institute of America. She even made a formal dress in two days to attend a dinner with her grandson Andy. Betty Gerstmyer Allen wrote that her second Windstar cruise was in August to Greece and Turkey. The first was two years ago in the Caribbean on the five-masted sailing ship Wind Surf carrying 300 people. The Windstar is a four-masted sailing ship and carries 140 people; 99 of the individuals had to do the cooking and be the cabin stewards. She got to know all on board and had a fabulous time. “Looking forward to the reunion in 2013,” said Betty.

The Essex family had no real problems due to Hurricane Sandy, just the inconvenience of no phone and so forth for four days. Our youngest granddaughter had a Bat Mitzvah in Orlando the weekend before Thanksgiving. We stayed at the Shades of Green hotel for the military and were able to take the monorail to the Magic Kingdom one night—it was great fun for the kids and me. My whole family was together for Thanksgiving. It started with a high school football game in the morning and ended with a delicious dinner surrounded by family and friends—a true blessing. I wish you all a happy holiday season. The Truxal Scholarship was awarded to Kathryn Kopasek ’14. She is secretary to the Ionic Society and the Hood College Choir, a member of Alpha Lamba Delta and Phi Alpha Theta, which is the history honor society. Congratulations.

Class Reporter: