1952: Winter 2013
Carita Ackerly Warner reported, “I remember my two years at Hood with fondness. I taught first grade for 22 years and retired. My husband died and I remarried. I have three children; two are doctors, and a daughter who teaches horticulture skills at the Indiana School for the Blind. I also have two stepdaughters and 11 grand kids. I volunteer in an adult learning center, play tennis and I am planning a three-week trip to Australia with my daughter and her family in January. I try to stay in touch with Anne Philhower Fair and had a lovely visit with Anne Giles Whitman in Florida shortly before she died. I spend summers in Maine with my daughter’s family and in New Hampshire with my brother.” Kay Brown Gauffreau said, “I am enjoying living at a continual care retirement community in RiverWoods in Exeter, N.H. I do not have the responsibilities of owning a house and I am taking part in new activities and meeting new people. I have just joined a tai chi class; I live closer to family and I can spend the holidays with them.”
Nancy Campbell Barrett reported, “Betsy (daughter) and I joined my siblings for a trip to our hometown in Canonsburg, Pa., and then across the state to Gettysburg and Hershey, Pa., in May. Betsy and I are flying to Reno early in December for a family reunion and gift exchange. We are saying “Bon Voyage” to granddaughter Erica and her new husband Johnny (a medic in the army), who are being shipped to Germany. I plan to write a Christmas letter; I did not do it last year. I think everyone thought I was dead!” Natalie Colbert Bowers wrote, “The turkey carcass is in the soup pot. We had 10, only the West Coast grandson was missing! I hope you hear from Jackie Wakeling, because she attended the Messiah. We missed it, but Jackie stopped in afterward. She is such a good friend.” Marion Decker McCormick reported, “No family here, so I was chosen by a friend to join other “orphans” at a local restaurant for Thanksgiving; should be fun. The family reunion will be in California mid-December. Children from Wyoming and Texas will meet at the oldest daughter’s in Redondo Beach, Calif.”
Joanne Dickerson Mason said, “Ralph and I are fine and continue to enjoy our 3-year-old great-grandson. Fortunately, he lives close by as does my younger sister. I see Phyllis Salvati Kantra occasionally.” Nan Fahnline Warren said, “We (puppies Angel and Nicky and I) are enjoying life in a retirement home. I have been asked to be treasurer of the residents’ association and I volunteered to chair the Christmas decorating committee.” Anne Gibson Bement reported, “I have lived my life in chapters and have not been good at keeping in touch with past chapters. Even though I have been in San Francisco for 40 years, New York still seems like home. Through marriage, divorce, between marriages and now married to San Francisco lawyer Reed Bement, I have always centered on work. First publishing, then on public television when it began in 1961, and when I moved to San Francisco in 1969 I began to study photography and have combined it with travel. [see her work on AnneBement.com website]. I am probably the oldest grandmother in our class with grandsons ages 5 and 3 years. I do remember having lunch years ago with Francis Pickle Wetmore and I hope that if anyone finds themselves in San Francisco, they will be in touch. We have a condo in Miami Beach, are in New York at least once a year and in Maine in August with the family.”
Ruth Jackson Albert’s husband David explained that Ruth was in a nearby nursing home with dementia caused by radiation treatments for a brain tumor. He said, “Ruth was a consummate volunteer and was awarded the Fairfield County Volunteer of the Year Award in 2004. She came home for Thanksgiving with the family. Sometimes she knows us and sometimes not. She would appreciate cards from her classmates. Ruth’s address is 24 Stonebrook Lane, Cos Cob, CT 06807.” Joanne Kates Roos reported, “We are all fine. Hurricane Sandy did not do the damage here in Yorktown, Va., that it did in New York and New Jersey. My biggest update is that grandson Billy Cole, a freshman at William & Mary College in Williamsburg, Va., is doing well. His 8th-grade sister, Hannah is president of her class, first flutist in the middle school band and auditioning again for the District 8 band. She is also a recruit for the Yorktown Fife and Drum Corps.” Peg Lewis Christensen said, “I am recovering slowly from emergency abdominal surgery. I was in the right place at the right time and had excellent care. I was able to attend Liz Geiser’s ’47 memorial service here at Moorings Park Chapel and hope to be well enough to attend the Philharmonic on December 10. I am fortunate to have my brother Ken and his wife Rose nearby.”
Phyl Loudermill Armstrong reported, “I spent Thanksgiving with daughter Sara, her son C.J., wife Jen and their little girl in Fort Collins, Colo. C.J. is at Colorado State Univ., in agronomy. On the return trip Sara and I spent a day with Natalie and the girlies in Denver. I will have cataract surgery for both eyes this month and I am seeing about repair of knees. Like an older Ford, my chassis needs some adjustments. I touched base with Ann Nygren Greenberg after Hurricane Sandy. It was great to hear that they suffered only several days of inconvenience––nothing major. I will sing in a Christmas concert with a set of three choirs at Oklahoma City Community College (and we sing great stuff). A bout with laryngitis is seemingly dropping my voice to tenor.” Madge Merkley Ziegler wrote, “Jack and I are still living in Carlisle, Pa., and celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary this past June. We were surprised by our four children, their spouses and all eight of our grandchildren who came to Carlisle to help us celebrate. It was wonderful to have all of us together at one time as they traveled from California, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Georgia! We are now getting ready to head to South Carolina for the winter.”
Betsy Newcomer Payette said, “My hobbling around at the reunion ended up as a broken left femur at the end of June. I spent most of the summer recovering and I am now able to walk without a cane and can do about anything I had done before. I still keep in touch with Barbara Reynolds and Carolyn Rusk.” Dody Nygren Wisnom has had several seizures since June that have required hospitalization. She is home now, relishing sitting in the Tucson sunshine and chatting with friends on the telephone. Her daughter-in-law wrote, “Dody continues to get around with the aid of just a cane. She is no longer receiving any care services at home, and she would like to keep it that way.” BJ Quillen Brustad said, “We are at the age where our grandchildren are heading for college. Our three kids will join us for Christmas at our place just outside of Annapolis, Md.” Mary Sihler Sauerteig said, “I was happy to share a Thanksgiving meal at my cousin’s home in Asheville, N.C., with Mary-Lou Leidheiser and I am looking forward to the arrival of son Bob and girlfriend Suzanne from Juneau, Alaska, on Dec. 22. I keep in touch with roommate Dody Nygren Wisnom, Ann Nygren Greenberg and Peg Lewis Christensen.” Lorraine Smarsch reported, “Hurricane Sandy brought down so many beautiful, 50-foot evergreens in our area in Rahway, N.J., but there was no damage to my home. The winds were frightening, indeed. I still frequent the Y twice a week and get to New York City regularly for the opera with a good friend.”
Kay Spear Feldmann said, “I am expecting a visit from Sally Herman Lunt at Christmas time. My fractured wrist has mended and I continue to set off security at airports with all of my metal parts. My two oldest grands––Ben Miller received his doctorate in history and his sister Rachel passed the New York State bar exam. All are well and we have much to be thankful for.” Jane Taggart Whittaker wrote, “Before Hurricane Sandy hit, I went first to family in Princeton, N.J., and then to my daughter’s in Colorado. I had four feet of water in my lower level but my living area on the second level was not damaged. Daughter Susan, who lives next door, had significant damage and is rebuilding. Both our homes are directly on the oceanfront in Brigantine, N.J.” Betsy Oehrle ’54 planned to be stateside for Christmas and her 80th birthday in December, visited before heading to Pittsburgh, Pa. Jackie Wakeling said, “Jack and I attended the 65th concert of Messiah at Hood with the U.S. Naval Academy choir again. It was a wonderful production with a combined group of 200 voices.” Marguerite Weber Trachtman said, “I was involved in a state race for the Legislature. It was fun and challenging; however, we did not win. I continue with my wonderful book group, and still enjoy life in West Lafayette, Ind. Thank heavens my family is near. They are my constant joy. We will gather for Thanksgiving, some of us will play football in the morning, and then on to Christmas.”
Connie Woodall Fisher wrote, “1) We are percolating just fine. 2) Our family was enlarged in September with the birth of great-grandson Tucker Sherman. Luckily for us, he and his parents live about 30 minutes away, so we get to watch him grow. Great fun!” Your class reporter requested information before Thanksgiving, hence the many references to the holiday and Hurricane Sandy. I am well after a bout with bronchitis and I am heading to Chicagoland for Christmas and New Year’s with my four Rude children and seven grands. Please keep in touch! Mary-Lou Springhorn Leidheiser
Class Reporter:
Mary-Lou Springhorn Leidheiser
(828) 693-0630
esleid@bellsouth.net