1957
Martha Smith Sperandio
727.219.7115
mollymom76@gmail.com

Barbara Thomas Yinger: Just got back from Woodstock, NY, enjoying being with daughter Laura and her family from Indiana, Louisville and NYC.  Our grandson owns a cabin there and it creates a nice family get-together place.  That included getting better acquainted with two of our great grandchildren, a two year old and a one year old.  In early June I spent a morning with our “local” four year old granddaughter to accompany her and about 10 other day care friends on a two hour nature hike.  Both experiences were energizing!!!! Elsie Lyon Hinkhouse: It’s been a fabulous time at Morning Star, a senior living facility in Boise, ID where I have lived since Jim’s passing. I have met Kuulei Mobley Green ’59, a Hood College classmate. Neither of us remembered each other but share many other remembrances of classmates and wonderful times at Hood. Kuulei is a retired Episcopal priest, another great connection we have.  In addition I’ve had a fabulous time in Boise.  My youngest daughter, Amy, and her family live here…the reason why we moved to Boise and I spend lots of time with her and her family.  This year my daughter, Ginger, from the Seattle area and her husband were here for 5 days, and my daughter Julie, her husband and two daughters from Cypress, Texas visited 5 days.  I’m blessed to be in Boise!

Carol Harkness Kilrea: Lots going on in my life – last of my 14 grandchildren graduated HS and is off to Kelly School of Business at Indiana University – # 13 finishing his 2nd year at ND where he made All American in cross country running – # 12 finishing up at Penn State and # 11 completing her degree at Iowa!! All the rest working in Chicago – have apartments and in various degrees of relationships – Keegan got married last summer so we all welcomed Matt – a great guy!! Beverly Shores has just been named our 61st National Park (we are within a much larger area) and also been named Indiana Bird Town by the Audubon Society! Bill and I traveled to Mexico this winter and a month in Florida – we are now packing up for a family gathering in Hilton Head followed by a trip to Scotland- so very excited! My Fitbit pushes me forward and thankfully we are both healthy and able to “get on with things” – wow!!  Molly Smith Sperandio: Dealing with a hip replacement in January and subsequent rehab and therapy kept me from participating in one of my favorite volunteer jobs – that of being a Tax Consultant for the 2018 Tax Year during the months of January – April. If I had done my studying when I got my books in November, I probably could have done some of it, but a minor fall which tore up my arm and a bout with pneumonia kept me from it.  And after that little infection, which I had never experienced before in my lifetime, I can understand how people die from that disease!  I’m still walking with a cane, but that did not keep me from enjoying my annual drive to Willow Valley, PA in April to spend time with my sisters, bro-in-law and some nieces; a trip to CA in June for Sophi’s high school graduation from Sacramento Waldorf School -the 7^th of my 8 grandchildren; and another annual drive to Bethlehem, PA in June for our 38th Smith family reunion.  We live on.  All is normal!

I can’t believe I heard from only three classmates for this 2019 Winter Column. But the Summer 2018 column was a good representation, so I guess I can’t complain.  Here is the input – and I won’t even have to edit the column much because we didn’t write 750 words.  Tsk! Tsk!

Barbara Thomas Yinger: Just got back from Woodstock, NY, enjoying being with daughter Laura and her family from Indiana, Louisville and NYC.  Our grandson owns a cabin there and it creates a nice family get-together place.  That included getting better acquainted with two of our great grandchildren, a two year old and a one year old.  In early June I spent a morning with our “local” four year old granddaughter to accompany her and about 10 other day care friends on a two hour nature hike.  Both experiences were Energizing!!!!

Elsie Lyon Hinkhouse: It’s been a fabulous time at Morning Star, a senior living facility in Boise, ID where I have lived since Jim’s passing. I have met Kuulei Mobley Green, a 1959 Hood College classmate. Neither of us remembered each other but share many other remembrances of classmates and wonderful times at Hood. Kuulei is a retired Episcopal priest, another great connection we have.  In addition I’ve had a fabulous time in Boise.  My youngest daughter Amy and her family live here…the reason why we moved to Boise and I spend lots of time with her and her family.  This year my daughter, Ginger, from the Seattle area and her husband were here for 5 days, and my daughter Julie, her husband and two daughters from Cypress, Texas visited 5 days.  I’m blessed to be in Boise!  Love to all my “57 classmates.  Elsie

Carol Harkness Kilrea: You are such a sport to do this; hope all is well! Lots going on in my life – last of my 14 grandchildren graduated HS and is off to Kelly School of Business @ Indiana University – # 13 finishing his 2nd year @ ND where he made All American in x country running – # 12 finishing up @ Penn State and # 11 completing her degree @ Iowa!! All the rest working in Chicago – have apartments and in various degrees of relationships – Keegan got married last summer so we all welcomed Matt – a great guy!! Beverly Shores has just been named our 61st National Park (we are within a much larger area) and also been named Indiana Bird Town by the Audubon Society! Bill and I traveled to Mexico this winter and a month in Florida – we are now packing up for a family gathering in Hilton Head followed by a trip to Scotland- so very excited! My Fitbit pushes me forward and thankfully we are both healthy and able to “ get on with things” – wow!! Have I rattled on!  Guess you will have to edit this Molly! Take care and thanks again! Hugs Carol

Molly Smith Sperandio: Dealing with a hip replacement in January and subsequent rehab and therapy kept me from participating in one of my favorite volunteer jobs – that of being a Tax Consultant for the 2018 Tax Year during the months of January – April. If I had done my studying when I got my books in November, I probably could have done some of it, but a minor fall which tore up my arm and a bout with pneumonia kept me from it.  And after that little infection, which I had never experienced before in my lifetime, I can understand how people die from that disease!  I’m still walking with a cane, but that did not keep me from enjoying my annual drive to Willow Valley, PA in April to spend time with my sisters, bro-in-law and some nieces; a trip to CA in June for the high school graduation from Sacramento Waldorf School of the 7^th of my 8 grandchildren, Sophi; and another annual drive to Bethlehem, PA in June for our 38th Smith family reunion.  We live on.  All is normal!

1957
Martha Smith Sperandio
727.219.7115
mollymom76@gmail.com

So sad to report the deaths of Mary Pat Neill Wentzel, Peg Reeves Leopold, Nan Young Strauch and Sylvia Davison Rost in 2018. Sylvia Blackburn Felcyn: After 45 years we sold our wonderful Greenwich home and moved to Roswell, Georgia to be near daughter Lindsay and family.  We are in a retirement community called St. George Village, living in an apartment which makes my husband very unhappy. Barbara Thomas Yinger: Bob and I will spend Christmas Day with our grandson’s family (2 great grandchildren, almost 4 and 8 yrs old) and our son and daughter-in-law. We’ve been in this retirement community 8 mo; still not sure it was the right decision but we’re getting involved in residential life here.  I am the “greenhouse chairman” helping residents look after their “wintering over” plants, participating in the craft room showing off and selling some quilted items I make, and helping make small flower bouquets for those in the health care unit.  I did plant a small garden area with some plants we brought with us, and still have time for my own sewing, having finished a large bed quilt using Martha Washington’s star pattern. Louise Reed: I have had a tough past year – been in and out of hospitals and rehabs – from falls. I have been home for a month with additional help during the day.  I am able to get out for appointments with the aide driving.  My foot, which was broken along with broken toes, still is not right. I use a walker in the house and a wheel chair for any distances.  I don’t think I will be driving again; so I have to give up my independence. Sara Davidson Haney: I am in Texas visiting my son and family for Christmas; lots of fun and anticipation with a 10 and 8yr old. Back home in NH, I still volunteer with the horses in a special school program. The kiddos love it and it’s therapeutic for me. Alice Riddle Metry: All the same here, as we get ready to spend four months in Florida.  My eyesight is not so good, and I am going to have to hire a Seeing Eye writer. Ann Spengler Larkin: I continue to stay busy with church, AAUW, DAR and quilting. I have season tickets to the DSO Coffee Concerts and really look forward to those. My daughter-in-law passed away very suddenly of a massive heart attack last April, just 5 days before my grandson graduated from Western Michigan Univ. Carolyn Stevens Amstutz:  I got your email just as I was departing for England to spend Christmas with my family.  We were all there – my two daughters (one lives there), their husbands, and my four grandchildren. The last night my one daughter and I went to see Hamilton in London – a real treat. I’m enjoying living in a CCRC – it sure is easy living with lots of interesting people and stimulating events. Nancy Paul Stimson: All is well on the home front although my13 and 14 year old bionic knees are acting up; hard to walk. We are expecting another great grandchild in June. Susan Bond Almy: A phone conversation with Sue – It’s been 3 years since she and Bill moved into an Annapolis retirement center and a new group of friends and neighbors joined their circle.  A beautiful memorial service was held for the 33 people who had died in 2018. At our age death now seems to surround us.  On a bright note, the family was invited to a “gender identification” party last Christmas with the house and tree decorated in blue and pink lights.  At a certain time the plug was pulled on the blue lights and the pink lights shown brightly. This was particularly special since they have 7 grandsons and great grandbaby, Lila Jane, is their only girl. Maybe she’ll start a feminine line of grands! Martha “Molly” Smith Sperandio: With timing as a force and anticipating a hip replacement on 1/3/19, I put out an e-mail for “Send news NOW” type message, and was happy to hear from a few of our classmates.  I look forward to a pain-free 2019 and hope you do, too.  Happy New Year to all.

ELSIE LYON HINKHOUSE:  It’s been a sad time for me having lost my husband Jim on December 31.  He had been in the hospital with pancreatic cancer but was determined to come home on December 30, our 54th wedding anniversary.  He passed on at home with family caring for him that day and night.  I moved to Morning Star, a senior living facility, the end of February.  It is located close to my daughter Amy, son-in-law Rich and two wonderful grandchildren who all keep me involved.  I have many activities including DAR, PEO, bridge clubs and activities at Morning Star.  Boise, Idaho continues to surprise me with beautiful weather as it is located on a high desert and it rarely has very cold temperatures and little snow.  But there are great ski resorts an hour or so away which keep my grandkids and their parents skiing on weekends.  I’ve been to Sun Valley and Bogus Basin to watch them ski.  Wishing all of my wonderful classmates a great holiday season and all that is wonderful in 2017.

GENIE (EUGENIA) SMITH DURLAND:  I just got the reunion materials from Hood and wish, as always, that I could go. Now, in our retirement, it’s too expensive and in the past it seems we were always too busy. In our 80s, Bill and I are still in pretty good shape and active. At the moment are spending our time participating in rallies and marches protesting the bogus election of Trump and meeting locally and nationally with peace and justice groups we’ve long been associated with to work on how to deal with what may happen next. Enough of that.  Personally, we have (between us) 8 children, 17 grandchildren and 3 great grands. Our youngest son (the ours in the yours-mine-and-ours) lives in Denver with his fiancé and two little boys; we see them often and are now considering moving to Denver from Colorado Springs to be closer to them and our daughter, Julia, who lives in Boulder with her three children – Carlton, a Chef; Amber, who works three jobs trying to save enough money to go to Thailand for training in massage therapy and acupuncture and Logan, a high school senior. Julia is a special education teacher at Boulder High. We also have a daughter, Fadwah Halaby, who is a certified nurse-midwife with her own independent practice in south Florida; she lives in Delray Beach and practices in Boca. She has six kids, all grown and is the grandmother of our 3 great grands who live here in Colorado, near us. If I went on with details about all our children and grands, this would be about three pages long, so I’ll stop there. Also personally, I keep busy editing Bill’s writings. He has published two more books in the past three years and has written ten plays, nine of which have been produced before appreciative audiences here in Colorado Springs and Denver. That’s about it. Wish I could see all who come to the reunion, but it doesn’t look like it’ll happen unless I win the lottery or some such thing.

SUE WINTER SMITH:  I will send whatever I can dredge up which isn’t much because not much is happening. We are still living in Issaquah in a retirement apartment home. We like it here even though it isn’t our home of so many years. It’s different but has many advantages, one being I don’t have to cook dinner anymore or vacuum or clean the bathrooms. We just returned from two weeks in Hawaii with friends. We were on the island of Kauai which is my favorite. The weather was perfect; temperature was upper 70’s, low 80’s. Ideal! We returned to upper 40’s, rain and wind and I am freezing. We will spend Thanksgiving with our son and his family here in Issaquah. His children are our youngest grandchildren, CJ and Erica. We will see our oldest, Aislinn, when she is on her way home to Ellensburg from college at Western WA. She is doing her student teaching this year and will graduate in June. The program at Western is very intense and they turn out superior teachers. Number two granddaughter, Brynn, is a sophomore at Evergreen college. She intends to be a writer and will be a very good one. Her sister, number three granddaughter, Ari, will graduate from HS in June. She is in the Running Start program and attends Skagit Valley Community College as well as HS. She graduates on a Friday and the next day Aislinn will graduate from Western. Fortunately they are in close proximity so we can go to both. A couple of weeks later we will have all the family here to celebrate our 60th anniversary. This is a lot of rambling, but there you have it. Do with it what you will. Thanks for doing this. I do like to hear about everyone, but will not be at the reunion. It’s too far and too much going on then.

ANN LARKIN:  After replacement of both shoulders and one knee I hope for a surgery free year ahead. I have cut back on some activities, but remain active in church, AAUW, DAR and my quilt group. I also enjoy the Detroit Symphony coffee concerts and am looking forward to my granddaughter’s graduation from medical school in May.

BARBARA THOMAS YINGER:  You already posted info about our trip to the Amazon in Brazil and areas beyond – that was last March.  So everything else is status quo.  The main thing I’d like to say is that I hope to see as many of our class as possible at the reunion.  None of us know for sure how many years we can keep doing this, so my thing is to take each chance for a visit that we can make now.  Hope to see “you”.  How could I have forgotten to mention that Bob and I celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary Aug. 19, 2016.  Our children, Laura and Scott gave us a dinner with extended family at an elegant restaurant in Frederick.

NANCY PAUL STIMSON:  I am still alive and well, although have hit the age where my friends are either falling or dying. Have to be careful. We will be going to my daughters in Doylestown for Christmas. February will find me off to South Africa and May will find me in Rome and the Greek Islands. July will welcome my first great grandchild and September will be the wedding on the Vineyard of my grandson. Have to stay healthy for all those events. Am not sure I can make reunion ‘cause that may be a baby shower weekend.  Merry Christmas to all

MOLLY SMITH SPERANDIO:  Nothing new with me.  I’m still upright when I want to be and doing all the things I like to do.  So, life is good!

NANCY TRESSEL BROWN

Just got back from tricycling a book over to Alice Riddle Metry as she’s going back to Detroit in a couple of days. Just finished the book in time to keep her out of trouble for awhile.  We had lunch with Stevie a couple of months back and had a GREAT time. Had a cat (Balimese) disappear also about two months ago. Her sister is handling this better than I. What you don’t know is that I used to cry when Lassie didn’t come home and cried harder when she did (Even if she was a he).  In this case, I feel like Peter Pan. (Never did grow up). In Roger’s and my life cycle, we’re looking at moving to a retirement home. (The Dreaded Home). He’s gung ho, but I’m dragging my feet. I’ve always felt (as learned at Hood) rules are made to be broken.

Other than the above, Mr. Lincoln, I enjoyed the play. Take care of yourself, Molly. I enjoy reading about everybody.

GENIE (EUGENIA) SMITH DURLAND

Doing this by email is so easy. Hope you have happy travels. Latest from us is that Bill celebrated his 85th birthday in March and we had a huge party for the event. He finished is 8th play which goes into production May 21 and 22. Writing plays and books keeps him young and me too, since I do all the editing, communications with publishers, and lots of the leg work on play production.

We have two great granddaughters and a third (daughter or son?) on the way in July. One is in Hawaii with her parents (our grandson who supervises construction projects there) but the other is right here in Colorado so we see her often.

We continue to be very active in our Quaker Monthly and Yearly Meetings, and look forward every year to Yearly Meeting – coming up in early June in Ghost Ranch New Mexico where the hiking and birding are unmatched!

As always I will have my birthday – 81 while there.

ANN  FORTENBAUGH EICHOLTZ

Unfortunately I do have news this time.  Paul died on April 19th, and I am trying hard to adjust to my new way of life after 58 years together. My family and friends have been so supportive and have been  helping me get through all the “stuff” you have to do.  Molly, where do you go in PA?  Are you ever near Gettysburg?  I would love to see you. 717 359-0289or you have my email.  Nancy Cohen Locker is in Gettysburg and I see her occasionally.  Have fun on your travels.

SUSAN WINTER SMITH

Does time roll around faster or is it me? Anyway, not much to report from the Great Northwest. We are settled into our routine in our apartment after three years. I confess I still miss our house on Mercer Island but know this is way easier to live here.

We acquired the cutest little dog last summer when we rescued Mandy from the Yakima Humane shelter. She is a little white poodle mix. I never really liked poodles but she is so very sweet.  We went to Phoenix in April to visit our son and his wife. Very much enjoyed seeing them in their new home. The day we arrived back home I entered the hospital with bilateral pneumonia.I was a sick puppy for a while but am slowly recovering. I have idiopathic Pulmonary fibrosis (meaning only idiots get it) so the pneumonia really hit me hard.  Mother’s Day was delightful with two of our kids coming. We had a lovely brunch here (that I didn’t have to cook). We heard from our daughter in Bellingham and our grandkids as well. We have two grandaughters in college now, one a senior at Western WA and the other a freshman at Evergreen College.

This is all there is and it isn’t much, and do what you wish with it. Enjoy all your travels.

ELEANOR HESTON SHIPLEY

My Dad was Assistant to the President there while I was in high school so Hood was my second home.  I went to Connecticut for two years, then transferred to Hood as a day student.  Got married that Thanksgiving.  I did not graduate because #1 child (Ginger Shipley Hankins, Hood 1980) arrived exactly ten months after our wedding.  Mamas were not allowed in those days!  So now here I am these many years later with four happily-married offspring, 13 grandchildren (#14 on the way!), and one great-grand.  I have lived in the same house for 46 years – up on Gambrill Mountain overlooking Frederick.  Unfortunately my husband died very young so there have been many tough battles to fight.  I guess I have made it!  Pretty strong for an 81-year-old.

PEG REEVES LEOPOLD

From Christmas and another letter, Peg’s shared stories of her family and extended Leopold family adventures sounded exciting for those who attended (not always Peg) – to include the finals of the women’s World Soccer contest (yea, USA) in Canada, a Leopold family reunion in Duck, NC where they filled out ancestry kits (she didn’t share if she is linked to the Neanderthal line), and a number of stories from the younger generation.  What a variety of involvements – Early Childhood Education, UVA linguistics and Spanish teacher/advocate for teenage children of immigrant farm workers, massage therapy, musician and photographer, and doctorate study for physical therapy.  Peg herself continues in yoga to help those ailing bones and works with the Master Gardeners.

MOLLY SMITH SPERANDIO

If I didn’t travel to see family and friends, I probably wouldn’t travel at all – too busy doing the things I’m interested in here at home.  My sisters’ reunion in April is always a blessing to me – to be able to spend time with my four older siblings – and this year enjoy celebrating the matriarch of our generation’s Smith Family celebrating her 90^th birthday – Kitty Smith Dunn, Hood 1947 – in June at the extended Smith Family Reunion, our 35^th year together.  I was also able to travel to CA (flew this time) and enjoy my four grands, children of my deceased son, Doug.  Life goes on with us octogenarians – we have our aches and pains to deal with and now bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is telling me maybe I need to look for someone else to take over this editorial job.  Hint, hint!! 😉

Molly Smith Sperandio
727-393-7446
mollymom76@gmail.com

Barbara Thomas Yinger We’re now great grandparents for a 2nd time with a girl born in March, joining great grandson, Callen, who’ll be 5 this Dec. I’ll be representing our class with Sarah Bulin Hanson at the inauguration of Hood’s new President in October. We have a big trip planned for March 2016 – flying to Rio, Brazil and cruising on the Amazon, stopping at other ports along South Africa for three weeks – a celebration of our 60th year of marriage. Other than that we’re just trying to keep the aches and pains of age under control. Carolyn Stevens Amstutz I traveled to Florida in March, where I saw Nancy Tressel Brown and Alice Riddle Metry at a Hood function in Naples. In August, my family celebrated my upcoming birthday with a trip to Europe. I had a wonderful week at a villa in Southern France (near the Mediterranean) with both my daughters and my grandchildren, followed by five days in Italy with just one daughter and her family (the one who lives in England). On my birthday weekend, I spent one night in Cambridge Massachusetts with my Albany daughter, and two days later spent the night in NYC with my England daughter who was there on business. I am now officially 80! I’m looking forward to having lunch with Margaret Hart Kaminer and Ann Copeland Billings in October. I am still playing golf (poorly) and bridge, and am currently on the search committee for a new minister for my church. Susan Winters Smith We moved from our house on Mercer Island where we lived for 52 years and raised all our children just 20 miles east to Issaquah, a nice little city where we already had doctors and shopping I preferred. Our younger son also lives here with his two young children, the youngest of our 5 grandchildren. We live in a retirement community with lots of activities. We live on the ground floor so we have two patios with lots of flowers. We also were asked to fill the big tubs in the inner courtyard. We get many, many comments about our flowers and what we put in the tubs. Also being on the ground floor, we have a little dog we rescued from the Humane Society shelter in Yakima in eastern Washington. Our daughter, Cyndy, teaches 8th grade science and science for teachers in her educational district. Her daughter, Aislinn, our oldest granddaughter, is a senior at Western WA University majoring in Education, the 4th generation of teachers. Our son, Steven, and his wife just moved to Phoenix. Another son, Chris, lives here in Issaquah with his family. His son, Christopher is 10 and in the 5th grade. His daughter, Erica is 6 and in the 1st grade. Our younger daughter, Liz, has bought a house with her partner in Bow, a small community north of here. They have 11 acres and she is busily gardening and maintaining her business as a Massage Therapist. Her older daughter, Brynn, just entered Evergreen College as a freshman and her younger daughter is a junior in Burlington HS. We are well for a couple of old folks, with the usual aches and pains, but nothing major so far. We go to water aerobics and exercise classes. I knit once a week with a group of friends. We call ourselves the KnitWits. Every week we have a showing of the TedTalks on television, which I heartily recommend to anyone who doesn’t know them yet. I walk daily and keep busy. Alice Riddle Metry Our family, 14, ages 8 to 82, got together for 3 1/2 days on Mackinac Island in July. Only means of transportation on the island are horses or bikes, or lots of walking. Good weather and all had a good time. Molly Smith Sperandio I’m writing this column from my sister’s home in Willow Valley, Pennsylvania – up here for our annual sisters/cousins’ reunion, and for me to enjoy the cool weather and see some of the trees in glorious color. I had lovely trips to Pennsylvania in April and June as well. Not much different in my life – happy to report no new surgeries, but as with most of us, arthritis is my constant companion. This report is a quick turn-around, so I am sorry that I will not be rewriting any of those who have not responded via e-mail to my plea for news nor will I be able to call those who have no email addresses. For most of us this is our 80th year – enjoy the life with which we have been blessed. We are awesome!

Molly Smith Sperandio
727-393-7446
mollymom76@gmail.com

Nancy Paul Stimson reported, “The new year was moving along in grand style. Bob was recovering well from his massive heart attack. Our oldest granddaughter had an Xmas wedding, December 27 in historic Philadelphia. It was beautiful, like a fairy tale; the only sad part was her father died last March but my daughter Valerie did a great job and held up well. We were looking forward to a trip to St. John in the Caribbean in March. In the meantime, they enjoyed New England’s cold.” Sara Davidson Haney wrote, “The holiday season was great. I spent early Christmas day in Connecticut with my younger son and his family and then flew to Utah for the remainder of Christmas with my older son and his family. It made for a long day but was lots of fun. I am now waiting for some repairs after a large tree fell on the power lines. I’ll be on my way to Florida for some warmer weather and to enjoy my horses. I have been enjoying volunteering at a local therapeutic riding program, but right now it’s too cold for both horses and riders. I am happy to be healthy and here!” Barbara Thomas Yinger said, “My holidays seem to always begin with gathering greens, making wreaths and decorating one of the houses for the local museum Christmas Tour–all as a member of the local garden club. We did have a few days in Maryland with son Scott and family, and then a week’s cruise to the Bahamas in January. In February, she planned to spend another few days at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Show to take two classes and get re-inspired. Unfortunately, Sally Masten Peterson passed away on February 28, 2015. A few months ago, I had called her on the phone because I did not hear from her this Christmas. Her husband George died last summer after a long battle with throat cancer. Sally had been receiving chemo for about a year. I don’t know how the mis-information got in the last news item that Barbara Beckhelm Moore was in the class of ’62. She never went to Hood but did live there when her father taught music. We were best friends from first grade through junior high school before the family moved to Iowa.” Peg Reeves Leopold wrote of her daughter Barbara’s marriage in Washington and her trip with her son Rick and his girl to Costa Rico. They hit the beautiful beaches Rick loves and surfs, but Peg found visiting part of the Monte Verde cloud forest and walking the seven steel suspension bridges at the top of the tree canopy, amazing. David and Julie moved to Richmond and the grandchildren are excelling in their interests. Peg still “plays in the dirt” with the master gardeners and “twists her bones” through her yoga classes. Peg shared a Christmas letter from Ginger Smith Reichert’s husband Hal, who is handling this second year after her death busily dealing with health and house problems and extolling the virtues of children, grandchildren and his newly received title of “Great” grandpa. A brief note from Syl Davison Rost said that she and Dwight are enjoying life with relatively few problems. Molly Smith Sperandio reported, “I don’t know if it is an age thing or what, but there always seems to be something physical plaguing me as time goes on.  In September I had a total hip replacement, having put it off from the year before when the surgeon told me I’d go to a cane, then walker, then wheelchair if I didn’t have the surgery. After having to use a cane, I decided to listen to the doctor.  Now I’ve been diagnosed with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and I’m going to put off again the prescribed surgery. I’ll wear the wrist stabilizers (actually, I won’t, because they cause me more pain and are more a hindrance than a help!) and take the cortisone shots for a while and see how that works. Other than those fun things, life goes on as usual. My favorite season of tax preparation is here and having to deal with the ACA is a challenge. Easter came early, so I am singing and ringing with gusto. Ushering for three different theaters gives me lots of great shows and concerts to enjoy. I was not about to head north in March for my annual sisters’ reunion and had to put that off until April–I’m a Floridian and don’t want to chance dealing with what you all have had once again this year. Stay warm and healthy my friends!”

Barbara Thomas Yinger: Bob and I went on the Hood Alumni River Cruise to Holland and Belgium in April. My friend, Barbara Beckhelm Moore, was also on the trip. Her father was professor in the music dept. at Hood in the 40’s and started the Naval Academy involvement with the Hood Choir to perform the Messiah on campus. Her sister Gretchen graduated from Hood in 1960 and was also on the cruise. Bob and I will be traveling from California to Miami through the Panama Canal. I’ve finished two bed quilts and took a class at the Norfolk Quilt show in February completing the double wedding ring pattern for my granddaughter who is getting married in October. We are still living near the Chesapeake Bay in the Northern Neck of VA. crabbing, fishing, playing mahjongg, judging flower shows, and tending our vegetable garden..

Nancy Tressel Brown: Old age and what we do for amusement. I now have two cats and decided last week to teach them to walk on a leash. First you have to get the collars on the cats. Two Band-Aids later I decided to just put on the leashes; three more Band-Aids. I decided to just trail the leash and have them follow me. The final resolution was my trailing a very pretty pink leash with no one on it. And, two cats following me – sort of – along with checking out all the neighbor’s bushes, et al. All was not lost. A very handsome young man got off his bike to say “M’am, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I think you lost your dog”. I’m not sure about the M’am part. Hope it’s this much fun at “The Home”.

Roberta Geehan Horton: I fell while hiking in Idaho last August and had rotator cuff surgery in February. I’m progressing nicely with physical therapy, and looking forward to visiting Ireland, land of some of my ancestors, this summer.

Dolores O’Connor VanVleck: (A note from husband, Dale)The past year began well but did not end well. We had gone more than a year without anyone in the hospital. I had a kidney along with a large enclosed malignant tumor removed in August of 2012. So far that seems to have gone okay. In late January of 2012 Dee had a bursa in her right elbow removed because of bursitis caused by scoliosis which had caused her to lean so much that the pressure on the elbow caused the bursitis which then became infected. She had not been able to walk for several years. The ‘wound’ on her elbow resulted in rehab of 10 weeks followed by a trip to the wound doctor every two weeks for a total of 20 months. She was able to resume work with a physical therapist early last summer but water therapy could not be resumed until the wound was declared healed in October. She enjoyed the physical and water therapy which was needed to retain upper body strength for transfers from wheel chair to chair and shower and bed. Together we managed quite well despite the food I prepared. Then in mid-November had a colon bleed (ischemic colitis) with three weeks in hospital and re-hab. It is apparently not uncommon and seemed to heal itself. She returned to the physical and water therapy as if nothing had happened. After one week I found her semi-conscious on December 13. From the emergency room she went directly to intensive care. (The week-end we planned to do Christmas cards.) We still don’t know what the original cause was. The only outward vital sign was very low blood pressure. We kept expecting her to be out in 3-4 days as had happened other times. This time she got progressively less responsive. After two weeks we were told she had no chance of surviving due to perforation of the colon resulting in sepsis. An operation was really not an option. We were shocked. All blood cultures had been negative. Vital signs did not seem bad but the medications and oxygen and fluids probably disguised the severity of the sickness. She died three days later. The intensive care nurses did all they could and kept her from having any pain. After the first day she could not talk because of the ventilator.

Obit: Dee  (O’Connor) Van Vleck, 78, died December 29, 2013, peacefully, after a short illness. Born in Philadelphia, Pa. September 8, 1935. Philadelphia High School for Girls. Bachelor of Arts, Suma Cum Laude, Honorary Marshall, Mortar Board, Hood College, Frederick, Maryland. Master of Science, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y., Beta Phi Mu, International Library Science Honor Society. Life was not always fair but she never gave up. Leaves husband of 55 years, Dale; daughter, Elizabeth of Dallas; son, John of Atlanta; and granddaughter, Audrey of Atlanta.  In younger years, a many faceted volunteer. Loved animals, especially wolves and cats. Loved history, books, and learning. Appreciated and supported the Arts, especially music – Brahms, Bach, Beethoven, and more. Devoted member of NPR, PBS, and NET/Radio. Contributor to many causes including the homeless, hungry, oppressed, children in need, and endangered and neglected animals.  Memorial services for family and friends, Spring 2014, at Lincoln Memorial Park. Memorials to Foundation for Lincoln City Libraries, 136 S 14 St, Lincoln, NE 68508. Arrangements by Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home. Condolences can be left at: lincolnfh.com.

Virginia Smith Durland: Bill and I just sold our long time home in Colorado Springs and are looking for a place that will take us and our beloved dog. I will give the alum office an update when we get a new address. Our biggest news is that we now have two great granddaughters – one born last August and the second this past January. Spent a restful 3 months at Pendle Hill Quaker Center as Friends in Residence in Wallingford, PA from March to June and saw many old friends from Bill’s Bucknell days, but found it very hard to re-acclimate to low altitude, humid weather and are very glad to be home. We have too many grandchildren to report on all of them, but one grandson is studying to be a chef and one granddaughter is off to Thailand to study acupuncture and massage therapy. All the rest are equally imaginative. Our daughter, Fadwah, who is a certified nurse-midwife has just opened her own clinic/women’s health center in Boca Raton and is reveling in being her own boss. We see many of Bill’s Bucknell classmates and fraternity Brothers, but I haven’t been so lucky over the years. Any Hoodlums that come to Colorado Springs, please look us up! (719) 635-8686 Peace is Possible

Audrey Goetz Swart: We are living in the Upstate of South Carolins ,near Clemson Univ. We moved here from Florida 12 years ago to be close to two of our four daughters! We have seven grandchildre ranging in age from 28 to 14—all doing well in very stages of education!!!
Sam and I are well:enjoying this beautiful area and many activities. I am very involved with my Church and serving God. We have traveled to many foreign lands and in the States!! In fact I’m leaving next week with a daughter for Turkey and Greece!! My email address has changed to audsam@charter.net.

Mara Eckstein Garcia-Bunuel: Every year I enjoy my Renaissance classes, usually I have coordinated a semester class. We are off for the summer. In May I took a riverboat trip to Russia; it was quite wonderful; lots of international guests; went all the way to Northern Russia (Karelia) and then south to St Petersburg. When one sees all the gold, the jewels, the crystals, etc. one understands why there was a revolution, just like in France and other places. My oldest grandson just graduated from Friends School and the family is off to Italy and Spain.

Sarah Bulin Hanson: Our lives are exceedingly quiet and travel is now more often to the doctor’s office or the hospital. Of course, grandchildren  are the delight in our lives. In April, I spent a long weekend with my son’s daughter, Olivia, at Elon University. (He drove!!!) She’s coming to visit July 22. My granddaughter, Hannah, in Charleston , has a job with a fast growing organic skin care co. (rms) and she gives me lots of samples! My grandson, Brandon, just finished a month of National Guard Training and has started a new job in financial services. Last, but by no means least, I hope everyone has given to the Hood Fund this year. Let’s send Dr. Volpe out on the high note he deserves!  Douglas and I will make our annual visit to Capon Springs in September. This wonderful spot is still owned by our late classmate Claire Austin’s family. Claire’s son and daughter are very involved and we will enjoy our time with them as well as relaxing in a mountain retreat.

Carolyn Stevens Amstutz: Hope I’m not too late!!  I’ll fill you in on a little of my news.  First and foremost, I was in Naples FL for a month in March, and spend a terrific weekend in Bonita Springs with Alice (Riddle) and Fred Metry.  The first night  we had dinner at their golf club with Tressie and Roger Brown, and the second night Jacke McCurdy and her sister Arden came to Alice’s for dinner.  What a really good weekend that was!  After Naples I spent a week with my daughter and her family (who live in England) at Disney World.  My granddaughters are 6 and 9, which added to the excitement.  I must say, however, that visiting Disney for four days is not for the feint of heart!!   I guess I really am 78!  I’m off for a few days in northern Vermont and Canada with  my Albany NY daughter, and then in August will be in Scotland and England for two weeks. Beside my travels, I’m still playing bridge, a bit of golf, and am on the search committee for a new minister for our church – a daunting task.

Mary Jane Harkness Nace: Dick and I just returned from a wonderful few days visit with Cathy Goss Newhouser in Dunwoody, Georgia.  It’s been several years since we were together and this was truly a special visit.  As you can imagine there was lots of reminiscing; laughter; and tales of our Hood days.  Since Dick had been a part of our Hood years, he enjoyed hearing us talk about all our Hood-stuff. Dick and I moved to Hendersonville, NC in 2011 and we discovered, with this trip, that the drive to Dunwoody is only 3+ hours. The three of us plan to get together more often.

Molly Smith Sperandio: This was my summer of travel with the main destination my granddaughter’s high school graduation in Davis, CA.  I decided to drive around the USA visiting friends and family and fell in love with our northwestern states which I had never visited before – such beauty is awesome! I was gone 39 days and drive 9,742 miles during which I had to service my Prius twice – for the 115K and 120K miles – and buy 2 new tires.  FL to PA road trips in March and September for family reunions round out the travels.  What a joyous life!  I deal with the aches and pains of spinal stenosis and CHF, but who doesn’t have their health problems?  We do what we have and want to do and life goes on!
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MARGARET HART KAMINER:  I live in Cashiers, NC; my daughter and her family are also here; my son lives in Boca Raton where he is a senior VP and lawyer with a commercial firm. I try to keep in touch with Meredith Sorenson Harris and Alice Riddle Metry and hope to get together with them soon. I am planning to see Sylvia Blackburn Felcyn in November in Greenwich Conn. I have been a widow for 11 years. I keep busy with lots of volunteering, baby sitting and a great deal of bridge playing.

MIRIAM SPAULDING KEYSER: We are in the midst of frantic downsizing, give away, and preparation to move – all in 6 weeks.  We made the decision to move to Oak Crest, an Erickson Senior Community north of Baltimore, MD on August 22nd, put the house on the market on the 31st and sold it in16 days. We move in 2 weeks. I feel like my head is spinning. I wake very early in the morning and can’t get back to sleep so I pack or go online and send pictures to the family of items I can’t take; hopefully someone will want them.

BARBARA THOMAS YINGER: My new e-mail address is: bbyinger@va.metrocast.net.  I attended my 55th reunion with 9 classmates from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and 2 husbands.  My eye surgery for glaucoma went well and Bob’s heart procedure has had good results.

ANN COPELAND BILLINGS: Greetings from Northfield, MN where I’m visiting 3 of my 10 Grandchildren (ages 2 1/2-16).  Can’t believe how old I am but they surely keep me young, along with duplicate bridge, tennis, church and great friends back in Walpole and Weston MA.  I occasionally see Louise Reed and hope to reconnect with Carolyn Stevens Amstutz soon.

CAROL HARKNESS KILREA: Celebrated our 55^th reunion from Mass General in Boston – Sue Truby Peterson and Syl Davison Rost represented the “hoodlums” and the hospital treated us all royally! Reunion was followed by a week in Maine with Carl and Sue; my pal, Bill May, and Carl have common interests and we always have such fun together! Visited good friends in Snowmass and managed to catch a sizable brown trout with a fly rod! The house was at 11,800 feet which challenged my Meniere’s disease but what a beautiful area! Now have 6 college grads (4 of them living in Chicago) and 1 more next year before the exciting cycle for the next 7 begins! Hope to get to Marco Island for a month and a week or so in Hobe Sound – winters here in NW Indiana by Lake Michigan can be a test!

ROBERTA GEEHAN HORTON:  Last May, Bob and I took a “Trip of a Lifetime” to the Naples, Italy area.  We stayed in Sorrento with lovely view across the Bay of Naples to Mt. Vesuvius.  We were taken by AHI Travel to Pompeii, Herculaneum, Naples Museum, Capri, the ancient Greek temples of Paestum, and the Amalfi Coast. In August we went to Idaho and Montana.. While hiking in ID, I fell dislocating my right shoulder and fracturing my humerus. After two days of R & R, we got back on the trails and enjoyed the beauty of the area, although I was bound up in an immobilizing device.  Months of physical therapy are ahead.  Four grandkids are in college now and another college grad just got married.

ELSIE LYONS HINKHOUSE: Idaho is covered with one spectacular scenic route after another – so very, very different from the East Coast which is also so spectacularly beautiful.  Having lived in Pennsylvania, Maryland (Hood), Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina before moving to Idaho, I am a devoted Easterner loving the opportunity to learn about the other side of our country.  The best part is being close to two of our daughters and the grandkids.  We still have one daughter and her family half a continent away in Texas who we see several times a year.

SALOME “GINGER” SMITH REICHART passed peacefully September 16, 2013. Her husband Lieutenant Commander Harold L. Reichart Jr., USN R wrote, “Most of her life was centered around our five daughters and 15 grandchildren. Her obituary appeared in The Virginian Pilot on September 18 and should be available online. You can always call me at 757-421-0404 or 757-633- 1347.”

MOLLY SMITH SPERANDIO: A summer filled with family travel kept me quite busy. My FL granddaughter graduated HS 6/3 and I flew out to CA on 6/4 to see my grandson graduate HS– 4 more to go, 3 in CA and 1 in FL.  I enjoyed being with my 4 grands and also saw my son in CA; enjoyed touring the Bowers Museum. I had 3 road trips to PA – our 33^rd annual family reunion; our cousins’ reunion and my 60^th HS class reunion.   Studying for AARP Tax Assistance is next. I continue with my volunteerism in church and community.

As I receive messages from my classmates, if they are too late for one of the Hood Magazine issues, I will post them here in toto, and edit them for the next issue. Therefore, this message from Bert Geehan Horton will go into the Winter issue which will be due sometime in December and delivered sometime in 2014.  Hope that makes sense to everyone. Ciao~  Molly

ROBERTA GEEHAN HORTON: We recently returned from a grand trip to the Naples, Italy area.  We stayed in beautiful Sorrento and were taken by bus and boat to the hot spots of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Amalfi coast, Capri, and Naples.  The tour company is AHI, or Alumnae Holiday International.  We went with a group from the U. of Missouri where I got my  masters degree, but later we received the same offer from Hood.  We would highly recommend travel with this group. in opposite directions. This weekend we are attending two high school graduations on the same day, June 8, in two different North Carolina towns in opposite directions, Winston-Salem and Greenville.  After a short recovery we will go to our time-share condo in Key Largo where we will join our daughter, Becky, and her family for a week. Have a wonderful summer. Roberta aka “Bert”