Jean Wheatley Hilchuk, Class Reporter
jhilchuk@aol.com

Marilyn Barnett is alive in New Orleans but states she has nothing to report. Betty Lee Daubenspeck Carl is very active.  Betty still plays golf, bridge and enjoys a cocktail hour. Nancy Ogden Carson and her husband live in a retirement center and enjoy life there with all the activities. Several of their children live nearby. Janet Louise Coblentz Cover was one of our two classmates that attended our 70th reunion in June. I am going to call her back so we can share more news. Gertrude Flagg Dalzell still lives alone in her own home with her son. She has another son that lives close by and she still drives. Anne Schwab Dulabahn has sold her home and moved to a retirement center. She has given up driving. Peg Traver Emery’s husband passed away and she is selling her home and moving to her sons in Texas. Ann Wikel Hausman is now in a retirement center and has sons close by. Mildred Geiple Hufnagel still drives. One son lives with her and another lives close by. Annabelle Sunderland Kepler still lives in her own home. Her husband died five years ago. She too is still driving. Mim Fowler Orth still lives in her own home. Her son lives close by and takes her where she needs to go as she no longer drives. Mildred Patzig remains in her lovely home in the N.C. mountains. She has help come in daily to help her. But she is alone at night. Emma M. Vonderheide Rhoderick has moved to a new home on the Cheaspeake Bay next to her son. The view is great she says. She will enjoy it more when she finishes unpacking. Phyllis Carts Searle lives by herself but people pick her up all the time as she is not driving. Mary Alice Knobloch Smith‘s husband died this past December. She still plays bridge and has several children that live close by which is nice. Phylliss Fine Soza reported that her brother Harold died last month. He and I were in elementary school in third grade. Phylliss told me that she is blind. I was not aware of this. Mary Lou Chorley Touart is busy as ever. Her girls are doing well; one is an actress and one and artist. Mary Lou is still at her retirement center, but is moving to smaller quarters. Helen Stottler Leaver has resigned as treasurer of an organization so she will have more time to work on the history of family. That takes a lot of work as I did that 10-years-ago. I, Jean Wheatley Hilchuk, gave my car to my nephew as I am no longer driving. It was probably the best thing as I cannot walk alone. I ride my scooter around the halls of my retirement center.

Lucy Song Gilbart
301-305-2792
lucygilbart@yahoo.com

Kelly Robertson Lane wrote, “I just have completed a Child Development Certification covering growth and development, nutrition, and assessment for young children. I am also using my Hood B.A. in print communications and currently finishing up a book of nature inspired poetry dedicated to my Mother, Lottie Robertson who passed away in 2011.” I can be reached at:
klane2929@gmail.com, 3117 Bancroft Rd. Baltimore, Maryland 21215.

The Class of 1994 needs a new class reporter. Please contact the office of alumni relations at alumoffice@hood.edu or call 301-696-3900 if you would like to become the reporter.

Allison Horne, Class Reporter
auntieal@verizon.net

Hello classmates….long time, no hear.  Hope to see many of you at our 35^th reunion in June!  I have been very remiss in getting reminders out to all of you over the last 18 months so you could send me updates, but I received some in the last week that I wanted to share.  Susan Patton Fox and her husband, Bob, relocated to Northern VA in 2007. She sold her law practice in CT and ‘career-switched’ to teaching middle school Social Studies and Language Arts.  Their oldest daughter, Ashley, got her Masters in Theology and Catechetics at Franciscan University of Steubenville Ohio and is now working as a DRE (Director of Religious Education) at Our Lady of Angels in Woodbridge, VA.  She and Susan write a blog together: Hopeinlove.org.  Their son graduated from Longwood University in VA 3 years ago, got his Accounting certificate, and tried his hand as a professional golfer in FL – before deciding to go for the young life as a CPA in Manhattan while he was still single.  Their daughter, Katharine, graduated from Franciscan 2 years ago and has been working as a Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse at National Children’s hospital in DC.  She married Jonathan Boulos last June and is now expecting Susan’s first grandchild, Lucy, in late May!  Their youngest, Maryjacqueline, is due to graduate from Franciscan this year as an Elementary Education teacher.  Susan says they are all incredibly grateful for God’s Blessings.   Jen Goerk Lyden wrote that last fall, three of her photos were selected for a group show entitled “Five Artists” at Heaven Gallery in Asbury Park, NJ. One of the pieces sold to a local collector and the curator was her Jr. High art teacher in Ridgewood, NJ.  Diane Cain Proctor has a new job as Reading Specialist and started her own private tutoring business. She uses the Orton-Gillingham approach to tutor dyslexic students in every grade, K-12.  Her three daughters are all on their own now: Alison is 27 and finished a year in the Peace Corps in Namibia and then worked in New Delhi, India for her internship. She finished her Master’s degree in May 2014  in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management from SIT, Brattleboro, VT.  Middle daughter, Sarah, just turned 26, finished her Masters’ degree in Clinical Psychology and lives in Valdosta, GA with her husband, Andrew who is in the Air Force. Sarah is now working as a Case Manager at an out-patient psychiatric hospital. She does be psycho-educational/skill building groups, assessments, discharge planning, and chart audits.  Her youngest daughter, Andrea, 23, just finished college at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY. She loved this college! She majored in Psychology and Art and would like to explore art therapy options in the future.  Diane lives in MA and has been taking care of her elderly parents, both 83. She has taken up gardening, knitting, crocheting, walking, and spending lots of time with family and friends in Old Orchard Beach, Maine.  Valerie Cerrone Nelson passed on the new that her daughter (Alexandra, 26) got married in September to Christopher Mann!  It was a lovely party and they were thrilled to have Cathyann McCann Ray and Judy Reamer Egan ’81 with them for the event!  She really enjoys her new career as a midwife, and the practice at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx.  She says, “Catching babies is wonderful, and I love working in women’s health!”  Deborah Sheetenhelm Hammond reported that she retired from local government in March, 2014 and since that time I has published two novels; In the Eye of the Storm and The Big Sky. Both are available through amazon.com so check them out!  She has a third novel, called The English Rose that should be available in March and has five additional books in development.  Jennifer Reinbrecht is a massage therapist in Denver, CO. After Hood, she headed west for the Mountains, following Carl Kline, Hood’s interdenominational minister, to South Dakota for peace and justice work. She met her husband, became a graduate teaching assistant, and earned her Master’s degree in Sociology while waiting for her husband to graduate. They have been in Denver for 30+ years, having enjoyed hiking, backpacking, white water rafting in the past and now enjoy road trips, day hikes, gardening, and exploring whether and they can afford to retire. They are active Airbnb hosts, and have met wonderful people from all over the world.  As for me, I have been with Marsh USA for over 22 years, working in Philadelphia as the Finance Manager for the Mid-Atlantic offices.  I live in an old, historic house in West Chester and love spending time with my family and friends, especially on the Eastern Shore of MD or at the Outer Banks in NC.

 

Nancy Ludwick Warrenfeltz
850-995-0051
nlwfeltz@hotmail.com

Always good to hear from our class. Here’s the latest news. Please email me your updates so I can include it next time. Thanks! Kathy Anderson Jewell reported, “Just after the deadline for the summer issue, our daughter Kristin Jewell Zoller and husband Zack welcomed Ian Michael Zoller on July 24, 2014. Ian joins big sister Nora who is now 3. They recently moved to Bel Air, Md., into a lovely new home. My husband Chip was appointed to the new position of director/chief of the division of Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services for Frederick County, Md., in August 2013. He enjoys his new position and continues to be very busy. I keep active with a new position at our church. I am sewing for pleasure again and helping with the care of our four grandchildren. With all of them 3-years-old and under, it is wonderful to watch them grow and change.” Anna Collins Pasqualucci wrote, “My career in biotech has taken a 180 degree turn into folk art. After more than 25 years in cancer, agricultural and pharmaceutical research, I enjoy painting custom window screens, educating people about this Baltimore tradition and learning to become a web master for my new hobby. I look forward to annual May pilgrimages to OBX with my golden retriever and appreciate living a few miles from my son and his wife and my daughter. Artist member: www.PaintedScreens.org.” Maggie Lindsay Doyle and her husband Paul welcomed their first grandchild Grace Doyle Enslow born on January 20, 2015. Grace weighed 4 lbs. 12 oz. and is doing well for arriving early into the world! Congrats, Maggie and Paul! Donna Parker Bannwolf, P’17 wrote, “Our son Steven is attending Hood and is a sophomore. His favorite professor is Len Latkovski. It’s funny because my roommate Nan Clark had Dr. Latkovski when we were at Hood!  I visited with Len on campus and he is still very popular with the students, who stopped by to say hello in the student center. Also, I ran into Noel Lester at Brewer’s Alley with his kids and grandchildren. He was my music professor at Hood and is doing great–looks exactly the same. From my end, I just started a new job with the Frederick County Public Libraries as the corporate and community partnerships manager, managing public relations, marketing and partnerships for the library system. So far, so good! This is my third time living in Frederick. It seems a well-worn path between Texas and Maryland, for us.” Nancy Strangfeld Cauwenberghs enjoyed a weekend trip back to Frederick last November. They saw a show at the Weinberg Center for the Arts in downtown Frederick and had dinner at the Old South Mountain Inn in Boonsboro… sitting atop scenic, historic Turner’s Gap and still very quaint. They traveled to Harpers Ferry and to other local battlefields. Plus, they stopped at a Virginia Winery. Thanks for the news, Nancy! Sally Woomert Hinder and her husband live in Churchville, Md., where they have been for 37 years. Their children are grown and they have four grandchildren who they are blessed to see on a fairly regular basis. Sally has run a small business selling baked goods at the Bel Air Farmers Market on Saturdays for the past 18 years. In the winter, she substitute teaches in several of the Elementary schools. Barb Woolmington-Smith wrote, “Craig and I are still working, but our kids have moved out (or in one case almost moved out). We are thinking of selling our big house in a year or two so we can downsize. We both think getting out of the SF Bay Area earthquake zone would be a good idea, so we are looking at the Sierra foothills near Sacramento. We also own land in Western North Carolina and could move there, but I am not sure I want to leave California for the mountains of North Carolina. If anyone out there reads this and wants to comment on life in North Carolina, please email me because I would love to hear your views. No permanent decision has been made, but I’m sure we will sell and move somewhere else in just a few years. I realized some time ago that I have only lived in brand new houses my entire life (except for the few years I lived in a condo when we were first married). Both houses I lived in when growing up, my parents were the first owners and the house that we live in now we built back in 1988. Looking at homes that are not new, seems so foreign and hard for me without thinking I have to completely redo and upgrade all the interiors. We have a lot of looking and compromising to do. I am still trying to expand my Etsy business: www.babywearbybabs.etsy.com  by learning and using social media to get the word out. If anyone needs a special handmade baby gift, check out my shop. Both kids are working, but single and happy. No grandbabies anytime soon.” As for us, Larry and I were crowned 2015 King and Queen of my Mardi Gras Krewe of Les Gals. We had so much fun dressing up as Pirates for the skit. With Larry back on two feet, we keep busy with all of our activities. Life is good! Thanks for the news updates! Always good to hear from you!

Barbara Maly Fish
919-688-9125
barb2fish@yahoo.com

I send the sympathy of the class to the family of Lynn Marx Silverman, who died on May 8, 2014, after a 15-month battle with pancreatic cancer, and to Sandy Borrelli Ricci, whose husband Renzo died on August 7, 2014. Carol Eisenberg Miller wrote that she was looking forward to attending the Hood-Albright basketball game with the local Hood group in Reading, Pa. (Hood won 71-59). She continues to serve as treasurer on the Pennsylvania State Extension Board and is also very active with Opportunity House, a local charity that includes a homeless shelter, a 24/7/365 day care center, a child abuse prevention program and a job training resource. After much consideration, Margaret Myers Sanders and her husband are moving to Willow Valley, a retirement community in Lancaster, Pa., her hometown. She is looking forward to all the amenities offered at Willow Valley and will enjoy being just an hour away from her little granddaughters. Margaret wonders if there are any other Hood folks at Willow Valley. After 47 years of teaching math, social studies and language arts to middle school students, Mary Cockram Morse retired in 2012. Since then, she has become a snowbird, spending the winter months in Bradenton, Fla., and the rest of the year in Ann Arbor, Mich. She has joined a church in Bradenton and sings in the choir, including an occasional solo. She is also taking private ballroom dance lessons and was recently in a showcase, dancing the tango with her teacher. She was looking forward to going on a dance cruise at the end of February. When she wrote, Carol Smith Mills and her husband had just returned from a wonderful Road Scholar trip to Miami Beach and Key West. She enjoys spending time with their 6-year-old grandson and 3-year-old granddaughter. She also volunteers at a local hospital near her home in Doylestown, Pa., where she delivers menus to patients and will soon work in the new pediatric wing with animal-assisted therapy. Carol and her fox terrier, April, do a reading program at a local elementary school. She finds that first graders love reading to April. The bucket list for Dave and Carol Hottenstein Parker included visiting all 50 state capitals and touring their capitol buildings. They celebrated their 50th anniversary by going to Hawaii, the 50th state. They liked the concept and design of the capitol in Honolulu best of all the ones they have visited. It is designed to represent a volcano and opens into a central courtyard and the exterior columns represent palm trees. The Parkers found the capitol in Harrisburg to be the most opulent, with lots of gold leaf; the high-rise office building in Omaha, Neb., the least interesting; and the one in Pierre, S.D., the plainest. The Parkers are very involved in playing duplicate bridge. Carol directs at their local club and serves as club administrator in January and February when many players leave Ohio for warmer climates. Dave and Carol planned to attend the Gatlinburg Regional Tournament in April in hopes of earning enough points to make American Contract Bridge League Life Master. The Parkers also have three “wonderful” grandchildren that they enjoy greatly.

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!”

Mary Townley
hoodmlt@aol.com

Hello Class of 1983!

It has been quite the winter here on the East coast with snow falling everywhere, but as I write this column, spring is but a few weeks away.  Thank you to those who shared their news with me.  Please feel free to send your news to me or to Hood directly for publication in our column. Let me get right to the news.  Shelley Wagar Sabo writes, “My work continues to keep me very busy and I love my job. Was able to spend a week in Puerto Rico in January for work and enjoyed the break from winter. My daughter Courtney graduates from the community college in Northern Virginia this May and will move to South Carolina this summer as she begins her last two years at Coastal Carolina University this fall. That is it for now. Looking forward to summer and the Cape and some camping in the Adirondacks.” I also heard from Ann Kitson.  Her daughter, Kate, continues her studies at Hood College and her son Tucker continues to serve in the Navy (thank you Tucker). Ann and her husband Steve relocated to western Massachusetts where Ann is now working for Baystate Children’s Specialty Center. Pam Stamey Inskeep writes, “It has been ages since I wrote a note for class news, so here goes. On 8/8/08 at 8:00 p.m., I married John Allen (“Johnny”) Inskeep and became stepmom to Jessica Sarah Inskeep. My husband used to work as a cable installer in Manhattan in New York, and in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Twenty-one years ago, he suffered a back injury on the job and was declared disabled. He can walk and do light lifting, but he cannot sit or stand or drive for long periods of time, and he is always in pain. But, my husband deals with it all very well; he has good days and bad days. He has a wonderful sense of humor, and we laugh a lot and just enjoy life one day at a time. Our daughter, Jess, graduated from the University of Delaware in May 2008 with a B.A. in History, a minor in East Asian Studies, and a minor in Disability Studies. After graduation, she joined AmeriCorps’ Teach for America (TFA) program and was invited to teach at Seaford Sr. High School in Seaford, Delaware. She is doing such a fantastic job there that the school’s administrator asked her to be the lead teacher in the special education department, and she is a homeroom leader for TFA. She is also still participating in her sorority, Delta Gamma, by being an advisor to the DG chapter at Salisbury College in Salisbury, Maryland. In addition, she earned her teaching certificate while teaching at Seaford Sr. High School and is currently working towards getting her master’s degree at the Georgetown, Delaware, UD campus. She enjoys teaching, but her ultimate goal is to work in special education policy administration. Jess has worked very hard to get this far on her career path, and we are very proud of her accomplishments. Her heart and mind are in the right place; she is determined to make a difference in her students’ lives by obtaining the educational resources they need to succeed in school and in their community. As for me, I have been working part-time for New Castle County, Delaware, as a Community Service Worker II – Library Aide – at the Bear Library since June 2013. I provide customer service to patrons at the Circulation Desk and work on back-office library tasks. I love working at the library, helping patrons and promoting community events, including literacy programs for adults and children. I also participate in two book clubs: Bear Library Book Group and a ladies’ social book club. It’s great connecting with other book lovers. In addition, I am self-employed, part-time, as a private tutor primarily for elementary (K-6) subjects, especially English language arts, reading, writing, and math. I enjoy helping students increase their understanding of the subjects they are learning in school. In my spare time, have also been trying to start a crafts business. Perhaps, I will have more time to devote to that enterprise in 2015.That’s my life in a nutshell – helping kids, helping adults, and helping family. Once in a while, I take time out for myself, reading, watching TV, and dreaming of things I want to do and places I want to go. My husband and I like to go out to dinner and go to the movies. We are such a good match for each other. It seems as if we just got married, when, in reality, we will be celebrating our seventh anniversary of marriage in August 2015. Boy, how time flies!” Ruth Ravitz Smith shared the following news, “This is old news but in Feb 2014, the Memorial girls – Gretchen, Sarah, Cindy, Suzanne and I got together in Frederick for a mini reunion. It was the first time we had all been together since graduation. We had so much fun; we are doing it again in March. Professionally, I just launched my own business – RRSmith Global Solutions, providing government affairs and strategic engagement services to clients.”  Valerie Kaufmann writes, “I have never sent in anything to be included in a newsletter before but here goes: I am living in Hagerstown, MD with my husband of almost 40 years. After a career of teaching in Washington County, MD I worked for nine years at the MD State Department of Education as the Branch Chief of Early Learning, Division of Early Childhood Development. For the last three years I have worked as Principal at Funkstown School for Early Childhood Education in Hagerstown. It’s a great little school serving prekindergarten and kindergarten students and the perfect location to finish out my career in early childhood education.” Trish Wilson shared that she “…lives on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and three cats. She has written numerous short stories for dark fiction, horror, and erotica anthologies under the pen names Elizabeth Black and E. A. Black. Her first family saga/thriller novel “Secrets and Lies” will be released by Eldritch Press in 2015. She will publish it as Elizabeth Black.”  As for me, your class reporter, my life in Richmond is much calmer these days.  Over the last year, my wife, Carol daughter, Emily and I were involved in a nationally covered lawsuit to bring marriage equality to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Having the support of nationally renowned lawyers, David Boies and Ted Olson was beyond words amazing. After a year of winning two important court cases, many press interviews and overall craziness, a decision came down. On October 6, 2014, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to review our case (along with six other cases). At that moment marriage equality became the law of the land in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.  It was an exciting day for our family.  That day, Carol and I renewed our vows on the steps of the John Marshall Court House in Richmond with Virginia’s Attorney General, Mark Herring.  In mid- February, we celebrated our thirtieth anniversary with nearly seventy close family and friends. We are so happy and honored to have been a part of changing the law of the land. Suzanne Johnson writes, “Gretchen Smith Coviello, Cyndy Stearns Price, Sarah Hoover Dietrich, and Ruth Ravitz Smith, our Class of 1983 Memorial Hall group, and I all met last February 2014 in Frederick for the first time as a group since 1983. It was such a joyful and amazing weekend, we decided we’re going to do whatever we can to make it an annual event. Our next get together is a slumber party weekend here at my home in Moorestown, NJ and we can’t wait! We’re excited that Angie Sievers Beachley ’84 is going to be join us too!”

Send in your news and be sure to update your email address with me so you will receive notice of our newsletters.  All my best….

Mary

Karin Ninesling Infuso, Class Reporter
kinfuso@aol.com

Once again, I relied on e-mail messages for this column. Members of the Class of 1970 are busy with new homes, new businesses, volunteer work, and travel.  Nancy Schneider Alder continues to volunteer at her church and local hospital and sees her five grandchildren as often as possible. She looks forward to our reunion in June. Lynne Demers Becker spent several months in the Netherlands with her husband and, upon their return to the US, traveled to Arizona and Florida.  She worked for the University of Houston on a fund-raising initiative, but after the four month commitment, the university asked her to stay on for several more months.  Marj Menchey Bernstein visited her junior year roommate, Molly Stuart ’69, in Colorado.  She also saw Maureen Clancey ’69 in California, and spent time with Ellen Sacks at Sam Ryan’s beach house.  Marj will host a cocktail party at her new home during our reunion in June.  Ada Karen Blair relocated from Maryland to North Carolina in May 2014.  However, her retirement was short-lived; she is finishing the re-decoration of a new home and bought a small store in her town.  Just what she will do with the store is still to be determined.  She and her husband will go to Sarasota, Florida for Major League Baseball spring training.  Melinda Brown Condon and her husband sold their house on Cape Cod and bought a house on a lake in New Hampshire.  She and her husband then sold their home of 37 years in just three weeks and are spending the winter on Pine Island, FL kayaking, swimming, boating, and fishing.  Marianne Clark Cordyack sent me several e-mail addresses of classmates to update my list. Thank you, Marianne.  She keeps in touch with and sees her long-time Hood friends. Ronni George Freiberger is one of those friends.  Ronni, who is looking forward to our reunion in June, and her husband moved to coastal New Hampshire to be closer to their daughter and son-in-law;  their son will be married in 2016.  Ronni, Marianne Cordyack, Dody Corey Crutchley, Marianne Fischer O’Meara, and Lynn Johnson Houze visited Sue Pendall Johnson at Sue’s Florida home.  Marty Hassell retired last year and has enjoyed having time to travel and visit friends.  She went to Alaska last year and visited Linda Allan in Florida.  Linda was a great host and suggested places where Marty could  photograph “stunning wildlife”.  She is looking forward to our reunion in June.  Myra Holsinger traveled to London, Thessaloniki, Greece, and Istanbul with Elaine Hubert. They had a wonderful time visiting friends in Greece, and the trip to Istanbul was a first visit for both of them.  Karin Ninesling Infuso and her family traveled to Italy and Paris, and her daughter Kate fell in love with Venice.  Kate teaches exceptional children in a rural school in North Carolina, enjoys the challenge of her profession, but sees every day the impact of poverty on children’s ability to learn.  Karin’s husband is a member of a civic group that raises funds for the under-funded public schools in NC.  Karin and her husband will travel to Florida for MLB spring training with Kari Blair and her husband.  Karin plans to attend the reunion in June.  Denise Howard Mason is a proud grandmother who sends photos and information about her granddaughter.  Pam Nesbit and her husband are members of Waswagoning Players, a theater group that presents a program called “Standing in a Good Way” to community groups in Wisconsin.  The program weaves song, dance, and personal stories to combat bullying.  Donna Newman spent several weeks scuba diving in Cozumel and plans to visit Key West soon.  She is also doing a lot of contra, ballroom, swing, and tango dancing.  Mary Ryan Reeves still supervises Hood art student teachers.  She and her husband escaped part of the winter with a visit to Boca Raton, FL where she saw Linda Israel Lamm ’69.  Many classmates who sent information for this column mentioned our reunion in June. Please plan to attend. Thank you to the classmates who sent information for the column.

In closing, I am sad to report the passing of Elizabeth Walker and send condolences to her family.

Kathie Baum Wolpe and Marty Kaiser Canner, Class Reporters
kwolpe@gmail.com and plcanner@juno.com

We send our condolences to Gwen Jordan Bausum whose husband, Howard, passed away in January, 2013. Gwen’s grandson, Josiah Bausum, lives with her and Gwen finds his company a blessing.  Gwen misses her Hood big sister, Lori Ball Chase ’59, who passed away in 2009, but is thankful that Lori’s husband, Steve, still keeps in touch.  Gwen is also thankful that she has recently reconnected with her Hood half sister, Alice Pearson.

Hilda Koontz is looking forward to a busy year of providing lectures on Civil War topics for  a wide variety of historically-oriented organizations.  So far she has six lectures scheduled, including three for the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, the Historical Association of Carroll County, and the Civil War Round Table of Harpers Ferry, WV. The season will start with a very special event concerning female spies at the Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office site in Washington, DC.  If you are in the area on March 28, Hilda says, please attend.  The restored site was Miss Barton’s wartime home and the inspiration for the American Red Cross.

Work continues on Hilda’s book recounting the lives of family members at home and on the front during the Civil War, all based on a wonderful cache of letters preserved for more than 150 years.

Spencer and Hilda are also busy with re-enactments and their newest love, Steampunk, which they discovered two years ago.  Hilda encourages those of you who love fantasy to give it a try – it’s a blast.

Hilda visited her family in Iowa last summer and is planning another such trip this coming August.

Marty Miller Strickland recently returned from a ten day visit with her college “roomie,” Jackie Post Farrell.  Jackie lives in Sebastian, Florida.  They shared lots of memories, laughs, and good food.  It was a very relaxing visit for Marty and it was also nice to have a break from the cold weather in her area.

Marty’s family surprised her for her 75th birthday in May, 2014.  She went to a restaurant for lunch with her son and his family and there sat all the rest of the family.  Marty had five granddaughters at her home for Grammy Camp at the end of June, 2014, and in July, 2014 the whole family (19 total) went to Nags Head for a vacation.

I (Kathie) visited my sister Ginny and her family in Pasadena, MD, from Dec. 24-26 and  my brother George and his family from Dec. 26-29 in Potomac, MD.  It gave me a chance to see Ginny and Gary’s two daughters, Lucy (with husband Clive Turner and their 3-year-old daughter Ayla) and Judy and her husband Ryu Suzuki.  Judy and Ryu were married May 3rd this year in Washington, DC, after meeting as Peace Corps volunteers in Panama.  It was a real reunion for many of the Panama volunteers.

George and Julie’s three sons were visiting them.  Kevin, the youngest, traveled the farthest–from Melbourne, Australia, where he is working; Ryan and his wife Cathy Vu came from San Jose, California, and Derek, the oldest, from Pasadena, CA (near Los Angeles), with his wife Rochelle and baby son Brayden.  It was a mix of delicious food, catching up on everyone’s life, and comical interactions between the three dogs on hand (at Ginny and Gary’s).

I spent a week in Paris, France, with my dear friend Philip. He lived there in the past and still has good friends he enjoys visiting during semester breaks from teaching his world literature course at Medgar Evers College, a branch of the City University of New York.  We visited several museums and enjoyed dance and jazz performances. This past year, we have continued to enjoy each other’s company, Scrabble games, off-off-Broadway theater, modern dance performances, and classical music. A highlight in January 2014 was a trip to Philadelphia, Philip’s hometown, to see the Magic Gardens, an amazing folk-art venue featuring mosaic walls and a sculpture garden. This fall we attended an interesting series of three versions of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” at the La MaMa Experimental Theater Club, by American, Italian, and Korean companies.

I remain engaged in local progressive Democratic politics through my role as a vice president of the Village Independent Democrats.  We endorsed Green Party candidates for NYS Governor and Lieutenant Governor following the primary loss by our preferred Democratic candidates, Zephyr Teachout and Tim Wu. I’m also a greeter at Sunday services for St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery and volunteer at their weekly food pantry, helping give out fresh vegetables and fruits donated by a nearby farmers’ greenmarket to needy neighbors.  During warm weather I open the church’s west yard on weekend afternoons for use by those who seek a quiet space to read, study or think or to converse with friends or family.  Through a local non-profit agency, Visiting Neighbors, I volunteer as an occasional escort for other seniors who need help shopping or going to doctor’s appointments or exercise classes.

In June, I made a rare outing to Broadway with my friend Fran to a memorable show, “All the Way,” about President Lyndon B. Johnson and the tumultuous events of 1963 and 1964.  During 2014 I also participated in a reading group and meetings at Manhattan churches about conditions within Israel for Palestinian citizens and discussions of possible solutions to the long-running conflict there.

I also enjoyed some of New York’s great blues, jazz, rock, popular and classical music including memorable performances by my neighbor LaLa Brooks, former lead singer of The Crystals (seen recently on the David Letterman show); blues guitarist Bill Sims, Jr.; ragtime pianist Terry Waldo, and pianist-composer Ellen Mandel and husband guitarist Michael Lydon.  Two other favorites are the People’s Symphony low-cost series of chamber music and solo concerts by well-known artists at a nearby high school and free concerts Friday evenings by faculty of the 3rd Street Music School (actually located on 11th St. around the corner from me).

In July, I had a brief bout of sciatica which fortunately was resolved by a month’s physical therapy on my back.  Otherwise, I’ve been in good health which I try to maintain with exercise classes, walks with my friend Martha around a nearby park, and eating healthy meals. The greenmarket which opens in a park on my block from late spring through November helps with an amazing variety of fresh vegetables and fruit. Unfortunately, in July also, construction across the street caused damage to street gas pipes in front of my building and resulted in testing and replacement of our building’s gas pipes. We had no service to our stoves and no clothes dryers for 3 1/2 months.  Some people got hot plates, but I just ate out and bought nutritious salads from a local supermarket and went out to nearby laundromats.

In October I attended the 57th reunion of the Class of 1957 of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Maryland and visited brother George and his wife Julie and sister Ginny and her husband Gary.  Brother Chris and his wife Sonja moved that month from Colorado Springs to Northglenn nearer Denver, CO, where their only grandchild lives.

Recently I and many other New Yorkers have been troubled both by the deaths this summer of Michael Brown near St. Louis and Eric Garner on Staten Island in New York City and the assassination of two NYPD officers by a very troubled individual who later committed suicide.  These bring back memories for me of the gun and civil rights violence of the 1960s.  NYPD police officers in the past used to walk the streets and were able to interact with the community personally.  However, the nearby Ninth Precinct gives a Christmas party every year providing much appreciated gifts to hundreds of children.

One sad note, I had to have my chubby feral cat Spooky “put down” just before Christmas before I left town for family visits. I got her from a vacant store about 8 years ago. She had stopped eating for a couple weeks and was diagnosed with severe kidney failure from which the vet said she would not recover.  My friends Martha and Fran came with me to provide moral support.  Feisty Spooky managed to leave a few memorial scratches on me before her departure.

Philip and I started the New Year with a quiet New Year’s Eve party with some of his friends from the dance world, a New Year’s Day visit to the Matisse cut-out exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, and an evening poetry reading at the Nuyorican Poets Café including Philip among many others.

I (Marty) have had lunch with Gwen Bausum a few times during the past two years.  This winter I read Eleanor: The Years Alone, an account by Joseph Lash of Eleanor Roosevelt’s life between the death of her husband, Franklin, in April, 1945 and her death in 1962. (The book was given to me by a former neighbor, a lifelong bibliophile.)  The book was interesting to me because I remembered many of the persons and events discussed in it and also because Mr. Lash had access to letters and papers which provided behind-the-scenes information not available to the average citizen at the time of the events.

Anne Wilson Heuisler, Class Reporter
aheuisler@comcast.net

From Mary-Lou Trout Haddad:

Classmates, late last summer we were informed that a special Plaza near Alumnae Hall has been designated to be paved with commemorative bricks. I suggested that a 6×9 $700 brick be purchased in honor of the Class of ’59.  We can’t be left out, so anyone interested in contributing to our ‘59 Class brick is invited to send a check to Hood College for whatever amount you feel comfortable donating, sending and addressing it to

Jessica Sardella
Senior Associate Director of Annual Giving
Hood College
401 Rosemont Ave.
Frederick, MD  21701
sardella@hood.edu

[Mark your check memo ’59 Class brick.]

ELEANOR BROWN WHEELER 

Hello to my classmates, and a big thank you to Anne for keeping us together.

I am happy to report that for Phil and me there is no news, and that is good news. We still live in the same house, with our son and daughter both living “just near enough.” The grandchildren are all teens, which keeps us well aware of how quickly time passes.

Who would have guessed back in 1959 that I would find history fascinating? But I continue to enjoy working on genealogy. I sent in a DNA sample to ancestry.com and I am hoping to track down some of my 87 fourth cousins. I would enjoy hearing from anyone else who is working with their family history.

And I was part of a volunteer project to retype scanned copies of our local paper from the war years (1941-1946). The quality of the papers was such that they were not searchable. Figuring out all the words and transcribing them into notepad, then linking to them from our local library, made them usable. If you would enjoy a glimpse at life in the first half of the 1940s, visit www.krl.org.kitsap-history.

Wishing everyone the best – Eleanor

TARUN COMEGYS JOHNS

Merry Christmas from Boot Key, Marathon, FL

An adventurous year to say the least! A new battery for the pacemaker in Jan. and cataract removed in July put me in A-1 shape. Skiing in Maine was excellent and in Feb. I went to the Quebec Winter Carnival with a friend for 2 days, something I had longed to see. A spring visit to Aiken, SC, in March and a return in May to house, dog, and horse sit while Larry and Jocelyn enjoyed a trip to England with their daughter and son-in-law. I was thrilled to be able to have Bob and Janet and later, Dave and Lyn as houseguests and show them sights of Aiken.

Break the monotony — do something strange and extravagant! (Emerson). And that is exactly what I did! In June I bought a Sabre30 MKII sailboat in serious need of TLC. With much help from Alan, we renovated Trillium and prepared to set sail for the Intracoastal Waterway. Finally leaving Portland on Sept. 16 after sea trials and taking friends and family out for sails, the adventure began. Travelling down the New England coast, through Long Island Sound, the East River through NYC, down the New Jersey coast to Cape May, up the Delaware Bay to the C&D Canal, and down the Chesapeake to Rock Creek near Baltimore was not always easy. Rough seas, too much wind or wind on our nose, fog and rain, cold and wet interspersed with sunshine, beautiful days, sunsets, the joy of sailing the seas,  and the fun of meeting and making new friends. But Alan decided to return to Maine.

Within 24 hours, thanks to an e-mail sent to Annapolis sailing friends by JuliAnne Forrest, I had sailed on an Island Packet with folks from the Baltimore area who came out to give me a hand. Jim Huber, a twice circumnavigator from Chestertown, MD, arrived to help me move the boat and Mike Pittinger, Annapolis, arrived with his boat S/V Ariosa and tools, to help fix the starter. Thus began lifetime friendships. They encouraged me to go to Annapolis where I would meet lots of sailors in SOS. I anchored in Back Creek for two weeks, was supported and taken in by many wonderful folks. I made the decision to put Trillium up on the Eastern Shore for the winter and go south as crew on Ariosa with Mike and Jim leaving Annapolis on Nov 23. What an opportunity this was!

We sailed down the Chesapeake Bay into Hampton Roads to Portsmouth, VA, the first day arriving at 2:00 AM. Down the ICW through the lock (below,) running at night, through fog and rain with radar, dressed in our warmest clothes, we raced ahead of the first big winter storm which would drop lots of snow in the north. We did stop several times including among others, two nights over Thanksgiving at River Dunes, Oriental, NC, and a night at Beaufort, NC, before going into the North Atlantic for the rest of the trip. A maintenance layover in Charleston, SC, We continued on, rocking and rolling in the waves all night waiting to be allowed to pass Cape Canaveral after the Orion launch, to Vero Beach, FL, for a five day lay-over relaxing and preparing for the last leg to Marathon. I drove Jim, who has plied me with much of his sailing wisdom, to Ft. Lauderdale Airport as he returned to work. Along the way I have met old friends to share a meal and visit— my Frederick swim coach partner Ed and Susan Hazlett in Charleston, SC; a former Greenville teacher Lena and John Symonds in Vero Beach; Barb and Rick Cook who were vacationing near Lauderdale; Ron and Bonnie Searles in Marathon.

Mike and I sailed 32 hr. overnight to Marathon. The calm seas and west winds with a moonlight night was the perfect finale for an extraordinary adventure. We arrived Dec. 12 and I will leave Ariosa on Jan 1^st.   I may get to the Bahamas! I have learned so much and will be looking for someone to do the ICW next fall on Trillium, taking the slow trip from town to town. Thank you to all who made this possible!  Wishing all a blessed New Year, Tarun

NANCY FLETCHER ARTLETT

My three sons and families are well and busy.  Karen Coppage is a freshman at William and Mary.  She loves it—quite an adjustment for her after growing up in Hungary.

I know Hood is searching for a president.  No way I would want to follow in Dr. Volpe’s footsteps.  He is so enthusiastic and has accomplished major changes with apparent ease.

Hope to attend my 60^th high school reunion next September.  Time has gone!

GLORIA FRIEDMAN GREENSPUN

[Myra sent me a link to this announcement about Gloria’s daughter, Jamie Pachino.]

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside of American Blues Theater, Chicago’s second oldest Equity Ensemble, announces the recipient of the 2015 Blue Ink Playwriting Award is Jamie Pachino and her play Other Than Honorable.

Other Than Honorable is the story of Grace Benton, a former army officer who resigned her commission under sealed terms and now works with a high profile Washington, D.C., law firm. A new client arrives at her office, reopening Grace’s wounds as she is forced to confront her past life in the army and learn what honor can mean in a soldier’s and woman’s life.

The Blue Ink Playwriting Award was created in 2010 to support new work. Whiteside and the award-winning Ensemble select the winning play and distribute $1,500 in prizes. Pachino, as the 2015 winning candidate, receives $1,000, a staged-reading directed by Kimberly Senior on Saturday, June 27, and the opportunity to develop the script with American Blues Theater.

To read the whole story:  http://www.broadwayworld.com/chicago/article/American-Blues-Theatre-Announces-2015-Blue-Ink-Award-Winner-20150219#.VOfGbuAt1QY.gmail

GAYLE HAMILTON BLAKESLEE

Natalie and I will be in Australia beginning February 13, returning March 12. May be our last really far-away trip, am beginning to feel my age.

[December]  Off tomorrow to Wisconsin to see my daughter and family. Last year when I went in the winter got to spend 3 extra days due to 20-below temperatures which kept the planes from flying. Understand the desire for Florida.

EDEE HOWARD HOGAN  

Hi there. All is well with me, and I divide my time between my co-op in Washington DC and my Beach Home in Bethany Beach DE.

Have had some great travel experience including taking granddaughter and daughter-in-law for 10 days in London.  (Martha Allen joined me.)  Had a great well-located apartment and enjoyed all the best of London–Museums, Food, History, and Theatre, etc.

After a great season at the Beach with lots of family and friends visiting, it was back to DC to enjoy all it has to offer.

Travel to Mexico (a Spa week) and then to Madrid in February.

Involvement with my co-op (am running for the Board) as well as continuing my very part time (1/2 day a week) as a food and culinary consultant keep me busy as well as my work with another Culinary Group Les Dames fills my time. Plan to attend Ron Volpe’s Retirement event in March with Martha Allen and we will stay with Carol LeGore. Cheers!  Edee

CAROLE JONES ROGERS

Carole stopped overnight at Anne Heuisler’s house twice in August on her travels to and from her daughter, Caroline’s.  Granddaughter Olivia is a junior at MIT, thriving in her experience there.

MARCIA KING WILKE

My news for Hood College: December 2014

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2013 and underwent a lumpectomy on New Year’s Eve! and radiation for six weeks, beginning in February. Luckily it was caught early, but it took time to get my energy back. I have some other health issues but won’t go into them. I feel like I’m “one big pill” as I’m taking a number of them. I’m trying to remain upbeat and know that other people have more health problems than I do.

Glad to see the pictures in the last issue of those who did attend our 55^th and of Aki, daughter and granddaughter.

July 2014: One of our twin granddaughters, Morgan, age 15, is here for three weeks. She is helping in the sound booth for the annual outdoor musical, “Fiddler on the Roof.”  She was here for 2 weeks last year when the musical was “The Music Man.”  The drama teacher at her high school is delighted she knows how to run a soundboard.  We expect the rest of the family the last weekend of July and we will attend the musical.

November 29, 2014: Norm and I are moving into a retirement community in Walla Walla, WA, about eight blocks from our house. Movers come Dec. 3^rd and the house is full of packed boxes, most sealed. He has balance problems so that was the reason for our decision. I’m sure some of you know it’s a big change from a house into a 2 -bedroom apartment. I hope my piano will be moved only when we are able to move from independent to assisted living. In the meantime I’ll teach at home if the house doesn’t sell immediately.

Feb 2015:  To bring everyone up to date: Offer on the house came within five days of our moving as it is in a wonderful location. We had to be out Jan. 9, estate sale the following weekend and we signed the closing papers a week ago. However, we did have to move the piano into the apartment. I don’t encourage anyone to move as quickly as we did. I’m advising my younger friends to start “clearing out” now!

SUSAN KUEHN BEALL

Still living in Palo Alto in same house and with same spouse, Bill Beall. I continue to do some travel arranging for clients, but am slowly retiring from that. Meanwhile, we continue to travel ourselves internationally for new adventures and domestically to our sisters’ and families in Massachusetts and Ohio.

I am on the board for the future Palo Alto History Museum. We have a lovely historic building to house the Museum, but our efforts now are to raise the funds for the seismic upgrades and renovations.

Also involved with Friends of the Palo Alto Parks.

And most importantly, I love playing golf! This is a relatively new sport for me, but fortunately all my friends who played tennis for years and now have new knees and hips are playing golf instead. So lots of support, encouragement, and opportunities.

Our son John is a Chiropractor and developed a fitness facility in Alameda, CA. He is still single but has a neat dog! So she is my grand dog!

Well wishes to all.

Susan Kuehn Beall

Preferred email address.

skb1055@comcast.net

KUULEI MOBLEY GREEN 

I am still living a pretty normal life.  I am moving to a different retirement facility in March mainly because I need a little lower costing place.  It is in Boise, Idaho, instead of Meridian, Idaho.

The address as of March 20 will be 5850 N. Five Mile Road Boise, Idaho 83713

My E-mail is the same, and my cell phone is the same.

208-859-0521

I shall try to have more exciting news next time.

Love and peace to all of you.

Kuulei+

ANNE MONTESANO KERPSACK ELLIS wrote in her Christmas letter that her dear friend, Jim Price, died last April from lung cancer.  Anne and Jim were together 18 years.  She sold her Cranberry Farm in Ohio in December and planned to spend October – May in Florida and May – October at Conesus Lake, NY.  Anne enjoyed many trips last year, including her “dream trip” to Japan for 2 ½ weeks with the Friendship Force of N.E. Ohio.  She visited museums, enjoyed the hospitality in many homes, experienced the “Japanese bath,” explored Mt. Fuji, rode the “bullet train,” visited several schools, learned to eat with chopsticks, sang songs, danced the “cupid shuffle” (“look it up on the net,” she says), and made good friends.  “One more lifelong wish fulfilled.”  Meyran reunion in Philadelphia in October, where they each roomed with roommates from 55 years ago (Jan Knecht/Betty Kutz, Anne/Nancy Smith, Gloria Friedman/Merle Winer, and Myra Silberstein).  She said Philadelphia is “a great city – so clean and so much to see and do.  The Barnes Museum was awesome – don’t miss it!”  Anne now has email:  akerpsackellis@hotmail.com.

JUDY MORELAND GRANGER

We began our holiday festivities by celebrating the graduation of Phillip’s son, our grandson Logan Carter, on December 13 from Texas State University.  We now have four grands still in college: Jackson, (Bob’s son) a senior at St. Edward’s University, Sara (Tim’s daughter), a junior at the University of Texas at Dallas, Lacey (Phil’s daughter) a sophomore at the University of Colorado, and Barrett (Bob’s son), a freshman at Georgetown University.  Steve’s little ones, Sophie, fifth grade, and Gibson, second grade, go to the public school where their mom is the art teacher.  All very busy and involved—we love any chances to see them.

This has been a wonderful year of travel and visiting with family—31 Grangers in Grand Haven, Michigan, for a reunion in July, 4 generations, much love and laughter shared.  All four sons and six of our eight grandchildren were able to be with us, a rare treat.   Off then to Ohio, where 10 members of my side of the family gathered to enjoy time with my 92-year-old uncle and aunt, more reminiscences and fun times.  Our trip ended with a stay in North Carolina, where my cousin, Ethel (Kintigh) Spence (’61), joined us at Jim and Carole’s.  Their place is in the mountains, a beautiful location and a welcome climate, before returning to August in central Texas!  Earlier in the summer, Bob and I returned to the east coast, where we attended my 55^th reunion at Hood in Maryland, and then joined three of his Navy classmates in D.C. for several wonderful days.  That week we were with five of our wedding party as we celebrated our 55^th anniversary!  How did we get here??

We celebrate and are thankful for good health—no surgeries for Bob, the first year since 2009!  Cataracts don’t count—he had both eyes done in early spring and raves about the results.  He continues marshalling at one of the golf courses here, plays a little golf and bridge, is in a couple of book clubs,  I play a little golf, a lot of bridge (!), am also in a couple of book clubs and the large choral group here in Sun City.  We wish we exercised more and weighed less, will be working on that in 2015!

We look forward to a special 2015, when our oldest grandson, Justin, marries Maggie Daniels here in Austin at the end of April.  The wedding will be at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, which should be spectacular then.  Justin and Maggie met as students at St. Edward’s.

JEANNETTE PHELPS

J. P. says she is relatively confined because of her shortness of breath and the chill in the air.  She has met new neighbors who lived for a time in her hometown, Hyde Park, NY, and is looking forward to catching up on local color.  She had a check-up with her vascular surgeon, who said she is exceeding his expectations.  She will see her cardiologist and hematologist later this month.  She uses the Roland Park Place house bus to take her to shop for groceries.  She’s reading The Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides about the U.S.S. Jeannette and Mr. Wilson’s War by John Dos Passos.

MYRA SILBERSTEIN GOLDGEIER spent the holidays in Sanibel with her children and grandchildren.

MARY-LOU TROUT HADDAD had full-replacement knee surgery and is recovering.  She was well taken care of by husband, Charles.

PAT WEVER KNOLL

We do have some awesome news!   Our daughter Kathy is getting married this May – first marriage and we are thrilled.  Also, our granddaughter, Ryn Weaver (she took my Dad’s name cuz hers is difficult), sang on David Letterman Jan. 23^rd and is performing in NY, CA, and London in Feb.  She is a pop singer who CNN says they are watching in 2015. We, including her, are all overwhelmed, humbled, and a little scared at the same time.  Ron and I are in good health, thank God, other than a broken foot and some eye surgeries.

(See Ryn Weaver on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI1Xt57o_90.)

SUE WILSON OFFICER

[Sue continues to suffer severe back pain after two surgeries and is considering] a neurostimulation program that I may have to try as the last ditch.  It is set up to stop the pain from reaching the brain.

I don’t have too much of a social life because of this but I am still active in my church and choir.  I keep up with the work around the house and of course, I have my three little dogs that help me get up in the morning.  They are Willie (Wilson), WAL-E and Penny and really keep me busy.

I also keep busy with the organizations that rescue animals, mainly dogs and cats.  Which reminds me, I have a calico cat named Little Girl.  She is sweet and very independent, but I love her so much.  I lost two of my calicos last year and miss them terribly.

Have any of you heard of the National Search Dog Foundation?  I have gotten very involved with this organization.  They train dogs rescued from the pounds that show signs of being great search dogs.  These dogs are trained over a period of 6 months and then given to a handler, usually a fireperson.  Then that fireperson is trained for 6 more months.  It is a long process, but if you were buried under concrete, you would be very glad to hear that dog barking, letting the handler know there is someone to rescue.  During the Tsunami a few years ago, they found 20 live people.  They have been to the Oklahoma bombing, the World Trade Center, etc.  We have teams across the US and in Mexico.  These dogs are trained to rescue only the live not the dead.  It is an amazing organization.  A good friend of mine started this about 12 years ago after taking her rescue dog to the Oklahoma bombing and knew that the US needed more FEMA certified teams.  At present we have approx. 160 and are aiming for 200.  If the dog doesn’t work our as a search dog, they are kept for the rest of their lives in forever homes.  Hopefully we will never have to use them, but they are here if needed.

AKIKO YAMAMOTO FASOLO

Thank you so much for the wonderful photo of 55^th reunion – I could not take my eye off from it.  I enjoyed looking at our 1959 Touchstone again.  If I were there, the kind gentleman, Bob, could not comment about our hair color the same way … 🙂

ANNE WILSON HEUISLER

I had a nice long holiday break but now am again teaching two sections of freshman English at Stevenson University.  This semester I have the literature class instead of the writing class and find it more enjoyable.  The students are terrific.  It’s exhilarating to be with them twice a week.

These were my favorite books read in 2014:

Bloom, Amy, Lucky Us

Brown, Carrie, The Last First Day

Doerr, Anthony, All the Light We Cannot See

Forna, Aminatta, The Hired Man

Gardam, Jane, God on the Rocks

Just, Ward, American Romantic

Klay, Phil, Redeployment

Lawson, Mary, The Other Side of the Bridge

Lawson, Mary, Road Ends

Mandel, Emily St. John, Station Eleven

Mantel, Hilary, The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher

Marra, Anthony, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

Rogerson, Cynthia, Upstairs in the Tent

Smiley, Jane, Some Luck

Stibbe, Nina, Love, Nina

Tolbin, Colm, Nora Webster

This year I loved Anne Tyler’s A Spool of Blue Thread!

And Perfect by Rachel Joyce.

 

Anne  (copying Tarun’s classy font—it’s Kunstler Script!)

Anne Wilson Heuisler, 6102 Buckingham Manor Drive, Baltimore, MD 21210

410 377 5026; 410 980 4747; aheuisler@comcast.net