Sally Zimmerman, Class Reporter
revsaraz@aol.com

From Betty Appel Bailey:  “Nothing has changed  …. fortunately.  All is well.”

From Jane Bollman:  “Teaching art classes and taking art workshops, two book clubs, two bridge clubs, occasional R&R at our little one-room cabin in Tidewater Virginia, and some travel out of the country keeps me out of trouble.”

Marjorie Simmons Carlson: “Bill and I have reached a new family “milestone”:  our granddaughter, Molly, junior at MD U in Elementary Ed, will be married July 11.***Our grandson, Christopher, Jr., will graduate from George Washington Law School in May.” signed “L.L.”  (aka “Library Lady”)

Ann Holmes Flatt observes:  “2014 was a wonderful year, filled with many happy family gatherings, several travel adventures and good health. Our three ‘kids’ are all well, engaged in various activities and trying to keep up with their kids, our 5 grandchildren! The oldest grandson, 20, is now a sophomore at William and Mary. Youngest grand twins are now 4 and we are lucky to have them living not far from here. We enjoy frequent times spent with our special needs daughter who lives in a nearby town. Our RV continues to bring us on amazing trips and adventures throughout the US.  Having left it in AZ for the winter, we drove it home to MA travelling through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut   –  so many beautiful sites.  We loved every mile!

Here winter is throwing us an impressive punch.  With today’s latest storm we have a good five feet of while fluffy snow.  (Ann’s update on 2/19/15:  “We’re now up to 8 feet, 9 inches.”)  We have been enjoying some wonderful skiing on our local Mount Wachusett Ski Area and cross country skiing and snow shoeing on many nearby trails.  Tonight’s temps will plummet to below zero   –  a bit less fun! More snow is expected in the next few days with ‘significant accumulation’.  So far I’m still loving it!  At the end of Feb. we are travelling to Switzerland for 10 days to surprise JP’s brother on his 80^th birthday.  In late March we are going to Mexico with one of our grandsons, continuing our plan to take each grandchild on a trip when they reach 16.  I am still singing with the Worcester Chorus now rehearsing Bach’s St John’s Passion for our next concert and also enjoy taking a painting class at the Worcester Art Museum.”

From Caroline Fischer Giles:  “Other than surviving severe winter storms here in New Hampshire, we have been planning our trips for the year ahead.  We are scheduled to go to Monterey, CA in March to visit our son and daughter-in-law Katy.  This June we plan to be in Brazil (Sao Luis) visiting with another daughter-in-law’ s family and then in September, a house exchange with our cottage is planned for Normandy, France.   We are fortunate to enjoy good health and try to stay in shape using the fitness center at UNH. I still love my work with the UNH Marine Docent Program and Brian continues  his work with environmental issues at the state and local level.  One of the greatest joys these past few years, has been our times with our grandchildren, Brenon (3 and 1/2) and Benjamin, (1and 1/2). As you might guess, we are the oldest grandparents of the youngest grandchildren, and we are thoroughly enjoying our roles as Nana and Grandpa.”

Sunny Griffin writes from Thailand:  “Our year has been pretty wonderful with my oldest daughter, Kelly, getting married in a fabulous wedding at the home of a billionaire on the beach in Malibu in September. Kelly is a movie producer, she married an agent, and the wedding was a gift from the billionaire. It was like a Hollywood dream come true ….. followed immediately by a 2 week trip to China for my husband and me. The Chinese importer of my skin care line, Astara, invited us to Beijing and Shanghai to do PR for the product line and treated us like celebrities the entire time we were there. There are 300 million WEALTHY middle class people in China today, all potential customers for us, and the country is amazing and must be seen to be believed. A Chinese website, TMall (that carries Astara products as well as thousands of other brands) sells $1 BILLION A DAY!!!!! We will spend the rest of the winter in Thailand and return to Telluride sometime in May.”

Nancy Turner Heckscher observes:  “Not much news here except I see Judy Hammond Blatchford as she and Park live next to us here in Berwyn.  We did go to Hong Kong for Christmas to see our Grands and stay with step son, Chris and Evonne and my son Jon and Amanda and their 3 girls!  Such fun and busy household with a 9 month Labradoodle!!!!”

Susan Shinnick Hossfeld says:  “Carl and I are still traveling while we are able.  Fall found us on a river cruise from Bucharest to Budapest and on to Vienna for three days.  Late January 2015, we leave for Big Sky, Montana , winter in Yellowstone National  Park and on the way home we are stopping off in San Francisco, Monterey and Carmel.  We leave  in March for Snowmass, Colorado with the children and grandchildren for a week of skiing. (Unfortunately, I had to give up skiing) In late July we leave for Scotland and London.  Our summer plans include a trip to Rehoboth Beach with our extended family of twelve.”

From Doris Dalziel Kimball:  “George and I drove out east last fall to French Canada by way of Cape Cod.  The fall colors were exceptional all the way north.  A trip of walking and hiking back and forth between Vermont and Canada provided by Road Scholar inspired the whole trip.  We were headquartered in a wee town called Glen Sutton which is where wildly famous Canadian author Louise Penny wrote her first Inspector Gamache mysteries.  Three Pines was fashioned after Glen Sutton.  Some of my friends are actually jealous that we were seeing places that inspired the author Louise Penny.”

Penny M. Mardoian writes:  “I spent a week in Budapest, Hungary at Thanksgiving.  My life is going forward since my husband Art passed away.  My oldest grandson, Michael, is at Trinity College in Hartford and so I get to see more of my PA family.”

Susan Auf Der Hyde Markscheffel responded to my remarks in an email about food in the Virgin Islands: “I enjoyed reading of your pleasure in roti!!!  Made me hungry!!! I’m a “foreign” (?) food junkie and love Ethiopian, West Indian, Indian, and Middle Eastern foods.  I’m fortunate to have a daughter and granddaughter who will enjoy it all, right along with me. (oink!)”

Janet Zwinck Morrison asks:  “Remember sun bathing on the gym roof?  We even used baby oil mixed with iodine to improve our tans.  As a result I now call my skin color “age Spot.”

From Lynn MacDonough Morrow:  “George and I returned Feb. 8 from a 2-week mission trip in Nicaragua.   It was my 6th time to go; each year it gets better as I am building relationships with team members, the missionaries and especially with the local Nicaraguans.  I practice my modest Spanish with the children and teens who know some English and we share a lot of laughs as we use body language and the little we know in each others’ language to communicate. One of the jobs I do each year is to help fill over 600 backpacks with school supplies, purchased on the local economy with funds donated by supporters in PA. The Nica. school year coincides with the calendar year so school resumes the first of February.  We reward the local kids who earned good grades the previous school year with the supplies they need to start in their new grade. Public schools are so poor that the kids have to supply their own notebooks, pencils, etc. to copy what the teachers write on the black board because there aren’t text books for the children.  Without supplies the children can’t go to school; the families in the community typically can’t afford to buy the spiral notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, rulers, etc they need, so our donations are not only a reward for past learning but also make it possible for the children to continue their education.”

From Barbara Arthur Pretzsch:  “Bob worked in Utah last summer.  I drove out alone but back with Lyn and the grandkids.  We visited in the Ogden area then on the way home stopped at Bryce Canyon, Best Friends in Kanab, then Colorado to take the Silverton Durango train and then a stop at Pagosa Springs for a dip in their hot springs.

In July I took a trip to the Crochet Guild conference in Manchester, NH and took a few days before to travel up the coast with a friend and visited Teal West Hugo.  I also visited with Gail Wood Fortin, Marvia Slade Perreault and Linda Martin McManus the end of the summer at Fenwick Island, DE. We have been taking a trip together for quite a few years now.

My line dancing is one way I stay active. We had a nice cruise in November with other line dancers. We got a taste of what it was like on a rocking ship for the dancers who put on the evening shows we saw each evening.  We learned a new line dance on the stage one afternoon.

Our 4 legged kid situation has changed.  Patches, our Shih Tzu, was with Bob last summer.  I decided to add another dog to the family: a little Chihuahua (with the name Patches) we named Little Patch.  I was worried that Patches might not approve but they get along fine.

I wish anyone traveling along the Mississippi Gulf Coast on Interstate 10 would stop and say hi, or stay overnight with me.  We are about equidistant between New Orleans, LA and Mobile, AL.  Call me at 859-588-3911.”

Arden Reynolds echoes what most of you in New England are saying about January/February: “As I write this I’m looking out at more snow falling, after the two feet of snow a few days after the blizzard of 2015 here in Massachusetts.  We are also knee deep in converting our screened in porch to a year round sunroom.  It all started when we decided to switch from electric heat to gas heat, and from there it snowballed (another winter reference!) to a kitchen renovation and sunroom.”

Liz Decker Rogers in CA: On hearing my news that I was doing ministry in St. John, V.I. in January, Liz wrote:  “I have fond memories of that island.”

From Barbara Stewart:  “We are in constant battle with SNOW and the frigid cold here in Downeast Maine. In spite of it all we are still loving our life here.  I have made up for lost time by taking up watercolors, rug hooking and quilting. I was not able to enjoy my crafts while working. Paul enjoys shoveling snow, weeding, mowing, and house painting.

We have been taking long road trips in the US and Canada. We will be heading for San Diego in June to celebrate another big birthday with my daughters and their families.  At this point in our lives, all is good.  You can’t ask for more than that!”

Liz Kovacs Dudley Washburn observes:  “It’s hard to believe we’re approaching 75!   Looking back, the “Cold War” loomed large.  Now we have new dangers. I’ve been very fortunate to have lived in England, Kenya and Turkey as well as the East and West coasts of the USA.  All of them were political “hot spots”. In all those places there was violence; criminal as well as terrorist. Yet what really stands out is the beauty, warmth and hospitality of each. Reading what other ’62 alums have done, I would say we are a well traveled group. All this traveling around and international connectedness is making the world a better place.  We retirees are so blessed!  We have time to graciously volunteer, be there for our families, “fill in the cracks’ as one friend put it. My husband and I are very involved in family life, our church, art: I paint, he makes furniture.  We do charity work, travel, do animal care, reading and a movie group. Life is full! We live in Lake Oswego, Oregon, near Portland and would love to hear from fellow alums who may travel this way.

We are in a thought provoking study series at church, “Why Evil Exists”, video lectures by Prof. Charles Mathewes, PhD (Great Courses series). He surveys 3000 years of history, philosophy and theology.  The course is immensely helpful in trying to understand the “evils’ that exist in today’s world as well as the past.  So I give credit to our Liberal Arts education at Hood and our excellent professors, Dr. Mehl, et al. for instilling in us a lifelong love of learning.”

Jody M. Watson says: “Peter and I just celebrated our 50th anniversary in November and we’re certainly looking forward to many more. We may downsize to eliminate some of the hassles of home-ownership, such as shoveling out from the blizzard we just experienced here on the Maine coast! We haven’t heard too many complaints about that kind of a move.

We do look forward to a Florida trip in early March.”

From Pam Roberts Welham:  “Our planned Baltic cruise was cancelled for two reasons- one, Vladimir Putin and second, Walt was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Instead, we had a “radiation vacation” for two months in Jacksonville, Fl in July and August. Jacksonville has one of about twenty centers for proton-beam radiation therapy in our country.  This is an extremely effective treatment for prostate cancer which has minimal side effects.  We had two friends who had their treatment in JAX and recommended it highly.  We had a great time- Walt chose to have the treatment every weekday morning leaving the rest of the day and weekends for sight-seeing in the area and visiting FL, GA and NC friends. JAX is a wonderful city with beautiful beaches and great restaurants.  All in all, everything worked well for us.  We are strong supporters of proton-beam treatment, which is becoming available for more and more types of cancer that need radiation treatment.”  In a few days we leave on what Walt calls his “sayonara WestPac” cruise- Hong Kong to Beijing.  We will travel with Navy friends of over 50 years!!  My first trip to Japan was in 1964 when I met Walt’s submarine- I expect to see great changes!!!”

From Judi Ziobro:  “Ed and I are healthy, enjoying our lives, and look forward to getting together with our friends whenever the opportunity presents itself.  We are close (physical distance) to 5 of the 6 grandchildren (all 8 and under – so they still enjoy being with us), and that fills our “spare” time.   I am still very active in music — vocal choir and handbell choirs at the church – various church committees  (mostly dealing with $$), and sewing (of all kinds).   I seem to have no lack of things to do.  Ed, on the other hand, while he still dabbles in real estate, is pursuing perfection in retirement.  Life is good!”

And now, from me, your class correspondent, Sara (you can call me Sally) Zimmerman:  I was diagnosed with a small breast cancer last fall, had a lumpectomy in October, and radiation therapy the first week in December:  five days of radiation, twice a day, very focused. Then later in December, when the last-minute opportunity came up to travel to St. John, V.I., and do three weeks of ministry there in January 2015, I jumped at the opportunity, and all worked out just fine. I share the interest that many of you express in other places, countries, and cultures. That reminds me:  remember Heba Brynjolfs (Mrs. H. Heba Brynjolfs Wilde ’65) from Reykjavik, Iceland, who attended Hood in ’61 and ’62?  She lived in England for many years but is now back in Reykjavik.  We kept in touch for awhile, and Hood provided me with her current contact information, so that when my daughter Jenny and a friend visited Reykjavik last summer, Heba and her son met them for coffee.

I loved hearing from everyone and thank you.

Sharia Barksdale
301-449-5891
rdy2xplore@yahoo.com

Nilah Magruder ’05 a comics artist, attended Long Beach Comic Expo where she received the inaugural Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity for her action-adventure webcomic, M.F.K. (http://www.mfkcomic.com/). 

Bianca Padilla
301-437-8772
hoodcollege14@yahoo.com

Hello from the Class of 2014! Everyone has been busy since graduation and have celebrated many accomplishments. Let’s see what we have been up to! Angela Shaner is teaching second grade at New Market Elementary School; Amanda Price is a case manager at Way Station, Inc.; and Steven Powell is a graduate teaching assistant in undergraduate psychology at James Madison Univ. Patrick Harrington is the assistant market center administrator for Keller Williams Premier Properties Summit/Westfield in New Jersey; Erin Droneburg is a marketing and communications associate at Yoga Alliance for Yoga Insider; Anela Alic is living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and is working for UAE airlines; and Jessica Stonesifer is the owner of Regal Event Rentals. Jacquelyn Wenzel is teaching third grade in Fairfax County; Amelia Lovelace is a research assistant at the Navy Experimental Diving Unit in Panama City, Fla.; and Matt Dyjack, Jr. is working as the student activities coordinator at Hood College. Maria Gaetskaya is a Koch Fellow at the Cato Institute, Amanda Cavanagh is working for the Way Station as a residential facilitator in Frederick, Md.; and Amanda Walloga is the social media specialist for LINK. Chelsea Young is the marketing director at Colonial Jewelers in downtown Frederick; Melissa Caples is an objects conservation technician at the Smithsonian American Art Museum; and Emily Kraatz is teaching first grade at Twin Ridge Elementary School. Denisse Guitarra Yangua is the manufacturing production technician I at MedImmune/AstraZeneca in Frederick; Meghan Burket is working at Platinum PR in Shepherdstown; and Lacey Creelman is a special education teacher in Charles County. Emily Lovelace is an intern with the Third Millennium Alliance; Paige DeVore is currently working in her field in which she obtained her degree at two different companies; and Megan Gregory is a relationship associate working for United Way of Central Maryland. Jennifer Bentz is a research assistant for Michigan State Univ. School of Criminal Justice and a police cadet for the Meridian Township Police Department; Mercedes Barbosa is teaching a fourth grade Asperger’s classroom at Sligo Creek Elementary School; and Madeline Birmingham is a second grade teacher with Frederick County Public Schools. Nate Pauley is the quality control associate for Auntie Anne’s Pretzel factory in Lancaster, Pa.; Mitch Ellison is working at a job in his field of Biology at the USDA; and Chrissi Arnold is working for one of the biggest ophthalmology practices in the states. Kaitlyn Hays returned from Costa Rica after participating in the Tambor Bay Project thanks to the generosity of Hood Alumna, Ruth Ravitz Smith ’83, and is working at Morgan Stanley in Baltimore as a recruiting coordinator; Ashley Bennett is working and volunteering with the National Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA) program; Lauren Shaak is a research technician in the Entomology Lab at the Pennsylvania State Univ. Fruit Research Extension Center; and Jennifer Rutherford is working for Frederick County in special education. Marquita Monroe is working at Shared Solution Services; Stacey Axler is the social media and website coordinator of a real estate management company; and I, Bianca Padilla, am a fifth grade teacher at Gaithersburg Elementary School. Congratulations to Tabitha Browne who is engaged to BJ Milliken; Jessica Stonesifer who is engaged to Doug Brown; Courtney Murdock Sprissler who was married in April and bought a house in Mt. Airy, Md.; Chrissi Arnold who is engaged to be married in May 2016; and Ciji Johnson Masser and her husband who welcomed their fourth child in February 2015. Amanda Price is finishing her masters of social work program at Salisbury Univ.; Katrina Villa is participating in a graduate nursing program at Seton Hall Univ. in South Orange, N.J.; and Steven Powell is pursuing his masters of psychology at James Madison Univ. Jennifer Bentz is attending Michigan State Univ.; Amelia Lovelace was accepted to a plant pathology Ph.D., program at the Univ. of Georgia; Matt Dyjack is pursuing a master’s degree at American Univ. Luke Berry is pursuing a Ph.D. in biochemistry at Montana State Univ.; Melissa Caples is attending George Washington Univ. for a masters in museum studies; and Paige DeVore is studying nursing. Amy Hagerdon is receiving her masters of science in Environmental Science at Indiana University; Mitch Ellison is pursuing his masters of science degree in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins Univ.; and Marquita Monroe is obtaining a masters of healthcare administration at Washington Adventist Univ., and a certificate in epidemiology and biostatistics at Drexel Univ. Continue to keep in touch with your success, joys and accomplishments Class of 2014!

Jewel K. Smith
703-969-0050
jewelsmith@hotmail.com

Here’s a quick update on Chris Laborde and her case–Hamby et al. v. Parnell et al. With the new Governor (Walker) in office, the state of Alaska was getting ready to file an appeal to stay and/or allow more time to file an appeal until the Supreme Court decides. That Supreme Court hearing planned to be held in April with a decision in June 2015. The plaintiffs (Chris and her partner Susan) are opposing that stay. Chris and Susan are one of five couples suing the State of Alaska to recognize their marriage. Chris can be reached at CDLaborde@gmail.com. As for me, I moved back to Maryland from California in February. I am so very happy to be home enjoying the snow and I am looking forward to my new adventures! Thanks for the updates – keep them coming! That is the news for now…

Elaheh F. S. Eghbal
elaheh_se@yahoo.com
hoodcollege2013@gmail.com

Aloha Class of 2013! It’s incredible to see how fast time is passing and how it has been almost two years since May 2013. These days we are working with different organizations in the midst of master’s degrees and celebrating engagements and recent marriages! Nicola Sussman is living in Frederick and working as a special education teacher at Gaithersburg Middle School. Torie Sullivan is an inbound marketing specialist at TSL Marketing in Columbia, Md., and is living in Frederick. Ethan Weidman is working with the Southern California College Collaborative Project at the Boys and Girls Club in Santa Monica as the college bound marketing and outcomes specialist. Darcey Heflin switched career paths and is now a design patent examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office; Will Lane is living in Kittery, Maine and is working with the U.S. Navy as a radiological control technician at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard; and Jonathan Lovins is working in domestic counter-terrorism with the FBI Crisis Response Team and is living in Fredericksburg, Va., with his wife. Jahtay Teh and Nick Mudgett are about a year into their service as Peace Corps Volunteers in Zambia and Nicaragua, respectively; and I, Elaheh Eghbal, am the customer success specialist at Zerion Software, Inc. Blair Starnes received her master’s degree from King’s College London and is working in the neurology department at Johns Hopkins Univ. MeMe Brown is in her second year of graduate school at Hood and is nearing the end of her second year as the graduate assistant to Rev. Beth O’Malley; Alex Winter is finishing up his last semester of graduate school at Eastern Illinois Univ.; and MJ Swicegood is working at Medimmune as a cell culture technician and is pursuing her MBA at Hood. Kate Adams Anthony is living in Georgia with her husband Benjamin Anthony and is in her second year of teaching. Stephanie Perkins married José​ Sánchez ’12 in June; they are living in Dallas, Texas with three rescue dogs. Ashley Maynard is engaged to James Michael Gentilucci, Jr. Continue to make your mark, Class of 2013, and keep in touch! Cheers!

Barbara Bailey Reinhold
802-464-2297
drbreinhold@gmail.com

Karen Nordberg Sanders
303-589-0148
knsanders60@yahoo.com

Thanks ’60 classmates for your updates, with apologies to those of you with whom I was unable to connect. But based on the replies I did receive we are certainly a travelling, visiting, volunteering and grandchild-oriented bunch of women. Not surprising, eh? Helen Price Ballantine, P’83 and Bob are still in their old Annandale farmhouse, the former home of classmate Joan Kyllo Lester. Their eldest granddaughter Sarah with both a Hood mom and grandmom was married in August. She and her new husband are in Alabama where Sarah is working on her doctorate. Helen and Bob will also be doing grandparent honors at three other colleges: Boston College, Villanova and Gettysburg. Gretchen Beckhelm observed wisely that she didn’t have much news this time, but that “at our age that is often a good thing.” Sheri Fish Boone, grandmother of eight, is very active volunteering with The Foundation Board of Children’s Medical Center, the Foundation Board at Thanks-Giving Square and serving as President of the Assistance League of Dallas and a docent at the George W. Bush Library. Mary Ann Brush Gearinger is a role model who tries to exercise every day in addition to doing mission work and volunteering with Native Americans. Last summer she went to Guatemala to help build a church devastated by the earthquake, and feels “grateful and lucky to be alive.” My wonderful neighbor Barbara Taylor Hyde is the most active person in West Dover, Vt., still teaching skiing and running every good cause that comes along. Her school principal skills are put to very good use in this little resort town. In true form, she put together an extended family reunion for 40 Hyde’s of all ages in New Jersey last summer. I’m grateful to Barb for getting my partner Sally Hutchins Stott ’66 involved with the “Chix on Stix” at Mt. Snow, and the three of us hoped to travel together to the Reunion in June. Barb also shares warm and exciting times with Ann Wareham when she travels to see her oncologist in NYC. Barb’s granddaughter Hannah continues to train for mogul competition at Vail while her mom Becky teaches skiing. And the other three grandchildren are skiers as well. It was 40-years-ago that she and Pat began their gig as ski instructors, at home, obviously, and at Mt. Snow. Pat Crowl Johnson loved getting the class list and caught up virtually with friends in short order: Ginny Button Larkins, Mary Jane Sunday Whelan and Wanda Koedderich Hilner. Pam Skells Ladley reported a correction to the last column, including the fact that they have been in Tacoma, Wash., since 2002. They had a great trip to Europe last spring as well as a wonderful visit with Marty Evans Marcello and Tom Marcello in the fall. They are also both active with gardens, church, Historical Society activities, family and travel. Don and Karen Nordberg Sanders enjoyed some time at home this winter, attending lots of music rehearsals and seeing grandkids who live nearby. In April, they planned to travel to Annapolis for Don’s 55th. Mary Jane Sunday Whelan who has Parkinson’s moved last summer to an assisted living facility, which she likes, and her family is nearby. Her new address is 845 1^st Colonial Rd. #249, Virginia beach VA 23451. Mary Jane said, “The first weeks here reminded me of my freshman year at Hood College in 1956. I have my own apartment and very special friends, “my angels” from church and the Navy. I have been taking a writing class and getting into yoga.” Betsy Paul Crawford wrote, “Richard and I spend our winters in Vero Beach and our summers in Gwynedd Valley, Pa., not far from where I grew up. I stay in close touch with my sister Nancy Paul Stimson ’57 who lives in Hingham, Mass. She is well and amazing for almost 80! Richard and I own two Christian radio stations in the Lancaster area–he manages them and I “keep the books.” The most exciting event of the past year was the marriage of our oldest granddaughter and the birth of our first great!” As for the Barbara Bailey Reinhold group, I’m still enjoying writing and working with career and executive coaching clients, mostly virtually by phone, skype and email, from my wooded perch near Mt. Snow in Vermont that I share with Sally Stott. We have four grandchildren, ages 10 to 13, Ruby, Rose, Aidan and Ashby—dubbed by Sally “the RARA’s.” We recently returned from a terrific week with friends in Vieques, Puerto Rico, and are headed off again next week to Florida to sample the “snow-bird” life as a possibility for winter 2016. It’s pretty darned cold and icy in Vermont in the winter! Several of you wrote movingly of Betsy Bennett Wiegand and how much she will be missed. Each time we lose one of our classmates, we are moved, as Mary Jane wrote, to remember those early days when we arrived in Frederick as eager and idealistic young women, found each other, and began the long journey toward finding ourselves. It was good to be together on campus again in June. The class of 1960 is in need of a new class reporter. If you are interested, please send an email to alumoffice@hood.edu or call 301-696-3900.

Marilyn Garis Kellow
262-334-5782
maggiehood1958@gmail.com

Barbara Windsor Bien and husband Wayne are doing reasonably well and had planned a trip to South Dakota in late May or June. They have new friends who own a ranch near Rapid City and want to take them to see the sights (Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Monument and hopefully lots of bison). Barb said that perhaps she will get up on a (gentle) horse after 30 or more years and accompany Wayne and his friends in sightseeing. Wayne is still doing hippotherapy (sometimes called equine therapy) for his MS and still has his horse Bouffe, a dark Bay thoroughbred and former race horse. He’s 20-years-old and still going strong; Wayne rides him when he can. Barb is still volunteering at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore educating visitors about climate change and the Zoo’s mission to raise awareness about wildlife. Her favorite place to be is the Tundra Buggy visitor center, which is warm in winter and cool in summer and has a terrific view of their polar bears, Magnet, a male and great sleeper and occasional swimmer and Anoki, their female who has just finished denning for the winter and will be back on view with Magnet. Barb also continues to volunteer with Al-Anon in Baltimore. She has been a member for over 31 years and volunteers for the answering service, directing newcomers to meetings. Painting, drawing and reading are still hobbies as is writing (currently putting off a still unfinished novel about a girl with ADHD), movie going, attending Center Stage in Baltimore City, yoga and walking (no more hiking). Also, thanks to the miracle of unlimited long distance, Barb can call her daughter in N.C. (Raleigh area) and talk to her two granddaughters, 14 and 6 years old, and even listen to the 6-year-old kindergartener read her three weekly assigned books. Life is good. Jenny Krohn Rose and husband Shep keep busy training their Portuguese WaterDog. She is the star at Sit Means Sit. If anyone is in the Vegas area, they would be happy to hear from you. Fortunately, they are still in good health. Marthanne Stephens Smith said, “No news except I am cold and old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Penny Hunt Solum said that they are coping just fine with the winter weather in Connecticut. She talked to Liz Conklin Collins recently and will be visiting her in the early spring. Liz asked that she share her current address and phone: 933 Edgewood Road, Annapolis MD 21402 Apt. #105, Phone: 410-507-5328. Despite the current chaos in Greece, Penny was looking forward to heading there in mid-April to tour Athens for several days before a week’s adventure to the Island of Lesvos to bird watch with a group of pals from Connecticut. It will be spring migration for the birds and it is Penny’s wish to be able to add a few new species to bring her world-wide bird list up to 3,000 sightings! Following the birding, she planned to head to London and join her husband at their younger son’s home there for a couple weeks. Their older son will join them for a few days, all to celebrate her husband John’s 80th birthday and their 55th wedding anniversary! Sara Lea Callaway Redmon wrote that everything is pretty much the same, for which she is thankful. She suggests that it would be nice to send Dr. Volpe cards of thanks for his years of service to Hood. She is excited about his replacement and is confident that Hood will continue to meet the challenges of high education. Jo Olmstead Witherington continues to keep busy with three choruses and concerts and extra events for non-profit organizations. She also gives talks to school children about the Civil War and the American Revolution. She fits all this in between travels. This year she will be going back to Italy, France and China.

Dottie Snyder Engle
301-371-5170
dengle3699@aol.com

Congratulations to those of us who outlasted the awful winter. Special thoughts go to Mary Verdella Wagner Nelson and Paul, near the waterfront in Boston, who endured over nine feet of snow in a month. They were house bound, but fortunately did not need to get out for work. Paul even happily filled in as the concierge to accept deliveries to the building. Nancy Craven Jacobus enjoyed a fabulous trip to Paris and the Normandy beaches where she took beautiful photos. Our sympathy to Nancy on the sudden dead of her brother Bob who lived in California. Speaking of photography, please visit Marilyn Monson Baldi’s wonderful albums and galleries at www.imagerybymarilyn.com and www.torchegalerie.com. Marilyn, an avid traveler, has been to 30 countries in the past few years. Jo Ann Twilley Plichta, M.A.’86 and Mary Ann Holloway Ford-Naill, M.A.’79 visited Helen Buss Mitchell and her husband in Ellicott City, Md. Helen is still teaching women’s studies and updating her philosophy books. Gail Kloeblen Spertzel has become quite an artist and photographer. She and her husband have moved to the retirement community of Homewood where Bobby Campbell Rickman, M.A.’75, P’96 lives. Condolences to Dianne Lawson Hadermann whose beautiful mom died at age 97. Since Dianne and I had attended school from third grade through Hood, and because I liked her mom, I decided to go to the visitation. I was so sure of where I was going, but went to Ridgeville Road in Mount Airy instead of Ridge Road in Damascus. So I missed by about eight miles, I think. I even had the obit in my purse. Why do I shim? Condolences also to Joanne Zink Markey on the death of her husband.  Dottie Hussennetter Ritz and husband Bob had a trip of a life time to Italy arranged by Bob’s priest. The highlight was being in a position to almost touch the Pope as he came by in his Pope Mobile. Pat Taylor Santelli and her husband had her first trip to Hawaii to visit their USN officer son and do some sightseeing. They spent time on Oahu and the big island. She also had her first time in the Bahamas snorkeling for lobster and conch off their friend’s fishing boat. She lost her only beloved sister to cancer after Claire had fought a three year battle; our condolences Pat. As for me, Dottie Snyder Engle, we suffered some losses, too.  My 97-year-old brother passed last spring and Ron’s 90-year-old brother in August. My biggest event was a treadmill accident. A member at our gym left his running while he went to the bathroom. I didn’t see the track turning and stepped on it to retrieve a TV remote to hand to daughter Robin. When I stepped on with one foot, I got hurled at four miles an hour into a wall about three feet behind hitting my head and shoulder. I was fortunate, because as badly as that hurt, I only had a sprained shoulder and finger and a cut below my eyebrow and a big hematoma above. Four days later, we were having our 55th high school reunion, so I went to a salon and got my hair done and a makeup job that had me looking red carpet ready. The day after the accident, Ron took me to my local doctor. We sat on chairs with a little table between me with my very bruised and battered face. People would glance at us and then away. Wonder what they were thinking? Domestic Abuse? Did I mention that we are pretty well known in our community? Life seems to be filled with deaths, operations, grandchildren and trips. I vote for more of the last two. Who is up for an unofficial reunion the weekend of June 10, 2016? A Friday evening dinner at the Engle’s and weekend activities as you chose. More information will follow. Recently, Bobby Campbell Rickman’s husband Charlie slept out of this world at home in bed in the middle of the morning. Charlie asked that there be no visitation, funeral or memorial service. Instead, he asked that all you who wish to honor him will do a service for someone in his name. He was very much into service himself. Bobby said there will be a celebration, “a party” in the spring. His obituary appeared in the Frederick News Post on February 27. Bobby is always right there sending cards for every occasion. Since she has been our Hood Reunion chairman forever, please send her a card: Barbara Campbell Rickman, 7351 Willow Road #11, Frederick, MD 21702.  Phone number is 240-629-1960. She is doing very well. I, Dottie Snyder Engle, made a surprise visit to Pat Pinto Tawes and George in Crisfield and found they were moving to a waterfront condo, also in Crisfield. George is still recovering from a stroke and Pat finds that she cannot keep up their present waterfront property.

Catharine Smith Dunn
610-691-5653
kittysmithdunn26@gmail.com

Greetings to the class of 1947. This is my swan song as reporter….definitely! I have enjoyed being in touch with so many over the years, but macular degeneration is a real challenge. Phyllis Peak Sullivan has a husband going through it, too, but so far has been doing better than I. They are traveling, enjoying warm Florida weather and visiting grandchildren and enjoying a great granddaughter. In the near future, they hope to downsize and move into a retirement center in Virginia. Louray Forney Huang, P’83 was to be envied this winter. She is spending time with children in Hawaii and though she has little energy, she has a helper to drive her places and do some cooking. Mel Weir Peter spends winters in Florida and has many family visitors, but not Elizabeth Jones Hesse this year. Mel was looking forward to a college graduation of a granddaughter and a wedding of a grandson. I think Mel must have the record of grandchildren-12 and great-grandchildren-10. Another grandson is a freelance journalist, living in Greece and writing a novel about Afghanistan. Mary Lib Reeder Tiller entertained me and my two daughters this past August when I was visiting with my daughters in Alexandra, Va. Mary Lib’s son is also an author and I was able to get a copy for my Kindle which I can read by enlarging the print size. In spite of needing crutches, she is able to do gardening and still lives in the same house she has had for many years. In spite of seeing with difficulty, I am still singing with the Lehigh Univ. Choral Union and had the thrill of singing at Carnegie Hall. I still usher for special programs at Lehigh Univ. and best of all, baby-sit my year-old great-grandson several days a week. One other nice connection is my relationship with four other Hoodlums  …my sisters-in-law, Dorothy Crosland Dunn, class of 1946, Polly Harvey Dunn, Class of 1950, Carolyn Dunn Shellenberger, class of 1951 and sister, Molly Smith Sperandio, Class of 1957.