Sue Winter Smith passed away in September of 2018; Mary Thomas Summers passed away in September of 2019; Pat Pickett Tanco passed away in January of 2020. God speed to a safer, more humane place.

ALICE RIDDLE METRY: Alice is dealing with macular degeneration so it is difficult to read e-mails, letters and books very well.  She asked me to put her phone number in the column because she would love to hear from anyone via phone: 313-882-8709.  Her husband, Fred, had a stroke in August, ’19 and is working hard to get away from the walker.  There is no driving for them, so their annual trip to Florida did not take place this year.

BARBARA THOMAS YINGER: Tommie reports ”No virus here, so far.  I’ve kept busy finishing baby quilts for CareWear Foundation which is centered here in Frederick by a former Hood Home Ec. Professor/grad, Bonnie Hagerman.  A Fla. volunteer pieces the small quilts and mail them to Bonnie, then she puts the backing on it and sends it to me to sew together and quilt, on the machine of course.  I work with lovely fabrics and put something together for someone else to enjoy, somewhere in the US in a health care system.  Masks have been another thing.  I made over 100 and coordinated with several other ladies here to make over 300 for the health care workers and residents at this facility, Buckingham’s Choice near Frederick, Md.  I’m also in charge of the greenhouse here but it is winding down with most residents putting their plants outside for the summer.  Plants and sewing have seemed to be my forte for many years and it’s been a joy.

CAROLYN STEVENS AMSTUTZ: Good to hear from you, I’m glad you are surviving the pandemic. Life is certainly different these days. Since I’m in a retirement community we are a bit restricted, but being taken care of very well.  We are not allowed visitors in our apartments, but can meet with them outside. Fortunately, the weather has been good, so getting out and walking and seeing people keeps me sane!  And I did get out to get my haircut …yahoo.  Both my daughters, one in Albany and one in England, as well as their husbands, are working from home. All are fine, thank goodness.   I seem to be OK for an almost 85-year-old, except that macular degeneration is starting to get the better of me. I’m afraid my bridge playing days are behind me unfortunately. I have to talked  to Alice Metry and Tressie.

EUGENIE SMITH DURLAND: I’m glad to report that Bill and I are healthy in spite of being 84 and 89 – who’d believe it?! All our kids, grandkids and great grandkids are fine too. Not much news since we are staying home except for groceries and docs. We are lucky to live right on the edge of two large parks with walking trails so we are able to get out to walk every day without coming near others. Our youngest son lives near us and drops in several times a week with his son who has down syndrome. Our youngest daughter lives in Boulder. She’s a school teacher so has to teach on line and its driving her crazy. If I tried to report on all our kids and grandkids this note would be about 3 pages long so I’ll stop there. One of our biggest disappointments is the absence of baseball and I’m sure lots of others have similar moans. But I hope we all live through it. Peace, Genie Durland

HATTIE SNYDER BINGHAM: My husband, Gene, and I moved from Chantilly, VA to a community near Fredericksburg, VA fifteen years ago after both of us retired from National Institutes of Health.  We have three children, five grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. Our daughter, Cheryl, recently moved from Damascus, MD to Frederick, MD and we are looking forward to walking the Hood campus together.  Another daughter, Julianne, lives in South Carolina, and our son, Keith, lives way too far away in Reno, NV.  Our granddaughter, Lynsey, just moved out West to Richland, WA after graduating with a Nurse Practitioner’s Degree.  I sing in the church choir and am active in the church and community.  The thing I like most since moving to Virginia is living a manageable distance from DC, thus being able to enjoy the “POPs concerts by The National Symphony Orchestra at The Kennedy Center.  I had an unexpected health issue this January through March when I had to make two emergency trips to the hospital due to my right kidney not functioning.  The second time I went to the hospital I had a blood infection and ended up in the CCU because all my vitals went crazy due to the blood infection.  I had surgery in 2004 for a congenital condition where there was a blockage where the ureter enters the kidney.  After all these years scar tissue built up causing the blockage to happen again.  The urologist put in a 6 to 12 month urinary stent to avoid a trip to the hospital while COVID-19 is active.  We’ll have to research the best medical options. We were to celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary this year but we had to put it off until next year due to the virus. We were so disappointed that our Reno family couldn’t come this June since flying  wasn’t an option.  Like a lot of senior friends, we have spent the last two years researching Life Care facilities and communities.  In the fall of 2021 we plan to move into a villa in”Willow Valley Communities” located in Willow Valley, PA which is close to Lancaster, PA.  My Email address is: hattiebingham2@gmail.com

LOUISE REED: I continue to shelter in place and stay away from any virus.  I am doing O.K. – not swell like in college.  I have an aide to help me from AM to 6PM daily.  She helps with meals, household chores, grocery shopping, etc. I use a walker to get around the house and a wheel chair when I go outside.  I have a brace on my left arm so need someone to push me in the wheelchair! I guess I had a previous fracture and didn’t do anything about it, so now I have bone fragments breaking off and rubbing against bone which is painful. The brace stabilizes it some what. No more trips for me!!

MARA ECKSTEINS BUNUEL: I really do not have any great news.  Do wish to let you know that Pat Pickett Tanco died early Jan. 2020.  Her brother called me.  Pat was taken down to Texas where her son & fam. live.  All her children and family were there.  She was buried in Rockville, Md.  It was very sad for me, we were half-sisters at Hood and we kept up our friendship for years.  She would usually come to my house and stay overnight, had always so much to talk about.  Other than that I keep at home, my son the doctor is very busy, but brings my groceries every Saturday. I don’t know when we shall get out of this pandemic..With that horrid, stupid idiot in the White House the virus will multiply as long as we get more places open regardless of human lives lost.  Keep safe.

MIRIAM SPAULDING KEYSER: Doing well- Oak Crest is providing 3 dinner meals plus extras every 3 days. Our son David brings other food items and essentials to the gate and those things are delivered to us. We are limited to our apartment and outside to walk to our garden plot. We are only to leave grounds for doctors, etc. Life is very different. I was able to talk with  Dot Lewis. Her husband Irv died last summer, and she has moved to a senior facility near her daughter in Boston. We are still planning on gathering with the family at the Outer Banks, NC for a week in July. I still am spending time on family genealogy- right now Bill’s Keyser family;

NANCY PAUL STIMSON:  Here goes!  I am still alive. Been shut in for three months. No bridge, no Mahjong, no dinners out, no church, no nothing.  My great grandson turned one the end of May. His sister will be three in July. They live in Doylestown, Penna. thankfully my granddaughter brought them to see me in January. Wouldn’t be able to come now. Times are crazy. Have certainly been affected by the virus. One friends husband died, several others I know have recovered. Can’t open our condo pool this summer.  She has heard that Sue Truby may have Alzheimer’s Disease?

ROBERTA GEEHAN HORTON:  Sad to report the death of my former roommate, Susan Winter Smith, in September, 2018.  She suffered from pulmonary fibrosis.  I have not seen mention of her passing in the Hood Magazine. I spoke with her 10 days before she passed.  Bob and I are still mostly confined at home, due to the virus, the same home since l966.  We are thankful that it is all on one floor.  We can still enjoy our daily walks on a nearby greenway  Our health is pretty good.  I am now out of most back pain caused by spinal stenosis after neurologic treatments. Bob had a coronary event last August but is much improved after having a stent put in.  Enjoyed a recent telephone chat with Mimi Spauldng Keyser.

TANIE STROHECKER SHARKEY WHITE:  sends greetings to all 1957 gals (no gents in those days).  Would love to see any of you traveling to or through Hudson, Ohio.   All is well.  330-650-1053

MOLLY SPERANDIO: In CA – if my plane still flies – I have my last grand graduating from high school and his brother graduating from college – on the same day.  I just heard yesterday from the college grad that their ceremony will be cancelled and he is starting a new job in Los Angeles on 5/28, so won’t even be there!  I’ll find out on 5/12 when I, hopefully, can get in on a Zoom call with my youngest grandson.  His school is holding a Grands and Seniors “get together” to talk about the differences between our graduation from high school and theirs.  Should be interesting!  As to the PA trip; in Lancaster – I lost a brother-in-law (my last) to acute leukemia, diagnosed at the age of 89 (would have been 90 in June) 2 weeks before he died!  I have a nephew (70-acute renal cancer) and another sister (88 – bedridden with dementia) on death’s door; so I am feeling the need to go see them – even through a window; and then on to Bethlehem to see my oldest sister (94) where we have held our family reunions for the past 39 years.  She still lives alone in her own home, is well, and we probably won’t have a reunion, but I can at least visit with her.  I will take my chances and pray that gas stations will be open along I-95 for gas and potty breaks!