Class of ’69 News – Fall 2018 edition

Retirement is suiting Marty Silcox Hankins quite well. Last Fall she and Ken travelled in their “slide-in camper” on the back of their pickup to Nova Scotia. She remains busy with Master Gardening and Shiloh Pottery, in addition to visiting children and grandchildren in Houston and Baltimore. Another Master Gardener, Pat Etzel Parker, is delighted that her husband Dowell has recovered sufficiently from orthopedic issues, that they can take their first cruise – to Alaska, this summer. She also has an animal watching expedition in Kenya planned for October. She and Ellen Kiel continue their birthday tradition of getting together for a day at the spa. Ginny Monaco Hatfield wrote from beautiful Lake Tahoe where she has a small cedar home. She says it’s like “living in a tree.” She’s anticipating knee surgery in the near future. She’d love to hear from former roommate, Ellen Fogler Greenberg. Sarah Jane Snyder Raffety checked in from steamy Texas where temperatures have topped 100 degrees. She says “hi” to 69’ers and sends sisterly love. As an active member of the League of Women Voters, Margaret Dunkle strives to get high school students registered to vote at age 16 so they can cast their ballots when they turn 18. Margaret was recently honored by the National Women’s History Project under the theme, Nevertheless She Persisted. She also participated in the “March for Our Lives” event led by students from Parkland High School in Florida. Carole Downing Staton can once again breathe a sigh of relief as son Andrew safely returned in January from his 4th deployment. He and his wife reside in Texas. Carole and Roy take great delight in their grandchildren, Austin (6 ½) and Quinlynn (1). I will quote from Marianne Handy Hraibi (St. Johnsbury, VT.) “I doubt if any of you remember me at all. I was at Hood only for our freshman year. I transferred to the Boston Conservatory as a Dance Major sophomore year. At Hood I lived in Coblentz, top floor. My roommate was Martha Gyorik-de-Salanky. Years ago in Hanover, NH I was friendly with the mother of my son’s good friend. We found out quite by chance that we had known each other at Hood. Shahrnaz Safavi from Iran! Nazi had spent a year in Belgium with her husband. While there she received her issue of Hood Magazine. She was astonished to discover I was the same “Marianne” that she had known at Hood 1965-66. When she returned to Hanover, we both were in awe! Neither of us had asked maiden names and had only known each other by our married names. It is such a small world!” Since Debbie Dick Holbert’s retirement, she’s trying to visit all the international cities that she didn’t explore while flying for United before they merged with Continental. She’s making headway! Christine Diehl wrote from Connecticut where she just finished the Spring Semester at Gateway Community College, teaching Developmental Math to students of all ages. It’s rewarding, she says – and helps pay the taxes in Connecticut! Trips into NYC and Cape Cod will highlight the summer – before returning to college in the Fall. Chris keeps in touch with Marya Rusinak who lives in Cincinnati, OH. Nancy Roe Hebdon and Fred are the proud grandparents of a third-year law student at George Washington Univ. in D.C. They recently traveled to Europe, Scandinavia, Egypt and China and have an upcoming cruise around Iceland. They are happily retired and live on the water in Cambridge, MD, not far from Marty Mulford Gray and her husband. For me, Sayre Roney Steere, it’s been a tumultuous few months. The decision to leave all we’ve known for 26 years in Panama City Beach, Florida and move to Seattle WA. was huge. But “family” has a very strong pull. We downsized to the max, sold our precious home (it was a tearful goodbye), drove the Tesla back across country, and as of May 16th moved into our new little abode in a “55 and older” community called Tehaleh in Bonney Lake, WA right at the base of Mt. Rainier. We’re slowly getting acclimated, but certainly love being closer to our girls. Now we can actively take part in our granddaughters’ lives – already we’ve been to a track meet, a dance performance, a Triathlon, an oboe recital, swim practice and soon an elementary school graduation. Turns out Jill Stanley has family nearby – may even see her one day!