CLASS NOTES 1939 Class Agent Doris Biesterfeld Townshend gathered and shared updates from the class (below). Unfortunately, Dorie herself had sad news to share, with the death of her husband, Harry, on July 28, 2012. Four of the surviving members of the Class of ’39: Jane Bridgewater Hewes, Stephen Roszel, Sarah Eliason Englehart, and Dorie responded to the following questions: To what do you attribute your long life? What was the happiest period of your life? What is your chief enjoyment now? All agreed that a long life can be credited to family genes, a lot of luck, and in some cases: no smoking, no alcohol. There was much mention of happy marriages, including the empty nest chapter, with time to travel and be together “without thinking about babysitters.” For Steve, “happy” meant being with his beloved “Dax,” a 12-year old Weimaraner. The Hewes are beginning another chapter in their lives, moving to an Episcopal senior-living residence with new friends and new experiences. Sarah is already in a retirement home near her children who, she says, “spoil [her] rotten.” And Dorie enjoys keeping in touch with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren (number 13 was on the way, as of her note to school).
1947 John B. Jessup kindly updated us from his home at an assisted living facility, called The Homestead, which is run by the Wesleyan Church in Denton, MD. He reported: “It suits me extremely well, I love it here. I regret being so removed in heal and residence [from Friends] but add memories galore of: Wilmot Jones, Clara Dewsnap, Mr. Brown, Ms. Pusey, Ms. Hammond, and so many other staff and students. I loved K-8 at Friends!”
try to learn more and more in what I think is this complicated technological age. I retired many years ago from a teaching career with primary age kids. I loved them!” Of her 63-year correspondence with Anelma (or “Anne,” her American nickname), Marion noted: “Naturally the advent of email has made it easier, and so of course we correspond more often.” A few years ago, Anelma had shared with the Alumni Office her post-WWII memories of her time at Friends: “I was one of the first group of AFS exchange students (we were about 30 from various European countries) and we made a kind of propaganda tour all the way to the Rockies by bus, spreading the idea of letting the young people get to know each other and this way to promote peace in the world.”
1951 Class Agent Don “Chick” Altmaier summed up a few updates for the tight-knit class: “In August, [Jay Maston’s wife] Cathy Maston retired from her job of planning and managing huge major festival events in Norfolk. Over the years, she’s turned small festivals into national events and is the envy of similar cities around the country. Jay and Cathy plan a long winter cruise starting I believe in Peru going around the base of South America and docking finally in Brazil. Also in August, Frannie ’53 and I visited with Peg and Art Hill at their place in Spruce Head, ME. It was a gorgeous day, and it is so beautiful from their living room and deck looking out over the lobster fleet in the harbor.” Finally, for that busy month of August, Chick was asked to exhibit a dozen of his art works in the Brooklin, ME, town library.
1957 Dick Haedrich attended the October 20 commissioning ceremony for a new Middlebury College research vessel, named after his friend, researcher David Folger. Dick made the last leg of the delivery trip from Whitehall up through Lake Champlain, with his granddaughter Caitlin, who was scheduled to enter Middlebury this winter. Wayne Keller’s wife, Joannie, passed away on October 8, 2012. Friends AFS alumna Barbara Steger Stolterfoht reported that she had traveled to Egypt this October.
1960 James O. Simon (See 2000.)
1962 Edward “Ned” Davis (See 2010.) On the Friday of Alumni Weekend, Trudie and Ben Larrabee kindly made a hurried trip from their home in CT to make it to class on time. They joined Cynthia Stan Mellow’s International Baccalaureate (IB) art class, where Ben shared his experiences as a professional artist. (See more about the Alumni Art Show on page 6.)
Speaking of Art Hill, he was elected in May 2012 as the Chair of the Board of Trustees at Eastern University.
1952
1949 We were delighted to hear from Marion Ford Philips from Kirkwood, MO, in response to one of our alumni email blasts this fall. She shared that she is still in regular touch with her Finnish “sister,” Anelma Iivarinen Korvenmaa, who Marion lived with Marion’s Ford family while attendPhilips ’49 ing and graduating this past from Friends as an summer in exchange student. Kirkwood, Marion also noted, “I MO. was greatly influenced by Quaker beliefs at a very impressionable age. I attended from 7th grade on. As a student at Friends, lifelong learning was instilled in me. As an 80 year old, I’m proud that I can still
State Arts Council, highlighted Stuart’s work in the article: “As an enduring, effective arts advocate, Stuart B. Young is called relentless, indefatigable and enlightening. Enlightened, too, for recognizing how the arts boost economic development as well as cultural enrichment.”
Rufus Jones (See photo.)
1953 Frannie Walker Altmaier (See 1951.)
A clever nephew created this “magazine cover” for Rufus Jones ‘52. Note the 1748 hat.
AFS student Anelma Iivarinen Korvenmaa ’49 with a young relative in Helsinki.
Dick Roberts and his wife Priscilla live in downtown Denver. They co-authored a book on Thomas Barclay a while back and have a wonderful book collection. For his tireless work as an art advocate in Wilmington, Stuart Young was named one of the “50 Most Influential Delawareans in the Past 50 Years” by Delaware Today. Lise Monty, chair of the Delaware
Ben ’62 and Trudie Larrabee with Cynthia Stan Mellow and IB art students, October 19, 2012.
Dick Roberts ’53 in front of his book collection in his downtown Denver “flat.” 'BMM 8JOUFS t Friends magazine
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