CLASS NOTES
A Vibrant Life in the City
:: Leonard and Sally Schoettle Randolph ’58 with their grandsons in Colorado in October 2012.
and his family in Lafayette, LA. They helped Wendy, Christy, Zack and Samantha move into a new home much closer to downtown. Phoebe Lilley Broderick ’58 says, “I am well and still living in Sonoma Valley, CA. My three sons and grandchildren help make our family winery produce a privately owned label not for sale to the public. We do sell our grapes to large wineries. This keeps me busy, besides doing quite a bit of volunteering for our pet shelter, Pets Lifeline, and running a Home Alone free service, where we call on some 30 or more seniors every day to make sure they are well. My best wishes to all of you. I will not make Reunion due to distance. Have fun!” Florence Schroeder Ervin ’58 writes, “The summer in Maine attracts many members of the Class of ’58. Classmate Sally Schoettle Randolph lives nearby, and I had a great time with her daughter Meredith Randolph ’90, who is the chairman of the board of the Mount Desert Island Housing Group. I stayed in Kennebunkport with classmates Maris “Wissie” Thompson and Dodie Hirst Marshall but missed Joan Lee Kremer and her children and grandchildren. Perhaps another time when they come to Winter Harbor we will connect.” Sue Hillier Puffer ’58 says, “Not much has changed since our 50th AIS Reunion. I’m still retired, but enjoying volunteer work at the Chester County Hospital, chairing the satellite locations for Chester County Day, the first Saturday in October, and managing to stretch to my heart’s content in my yoga classes. One thing that has changed is that I sold my place in Hershey’s Mill and moved into an apartment in the West Chester, PA area. This
:: Christina Wilhelm Lassen ‘58 celebrates her 50th Reunion at Harvard-Radcliffe
These days, one can find SUZANNE MITCHELL DAVIS ’58 strolling the populous streets of Philadelphia, indulging in a vast array of concerts, operas, lectures and exhibits with her husband, Charlie. After living in Radnor for 34 years, Suzy relishes the movement of Center City and relaxing in her apartment, which overlooks the Delaware River. Some might find the switch from the suburbs daunting, but a change in topography has never been challenging for Suzy. Shortly after attending Manhattanville College and working for Smith Barney – where she became the first female stockbroker in the company’s Philadelphia office – Suzy married her husband and lived in both the Dominican Republic and Guatemala, where their two children (Alix Davis Cummin ’85 and Charles H. C. Davis) were born. “The experiences were astounding and have had lasting impact on all of us,” said Suzy of her time in the Caribbean and Central America. “We loved the life, the country, the people, the language and globalism of it all.” Returning to the United States four years later, Suzy secured a job at Friends School Haverford, where she would enjoy a 12-year tenure as Head of the Physical Education Department and later become the Director of Development, managing giving among alumni and parents as well as programs for alumni and parents. Suzy would say she’s not a “big fish,” but her journey since graduating from Agnes Irwin demonstrates otherwise. Just after retirement, Suzy went to work for Doorways – a company in Bryn Mawr specializing in villa vacation rentals in Europe. As the Spanish program manager, Suzy would travel to Spain, Italy and France, in order to match clients with the most appropriate villa or apartment that would complement their “dream trip.” Amid traveling and teaching, Suzy also served on several boards of directors, expanding her knowledge of multiculturalism and the needs of the underprivileged. Her volunteer reach includes the Delaware County Literacy Council and the Friends of the Ixchel Museum in Guatemala. Reflecting on the experiences she’s had over the years, Suzy credits Agnes Irwin for teaching her to think and adapt, and to learn. “In the many different courses my life has taken, these have been the most important skills.” As a result of her positive experience at AIS, she encouraged her daughter, Alix, and, later, her granddaughters Caroline Davis, a third grader and Sara Davis, a kindergartner, to attend Agnes Irwin for a similarly rewarding education. Suzy is a member of the National Alumnae Advisory Council (NAAC), a role she has held since September 2012. She was a member of the Agnes Irwin Board of Trustees from 1992-1999. – Michelle Trenholm
life change was quite an adjustment, but after a brief “pity party” I have come to love the coziness and contentment of a simpler style of living. My children and grandchildren are still nearby, which is a definite plus. Ashley is working for Keller-Williams, and also helps out her boyfriend, Dave Bauer, with his hockey training center in Aston, PA. Her two boys, Ben, 16, and Andrew, 14, are wonderful and a joy to be around. Duke and Melissa built a beautiful home in Kennett Square and are enjoying the fruits of their labor. Duke’s Honda dealership is also seeing a welcome increase of business, and Melissa manages to participate in various volunteer activities and trains for triathlon events. Their son, DJ, is 12 now and Samantha (aka Mina) will be 11 in January – terrific
grandchildren and very active as well. Life is good! Looking forward to our 55th Reunion and connecting with old friends.” Sally Saunders ’58 is enjoying life in San Francisco, CA. She runs a poetry writing workshop and is busy writing her own poetry. She visits Philadelphia, PA once a year. Marguerite Page Fox Houghton ’59 shares, “this has been a busy year for me, with four one-person shows. Arthur and I continue to travel adventurously, January to Ethiopia, where I hope to find inspiration in the churches of Lalibela and the tribes of the Omo Valley.” Claire McIlvain ’59 has retired and is very busy catching up on the life she left in the shadows while teaching.
www.agnesirwin.org
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