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she still sings in the church choir; she was trained in the CJC choir. Sidney Faithfull Van Zandt traveled with her husband, Sandy, her son, Doug, and his girlfriend, Maureen, to White Salmon, WA, overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. They enjoyed cross-country skiing on Mt. Hood’s Tea Kettle area. They live in Noank, CT, on the Mystic River, an area of open space providing a lot of snowshoeing for them. Sidney continues to work with the Groton Open Space Assn., an organization she helped found in 1963. She led hikes on many sites on CT Trails Day in June. Barbara Ritter Peterson remembers her CJC years with great fondness. She visited campus a few years ago and enjoyed seeing all the changes, particularly the spectacular library. Her husband of 50 years died 7 years ago; she keeps busy with a home in Wallingford, CT, and a lake cottage in the NW part of the state. She writes, “My daughter and her family live in CO, and my son is nearby in CT. I’ve kept in touch over all the years with Sara-Lou Munroe Skar and Sally St. John Faulkner, until her death in 2011. After CJC, I went to Simmons College in Boston, but Colby and New London have remained very special in my thoughts.” Liz Margeson Harrison writes, “I will be in the Colby area for the first time in years for my granddaughter’s graduation from Dartmouth. She is taking a year off before attending Dartmouth Medical School. Her brother, Scott, will go to Colby College in ME this fall. It will be nice to have the family in New England even though it is far from home.” Thank you all for helping to put together our column.
1955
GRETCHEN DAVIS HAMMER gdh777@earthlink.net It has been nice to hear from so many of you. Hopefully, we will all see each other in Oct. to celebrate our 60th Reunion! Joanne Holden Miller writes—echoing what many of you said—that she cannot believe she had a BIG birthday this spring! Her family has been so
supportive, helping her through the death of her husband, Jim, 2 years ago. She recognizes that changes are ahead, as living in a 10-room house is overwhelming. Joanne is looking forward to being in New London for our Reunion. Liz Gunter Visvis and her husband have moved from CT, where they raised their children, and now live 7 months of the year in Wellington, FL. She feels fortunate to have escaped the ravages of this past winter. Liz has continued painting and studying art, beginning first with Dr. Holtz on the third floor of Colgate! Her husband has always encouraged her work, as well as “paying for all those hundreds of frames!” Another of our classmate-artists, Stephanie Brown Reininger, sent me pictures of her beautiful watercolors, which were published in last spring’s issue of Here In Hanover. Stephanie teaches for Osher at Dartmouth and the AVA Gallery in Lebanon, NH. Check out her website, theplayfulpainter.com. Carole Binney Haehnel ’55 MT who lives in White River Junction, VT, took a wonderful trip to Madison, WI, to meet her 10th great-grandchild, Elijah. Carole remains busy with her volunteer work. Hope to see you at Reunion, Carole! Connie Valpey Deschenes, still in the Marblehead, MA area, writes that life has slowed as her husband, Ed, has had several strokes. They still get to NH and ME to visit their children; she swims twice a week at the YMCA; cross-country skis with her family; and is a guide at the town’s historic home—the Lee Mansion—during the summer. Alethe Laird Lescinsky in NY’s Adirondacks spends as much time as possible outdoors hiking, cross country skiing, canoeing, etc. Because 2 of her sons live in Australia, there aren’t many opportunities to have the whole family together, but they are planning a 2016 family reunion in Tahiti to celebrate the 80th birthdays of Alethe and her husband. They have rented a house on Moorea Island, where all 14 of them can stay and swim, snorkel and explore! Marcia Symmes Harmon had a serious back operation and has been in
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rehab ever since. She is now in an apartment in a senior facility in Kennebunk, ME, where she undergoes therapy and is in an electric wheelchair. Best wishes, Marcia. Janice Spurr Titus and her husband have left CT for Portsmouth, NH, where, Janice says, the cost of living is lower and the state more hospitable. She extends best wishes to the beautiful gals in the Class of ’55 and hopes we all stay safe and well. Barbara Harmon Sawyer, who lives in Hampton, NH, with husband Jerry, tells of a business they share with their 3 daughters and sons-in-law: They plant vegetable seed for 3 local stores—55,000 plants in 2 greenhouses! And they have done this for 20 years! They also have 3 granddaughters who work for insurance companies, and 2 grandsons who graduated from college last spring. Wonderful hearing for the first time from Nancy Demme Nichols, who has lived in Texas since 1972. 2 of her children live in Austin. Her son moved to Portland, ME, last year and loves it, despite the harsh winter. Nancy visits with Georgia Hubbell Sorensen at least once a year. Last year, Nancy, her husband, and Georgia and her husband enjoyed a cruise around the British Isles. Nancy also came to New England last July and met up with Fran Roberts Wilson in New London. They have known each other since kindergarten! Fran took Nancy for a tour of the campus, and Nancy was very impressed. Nancy is now recovering from a hip replacement and hopes to get back to traveling soon, adding that she has quadruplet grandsons, now 21 years old. I bet they’ve kept the family busy! Last, but by no means least, is the upbeat and delightful Rosie Carhart Keenan. She won’t be at our Reunion; as much as she wants to, she cannot drive to New London by herself. She added that she hibernated a lot and had nothing to report of interest. So Rosie-like! As for me, Gretchen Davis Hammer, Ken and I have had a busy year. After formally closing my office 8 months ago, I now see very few clients and am spending more time with husband,
children and grandchildren. We did get to see several of them in FL in Apr. when we escaped the cold Northeast. I am looking forward to Reunion and hope to see many of you there!
1956
NANCY HOYT LANGBEIN enlangbein@gmail.com Sally Marker Hayward has 3 children scattered around the US and a daughter in Trinidad. She and Don went to their 60th HS Reunion in 2014. Sally also sold their condo in NC and is staying put in PA. She would love to reconnect with Marilyn Lewis Hobson. Betty Coleman Lincoln and Bob have moved into an assisted living facility in Hingham, MA. Marcia Copenhaver Barrere spent last Thanksgiving with their son in CA. She still does her needlework and is into yoga. Sarah Rudy Terhune reports, “Frank and I have just become great-grandparents, and he is adorable, of course. He, along with his parents (our granddaughter) and our son and daughter, will all travel to NH this summer for a few days. My sister-in-law, also a Colby grad, lives in New London, so we will visit there as well. The school looks as lovely as ever.” Arlene Annan DeMoss keeps busy and enjoys her grandchildren, who range from 5 to 30. Arlene is the 1st to email me news. Yes, your Class Correspondent has come into the 21st century, so now everyone can send news!
Diane Shugrue Gallagher ’57, at right, caught a foul ball at a Red Sox game in June.