Class Notes
Democratic National Committee. The details of the job are still being worked out, but it will be an exciting time to be in the political mixing bowl! In late February I took a service vacation in Arizona with Road Scholar (formerly Elder Hostel) to Lee’s Ferry — the put-in area for people rafting down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. We will be restoring and stabilizing two historic buildings under the supervision of the National Park Service. Some think it’s crazy to pay to work, but I think it will be a great experience.”
1974. Sally Slingluff salslinger@aol.com
KATHY AND BLAZER CATZEN ’76 with their children Nellie, Hannah, Bert and Erin at the
December 24, 2011 Ravens vs. Browns game.
and Terry Halle took an “evolutionary adventure” in February. Terry’s words, “Another way to write this since the trip will already be taken when the magazine comes out is: “Terry Halle went to the Galapagos for a week and spent some quality time with giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, ancient lizards and his wife.” Mosie Lasagna checked in from the road. “I’m just a few miles from Baltimore as I write this. I’m visiting Krissy Lasagna ’72, David Lasagna ‘67, Mom, and my younger brother Christopher in Charlottesville, Va. Then, we head northward to the Adirondacks, then to Boston. Road trip! I’m still making Fairfield, Iowa my home — Love it there. And, I’ve become a cat person — eek! Come visit!” Kathy Neustadt writes, “Big news. In February, my husband Tom’s daughter Molly had identical twin baby girls, Lila and Hattie. After an unusually complicated pregnancy (mono-mono: both babies in one sac) that required parental steadiness and high moral courage, it’s a true gift to have these little hearts and souls in the world.” Graham Yearley took some midwinter surgery in stride. “I had the first of three ear surgeries at Union Memorial to take out a tumor that is eating the bones of my left ear. After that I plan to go to Greece and Turkey in the spring and sing at a convention of gay/lesbian/transgendered choruses in Denver this July.” Mary Kay Lyman works at American Friends Service Committee in Philadelphia and she, too, is on the go. “I’m heading for Jerusalem, Gaza, and West Bank in March for three weeks to teach our general ledger software to staff in those places. Hope to travel (on my
own dime and just for fun) to Alaska and Africa in the next two years.” Ruth and Don Goldbloom will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in October. Don maintains his law practice in Grantsville, Garrett County, Md. The last three years Don and Ruth have provided a home for a church youth member whose parents were given lengthy prison sentences. He is now in college, studying to become a certified nursing assistant. With no children of their own, they are mentors to many, including three kitties, Mini, Merlyn and Marley. (Don and Ruth, you need to talk to Mosie!) Bill Sherman writes, “61–ouch, 37 years married, three kids, all finished college and one is married. Still doing commercial real estate deals, Saturday Hopkins lacrosse games, and vacations in South Florida and the Hunt Cup. All in all, it’s still a good gig.” As for me, I continue my work at the Newseum. It’s always a pleasure for me to host Friends friends! The recent roster includes Hollace Snyder ‘66, Shawn Harlan (son of Ruth and Mike Harlan ’66), Melissa Hulse ’79 and siblings, Nina Siebens ’78 and Chris Siebens ‘72. I am working on a team creating a new media gallery in partnership with Hewlett-Packard … totally interactive, totally cool, and it opens this spring.
1970. Lisa Mitchell Pitts Pittsmmbee@comcast.net Andy Dannenberg writes, “I am now working as a part-time contractor at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and teaching part time at
the University of Washington in Seattle, having retired from a full-time U.S. Public Health Service position at the CDC last year. My new book “Making Healthy Places: Designing and Building for Health, Well-being and Sustainability” was published by Island Press last August. The book focuses on the relationship between public health and the built environment and is being used as a textbook for courses on healthy community design in a number of universities in the U.S. and in Australia.” Check it out at: www.makinghealthyplaces.org. Jim Merfeld says, “Nothing new to report other than the baby boy that Berta Scott helped to deliver while working as a nurse at Sinai Hospital on June 22, 1978 is now a father. Our first grandchild, Jordyn Elizabeth Merfeld, was born on June 21, 2011: 7 pounds, 9 ounces and 20 inches long. She has big blue eyes and red hair and is an absolute delight! Please pass along my regards to all our classmates. I can’t believe I turned 60 — when did we grow so mature? Make today a great day.” Kathy Cox writes, “I retired in August and quickly jumped into activities to keep me out of trouble. I am working at the National Zoo as a behavior watch volunteer, monitoring the giant pandas. They are entering mating season, so we are charged with recording any behaviors that indicate they are becoming amorous! I also am working at the American Red Cross as a ‘volunteer partner’ in the disaster operations division, overseeing teams that are reviewing and updating some ARC courses. And most recently I have been recruited to lead the seniors’ constituency outreach table at the
Sue Hewett Davis writes, “After several years working in recruiting as a vice president with Bank of America, I joined a partner three years ago to create a professional services firm called Green Sign Consulting. We place experienced professionals into temporary projects with our clients, which include banks, private schools, higher education institutions and manufacturers. Our professionals have experience in accounting, finance, technology and project management. It’s been fun starting a company and growing it every year! I live in a mid-century modern house five miles from downtown Charlotte, N.C. We are looking forward to the DNC arriving here and invite anyone who is venturing to Charlotte to look me up.”
1976. John Humphries jehriver@aol.com Steve Stuart reports that he has started a new position as key accounts manager for mutual funds and exchange traded funds at TD Ameritrade in September 2011. Lisa Davis writes that “Don’t Fence Me In … Or Out,” an art exhibit featuring works by her female students in the Hunter College M.F.A. program, opened in September at the Lesley Heller Workspace in New York City. The exhibit is her first curatorial foray and examines the artists’ relationship to feminism. Lisa’s accompanying essay, “Goddesses, Ovaries and the Seductress … Bring It on Home to Me,” was published in the September 2011 Brooklyn Rail. She had solo shows of her work at New York’s Gavin Spanierman Gallery last September, and in March at the New York Studio School’s lecture series. Rene Wood (Class of ’76 until 10th
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