GEORGIAN
Vol. 92
No. 02
pu bl i c at i on of ge orge s cho o l, ne w tow n, pennsy lvania
INSIDE SPRING/ SUMMER 2022
01
s i g natu r e acad e m i c pr o g r am
A ground-breaking curriculum
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s c h o lar - ath lete s score big
Helping students realize their dreams
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stu d e nt c o m m u n i cati o n s evo lve an d expan d
Informing and engaging audiences
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alu m n i we e ke n d
Back on campus, alumni celebrate and reminisce
GEORGIAN TABLE OF CONTENTS
Vol. 92 | No. 02 | SPRING/ SUMMER 2022
01 PERSPECTIVES Signature Academic Program 02 Education Without Borders 06
Math to the Nth Degree
08 Where Science and Literature Meet 10 Pioneering Agri-Tech Course Takes Root 12 The Power of Stories: Preserving History and Memory 13 Transforming Learning through Transformative Justice
14 FEATURES 14 Scholar-Athletes Score Big 18 Student Communications Evolve and Expand 22 Back on Campus for Alumni Weekend 2022
Scholar-athletes like Onyekachi (Kachi) Nzeh ’23 enjoy the unwavering support of their advisors, faculty members, coaches, and dorm parents at George School. (Page 14)
24 CAMPUS NEWS & NOTES 28 ALUMNI TELL US 43 IN MEMORIAM
Curious George Editor-in-Chief Arshi Nagra ’22 and Digital Media Editor Celeste Huang-Menders ’22 discuss their upcoming issue. (Page 18) On our cover: A pioneering agri-robotics course marries plant science and robotics to foster real-world learning and addresses issues of environmental sustainability. (Page 10)
PERSPECTIVES
Signature Academic Program Offering more choices and more meaningful experiences, our new Signature Academic Program will be customizable to each student. As George School embarks on our new Signature Academic Program—a ground-breaking curriculum paired with a nimble seven-term calendar— we are pleased to share it and its benefits with the community. The program is rooted in research about how students learn best, realizes the goals of our strategic plan, and, as always, prepares our students to make their mark—and a difference— in the world. As you read the stories that follow, you will see common threads—immersive experiences, applied and interdisciplinary learning that makes real-world connections, varied perspectives (especially global ones), and a commitment to fostering choice, creativity, and citizenship. If you could return to high school, imagine studying ancient storytelling alongside modern media coverage of the refugee crisis while visiting Greece. On campus, you could enhance your understanding of botany from a literary or
technology perspective as well as a scientific one. Or engage in high-level math studies that elsewhere are reserved for the college level. These opportunities, and others, are profiled in this issue. We are excited by the Signature Academic Program’s possibilities and grateful to our faculty for the hard work, imagination, and dedication to students they showed in developing it. Of course, like everything at George School, it will be a work in progress. We look forward to sharing our ongoing discoveries with you. In Friendship,
Sam Houser Head of School
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EUROPE Greece: Storytelling for Social Justice Rome: Vergil’s Aeneid Netherlands: Economics & Sustainability
NORTH AMERICA Arizona: Navajo Culture & Spirituality
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ASIA Vietnam: A Brief History of Vietnam
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SOUTH AMERICA Peru: Peruvian Past & Culture
• AFRICA South Africa: Art, Ecology & Social Justice Uganda: Wildlife Conservation & Ecology East Africa: Contemporary East African Society & Conservation
George School students have the opportunity to take courses that include a travel component to places like Italy, Greece, the Navajo Nation, the Netherlands, Peru, South Africa, Uganda, or Vietnam as part of a curriculum to help students develop an in-depth understanding of our world and its complexities.
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PERSPECTIVES
Wildlife Conservation & Ecology in Uganda helps students learn about, design, and conduct high-quality field research in Uganda’s varied biomes to produce meaningful scientific data.
Education Without Borders Global engagement and interdisciplinary learning have long been cornerstones of a George School education. Since the first service and exchange trips in 1949, the school has led the way internationally, expanding students’ understanding of our complex, interdependent world or, as Head of School Sam Houser puts it, “how to build communities across cultures and across nations, to be cosmopolitan in that real, ancient Greek sense— to be citizens of the world.” With the arrival of the Signature Academic Program and its f lexible calendar, George School once again stands for Global Studies, forging a world-spanning path with new offerings that defy boundaries. These new courses include a travel component, which, according to history teacher and service-learning coordinator Meredith Baldi ’01, “is fully integrated within our curriculum, with robust preparation time as well as comprehensive and structured ref lection time to support students in processing their experiential learning. Historically, travel was limited to servicelearning trips planned during March and June breaks and occurred largely as single experiences. Trips now are associated with a George School course.” The list of possible destinations includes Greece, Italy, the Navajo Nation, the Netherlands, Peru, South Africa, Uganda, and Vietnam. Individual courses may not be available every academic year. Some Global Studies courses, such as South Africa: Art, Ecology & Social Justice, are structured for an immersive experience during a single term. In this scenario, students focus on one course for five weeks, with the first one to two weeks for academic preparation,
the next two to three weeks for the experiential travel component, and a final week in which students are assessed on what they learned, ref lect together on their experiences, and share their new knowledge with the community. Other, more focused offerings account for just one “mod” of the three or four mods (courses) a student takes during Term 7. For example, students can opt to take Peruvian Past & Culture on campus in May before traveling to Peru in June. “All of these immersive experiences are co-taught by teachers in different departments, highlighting the benefits of interdisciplinary education,” adds Meredith. “This shows students, in a lived and experienced way, how all the different subjects they are studying in school work together out in the world, and why understanding the interplay between disciplines helps us understand more clearly the societies in which we live.” The benefits of the new structure are many. By engaging in travel in concert with cross-disciplinary courses, students learn about the people and places they visit in ways that are deep, vigorous, nuanced, long-lasting, and real-world. “Integrating academic learning with global experiential opportunities helps our students be informed and committed citizens, connected with others, and knowledgeable about the histories and cultures of those with whom we share this globe,” explains Associate Head of School Scott Spence. It’s all part of developing graduates who “use their knowledge and passions to improve the world in which they live.”
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GEORGE SCHOOL STUDENTS travel in concert with academic courses as part of the Signature Academic Program, learning about the people and places they visit in ways that are deep, nuanced, and real-world.
Global Studies Program Options A Brief History of Vietnam
Students learn about the modern history of Vietnam, beginning with the “mission civilisatrice” of the 1880s and focusing on the 20thcentury relationship between the United States and Vietnam. They read authors such as Max Hastings, Christopher Goscha, Spencer Tucker, Lt. Gen. Harold Moore, and Ho Chi Minh, and see the New Jersey Vietnam Era Museum before traveling to Vietnam. There they visit the Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton), meet with members of Project Renew, and work in orphanages where children still suffer from the effects of Agent Orange.
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Economics & Sustainability
Using the Netherlands as a case study and a destination, students examine which economic incentives are used to change behaviors. During the trip portion, students explore how planners, engineers, policy makers, individuals, and communities are working to adapt to climate change. Much of the travel is via bicycle to put ideas into practice. This course will not be offered in 2022-2023. Navajo Culture & Spirituality
Offered by the Religions Department, this course meets for one mod in Term 7, followed by a trip to Arizona in June. While living in the Navajo Nation, students engage in service-learning. This course will not be offered in 2022-2023.
Contemporary East African Society & Conservation
Peruvian Past & Culture
Students immerse themselves in Ugandan life by taking courses taught by George School faculty at Awegys Secondary School in Kigo. Over a three-week period, they learn alongside Ugandan peers, working collaboratively on inquiry-based, interdisciplinary projects that expose both cohorts to opinions and experiences outside their own. The science and humanities courses focus on the intersection of the human condition and the ecological stability of East Africa.
In this Language Department course, students experience the richness of Peruvian culture, from its history as the oldest civilization in the Americas to its contemporary cuisine. The course looks at Peru’s literature, indigenous communities, cultural evolution as a ref lection of geographic diversity, environmental issues, and the development of sociocultural competence in preparation for a meaningful in-country immersion experience.
PERSPECTIVES
South Africa: Art, Ecology & Social Justice
Vergil’s Aeneid
This course considers both the area’s natural geology and ecology as well as its social and political systems. A historical examination of Apartheid and its consequences provides insights into structural racism and inequity, while engaging with the performing and visual arts shows how artistic expression can be used to document, make sense of, and educate about oppression and injustice. Firsthand experiences include visiting sites like the Blikkiesdorp relocation camp and volunteering with Project Hope’s soup kitchen.
This joint English and Latin course gets students to read, appreciate, and analyze the Aeneid in English while learning about the craft of translation, comparing published English translations, and composing their own. After learning about the legends and history of Rome’s founding and other relevant historical events, students trace a portion of Aeneas’ Mediterranean journey, ending in Rome. There they visit museums and archaeological sites, reading Latin inscriptions in situ, and ref lect on how modern Italians connect to their past in light of the most recent refugee crisis. This course will not be offered in 2022-2023.
Storytelling for Social Justice
Ancient and modern Greece are both explored in this course, which covers the history of Greek storytelling and its impact on human belief and relationships, the current refugee crisis, and media-making and journalism. Students develop tools to tell their own stories for social change, using photography, graphic design, podcasting, and filmmaking. They then travel to Athens and volunteer with Love without Borders for Refugees in Need, the Greek Forum for Refugees, and Shedia, deepening their understanding of refugee experiences, the power of art to connect and educate, and the role of constructive journalism.
Wildlife Conservation & Ecology
The goal of this Term 7/June course is to learn about, design, and conduct high-quality field research in Uganda’s varied biomes to produce meaningful scientific data. Students travel through national parks and reserves and visit historical sites, spending much of their time in Queen Elizabeth National Park or Murchison Falls National Park, with visits to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Local and international academics, conservation managers, and other ecology and conservation practitioners serve as mentors. Students also partake in meaningful service work.
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Math to the Nth Degree Flexible and far-reaching, the new math program encourages broader, deeper, and more individualized exploration, enabling each student to get the most from their George School math experience.
For over a year, teachers across disciplines have been reshaping the curriculum to realize the potential of the Signature Academic Program. For the Math Department, the solution has proven greater than the sum of its parts. The topics students can learn about and the routes they can take are growing exponentially. Students arrive at George School with a range of math preparation, and an equally wide range of math interests and long-term goals. As Math Department Head Hamilton Davis puts it, “Trying to leverage the f lexibility of the seventerm schedule helped us to realize we could tailor an academic experience more closely to the needs of the individual student. For some that means deeper, further math offerings. For others that means being able to tack a bit more towards applied mathematics. For still others that means access and exposure to mathematics they might not have otherwise seen.” Kevin Moon, the previous Math Department Head, explains a fundamental change in thinking: “We are not locked into ‘years’ any longer. Instead of saying, ‘Precalc junior year, then calc senior year,’ we are able to see the four-year path as a development of a single whole.”
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Flexibility starts immediately. Where initial placement and future prospects were formerly dictated—and limited—by prior coursework, the new curriculum meets incoming students where they are and takes them where they want to go. The module-based calendar enables them to start midway through a traditional course if that’s what they need, cover more than a traditional course in a year if that’s what they want, and take topics traditionally taught together (e.g., calculus and statistics) when it’s right for them. Doubling up (taking more than one traditional course in a year) and test driving (trying a topic before committing to its full length) are also easier. Myriad permutations and combinations create an all-you-can-eat math buffet designed to leave each student sated. Where f lexibility increases, so does equity. Regardless of their pre–George School math prep, all students can pursue the IB diploma if they choose. And speaking of IB, the school now offers all IB math courses (as well as all AP courses), allowing students with different interests to make those programs work for them.
PERSPECTIVES
NEW MATH DEPARTMENT HEAD Hamilton Davis and the rest of the Math faculty are now able to tailor their program to the needs of individual students and offer deeper and further math offerings as part of the Signature Academic Program.
“For a school this small,” says Hamilton, “it is very impressive.” Equally impressive is the growing cadre of super-math-focused students. “We are inspired by our students who have come to George School better prepared and interested in math,” says Kevin. “I’m constantly impressed by our Math Team and the awards our students win during national and international competitions. This year, several students launched a mathematics, science, and arts magazine called MATES, and on top of that I am working with a student who is doing amazing research for her IB work.” To meet the needs of these math-hungry students and to attract more, the school’s superb faculty provides an array of advanced subjects and opportunities. Recent years have seen the addition of courses from discrete math and number theory to linear algebra and artificial intelligence. With the expansion of the IB’s Extended Essay component to include math, students have researched topics like financial options pricing models, astronomical modeling, and the traveling salesman problem.
The newest layer is “a range of rich, engaging, project-oriented data science options,” describes Hamilton. “More than half the department are doing professional development (spearheaded by Julia Nickles ’03) on the incorporation of programming/coding in the statistics and data science options. This is BIG in terms of preparing students for how data analysis and statistics are done in the current-day real world.” No surprise, then, that new courses lean to math’s applied side. Says Kevin, “Data Analysis is a post-stats class that asks students to develop their own project, find data, research, write, and take a deep dive into some area of the student’s interest (incarceration rates by zip code, big data in climate change…).” Other additions are IB HL Math: Applications and a tax preparation class with a service option. Students can gain a tax preparer’s credential and help underserved community members prepare their taxes. Flexible and far-reaching, the new math program encourages broader, deeper, and more individualized exploration, enabling each student to get the most from their George School math experience.
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Where Science and Literature Meet Interdisciplinary teaching often makes natural crossovers—between science and math, or two related humanities—but bridging the gap between, say, science and English seems harder. It needn’t be, as demonstrated by the exciting new course Science & Literature, an example of what can be achieved in the Signature Academic Program. George School English teacher Ariadne Costa became fascinated with the connections between science and literature when she was teaching at a graduate program at the State University of Paraiba Brazil. Scientific and technological developments can reshape imagination and impact artistic expression, the thinking goes. A classic example is how the Copernican heliocentric model inf luenced Baroque sensibilities. Science & Literature was developed to take advantage of that synergy. In investigating a single topic through the lenses of two fields, students gain a better sense of both of them and the relationship between them.
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In its inaugural year, the class does a deep dive into the novel The Overstory, in which trees are the protagonists and human stories are told only through their connections with trees. The novel employs literary devices that provide scientific insights on plant life, and, Ariadne is excited to point out, if you map its narrative structure, it looks a lot like tree roots. While Ariadne’s expertise allows her to explore the story’s narrative with students, she knew she needed another teacher to furnish a scientific perspective. Science Department Head Polly Lodge was only too excited about the possibilities. For years the department has used varied resources—not just textbooks—and Polly believes that storytelling provides a particularly energizing and memorable way to learn science. In addition to exploring The Overstory’s literary components, the class has tremendous opportunities for lab work. Students make use of the wooded campus, perhaps studying tree rings,
PERSPECTIVES
“ M any great innovators were
“ T he issues we are facing in
dismissed in their time. This story
society today cannot be solved
teaches students to be brave and
with a single expertise. We need
to continue to speak their truth,
multiple perspectives in order
especially when it is supported
to fully understand them, and
by empirical evidence.”
collaboration to work together
— Polly Lodge
towards solutions.” — Ariadne Costa
photosynthesis processes, or the relationships between trees and fungi. In so doing, they use the story to frame serious scientific inquiry and use scientific knowledge to better understand the story and its nuances. There are other lessons, too. One of the novel’s stories profiles a scientist who was ahead of her time, whose work and vision were met with serious resistance from the scientific community. Polly loves this story because it shows that part of the practice of science is persevering in the face of challenges. “Scientists are open to changing their minds when the evidence shows itself,” Polly notes. “Many great innovators were dismissed in their time. This story teaches students to be brave and to continue to speak their truth, especially when it is supported by empirical evidence.” The course’s interdisciplinary form is particularly important for today’s students. Though discrete disciplines are useful for organizing our institutions, real-world knowledge requires
a multifaceted approach. “The issues we are facing in society today cannot be solved with a single expertise,” comments Ariadne. “We need multiple perspectives in order to fully understand them, and collaboration to work together towards solutions.” In this class, storytelling makes science come alive, and science gives story new meaning. Students make connections between our society and environment, preparing them to be wellrounded and courageous problem-solvers.
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Pioneering Agri-Tech Course Takes Root Where dairy cows once grazed, a new kind of farming is germinating. Applied Technologies in Botany is a new science course made possible by and designed to realize the goals of the Signature Academic Program. Picture a greenhouse filled with crops monitored by sensors and tended by robotic arms and other controllers, which in turn are designed, installed, monitored, and tended by George School students. The course, the brainchild of biology teacher Pascal Lanciano and robotics teacher Brian Patton, takes an interdisciplinary and applied approach that marries plant science and technology to foster real-world learning and address issues of environmental sustainability. In recent years, Pascal had seen a drop in the time available for botany in courses like AP Biology, as newer topics like molecular biology swelled. Meanwhile Brian, whose family are avid
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gardeners, was seeing a rise in local food production, especially through the application of technology. Both have a passion for growing a greener world and see a shift from today’s agribusiness model—with the unpredictability caused by climate change and unsustainability of longdistance transportation—as inevitable. “Growing our own food locally will become a necessity,” explains Brian, with Pascal pointing to the rise in high-density agriculture, from shipping containers (freight farms) to urban warehouses. As Brian, an entrepreneur himself, puts it, the course is “a way to get our students introduced to an emerging market and an important skill.” Enter the new academic schedule, with longer class periods that allow for increased “lab” time—time for the hands-on experimentation
PERSPECTIVES
SAM GORBY ’23 welcomes the opportunity students have to shape their future courses and looks forward to using the robots and the greenhouse to collect data from botany experiments.
and research that in this case let students get their hands dirty… literally. Students with varied interests are welcome, and encouraged, to enroll (if they have had introductions to both biology and embedded controllers). The goal is to give students “the freedom to choose an area they’re most interested in,” according to Brian. “We’re hoping it will be collaborative, that students who have the technical expertise will work together with someone more interested in biological science to develop a working system. You can take any student’s talent and find a way to make it fit.” Already this year, some of Brian and Pascal’s students worked on independent projects similar to what is addressed in the class. Angelina Wong ’22 worked on a robotic arm designed to control a garden space a meter in diameter, measuring soil characteristics and monitoring moisture. Derek Denoon ’23, an AP biology student with an affinity for coding, created an interface for data collection, and Andrew Rogers ’23 developed a computer-monitored and controlled hydroponics system. One student who is excited about the new course is Sam Gorby ’23, who has already taken AP Biology with Pascal. “At home, I have a greenhouse with an aquaponic system, which automatically waters plants and controls the temperature for ideal growth. My favorite part is my thirty (give or take) goldfish, whose waste gets used as fertilizer. The water cycles through the plants and back and gets filtered before returning to the tank. Since George School is giving me the opportunity to shape our future courses, my goal
is to implement a similar aquaponic system in the George School greenhouse, as well as a way for students to use the greenhouse for data collection for botany experiments. I love botany/ plant biology, so the idea of having this be my impact on George School is very exciting.” At the end of the three-mod course, students should be able to eat what they learn. Initially, that may be fast-growing leafy greens, but as with creating compost, the teachers plan to build on first-year experiences for the future—to longerterm crops and new methods, perhaps hydroponics, aquaponics, or aeroponics. Pascal and Brian hope the greenhouse and other campus garden spaces become a community hub, where students can grow their own vegetables and develop an appreciation for plants. They would also like it to be a focal point for experimentation—a place where, as Pascal puts it, “students can look at Mendelian genetics (crossbreeding) in action. It will introduce real variability, which is often left out of models. Things won’t go as planned, and that has high educational value, too.” What happens in the greenhouse won’t stay in the greenhouse. The course provides students with valuable lessons not just in modern farming and technology applications, but in problemsolving and adapting to change. “Biofarming is a revolution like biotech was,” says Brian. Students learn about “something that’s been happening for thousands of years and something that hasn’t been invented yet, all in the same classroom.”
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The Power of Stories: Preserving History and Memory COURTNEY BEJGROWICZ discusses oral histories with Nhi Thanh (Sharon) Hoang ’22 and Ngoc Nhi (Chloe) Nguyen ’22.
A key benefit of the Signature Academic Program and its calendar is f lexibility—especially the ability to develop courses in keeping with George School’s mission. Such is the case with Exploration of Memoir, a new elective that examines the genre through reading, writing, and service and that grew out of two students’ servicelearning project. Under the supervision of English teacher Courtney Bejgrowicz, Nhi Thanh (Sharon) Hoang ’22 and Ngoc Nhi (Chloe) Nguyen ’22 spent one afternoon a week with seniors at Friends Village, a Quaker retirement community that’s been part of Newtown for over 120 years. In addition to implementing recreational programming to promote social inclusion (like board games and music), the students developed an oral history project to preserve the history and memories of residents. Working with former history teacher John Davison on the historical context of the seniors’ lifetimes, the students interviewed residents and then wrote narratives to document and share their new friends’ memories. “My favorite part of this experience has been watching our students bloom and f lourish through this work,” shares Courtney, “learning how to not only engage with their elders, but also learn from them and value them.”
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The success of this work led Courtney to develop the new one-term English/service course, which focuses on memoir academically and experientially. Students consider oral, written, and visual modes of expression and read such texts as Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou to understand memoir’s literary tradition and impact. By continuing the collaboration with Friends Village, class members hone their knowledge of memoir as they craft interview questions, collect stories, and preserve them, sustaining important historical memory. Courtney ref lects on the course’s potential: “My hope is to help students walk in those wellworn shoes and keep those stories, and lessons, alive for generations to come…to help our elders feel the respect they deserve, to feel heard, and to gift them with the written or spoken word to then share with their families. “I cannot think of a better way for our George School students to learn about the importance of stories, writing, communication, speaking, listening, and humanity than this. The overall dream is to find a way to make the learning of these skills not only practical and hands-on, but also impactful to our community.”
PERSPECTIVES
ZAHRA PATTERSON works with George School students Danica Joseph ’22, Dante Ndeta ’23, Chinedum (Chinny) Obinwa ’23, and Jeffrey Becton ’23.
Transforming Learning through Transformative Justice Immersive, interdisciplinary, and impactful, Transformative Justice is another course made possible by George School’s Signature Academic Program. Taking advantage of the new seventerm schedule, the class meets all day every day for a term, providing students with an in-depth look at incarceration and its role in history, its impact on the modern world, and efforts to reform it. Covering English as well as history, the class reveals how literature can be a lifeline for incarcerated people and how literary expression can be a vehicle for change. Students read the work of abolitionist poets and incarcerated writers to understand the interplay between history, politics, and literature. As with other immersive courses, on-campus learning is enhanced by an experiential component. For ten days, spaced throughout the term, students participate in field trips to learn from organizations working to transform the justice system.
Participants may work with the Youth Art & SelfEmpowerment project to learn about prison legislation and the effects of canvassing on voters, and with Books through Bars to understand the role education can play in rehabilitation and to organize a book drive. Students build informed and persuasive speaking skills and are encouraged to share their knowledge with their communities. Back on campus, the final week is dedicated to research, ref lection, and community-organizing projects that allow students to not only demonstrate what they have learned, but how their learning has motivated them to reshape society for the better. Simply put, Transformative Justice is unlike any course that has come before, and yet quintessentially George School.
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ONYEKACHI (KACHI) NZEH ’23, Varsity Boys’ Basketball
Scholar-Athletes Score Big George School is committed to helping students realize their dreams— as exceptional scholars, athletes, and human beings. At George School, we strive to realize the potential of the individual and the community, helping students “let their lives speak” while they enrich, and are enriched by, a diverse peer group. This is even more true now, with the new Signature Academic Program and efforts to attract, educate, coach, advise, and prepare scholar-athletes who are serious about both sides of the hyphen. “If you build it, they will come” applies not only to the school’s impressive athletics facilities, but to a multifaceted program for students interested in playing sports at the college level. Varsity Boys’ Basketball Head Coach Ben Luber came to George School in fall 2019 after playing, coaching, and recruiting at universities. He liked that “academics are a priority, and being a good person and serving the community are pillars of George School,” and he felt he could develop a program to work with “students who have ambitions” and “love the game of basketball that I love.”
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Kachi Nzeh ’23 was a 6’8” multisport athlete, with joints that ached from running track and a 7’3” wingspan that foretold his ultimate home on the basketball court. Alerted by a local scout, Ben invited Kachi to practice on campus. “He showed me the gym and the weight room,” remembers Kachi, “and I thought ‘This is insane.’” But what ultimately drew Kachi to George School was a future learning under— while towering over—Coach Ben, who had “earned a reputation for individual player development,” according to an article about both of them in the Delaware County Daily Times. Kachi says simply, “Coach Ben is really a teacher. He’s trying to help me get better as a person and as a player. Once I saw coach Ben’s character, I thought there have to be more people like him at George School.” With the support of his parents—who put a premium on academics— Kachi became a George School boarding student.
FEATURES
PRIYANKA (PRI) PONNAM ’25, Varsity Girls’ Basketball
A year after Ben arrived, La’Keisha Sutton joined the coaching faculty, having been both a collegiate and professional player, including on the Harlem Globetrotters, and running Fan Favorite, a basketball training facility in Hamilton, New Jersey. (Fan Favorite was her nickname.) “I went to private school,” explains La’Keisha, “and I know how it changed my life.” She talked to Athletic Director Kurt Ruch and her now assistant coach and Director of DEI Rachel Williams, adding, “Diversity is what drew me. I was sold on the challenge of creating a respectable program. I looked at it as an opportunity to build something special, to make academics synonymous with sports.” Among those La’Keisha trained at Fan Favorite was Priyanka Ponnam ’25, a standout middle school student who was looking for a high school with great athletic and academic preparation. “As soon as I came here, I loved it,” says Pri. “Classes are good. I meet so many people, and there are so many opportunities to explore and find yourself.” Now a freshman, she has her sights set on a Division I college and has already garnered their attention. “We have started talking about schools,” she explains, “but mainly it’s been me thinking about what I’m looking for. As I get older, that’ll be a group effort.”
Ultimately, it always comes down to a group effort at George School, because helping athletes attain their postsecondary dreams is as much about working together as about training individuals. In fact, several of Kachi and Pri’s teammates—Gestin Liberis ’22, Christian Bliss ’24, Paiyton Penn ’22, and Sophia Martinez ’24, to name a few—are also looking to continue basketball. They play together in spring leagues and summer showcases—with the school’s support— and are getting noticed. The George School squads are tight. The boys’ team’s mantra, “all in,” refers not only to their solo commitment but to giving their all for each other. On the girls’ team, karaoke battles and dance contests “create a culture,” says La’Keisha. “It’s bigger than basketball. It’s about relationships.” Athletic, academic, and residential faculty are all part of the team. “Everyone is willing to help us,” says Kachi, citing advisor Becky Hutchins, Director of Learning Center Services Minnie Lee, and Coach Ben as helping with everything from study skills to getting enough sleep to “telling me the truth, even if I don’t want to hear it.” School support is not limited to basketball. Across sports from football to equestrian to track and field, coaches are not only helping their athletes develop playing skills. They are helping
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NEHA KOTHA ’22, Varsity Girls’ Track & Field
“The things that I teach my track team are the same things I teach in the dorm,” says Mike, reinforcing what all George School coaches say: that coursework and character are primary. those interested in playing collegiately to get noticed at regional competitions and showcases and advising them about prospective colleges. One such coach-mentor is Varsity Track Head Coach Mike Bailey, who is also the dorm head for Upper Drayton. Mike challenges his athletes who are thinking about continuing their track careers to do their homework on each college: “How would they fit into the team? Will their event and PR [personal record] make a difference for that team? How would they compete with the other teams in that school’s league?” Once they have a plan, he accompanies them to events where their abilities can be seen. More important than hurdling technique and recruiting advice, however, Mike imparts his wisdom. “The things that I teach my track team are the same things I teach in the dorm,” he acknowledges, reinforcing what all George School coaches say: that coursework and character are primary. “First and foremost, excel in your classes because that’s why you’re here,” says La’Keisha. They know, as does Kachi, that “the ball will eventually stop bouncing.” As the years go by, recruitment heats up and the support team expands again, to include
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College Counseling. “We encourage our athletic recruits to consider their academic goals and their athletic goals,” describes Associate Director Rachael Polton, noting that most, but clearly not all, of “our athletes tend to pursue athletics at Division III schools. Depending on the division, their recruitment process will look different. By understanding students’ goals (and the timeline those goals might require), we can partner with our coaches to identify schools or opportunities that suit their aspirations and keep them on track.” With dedicated coaches by their—and their families’—sides to cut through the recruitment noise, assess programs, and find the right fit, these scholar-athletes will be ready for what comes next. “Our students are very mature,” says Ben. “They’re in control. I just help them steer the wheel so they can make their own decisions in the end.” In building the program, George School is committed not only to attracting a diverse student body, but to helping them realize their dreams—as exceptional scholars, athletes, and human beings.
FEATURES
KALIYAH MYRICKS ’21, Georgetown University
KENNETH RODRIGUEZ ’19, Macalester College
Student Athletes Committed to College Athletics Some of our recent George School graduates are pursuing collegiate athletics in a range of sports and at an equally broad range of colleges and universities.
Andrew Arth ’19
Kaliyah Myricks ’21
Lacrosse, Haverford College
Basketball, Georgetown University
Vanessa Baker ’19
Izzy Robinson-Cloete ’20
Field Hockey, Oberlin College
Field Hockey, Bryn Mawr College
Jacob Bright ’21
Susan Robinson-Cloete ’20
Cross Country/Track, Connecticut College
Field Hockey, Oberlin College
Abby Eisold ’20
Kenneth Rodriguez ’19
Track, Bucknell University
Baseball, Macalester College
Nora Greer ’19
Alexis Semidey-Martinez ’21
Soccer, Swarthmore College
Basketball, Colby College
Lauren Hanna ’21
Charlie Trey-Masters ’19
Soccer, Hamilton College
Basketball, Clark University
Eva Kinnel ’20
Jack Vreesywk ’20
Field Hockey, Smith College
Basketball, The College of New Jersey
Joseph Kumar ’20
Walter Wagude ’20
Baseball, Arcadia University
Cross Country, Track, Tufts University
Amerley Lokko ’19
Aqua Withers Carello ’21
Track, Amherst College
Basketball, Swarthmore College
Alexandra Long ’20 Basketball, Bates College
Jeffrey Love ’19 Cross Country, Track, Connecticut College
Emily Matson ’20 Cross Country, Track, Trinity College
Sara Matson ’20 Swimming, Trinity College
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CURIOUS GEORGE editorial team members
Student Communications Evolve and Expand George School students have been writing to and about their community while having fun and gaining valuable skills for well over a century. The media and messaging may have changed, but the drive to share issues and inspirations remains…and remains vibrant. It all started with George School Ides, which debuted in 1900 after alumni repeatedly asked for a way to keep in touch with their school. This first “newspaper” (actually more of a pamphlet) gave way to the George School News in 1922 and to Curious George more than six decades later. Along the way, these publications were joined by Opus (yearbook), Argo (art/lit mag), and, most recently, George School Podcasts and MATES (STEAM newsletter). Together they continue the legacy of students communicating about their lived experience in ways appropriate to their generation.
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Curious George “Curious George should be everywhere,” says English teacher and faculty advisor Kyle Abbott. “It shouldn’t be once a semester. It shouldn’t just sit in the lunchroom. It should present itself in a medium that is relevant to its audience.” And it does. Prompted by a mix of environmental and cost consciousness, timeliness, student interest and skills, and COVID-19, it has transitioned from an infrequent, glossy magazine to a recycled newsprint paper to an exclusively online forum enjoyed by all. (Join at curiousgeorgeschool.org.) More than forty editorial board and staff members source, write, and edit stories; hold social media conversations; and post photographs and videos. The move online has removed a layout bottleneck and given students freedom and f lexibility. According to Kyle, “The stories are more timely and relevant to our school life. The staff see themselves as providing a service and an outlet for students to ask questions without the
FEATURES
OPUS editorial team members
traditional imbalances of questioning authority. They do amazing stuff. When we have a pitch table, every single story is something relevant. They are doing more professional journalism than I did as a journalism student in college.” While today’s students look forward, they also look back. They “have a very keen sense that while they are innovating, they don’t want to lose sight of how far they’ve come,” describes Kyle. In monthly trips to newspaper archives to examine school history as told by students (sometimes staffers’ own relatives), they are amused to find similar conversations in the paper fifty years apart. A yearlong centennial celebration for the George School News is planned for 2022–2023. Looking to the future, students plan to create a media policy to define the “boundaries and guardrails,” explains Kyle. “George School is unique in giving so much voice to its student writers.” As Editor-in-Chief Arshi Nagra ’22 sees it, “This is only the Curious George’s first year online so I look forward to seeing how we continue to embrace the possibility our being a website holds… and truly serve the purpose of informing George School students on news pertinent to the community.”
Opus Because of its “forever” nature—a keepsake graduates take with them—the yearbook has remained a 200-page hard-copy volume, but its digital production is far more sophisticated than the collages assembled when faculty sponsor Cori Seraydarian ’91 was on staff. COVID-19 created an obvious disruption. After all, how do you chronicle life on campus and remain committed to including everyone when not everyone is on campus? But the staff adapted, working from home and crowd-sourcing photography to maintain inclusivity. In 2020–2021, the staff returned to a more normal process, and Jostens, the leading producer of yearbooks, recognized their magnum Opus with a National Yearbook Program of Excellence award at the Silver Level. According to Cori, Jostens particularly cited the book’s cover, which shows a silhouetted person communicating via tin can and string. The yearbook is “part of students expressing their voice. Students here are impressive, and I am constantly impressed with how they express themselves, celebrate the community, and highlight its accomplishments.”
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ARGO editorial team members Argo The semiannual art and literary magazine contains poetry, prose, and artwork submitted and selected by students. Its staff hovers at twentythree, but there are many more contributors. Like other publications, the journal continued through COVID-19, and since returning, has expanded its scope with visiting writer’s workshops and a visit to an independent publisher in Brooklyn NY that focuses on poetry and translations. Teacher and sponsor Zahra Patterson hopes it will be the first of many field trips. “Argo is still going strong,” writes Editor Rhianna Searle ’23. “We’re proud to be the oldest club on campus, and we try to retain traditions like meeting in the Bancroft Reading Room and publishing physical print copies of the book. It’s cool to see how using writing and art as an outlet is universal across time….but it’s very exciting to be able to expand, creating a space for students to create writing in a fun and relaxed environment.” George School Podcasts A newer arrival, this podcast series was started by a group of students three years ago, with technical help from film production teacher and sponsor Scott Seraydarian ’90. Members try to broadcast regularly, though that, like content, has evolved, as those involved have gotten busy, graduated, and moved on. The podcast club is a vehicle for students to express their opinions and questions. To
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co-leader Aarav Hathiramani ’22, “it represents the outlet where I know people can hear me, where my thoughts and opinions will be listened to by others in a new light. It has served as an avenue for me to explore new ideas within the community…Recorded conversations have this unique texture to them, where somehow everyone gets immediately wiser, yet funnier.” The public nature is key. Students “are comfortable with the fact that it’s shared,” says Scott, “and it’s more formalized, which they like. They appreciate it as both creators and audience.” And they take their responsibilities seriously. In deciding what to cover and how to cover it (recent podcasts have been themed: campus life, sports, social media, and two end-of-year “best of ” episodes based on a community-wide poll), the group has “discussions that are fascinating,” says Scott. “It’s a forum for multiple voices, in which harmony, or at least neutrality, is maintained.” MATES Sporting a STEAM-shuff led acronym with a Friends spin, MATES is “George School’s official publication for math, art, technology, engineering, and science.” Like podcasts, it arose out of student interest and quickly captured the community’s attention and imagination. Begun in spring 2021, it has already produced nine editions courtesy of twenty-five contributors (and counting).
FEATURES
MATES editorial team members Though math teacher Kevin Moon refers to it proudly as “the only peer-reviewed high school math journal (that we are aware of) anywhere,” the newsletter/blog covers much more than math. Recent issue themes have ranged from E=mc 2 to Lego, with articles on data warehousing, how COVID-19 replicates, anti-torque helicopter systems, and the physics behind rock skipping. In addition, it regularly celebrates fun scientific events (Alan Turing’s birthday or Astronomy Week), reports on the varsity math team’s success, and, through the MATES Alliance, links eight campus clubs and organizations to “build a minicommunity and spread positive energy within the campus,” per co-founder and Co-Executive Editor Forest Ho-Chen ’22. “MATES wants to give voices to the voiceless,” he continues, “and we would love for MATES to be the platform where both science and art can thrive.” And so, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Today’s George School students find their own ways to inform and enlighten while they question, discuss, and advocate for what is important to them. From the intense effort involved in creating these communications, they learn lessons in time management, media literacy, teamwork, and responsibility. As Opus staffer Katie Rose Hendry ’22, puts it, “Being one of the senior editors has allowed me to work creatively and collaboratively with a great group of people. I’ve learned a lot about problem-solving…
and it has shown me that asking for help and using my resources isn’t a bad thing.” Generations of alumni would agree. As for where publications are going, current students hope that collaboration will bring benefits to all. “There may be some areas that are not covered by the current publications, such as music videos, which should be jointly covered,” says Forest, “and those could lead to a rise of additional publications or a growth of the existing ones.” Since no one medium reaches everyone, “it is in these small spheres of inf luence where George School is special,” ref lects Aarav. “Not everyone reads the Student Council public minutes or contributes to Argo, but those who do have a special bond with their respective communities. These small connections through media build up, allowing us to have a unique school environment where it is really possible to get to know anyone.” Curious George editor Max Forstein ’23 concurs, seeing the future of student publications as “something we can say about our community that strengthens it.” Editor’s note: The Georgian, the current magazine for alumni and the wider George School community, was first published in 1930 as a newsletter booklet.
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2022
SEE MORE ALUMNI WEEKEND images on the inside back cover and online at:
georgeschool.org/alumniweekend.
Back on Campus for Alumni Weekend Thank you to all of the alumni and friends who joined us on campus for Alumni Weekend on Friday, May 6 and Saturday May 7, 2022. Largely reverting to its traditional in-person format, the weekend started with a Friday evening welcome reception in the Mollie Dodd Anderson Library. Saturday morning brought the All-Alumni Gathering in the meetinghouse, with opening remarks by Head of School Sam Houser, followed by presentations to this year’s Alumni Award recipient Leonard Majzlin ’57 and retirees Nancy Zurn Bernardini and Tom Rogers ’73.
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The rest of the day included events and attractions for all ages: a master class, alumni lunches, a student-faculty panel, a family fun zone, reunion class photos, the all-school art show, a George School admission presentation, and memorial meeting for worship, before the firstever All-Alumni Party took over the Fitness and Athletics Center. Mark your calendars for Alumni Weekend 2023, May 5–7.
FEATURES
Retiring Faculty
Retiring Faculty
Alumni Award
Nancy Zurn Bernardini
Tom Rogers ’73
Leonard Majzlin ’57
Nancy Zurn Bernardini announced her plans to retire after forty-four years at George School. The sustained passion she has shown for George School, Quaker beliefs, the Friends Schools League, and women’s sports, has been extraordinary. She made a lasting impression on our community and the league through the students she coached and the importance she placed on inclusion. Nancy has served on countless committees, was a classroom teacher, physical education teacher, dorm parent, dorm head, advisor, department head, head coach of multiple sports, and girls’ athletic director. Nancy has also been an effective teacher and mentor to new coaches, helping them hone their coaching skills while deepening their understanding of the value of athletics for students. Nancy was an exceptional student-athlete. She attended Ursinus College where she is recognized as a Hall of Fame Athlete highlighting her success playing basketball, field hockey, and lacrosse. She also was a member of the US National Field Hockey Team from 1976 until 1980. Her expectations for her studentathletes were always high, but she consistently helped her players become the best version of themselves, both on and off the field.
Tom Rogers ’73 rejoined the George School community in February 1976 as a hall teacher in Orton Dormitory and math substitute/intern while he was finishing his degree at Temple University. He continued as a member of the Math Department where he earned a reputation as a knowledgeable, patient, kind, and supportive teacher who helped students gain confidence and mastery. His reputation as George School’s computer wizard allowed him to grow from the sponsor of the computing club, to serving as the database administrator for George School. Tom was a supportive advisor and coached track, swimming, and archery. He also served as clerk of Faculty, Database Policies and Issues, Faculty Concerns, and coordinator of Middle States Accreditation. Tom was clerk of the Discipline Committee where his alignment with Friends’ practices were exemplified through his thoughtfulness, professionalism, and leadership. “Tom has been an embodiment of our school’s Quaker values, a weighty Friend, and influential role model for adults and students alike,” said Associate Head of School Scott Spence. “We are especially grateful for the many ways he has taught our community to understand itself and be true to its mission.”
Educator, media creator, and producer Leonard (Len) Majzlin ’57 received the 2022 George School Alumni Award for his outstanding contributions as an educator through the creative vision and design. Len has represented writers, performers, and directors at the William Morris Agency and left agenting to write, direct and/or produce industrial and documentary films, videos, and multimedia sales meetings. He then shifted focus to media and interpretive plans for museum exhibits, including the Master Plan for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham AL, one of the first Civil Rights museums. For thirty years, Len has taught in NYU Steinhardt’s Educational Communication and Technology/ Digital Media Design for Learning graduate program, where he developed the course, Media for Learning in Museum Exhibits & Public Space. Len is the Media Advisor to the Dramatists Guild Foundation’s Legacy Project, a series of video documentaries featuring playwrights, lyricists, and composers on the craft of writing. He also produced the OffBroadway musical, To Whom It May Concern, written by his late wife, Carol Hall, and directed by Geraldine Fitzgerald.
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Campus News & Notes
Brilliant Minds Anjali Amin ’22, Forest Ho-Chen ’22, Christian (Zachary) Kalb ’22, and Arshdeep (Arshi) Nagra ’22 were named National Merit Semifinalists and Arshi was selected to receive a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship. George School Students Receive 38 Scholastic Writing Awards George School students received thirty-eight prizes for their writing in the 2022 Philadelphia Region Scholastic Arts & Writing Awards. Seven were Gold Key Awards, nine Silver Key Awards, and twenty-two Honorable Mentions. There were approximately 1,500 submissions in the Philadelphia area this year, and the Gold Key represents the top 5 percent of submissions. Zhuoxun Chen ’23 Participates in USA Mathematical Olympiad Zhuoxun (Wilson) Chen ’23 earned an unbelievable 144/150 score on the American Mathematics Competition exam that placed him on the Honor Roll of Distinction for a top 1 percent score. He scored 14/15 on the AIME exam, and therefore was invited and took the USAMO. George School Ranks Number One George School ranked number one in all the categories of private high schools in Bucks County
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from Niche.com. George School also ranked number one of most diverse private high schools in Pennsylvania, and ranks in the top 1 percent across the nation in this same category. The school also ranked in the top 15 percent of boarding high schools, top 4 percent of private high schools, and top 6 percent of high schools for STEM in America. Students Recognized at Advanced Research Competitions Sicheng (Jimmy) Ding ’23 received an honorable mention in environmental science at the Bucks County Science and Research Competition. Linglong Dai ’23 placed third in mathematics and was subsequently
invited to compete in the Delaware Valley Science Fair where she placed second in the mathematics category. Two George School Students Offered IB Merit Scholarships Silas Kennedy ’22 and Angy Rushford ’22 were offered International Baccalaureate (IB) merit scholarships from George Washington University. Silas accepted a four-year scholarship for $52,000. Angy accepted a four-year scholarship for $40,000. “This recognition is a great testament to these two students and a great credit to all our hardworking IB faculty. I’m proud of our IB program, and I’m very proud of Silas and Angy,” said Kim McGlynn, IB Coordinator.
Varsity Math Team Takes First Place The Math Team ended their exciting fall season with a 17-2 record (5-0 in FSL)—the best record of any Friends League team. The team also took first place in the Pennsylvania High School 1-1200 category at the International Purple Comet Math Meet, and consistently outscored area competitors including The Episcopal Academy 21-16. The team is ranked 18th nationwide and 26th worldwide.
CAMPUS NEWS & NOTES
Theater Season Celebrates Shakespeare The Performing Arts Department opened their season with Twelfth Night in November 2021, in a season with the theme “Faces of Love: A Tribute to the Bard.” Shakespeare’s skillful script allows audiences to forget the plot turns on an improbable set of circumstances, coincidences, and mistaken identities.
The musical comedy Something Rotten! debuted in March 2022. Set during The Renaissance in 1595, the Bottom Brothers plan to compete with Shakespeare’s success by writing the world’s first musical. What ensues is an over-the-top heap of fun, filled with extraordinary characters.
George School Students Receive 14 Scholastic Art Awards George School students received fourteen awards in the 2022 Philadelphia Region Scholastic Arts & Writing Awards. Four were Gold Key Awards, three Silver Key Awards, and seven Honorable Mentions. Artwork from Fifteen Students Selected for Congressional Art Competition Fifteen George School students were selected to participate in the 27th Annual High School Art Exhibition & Congressional Art Competition in April 2022. Yuxi (Cecilia) Wang ’22 took home the second-place prize and Maia Hannah-Drullard ’23 received an honorable mention.
I Hate Hamlet returns to Walton in May 2022. The play tells the story of Andrew Rally, a TV soap opera star, and his trepidation at playing Hamlet in Central Park. Andrew accidentally conjures up the ghost of John Barrymore, whose portrayal of Hamlet was the greatest of his time.
in Works in Wood, New Hope Arts 22nd Annual Juried Exhibition.
Julian Lentchner ’23 Selected for Drexel University High School Photo Contest George School student Julian Lentchner ’23 has been selected to exhibit in the 2022 Drexel University High School Photo Contest. Julian took the photo titled, Sade & Syd, on South Lawn.
Annika Crawford ’22 Takes Best in Show at Phillips’ Mill The 2022 Phillips’ Mill Youth Art Exhibition is now online, showcasing the works of students from twenty-three area high schools. Annika Crawford ’22 won Best in Show for her painting “Alton.” Juror Bill Jersey remarked, “Exceptional… Extraordinary…hard to believe a student has done this piece.”
Carter Sio ’76 and Charlie Sizer ’22 Chosen for Works in Wood Exhibition Woodworking teacher, Carter Sio ’76 and student Charlie Sizer ’22, were both selected to be featured
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Varsity Boys’ Soccer Finishes Season 11-5-1 The Varsity Boys’ Soccer Team advanced to the second round of “States” at the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) Tournament beating Haverford School 2-0. They finished their season with a 11-5-1 record, with wins over league competitors Westtown, Friends Select, Friends’ Central, and Germantown Friends. Bryce Flowers ’24 was a unanimous pick for All-League and All-State Soccer Player. Bill Becker ’22, Emilio Pellegrini ’23, and Tyler Flowers ’24 were also named AllLeague players. Varsity Field Hockey Team Wins Quaker Cup The Varsity Field Hockey Team finished their season as Quaker Cup Champions with a 9-7 record including six shutouts. Seven team members were named to the National Academic Squad— Anjali Amin ’22, Genesis Chalmers ’22, Katie Rose Hendry ’22, Leyna Kirsh ’22, Baylee Klose ’23, Amelia (Mimi) Noe ’23, and Claire Roche ’22. Varsity Girls’ Track Takes First; Varsity Boys’ Track Takes Second at States The Varsity Girls’ Track Team took first place and the Varsity Boys’ Track Team took second place at the State Championships. It has been a record-setting, winning season for the Winter Track. To top it off, the girls’ team brought home the PAISAA title this year. The boys’ team placed second, just behind The Hill School. The girls’ team scored a total of 119 points at the meet, setting 21 new personal records and 2 Winter Track school records. The boys’ team scored a total of 129 points, setting 23 new personal records and 3 Winter Track school records.
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CAMPUS NEWS & NOTES
Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Swimming Teams Place Second at FSL Championships The Varsity Boys’ Swimming Team took second place in the FSL Championships and finished their season with a 5-0-1 record. Sam Mottershead ’22, Tommy Muller ’25, Lukas Nier ’24, and Chris Wittmer ’23 made the All-League Team. The Varsity Girls’ Swimming Team took second place at the FSL Championships and finished their season with a 6-0 record. Lexi Muller ’23 and Kylie Perry ’23 were named to the All-League Team. Lexi set a new individual record for George School in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25.92 and was part of the team to set a new record
for the 200-medley with a time of 1:57.62. The other team members were Freya Mottershead ’25, Megan Garrabrant ’24, and Kylie.
Christian was named Second Team All-State, and Head Coach Ben Luber was named Co-Coach of the Year.
Varsity Boys’ Basketball Team Delivers an Impressive Season The Varsity Boys’ Basketball Team defeated Friends’ Central 70-61 in the FSL quarter-final match but lost to ANC in the semifinals 58-55. Christian Bliss ’24 and Kachi Nzeh ’23 made the All-League Team. The team had a 14-5 season with unbelievable wins against some of the region’s powerhouse schools including Gill St. Bernard’s, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Archbishop Wood. Kachi was named to the First Team Pennsylvania All-State,
Varsity Girls’ Basketball Seeded #3 in PAISSA The Varsity Girls’ Basketball Team, seeded #3 in the Pennsylvania State Independent Schools Athletics Association (PAISAA), won their first game in the Commonwealth Cup Championship against Agnew Irwin. The team ended their season with a 10-9 record in the Friends Schools League. Sophia Martinez ’24, Paiyton Penn ’22, and Priyanka Ponnam ’25 were recognized for their gameplay.
Varsity Equestrian Team Places Third in Regional Finals The George School Varsity Equestrian Team finished their regular season with 27 points and third place out of eleven teams, qualifying them to compete at the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) Regional Finals. At the finals, the team placed third overall and four athletes—Olivia Garrett ’23, Meadow Gober ’25, Sevde Guleryuz ’23, and Nicole McCleskey ’25—competed at the Zone 11 Finals.
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Alumni Tell Us For Alumni Information Contact the Advancement Office T. 215.579.6620 E. alumni@georgeschool.org
1940 Carola Waples Lacy writes, “Hi remaining classmates of 1940. Wow! 82 years have zapped by as of this year. I’ll be 100 in September and I’m guessing that many of you will be 100 too. Never thought I’d get to be this old. I feel great. I am in very good health—walk every day, weather permitting. I meet every Wednesday with my string quartet and we play Beethoven, Mozart, and Schubert. I see my family only occasionally as they live in Portland and Corvallis OR. All are doing well. I am teaching myself Italian. The computer is a big help with its access to ‘translate for English to Italian.’ I am very concerned that we are losing or may lose our democracy so I give to the Senate Majority PAC. Stay calm and carry on!”
1949 Sally Stevens Luck writes, “My husband Ed died in June 2021. I am now living in assisted living in Chattanooga TN. I have eight greatgrandchildren.”
1951 Charmarie (Charm) Jenkins Blaisdell writes, “Have been living in mid-coast Maine since I retired from Northeastern University History Department in 2001. Until COVID, I was volunteer teaching in one of Maine’s seventeen ‘senior’ colleges. I serve on the Advisory Committee of the Friends School of Portland with several other George School graduates.”
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1952 William (Bill) M. Quigg writes, “Just saying hello to everyone and hoping to see you at the reunion. I have been volunteering as a chaplain in one of our hospital systems, but COVID shut that down plus other volunteer activities. Have migrated to new interests of helping prisoners reenter society. My focus has been conducting workshops to encourage companies to hire more people coming out, and, yes, felons where legal. I also have been involved with helping individuals flee Cuba and relocate here with family. My daughter is a tour director and did many trips there. Most of her local guides have now escaped the country and are resettling around the world.”
1954 James ( Jim) L. Whitely writes, “Our class has an active/welcoming site, gs54@googlegroups.org. Notables such as Peter H. Gum (tech support), Susan (Susie) Grubb Roegiers, Elaine (Laney) Martin James, Robert (Bob) A. Freedman, Eloise (Ellie) Clymer Haun, Margot (Mag) Stevens Trout, even his eminence, E. David (Dave) Luria, etc. Are you ’54 or surrounding class and hiding? Join us!”
1955 Richard (Clem) B. Clement writes, “Last Christmas marked the end of a wonderful Christmas tradition: the National Christmas Tree RailRoad (NCTRR) in old DC. Though the work was tough and the weather challenging, we had a wonderful time for twenty-six years. The warm and proud memories last—‘we done good’ for hundreds of thousands of visitors to DC’s President’s Park behind the White House. I am proud to have had the honor to have been invited to serve the NCTRR for more than fifteen years of the program’s existence. In my life, my number one priority was showing up. Next it was defeating the health problems I had as a baby. Next schooling, in which I showed
my towering academic skills: not. Marriage and kids were of the prime importance and accomplishment. Next, the shivers in my spine upon every flight takeoff I made as an aviator, particularly as the dawn is breaking, the dew, snow, sun, darkness falling, gave me a jolt… I have the same number of aircraft takeoffs as landings as an aircrew member. Somewhere high on the list is the excitement I feel as I pass through the security gates of President’s Park. The tree shared her magic differently on every visit and I thank her. We were in the most powerful spot the world, with the back drops for the National Christmas Tree, our trains, and the world, for a month each Christmas season. On Christmas Day 2021 we gathered at our son and daughter-in-law’s new home in McLean VA. Last spring, they returned to America from working for seven years in Norway and Wales. Sandy’s nephew and wife drove down from Philadelphia PA for a couple of days. After a scrumptious dinner, we opened presents around their tall Christmas tree. As part of the closing of the NCTRR, train pieces had been dispersed. My piece was a nice Shell tank car with runtime around the tree. This was very special to us as five of the six family members there had worked at the tree. May we all play on in the future.”
1956 John C. Wobensmith writes, “Just finished my seventh year as the Maryland Secretary of State—it’s an honor to serve!”
1958 Annet te Wilder Breiling writes, “I was named Person of the Year by the Frederick County (MD) Women’s Democratic League.” Carol Park DiJoseph writes, “Bonnie Dinsmore Kerrick passed away in December 2021, after a long and valiant battle with Parkinson’s disease. I visited with her and her family in October. Of course, we reminisced about our George
ALUMNI TELL US
School days and had some laughs at our shared memories on 4th West. Perhaps coincidentally or not on the 28th of December I received a thick envelope in the mail with the Kerrick return address. In the envelope was a lone somewhat worn teaspoon with ‘George School’ imprinted on it. No note. I knew then she was gone. I later learned that Bonnie had tried to address the envelope and Craig had to do it for her in her last days. I treasure that spoon and think of the way we were, the way we all were, in those days at George School. I know all of you who read this will understand.” Prudence (Prue) Ingerman writes, “Very busy writing and illustrating useful books on: caregiving, dinosaurs, gardening, basic life skills, and my three-volume memoir, with about 150 full-color illustrations in each volume. I have one book up on Amazon called At Home: 92 Activities etc… Newest book I am working on is called Super Fathers with Feathers. I have also knit about 625 six-inch peacepals for the Colorado organization Knitting4peace.org. They are never for sale and are for lonely people needing a companion. Let me know if you have someone who might like one. I have forty in my bin.” Mary Trent Jones writes, “After staying at home for over a year, Jim and I flew to Denver CO to visit our son Ben and family, then to Boulder CO to visit son Jon and family and then onto Sun Valley ID to visit our son Trent and family. We were gone two weeks. After we returned, we went on a cruise to Iceland with our travel friends. It was a National Trust tour on a new French ship. We were gone eight days. Everyone had to wear a mask and show proof of vaccination and testing before leaving. There was at least one couple who was not allowed on the plane because they had no proof of having been tested within forty-eight hours. They tested once again after leaving Iceland to get on the plane for the US. We were going on another Regent cruise in February to Barcelona, Canaries, Valencia, etc.,
but it was canceled. Poor cruise lines. We hope to move to Fearrington NC this fall. We began building in March. At last Wes will be in a one-story house. More about that later.” George L. Pickering writes, “After more than forty years of active volunteer firefighting, I have recently stepped back from driving and pumping Upper Makefield Fire Company water supply tank trucks. During those years I have participated in fire suppression activities in Bucks County PA and from North Brunswick NJ to Pottstown PA. Some of my most rewarding moments were when two of the trucks I had designed won the award for Best Large (4,000 gallon) Tanker at the Pennsylvania Fireman’s Convention. Now my reward is training younger fire company members to properly operate the company’s expensive and very large vehicles.”
1960 Marguerite Culp Kearns writes, “I lived and worked in Woodstock NY for twenty years and have now relocated to the Southwest. My book, Unfinished Revolution: Edna Buckman Kearns and the Struggle for Women’s Rights, was published by SUNY Press in Albany NY in 2021. In October 2021, I participated in a program presented by the Historical Society of Woodstock NY which raised questions about past, present, and future activism. In addition to a book reading and commentary, I presented a four-minute video, at this Zoom program. By documenting how voting rights activism played itself out in my own lifetime, I presented activism through the lens of one New York State Quaker family—my own. Many activists today can trace their roots to actual or spiritual ancestors who set aside daily concerns and were involved in the largest nonviolent social revolution in US history. A world-wide pandemic has dramatically changed the way we view the past, present, and future. We’re still standing on the shoulders of those who have come before us. And we’re
still passing a torch of inspiration to future generations. The content and approaches are often very different between now and then. By contrasting the old and new, we’re sharpening our critical skills and can evaluate if we’re discovering dynamic solutions or simply playing musical chairs.”
1962 Barbara L. Hires writes, “We have moved to The Villages Florida —a golf paradise. We still have the condo in Rehoboth DE. Fun in the sun year-round!” Jack G. Narvel writes, “Here’s an update from the Narvel family. Jan has retired as administrator of Grace Fellowship International Network. Jack has reassumed his assignment as the ‘Community Pastor’ for Journey Church Myrtle Beach. He is working with a number of local public ministries to provide volunteers from Journey Church. We will assist in the development of new and existing services for the public in Myrtle Beach SC. Jack also has published and narrated the audiobook edition of Like Eating Jelly with Chopsticks. Copies are available through Barnes & Noble Nook and Apple Chirp. Jan continues to work toward publication of her first book, Reflections of Love in Brokenness, which will be available later this year in Kindle and Amazon print formats. Praying the best of 2022 to you all!” Douglas O. Maass writes, “I don’t know if this qualifies for Class Notes, but here goes…My role was ‘only’ editor and proofreader, but my wife, Diane Lechleitner, has written and published a debut novel, Faron Goss, about a parentless boy growing up on a quirky fishing island off the Maine coast. An admirer and painter of moths, Faron becomes a seasoned lobster sternman, and is adopted by the island’s community, some of whom think they might be his father. Published by Green Writers Press and available from independent bookstores, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.”
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1940 Carola Waples Lacy turns 100 this year.
1952 William (Bill) M. Quigg hiking with his camera in Yellowstone.
1955 Richard (Clem) B. Clement at the National Christmas Tree Railroad in President’s Park.
1956 John C. Wobensmith celebrating a Maryland Sister-State agreement with France at the ambassador’s residence.
1958 George L. Pickering retired from active volunteer firefighting after forty years.
1962 Sara (Sally) Wislar Farneth and the Hankins in DC for the kids’ spring break. Alan had gotten a stent, so he stayed home.
1962 Douglas O. Maass shares the cover of Faron Goss, by his wife Diane Lechleitner.
1962 Jack G. Narvel’s book, Like Eating Jelly with Chopsticks, is available in print and audiobook form.
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Sara(Sally) Wislar Farneth writes, “Busy summer! We went to the Friends Gathering in Grinnell IA, which was really good. The workshop I took was entitled Active NonViolence led by FCNL Friends Arnie Alpert and Maggie Fogerty from New Hampshire. We also got to visit Wisconsin with Katherine (Kate) Farneth Hirsch ’94 and family, and celebrated granddaughter Piper’s tenth birthday. Alan and I have sold our house and are moving to Maine to be near our oldest daughter Melinda (Lindy) Farneth Hankins ’92. We’re heading up to find a rental property until we figure out exactly where we want to live. We want to be near Falmouth, but not under their feet. I look forward to seeing the grandkids’ school and sport events.”
1963 Sara (Sally) Kelso Chambers writes, “It’s been sixty years since I spent my junior year (1961-62) as a George School exchange student at our sister school in Guebwiller, France. This experience changed my life in many ways. Not only did I immerse myself in the French language and culture, but it allowed me to establish lifelong friendships with my French family, classmates, teachers, and the community. It inspired me to continue my French studies at the graduate level, become a French teacher, lead student groups to Europe, and later return to France on a yearlong Fulbright teacher exchange. I made frequent return visits and maintained my relationship with my French family for nearly fifty years. All this was thanks to George School and its affiliation with the American Friends Service Committee. I continue to be committed to People to People exchanges as the best road to international peace. Thank you, George School, for this unforgettable opportunity. On a more personal note, my husband and I recently moved to a unique fifty-five plus community of active older adults in Issaquah WA consisting of seven small ‘villages,’ two miles of hiking
trails, a ‘communiversity’ with wonderful classes (I’m writing my memoir in a creative writing course), and interesting friends and neighbors. George and I continue to hike the gorgeous Cascade and Olympic mountains and Pacific coast, and am planning several road trips to Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. More grand adventures ahead! Greetings to George School friends!”
1964 Judith ( Judy) McIlvain Lewis writes, “2021 was difficult as hubby and I nearly died from COVID in March, and I had a second knee replacement in November. I am a longhauler in COVID, still fighting leftover side effects, but I am now back to teaching pool aerobics, singing karaoke, and playing lots of bingo. Looking for a great year in 2022 and sending a salute to all who continue to battle illnesses. May God bless us all in 2022.” Linda Redland Klemmer writes, “Grateful that the last two years have found Phil and I living among temperate neighbors of twenty-three years in temperate Chapel Hill NC. Good music and good books, along with my counted cross stitch and canning produce from our farm garden in Virginia, has kept me sane. We were able to fit in two trips to see children and grandchildren in California between variant surges. So glad George School has been able to keep open! Hope ’64 classmates and families are well.”
1965 Christine (Chris) Erb writes, “After vaccines, testing, and quarantine, and following the endless rule changes, I spent May and November visiting my son and his family in Oxford UK. We hiked, visited outdoor markets, playgrounds, and archaeological sites—and all stayed healthy!” Rachel M. Greeley writes, “After a nearly forty-plus year career as a therapist I am retiring this spring! To celebrate, a friend and I are go-
ing on a birding trip to Texas (if the Omicron or other variant isn’t problematic then). Spring through fall I will continue to volunteer at a bird sanctuary weeding, planting, and watering an area on Lake Michigan in Evanston IL to attract birds. My other passion is square dancing! I learned a few years before COVID hit. We were forced to take a long break, and began again and now in another break. I miss it dearly but will get back as the numbers drop again. My first teacher said it provides brain stimulation, exercise, and connection! All three are terrific. And once the pandemic started, I quit going to the YMCA but now I walk two plus miles per day, stretch, and do a twenty minute Qi Gong routine. A nice start to my day!” Mary-Jo Poulton Wimbish writes, “Still living in Oklahoma, which is too red for me! We have a small place in Kingston NY where our daughter and grandson live, and our son and family come from Brooklyn when we’re there. I get to meet up with Christine (Chris) Erb and Maryann Rosenthal Wyner from time to time. Peace and health to all.” Maryann Rosenthal Wyner writes, “I have kept busy with a lifelong learning group (www.llaic. org) taking and leading classes. I call it food for the mind! My kids and grandkids live nearby which makes me very lucky.”
1966 Holly Alden writes, “I am a participant in two cohousing communities that have nontoxic environments —one in Durham NC and one in Kimberton PA. No chemicals or fragrances are used. Both compost and support sustainability practices. I have chemical sensitivities and I am promoting the creation of communities that build healthy homes and live in more sustainable ways. If anyone would like to know more about this type of community feel free to contact me.”
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Stephen (Steve) J. Althouse writes, “The Lancaster Museum of Art in Lancaster PA had a solo exhibition of my artwork through late February. Through symbols and metaphors, the artwork expresses my experiences with, observations of, and my questions about humankind; often alluding to labor, spirituality, and warfare. The Biggs Museum of American Art in Dover DE also exhibited part of my ritual Mexican mask collection that was started by my parents back in the 1950s. I just became a first-time grandfather; a new happy chapter in my life.” Andrew (Andy) Dintenfass writes, “After a thirty-five-year career as a cinematographer I retired from the film business in 2010. I started out working on documentaries in Philadelphia PA. I shot and codirected Life and Death; Dawson, Georgia which was about five youths who were accused of murdering a shopkeeper in a small town in southwest Georgia. The case drew nationwide attention, and the youths were exonerated. The film was produced through WGBH in Boston and aired nationwide in 1977. It is available on YouTube and the case is explained in detail on the Wikipedia page, Dawson Five. Shortly afterwards I moved to Los Angeles CA with my wife where we lived for almost thirty years. I worked on music videos in the early days of MTV and after that I shot television commercials interspersed with feature films and television pilots. The most widely known feature film that I shot was About Last Night. My wife and I moved to New York City in 2006. We have two grown sons. We currently work as art consultants focusing on twentieth century American art and have specific interest in Jacob Lawrence, Sidney Goodman, Philip Evergood, and Robert Gwathmey. We represent the estate of the modernist abstract painter Arthur G. Dove and were executive directors of a catalogue raisonné on the artist which was published in 2021.”
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J. Michael (Mike) Kramer writes, “Loving my semi-retired life on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake. I’m doing three to four assignments per year for USAID funded projects: last week, upland farmer climate resilience in Haiti, this week, timber legality verification in Papua New Guinea. Lots of interesting stuff…though it’s more fun when I can open my study window and hear the nearby nesting ospreys call.” Lewis (Lew) H. Mammel Jr. writes, “I hope George School is still what it was. It’s part of me.”
1968 Joan McIlvain Bradley writes, “My husband and my best friend John suddenly and unexpectedly passed away in May 2021. He was a gentleman and a gentle man. I am continuing to raise honeybees which was our passion. I continue to teach and mentor beginners.”
1969 Rachel A. Carey-Harper writes, “Recently I’ve been working on developing study guides for anti-racism work based upon websites I developed while under the pandemic woes. This resource has proved to be successful as they present short, bite-sized pieces of information (five to ten minute read). It is really important people understand all the ways racism works if we want to be part of the solution. Things can’t change if we don’t understand the systemic nature of racism and that one way or another, we all carry the toxin and responsibility. See: https://tools4racialjustice.net/ and https://journeyofhealing.net/ to learn more.” Deborah Snipes Hale writes, “I enjoyed our 50th!! (hard to believe) in early May. I am retired in Rochester NY loving two granddaughters, involved in Rochester Friends Meeting, various volunteer commitments, my Snipes siblings scattered far and wide including Martha’s Vineyard MA and Snipes Farm.”
1970 Roger L. Kay writes, “That visual of the triplet girls in a hallway, all dressed identically, with sashes that say, ‘2020, 2021, and 2022’ captures the mood. Today is like yesterday and tomorrow. I reread my note from last year. I could write the same note this year, varying minor details. Still and all, we’re healthy. Our daughter caught it but managed not to infect us. We’ve got inventories of masks, tests, gin, tonic, firewood, and frozen salmon. This was supposed to be retirement, but it feels just like working, particularly since I continue to work. What else is there to do, after taking all the walks, Zooming all the friends and family, baking all the bread, winnowing down the useless stuff? On the bucket list: Hobie cat sailing in Bora Bora.”
1971 John F. Hallowell writes, “Enjoying retirement although socially distancing from activities in which I would otherwise be involved. Looking forward to more normalcy in our world. Boosted and masked in the meantime!”
1972 Amy A. Jarret t writes, “I retired two years ago. Been busy doing many things. First of all, taking care of eleven flower beds. Second, sitting with my ninety-one-year-old uncle when my aunt has appointments to attend to. Making quilts and other crafts.”
1973 Karen J. Hossfeld writes, “Hi there, dear old chums. All’s okay with me and mine out here in the San Francisco Bay area. A shout out to nursing heroine and state and local activist Wendy E. Bloom, who fights for justice and also helped my kids get vaccinated. I recently launched into half-retirement and am now professoring only in springtime. To celebrate, I went to Massachusetts last fall to visit Ruth Rohde ’74 and Sigmund (Sig) J. Roos ’72 and their kids, who are all smart as
ALUMNI TELL US
1964 Linda Redland Klemmer shares, “It was a great harvest.”
1964 Judith (Judy) McIlvain Lewis
1965 Mary-Jo Poulton Wimbish in her favorite knitting store. “I learned to knit at George School!”
1965 Maryann Rosenthal Wyner
1965 Rachel M. Greeley off the coast of LA somewhere!
1966 J. Michael (Mike) Kramer shared a view of the Bay from nearby Ferry Park.
1966 Stephen (Steve) J. Althouse shared an archival pigment print from his ritual Mexican mask collection.
1969 Rachel A. Carey-Harper
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1970 Roger L. Kay shares, “Us not hibernating.”
1972 Amy A. Jarrett shares, “A bouquet made up of flowers from my gardens.”
1973 Karen J. Hossfeld ’73, Sigmund (Sig) J. Roos ’72, and Ruth Rohde ’74, Fall 2021 at the Hampshire College Reunion.
1975 Kate Sherfy Rogers and Kimberly (Kim) Allen, July 2021
1977 Rex (RJ) J. Horwitz at a Costa Rican waterfall, at the base of Bajos Del Toro volcano.
1978 Alden C. Bentley at Lake Huron and Bentley summer homes.
1982 West Moss
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whips and great hoots. I sure treasure my George School friendships. Hope all of you are hanging in there as our poor world churns.”
1975 Kate Sherfy Rogers writes, “I retired from working as an elementary public school media specialist in June. My husband John retired in January 2022. We planned a month stay in Florida to escape some winter weather and enjoy some golf, beach, friends, and new adventures. Other celebrations this year are planned, and we are hopeful that traveling will continue. We both had COVID in December and feel fortunate that it was not a major event. I celebrated the third anniversary of my kidney transplant. Kimberly (Kim) Allen and I had a short visit this past summer while she was visiting family in New York. Love to all my classmates!”
1976 Sarah V. Chace writes, “Granted tenure at my institution, Christopher Newport University, in Newport News VA. Very pleased to have reached this milestone!” Susan J. Crane writes, “Hello to all from Stow MA, a Bostonarea town of apple orchards, windy country roads, pine forests, and a wild and scenic river. I just celebrated the thirtieth birthday of my younger son, more breathtaking than turning sixty, but that’s old news now! I’m still practicing environmental law, protecting conservation land, and cleaning up hazardous waste sites. This fall, I will be joining my husband Mark and our dog for the seven-week Roll/Stroll for hunger. We’ll be traversing Massachusetts from the New York border to Provincetown MA, raising awareness and funds for food insecurity, exacerbated by the pandemic and climate change. This is Mark’s brainstorm—he now uses an electric wheelchair to get around but is still doing whatever he can. Check us out at 4hunger.org. If you would like to be part of this in
any way or even to walk with us for a stretch, contact me. Jennifer Vine Dutrow has been an amazing help from Maryland, as well as my sister, Patricia (Pat t y) Crane Magie ’79, from Italy, and J. Stephen Lowe ’7 7, from Vermont. They will be walking with us for a few days, and it would be great to have other George Schoolers join us along the way!” Ann Sweeten writes, “Just a note to let folks know my recent album Change is in the Wind hit number one in Radio—very thrilled! Best wishes all!”
1977 Rex (RJ) J. Horwitz writes, “Celebrating tenth anniversary in Wapakoneta OH providing safe, clean housing to fixed-income seniors and ‘at-risk’ population of Central West Ohio. The process has been both challenging and rewarding, especially during these pandemic-ridden times. Traveled to Central America, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama. Fly fishing for jungle trout in the Del Toro mountain rain forest of Costa Rica. Verifying no supply chain breakage in all three; El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama. Costa Rica testing the end of cash/money as we know it, eliminating by mid-2024. The place is off radar and all three have partnered in with China. We live in interesting times.” Lawrence I. Katin writes, “I’m still in private practice as an ENT doctor in Paoli PA. I enjoy walks in the woods, like in our George School days, and also play a fair amount of golf. We now have two little grandbabies and can see what all the fuss is about. They are loads of fun. My son and his crew are moving to Doylestown PA in the summer, where he will be an anesthesiologist. They promised to get a home with a dedicated bedroom for Patti and I, so we look forward to spending time in Bucks County. I would love to reconnect with those of you who live in the area. I really hope this COVID is in retreat so we can have our class
reunion in person and will look forward to seeing everyone!” Judith ( Judy) Page Kroeger writes, “My husband and I have relocated to New Hope PA from Virginia to be in closer proximity to our ever-growing family! We owe it all to Andrew (Andy) J. Cantor who helped us find our new home and is now our neighbor! I so look forward to being more in tune with George School, my classmates, and this beautiful area!”
1978 Alden C. Bentley writes, “Just marked twenty-six years at Reuters News. My current iteration is US Breaking News editor for Finance and Markets, but I have had many management and correspondent roles. Ten years on Wall Street in the 1980s and 90s, and forty-three years since George School. Ancient history on paper, but it feels like yesterday. Two great adult children. I’m enjoying life’s ups, downs (not as much), and adventures. Trying to live a good one. Hope all my classmates are doing the same!” Robin Klatzkin Bochner writes, “For the past eight years, I have been working for the New York City Department of Education (quite a switch from banking). I was the Program Manager of Systems for the initial Pre-K for All rollout in New York City and continued helping expand the program through its first three years. We won several awards for collaboration with other New York City agencies. Since then, I have worked in several different divisions focusing on Special Education and most recently Early Childhood Special Education, implementing projects to improve the transition for children to pre-K. I am currently Director of Program Management for the Business Technology Strategy Group. I’ve been married to Alan for almost thirty-two years. My eldest son Daniel also works at the New York City Department of Education as a system developer and data
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analyst. My youngest son Steven is currently a senior at Duke University. You can see him at most home games—he is in the Elmo costume (part of the Cameron Crazies Sesame Street Gang)—usually mid-court in the student section.”
1979 Laura Kemper Greco writes, “Hi everyone! I got remarried and changed my name (now Greco). That was certainly a process…you don’t realize how many places have your name! I am still coaching and speaking (more virtual programs these days) on managing stress and eliminating burnout.”
1981 David Aronson writes, “I have semi-retired from software development, and launched SumOfABatch. com, a website about making mead (my pandemic hobby). So far, the site just contains a few simple calculators and basic advice, but I plan to expand all that, add a video series, and maybe do workshops.”
1982 Nanet te ( West) Moss writes, “I have been quietly making a name for myself as a freelance fiction writer and essayist. With two books in print and one on the way, my fiction and non-fiction has appeared in publications such as The Saturday Evening Post and won the prestigious Pushcart Prize and three gold medals from the Faulkner-Wisdom Creative Writing Competition. My most recent publication is, Flesh & Blood: Reflections on Infertility, Family, and Creating a Bountiful Life from Algonquin Books. My next book, a middle grade novel, has been purchased by Little, Brown. You can follow me on social media @ NWestMoss.”
1983 Michael (Mike) L. Sherman writes, “On June 15, 2021, my wife Wendy and I moved into our home in Lambertville NJ and were excited to start a new chapter in our lives. As we started to talk about the projects we
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wanted to tackle in the coming months, little did we know that Mother Nature had other plans. On Sept. 1, 2021, Hurricane Ida shed eleven inches of rain down on our little city and when Swan Creek, upon which our house sits, flooded way beyond its banks, we were forced to flee the property we had just recently called home. With our puppy Brandy in the back seat, we proceeded to find refuge for the next three nights at a hotel, my brother’s house, and to our surprise, an apartment on the George School campus ‘for as long as we needed shelter.’ As we look back on the events after the flooding and all of the people, complete strangers, that helped us, we will never forget the generosity of the people in Lambertville and the George School community. It’s no wonder my life was forever changed way back when I was a student. I continue to see the wonderfully sincere people I get to work with and admire while coaching.”
1984 Kathryn (Kate) A. Bruton writes, “I was thrilled to bring a group of my Cheltenham tennis kids to George School this past fall to play court games and matches with and against Chéri Mellor’s fac team! Such a fun afternoon! I continue to run my USTA nonprofit tennis organization and commit over 700 hours annually. Despite COVID, we have still been able to successfully and creatively offer our little kids/older kids and adults clinics, summer programs, and Junior Team Tennis. Our afterschool programs remain on hold. My JTT team placed first last spring in the PATD division, which was very exciting. My son, Connor, graduated from college last spring and is currently substitute teaching. He is actively applying to grad schools. My daughter Aubrey (9) attends AIM Academy.”
1985 Victor Khodadad writes, “I live in the Bronx NY with my wife Kristina and our two sons Roko and Iskandar. I work with New Camerata
Opera, based in New York City, which presented its spring production at Dixon Place in Manhattan in early April 2022—the exciting one act by Kamala Sankaram, The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace. More information is available at www.newcamerataopera.org.”
1985 Susan Wilson Baron writes, “Still enjoying living on a boat. Finally settled on Longboat Key in Florida. I am working as a boat captain offering dolphin and manatee sightings. My husband is active in real estate sales here.”
1986 Benjamin (Ben) H. Kimmel writes, “On a sad note, my mother, Alonda June Miller Kimmel ’49, died in May of 2021, two days shy of her ninetieth birthday. She loved George School and loved that I attended as well. On a happier note, I returned to academia after a decadelong stint in the corporate world, as the Assistant Director for Digital Communications at Duke University. I really hope we can finally celebrate our 35th reunion!”
1987 Bret t A. Morrison writes, “Been living out my best life in Montecito CA. Was happy to recently catch up with Malcolm K. Fleschner and Rhazi Khodadad over Zoom. I’m currently working on building TrueVote.org—to bring mobile voting to the world. We need to vote on our phones and all ballots need to be verified!”
1990 Anthony ( Tony R. Winter writes, “Edward (Ed) D. Hughes and I remain good friends and work together as helicopter cameramen and reporters for NBC Boston. We are looking forward to returning to campus in May to celebrate their delayed 30th reunion.”
ALUMNI TELL US
1984 Kathryn (Kate) A. Bruton George School/Cheltenham Youth Tennis match play.
1986 Benjamin (Ben) H. Kimmel shared a photo of Alonda (June) Miller Kimmel ’49, from the 1950s.
1990 Edward (Ed) D. Hughes and Anthony (Tony) R. Winter.
1991 Laura Swanstrom Reece on travel in Peru.
1996 Ezra E. Rosser shares the cover of his book A Nation Within.
1999 Bill and Mary Ann Palmer Gilmore were married at the George School Meetinghouse in September 2005.
2000 Kai Xing and family on a hiking trip to North Georgia mountains.
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Leslie S. Schreiber writes, “We moved closer to Washington DC to Old Town Alexandria VA and appreciate the sense of engagement and connection the community provides. There’s a robust women’s soccer group in Fairfax County, which I thoroughly enjoy, especially when fellow players are shocked by how old I am! I continue to deliver leadership training and coaching. My latest project at the State Department is on-boarding newly appointed US ambassadors to be the best leaders they can be. I feel like, in some ways, I’m at the tip of the spear of US foreign policy. I’m incredibly impressed with the dedicated people serving in our Foreign Service. I was saddened by the loss of sophomore year roommate and junior year Brown House housemate Heather E. Morrow. Her curiosity and vitality were remarkable. Be well and stay safe everyone.”
1991 Laura Swanstrom Reece writes, “Our family relocated to Palm Beach FL from the Washington DC area. We launched Reece Worldwide Travel, a boutique travel agency focusing on family travel to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe. We are fortunate to have many George School alums as clients and enjoy reconnecting with such wonderful friends. I would love to hear from other alums too! We also buy, sell, and lease hunter/ jumper horses through our company Palm Beach Sport Horses. It’s given me an opportunity to show at the Wellington Equestrian Festival and reconnect with George School alumni Michael (Mike) P. Gara ’93, Cori Schoenstadt Sokolow ’88, Ivy Gordon Nyberg ’94, Steven (Steve) J. Jo ’90, and Hunter S. Euler’s ’88 niece. I love a small world!”
1994 Dana S. Delbeke writes, “After graduating from George School and then college in Miami FL, I found myself involved in different careers in various locations. I then moved back
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to my hometown of New York City in the early 2000s, and it was there I met my husband while attending nursing school. At the beginning of the pandemic, we decided to move out of New York City. In 2021, we circled back around to Pennsylvania, where we currently live with our dog in New Hope. I am now a registered nurse working in Doylestown. It feels great to be back in the Bucks County area and close to George School where I have so many fond memories. I am grateful for the experiences and all that I learned during my time there, which I know has brought me to where I am today. Now that I am settled in, I look forward to getting more involved with the community.”
1996 Ezra E. Rosser writes, “My first book, A Nation Within: Navajo Land and Economic Development, was published by Cambridge University Press in October 2021. It took me five years longer to write than I thought it would and has a tiny audience, but I’m still happy it is out there. In other news, we spent the majority of last year at our cabin in rural Colorado because of COVID. Mateo (12) and Mario (6) had fun jumping in cold rivers and throwing pinecones at their father. I am currently a professor of law and associate dean for the part-time and evening division at American University Washington College of Law. Learn more about the book at: https://www.cambridge.org/ us/academic/subjects/law/us-law/ nation-within-navajo-land-and-economic-development?format=PB.” Jason M. Weiner writes, “Been a non-stop pandemic adventure here in Brooklyn NY. Working as an essential employee for The Park Slope Food Co-op has kept me pivoting throughout this period with responsibilities like trying to procure PPE for staff, developing a new scheduling system for the temporary employees who helped us weather the first phase of the pandemic to the shutdown, and reintroduction and reboot of our 12,000 plus member labor system.
Since in-person theater was put on hold, I started embracing virtual performance opportunities with the company Tier5. We created a virtual performance of Romeo and Juliet using Animal Crossing characters and are having frequent virtual musical revues on YouTube. Heather L. Boerner and I surprised our virtual ’96 reunion group when we appeared side by side in her friend’s backyard after both recently being vaccinated. I’ve also been able to get rejuvenating face-to-face visits with Sarah McBride and Stefan D. Dreisbach-Williams. Looking forward to reuniting with more George School family as the weather warms and more in-person opportunities arise. Wishing everyone good health and hope.”
1999 Timothy ( Tim) L. O’Neill writes, “Recently returned to New Jersey after a three-year stint in Massachusetts. I just finished my first semester at The College of New Jersey, teaching linguistics and organizing student-run conversation hours in five languages.” Mary Ann Palmer Gilmore writes, “My grandparents, Martha Reeder Palmer ’42 and Stuart (Stu) M. Palmer ’42 met at George School and were later married with a traditional Quaker wedding. They were classmates and good friends with Eugenia (Genia) Tomlinson Howes ’42, who I can remember working in the Deans office when I attended George School. Growing up I recall gatherings with numerous George School alumni, sharing stories and memories of boarding school life. In a way, George School has been like an extended family. When my husband Bill and I planned to marry, it seemed appropriate that we would be wed in the meetinghouse, with oversight by Maria D. Crossman ffac, my prior academic advisor. We were married in September 2005, with family and friends in attendance (including Eugenia) and have since
ALUMNI TELL US
2002 Sara S. Rhodin shares a photo of her children, Solomon and Petra Lechtenberg.
2004 Daniel (Dan) C. Suchenski at the 7th Delaware STEM Educator Awards 2021.
2008 Laura E. Boswell making up a song about hot mustard at The Hometown Show in Asheville NC.
2009 JoAnn Riker Yoshida and Team Yoshida 2021.
2012 Mr. and Mrs. Anthony M. Verleysen at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston MA on their wedding day and the best day of Anthony’s life.
2015 Shanti A. Lerner
2017 Liliana (Lily) M. af GeijerstamLindberg at Christmas brunch, in her hometown of Stockholm, Sweden.
2017 Kailey M. Buczek, a May 2021 Florida Southern College graduate, received the 2021 Stewardship award.
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had four children together, Liam (6), Nathan (3), Eva (2), and Anna (5 months). I met my husband during a summer internship as a wetland scientist in 2003 where he was a staff engineer at the time. In 2009 we joined forces and founded Site Civil Engineering. Forging a bond both personally and professionally has had many windfalls and challenges and comes with the great satisfaction of owning your fate. While there is little division between work and personal life, it is a unique experience that neither of us would trade for another occupation. Our oldest son, Liam, is eager for hands-on learning about the business. For now, we focus on just letting the kids be kids and giving them life experiences that will forge a love of travel, art, science, and adventure. We often spend our free time cross country traveling in our RV, exploring wetlands on our property, learning to ride minibikes, building forts, catching frogs, or mini-farming to name a few. We’re looking forward to a spring road trip to Arizona to visit family, explore some red rocks, and sightsee roadside Americana!”
2000 Theodore ( Ted) B. Fet ter writes, “Enjoying life in Vermont as a father of two wonderful and silly little boys. I’ve followed my partner Marissa’s footsteps in running my own business. She’s a movement and wellness instructor. The pandemic gave me an opportunity to switch careers, so I launched my construction business specializing in outdoor living, custom woodworks, and commercial fit-ups. I still play and coach Ultimate, but have really gotten into Pickleball, which I played twice in a George School PE class. Life is good, and weird.” Kai Xing writes, “It’s been a crazy two-year period. For a variety of reasons, we decided to homeschool the kids—it’s controlled chaos, but it’s been really rewarding, and we’ve gotten to take some really nice “offschool-season” trips including one to the North Georgia mountains where
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we went hiking. Still an air traffic controller in Miami FL but working on a relocation to the Boston MA area. Ready to give up the warmth in exchange for some sanity. Miss George School and my year 2000 peoples!”
2002 Sara S. Rhodin writes, “My husband Tyler Lechtenberg and I welcomed our second child, Petra Najla Lechtenberg, in December 2021. We’re relieved to report that our son Solomon, who turned two in January, is embracing the role of Petra’s big brother with enthusiasm and love.”
2004 Daniel (Dan) C. Suchenski writes, “The Delaware STEM Council celebrated its seventh annual Delaware STEM Educator Awards in a hybrid in-person/virtual ceremony that took place in November 2021. We celebrated five applications from educators from across the state doing innovative and exemplary STEM instruction. As the executive director of the council, I am proud of everyone that helped make the ceremony possible in an otherwise tumultuous second year! Thanks everyone for making it possible. The eighth awards are open now to all Delaware educators and the ceremony is slated to be at the same location in November 2022.”
2008 Laura E. Boswell writes, “Hi everyone! I’m happily living in Asheville NC where I teach guitar, piano, and ukulele lessons at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. I’ve been working on some new recording projects and am the music director and co-producer of a monthly improv comedy show. I’ve been enjoying the resurgence of live performance and have concerts lined up for the spring along with improv shows—I took improv classes all throughout 2019 and it’s the best. I head to Spain with a classical guitar ensemble in July and will attend a Vipassana meditation retreat afterward. Love and miss the
George School community, it truly changed my life for the better and I feel that I’ve found something a little like it here in Asheville.”
2009 JoAnn Riker Yoshida writes, “2021 was a crazy year! I was on The Price is Right and won over $30,000 in prizes including a brand-new car. I turned my passion for social media into a career and now work full-time on TikTok. I’ve met some awesome celebrities and well-known TikTokers and make six figures working from my phone. My goal is to create some buzzworthy marketing campaigns this year to make our baby products a viral TikTok brand! My family is making a big move again. From Japan to California and now headed to Maryland! I hope one day my EmaLee will go to George School in the Class of 2036.”
2012 Anthony M. Verleysen writes, “I married the love of my life, Shannon MacKay, from West Windsor NJ, this winter in Boston MA in the middle of my second year of my MBA at MIT Sloan. Shannon and I will be moving to Arlington VA in May 2022 after graduation where I will be working as a Senior Technical Product Manager at Amazon. Shannon is an RN and is pursuing her NP at Georgetown. Through an entrepreneurship course at Sloan, I had the opportunity to go to Western Africa for three weeks to help an education company (that provides IB education) design a new educational model that will increase access to more remote areas of the continent. I relied heavily on my own IB education at George School and even interviewed IB Coordinator Kim McGlynn fac (Thank You Kim!) as part of the process!” Priscilla S. Wiggins writes, “I am currently finishing up my last semester of graduate school and will be graduating with my master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Temple University in May 2022! I am looking forward to launching
ALUMNI TELL US
my new career path and remaining closely connected to the George School community.”
2015 Shanti A. Lerner writes, “I just had my one-year anniversary working as a culture and outdoors reporter for The Arizona Republic and USA Today Network. I cover Arizona communities, specifically Latin and Native American stories that focus on the people, places, history, and things to do that make this state special. It’s been eye opening learning about the Southwest. I had only been here once before taking the job. The rich history and diversity that I experience on a day-to-day basis on and off the job often reminds me of my time at George School. One of my favorite stories I reported on last year was a story about a professional Apache skateboarder raising money to build a skatepark on his reservation. I also wrote about a Phoenix couple working for over three decades to bring Día de los Muertos back to its Indigenous roots. Before taking the job, I spent over a year back home in
the Philippines after graduating from Ohio State. I hadn’t spent that much time with my family since before attending boarding school. But it was a blessing to be with my family during the throes of the pandemic. I also found an opportunity to learn about how the pandemic was affecting my fellow Filipinos. I worked as a freelance journalist for VICE Asia. I miss George School a lot and I’m sad that our 5th year reunion got canceled. But I think if anything, the digital age and the nature of the pandemic has brought me a lot closer to many of my classmates.”
2017 Liliana (Lily) M. Af GeijerstamLindberg writes, “Having graduated from the Catholic University of America with a BA in drama (I transferred mid-sophomore year and am so glad I did!) I’m moving once again, this time to Orlando FL to participate in the Disney College Program. Though this is not the path I once thought I would be on, I can’t say I regret being on it, and am excited to see where it will lead me.”
Kailey M. Buczek writes, “I graduated in May, summa cum laude with a BS in Exercise Science, and received the 2021 Stewardship Award. I am currently attending Florida Gulf Coast University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program to become a physical therapist for the geriatric population of Florida.”
Class notes for this issue were received as of March 31, 2022. The “Alumni Tell Us” and “In Memoriam” sections of the Georgian are shared online. If you do not want your name to be included in notes from others, contact us at advancement@georgeschool.org or 215.579.6570. The views and opinions expressed in class notes do not necessarily represent those of the school. Notes submitted for publication might be edited due to space limitations and Georgian style guidelines.
Make your gift to the George School Fund today! Your gift supports every aspect of a George School education—impacting financial aid, professional development for faculty, arts and athletics programs, student life, and more.
Every gift matters. Every year.
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Redirect your PA tax today to support our students’ tomorrow Participate in the EITC program and turn your tax liability into a strategic investment in our deserving students. About EITC Through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC), a business of any size who operates and pays taxes in Pennsylvania can redirect a portion of their tax liability to George School as a philanthropic gift to support student scholarships and receive a 90 percent* tax credit for doing so! *Businesses that commit to donating the same amount for two consecutive years get a 90 percent credit. The credit is 75 percent of the donation amount for a one-year commitment.
Tax Credit Facts • E ITC tax credits are available on a first-come, first-served basis starting July 1. • T here is no minimum to participate in the PA EITC program, and businesses can receive up to $750,000 in tax credits annually. • Y our company can apply the tax credit against these PA taxes for the tax year in which the contribution was made: Personal Income Tax of LLC, S Corp owners or members of a pass-through entity; Capital Stock/Foreign Franchise Tax; Corporate Net Income Tax; Bank Shares Tax; Title Insurance and Trust Company Shares Tax; Insurance Premiums Tax (excluding surplus lines, unauthorized, domestic/foreign marine) To learn more, visit www.georgeschool.org/pataxcredits or contact Chris Jackiewicz at 215.579.6572 or cjackiewicz@georgeschool.org.
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Small Steps, Incredible Impact • C alculate your PA tax liability for the year. • A pply on July 1 for EITC tax credits through the DCED’s online application system (https://dced. pa.gov/programs/educationalimprovement-tax-credit-programeitc/). • U pon approval of credit, donate to George School (EIN: 33-1044968). • G eorge School will provide a formal acknowledgment letter to send to the state so that your company may receive its tax credit. Donations must be made within 60 days of approval.
IN MEMORIAM
In Memoriam 1935 Rebecca (Becky) Gatchell McIlvain December 29, 2021 Wife, mother, educator, and both a Friend and friend, Becky grew up on a dairy farm in Peach Bottom PA. She loved George School, where she made life-long friends, and maintained a close connection serving on the George School Committee and attending annual reunions as long as she was able. She earned a BS in Early Childhood Education from Temple University and taught at the Bethlehem Day Nursery in New York City and later at Westfield Friends School in Riverton NJ. Becky enjoyed gardening, knitting, listening to PBS radio and TV, and reading, but her Quaker heritage was at her core. She was active in Friends meetings in Wakefield PA, New York City, Rancocas NJ, Moorestown NJ, and Birmingham/West Chester PA. Her passion, however, was forging and maintaining connections with friends and family by phone and written correspondence. She was loyal to her friends and nurtured those relationships to the end. Becky has requested that there be no mourning her death. Rather, she would ask that we follow Quaker founder George Fox’s example to “walk cheerfully over the world” and share a kind word or deed with someone in need. Becky is survived by her two daughters, Joan McIlvain Bradley ’68 and Judith ( Judy) McIlvain Lewis ’64, four granddaughters including Dawn Marshall Kelly ’90, five great-grandchildren, and ten nieces and nephews and their families.
1939 Donald (Don) C. Bansen Jr. October 6, 2021 Don was born in Philadelphia PA. He was the second child of Donald C. Bansen and Anna Sherwood Bansen class of 1910. He attended
public schools in Glenolden PA, until the tenth grade when he transferred to George School. He graduated from the Rising Sun School of Aeronautics and was employed by Pan American Airways in the Maintenance Department for forty years. He served in the US Navy during World War II as an aviation machinist mate first class. Don was active in the Boy Scouts and Little League during his thirtythree years in Farmingdale NY. After moving to Bradenton FL in 1984, he became active in the Manatee County Audubon Society, holding just about every position at some time. He was married to Meryl Gates Bansen for nearly forty-two years. He then married Betty Marshall Bansen. Don moved to Freedom Village after her death in 2011. Don was a Quaker for most of his life but became a Methodist in 1983 and was a member of Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Bradenton. He was a volunteer at Blake Medical Center from 1985 until 2020 when the pandemic cut that short. He is survived by his four children, five grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren, one great-grandchild, six step-great-grandchildren and four great-great-step-grandchildren. Donald (Don) M. Sut ton December 9, 2021 Don was born in Christiansburg VA. He graduated from Ithaca College and then enlisted in the US Army in 1943. Don was honorably discharged after earning the rank of sergeant and being awarded the Bronze Star. He married Emily Townsend McCurdy ’40 of Swarthmore PA in 1945. They shared fifty-six years of married life until her death in 2001. Don spent the majority of his career in Salem VA at Roanoke College in various capacities, and was the owner and director of Camp Wallawhatoola in Millboro Springs VA. Don was a member of “The Greatest Generation” and will be remembered by all those who knew him. He is survived by his four children, six grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
1941 Mary (Mollie) Tyson Pickering Hallowell July 12, 2021 Mollie was born in Woodbourne PA. She graduated from Penn State University in 1945 with a BS in home economics. She loved working for the university as an extension home economist, serving in seven different counties; later she continued doing extension work for the University of Maryland. When she returned to Bucks County, she joined the New Jersey Division of Public Welfare where she served first as a home economist and then in administration, retiring in 1980. She was active in Trinity Episcopal Church of Solebury for over fifty years. At various times, she served on Historic Fallsington’s Board of Directors, was a member of the Bucks County Cooperative Extension’s Executive Committee, and for ten years taught English as a Second Language for the county’s volunteer VITA program. She devoted many of her later years to writing, including compiling several family histories, and authoring a novel, Mystery of the Greek Icon. Mollie enjoyed traveling and made more than a dozen trips to Europe and Morocco. She also visited forty-nine of our fifty states and, following her marriage to Paul Eaton, spent two years living in Western Canada. In 1961 she returned to Bucks County and married Franklin B. Hallowell ’40. She is survived by two sons: George Hallowell and Craig A. Hallowell ’72 and their families, including five grandchildren and a great-grandson. She is also survived by two brothers: Henry C. Pickering, Jr. ’43, Richard (Dick) W. Pickering ’53, and their families. Laura Cadwallader Clappison January 30, 2022 Laura was born and raised in Yardley PA. She attended Swarthmore College, where she met her husband Charlie Clappison. They married in 1943 and raised four daughters. Laura was active in Girl Scouts, PTA, and served on the George School Parents
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Council. She volunteered at Chandler Hall and delivered meals for Woodside Meals on Wheels. She went on to be the volunteer coordinator— volunteering a total of thirty-five years. Laura served on many boards: Friends Home, Jeanes Hospital, Chandler Hall Caregivers, and Pennswood Village. She was an active member of Yardley Friends Meeting serving as treasurer for ten years and representative on the Bucks County Quarterly Meeting. After their children left home, Laura and Charlie built a home on Jericho Mountain in Upper Makefield PA where they spent seventeen happy years living in the woods and watching wildlife. In 1998, they retired to Pennswood Village to lead active lives there. Laura played tennis and piano, gardened, sewed many of her young girls’ clothes, loved wildlife, and played bridge. She loved to cook and had a reputation for her sticky buns which she sold at the gift shop. Laura was a kind, generous, and beloved mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. She had a wonderful sense of humor that served her well all through her life to the very end. She is survived by four daughters: Laura Clappison Yates ’62, Georget te Clappison MacArthur ’65, Elizabeth Clappison Harville ’68, and Deborah Clappison Yankoski ’70, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
1942 Elizabeth (Betti) Work Meyer January 23, 2022 Betti was born in Lakewood NJ. She had a unique childhood, growing up in Rushland PA on her father’s farm, where she rode horses and developed her love of animals. She enjoyed the adventures of farm life while also exploring the city streets of Philadelphia on her own at a young age. Betti attended Tyler School of Art at Temple University. She and her husband Donald Meyer raised their two children on the campus of Delaware Valley College, where Donald was a dean and her father James Work was president. Betti was a skilled artist
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whose work was shown in art exhibits and galleries. She passed her love of the arts onto her children, grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Betti had a great passion for learning—continuing her education by attending art classes at University of Hartford and studying real estate at Central Connecticut University. She obtained her real estate license and worked as an agent. She decided she preferred working in retail and worked in dress shops well into her 80s, where she could have the top pick of the latest fashions. Betti had a quick wit and great sense of style. She enjoyed landscaping in her yard, swimming in her pool, collecting antiques, reading mystery novels, and enjoying music. Betti is survived by two daughters, her sister Virginia (Ginny) Work Kosoff ’56, her niece, two grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Harry M. Woske, MD January 5, 2022 Born in Reading PA, Harry moved to the Flemington NJ area in 1959. He was a cardiologist and the founder and head of Hunterdon Cardiovascular Associates at Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington NJ for many years. He retired from his practice in 2000. Harry was a graduate of Columbia University, received his medical degree from the University of New York Downstate, interned at Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn NY, served his residency at University of Pennsylvania Hospital, where he served his cardiology fellowship, and started as a cardiologist at the Hunterdon Medical Center in the 1950s. Harry was named as one of the Top Docs in the State of New Jersey. He was a Captain in the US Army Medical Corps serving on active duty during the Korean War. Always active in the Flemington community, Harry was a trustee of Hunterdon Healthcare and also of the Hunterdon Healthcare Foundation. In addition, he was a member of the Ethics Institutional Review Board for New Jersey, was a former board member of the Hunterdon YMCA, member of the
Flemington Rotary, and the Hunterdon County Medical Society. Harry is survived by his wife of thirty-six years, a son, four daughters, including E. Leni Woske Miller ’64, Shirley Woske Saunders ’69, and Lisa Woske ’7 7, six grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. Richard (Dick) P. Bansen January 7, 2022 Dick was born and grew up in Glenolden PA. He enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1943 and served until 1946 as a B24 aircraft mechanic/ gunner. With characteristic good luck, the war ended before his plane was needed overseas. After the war, Dick attended Drexel University, graduating in 1951. A lifelong Quaker, Dick met Shirley Anne Mutch at a Quaker youth function and they married in 1952. The couple had four children. Dick attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania while working for the City of Philadelphia and earned a master’s in Governmental Administration in 1958. After retiring from the city, Dick applied his administrative and financial acumen to Quaker businesses: Foulkeways at Gwynedd PA and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s Fiduciary Corporation. Throughout Dick and Shirley’s sixty-one-year marriage, they were active members of Greene Street Monthly Meeting of Friends and were devoted not only to the Meeting, but to the school under its care, Greene Street Friends School. Dick’s deep commitment to causes of peace and justice led him to live his beliefs by visiting prisoners and supporting organizations opposing war, racism, and intolerance. Dick was a loving, supportive, and fun father and grandfather, a skilled camper and hiker, a craftsman in wood and metal, and a singer with a brilliant memory for Gilbert & Sullivan and the ability to offer a song for any occasion. Called by some the “Mayor of Foulkeways,” Dick knew the life story of nearly every resident and readily recalled minor details of each one. To his final days, Dick cherished the company
IN MEMORIAM
of his children and grandchildren and his best friend, fellow Foulkeways resident Penny Purnell. His sense of humor never flagged. Dick is survived by three children and six grandchildren.
1943 Sonia Chalif Simon February 4, 2022 Sonia was a member of the Colonial Dames of America as a lineal descendent of Thomas Wynne, personal physician of William Penn and one of the original settlers of Philadelphia PA. She was particularly proud of her maternal great grandmother’s house in Trenton NJ, which was a stop on the Underground Railroad and of her paternal grandfather Louis Chalif, the Russian-trained ballet master of the Metropolitan Opera and founder of the Chalif School in New York, the first normal school of dance in the US. Born in New York City and raised in Short Hills NJ, Sonia attended Vassar College. Typical of her generation, she left Vassar just short of graduation to marry and raise a family. After teaching in private schools, she returned to university, completing her undergraduate, masters, and PhD in art history at Boston University. She received a number of grants and fellowships, including a Kress Foundation Fellowship for research at the British Museum. Her lectures and publications on Carolingian manuscripts and Romanesque sculpture form significant contributions to the field of medieval art—particularly noteworthy were her studies on the sculpture of Jaca Cathedral, perhaps the oldest surviving cathedral in Spain. She taught at the State University of New York, College at Cortland, and the University of Massachusetts in Boston MA. She retired as associate professor emerita of art at Colby College. She is survived by her husband, David L. Simon, four sons, and three granddaughters.
Joyce Lawson Moore December 19, 2021 Joyce was born in Trenton NJ and was a lifelong Trenton/Ewing resident except for her years at the Jersey shore. She earned her BA from Mount Holyoke College. Joyce’s professional career evolved around state politics. Active all her life in local Republican politics, in the beginning of her career Joyce served as executive assistant to the NJ State Republican Committee Chairmen and as an assistant and legislative researcher for the NJ General Assembly Legislative Minority Staff. Both gave her entry into a twentyseven-year career as the manager for one of the most prominent lobbying firms during the administrations of Governors Byrne, Kean, Whitman, DiFrancesco, and McGreevey. After retirement, Joyce traveled the world and enjoyed discovering new places, cultures, and always making new friends. Joyce demonstrated an impressive intelligence and zest for life. The Lawson family was prominent in Trenton’s pottery business in the late 1800s and early part of the 1900s. Lawson China decorating company merged in 1914 to form the firm of Tatler and Lawson. The firm imported English china and finely decorated it at its establishment on Monmouth Street in Trenton. During that time, the company was one of the top fine china suppliers for John Wanamaker’s of Philadelphia. Joyce is survived by her two sons, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
1945 Mary Lou Johnston Schmidt November 1, 2021 Mary Lou died peacefully in her living room at her home in Dummerston VT, while holding the hand of her husband Bill. At a young age she moved with her family to a dairy farm in Kulpsville PA, where she continued her early interest in horses and discovered her love of the land. As a teenager, Mary Lou purchased her first two Morgan mares with money she had earned working on the farm. She earned an associate degree in business at Beaver College, and
played varsity basketball at both George School and Beaver College. In 1948, she married Leigh C. Morrell ’45. They had three children and in 1959, the family moved to Dummerston VT, where they established a Morgan horse breeding/training farm. The marriage ended in 1970 and Mary Lou retained ownership of the Elysian Hills farm. In 1971, she joined the Dummerston Planning Commission and served as the town representative to the Windham Regional Commission. When JC Penny opened in Brattleboro VT in 1974, Mary Lou was hired as office and personnel manager. During the next several decades, Mary Lou was on the executive board of WRC and served on the boards of Southern Vermont MS Society and the Southern Vermont Home Health Agency. In 1975, Mary Lou married William (Bill) Schmidt in a Quaker ceremony at Elysian Hills. Together they established a Christmas tree farm. In 2014, Mary Lou and Bill sold the farm and placed a Conservation Easement on Elysian Hills with the Vermont Land Trust. She also worked to protect the identity of the Gilfeather turnip. She trade-marked the word Gilfeather, registered the seed and turnip, and helped the turnip to become the Vermont State Vegetable in 2016. She is survived by her husband, children, grandchildren, and their families.
1946 Jane Virginia Scudder Escher March 21, 2021 Jane was born in Trenton NJ. She was interested in the community’s welfare as a health nurse and joined several different organizations in that effort. Jane was devoted to her family and friends. She and her husband Stephen purchased the Bartlett family farm known as Lowes, which was part of Radcliffe Manor, to raise their family and to retire. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in October 2021. Jane is survived by her husband, daughter, three grandchildren, and one greatgrandson.
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1946 Stephen Sondheim November 26, 2021 Of the many George School alums who found careers in music and theater, Stephen Sondheim is the most prolific. He is the man behind the lyrics for shows such as West Side Story, Gypsy, Into the Woods, and Sweeney Todd. He is a legend in the musical theater industry producing music and lyrics to nearly twenty of Broadway’s biggest hits. When his parents divorced as a young boy, his mother bought a home in Doylestown PA next to an old family friend, Oscar Hammerstein. Stephen spent many summers working on the Hammerstein farm and became good friends with James B. Hammerstein ’48. In fact, it was Oscar and James that first introduced Stephen to George School. While at George School, Stephen was known to be a great student and graduated in the first quintile of his class. In addition to his interest in musical theater, he was also editor of the school yearbook— then called The Caravan. His yearbook caption reads: Do you need information about the theater? Perhaps you require an intellectual giant to aid you in schoolwork, or maybe you’d like to hear some really masterful piano playing. Anyway, Steve’s your man, Caravan’s energetic editor, and George School’s own Rachmaninoff. He often spoke about the education he received at George School, and notably recalls his Latin teacher and her way with words and the interest he developed in language as a result of her teaching. Stephen’s first musical By George, was a parody on George School life which follows the life of both students and faculty throughout the school year. It was written and performed while he was a student. Stephen’s Broadway debut came just eleven years after graduating from George School, when Composer Leonard Bernstein and Choreographer Jerome Robbins were looking for a lyricist for a contemporary musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet titled West Side Story. Stephen wrote the lyrics for the musical, which opened in 1957 and quickly became one of Broadway’s most successful productions of all time. Stephen continued to write music and lyrics for hits such as Gypsy, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, and Sweeney Todd. In the early 1980s Stephen collaborated with playwright-director James Lapine to create Sunday in the Park with George, a musical inspired by the
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painting Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat. The duo paired again for Into the Woods, which along with Sweeney Todd, became hit motion pictures. In addition to his work in musical theater, Stephen occasionally wrote music for films, including Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man) performed by Madonna in the film Dick Tracy. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Throughout his career, Stephen was awarded eight Tony Awards, including the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award, eight Grammys, an Oscar, a Pulitzer Prize, a Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1996, Stephen received the George School Alumni Award. It was the second time the school wanted to honor him with this award. The first time in 1991, Stephen was unable to accept the award because he was performing for the Queen of England. In a note to George School he wrote, Thanks for the invitation again, but again the timing is unfortunate. I’ll be in England in mid-May to oversee an after-dinner entertainment of my music for (sorry to drop names) the Queen of England. He was finally given the award in 1996. As part of the celebrations, students performed Side by Side by Sondheim. While Stephen could not attend the production, he wrote a thank you note to the school and requested one of the t-shirts made for the students in the show. It was once said of Stephen, “It is impossible to imagine the theater without the musical. It is equally impossible to imagine the musical without the contributions of Stephen Sondheim.”
IN MEMORIAM
Elizabeth (Betsy) Plummer Wiederhold January 4, 2022 Betsy was born in Radnor PA. She attended Drexel Institute of Technology and married Louis Wiederhold III. They settled in Francestown in 1952; first living in the town parsonage, and then moving to Harem Hill. By 1958 the family had grown to four daughters and a varied collection of pets. Betsy had a deep affection for every creature except the white mice. Along with raising her girls, Betsy was very active in town as a volunteer. She was the driving force behind creating the first children’s room in the library and started a reading program for elementary children. Various spots around town were also made more beautiful with her skill and passion for flower gardens. She was a member of the Cemetery Commission and Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary. Folks describe Betsy as vivacious, loving, creative, mischievous, funny, devoted, and strong willed. Betsy’s creative talents included knitting, spinning, painting, needlepoint, crewel embroidery, and chorale singing. She was active and enjoyed a good game of tennis, waterskiing, and snowskiing. The Wiederhold Labor Day floats were a result of her creativity and sense of humor. In the mid-1980s Betsy became deeply involved in raising, showing, and training Newfoundland dogs. She traveled to dog shows throughout the United States and Canada garnering many wins. Once all her daughters had left home, Betsy moved to the coast of Maine. For decades she spent every summer on Yellow Island in Frenchman Bay with multiple dogs in tow. She is survived by her four daughters, including Nancy Wiederhold Henry ’68, three grandchildren, and three greatgrandchildren. Edward (Ed) Kirkland Shelmerdine IV December 5, 2021 Ed was born in Chester PA and attended Washington & Lee University. While there, Ed and several
classmates helped to start the men’s soccer program. Ed was in the US Army from 1950 to 1952, and with the Merchant Marines from 1947 to 1953. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Physical Therapy in 1956. Ed sailed on the sixth voyage of the 96-foot Brigantine Yankee, leaving from Gloucester MA in 1953. The crew sailed around the world, spending time in Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Sepik River, the Galapagos Islands, the Pitcairn Islands, and Pentecost Island. Several of his photographs of the Bunlap tribe participating in their land jumping rituals were published in the National Geographic Magazine. In 1955, Ed met and married Gloria Caroline Lorenzon. They enjoyed sailing and exploring the Chesapeake Bay, the intercoastal waterway, and the Bahamas. Ed spent much of his career at Boeing Computer Services as a systems analyst. He retired in 1995 and moved to North Carolina to be closer to his two sons. After retirement, Ed’s adventures continued, as he and Gloria took many trips, including to Alaska, Hawaii, New Zealand and Tahiti. A talented swimmer, Ed won multiple swimming awards, enjoyed golf, walked at least a mile every day. He was an avid collector of stamps, butterflies, and seashells. His carpentry and wood working skills were outstanding. Ed enjoyed bridge, poker, scrabble and many other card and board games. Ed is survived by his wife, two sons, six grandchildren, and numerous greatgrandchildren, nieces and nephews.
1947 Josephine ( Josey) Barroll Taylor January 1, 2022 Josephine was born in Baltimore MD and spent her childhood there until the family moved to Ardmore PA and then Huntingdon Valley PA. She earned a BA in fine art from the Maryland Institute of Art. Her garnered artistic skills led her into a highly successful career in commission portraiture of both people and animals. Her work particularly
reflected her childhood love of horses, and her talent can be found in several international publications. That field also brought out Josephine’s athletic and equestrian talent. She accepted ribbons at scores of horse shows, finished first in the steeplechase races, “followed the hounds” with dozens of mounted fox hunting clubs in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, and managed riding departments of two prestigious boarding schools. She is survived by her husband Stewart and two children. Also surviving her death is her first cousin, Nicholas, the fourteenth Lord Fairfax Baron of Cameron, who sits in the House of Lords of the United Kingdom. Her ancestor, William the Third Lord Fairfax Baron of Cameron (1755-1846) engaged his Virginia Colony neighbor and protege George Washington (1732-1799), to survey his 4.6-million-acre property which had been deeded to him by England’s King George III. The months-long project became the only formal education that the “father of our country” ever experienced. Mary Louise ( Weezie) Reece Gray December 17, 2021 Weezie was born in Millville PA. She attended Brown University and following her marriage to Henry Caulfield Barksdale, and moving to St. Louis, she attended Washington University to pursue a library science degree. Weezie taught in the Lower School at Mary Institute and maintained an active volunteer life while raising a family. She became a trained volunteer at the City Art Museum and brought children’s theater productions to all the public schools in Metropolitan St. Louis. She was part of the first Head Start Program. Her board memberships included the City Art Museum, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the New Music Circle, and the Museum of Science and Natural History. Weezie’s professional work included the research, writing, and promoting of arts at all educational levels nationwide. She worked with
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the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Arts for the Handicapped, the John D. Rockefeller Fund, the Kennedy Center, and State Arts Councils. In 1972, she became Director of Alumnae at Brown University. Later she returned to freelance work with arts institutions and educators throughout the entire state. She married McGregor Gray in 1985. She was a member of the Society of Friends and had a deep devotion to Christian mysticism and contemplative prayer. Throughout her life she had a passion for the natural world, for walking, hiking, enjoying wildflowers, trees, and beauty. She enjoyed many kinds of music and folk arts. She was a reader of literature and a devoted writer of essays. Weezie is survived by her three children, two stepchildren, her sister, Ellen Reece Purnell ’50, and twelve grandchildren. Bonbehari (Bon) V. Nimbkar August 25, 2021 Bon was the founder of Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI). He worked on research and development of animal husbandry and agriculture. In 2006, he was awarded the Padma Shri Award for his contribution in the field of agriculture. He was also the holder of the prestigious Jamnalal Bajaj award. Carl Phillip Emanuel Josephson September 22, 2021 Carl was born in New York City. When Carl was four years old, he and his older brother Eric and his sister Eloise were placed in the Manumit boarding school in Pawling NY, while the Josephsons made a year-long series of visits to Russia and Europe. When they returned, the children continued in the Manumit School, but returned to Sherman CT for weekends with their parents. Carl would always remember the rolling hills and brooks of that part of the world. Carl attended Harvard College and the Graduate School of Design for a degree in architecture.
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He worked in architectural firms in Boston and in New York City, for Ammon and Whitney and TAMS; where he enjoyed some project work in India and in Italy. His last professional work was for the New York City Transit Authority, designing renovations for subway stations. He also designed several residences and renovated others near Sherman CT, including his own house and that of his sister Eloise in Pawling NY. He loved to spend time in his Sherman house, working in the fields and enjoying the brook and the friends from childhood who were frequent visitors. He married Joann Lindlof in 1951, their daughter Kate was born in 1953. They moved to New York City in 1972. Joann passed away in 1978. In 1981 Carl married Terri Bush, and their son Matico was born in 1982 and grew up in New York and in Sherman. Carl retired in 2000 and continued to share his time between New York and Sherman. In his last years, he was afflicted with dementia, but he remained a genial fellow, walking gently on the earth.
1948 J. Paul Humphrey December 13, 2021 Paul was born in Rochester NY. He was the youngest Eagle Scout in the history of the Rochester Council. Attracted to numbers, Paul was an accomplished pianist, an active outdoorsman and a graduate of Amherst College and Harvard Business School. He began his career in sales but transitioned to investments in the 1970s, assisting people in saving and building assets for the future. He spent a large part of his career in New Jersey, moving to St. Augustine FL in 2005. Paul was known for having a quick wit, fast mind, and being a loyal husband and father. His quips and sayings are repeated by his children at family gatherings, and he will be missed by all. He is survived by Joan, his wife of sixty-eight years, three children, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
Anne Kirk Neff November 6, 2021 Anne was born in Downingtown PA, the first daughter of Bartram Cornog Kirk class of 1929 and Marion Smedley Reynolds Kirk Mason class of 1926. Anne’s schooling started in a oneroom schoolhouse in Little Washington PA. She studied library sciences at Earlham College, earned her associates degree from Montgomery County Community College, and then graduated from Temple University with an accounting degree. She met her lifelong sweetheart Robert (Bob) Neff ’48 while at George School and they went on to have five children. She helped organize the first library at Lincoln Elementary School in Norristown, where all of her children attended. Anne was a birthright Quaker, having been a member of Goshen, Willistown, and Norristown PA meetings. She is survived by husband Bob; three sons, including Robert R. Neff ’69; nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; and two sisters including Kathleen Kirk Newman ’52. Roger Arlen Schwantes August 27, 2021 Alan Greenspan April 22, 2021 Alan was born in Perth Amboy NJ. He earned his undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis MO, and his MBA from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. Drafted in October 1953 to the US Army 101st Division Korea, 4th Army area, he spent nine months in combat intelligence. After serving his country, he began his career at LF Rothschild, NY, starting as an analyst and rising to partner in 1971. He moved to Oppenheimer Co. Inc., and then to Morgan Stanley in the World Trade Center. He was an active Charter Member of the Windows on the World Club until the 9/11 WTC disaster. He retired in 2003. He and Alice bought Sunshine Hill in Wilmington VT in 1982 and moved
IN MEMORIAM
permanently to Vermont in 2009. He devoted much time and energy to Wilmington’s community life: driving for RSVP, joining the Rotary Club, and receiving the Paul Harris Award for his service. He enjoyed acting in local theater, volunteering with the Friends of Historic Memorial Hall, and Service Corps of Retired Executives. An active member of Congregation Beth El, he advised the temple on financial investing. He was devoted to his organic vegetable garden, supplying some local restaurants, and competing in county fairs. Always the raconteur, Alan will be remembered for his love of a good joke. He is survived by his beloved wife Alice, three daughters, three stepdaughters, thirteen grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. R. Thomas Gibbs Jr. January 17, 2022 Born in Montclair NJ, to Marian Palmer Gibbs ’30 and Robert Thomas Gibbs. Tom married the love of his life, Ann Elizabeth Stanlick, in Berkshire Valley NJ, in 1953. He served in the US Navy from 1951 to 1953, and was a veteran of the Korean War. Tom went on to work for various companies in tool making, sales, estimating, production, explosives, supervision, and purchasing, throughout his long and well-respected career. Tom’s main interests centered on his family, friends, and his Quaker faith. He lived a life of love that he shared abundantly with all who crossed his path. He raised seeing eye dogs in his youth, after having an accident and being blind for a year. He also served three terms on the Jefferson Township NJ School Board, where he was instrumental in resolving decadeslong conflicts. After Tom and his wife moved to Rock Stream in 1985, he continued to work for Schuyler Hospital in Montour Falls NY. He also volunteered with Office for the Aging. Tom was also a lifelong fan, restorer, and mechanic of antique cars. He was a director and held all offices of the New Jersey Region Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA), and a credentialed National
Judge for AACA for the Hershey Region for many years. He donated one of his prized cars, a 1918 Buick Opera Coupe, to the Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport NY. His cars were national award-winning but driving them was his best reward. Tom was beloved and respected by all who knew him, a fact that was celebrated at his 90th birthday celebration last October. Tom is survived by two sons, seven grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, two great-greatgrandchildren, his brother and sister, and many nieces, nephews, extended family, and countless friends. Elizabeth (Betsy) Miller Cooke April 29, 2021 Betsy was born in Maplewood NJ. She earned a BA in business administration at Cedar Crest College in Allentown PA. While there she met Jim Cooke, an engineering student at Lehigh University, and upon graduation, they married. Their marriage was a legendary partnership of love and friendship with endless shared interests. They shared both the gifts of home and the treasures of worldwide travel. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. One of Betsy’s overriding life’s philosophies was “why can’t we all just love each other.” She treated everyone with the same love and respect. Everyone knew Betsy as selfless, down-toearth, caring, and fun loving. She loved a big party! Betsy fully loved all of the simple pleasures of life. Whether nurturing her family’s domestic life, or organizing events in the community, she loved people and sharing time together. She was passionate about playing the piano, bridge, and golf. Jim and Betsy loved sporting and cultural events. Betsy also freely gave her time and talents to charities and many local and national organizations. She was involved with Christ Child Society, SBMA Art League, Friends of the Snite Museum, Indiana Women’s Bridge Group, The South Bend Country Club, and the organizer of the Erskine women’s Nine Hole golfers
league. Left to cherish her memory are two daughters and one granddaughter. Gwendolyn (Gwen) Maust Orr June 16, 2021 Gwen, a long-term resident of Los Alamos NM, was born in Germantown PA. She was a graduate of the University of Texas with a BA in mathematics and was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority. Gwen was a devoted mother and wife. She enjoyed traveling, gardening, reading, and shopping. She lived with her family in Texas, Tennessee, California, Colorado, New Mexico, New Zealand, and Jamaica. Gwen worked as a librarian at the White Rock Branch Library and received awards for her service to the citizens of Los Alamos. She will be deeply missed by friends, family, and all who knew her. She is survived by her five children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, and her beloved husband of sixty-five years Hugh Don Orr.
1951 Victor ( Vic) C. Vaughen October 6, 2021 Chemical engineer, music lover, and much-loved husband, father, and grandfather, Vic was born in Wilmington DE. He worked hard in PT/OT during the past four years, hoping to overcome multiple health problems. He remained optimistic and as active as he could to the end. He was a problem solver, noted for his genuine interest in other people and always willing to help in any way he could. He contributed in many ways to the life of the Foulkeways community, where he had lived for the past fourteen years. Vic received BS and MS degrees in chemistry from Stetson University, followed by a PhD in chemical engineering from MIT. In 1960 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, he researched peaceful uses of nuclear energy, becoming the Director of the Office of Safety and Operational Readiness. Vic was appointed to the Board of Governors of the National Institute of
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Engineering Ethics. After retiring, he became a family and divorce mediator and also served as a volunteer mediator for the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program. Other passions in his life included music, woodworking, and creating videos of travel adventures and special family events. He enjoyed playing the viola in the Oak Ridge Symphony and making furniture and toys. He loved camping, canoeing, hiking, and bird watching, and supported conservation organizations. Vic is survived by his wife of thirty years, Janet Wallace, and their blended family of six children and ten grandchildren; and by his siblings, Justine Vaughen Fry ’47, and Daniel (Dan) R. Vaughen ’59, their families, and treasured relatives in Germany belonging to his mother’s family of origin, with whom he kept in touch over the years. Joyce Apple Evans January 13, 2022 Joyce was born in Trenton NJ and married her college sweetheart, the late Richard (Dick) Abbott Evans Sr. in 1956. They were married for sixtythree devoted years. Joyce graduated from the College of Wooster in 1957 where she was a cheerleader for the Fighting Scots. A devoted mother, grandmother, and Spanish teacher, Joyce spent many years serving the Presbyterian Church (USA) as Acting Director and as a member of the Scioto Valley Presbytery Council. Joyce was a fifty-five year member, long-time Elder, choir member, ESL volunteer, and a thirty-year Clerk of Session and Secretary of the Congregation for Worthington Presbyterian Church. A seasoned traveler, bicycler, and first mate, Joyce traveled on many extended family vacations in the US and Canada, and throughout the world with her husband. She is survived by three children, twelve grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Jane McManama Duffy November 1, 2021 Jane was born in Richmond IN. She was a wife, mother, grandmother,
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and recently a great-grandmother. Jane studied history at Penn State University where she met her husband, Edward. She was a professor at Clarion University in Clarion PA, and prior to that taught history and physical education at the high school level. She loved to knit, crochet, and cross stitch. Jane sang in her Clarion Methodist Church choir and was active in Clarion Community Theater. One of her most memorable roles was as Doris in Same Time Next Year. Most recently, after relocating to Fort Pierce FL, she knitted dolls for local children for Christmas and donated them to the Sheriff ’s office. She was greatly interested in the Japanese language and culture after they hosted Yaeko, a Japanese foreign exchange student, in the 1960s. Jane is survived by her husband of sixtyfive years, two daughters and their husbands, three granddaughters, three great-grandchildren, her sister, and brother. She was surrounded by family at her passing. Peter (Pete) K. C. Zavitz August 11, 2021 A life-time educator, Peter passed away peacefully at his home in Hunt Valley MD. Beloved husband of fortyfour years to Pamela Proudley Zavitz. He is survived by two daughters and their families including two granddaughters. Stephanie Bunzl Cohen July 1, 2021 After a long and successful career as an English as a Second Language and Spanish as a First Language teacher, Stephanie became the oldest person to earn a PhD at Boston University in Modern European Languages. She went on to teach at Boston University and Framingham State University. Stephanie became an adult Bat Mitzvah at the age of sixty-nine at Temple Shalom of Newton. She is survived by her husband of forty years, two children, two grandchildren, two stepchildren and their five children, her sister, and many nieces and nephews.
1954 Carol Ann Hauver Emerick November 24, 2021 Born and raised in Hagerstown MD, Carol Ann was a 1958 graduate of Goucher College in Baltimore MD. She was the oldest of two siblings and is survived by her sister Linda Lou Hauver Lamb ’56. Carol Ann worked for General Electric prior to managing her home and children. At GE she was an accomplished mathematician, participating in putting the first astronauts on the moon. While at George School, she met the late Norman Henry (Hank) Winde Jr. ’54; they were married in 1958. Together they enjoyed living in Cincinnati OH, Wayne PA, Miami FL, and Ellicott City MD. In 1982, she married the late Raymond Ralph Emerick and enjoyed residences in both Ellicott City and Marco Island FL. She was blessed with the addition of three stepchildren and children and grandchildren. Carol Ann was dedicated to her family and friends and was a generous philanthropist to her churches, schools, and Pathfinders for Autism. She found joy in gardening and flower arranging and was active in the reunions at George School and Goucher College. She often coordinated fundraisers and antique shows. Carol Ann was an avid sports fan, especially for the Baltimore Colts/Ravens and the Baltimore Orioles. She learned to play golf at an early age and was an active and competitive golfer for most of her life. Over the years she was a member and club champion at Fountain Head Country Club, Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club, Turf Valley Country Club, Baltimore Country Club, and Island Country Club. She is survived by four children and nine grandchildren. Richard H. Chryn June 30, 2021 Richard was the anesthesiologist and medical director at Louisville Surgery Center in Louisville KY for many years. He is survived by his wife, son, and two daughters.
IN MEMORIAM
Plan Your Legacy When you include George School in your estate plan, your generosity has an impact far beyond your lifetime. Support the next generation of George School students with a planned gift today. To learn more about planned gifts, please contact Jaime Zamparelli Abramov in the Office of Advancement at 215.579.6575 or jzabramov@georgeschool.org.
Constance Dederer Healy January 16, 2021
David C. Humphrey December 20, 2021
Mother of three and friend to many, Constance was the devoted wife and partner of sixty-three years to Michael S. Healy ’53. She was a lifelong resident of Bucks County PA. A graduate of the Katherine Gibbs School, prior to retirement she was the business manager for Solebury School. Active in many local groups, including the Embroidery Guild, Constance was a talented gardener who loved spending time with family, knitting, and needle work of all kinds. She is survived by her husband, three sons and their spouses, and by four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Her spirit and joy will live on in all.
David was born in Rochester NY and grew up in New York City. He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, an MAT from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a PhD in history from Northwestern University. He began his career teaching history at Carnegie Mellon University before moving to Austin TX in 1977, where he worked as an archivist at the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Presidential Library, notably in the foreign relations papers. Historical research and writing were an integral part of David’s life. He produced several books and numerous articles for scholarly journals on Austin and Texas history, early American higher education, and LBJ’s Tuesday lunches on national security. In 1993 David moved to Annandale VA and worked in the
Office of the Historian at the State Department. After retiring, he worked periodically as a historian in the Departments of State and Defense. David was a longtime fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Texas Longhorns, and Washington Nationals. His light-hearted sense of humor was a hallmark with his golf partners and poker group, as well as his family. He loved to travel, planning many family trips to beaches and national parks of the Southwest, and traveling internationally with his wife. He is survived by his wife of fifty-four years, Janet, two sons and their wives, and four grandchildren.
1956 Gretchen Walsh Heher February 26, 2021 Gretchen was born in Trenton NJ, and grew up in Yardley PA. Early in her education, she attended Newtown
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Friends School and George School and earned a bachelor’s degree at Barnard College and a master’s degree in art history at Columbia College. She also studied at Villa Mercede in Florence, Italy, and the University of Geneva. She was a French teacher in the Princeton and Trenton school districts early in her career, and later in her career at The Pennington School in Pennington NJ. Gretchen married Garrett Heher in December 1964. It was an unseasonably warm day, and they had to rollup the flaps of the tent that was set up in her mother’s backyard. The Lester Lanin Orchestra played at their wedding, a band known for dance music, which famously played over 20,000 weddings. Gretchen raised her family in Princeton NJ, where she lived for fifty years. Gretchen was loved by her family, friends, and caregivers for her spirit, her smile, and wonderful sense of humor. She is survived by her son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister-in-law and numerous nieces and nephews. Peter (Pete) B. Heyler January 15, 2022 Pete was born in Hamburg Germany and arrived in the United States in 1939. His father changed their surname to Heyler and Pete became a citizen of the US in 1944, reconfirming that citizenship when he was 18. He grew up in Trenton NJ and Washington Crossing PA. He then attended Yale University and Harvard Business School. He worked in public accounting, receiving CPA certificates in New York and Pennsylvania, and then served as chief financial officer for three different manufacturing companies before starting his own financial education consulting firm in 1981. His financial projects included work for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) until he totally retired in 2021. In September of 1961, Pete married Virginia (Gingy) Anne Clark. They lived for four years in New York City, then moved to Newtown PA, living there for thirty-two years and
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raising three sons. Pete was active in the First Presbyterian Church of Newtown, serving as Deacon, Elder, and seventeen years as Clerk of Session. They moved to Missoula MT in 1998 where Pete served as Treasurer at First Presbyterian Church of Missoula from 2016 until 2021. He also served as Treasurer on the Board of the International Choral Festival, and sang with the Presbyterian Church choir, the Missoula Symphony Chorale, and the Mendelssohn Club. Pete and Gingy loved traveling and visited all seven continents. He is survived by his beloved wife of sixty years, three sons, and six grandchildren. John R. Hipple July 1, 2021 John was born in Trenton NJ. Growing up, John’s parents purposefully chose to summer in rustic Mud City NJ, so their four boys would ‘rough it,’ sleeping on the front porch of a small cabin. These endless, simple summer days sparked John’s lifelong love of the ocean, and he later spent wonderful summers with his wife Susan and their family at their Barnegat Bay home. John earned his bachelor’s degree in business from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He served in the Army Reserves and was honorably discharged as a Second Lieutenant Artillery. During his decades as a prominent banker, John helped many families fulfill their dream of homeownership. During his career, he was President of Mercer Savings and Vice President of United Savings and Loan. He owned Princeton Mortgage and worked for Prudential Mortgage. In his retirement, he joined his son Johnny as a barkeep to help his mother-in-law keep the family-owned Ernie’s Tavern humming along. Susan was far-andaway the love of his life, and he patiently waited more than a decade for the chance to make her his wife. The defining role of John’s life was father. John would do anything to spend time with his children, nieces and nephews. John was at his happiest sitting on his sailboat on the Barnegat Bay. His many dogs also
brought him great joy. In John’s final weeks, his children never left his side, caring for him day and night as he cared for them his whole life. John is survived by his wife of forty-three years, two children, a grandson, two brothers, and many cherished family members and numerous great nieces and nephews.
1958 Bonnie Dinsmore Kerrick December 28, 2021 David (Dave) L. Elwell December 3, 2021 David was born in October 1940, to Marion Wright Elwell ’32 and Marvin Elwell in Newton NJ. His father died during World War II when David was very young. His grandmother Eleanor “Gram” Nichols Wright helped raise him and his sister Abbie Elwell Brown ’61. Her Quaker faith shaped his world view including the importance of quiet reflection, social justice, and holding to one’s beliefs. David was in an accident at the age of seven and lost his right leg below the knee. Despite his challenges, David lived an active life. He wrestled, was a lacrosse goalie, hitchhiked across the US, led a canoe expedition, and refereed children’s soccer. At George School, David excelled in arts and science and he earned a BS cum laude from Amherst College and a doctorate in physics from Duke University. David met Judith Diane Holbrook at Duke and they married in 1965. He taught physics for nine years at The College of Wooster, and at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, exploring alternate energy sources including solar ponds. He excelled at chess and Go and enjoyed jigsaw puzzles. David loved drawing, literature, and music. He was passionate about helping others understand that faith and science are not in conflict. David and Judy are long-time members of Northview Alliance Church. David was a dedicated American Red Cross blood donor, sponsored many children through World Vision, and supported the United Negro College Fund.
IN MEMORIAM
David is survived by his wife, three daughters, three grandchildren, his sister Abbie Elwell Brown ’61 and her family. He will be missed by too many friends to list.
1959 Bet t y Jean (B.J.)Wiswesser Wagner November 12, 2021 B.J. was born in West Chester PA. She received her BA from Dickinson College in 1964 and spent her entire career as a real estate broker. After college, she was a rental broker in Manhattan NY. In the late 60s, she joined her mother’s real estate firm and ultimately owned Wiswesser and Wagner Real Estate in Reading PA. She was active in Reading’s historic building preservation community, serving on several municipal and professional boards as well as commissions over her career. B.J. was a lifelong member of Birmingham Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. She enjoyed traveling, sailing, skiing, Cape May, reading, and her animals. Her favorite hobbies were voraciously reading and saving/ rescuing animals/pets. She published a novel, Gentleman From Berlin under her pseudonym B.J. Bauers. She is survived by her brother, his wife, and their four children, one grandniece, and three grandnephews—plus many dear cousins and friends. Ann Heess Lee January 1, 2022 Christie Johnson Lucero December 16, 2021 After graduating from George School, Christie enrolled at Pembroke College. She was an artist for much of her life, then her love of books took over and she became an online antiquarian bookseller at catrongrantbooks. com. Her business card reads: “Old and Rare books on India, China, Tibet, Mongolia, and World War II Southeast Asia.” She lived in Rio Rancho NM. She is survived by her husband, sister, and brother.
Elizabeth ( Jill) Stokes Halbert March 16, 2021 Jill attended Miss Fine’s School in Princeton NJ. She decided on a career in nursing and received her RN certification from Mercer Hospital School of Nursing in Trenton NJ in 1962. In 1960, she met and fell in love with Peter Halbert, a recent Columbia University engineering graduate. They were married in 1962 and had two children. Jill was devoted to her family above all, as a loving partner to her husband and a caring teacher, anchor, nurse, and supporter to her children as they grew up. Beyond family, Jill had the ability to sense when people needed help. She had a heartwarming smile and touched the lives of many. Jill enjoyed playing tennis, architectural design, caring for animals, and being an activist for women’s rights. She loved to cook and excelled at baking. She had a passion for travel and made numerous trips abroad. In later life, her biggest passion was quilting. As a perfectionist with an eye for color and spatial relations, she produced many highly regarded quilts for friends and family and exhibited some of these at quilt shows. She was a member of the McLean QU and served a term as its president. She made many friends there and felt their warmth and support as she dealt with her illness. Jill lived in the Princeton NJ area for many years, followed by shorter stays in Lake Forest IL, and New Canaan CT, settling finally in Great Falls VA, where she resided for the last thirty years. Jill is survived by her husband Peter Halbert, son Douglas S Halbert ’84, daughter Amanda Halbert Jackson ’86, four grandchildren, and two sisters. Patricia Hollander Gross January 3, 2021 A resident of Framingham MA, Patricia was a photographer, poet, editor, and, as a maker of rosaries, owner of Arlington Beadworks. Patricia and her husband Louis were active in movements for social justice as
founding members of the Arlington Civil Rights Committee and many other affiliations. Patricia graduated from Harvard College in 1963, where she began her career in photography as staff photographer of The Harvard Crimson. Her photographs recorded a social history of greater Boston and beyond in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. In 2000, she earned an MA in Theology at Boston College. Her research included compiling an annotated bibliography of books about the Holocaust, which she donated to the Boston College Library. A devout Catholic, Patricia attended the Church of St. Ignatius in Chestnut Hill and retreats at the Eastern Point Retreat House in Gloucester MA. Patricia also maintained a loving commitment to her husband Lou’s Jewish communities of Temple Emanuel in Lowell MA and Havurat Shalom in Somerville MA. Patricia was the beloved wife of the late Louis N. Gross, daughter of the late Carl F. Hollander ’30 and Elizabeth Lea Hollander ’34 and sister of Charles F. Hollander ’60. Marcia Ellen Tomlinson Via April 9, 2021 Marcia was raised in Bucks County PA. She graduated from Grove City College and moved to Glen Burnie MD to teach. While teaching at Corcoran Junior High she met the love of her life, Warren, and they married in July 1968. Marcia moved to Roanoke VA with her growing family in 1977, where she became a member of Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church and active in the Women’s Circle. At the age of 41, she went back to school and launched a career in nursing at Roanoke Memorial Hospital where she worked the night shift in the ER for over twenty years. She had valiantly battled Parkinson’s for several years and passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family. Marcia is survived by her husband, their three children, seven grandchildren, and her brother Harry R. Tomlinson ’58 and his family.
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1960 Arthur (Art) S. Wood July 14, 2021 Art was the only child of Virginia Marie Spangler and Reginald Devolson Wood ’28. A graduate of Haverford College, he built careers in research and advocacy, university administration, and public policy consulting. Art was a complex man: intensely private while indiscriminately public and vocal; a medieval scholar and a farmer, reveling in the forty-six years on the land in Tyendinaga Township; former chair of the AIDS Committee of Toronto, board member of numerous charities and political associations; a teller of stories; a lover of dogs; and the loquacious host of hundreds of dinner parties at his beloved home in The Beach. The last few years were not easy, or kind, and he did not meet them gently, but his passing was gentle in the night. He is survived by his spouse of thirty-three years, the Reverend Alan Hall, cousins in the US, and Alan’s family in Canada and Australia. On behalf of Arthur, Alan wants to express gratitude for the exemplary care of his PSW, Miguel, these last two and a half years. The family could not have navigated these times without him. Philip (Phil) H. But terer July 5, 2021 Phil was born in Trenton NJ. He attended the Citadel, leaving after one year to enlist in the US Navy. He became a plank owner on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk and was honorably discharged from active duty in 1963 and reserve duty in 1967. Phil attended Bryant College earning a BA in marketing in 1965 and later in life a MA in Adult Education from Elmira College. While working at GM in Syracuse NY and living in Skaneateles, fate, via a car running out of gas, introduced Phil to Barbara Lynch. He was smitten and shortly after they met, he asked Barbie to be the mother of his children. They were married in 1968 and went on to raise two sons and twin daughters in their beloved village of Interlaken NY.
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Anyone that knew Phil loved him for his positive attitude and subtle charm. Good times for Phil meant simply sitting down with friends and family. A good meal, good wine, good conversation, legendary family stories, and of course, lots of love and laughter. As his family grew, Phil cherished every chance he had to be with or Facetime with his grandchildren. He was an avid foodie and worked in and managed many kitchens. He also taught several culinary arts classes at numerous colleges, eventually finding his way to a career at Wegmans in Ithaca where he found great joy and local fame as a demo chef, aka “Phil the food guy.” He also dedicated many years to the Boy Scouts as a scoutmaster for Troop 2178. He also enjoyed reading and watching the news and looked forward to devouring five newspapers every Sunday. Phil is survived by his wife of fifty-two years, his four children, four grandchildren, and his sister and her family.
1962 James ( Jay) S. Waddington November 21, 2021 Jay was born in Philadelphia PA and grew up in Alloway NJ. He completed his undergraduate degree in Divisional Social Science at Michigan State University in 1968. While there he met and married Deborah (Debby) D. Holden. Jay moved his family to Savannah GA in 1974 to work with Goodwill Industries as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for over fifteen years. He then worked for a variety of insurance companies, and was highly sought after as a skilled professional in the vocational rehab field. He later worked for the Georgia Department of Labor and retired in 2014. He continued to work as an expert witness in Social Security disability claims cases. Jay was a life-long tennis and golf enthusiast. He also enjoyed coaching young men, including his son, in baseball and soccer. Jay and Debby’s living and dining rooms were often filled with their children’s friends and were lively symposiums of conversation,
debate, advice, storytelling, and most of all, laughter. Jay also enjoyed fishing, reading, gardening, listening to music, watching movies, and socializing. He was a regular attendee and founding member of “Happy Hour Thursdays” at Spanky’s Southside. Jay was also an unapologetic animal lover, hosting a variety of animals in his home over the years. He is personally responsible for creating a cult of fans of Jesco White, aka “The Dancing Outlaw.” Jay was an Atlanta Braves fan and their World Series win in 2021 brought him much joy in the final weeks of his life. Jay is survived by his wife, his brother, his daughter and son-in-law, his son, three grandchildren, and numerous nephews, nieces and other extended family.
1966 Erica Moor Brinton January 27, 2022 Erica was born into the Newtown PA Friends Meeting in 1948, the last of four children. She attended George School where her father taught. She earned a BS in nursing at Russell Sage College in Troy NY. Erica’s ties to Vermont had been established early: her parents owned an old mountainside farmhouse near Ludlow. As an adult Erica returned there often for rest and reminiscence with her parents. Erica’s longest-term employer was the Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in Hanover NH. She bought a house in nearby Norwich VT, where she lived for the rest of her life. She was a long-term member of the Hanover Friends Meeting. At work, she gravitated to the orthopedic department. When the hospital became the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, Erica moved with it. She retired from DHMC after 2010 but continued some part-time jobs. Around home, Erica would bring her apple cider press to an apple harvest. She baked her own bread and would grind her own flour for that purpose. She was an enthusiastic member of a Morris Dance group and learned African songs when in South Africa. Erica’s interest in travel took her to South
IN MEMORIAM
Africa, Peru, Cuba, Prague, and the British Isles. Long-term health problems were present throughout Erica’s life, and they intensified in her last year. Even after hospitalization, an exact diagnosis was elusive. She is survived by her three siblings —Keith Brinton ’60, Anne Hetherington Brinton ’64, and Daniel Fisher Brinton ’65. Edward (Ned) H. Worth III October 11, 2021 A devoted husband, father, and brother, Ned had a unique quality of making both stranger and friend feel valuable. From a long line of Quakers, Ned saw the Divine in all with kindness, compassion, gentleness, and love. He was an avid reader, from mysticism to capitalism. Ned traveled extensively, either alone or with family and friends, by motorcycle or sailboat. Hawaii, Alaska, Maine, and the Appalachian Trail were destinations. Settling down in Baltimore MD with Susie Higgins, two children, Lia and Sam followed. Ned was a devoted member of Homewood Friends.
1967 Louis Wyat t Gunn Barton August 30, 2021 Louis was a lifelong student with prodigious academic successes. He was a top student and class president at George School, and he graduated magna cum laude from Yale University. He studied for his master’s degrees at Harvard and MIT and earned a doctoral degree in software engineering from Oxford University in England. During his Oxford years, he suffered from ill health and did most of his studying at his home in Ocie MO. Oxford made an extraordinary decision to f ly three faculty members to St. Louis to enable his successful defense of his thesis, Theory of Semantic Data Representations for Non-Determinant Symbol Systems. In addition to academic successes, Louis was a successful sailboat racer, musician,
and artist. He assembled his small house mainly from logs rescued from a historic cabin. He built outbuildings and created paths and a pond. His primary car was a beautifully restored 1992 Dodge Spirit and he was well along on converting a 1959 Chevrolet Apache pickup truck into a camper. Louis taught briefly at several universities, did research and consulting, and wrote a great deal, including letters to his local newspaper, the Ozark Times. His last major writing was a book entitled Heirs and Heirlooms of the White House which he submitted in 2021 for consideration by the Library of Congress. He is survived by four brothers, including William (Bill) G. Barton ’65, his daughter, and her two children.
1974 Paul D. Hammer June 27, 2021 Paul wanted kids to ride bikes safely. He wanted immigrants to find a welcoming new home in New Haven CT. He wanted community theater to thrive. He wanted to see an end to violence in wars abroad and violence in the street wars at home. He wanted to help people stay out of prison. He dedicated his life to working with others to help make that happen and found daily joy in doing so. Back in 1980, Paul was riding his bike around town and promoting bike safety and access. He was a League of American Bicyclists instructor, served as the president of the Connecticut Bicycle Coalition, and volunteered with the Bradley Street Bicycle Co-op. Last April he helped the Friends of Kensington Playground with a bicycle event for kids and connected organizers with a donor to get all the kids free bikes. Then he conducted bike safety training for the kids at the event. Paul wanted people to know he struggled with mental illness so that others in similar straits could find support and help. He was a strong advocate for mental health services and for people with mental illness. Paul was an active member of New
Haven Friends Meeting and was an energetic spokesman for peace and social justice. Paul endeared himself to all his friends with his warmth, openness, energy, and enthusiasm; with his love of music, politics, community, all wrapped in a smile.
1975 Ana Shepard Atkinson January 18, 2022 Ana was born in August 1957, the third of six children. She grew up as a free-spirited young woman who attended Newtown Friends School and George School where she discovered her passion for writing fiction, poetry, and recording reflections in her diary. During those years, she played intramural field hockey and enjoyed horseback riding. At Penn State she joined the Nu chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, the Lampette/Omega Essence auxiliary at the Epsilon Gamma chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. She also served as the first female field reporter for the Penn State Nittany football team. Ana attended Temple University where she received her BA in journalism. Ana worked briefly in advertising in New York City, at Great West Life, and as a croupier at the Playboy Casino in Atlantic City NJ. She was a great cook who enjoyed science fiction, floral arranging, gardening, and collecting elephant memorabilia, the mascot of her beloved sorority. The apple in her eyes, the beat in her heart, were her twins, Michael and Michelle. Ana attended Mercer County Community College in West Windsor NJ and received her degree in nursing and became a registered nurse. From there, she switched careers and sustained a nearly thirty-year career working in the pharmaceutical industry. Ana married Harland Eugene Atkinson in 1994. This union blessed her with two stepchildren. Ana and Harland spent their free time showing dogs. She was active in the American Kennel Club, and a co-founder of the Blue Note Cockers—a family-owned kennel. She also volunteered at the local animal shelter. Ana is survived by her
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husband, two children, two stepchildren, five siblings, three nieces, her great nephew and great niece, a host of step-grandchildren, nieces of love, and a host of friends. Thomas J. O’Connell October 31, 2021 Thomas was born in Levittown PA and graduated from Drexel University. Thomas worked at Comcast for the last seventeen years, serving as a supervisor in the customer service department prior to his passing. Thomas was an avid Philadelphia sports fan, Wilmington Blue Rocks fan, and a saxophone player. He could be found watching movies or working on various technology projects. He was also an avid golfer, tennis player, and skier. He is survived by his son, sister, nieces, stepson, aunts, brother, and many cousins.
1977 Michael J. Blaustein March 1, 2021 Michael was a master pianist, who attended Berkeley College of Music and George Washington University. He was an avid reader, an intellect, loved going to RWJ Gym, but most of all, a generous, kind, appreciative person. Michael is survived by his eight first cousins, and many lifelong friends.
1985 Jennifer A. Muth September 1, 2021 Jennifer was born in Washington DC and graduated from American University. She had a creative, free, and loving spirit, and in her early life traveled widely as an avid follower of the Grateful Dead. Following their marriage, she and her husband Yoni Goldstein backpacked throughout the South Pacific, Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the United Kingdom. They resided for a time in Valencia, Spain, and Maui HI, where Jennifer’s ashes will be scattered on the beach that she had planned to return to in retirement. In recent years, Jennifer and Yoni resided in New Orleans LA among a host of friends and were
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joyously immersed in Mardi Gras and the unique culture of the city. Jennifer had the eye of an artist, and her creative skills were manifest in many ways. She excelled in photography, created a number of books documenting her travels, designed and made imaginative Mardi Gras costumes, and so much more. In addition to her husband and father, Jennifer is survived by an extended family including her brother Christopher (Chris) J. Muth ’82, and his niece Kimberly Muth ’15.
1998 Jesse Augusta Chamberlin June 5, 2021 Jesse grew up in North Abington Township PA and attended Our Lady of Peace. She graduated summa cum laude from Savannah College of Art and Design. She moved to Atlanta, where she started her own international wedding photography company, Our Labor of Love, then became a founder of Smilebooth, a photo booth rental company. For the last five years, she and her husband Jimmy worked in advertising as a directing and photography duo, The Marbles, in Los Angeles. Over the last twenty months Jesse bravely battled lymphoma and Jimmy kept their family and friends updated on their difficult journey by posting on Caring Bridge. On one occasion he wrote, “My wife is a force of nature. If you want my opinion, these are the facts: When someone says something is vibrant, they’re comparing it to her as she is the root of the word. She can endure hardship in a manner that makes the Old Testament blush. Her genius is matched by her emotional intelligence, which is rivaled by her love for life, which is rivaled by an insatiable desire to goof off, or get deep. She laughs in her sleep. She could take a better photo with her eyes closed than most will ever take in their life.” Jesse is survived by her husband and her three children, her parents, sister, and stepmother.
Former Staff Vicko James Melada June 23, 2021 Born in Chester PA, Vicko began his career with a BA in business from Drexel University followed by a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania. He belonged to Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. Vicko served in the US Marine Corps for four years during peacetime in Afghanistan and Jerusalem. He later worked for the foreign services stationed in Geneva, Switzerland. Vicko spent the majority of his career working in prestigious private schools across the country performing the role of business manager. These schools included George School, the Dalton School in New York NY, the Peddie School in Hightstown NJ, La Jolla Country Day School in La Jolla CA, and The Westridge School in Pasadena CA. Once retired, Vicko returned to New Jersey. He had an incredible memory and could easily recall the actors and plot lines of many movies, a genre he loved. He had a passion for automobiles and enjoyed trading them. Owning more than seventy cars during his life, his most prized was an English Ford which he brought home from Europe. Vicko is survived by his partner in life of nineteen years Ann Ullrich, his sister, his brother and his brother’s wife, and many nieces and nephews.
Notification of deaths was recorded as of February 22, 2022. We edit and publish information provided by families of deceased alumni, faculty, staff, and trustees. Notes submitted for publication might be edited due to space limitations and Georgian style guidelines.
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Homecoming
FRIDAY–SATURDAY, MARCH 10-11, 2023 Spring Dance Ensemble
FRIDAY–SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4-5, 2022
FRIDAY-SATURDAY, APRIL 28-29, 2023
Fall Theater Performance
Spring Theater Performance
FRIDAY–SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10-11, 2023
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GEORGIAN
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SP RI N G / S U MME R 2 0 22 | VOL. 9 2 | NO. 02
GEORGIAN EDITOR Susan Quinn georgian@georgeschool.org 215.579.6567
GEORGIAN CONTRIBUTORS Meredith Baldi ’01
Andrea Lehman
Kim Colando ’83
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Christine Davidyock
© 2022 George School
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Note: If you have received multiple copies of this issue at your address, please contact us with updated address information at advancement@georgeschool.org or at 215.579.6570.
PHOTOS: Back Cover: Director of Music Dave Nolan introduces an audio lab and a university-level audio recording class that gives students experience in that growing industry as part of the Signature Academic Program. Inside Back Cover: Alumni Weekend 2022 was back on campus this May. Enjoy photos from the event on the inside back cover and the story with more photos on pages 22-23.
