CL ASS NOTES
“Over a year ago we moved to Westminster Palms after living in our house for 44 years. It’s a great location, with beautiful views; we can walk to downtown St. Petersburg and enjoy an extensive park.” They have two college-age grandkids and the two young ones who live in Los Angeles (ages 2 and 5). Jane is on the board of the Florida Orchestra, where Sting just performed at their annual gala. • Linda Knight Shane and her husband, Orrin, still live in Portland, Maine. They celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in August. They traveled last May to Minneapolis for their grandson’s high-school graduation band concert and went to California to visit their son near San Francisco and Linda’s sister in San Diego. • Ginny Lane Thompson works part time in a K–12 public school library. “What’s not to love about being around and connecting children with books?” said Ginny. The Thompsons live in Branson, Colo. Their daughter, Kari, is the head of the post office in town, and their son-in-law, Jeff, is the lead math teacher at the high-school level. Ginny’s husband, Emery, underwent cardiac bypass surgery in December 2016 and is alive to tell the tale! • Emily Smith FitzRandolph pursues her interests in social justice issues, both one on one and in groups of likeminded women. “Quincetta, my therapy dog, helps to ground me and give me purpose in our visits,” wrote Emily. “She was my travel companion on my first solo road trip since I moved to Colorado. This was a major accomplishment for me. Our destination was Las Cruces, N.M., to visit a relocated friend. We explored White Sands National Monument and pistachio orchards! Spending time with my children was precious; Peter appeared briefly on the train platform in the spring, and Pamela and I had one of our best visits ever, sharing time at a mountain dude ranch.” • Our honorary classmate, Jim Kondras, sent a note: “Thank you for including me in the invitation for comments and/or news for the next issue of NMH Magazine. I’d like to thank the entire class of 1959 for your prayers and support since Barbara died. Calls, notes, cards, and emails were appreciated more than you could ever imagine … Until I needed your care and support, I didn’t appreciate how close the class was. Special thanks go to Peter Welsh and his postings online, which kept me laughing when I wanted to cry. Let me take this opportunity to urge everyone who is able to attend our 60th reunion in June 2019. I’m planning to attend so I can thank all of you in person.” • Signal Mountain, Tenn., has been home for Valerie
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NMH Magazine
Anne Roeser Bloemen ’59 and her husband, Antoine, enjoyed time with their grandson, Sankara, in Perth, Australia.
Parsons Gibson these many years. Her life revolves around teaching studio art at the Mountain Arts Community Center while sharpening her painting skills that began when coerced by Northfield roommate, Phoebe Archer, to be her art editor for the NSFG literary magazine. Valerie is also studying to become a licensed lay preacher in the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee. She continues to teach in the English class for refugees that she started with her husband, and she’s proud of their graduates who have gone on to become U.S. citizens. “I cherish my memories of Northfield and love to read news of our classmates,” wrote Valerie. • Nancy Goode Treadwell underwent successful cervical fusion surgery of four vertebrae. She has every intention of being back on the golf course this summer. A proud grandmother, her five grandchildren are all in college or graduate school. Nancy had a wonderful trip through the West, visiting Mount Rushmore, Little Big Horn battlefield, Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, and the Grand Canyon. And a labradoodle puppy is now in Nancy’s life! • Jaquey Phelps Schmid retired from her 24-year soloist position at the Christian Science Church on Hilton Head. For her final solo during Christmas service, she sang Northfield’s version of “Sing We Noel.” “I’m enjoying life in general and think Northfield was the best educational experience I ever received,” remarked Jaquey. • I (Nancy Bissell Goldcamp) also had to give up serious singing, owing to the dryness of the high desert climate and taking medication to help with the after-effects of shingles, which dries me out even more. I can still sing the hymns and responses in church, but that’s about it. I, too, think of NMH as my educational “home,” and I regret that I can’t get to Sacred Concert anymore. I do hope to make it to our next reunion in 2019 and get a hug from Jim Kondras! • From Tom: I enjoy my volunteer work at NMH — I got back to campus three times
this year. My first sit-in on a Board of Trustees meeting was very interesting; I enjoyed hanging out with Ty Bair Fox and Randy Foster. Our class members have always thought of themselves as being movers and shakers. I am thinking we are all a little more shaky now that we are just a little older (I know I am). But aging beats the alternative. • John Warn and wife Shirley went to Finland last July with side trips to Vyborg, Russia, and Tallinn, Estonia. They found the side trips interesting because Vyborg is a city that still looks like 1945, while Tallinn is booming and shows the effects of new capitalism. The Warns also traveled as north as Rovaniemi in Finland, on the Arctic Circle. • Bennie Lee is still in the fuel-cell systems business and happily taking on the double challenges of commercializing a disruptive technology as a for-profit social enterprise. “Knowing either one could make a difference in the world for a billion people keeps me energized,” wrote Bennie. • Bob Hoffman is semi-retired from Harbor Linen (Bed Bath & Beyond) and no longer in sales. He now helps the company obtain projects in the skilled nursing, assisted living, and senior housing space, working with designers and contractors. Bob was elected northeast regional director and national board member for Mended Hearts, the largest cardiac support group in the country, and he represents the organization in Washington, D.C., as an advocate for people with heart disease. He hopes to attend our 60th reunion in 2019. • A national training program for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) brought Peter Crumb back from retirement. Training as a recovery coach, Peter’s role will revive the lost communication from one recovering person to someone seeking recovery — a kind of a paraprofessional cross between clinician and 12-step sponsor. Also interning where he was a clinician, Peter will eventually become licensed and certified to work independently or with an agency. The Crumb family life continues happily, with the addition of their great-grandson, Rocco (3). Peter still lives in Belchertown, Mass., and plans again to host the “Friends of Bill and Lois” meetings at the next reunion. • Ken Boyle visited London, England, where he won the Great Britain National Indoor Rowing Championship for his age category. • Bill Sihler has been living in Arizona for 24 years. “Trouble with staying at the same place for so long is that not only do the occupants start breaking down, but so does the dwelling,” said Bill. “Cracks in the walls, roof leaks, and garage