www.andover.edu/intouch retired here from Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. Our children and grandchildren think of it as a big swimming pool (with 600 miles of irregular shoreline). You can even spot the lake on a highway map. Look for Cookeville on I-40, about halfway between Nashville and Knoxville. Then move north to the Kentucky line. This is a hilly area called the Highland Rim, a shoulder of the Cumberland Plateau. “We relocated here in 2004. For the first three years, I taught a chemical engineering design course at the local university. It was basically a review of what I had done for the previous 40 years. It was exciting to see the upcoming talent, but a class schedule does limit travel, so I ‘retired’ again. Just visiting the kids (California, Nebraska, and Kentucky) means significant travel, but we also try to throw in other sightseeing excursions. The past four years we have rediscovered Chautauqua, N.Y., and have spent a week there each year. This year we also searched for family roots in the Dakotas, where my grandfather served three small Norwegian Lutheran churches more than 100 years ago. We actually found two still standing, though not currently active. “In my ‘spare’ time, I read theology books, support the local theatre, and try to find bridge games. I am vice chair of the local Democratic Party, working for a little purple in an otherwise red state. Our house has five bedrooms, so visitors can almost always be accommodated.” Tom Brown, in retirement in Indiana, is enjoying his six sons, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Peter Carroll spent 20 years as a naval aviator and was involved in the U.S.’s last-minute evacuation from Vietnam; like Tony Lopez, who served in the Air Force, Peter flew more than 300 missions in that country. After the military, Peter started a venture capital firm in the Middle East. He has a son who is a teacher married to a CPA and another who is in IT. Leo Daley continues to work as a securities broker for Wells Fargo. If I’m reading my notes right, he has one son and three grandchildren. Pete Duvoisin continues to live in Tennessee, having retired from a career in cardiology, in the course of which he was an early practitioner of angioplasty. For recreation, he continues to sail and, if it lasts long enough, he is hoping to get to the America’s Cup in San Francisco Bay, where he himself has sailed. Tom Edson is living in San Antonio, where, following careers in real estate, teaching, and securities, he is involved in various charitable activities. He and his wife, Catherine, are collectors of Asian art and have enjoyed travel to Japan and Europe. Eliot Goss, after a career in architecture, continues painting full time and skiing. He has three sons and five grandchildren.
1954 60th REUNION June 13–15, 2014
ABBOT
Nancy Donnelly Bliss 31 Cluf Bay Road Brunswick ME 04011-9349 207-725-0951
Judy Prior Blair and I keep in touch, and it was especially good to hear her cheery, uplifting message on my answering machine just as I was about to write these notes. Judy is well and is lobbying for me to come to Florida for a visit this winter. Griermoen Catledge has continued to keep in touch and appreciates hearing about her classmates. Suzanne Kent Evans writes periodically that she is doing well in California, where she continues to write for the Carmel Valley News, although she has “fewer assignments due to the shrinking of newspapers lately.” Suzanne’s husband, David, continues to play tennis, and they enjoy time spent near Palm Springs, Calif., during tennis tournaments. Betsy Hilgenberg Heminway and I enjoyed a wonderful time together in early September. We had a picnic in the park in Bath, Maine, along the Kennebec River and had a grand time catching up and recalling our days at Abbot. We both loved our time at Abbot and agreed that we received a fine education. Betsy reflected that she felt free at Abbot and that the atmosphere among students and faculty was one of acceptance. She loved her long walks with apples in her pockets for a snack. Betsy is well and enjoyed time abroad with family and friends, including the celebration of the wedding of her grandson, Ben. Lucy Lippard sends her best to everyone. She continues to lead an active, full life, including meeting deadlines for her writing projects. Lucy and I connect on Kennebec Point in Georgetown, Maine, where she has spent her summers, as has my husband, Howard. Howard and Lucy reminisced this summer about the times when Edie Williamson Kean came to visit Lucy and they all went sailing. Lucy continues to enjoy sailing and is out in her boat as often as the tide and weather permit. Panna de Cholnoky Grady sends wonderful notes and enjoys hearing the class news. She keeps in touch with Valjeanne Brodeur-Paxton, and they see each other occasionally. I have spoken to Patti Skillin Pelton, who has moved to Easthampton, Mass., to be nearer her family. She is happy to be back in New England and hopes to attend more class gatherings, including our 60th Reunion. Peggy Moore Roll has shown the spirit of non sibi by participating in a church project to make small cloth bags to be sent to Haiti with a team of doctors and other volunteers. Peggy and her group completed 100 bags made from fabric donated to the church, as well as from extra fabric from Peggy. The bags are used by patients to carry home the
medications and dental supplies that are prescribed and given to them. Doris Niemand Ruedin’s grandson, Daniel Snyder, attended Summer Session at Phillips Academy this past summer. Doris said that Daniel had a wonderful time, worked hard, and enjoyed the experience. Doris traveled with her daughter, Nancy, to Andover and enjoyed being there and showing her family around the Abbot campus. Doris and I speak frequently by phone, and I am reminded often of our friendship by a beautiful quilt Doris made for me: wonderful Abbot-blue fabric and perfect for snuggling up with on chilly winter days here in Maine. June 13–15, 2014, is the weekend for our 60th Reunion. I believe that it is fitting and worth noting that even before the increased discussion of gender issues brought about by the 40th anniversary of the merger of Abbot Academy and Phillips Academy, the group of classmates attending our May 2013 gathering decided to support the Brace Center for Gender Studies in honor of our 60th Reunion. We are excited about working with the Brace Center, as it lets young women at Andover know that women who graduated 60 years ago are with them, supporting them and encouraging them. It is, as Francie Nolde wrote, “a good message for the whole school.” Looking forward to seeing you in Andover in June. Love, Nancy
PHILLIPS W. Parker Seeley Jr., Esq. Seeley and Berglass 855 Main St., 5th Floor Bridgeport CT 06604 203-366-3939 ext. 483 wps@seeleyberglass.com
Hugh MacMillan has kindly agreed to lead the organizing for our 60th Reunion, to be held at Andover June 13–15, 2014. Please mark your calendars. He writes, “Andover will take care of most of the scheduling and dining details. We will choose the motel nearby that will be large enough to house us all. “Our principal organizing task will be to encourage as much attendance as possible. At our age, the main interest seems to be reconnecting with our classmates. For that, we would like help from as many of you as are inclined. “We hope to do most via e-mail. Please send your e-mail address to machugh@gmail.com. We will soon provide (using e-mail to those who have e-mail) a list of classmates who are ‘lost’ to the school and us. If anyone knows their whereabouts, please let us know.” Hugh is assembling a group to help lead the organizing effort, and he will circulate the list soon. While there is a paucity of “class news” for this issue of Andover magazine (probably in part because I have not fulfilled my duties to elicit such news—will try harder next issue), the editors of Andover | Winter 2014
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