class at the Naples Beach Club. Hope you will be there!
1966
✒ Betsy Burns Griffin, 38 Pine Lane,
Framingham, MA 01701, 508-877-8826, betsygriffin@verizon.net ¶ Happy
42392txt26-51.indd 37
1967
✒ Carolyn Sammartino Moran, P.O.
Box 43, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557, 508-6960931, 617-921-5759, cmoran6@comcast. net ¶ Condolences of the class to Frances X. Hogan on the death of her
brother, Dr. Joseph C. Hogan Jr., on May 22. His children include Regis ’94 grads and twins Rebecca Hogan Weiler and Rachel Hogan. As so often occurs in our journeys, Fran experienced this sadness just days after a very happy
event. She was the commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient at Assumption College in Worcester on May 17. President Francesco C. Cesareo, PhD presented a Doctorate of Laws and Letters to Fran for her work as a humanitarian. He said that she embodies the values of a Catholic liberal arts education, intertwining her personal and professional lives. He stated: “Frances understands that the aim of education is to form virtuous citizens who will become advocates for the common good. Not only has she demonstrated this in her efforts to create affordable housing, but also in her work as a tireless voice in the promotion and protection of human life and the underserved.” She encouraged the graduates to make a difference by becoming involved in the world they are entering. Her words reflect what so many of you have done in your own lives since our graduation almost 50 years ago. ¶ The Honorable Marianne B. Bowler, US District Court Magistrate Judge, was reappointed to her present position. Congratulations, Mimi! ¶ Rosemarie Melloni Dittmer and Myron celebrated the marriage of their son, Thomas, to Lindsay Nogash in Oct. 2013. ¶ Ellen Collier Szecsy has lived in TX for 33 years and loves it, especially its Spurs champions. She taught math in middle school and then was promoted to be the school district’s math coordinator for elementary, middle, and high schools. Upon retirement, she worked for Exemplars Co., out of VT, traveling the country as a professional development consultant. She and Richard have 3 children: Katie and hubby in Seattle, Richard and family in Dallas, and Sandi and family in San Antonio. Twin grandsons are 11, and granddaughter Sydney is 17. Sydney is looking forward to entering the Naval Academy after graduation. Ellen continues to volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Quilting for Kids, and knitting for the local preemie unit. ¶ Susan Lang Abbott is in a new position with the Archdiocese of Boston, Coordinator of Parish Outreach. You may read her column in The Pilot. Son John, his wife, and sons Joseph and Michael visited from Hollywood, CA, joining Susan’s 3 daughters and 6 other grandchildren for family fun. Susan recently met Peggy Friel Sittig at a summer gathering in West Roxbury, where they both live. ¶ Peggy was remembered by S. Rosenda Gill, retired French teacher, when Fran Hogan saw her at Bethany, Framingham during a visit with 50th Reunion classmates from Mt. St. Joseph Academy. Sister Rosenda spoke to Fran in French, perhaps not remembering that Fran had studied German! ¶ Frances Waht Lewis and Scott sold their Essex Junction, VT, home and
37 FALL 2014
holidays. I write this months ahead, and picture halls being decked. If this column is published in time, Joanna Rapp Holden invites all to a luncheon Dec. 2 at 106 Ford Road, Woodbridge, CT. Call 203-397-8097 for details. ¶ Ann Bernson (in Honolulu) had double hip replacements last spring and recovered so well with some help from Mary McAuliffe that they got together with Nancy Greene Barry and Susan Hennessey Kobayashi at Susan’s home near Kona on “the Big Island.” Nancy is consulting on fundraising for two non-profits in Honolulu part time. Andrea Owens Shagory retired from teaching last May and is living in Framingham, MA, and “loving the freedom.” ¶ I visited Libby Chamberlain Houlihan and husband George in Bluffton, SC, in April. You won’t be surprised to hear Libby is organizing discussion groups in her new neighborhood. Joanna Holden also visited the Houlihans in June. ¶ Eileen McCann Wickam visited Ireland last summer. ¶ In July, I sailed the Rhine River from Basel to Amsterdam, great trip aside from the killer cobblestones. ¶ Eileen Gaquin Kelly welcomed granddaughter Ruby Grace, born in Austin, TX. ¶ In attendance at the Regis Cape Cod luncheon at the Coonamessett Inn in Aug. were Eileen Kelly, Nancy Mytkowicz Sullivan, Marcia Mawhinney Timilty, Lida McMahon Harkins, Mary Jo Mead Zaccardi, and Mary Lou Scanlon. ¶ Also in Aug., our annual class of ‘66 Cape pot luck lunch, held this year at Connie Alexander Giorgio’s home in Harwich, included Mary Lou Collins, Joan O’Leary Foley, Sherrin O’Brien Langler, Sister Ann Christine (‘66 Framingham Campus), Elaine Falcione Wallace, Susan Clark Cronin, Eileen Kelly, Andrea Shagory, Eleanor McCarthy Bouvier, Beth Healey Kossuth, Jane Cronin Tedder, Jill Gilooly Reich, Mary McAuliffe, Kathy Bailey, Joanna Holden, Nancy Barry, and me. ¶ Beth traveled to Italy with friends this fall. ¶ Connie Giorgio went to Bahrain this fall to visit her daughter and family. ¶ Susan Cronin travels to Abu Dhabi this winter to see her daughter and family, there for three years. ¶ Regis has produced an archive video about the Lay Apostolate available on YouTube, a must-see for all former Lay Apostles. Just type “Regis College Lay Apostolate” into the YouTube subject line. ¶ Next, public service announcements: Connie Giorgio is a founding member of
Grandmothers Against Gun Violence, organized by fellow Cape-Codder Linda Alhart after the Sandy Hook tragedy on 12/14/2012. These women, whose motto is “Common sense, common ground,” gather at the Hyannis rotary on the 14th of every month holding placards that say, “We Support the 2nd Amendment, but We Do Not Support Gun Violence.” The organization, now national, has spread to Kansas City and Phoenix. ¶ Over the past 9 months I’ve become part of a coalition of volunteers helping homeless families living in an older motel in my area. Churches and service organizations donate goods not available with food stamps, and volunteers tutor ESL, distribute donated seasonal clothing, provide rides to appointments, laundromats, supermarkets, food pantries for 60 families in “emergency shelter,” all with young children, some there over a year. The crisis in homelessness among young families is widespread; if you are looking for challenging work with great rewards, ask around. ¶ As we all turn 70 in 2014, here is some birthday news from classmates: Joan Foley was taken to Las Vegas by her daughter and a friend; Connie Giorgio had her eyebrows tattooed (!) and received a kayak from her children; Susan Cronin was surprised with a party by her husband; Kathy Bailey’s 70th birthday party was attended by 70 women, all of whom contributed to the library account of the Goodyear Elementary School where Kathy volunteers; Mary McAuliffe was in Buenos Aires for her celebration; Elaine Wallace’s whole family was together in FL for her birthday. Did you celebrate your threescore-and-ten in a special way? Let me know for the next column! As you may know, Donna Page Sytek received an honorary doctorate from Regis at Commencement in May, where she was the featured speaker. As we sat on Connie’s deck in Aug., trying to recall our own commencement (hot and humid, delayed by a thunderstorm, no flip-flops allowed, and Carl Rowan of the U.N. was the speaker), Eleanor Bouvier referred to the process as “the patchwork quilt of old age.” Memories come in bits and pieces, but the quilt is still lovely.
notes
Flag Indicates Reunion Year
10/23/14 7:19 PM