Saint Mary's School Alumnae Magazine Winter 2021

Academic EXCELLENCE | Personal ACHIEVEMENT | WINTER 2021

A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNAE, PARENTS, AND FRIENDS

Saint Mary’s opens successfully in age of COVID-19

Board of Trustees 2020-2021 Officers Dee Williamson Marley ’77HS,Chair Liza M. Roberts, Vice Chair Carter Warren Franke ’75HS ’77C, Secretary Stephen F. Later, Treasurer

Members At-Large Diane Gupton Becton ’77HS (2023), Raleigh, N.C. Brooks Bell (2021), Raleigh, N.C. Anna Neal Blanchard ’76HS (2021), Raleigh, N.C. Martin W. Borden (2021), Raleigh, N.C. Peter M. Bristow (2023), Raleigh, N.C. April N. Browne ’88HS ’91C (2023), Durham, N.C. Caren Threshie Camp ’71HS (2021), Alexandria, Va. Lucy V. Fountain (2023), Raleigh, N.C. Palmer Peebles Garson ’75HS (2023), Raleigh, N.C. Mary Dana Hinton, Ph.D., ’88HS (2022), Roanoke, Va. Earl Johnson III (2022), Raleigh, N.C. Stephen F. Later (2022), Southern Pines, N.C. Dee Williamson Marley ’77HS (2023), Charlotte, N.C. Janie Swain Molster ’78HS (2021), Richmond, Va. Sally Sabiston Pelletier ’77HS ’79C (2022), Baltimore, Md. Jean M. Redding ’72HS (2023), Atlanta, Ga. Elizabeth M. Roberts (2023), Raleigh N.C. D. Ward Russell (2021), Raleigh, N.C. Charles A. Sanders, M.D. (2021), Durham, N.C. Maura Moylan Sullivan ’87HS (2021), Durham, N.C. Heather Clark Warren ’89HS ’91C (2023), Raleigh, N.C. Julian R. Williamson (2023), Raleigh, N.C.

Parents Association Representative to the Board Holly Hartzog, Parents Association President

Student Representative to the Board Paige Fisher ’21, SGA President

(Date in parentheses indicates expiration of present elective term.)

Mission Statement Saint Mary’s School, a community dedicated to academic excellence and personal achievement, prepares young women for college and life.

WINTER 2021 | VOLUME 106, NUMBER 1

Founded in 1842 in the Episcopal tradition, Saint Mary’s School is an independent, college-preparatory, girls boarding and day school dedicated to academic excellence and personal achievement for grades 9-12.

ON THE COVER

Saint Mary’s School admits girls of any race, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, or sexual orientation to all of the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to our students.

Saint Mary’s opens successfully in age of COVID-19

Saint Mary's School does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national and ethnic origin, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid programs, or athletic and other school programs.

Administration Brendan J. O’Shea, Head of School Tim Healy, Dean of Students Carol Killebrew, Assistant Head of School Leslie Owen, Dean of Teaching and Learning Julie Ricciardi, Director of Development Kim Slade, Director of Admission Sally Woods, Director of Finance

Saint Mary’s School Magazine Published twice each year by Saint Mary’s School.

Please send address changes to: Alumnae Office 900 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27603-1689 919-424-4000 • www.sms.edu Editor Mary Virginia Swain ’77C Director of Public Relations and Publications mvswain@sms.edu Class News Editor Emory Rogers Church ’74C Contributors: Lauren Gerber; Margaret McGlohon ’81C; Brendan O’Shea; Julie Ricciardi; Mary Virginia Swain ’77C, Brandon Wright, Design and Printing Metro Productions, Raleigh, North Carolina

CONTENTS FEATURES

Opening school in the age of COVID-19

4 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion at SMS 8 IN EVERY ISSUE Head of School Message ����������������������������������������������� 3 Saint Mary's Forever...................................................... 10 News Briefs ��������������������������������������������������������������������� 14 Admission �������������������������������������������������������������������������15 Personal Achievement ������������������������������������������������� 16 Academic Excellence ����������������������������������������������������17 Arts News ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 18 Athletics News............................................................... 20 Calendar �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 22 Support Saint Mary's ����������������������������������������������������� 24 Events ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 26 Alumnae �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 28 Milestones ����������������������������������������������������������������������� 33 Class News ��������������������������������������������������������������������� 34

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MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Saint Mary's endures, succeeds in 2020

By Brendan J. O'Shea, Head of School

Dear Members of the Saint Mary’s Community, What a strange, unpredictable and rather wild ride 2020 has provided all of us. Just a year ago when 2020 began, none of us could have predicted the challenges and issues we would face at Saint Mary’s, in Raleigh, in our country, and around the world. Though it’s been a year full of surprises and continual challenges, we’ve also grown during this time. We’ve all learned that flexibility is paramount, compassion is essential, and communication is more important than ever. The entire Saint Mary’s community has responded like true Saints. With all that we have faced, Saint Mary’s continues to endure and succeed.

There are many, many people to acknowledge and thank for their efforts to keep Saint Mary’s going strong. Our team of employees at Saint Mary’s has been essential to the institution’s success. Each and every member of the team has adjusted to different protocols and standards, from sanitizing public spaces several times a day to delivering instruction virtually. No one’s job is exactly that same as it was a year ago. We must acknowledge it has not always been easy over the last ninth months, wearing a face mask and maintaining social distance guidelines. For a community built on connections and relationships, this has been a challenging and frustrating time.

We enjoy each other’s company, after all! However, the creative juices of many community members have delivered innovative ways to stay connected as evidenced by newfound uses for numerous outdoor spaces on our attractive 23-acre campus.

Our students deserve massive credit for allowing Saint Mary’s to complete the fall season with on-campus, in-person learning. It is well-known that universities in our immediate area were not so fortunate and public high schools in our county remained virtual all fall. Other independent day schools in the area shared similar success with Saint Mary’s. Our demographic, with a mix of boarding and day students, brings many added layers of complexity to the

situation. Time and time again, our girls stated they were thrilled to be on campus with each other, and while maintaining protocols was sometimes aggravating, the in-person experience far outweighed any inconvenience was far outweighed by the in-person experience.

Parents of our current students must be acknowledged and thanked as well. In order to keep the flow of visitors to campus to a manageable level, parents have not been able to attend athletic contests and a plethora of other school events such as Family Day, school awards assemblies, Junior Ring Ceremony and Lighting O’ the Grove. On the bright side, parents have mastered new skills such as participating in online meetings and live streaming events from Saint Mary’s!

Finally, a major “thank you” is due to our alumnae from across the country. Support from alumnae takes numerous forms – spiritual support through prayer, crucial word-of-mouth support through telling our story, and financial support through our annual fund.

Each of these support mechanisms is invaluable. And though most alumnae are not on campus daily, your presence is felt here through the many traditions we cherish and by the support you provide to our students through your generosity of spirit and resources.

So, as we usher in a new calendar year, know that Saint Mary’s is made for the long haul. With a year like 2020 behind us, we are confident we can manage the challenges future years will present.

After all, Saint Mary’s has been blazing a trail since 1842. We’re ready for many more good years. Bring it on! Let’s Go Saints!

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Saint Mary’s reopens successfully during COVID-19 pandemic

By Mary Virginia Swain ’77C Director of Public Relations and Publications

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Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu

After COVID-19 abruptly shut down the campus in March 2020 leading to virtual learning for the remainder of the 2010-2020 school year, Saint Mary’s School staff and faculty spent the summer preparing diligently to reopen for on-campus learning and living in a time like no other in fall 2020. With extensive protocols, systems, logistics, resources, and adaptations to facilities for health and safety in place, Saint Mary's masked up and opened the gates to students in early September and successfully completed three months of in-person learning in the fall of 2020 with less than a handful of COVID cases. School was scheduled to reopen in January for the spring semester on campus with a continued commitment to the necessary safety protocols for as long as it takes.

The planning was informed by the following guiding principles: • a focus on the health and safety of the Saint Mary’s community; • feasible, practical, and acceptable guidelines for our unique school community; • human-centered and equitable design; and • excellence in all programs.

School leaders, faculty, and staff thoughtfully designed a comprehensive plan to deliver an excellent educational experience while being responsive to changing circumstances based on local and state guidelines and mandates.

Saint Mary’s has relied successfully on all members of the school community to abide by the safety and health guidelines to maintain a healthy school environment including some core guidelines.

“Saint Mary’s remains committed to our mission to prepare girls for college and life,” says Head of School Brendan O’Shea. “To that end, a learning plan has been designed for this extraordinary year to ensure the continued delivery of a premier, collegepreparatory education.”

In addition, the school consulted with and continues to study guidance from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Resources (NCDHHS), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), Oberlin Road Pediatrics (Saint Mary’s healthcare provider), and Eurofins Scientific.

MOBILE APP HEALTH CHECK-IN All students and employees self-screen and report daily each morning before coming to or moving about campus on the school-sponsored Ascend app for symptoms or exposure related to COVID-19.

The daily reporting includes answering a series of questions and temperature. If a respondent receives

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a green check on the app, they may proceed normally. If they receive a red X, they stay at home or in an isolation room until they are put into the COVID testing protocols and follow-up.

SOCIAL DISTANCING ON CAMPUS All community members are expected to practice six-foot social distancing throughout campus.

Campus facilities, classrooms, dining hall, and even outdoor meeting spaces have been adapted for the six-feet rule. Program modifications have been made when social distancing is not possible as in all-school gatherings such as chapel and assemblies, which are conducted via Microsoft Teams. Floor markings, signage, and directional markers are placed in all common and high traffic areas with limited capacity signs for community

spaces such as lounges, parlors, dining hall, and classrooms. Furniture is placed in socially distant configurations in all public areas.

FACE COVERINGS IN PUBLIC SPACES Face coverings are mandatory in public spaces except while actively eating or drinking. In the dorms, boarding students may be in their room with their roommate with no mask, and visitors between dorm rooms are limited. Our students have embraced this rule with 100 percent compliance.

A common sight in the dorm rooms are hooks

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beside the door holding creatively patterned, freshly laundered masks the girls can grab on their way out.

SANITIZING AND CLEANING MEASURES Extensive cleaning measures and protocols are in place with housekeeping staff working long and dedicated hours to keep indoor spaces cleaned and disinfected to promote and provide a healthy environment. All classrooms and public spaces have a hand-sanitizer dispenser, a disinfectant bottle, and paper towels for cleaning during and after each use.

The class schedule allows for regular hand washing throughout the day.

SCHOOL LIFE Modifications to campus life have allowed student activities, athletics, arts, and special traditions to continue. Students and staff have found creative

and innovative ways to hold club meetings and inductions online or outdoors, virtual chapel services and assemblies, Spirit Week, and special events moved outdoors for fresh air and social distancing including class meetings, the junior class ring presentation ceremony, the Lighting O’ the Grove, arts performances, and more.

THE SCHOOL CALENDAR The first group of students, including international students and those with special circumstances, arrived early in August before school began for a

period of quarantining before the entire student body returned. Boarding students returned Labor Day weekend. A two-week period of virtual learning to start the year allowed time for students to settle into a bubble on campus or isolate with family at home before in-person classes began Sept. 8, 2020.

Following Thanksgiving break, the school transitioned to a period of virtual learning from Dec. 1 through Dec. 18. *Following the Christmas break, one week of virtual learning was scheduled to allow students to quarantine and test for COVID before returning to campus for in-person classes and activities scheduled to begin Jan. 11, 2021. Plans call for school to remain in session until Spring/ Easter Break, March 27-April 5, with COVID testing protocols required before students return for the remainder of the school year.

“We have followed the science in planning the calendar which told us we should be able to conduct in-person learning safely in the fall before the virus ramped up around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday months,” said Leslie Owen, dean of teaching and learning. “That ended up being accurate, and our students noticed and appreciated the timing Saint Mary’s planned for the semester.”

circumstances, it may feel like a burden to make these sacrifices and follow the protocols, however these measures have given us the opportunity to maintain the community and connection we missed when we were apart last spring. I am grateful to come to campus each day while friends at other schools have continued to attend school virtually.

“Each member of our community has made an admirable contribution to preserve the essence of Saint Mary’s,” writes Burlington. “While the 20202021 school year will surely be remembered for its many modifications, it will also be regarded for the significant accomplishment it is!”

As we hold in our prayers all who have died, suffered, or are grieving a loss due to the virus, we are grateful for the extraordinary efforts of our

students, faculty, staff, families, and friends who have made in person learning and living possible and successful this year. *Dates for in person and virtual learning are subject to change depending on local and state guidelines.

“Our efforts paid off,” wrote senior Pearce Burlington ’21 in an article in the most recent issue of the school newspaper, The Belles. “Under these unique

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work underway at Saint Mary’s

Saint Mary’s has always had a focus on creating a community that reflects the backgrounds, experiences, identities, races, talents, and perspectives of the girls who have and will walk the halls of campus. We know that when girls support one another, they can accomplish big things together, and our vast alumnae base is evidence of that ideal.

We also know we have much work to pursue to bring awareness and actions to eradicate systemic racism, and we are committed to share with the extended alumnae community how we have been working together - and will continue to work

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together- to dismantle these systems. We invite all alumnae not only to join us in this work but also to share, to listen, to learn, and to ask questions.

Our goal is to develop and support the growth of every girl. We make this statement from knowing that by authentically accepting others and supporting each student to be accepting of others will help them forever in their lives, relationships, work, and making an impact on every community they will contribute to for the rest of their lives.

We know from research that students and adults thrive in environments where there are

Focus Lens for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

differing viewpoints, where there is trust, and where the community consists of people from different backgrounds. We are exploring the implementation of more creative and collaborative work to find solutions while also supporting every member of the Saint Mary’s community to do their best work. This section of the alumnae portal will be a place where our alumnae can engage in that conversation as well as hear more about efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion that the students, faculty, administration, and Board of Trustees have embraced as an essential component of our identity.

By Carol Killebrew, assistant head of school Julie Ricciardi contributed to this article.

A key element of Saint Mary’s Strategic Plan is to create a school community that reflects and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI). The Assistant Head will take a leadership role in the school’s efforts around DEI, clearly articulating the importance of these initiatives and weaving existing programs with new ideas to create a comprehensive program celebrating Saint Mary’s diverse community. We welcome Carol Killebrew into this role and support her efforts for Saint Mary’s.

CAROL KILLEBREW Assistant Head of School ckillebrew@sms.edu M.A. English, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, Tennessee B.A. Fine Art, University of the South Sewanee, Tennessee Fulbright Summer Institute Italy Study Abroad

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ONE school.

With ONE vision.

For ONE future.

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SAINT MARY'S FOREVER CAMPAIGN

This is how the Saint Mary’s Forever Campaign began with a simple question of “What if?”

Fall Campaign Event With the pandemic in full swing and just a few weeks of in-person classes under our belt, Saint Mary’s “jumped right in,” as our girls say, with our Forever Campaign virtual event on October 1. A collective spirit to see Saint Mary’s thrive was the catalyst for the more than 400 alumnae, family, and friends who tuned in that evening. It was a celebration of the ongoing success of the campaign and the thousands of alumnae and friends who commit to giving to our Annual Fund each year.

There were many memorable moments during the evening, perhaps the most memorable being the moment when a scholarship endowment created in honor of Margaret E. McGlohon ’81C was announced.

With Margaret’s impending retirement from Saint Mary’s at the end of June 2021, the scholarship is established to recognize Margaret’s long service to her alma mater.

The class of 1981 rallied to kick off the scholarship endowment with a $116,000 total as of the October 1 event. This scholarship fund is open to anyone who would like to contribute. As of the printing of this article, the fund has already grown to over $200,000.

During the evening, we also had the opportunity to review the priorities for our Saint Mary’s Forever Campaign and some updates on where we are currently: 1. FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY, which means managing debt! Not all debt is bad, but the debt we have impacts our ability to provide an even more extraordinary learning environment for our girls. We will be talking about this quite a bit over the next few years. Why? Because the school has worked incredibly hard to pay down the debt it incurred more than 10 years ago when making important and valuable upgrades to our campus –like the renovation of Smedes Hall and the Rocks. However, we know that we need to continue to manage the debt in a responsible manner so we can invest our resources directly into our educational program and our girls’ experience.

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Total raised: As of December 2020 Includes grandfathered gifts

$28,200,000

And our talking about this is working! Over the last two years, we have received gifts totaling $1,030,135 towards our debt.

While we have more to raise, it is amazing to see what we can do together. We are so thankful to the donors who have committed to this area of our campaign.

2. ENDOWMENT: The strength of a school rests in the breadth of its endowment. Saint Mary’s School ranks in the bottom third of peer schools when it comes to this metric. We know the campaign provides us with an opportunity to build our endowment. It is clear, creating opportunities for future generations of girls to attend Saint Mary’s was on the minds of our earliest donors who endowed scholarships and included the endowment in their estate planning. With a greater focus and awareness on building our endowment, we have already grown endowment giving and are excited to announce that to date, we have received gifts and pledges to our endowment totaling just over $5,400,000.

3. ACADEMIC INTEGRATION AND INNOVATION: Last year, we asked you to dream big! We knew our campaign would be bold and the physical projects on our campus would be a key part of what is needed to provide an exemplary education for girls.

We know girls need collaborative spaces to foster interaction through team-based projects and research. We know girls also need time and space to relax and recharge in their home

Scan this code to donate to the donate to the Margaret E. McGlohon ’81C and College Class of 1981 Scholarship Fund

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away from home. The work to create these educational and living spaces is well underway. We are grateful for the support our Forever Campaign donors have provided, allowing Saint Mary’s to: • complete beautiful updates to the Smedes-Williams Parlor, thanks to the Williams Family; • create a new welcoming space in Ragland Classroom Building, made possible by the Isabel Lehto Foundation; • install solar panels to provide energy to the East Park science building; • install new transformers, chillers, and cooling towers on campus; • install new lighting on campus to enhance safety and security for our community; • and create additional parking spaces in front of the Bishop’s House.

In addition, generous leadership gifts from the Springsteen Foundation and Steve and Julie Capel Williams ’77HS, in honor of their mothers Julianne Boone Capel ’55C and Lib Taylor Williams ’47C, have put wind in our sails and will allow us to tackle other much-needed enhancements to our programs and campus spaces.

Planned giving has also created an opportunity for many donors to show support today for the Saint Mary’s of tomorrow. A planned gift promises Saint Mary’s future resources to help

From our perspective Saint Mary’s is all about opportunities on all levels. As parents, the opportunity to be able to share in the community of Saint Mary’s and provide opportunities for others is an honor. As our daughter was discovering her passion for science and leadership, we were discovering our own leadership opportunities. When we were asked to sever as chairs of the Saint Mary’s Forever Campaign with Frank and Ruth E. Holding ’81C, Nancy Thomason, and Anna Zevenhuizen ’07, we knew our growth with Saint Mary’s was not done even if our daughter had graduated. The Forever Campaign is critical, and, despite the pandemic, we will go on and we must strive to be the best we can be and adapt to a changing world.”

WILLIAM AND AURELIA MONK ’15P

sustain the school in years to come. Ann Beland Brooks ’73C recently shared the story of her decision to include Saint Mary’s in her estate planning to honor her mother, Shirley Currin Beland. Many years ago, Sarah “Tut” Barbee Hanner ’46HS ’48C, a proud Saint Mary’s alumna, became a member of the Heritage Society, Saint Mary’s planned giving society, and included Saint Mary’s in her estate planning. Sadly, we lost Tut this fall; however, her commitment to Saint Mary’s endures as proceeds from Tut’s annuities combined with the remainder interest from her Charitable Remainder Trust provide a most generous gift to Saint Mary’s.

Her charitable heart and thoughtful planned giving will FOREVER impact the place she loved and called her alma mater. As the planning by Ann and Tut demonstrate, planned giving provides creative and easy ways for donors to make a lasting impact at Saint Mary’s.

Other Forever Campaign news Last year, we announced two gifts – one that would kick-off our campaign and one that would complete it. The first gift, building a new faculty residence to make space for a new academic building, was completed in the winter of 2020. The second gift, building a Pavilion to beautify back campus near the Class of 2010 Victory Bell and Hannah Smith ’12 Quad, was completed this summer.

Over the past two years, we have also shared our vision for Eliza Battle Pittman Auditorium. The latest plans offer exciting updates outlining even more electrifying possibilities than our initial thoughts. The new plan accomplishes renovating the existing space and increasing our footprint with an addition providing a balance between open and closed spaces, flexibility to accommodate change and multiple uses, advanced technology infrastructure, and collaborative space. These updated plans will truly create a comprehensive performing arts center and make the space our largest gathering place on campus.

In closing Between the improvements to our plans, fundraising for debt elimination, and our planned capital projects, we are proud of what we have and will accomplish together. Most importantly, we hope you are proud of Saint Mary’s and will be inspired to consider how you can make an impact and help us secure Saint Mary’s future.

By Julie Ricciardi, Director of Development

Interested in learning more about how you can make an impact through the Forever Saint Mary’s Campaign?

Please contact Director of Development Julie Ricciardi at jricciardi@sms.edu.

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NEWS BRIEFS

New trustees named for 2020-2021 Saint Mary’s welcomes five new members of the Board of Trustees for 2020-2021: clockwise, from top left: Diane Gupton Becton ’77HS, Julian Williamson ’18P ’23P, April Browne ’88HS ’91C, Jean Redding ’72HS, and Heather Warren ’89HS ’91C. Thank you, to our trustees, for their devoted service in stewarding our school.

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Why skim the surface? want to Youdive in.

At Saint Mary’s School, whether a girl is on campus or distance learning, she can immerse herself in a vibrant high school experience. Our rigorous liberal arts curriculum, unique urban location, and vibrant 24/7 campus offers a girl all she needs to discover who she is and who she wants to become.

She wants to make a splash. We can give her the platform.

Find what you need at sms.edu/splash.

Saint Mary’s School is an independent, college-preparatory Episcopal boarding and day school for girls . in grades 9—12.

Saint Mary’s School admits girls of any race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin

900 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27603 | 919-424-4000 | www.sms.edu

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PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT Saint Mary’s seniors honored in National Merit Scholarship Program Congratulations, to Saint Mary’s seniors honored in this year’s National Merit Scholarship Program. The National Merit® Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955.

Serena Zhou ’21, pictured bottom center, has earned semifinalist status, placing her among the top 1 percent of the 1.5 million high school students who entered the competition by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) as juniors. She will continue in the competition for a National Merit Scholarship.

Saint Mary’s students earning Commended Student honors, placing them among the top 3.3 percent in the competition, are, pictured clockwise from bottom left, Anna Zulueta ’21, Rosemary Raynal ’21, Grace Dai ’21, Caroline Koonce ’21, Chloe Shen ’21, and Shirley Xue ’21.

“Those recognized have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” says a spokesperson for NMSC. “These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope this this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”

Art students exhibit in China Art students Shirley Xue ’21, pictured left, and Tresa Zhao ’21, pictured right, curated and presented an art exhibit this summer in China, featuring art by Saint Mary’s students. The exhibit, Life Beyond Life: On the Horizon, opened in the art innovation zone M50 in Shanghai. Shirley and Tresa spoke at the opening. This art exhibition included 30 works of oil paintings, acrylic paintings, and photography. The content is divided into four subsections. Some of the art was brought from the United States but most was created by the students this summer in China. The idea was developed through Saint Mary’s Art Share Club.

“I cannot tell how amazing curating such an exhibit is to me,” says Shirley. “I have gained lots of experience in all aspects of exhibition curation - from crafting the core ideas to interpersonal communications to external presentation and themes. I feel really lucky to make this bold attempt to get support from everyone around me, especially Tresa!”

Congratulations, Shirley, Tresa, and the other contributing artists Becky Chen ‘21, Vivian Sun ‘22, and Pipi Pi ‘22, on an amazing exhibit, which also traveled to Beijing.

Saint Mary’s Senior creates Backpacks with Love project Each August before school starts, Saint Mary’s students stock their backpacks for the coming year. But, rising Lilli Russell ’21 spent her summer making sure children from low income families were also backpack ready for the new school year. Lilli partnered with a non-profit in her hometown of Wilmington, N.C., whose mission is to empower families of Title 1 schools. One of their immediate needs is to provide backpacks and school supplies to the children of these families. Some are food insecure, so to even think about school supplies presents a hardship.

“I wanted to find a way where people could come together this summer to make a positive impact in our community while socially distancing,” says Lilli. “The uncertainty of what the upcoming school year was going to look like created stress for all of us, but one thing is certain - kids need school supplies to be successful!”

Lilli exceeded her goal and put together some 50 backpacks for the children. She hopes to expand the program next summer. Learn more at Lilli’s Backpacks for Love website: https:// www.signupgenius.com/go/backpackswithlove

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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Classroom Owls offer innovative technology to enhance hybrid learning experience

by Mary Virginia Swain '77C Director of Public Relations and Publications

Owls have long been a symbol of wisdom and fierce intelligence.

They also have the extraordinary gift of nearly 360-degree vision.

So, what better technology could there be than an Owl, a smart conference camera now in use in Saint Mary’s classrooms, that captures 360-degree video and audio for engaging distance learning!

Saint Mary’s has 35 Meeting Owls across campus this fall, enough to equip each classroom teacher, counseling group, and community-building group with their own device.

As Saint Mary’s engages in a hybrid learning model this year, including both in-person and online learning, the school continues to innovate and design the academic program to deliver the excellent education Saint Mary's students have come to expect and value. The Owl technology benefits all students and teachers – international students learning at home as they await such time they can return to campus, students who are absent from class who can join the class live or watch the recording, those few who may have to quarantine/isolate for a period of time for various reasons but are able to join in virtual learning, and the students and teachers in Saint Mary’s classrooms as they better connect with those learning virtually. Teachers may also enjoy using it when we return to virtual learning for all students at the end of the semester to broaden the scope of their presentations.

“Essentially, the Owl is an external camera/microphone/speaker system with a 360-degree camera that has audio tracking features,” says Ann Marie Davis, human-centered design specialist team lead and instructor of science. “So, as individuals use their voice in the classroom space, the Owl picks up the audio and pans to the person speaking. This allows the potential for a more dynamic experience for the students who are learning virtually. The highquality speaker system makes it sound like our virtual students are with us in the classroom.”

Powered by the Owl Intelligence System™, the Meeting Owl automatically shifts the camera to focus on whomever is speaking.

The result is an experience for the virtual learner that nearly feels like being in the classroom. Any classroom becomes a hybrid

classroom with the Meeting Owl. The Meeting Owl provides a fully immersive distance learning experience.

More than 2,000 schools, colleges, and universities around the world use the Meeting Owl to connect students and educators.

The technology supports increased student engagement and facilitates hybrid learning to connect to students who cannot join class in person.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and with feedback from students, faculty, and parents, Saint Mary's continues to enhance both its in-person and online learning experience through a design process created to ensure a meaningful educational experience for each and every student.

Saint Mary’s began the 2020-2021 school year with two weeks of virtual learning for all students before resuming in-person learning for most students from September 8- November 20. The school will finish the fall semester with a period of virtual learning for all students between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday breaks to minimize travel as the pandemic continues.

Committed to providing girls with a challenging and comprehensive educational experience, Saint Mary's has long employed technology to ensure learning continues through hurricanes, snow days, and other mitigating circumstances such as the current pandemic. The new Owls technology is one more asset in our toolbox to sustain academic excellence at Saint Mary’s School through any circumstance.

“Providing teachers and students will the best tools available has always been important, and Saint Mary’s continues to recognize and support this,” says Ms. Davis. “Equipping each teacher with an Owl Pro camera has ensured a more engaging and dynamic classroom experience that benefits every learner, regardless of where she is on campus, down the street in Raleigh, or around the world. In short order, our faculty have embraced the Owl cameras and continue to grow in their expertise of delivering engaging, meaningful, and inclusive learning.” https://www.owllabs.com/meeting-owl-edu

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ARTS The show goes on safely during the COVID-19 pandemic Visual and Performing Arts Fall Concert Saint Mary's Visual and Performing Arts Department presented an innovative COVID-safe fall performance limited due to the virus to the campus community - Fresh Air, Fresh Perspectives, Fresh Performances - in the beautiful outdoor venues around campus, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. The performances and the socially distanced, masked audience traveled from the steps of Smedes Hall to the Grove to the steps of Pittman Auditorium and Chan-Poyner Hall to the Hannah Smith '12 Quad and the new Victory Bell Pavilion.

The Chorale, with members distanced six feet apart, performed protest songs from the 1960s, with messages still relevant today, including We Shall Overcome, People Get Ready, Where Have All the Flowers Gone, This Land is Your Land, and Blowin' in the Wind.

Orchesis Dance Theatre performed modern dances, a contemporary ballet, and a jazz finale. Interspersed between dances were two vocal performances featuring Joni Mitchell classics and readings by Maya Angelou.

Visual arts students displayed their work. There was even a video performance by a student now in China. Truly a performing arts spectacular!

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Fall Theatre Production Brava, to the cast of Saint Mary's exquisitely performed and produced fall theatre production Medea, Euripides' Greek tragedy, performed in November outdoors on the Pavilion on the Hannah Smith '12 Quad with socially distanced seating for limited sized audiences. Medea, performed in 431 BCE, is one of Euripides’ most powerful and best-known plays. Medea is a remarkable study of injustice and ruthless revenge. Most of the actors wore masks as part of their costumes and the entire audience was masked up - perfect symmetry and safety for theatre performed in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic. Well done, Saint Mary's thespians and director Michelle Wells!

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ATHLETICS

Fall Sports Awards Congratulations, to the Fall 2020 Sports Award winners, pictured, and to all fall athletes, coaches, and staff on a successful season! The hard work and dedication to Saints athletics is a wonderful example of perseverance, resilience, and positive attitude amid a pandemic. Playing, competing, practicing together in team sports has made everyone a winner this fall!

Varsity Cross Country MVP: Sophia Bahna-Neta; MIP (Most Improved Player): Mahari Bennett; Coaches Award: Emma Claire Broome

Varsity Golf MVP: Vivian Shillingsburg; MIP: Bryn Montgomery; Coaches Award: Avery DiPasquale

Varsity Tennis MVP: Joyner Rascoe; MIP: Caroline Koonce; Coaches Award: Holly Godwin; TISAC All-Conference Honorable Mention: Holly Godwin

Chrismon Clark ’21 signs with University of Michigan diving Congratulations, to Saint Mary's senior Chrismon Clark ’21 on signing her National Letter of Intent with the University of Michigan Wolverines diving team. The ceremony was held at the Pavilion on the Hannah Smith ’12 Quad, Nov. 11, 2020, with Chrismon surrounded by her family and Saint Mary's friends. Outstanding achievement! Chrismon is primarily a springboard diver. She is a seven-time USA Diving Junior National Championships qualifier, making five semifinals and one final. She qualified for the 2019 USA Diving Senior National Championships, finishing 18th on one-meter. Go, Blue!

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JV Tennis: MVP: Kathryne Woods; MIP: Sarah Fischer; Coaches Award: Annabel Semans

Athletics in the age of COVID at SMS Saint Mary’s athletics wrapped up a successful, meaningful, and fun fall season that included modifications for health and safety in the age of COVID-19. The Saints were able to safely compete interscholastically in tennis, golf, and cross country, while the field hockey and volleyball teams forged on with skill building, practice, scrimmages, and team bonding each afternoon on campus. This winter, the basketball and swim teams have taken to the court and the pool, with the basketball teams playing in masks and the swimmers donning masks between races.

The fall season culminated with senior day celebrations for seniors and their families in all sports and conference and state tournaments and meets for tennis, golf, and cross-country teams. Winter sports will celebrate their seniors at the conclusion of the season.

Varsity tennis enjoyed a successful season with numerous wins and qualified for the NCISAA state tournament. Junior varsity tennis enjoyed another winning season.

Varsity golf ended the regular season with an exciting one-stroke win over Cary Academy. The team competed in the Triangle Independent Schools Athletic Conference tournament, and sophomore Vivian Shillingsburg ’23 qualified for the NCISAA state championship held at Bryant Park in Greensboro.

The cross-country team capped off the season by competing in both the TISAC conference meet at Wake Med Park in Cary and at the NCISAA state meet at McAlpine Park in October.

Varsity volleyball wrapped up a season of hard work - both in a wellventilated Bacon Gym and on the outdoor courts on the athletic practice field - with a thrilling Blue-White inter-squad match on Senior Day 2020.

Participation in athletics in the COVID pandemic brings victories and life lessons large and small – from simply being able to safely participate in sports during the pandemic to the exciting competitions, challenging practices, big wins, close losses, exercise, representing our school with pride, and team camaraderie, fun, and friendships. With no fans allowed (except for senior parents on senior days) team members learn to rely on and cheer each other on even more than usual, creating strong team bonds that will always be remembered.

Kudos, to the Athletics Department, coaches, and team members on masking up, taking the field and the courts, and persevering through an unusual year while carrying on Saint Mary’s proud athletics tradition during a global pandemic. Go, Saints!

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CALENDAR EVENTS

January 5-8 Virtual classes January 11 On-campus classes resume March 27-April 5 Spring Break/Easter Holiday May 23 Commencement for the 179th Session June 11-12 Reunion Weekend for classes ending in 0, 5, 1, and 6 June 21-July 30 Summer at Saint Mary’s Visit sms.edu/our-programs/summer-saint-marys for complete information and registration on our summer camps and programs.

CHECK OUR WEBSITE OFTEN FOR UPDATES ON EVENTS! *Due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 policies and restrictions, upcoming events, may be modified, cancelled, or rescheduled. Please watch your email for news and announcements from Saint Mary’s and visit the alumnae webpage and the alumnae portal at sms.edu/alumnae. We can’t wait until we can safely gather again!

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CALENDAR CALENDAR

Save the Date

for Reunion Weekend 2021 NEW DATE!

Classes ending in 0, 1, 5, 6

Friday, June 11 - Saturday, June 12 Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic in our event planning. We have made the difficult but prudent decision to reschedule the reunion activities previously scheduled for April to June. Stay tuned for details, as we plan to stagger events amongst the four groups to give our staff the opportunity to clean so we can provide a safe and fun experience for all!

We look forward to seeing you June 11-12!

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SUPPORT SMS

Why Saint Mary’s?

Alumnae across the board say Saint Mary’s is the foundation that helped prepare them for the world and their next steps in life.

Have you ever asked, “Why Saint Mary’s?” or examined your student experience – what Saint Mary’s gave you then or as an alumna? In the past five years, Saint Mary’s Development and Alumnae Office staff have traveled across the country, meeting alumnae, families, and friends.

We’ve heard countless stories that capture the “why” for hundreds of Saint Mary’s graduates.

Some alumnae chose Saint Mary’s, while others say Saint Mary’s chose them. If you ponder your own “why,” you might discover Saint Mary’s helped you develop independence, resilience, leadership skills, new ideas, a love for learning, growth in faith, or was the catalyst to developing lifelong friendships that remain even today. No matter your individual reasons, alumnae across the board say Saint Mary’s was the foundation that helped prepare them for the world and their next steps in life.

Each year, thousands of Saint Mary’s alumnae choose Saint Mary’s again when they decide to invest in their alma mater. They know that doing so ensures their alumnae legacy and secures Saint Mary’s for future generations. Alumnae also choose to stay informed, engaged, and connected by reading the bi-annual magazine and monthly Around the Gove; host or attend regional and campus events; come back for Reunion Weekend where they reminisce and remember what Saint Mary’s means to them; and they volunteer as guest speakers and guest artists, offer internships, and so much more.

Alumnae also discover ways to give back philanthropically. Some join the Heritage Society when they add Saint Mary’s to their estate plan while others give to established scholarships or create endowed funds of their own. Some give to capital projects for improved buildings and grounds, and 1,593 alumnae (19 percent) gave $1.1 million to Saint Mary’s Annual Fund last fiscal year.

Those gifts to Saint Mary’s Annual Fund supported technology advancements that allowed us to convert our entire academic program,

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in record speed, to an online learning environment after COVID-19 hit. These funds helped us purchase cleaning supplies and create health and safety provisions for cross-campus updates (made swiftly over the summer allowing us to open school in-person in the fall), resources for teachers and students, the hiring of an additional nurse and housekeeper, new annual scholarship dollars, and make facility upgrades like new lighting, hoods for our science lab, new chillers with filtered air conditioning, and improved classroom spaces.

Because of that investment, Saint Mary’s – unlike many school districts and systems – began in-person, on-campus classes with students also able to participate in athletics, dance, the annual Sigma-Mu challenge, and other extracurricular activities. Students also held their class elections, attended assembly and chapel, all while adhering to social distancing to ensure the close of a successful fall semester. Though things might not have looked the same, our students benefit from the Saint Mary’s experience thanks to the support of our donors.

Last fall, the West Rock alumnae and development team also began sharing quotes on social media from alumnae about their personal reasons “why” they chose Saint Mary’s then and why they continue to support the institution today. Now is the perfect time to examine your “why” and make the decision to invest in Saint Mary’s because the heart and soul of your “why” connects you to today’s students who have also chosen Saint Mary’s. And your support helps secure for them a foundation from which our students can build upon – just as you did when you were a Saint Mary’s girl. Make your secure online donation to Saint Mary’s Annual Fund today, or pledge a gift to be paid by June 30, 2021, at www.sms.edu/give2021.

Thank you for choosing Saint Mary’s again.

By Lauren E. Gerber, Director of Annual Fund and Major Gifts

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EVENTS EVENTS

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Lighting O' the Grove November 19, 2020 The 40th annual Lighting O' the Grove is one for the history books! This beloved Christmas tradition was held Nov. 19, 2020, for the students at Saint Mary's School, who were masked up, bundled up, and socially distanced for the traditional holiday occasion on a chilly night in Raleigh. Guests were not allowed this year due to pandemic protocols, but the event was livestreamed on the Saint Mary’s School YouTube channel and is available for viewing anytime at https://youtu.be/QtgIHckvZ4A. Special holiday music was performed by The Echo, Ladies in Blue, and Saint Mary's Chorale.

Our 20-foot tree in the Grove was blessed, lit, and dedicated by the students to Ms. Suzanne Narbona, instructor of Spanish. Special readings and prayers by Chaplain Maggie Stoddard celebrated the Biblical stories of Christmas. Some 500 luminaries, placed around Smedes Circle by members of the Granddaughters Club, were lit, adding a brilliant golden glow to our historic front campus. Food was collected for the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina for our neighbors in need. A great time was had by all!

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Special memorial candles memorialized Saint Mary's alumnae, staff, and friends who have died in the past year including: Thomas Alison Fanjoy, former trustee; Faye Barkley Fussell, former secretary to Dr. Mabel M. Morrison, academic dean of the college; longtime administrative assistant to the presidents of Saint Mary’s College through the Pisani, Rice, and Jenkins administrations; Wense Grabarek, endowment/scholarship donor; Tut Barbee Hanner ’46HS ’48C, Heritage Society member; Betty Debnam Hunt ’47HS ’49C, former trustee; former alumnae director; Mazie Strickland Froelich ’51C Distinguished Alumna Award recipient; Heritage Society member; Olive Camp Johnson ’44HS, Heritage Society member, Beyond Imagination Capital Campaign Honorary Cabinet, endowment/scholarship donor; Mazie Strickland Froelich ’51C Outstanding Alumna Award recipient; John Nicholas Landi Sr., former trustee; Randall W. Proctor Sr., endowment/scholarship donor, Heritage Society member; Patricia Huske Schaefer ’55HS ’57C, former Alumnae Council member; Beth Harriss Sprunt ’50C, Heritage Society member; and all Saint Mary’s alumnae and friends who have died within the past year.

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A message from the

Alumnae Office One of the greatest joys of this job is being with you

By Margaret McGlohon ’81C Director of Alumnae Relations

Dear Saint Mary’s alumnae, As I enter my last months on the staff at Saint Mary’s before retirement, I find myself filled with gratitude and thankful to all of you for supporting me not only as your alumnae director these last 11 years, but for your support and encouragement during my entire 26 years working at Saint Mary’s and my two years as a student. My cup does runneth over!

Saint Mary’s has been a part of my life since the summer of 1975, when I attended the Mary Lou Jones Tennis Camp. I fell in love with the campus and the counselors (all of whom were Saint Mary’s girls) that summer and made promise to myself that I would work hard so that I, too, could one day attend Saint Mary’s and play college tennis for Ms. Jones. The tennis camp and the two years as a college student were transformational for me.

It has been my privilege to serve in a variety of roles at Saint Mary’s – both in student life and as your alumnae director. What a blessing it has been to get to know so many students and alumnae during this time. I am appreciative to all of you who said yes when we called asking you to serve on a host committee, to assist with reunion planning or an auction, attend an event, serve in a leadership role, or give to the Annual Fund. Our Alumnae Association is only as strong as its members are willing to engage – so thank you!

I truly have missed being on the road and being with you throughout the pandemic, from Spring 2020 through the summer and this fall. I am hopeful that restrictions around Covid-19 will loosen up in 2021, and we will get to see you at our regional events and on campus at Reunion Weekend. One of the greatest joys of this job is being with you, our alumnae, and learning about your time as a student and getting to know you, personally. And what fun it is to follow and support you after your days at Saint Mary’s.

Wow! What a very talented bunch you are!

We all had different experiences as students, but one thing we all have in common is that we are graduates of Saint Mary’s and have a love in our heart for 900 Hillsborough Street and the people we met during our days here. Saint Mary’s today continues to nurture young women and prepare them for college and life! For this, we should all be proud.

I look forward to supporting our next alumnae director and Saint Mary’s in the coming years. I hope you will continue to say YES! Our alma mater needs us now more than ever. I hope you remember that the relationship between an alumna and her alma mater is a two-way street! Don’t wait to be called – when you are willing and able, I hope you will email or pick up the phone and call the school.

May our paths cross soon. Until then, please know how thankful I am to each and every one of you for making a difference, not only in my life, but the life of Saint Mary’s.

Faithful friends and comrades sure…

Margaret McGlohon ’81C Director of Alumnae Relations

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ALUMNAE

GRANDDAUGHTERS CLUB 2020-2021 The Granddaughters Club held its 2020-2021 inductions of new members Nov. 15, 2020, in a socially-distanced ceremony in the Chapel attended only by the club members due to pandemic protocols. Members of the Granddaughters Club are direct descendants of Saint Mary’s alumnae. Founded in 1909, the club works with the Alumnae Office on numerous projects each year.

Anna Parham Barber ’24 granddaughter of Ruth Watkins Barber ’54HS ’56C

Mary Holland Godwin ’22 great granddaughter of Margaret Knowlton Thomas 1915

Marion Porter Barber ’24 granddaughter of Ruth Watkins Barber ’54HS ’56C

Margaret Kruesi Griffin ’22 granddaughter of Marcia Sawyers Griffin ’62C

May Brooks Barwick ’21 daughter of Jennifer Walker Barwick ’88HS ’90C and granddaughter of Rachel Cozart Barwick ’50HS

Virginia Griffin ’23 daughter of Kim Goines ’89HS ’91C

Chesson Louise Becker ’24 daughter of Gloria Taft Becker ’92HS and granddaughter of Cheryl Lee Taft ’68C

Elise Katie Guess ’22 daughter of Catherine Wade Samples ’93HS and granddaughter of Diane Stockard Wade ’66HS ’68C, and great-greatgranddaughter of Mildred Holding Stockard 1913 (Fr.)

Eleanor Shelgren Becker ’21 daughter of Gloria Taft Becker ’92HS and granddaughter of Cheryl Lee Taft ’68C

Alice Adeline Harris ’23 great granddaughter of Alice Cason Lineberger 1927C and great, great granddaughter of Alice Makely Cason 1896-1898.

Sara Elizabeth Bell ’23 granddaughter of Sara Frances Walters Borden ’70C and granddaughter of the Rev. Dr. Frank Pisani (former President of Saint Mary’s College from 1969-1976)

Mary Elizabeth Hauser ’22 granddaughter of Darnell Knight Eller ’63C

Caroline Davis Bradshaw ’23 daughter of Shayla Kirchin Bradshaw ’92C Kimberlen Ann Bryson ’22 granddaughter of Joy Hatley Pittard ’53C Lucy Ware Cheney ’21 daughter of Nina Anderson Cheney ’81HS and greatgranddaughter of Bertha Anderson ’23HS Anna Leggett Payne Church ’21 granddaughter of Gillie Leggett Church ’63C Margaret Hadley Crawford ’22 granddaughter of Hadley Morgan Hines ’59HS ’61C Evelyn Elizabeth Crosthwaite ’22 daughter of Suzanne Morris Crosthwaite ’88HS Rebekah McNeill Elam ’22 great, great granddaughter of Lucie Clifton Boddie ’1899 Elizabeth Kirkland Ellerbe ’21 granddaughter of Martha Goode Ellerbe ’56HS Abigail Adams Fritter ’23 daughter of Katherine Gregory Fritter ’91HS ’93C and greatgranddaughter of Katherine Jamieson Gregory ’32C Ella Conger Glover ’21 granddaughter of Harriet Conger Glover ’52HS ’54C and great- granddaughter of Nellie Cooper Rose 1917C

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Isabella Dunstan Howard ’23 daughter of Virginia Dunstan Howard ’91C Caroline Batchelor Koonce ’21 granddaughter of Mary Grady Burnette Koonce ’54C and Frances Holton Maffitt ’60HS Lillian Aycock Larson ’23 daughter of Allison Poe Larson ’90HS Arden Faith Lee ’21 daughter of Suzanne Bell Lee ’92HS Laura Grace McSwain ’23 daughter of Sarah Montgomery McSwain ’93HS Bryn Claire Montgomery ’24 daughter of Ann Jones Montgomery ’92C Anna Abernathy Noelke ’21 granddaughter of Ginny McKimmon Noelke ’61C and greatgreat granddaughter of Willa Norris McKimmon 1905HS Josephine Paxton Parker ’21 daughter of Elizabeth Paxton Black ’92C, granddaughter of Webber Bell Paxton ’60C and Michelle Bratton Parker ’63HS ’65C, great-granddaughter of Michelle Telfair Bratton ’44C and Ethel Battle Paxton ’22HS, great-great granddaughter of Betty Alexander Austin Badger (c.1860-1864), great-greatgreat-granddaughter of Martha Ann Battle Battle 1850, and great-great-great-great-great granddaughter Harriette Borden Dewey (Original Thirteen) Martha Reeves Parrott ’24 granddaughter of Martha Hall Michaels ’67HS

Bryson Mills Perry ’23 granddaughter of Ann Harrell Perry ’69C Lillian Randolph Platto ’24 great-granddaughter of Nancy Crow Stovall ’35C Elizabeth Perry Powell ’23 granddaughter of Betsy Johnston Price ’64HS Katherine Hanna Pulsifer ’24 granddaughter of Susan Russell Denniston ’62HS Elizabeth Joyner Rascoe ’21 granddaughter of Nancy Dawson Rascoe ’52C, greatgranddaughter of Edna Jones Nixon Dawson ’26C, greatgreat-great granddaughter of Cornelia Townsend Nixon (pre1870), and great-great-great-granddaughter of Isa Benedicta Gordon Granbery (pre-1870) Elizabeth Hayden Savery ’21 daughter of Dolly Burton Savery ’82HS Lucy Hardin Sigmon ’21 granddaughter of Martha Ann Olsen Sigmon ’47HS and Mary Hannah Finch Taft ’58C

Marion Allen Suiter Stowe ’24 great-granddaughter of Virginia Clark Jenkins’34C, and great-great-granddaughter of Martha Louise Wilson Clark 1917HS May Edmonds Thompson ’23 daughter of Heather Moore Thompson ’88HS ’90C and granddaughter of Sue Battle Moore ’63C Eliza Dunn Tillman ’23 daughter of Melissa Morrisette Tillman ’88HS, granddaughter of Kathryn Symons Patterson ’65C and Mary Windley Dunn Tillman ’54C Anna Amelia Boryk Weaver ’21 daughter of Michelle Oppegaard ’93HS ’95C Margaret Borden Vermillion ’24 great-granddaughter of Margaret Gold Borden 1918C Lucy Moye Whitford ’24 granddaughter of Jeanne Moye Whitford ’59C Elizabeth Redfern Williamson ’23 granddaughter of Blanche Robertson Bacon ’53HS ’55C

Sarah Anderson Smith ’24 daughter of Ashley Langley Smith ’90HS

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IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

Louise Boyle Deaton ’50HS July 25, 2020

Barbara Leippe Peterson ’61C August 31, 2020

Elizabeth “Beth” Harriss Sprunt ’50C September 11, 2020

Gertrude “Trudie” Johnson Owings ‘61C August 22, 2020

Catherine Bikle Currie ’51C September 22, 2020

Susan Bender Bellinger ’63C June 20, 2020

Frances McNeill Haupt ’53C July 28, 2020

LaVerna “Verna” Gillam Perry ’63C August 3, 2020

Elizabeth “Libby” Huffman Reeves ’53C October 17, 2020

Nell Fleming Armstrong ’67C November 17, 2020

Anne-Tristram “Trissy” Holt Lomax ’54C October 31, 2020

Corinne Arbuckle Allen ’67C November 9, 2020

Lucy Woodruff Groh ’44HS May 29, 2020

Jane Walker Kerewich ’55HS ’57C August 20, 2020

Lisa Penny Taylor ’69C September 15, 2020

Ella Meadows Giesey ’45HS July 15, 2020

Barbara Brown Hobson ’55C September 21, 2020

Mary Sue Goforth Thomas ’71C June 23, 2020

Mary Hargrove Bellamy Koonce ’45C November 24, 2020

Mary Burgwyn Newsome ’55C November 20, 2020

Catherine Quick Vennik ’72C June 1, 2020

Sue Tucker Eason Briggs ’46HS July 29, 2020

Jean Faulkner Day ’56C July 3, 2020

Lucinda “Cindy” Hancock Warren ’74C July 31, 2020

Sarah “Tut” Barbee Hanner ’46HS ’48C August 14, 2020

Lynda Sue Stephens Gore ’56C October 24, 2020

Elizbeth “Betsy” Vann Atkins ’77HS ’79C September 1, 2020

Elizabeth Clarke Todd Heckel ’47HS March 20, 2020

Elizabeth Blake Boutwell ’58C August 9, 2019

Lynn Ledford Brown ’78C October 12, 2020

Virginia “Lake” Allsbrook Leggett ’47HS October 17, 2020

Margaret Crowson Skinner ’58C August 17, 2020

Felicia Wardlaw Sperr ’81C September 2, 2020

Cordelia “Dee” Michie Plunkett ’47HS ’49C July 23, 2020

Jerry Ann Lovelace Bain ’59C September 29, 2020

Anne Cox Layne ’84C September 11, 2020

Ann Fulton Lanier Spencer ’47C October 23, 2020

Katharine Saunders Davidson Horner ’60C November 4, 2020

Claire Norman Deakin ’91C October 18, 2020

Sylvia Newsom Dalton ’48HS ’50C September 2, 2020

Beverly Bunn Michaux ’60C October 10, 2020

John Landi, former trustee October 5, 2020

Anne Cahoon Stratton ’50C October 21, 2020

Katherine Bell Sawyer Ward ’60C October 3, 2020

Tom Fanjoy, former trustee September 21, 2020

Lelia Banks DuPre Barrett ’49C June 26, 2020

Mattie “Lou” Uzzell ’61C November 18, 2020

Faye Barkley Fussell, former staff member November 12, 2020

Betty Debnam Hunt ’49C November 1, 2020

Helen Lee Keyes ’61C October 21, 2020

Rollie Tillman, former trustee December 2, 2020

Elizabeth “Libba” Thorne Beerman ’42HS July 15, 2020 Mary Ann Dixon Hogue ’43C August 4, 2020 Patricia Schuber Terrell ’43HS July 24, 2020 Charlotte Elizabeth Crawford Arrendell ’44C October 1, 2020 Mary Spotswood “Spot” Baskervill Crenshaw ’44HS ’46C October 31, 2020

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MILESTONES

MARRIAGES Chrissy Grier ’91HS ’93C married Reggie Hairston September 25, 2020 Catherine DeBellis ’92HS ’94C married Brian Kelly November 18, 2020 *Mollie Southard ’02 married Natalie Blanton August 15, 2020 Alaina Boyle ’04 married Tyler Drake July 18, 2020 Katherine Phillips ’07 married Ivan Feighn October 20, 2020 Scottie Springer ’07 married Eddie O’Herron August 22, 2020 Heather Dew ’08 married Alex Rosa September 15, 2020 Katie Matthews ’08 married Edward Darling September 26, 2020 Becca Kilgore ’09 married Brandon Wright August 1, 2020 *Anna Dillon ’10 married David Sibley October 3, 2020 Laura Gulledge ’10 married Evan Rust October 10, 2020 Allie McDonald ’10 married Alex Atkinson September 26, 2020 Rebecca Behar ’11 married Eric Gronroos August 1, 2020 Julia McKissick ’11 married Andrew Anido September 20, 2020 Meredith White ’11 married Alan Kaid September 19, 2020 Ellee Craig ’12 married Bo Stewart October 16, 2020

Duncan Weaver ’12 married Daniel Flynn, October 24, 2020, at Holy Trinity Church in Raleigh. Duncan is the daughter of Dewey and Anne Duncan Weaver ’83HS ’85C.

NEW BABIES

Hailey Hart ’12 married Edwin Borden August 22, 2020

Mary Catherine Benson Grew ’01, a son, September 11, 2020

Elizabeth Bonner Covington ’08, a son, June 22, 2020

Olivia Lanier ’12 married Alex Bales July 2, 2020

Megan Meighan ’01, a son, September 15, 2020

Catherine Worth Davis ’09, a daughter, September 26, 2020

Duncan Weaver ’12 married Daniel Flynn October 24, 2020

Ryan Anthony Marston ’04, a son, October 21, 2020

Charlotte Horney Dawkins ’09, a daughter, October 9, 2020

Hannah Starkey ’13 married Ross Hobson July 11, 2020

Canaday Hubbard Green ’06, a daughter, November 3, 2020

Caroline Fuqua Owens ’09, a daughter, September 25, 2020

Freddie Woronoff ’14 married Jack McAlhany September 12, 2020

Hayley Dillon Cain ’08, a daughter, June 25, 2020

Sara Bailey Stocks Pate ’09, a daughter, July 5, 2020

Stephanie Hamilton ’15 married Jeremy Passmore April 18, 2020

Jessica Stewart Clark ’08, a son, October 28, 2020

Megan Currin Shiels ’09, a son, March 20, 2020

*Married in Saint Mary’s Chapel

Mary Katherine Perry Phillips ’08 a son, September 13, 2020

Rachel O’Brien Finley ’10 a son, August 30, 2020

These milestones were compiled based on information received by the school by Dec 03, 2020. Every effort is made to include everyone for whom we have official confirmation by press time. If we missed you or your loved one, please send an official announcement to memeglohon@sms.edu, or mail to Margaret McGlohon ’81C, Saint Mary’s School, 900 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27603, for inclusion in the winter 2021 magazine.

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CLASS NEWS 1940 CLASS NEWS It’s all here – the latest and greatest news from alumnae in even-year classes. Saint Mary’s extends a special thanks to the dedicated class secretaries who compiled and crafted these class newsletters, many who have served for decades.

Odd-year classes will be featured in the summer 2021 magazine. Alumnae in these classes will receive information to facilitate the reporting of news to class secretaries or directly to the school.

CLASS NEWS POLICIES Due to the uncertain nature of certain types of news, Saint Mary’s does not publish news of wedding engagements or pregnancies. We publish news of marriages, births, adoptions, or deaths, based on published news reports or direct phone or e-mail contact with the Alumnae Office from the parties or immediate families. Please remember to include Saint Mary’s in your wedding announcement in the newspaper and please send birth announcements to the Alumnae Office for inclusion in the milestones section.

Saint Mary’s Class Notes are published for each class once each year. Due to the extended nature of the production schedule for the magazine, class news is meant to be a once-a-year general update of your news for the previous year. We cannot guarantee the exact timeliness of your news, so please keep our advance deadlines in mind when submitting news.

Saint Mary’s School reserves the right to edit class news for content, length, and timeliness.

Photographs may be submitted for consideration for the class news to mvswain@sms.edu or Mary Virginia Swain, 900 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27603. Photos must be high-quality prints or digital .jpeg photo files of at least 300 dpi. Group shots should include Saint Mary’s alumnae (and spouses and children) only and must include a detailed listing of everyone pictured, including full names and class years.

HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE Catherine Gant Powell ’40HS writes, “I am lucky to be living in a lovely ‘cottage’ at Cypress Glen, a retirement community in Greenville, North Carolina. The remarkable staff here has made the COVID experience as easy for us as possible. My four children, 11 grands, and eight greats are well, busy, and happy, so life is good.”

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HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE

1944

COLLEGE Mary Lynn Lewis DeLany ’44C Our only respondent is Ruth Moore Glass in Whiteville. We go back and forth on the computer fairly often, though we haven’t seen each other in years. I would love to hear from Bettie Gaither and Mary Pierce Johnson are still around, as is Lolly White Norris ’42HS ’44C there in Raleigh. Thank you for your patience with me all these years – what a ride! Love to all you lovely ladies, Mary Lynn

1946

COLLEGE Mary Billings Babcock reports, “Estelle Boyce Cheshire and I are both confined to our ‘respective quarters,’ as they say. We chat on the phone and laugh over memories of our Saint Mary’s days.” Margo Martin Young writes from Clinton, South Carolina, “I still have happy memories of my two years at Saint Mary’s and always look forward to the magazine. I am still living in my home, and my three children live close-by, on our farm. I am truly blessed to have them so near and get to see them every day. I am so impressed that Saint Mary’s has continued in her high standards in education.”

1950

COLLEGE Betty Ray McCain '50C Shirley Fox Phillips ’48HS ’50C reports from Raleigh that she and John are doing well. “We cannot drive long distances anymore, but we do have the necessities close-by. So that is good! Best to all my day student classmates!” Patty Starr Willis sends all the Saint Mary’s School family her greetings! Patty still lives alone, but she is no longer driving. She has age-related macular degeneration, and she is in all our thoughts and in our prayers! Betty Ray McCain is rejoicing in the first-year birthday milestone of her practically perfect (in every way) great-granddaughter, Baby Blythe!

1954

COLLEGE The Alumnae Office is saddened to report that long-time, dedicated class secretary, Trissy Holt Lomax, died in late October. Trissy will be sorely missed by her classmates and the staff at Saint Mary’s, who admired her loyalty to her alma mater. (See a special tribute to Trissy on page ???)

1954

HIGH SCHOOL Mott Butler Goff ’54HS ’56C writes from Dunn, “Hello from quarantine! I hope all are doing well and healthy things. Television and puzzles have kept me sane. I’m so happy UNC football played the season! Granddaughter Morgan has been in Iceland playing soccer. but COVID-19 got there and stopped it. Be safe and wear a mask.

Love to all! We grew up in the best of times!”

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1956

COLLEGE Martha Brooks Bricio '54HS '56C Thank you SO much to those of you who responded! In hopes that my descendants will care to read how their elders dealt with a pandemic, I'll be putting this year's letter in my KEEP file. For the age group supposedly the most vulnerable, your comments reflect real resilience. We lost one classmate, Jean Faulkner Day, last summer in the midst of the lockdown.

Our sympathy goes to her family and friends.

Loss is always hard, and doubly hard when there are so many restrictions. Glenn Norman Dickens writes she had a wonderful trip to the Outer Banks in September with friends that included Nancy Mallon Towe. Glenn hopes everyone is staying well and praying this pandemic ends soon. Though based in Raleigh, Susan Patman Day is still enjoying her place in the mountains, fly-fishing in Valle Crucis and golfing, to which she says she's become addicted. She's also painting a lot, selling her work in the Banner Elk/ Tynecastle area. She hopes all her classmates are "WELL!" Mott Butler Goff writes, "Hello from quarantine! I hope all are doing well and healthy things! Television and puzzles have kept me sane! So happy UNC football played the season!

Granddaughter Morgan had been in Iceland playing soccer, and COVID-19 got there and stopped it!" Mott's message for her classmates is, "Be safe and wear a mask! Love to all! We grew up in the best of times!" Helen Hope Webb Walker says, "On Halloween, 2019, I flew on my broomstick from Ludlow home to Homestead Hills Retirement Community: no cooking, no cleaning , no pulling weeds. Lots of activities.

I still drive and play bridge online every night with my Winston-Salem partner. I continue to receive small royalty checks from my book, Old Ladies Can Zipline Too. I want to write another!

Life is good!" Is all this sheltering tedious? A sense of humor with a touch of stoicism helps: Barbara Doar Cooper's opinion, "We have been told to be brief with our news, which is a shame, as I have many clever ways to tell you that I am campused (remember that old Saint Mary's custom?) in my retirement community for the aged, and therefore doing nothing to mention... actually nothing. Every several months I drive to the coast and do nothing at Sunset Beach, experiencing seven Saturdays every week. It will be interesting to read how others are living behind the mask!" Betty Mixon Daughtry writes, "Time flies. Seems like I just did this! Gerald and I have had a wonderful year. We have been staying home...we did do early voting. We are doing great but we each have a health issue."

Betty then describes how her husband found a growth on his one good kidney, is now being treated, and is doing well. Then, after finding a cyst during a self-breast exam, she told her doctor, who immediately did X-rays and sent them to her surgeon, who immediately recommended removing the breast. The surgery two days later went well, and Betty is doing

well. Now her youngest daughter's two girls are staying with Betty and Gerald and doing the grocery shopping and whatever needs to be done. The girls' mother comes over after her teaching day and cooks supper. Betty closes, "We are all enjoying our time together, doing a lot of Face Time, including seeing our grandson in his Citadel uniform.

Prayers for all affected by the virus." Nancy Mallon Towe’s experience with the virus runs the gamut.

"My immediate family here in Colorado have all been well, but my daughter's father (my first husband) died of COVID in April in Massachusetts.

Fortunately, we had all been together here over Christmas in 2019. Glenn Norman Dickens had a great beach party in Kitty Hawk in September 2019. I couldn't bring cooked food since I was flying from Colorado, so I did bring four cans of sesame mixed nuts and white chocolatecovered pretzels, good for partying hearty! We partied hearty, let me tell you! When COVID hit, I was furloughed for three months. I went back to work in June, changing to five hours a day instead of four. Not happy about getting off work at 6p.m. instead of 4 p.m. But I found I'm NOT a stay-at-home old lady: I need the challenges of working and the socializing that comes with it.

And the paycheck doesn't hurt either! Take care, be well, and be safe...I'll see you at the reunion with bells on!" That's right: we are scheduled for a reunion the weekend of April 23-24, 2021. Plan now to arrive armed (literally) with your COVID vaccination and ready to see your friends! Final words of encouragement from Mary Louise Bizzell Burress, "Hope everyone is making it through this pesky pandemic and am hoping to reunite with many of you soon! Love keeping up with those close by. Cheers!" That's it for this year. Your words speak volumes! Love to all, and now I'll binge watch Season 4 of ‘The Crown’ (what would Miss Morrison have thought?).

Love and best wishes to all, Martha

1958

COLLEGE Barbara Hauser Bryan ’58C Always grateful for quickly-returned blue “news” sheets, and I treasure the telephone calls I’ll make for our 64th (really?) class letter in this crazy 2020. Lou Johnson Johanson heralds Saint Mary’s Virtual Vision Celebration, “Good news on enrollment, plans for campus

expansion, etc.” Grandson Will Kennedy is at Villanova, all others “as usual.” Lou returned to the gym, some gardening, and a trip to Blowing Rock. Annie Gray Calhoun Lane and Charlie enjoyed six weeks in a “tiny house right on Main Street in Blowing Rock” this fall, where she saw Nelson Blount Crisp ’56HS. Returning to Wrightsville Beach they, as the rest of us, enjoyed home and family. “I’m developing a great deal of patience and slowing down to smell the roses,” Annie Gray wrote. Jessie Allen Ogburn labels our “COVID year...very confining.”

Thus, no travel news. “Keep the faith and wear the MASK!” she warns (writing with a broken hand). Ann Rountree Lineweaver reported a similar 2020 - no travels but “a wonderful trip to France in December 2019, as a pilgrimage from my church.” Beyond Paris and more, her trip included Normandy. One son is in Atlanta and Highlands, and the other in Sag Harbor, New York. Ginger Vann King heard from classmate Jean Young Trevorrow, catching up after many years. Glad they are back in touch. A sad note was the October 10, 2020, death of Ginger’s friend during post-college days in Durham, Beverly Bunn Michaux ’60C. Ann (Shep) Shepherd Engel asks, “Are we having fun yet?”

She notes that Engels are well and six grands (ages 6-17) were good when she wrote. She and Ted are “sequestered,” masked, socially distancing, and washing hands, of course.

Emmy McNeill Sconyers shares a great relief plan for all interested, “I benefit from Bible Study Fellowship’s online (Zoom) study of Genesis this year. Check out bsfinternational.org.” A commendable plan! Terrific news from Sterling Chadwick Heller in Texas: good health and still volunteering for nonprofits. Her family is well with just one granddaughter left in high school.

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CLASS NEWS Carole Barber Fauth headed straight for Michigan from Key West this past summer, thanks to COVID confusion and safety factors.

Her furry companion, Tappy, died suddenly, leaving a new kind of freedom. Hoping to see her ASAP. “Most Movement Award” goes to Kit Tiedeman Mason, who spent five weeks in California helping with daughter Catie’s fourth baby’s arrival. John, the second boy, is named for Kit’s father and his brother Kevin (9) thinks he’s OK. Oldest sister Caitlin (12) keeps her promise to fulfill the baby’s needs. Gracie (4), rules the roost, insisting that Grandma Kit return after Christmas to celebrate her Jan. 3 birthday.

“Then back to home, son Will, and whatever it takes to keep the mind sharp!” Sue SandlinPlaehn remains productive writing her book, as a financial advisor (on Zoom with clients), gardening, and now discovering family history with her daughter, both recent D.AR. members.

She stays in contact with Jennie Proctor Schwoebel ’57C, planning lunch at the art museum ASAP. Millie Fary Coleman avers that all is well in Spartanburg, S.C., site of a mini gathering at son Mark’s home with two grands.

Daughter Melissa and their three are in Knoxville, Tennessee, but stopped on the way home from a fall trip to Emerald Isle. What a joy to hear Brooks Newton Preik’s strong voice, improving with PT from wheelchair to walker toward a cane. She praises amazing care of the singing Jamaican ladies at rehab and her doctor’s encouragement. Chemo choices—very rough

on most—have worked without adverse side effects. She’s working on a book about her late, noted aunt Kate Stewart in Southport, whose life was heralded at her death at 90 in 1928 with a string of accomplishments. Louise (Ease) Pennington Bridgforth officially retired and is happy with her cat. When it’s safe again, she’ll resume the Sunday ministry. Until then her son, daughter-in-law, grown grandchildren, and other family check in often. Helen London Hill echoes many in labeling our current time “horrible” and “boring.” Our teachers would rejoice that she and Buddy are “reading a lot,” and Helen works crossword puzzles “with a vengeance.” Then they discuss their next meal.

Mary-Hannah Finch Taft and Bill remain in Greenville in a new home at Cypress Glen retirement village.

Their third SMS granddaughter graduates in May. Harriett Lang Hornthal advises that she and Tony are “staying very close to home” in Elizabeth City. As all, she’s hoping that “2021 brings us good health and much happiness.” Sara Barber Weatherman has resumed golfing—one of too few “safe distance” sports—but the prior year was unkind in the loss of her brother and two bone breaks: a Christmas Day fall in Charleston got her right humerus, and post-healing, she broke her right wrist on the golf course. Dickie Robinson Tyler pens that she’s “aging in Edenton, still playing golf, busy with local son Dawson,” keeping up with volunteer work and surviving! All children of daughter Blair and Tom in California are “out

of the nest” with August coaching football in Michigan, Cordelia in N.Y.C. with Goldman Sachs, Hall a University of Virginia junior, and Indiana at University of Vermont as a sophomore. Florence McGowan Turner notes that she and Bob “had a pretty good year in spite of everything...there is not much news...I guess no news is good news. Looking forward to hearing from everyone.” Sybil Mathis Patterson and Sandy celebrated their 60th in November, “blessed with a wonderful life and family” (nearby) and everyone well. They remain busy “taking care of the animals and the property.” Sybil reconnected with Billie Edmondson Hand but postponed a minireunion until safer days. Speaking of Billie, she wrote of “just return(ing) to Florida after spending (most of the fall) at our home in Asheboro. I love to watch the leaves turning after seeing nothing but green in Florida all year long.” Yard work occupies her stay-at-home days. “Thankfully Al and I...were able to go to Pawleys in July with daughter Alice and her family...and daughter Helen, who lives in Salisbury was there also,” writes Babe Middleton Nobles. Babe mentioned a leisurely porch visit with Jane Wagoner Gamewell, now a gorgeous great-grandmother of eight! Babe planned a belated birthday call to Doris Price Deal. Peggy Withers Allen is part of our large “staying close to home” crowd, although she walks until the weather is too cool for that activity to be enjoyable. Miss seeing her and Wilmington

SAINT MARY’S REMEMBERS Betty Debnam Hunt ’47HS ’49C 1929-2020 Distinguished Alumna Award Recipient/Former Alumnae Director/Former Trustee Debnam and Waldemar Eros Debnam. She and her family moved to Raleigh in the early 1940s. Betty attended Hayes Barton Grammar School and Needham Broughton High School. She graduated from Saint Mary’s High School and Saint Mary’s Junior College in Raleigh, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in political science, and from Duke University with a master’s degree in education.

Distinguished Alumna Betty Glass Debnam Hunt ’47HS ’49C, the teacher turned journalist who created and edited the nationally syndicated educational newspaper for kids – The Mini Page – died Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Raleigh after a brief illness.

Betty was born on Oct. 23, 1929 in Norfolk, Virginia. Her parents were Stella Glass

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She was an advertising copywriter for Thalhimers in Richmond, Virginia, and taught second grade in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

She returned to Raleigh to serve as alumnae secretary for Saint Mary’s High School and Junior College. She then taught first and second grade in Wake County for 10 years and it was at that time that her special interest in teaching reading began to merge with her family’s history in journalism.

Her grandfather, J.E. Debnam, founded The Standard-Laconic, a weekly newspaper in Snow Hill, North Carolina. Her grandmother, Birdie Speight Debnam, took over and ran the paper for 28 years after the death of her husband. In Betty’s early years, while visiting in Snow Hill, she would go out with her grandmother as she gathered stories, sold ads, and renewed subscriptions for the paper. Betty was immensely proud when her grandmother, Birdie, was elected to the North Carolina Journalism Hall of Fame in 2003.

While teaching in Wake County, Betty had the idea of combining education and journalism into a newspaper for kids and approached The News & Observer about publishing it. She always gave special thanks to the late Dave Jones, associate publisher of the newspaper who as advertising manager gave her the chance to launch The Mini Page. The first

Saint Mary’s friends during our “socially distant” days. A very belated thanks to amazing Margie Reid, who shared contact information from her Broughton High School phone directory! We are current with Jean Keyes Warren in Florida, Judy Keller Bunn appears still in Raleigh, and I keep hunting Rachel “Sue” Minich Hughes.

Marvin reports that he and lovely wife Sadie Carol Etheridge Ward are doing all right, that her mind remains much the same, and she just needs help getting around. His upbeat spirit surely blesses their home. Jane Bellamy Venters relayed a familiar refrain by daughterin-law Leigh Wilson Venters ’86C that she, as most of us, has no news and is staying home.

Likewise, Legare Benton Head and Tom in Flat Rock, a great place to be home. Their daughter Caroline Head Knox ’90C, in nearby Hendersonville, orders and brings groceries, everyone making careful choices. Legare and all are enlisted in our search for Sallie Rembert Quirk. “She is around,” Legare assures. Polly Starbuck Robertson admits that she’s “not staying at home too well,” occasionally “roaming around” and looking for her mask.

Some of her most fun times are spent with Lou, when they rendezvous for refreshment and conversation. Polly’s heart was with her son John B., whose dearest childhood friends were lost in a coastal fishing accident just days before we talked. Super sad. Bibi Walker Harding has recovered from a hip break, daughter Laura checking on her at her condo. Hats off to both!

Pat Watson Ambrose and Don missed holidays with their daughter’s family at Saint Simons Island but appreciate working in the yard, more reading, and Netflix. Loved catching up with my roomie, Lucy Wooten Wofford, who’s enjoying her “Driving Miss Lucy” days while her grandson practices as he ages into driver’s license days.

She and two adopted dogs have a schedule.

Dog #2 (part Yorkie, long-haired dachshund, and Chihuahua) came from Puerto Rico after four years as a “street dog.” Bet Lee Girardeau sent thanks for “trying to keep up with all of us.” She’s glad to be “just the same: happy with life and thankful for family & health.”

Classmate Catherine Rakestraw’s lifelong asthma put her in the highest risk for COVID at the same time her concern and caretaking were needed. “My husband of over 20 years and friend of over 40 years, Joe Mattera, died Oct. 8, 2020, after extended failing health.” Living in the same Atlanta condo complex, Joe’s daughters in N.Y.C., Catherine notes “I was the one helping him through these awful years.”

Prayers and sympathy from us all. I (Barbara or “Hauser”) am fine, always busy “saving” something, working at “organizing” for my children, and love being in touch with classmates. Since our last letter, classmates now “Saints above,” include three Belles: Louise Jones Tippett, who died in Raleigh December 27, 2019, my 2nd Smedes hallmate, Margaret Crowson Skinner, who died August 19, 2020 in Burlington, and Elizabeth Blake Boutwell, who

edition was published in The News & Observer, Aug. 31, 1969.

as an educator. One who brought powerful content to children.”

In 1978, Betty married Col. Richard M. Hunt, a former Marine aviator who worked in Washington, D.C. in government affairs. Betty moved The Mini Page office to Washington where she and Richard enjoyed life in the nation’s capital and traveling to many interesting countries while “on assignment” for The Mini Page. At one time, more than 500 newspapers published The Mini Page, and it garnered many awards in journalism and education.

For her accomplishments in journalism, Betty was inducted into The Newspapers in Education Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Journalism Hall of Fame, and the Raleigh Hall of Fame; received Distinguished Alumnae Awards from Saint Mary’s School and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and was a recipient of the North Carolina Award, the state’s highest civilian honor.

For many of The Mini Page’s early years, Betty worked as the sole member of the staff as the editor, reporter, artist, salesman, and bill collector. Betty served as editor of The Mini Page for 37 years. She sold the publication to Universal Press Syndicate in 2007. The complete collection of over 2,000 issues of The Mini Page is online as part of the Southern Historical Collection at The Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Betty strongly believed that The Mini Page gave newspapers a chance to step into the field of elementary education and that elementary education could start at any age.

She once said, “I want to be remembered

Betty’s personal interests included painting, reading, and visiting her cottage at Atlantic Beach. She loved to entertain and never missed checking out a new restaurant.

Former Saint Mary’s president Clauston Jenkins remembers Betty as a woman ahead of her time. “When I arrived at Saint Mary’s in 1986, it was common practice for the students to pay secretaries to type their papers because they felt that the skill of typing was not appropriate for young women who aspired to greater things,” writes Jenkins. “This was at the dawn of word processors, and I wanted all of the students to learn to type and use the computer. There was some push-back about this, but Betty strongly supported the idea at

died August 9, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Margaret’s daughter, Cindy Skinner Welch ’88C, wrote that her mother went to Carolina after Saint Mary’s, and married Robert W. Skinner in 1962. They had two children and lived in Burlington, where Margaret taught school and later became owner of Crowson Insurance Agency. “She had many fond memories of her roommates and friends at Saint Mary’s,” writes Cindy. “Thank you to all the Saint Mary’s friends who have sent condolences.”

Each name evokes a memorable and friendly face for me. We will miss them. Barbara

1958

High School Mary Cameron Phillips Dillingham writes from Greensboro. Her grandsons, Walker (10) and Xander (6) are “a constant joy. My daughter Cameron is a delight and a blessing.

My best to all and may you remain safe and well.” Carol Spaulding Fox reports, “Carter and I have relocated to Westminster Canterbury Retirement Community in Richmond, Virginia.

I will miss our Chapel Hill location and close proximity to Saint Mary’s. We are happy to be back in Virginia with many friends.” Carter is recovering from COVID. “VCU Hospital and the people at Westminster Canterbury have been wonderful.” Helen Jones Kerby writes from Halstenbek, Germany, “Mid-March this

the Board of Trustees level. She felt that such a skill would give the students an advantage at getting a job. She stressed to the students that the important thing was to get a job and not worry if it were menial at first. Her mantra was, start at the bottom and work your way up.

Her life was a good example for our students then and now. We now take keyboarding for granted, but this incident shows how Betty Hunt was ahead of her time.”

Betty was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her twin brother, Dr. William S. Debnam, and his wife, Judy; nephew Billy Debnam; step-daughter Joan Brook Nolan of California and husband Jack; and greatnephew William Denton.

She is survived by her three nieces and their families, including Tali Debnam Denton ’81C (Van) of Raleigh; Lyn Kirby (David) of Raleigh; and Julie Gross (Chris) of Austin, Texas; her step-granddaughter Jeannette Foltz (Gene) of Norco, California and their children; her sisterin-law, Joan Hunt of Plymouth, Ind.; and her godson, Hart Huffines (Margot) of Raleigh.

A private memorial service was held at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church in Raleigh.

37

CLASS NEWS year came the Cornona lockdown in Germany!

No schools, no sports, no restaurants, no concerts, no cinema, etc. Our neighbors went shopping for us and bought food and supplies.

The lockdown was still in effect on my 80th birthday, June 26. I couldn’t have a big party, as only five people were allowed to be together outdoors.” However, while Helen, her husband and two neighbors gathered in the garden for birthday cake, a friend from Helen’s Russian class appeared and asked her to come to the driveway. “There in the back of our house stood my Russian teacher and her husband and all of my Russian class with masks and the proper distance!” Her classmates and their teacher each presented a story or anecdote in Russian or German, sang Happy Birthday in three languages, and gave Helen a luxurious, reclining chair for her garden! One of Helen’s voice students gave her tickets to a voice recital in the luxurious Hamburg concert hall. “We met early and went first to the plaza, which is a lookout platform with a spectacular view of Hamburg harbor and the Elbe River.” The singer, Matthias Goerne, gave a memorable performance and Helen loved seeing the night view after the concert. “We could see all the ships lit up and the city lights of Hamburg.” Unfortunately, Helen reports that the pandemic is once again worsening in Germany and “everything is closing down again.”

1960

COLLEGE Peggy Pegues Kinney writes, “It was a very hard decision to come to, but I needed to turn over Class Secretary duties of the past 60 years to the Alumnae Office. Bill and I have both had serious health issues since the fall of '19 and often I've never known what the next day would bring. Our lives are better now, but "old age ain't for sissies," as we say! My news is sharing that we became great-grandparents on Sept.

14 when Robert Leland McNiel IV arrived in Chattanooga, Tennessee! Leland is a precious little bundle to the delight of parents, grandson Lee and Emma, and grandparents, our Elisabeth and Danny McNiel, as well. Granddaughter Margaret Jane is in management training with Blackberry Farm resort and is living in Knoxville, Tennessee. Youngest grandchild, Light McNiel, is a freshman at Wofford College. We are truly blessed with wonderful, caring family, friends, and doctors! Stay safe, gals, and hang tight in this challenging time! Blanche Bonner Stevens writes, “I hit the big 80 recently, but it is not so bad! Walker and I had all our children with us this summer at Atlantic Beach for a fun week.

No travel other than that.” Mary Cameron Phillips Dillingham writes from Greensboro.

Her grandsons, Walker (10) and Xander (6) are “a constant joy. My daughter Cameron is a delight and a blessing. My best to all and may you remain safe and well.” Florie McLeod Ervin lives in Florence, South Carolina. “My

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family now includes eight granddaughters and three grandsons, ages 3 to 16. This COVID-19 lockdown has included in person and virtual schooling. I am glad we were not locked down, Class of 1960! It was a lot of fun then!”

1960

HIGH SCHOOL Frances Holton Maffitt writes, “I have been living for four years in my hometown of Edenton with my husband, Karl Eurenices, M.D., retired. My granddaughter, Caroline Koonce ’21, is a senior at Saint Mary’s and president of her class. It is a lot of fun going back to campus for her events.”

1962

COLLEGE Mary Larsen Jordan ’62C Nancy Vance Ashmore Cooper writes that she had moved across town to a delightful retirement community last March-- just before the sky fell! (Nancy Vance always had a wonderful sense of humor, which we all can use today!) She goes on to say, “We are cared for and protected. What’s not to like?” She hopes that all of us are healthy and feel loved. Nothing could be more important! Victoria McKenzie Armes writes, “Hope this finds all of our class doing well and adjusting to the ‘new normal,’ although wearing a mask and glasses really don’t agree.

Being on the Alumnae Council, having a granddaughter who is a sophomore, and being grandparent co-chair for Saint Mary’s have given me many opportunities to reconnect with our classmates. I would encourage all of our classmates to visit the Saint Mary’s webpage and see what a marvelous school Saint Mary’s is and will continue to be!”

Courtenay McDowell writes that she and Dick are at Bishop Gadsden in Charleston, South Carolina, and have been quarantining for eight months. She and Dick escape to Brevard until they get bored. “Each of us is being very careful.

So far no illness! Yea!” Jody Blackwell Anderson is also living at Bishop Gadsden. She was not as lucky as Courtenay, as she could not leave or see her family until recently, when she could see her family through a window. Jane Brooks Ball spent most of the summer in Maine.Margaret Smith Garbe spent several weeks camping with grandchildren in Colorado to escape the virus blues.

Tra Jeannette Perry writes, “What a year for all of us with COVID-19 raging.” She notes that her grandchildren had the same stress as everyone else, but they are now happy and settled in their school. Tra’s grandson, Tap, is at N.C. State and granddaughter Gray is at UNC-Chapel Hill. Little Lillie Belle (8), is at St. Timothy’s. Tra spent most of her summer at Nags Head and is now looking forward to Lake Mattamuskeet and to the end of COVID! Amen to that! Ginny Simmons Shew writes that this is not a great year for news from her. She and husband Al are spending six months in Clearwater, Florida. She is still playing tennis three times a week (I am envious!) with Gene Hunter Arnold and trying to keep up an exercise routine. Marty Watkins Prevost writes that she is still plugging along in real estate, but is being more selective. She says, “It has been a hot market here!” Her older son, Lee, has sold his business and is semi-retired!

“It is a crazy world!” She wants for all of us to stay well and safe. It looks like we’ll be in COVID status for a long slog. As for me, Mary Larsen Jordan, since I last wrote, I have moved to Granite Bay, California. It is 27 miles north of Sacramento. Both of my sons had moved up to the Sacramento area, which was almost a three-hour drive for me coming from Redwood City. They wanted me to be closer, since I was alone after the loss of their dad. So, one of my daughters-in-law found a house with a smaller house on the same property. Before I realized what was happening, I was moving! It was quite an experience to say the least! After having lived in the same house with my husband for over 42 years, it is amazing what one accumulates!

Moving from 3,200 square feet to 1,200 is quite a challenge! I am happy to be with my family. I probably would not have been allowed to see

SAINT MARY’S REMEMBERS them if I had not moved. It is wonderful being so close to all four of my grandchildren. Since they are in my “bubble,” I get to see them frequently. I have been staying close to home. The grocery store has become my social outlet and the grocery clerks my new friends! I hope the holidays will be safe and not too lonely of an experience for all of us. Please be careful, everyone! Let’s not let our guards down as we are in “that bracket.” Let’s all wear our masks. I do hope that the holidays will be good for all of us. Be kind to one another. Mary

1962

HIGH SCHOOL AND

1964

COLLEGE Janie Stronach Wood ’62HS ’64C Dear Classmates: As you well know, it has been harder than ever to communicate because of this pandemic, which has gone on much too long! I am hoping that you have survived without too much difficulty and with many good diversions!

Marjorie Winslow Green ’64C lives in her hometown: "The Neck!" (Scotland Neck) and sees lots of Saint Mary's girls: Clare Garden Maddison ’64C, Ann Elliott Newbern ’72C, and Willa McKimmon Dickens ’65C! Her daughter, Ann Green Floyd ’94C, and husband, John, live in Mount Airy. Daughter Claire Green Scolnick lives with her husband, Evan, and their children, Bode and Tanner, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where they and their children, snowboard, play hockey, hike, bicycle, and enjoy other outdoor activities! Susan Russell Denniston '62HS, who resides in Washington, D.C., is thrilled that her granddaughter, Kate Pulsifer is a 9th grader at Saint Mary's! During this period of social distancing, I have fortunately remained in touch with many Saint Mary's friends, who live in Edenton! Amelia Yancey Bond ’59HS ’61C and I have played bridge a few times to break the monotony! I was also delighted to see Frances Holton Maffitt ’60HS and her husband, Karl, for cocktails at a distance!

Dickie Robinson Tyler ’56HS ’58C, Boo Robinson Beasley ’54HS ’56C, and I stay in touch mainly through e-mailing! Old friend, Jewell Ragsdale Matthews ’63C and I stay in touch, as well as Marguerite McKee Moss ’62HS, and Judy Rhodes Hoyt 63C, all residing in Raleigh. Tom and I are involved with our bed and breakfast inn, and recently hosted a sociallydistanced wedding on the Mulberry Hill waterfront! We are still retrieving ribbons from the trees and petals from the ground!

Our son, Thomas, is still practicing law in nearby Gatesville, and our daughter-in-law, Adrian, is continuing to write her blog, Tales of an Educated Debutante, which focuses on our autistic grandson, Amos, and has been a comfort to many people who have children with special needs. Grandson Thomas just entered Episcopal High School, where Tom and son Thomas attended. Daughter Caroline is a registered nurse at Novant Hospital in Winston-Salem, near her home in Pilot Mountain.

It has not been possible to fly to Pittsburgh to see my sister, Anne Stronach Genter ’53HS ’55C and her family, which makes me sad! However, there is good news about the vaccines, so we'll be optimistic about travel plans and getting together with them and other friends in the near future! Janie Wood, Class Secretary

1966

COLLEGE Gayle Boineau Darby writes, “Since, so far, we have survived eight months of COVID quarantine, I figured it was time to check in! Warren and I are spending more time at our house in

John Nicholas Landi Sr. 1932-2020 Former Trustee Former Saint Mary’s trustee John Landi died peacefully in his home Oct. 5, 2020, after a rich and well lived life. John served with distinction as a member of Saint Mary’s College board of trustees from 1982-1988. He was born in 1932 in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended LaSalle Academy and Rhode Island College, which led to a stint playing professional baseball in the Boston Red Sox organization. He graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in human resources/political science. He moved to New York City to begin his business career and met his wife, Mittie Crumpler Landi ’55HS ’57C, on a blind date. In 1960, the Landis settled in Mebane, North Carolina, where they raised four children and where he established and grew Mebane Lumber Company, Inc. John served as a community leader in many capacities including the Library Boards of Mebane and Burlington, The Wachovia Bank of North Carolina, the Alamance Airport Authority, the Southeast Lumber Manufacturing Association Board, and on the vestry at his church of 60 years, Holy Comforter Church in Burlington, North Carolina. He also served on the board of Alamance Country Club and was a founding member of the Old Chatham Golf Club. He also earned a Master of Liberal Studies from Duke University later in life.

John is survived by his loving wife, Mittie; his four children, Denise Landi ’77HS ’79C and her husband Mike Cowhig, Helen Landi ’78HS ’80C, John N. Landi Jr. and his wife Tracy, and Tony Landi and his wife Katie Sullivan Landi ’85HS ’87C; and eight grandchildren including Kat Landi ’08.

the South Carolina mountains. We look straight at Table Rock and we pretend this virus will soon BE GONE! We have two grandchildren in Greenville. S.C., and two in Columbia, S.C., so we are able to spend time with both. A real blessing. I hope all of you are well and surviving also. I love reading about the lives of all of you. Stay safe.” Susan Poyner Matthews’ son, David Moore, a colonel in the Marines, just completed three years in Stuttgart, Germany, and has been sent to London for a year to study international studies before going to command flight wing at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He and his wife, Samantha Conway Moore, have three children who are attending the American school in London.

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COLLEGE Paula Johnson Stewart ’68C Dear Friends, I thought with everyone

at home during this pandemic that I was going to hear from the entire class. Boy, was I wrong!

Beth Harris Isenhour was the first person to respond and she wrote, “Like many of you, these months of staying close to home have given me time to read more books than I have read in the last five years!” She said she was also watching lots of movies that she had not seen in the theater. She has five grandchildren (the latest was premature born 7 ½ weeks early). They range in age 5, 3 ½, 2, 1 ½, 1 month- and they all live within a half-hour from her house She is hoping 2021 will bring a vaccine for all of us! Sally Mann Scales writes, “The COVID year finds us glad that we live in Little Washington! Daughter Kendall, Len, and our two granddaughters, Carrow (3) and Evelyn (1), have safely weathered hurricanes and COVID in their New Orleans home. We were lucky to experience our first Mardi Gras, (family-style), with them before

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SAINT MARY’S REMEMBERS Faye Barkley Fussell 1935-2020 Longtime executive assistant to three presidents of Saint Mary’s College Faye Barkley Fussell, longtime executive assistant to three presidents and one dean of Saint Mary’s College, died Nov. 12, 2020. Faye became secretary to Dr. Mabel M. Morrison, academic of the college, in 1970.

For 22 years, she served as executive administrative assistant to three of the college’s presidents: The Rev. Dr. Frank Pisani, John Rice, and Dr. Clauston Jenkins.

Faye’s stellar work ethic, friendly manner, and fast thinking served her well, as she became an invaluable source of solid judgement, inspiration, and strength for all who knew her.

“One of the best things that happened to me when I came to Saint Mary's in 1986 was that Faye Fussell agreed to come back to work in the President's Office as my assistant,” says former Saint Mary’s College President Clauston Jenkins. “Faye had all the qualities that one hopes to find in a person who works for the president. She was gracious but firm. She knew how to deal with confidential information. She was very sensitive to the feelings and needs of others and knew how to convey their concerns to me. She kept me from making many mistakes. She knew the background of past decisions and kept me focused on what could be successfully improved and what needed to be left alone at that time. She was knowledgeable about alumnae, board members, faculty, and staff. I always had confidence that she would handle matters and people appropriately. She conveyed dignity, yet at the same time she had a smile and liked to laugh. In sum, she brought gravitas to our office and to Saint Mary's. Although she was not an alumna, she represented the best of our institution.

“I remember the empty feeling I had the day she told me they were moving back to Rocky Mount. I knew she was irreplaceable and in many ways that proved to be true for a number of years. We were fortunate to have her at Saint Mary's and she made us a better place. It was a joy to know her and to work with her.”

Faye was born in Rocky Mount, attended Chowan College, and married Kenneth Joseph Fussell in 1958. The Fussells moved to Raleigh when their daughter, Elizabeth Ellen Fussell Policastro ’80HS ’81C, was born.

The Fussells moved back to Rocky Mount in 1992, where Faye worked for Kenan Rand at A.G. Edwards (now Wells Fargo Advisors). Before coming to Saint Mary’s, she was a top-notch secretary for Pilot Life Insurance Co. in Raleigh.

A celebration of life was held with COVID protocols in a large facility at Wilkerson Funeral Home in Greenville, North Carolina. Condolences at WilkersonFuneralHome.com.

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CLASS NEWS we knew that life would change. What would we do without Facetime and Zoom?!" Becky Bell Savitz just finished building a house in Tampa, across the street from her old house and next door to her daughter. She loves having the grandchildren so close. She still spends summers in North Carolina and loves gardening and mosaicing. Y'all need to check out her Instagramthepiquinggardner and tiktok - babasgarden accounts! She is truly so very talented! Leighton Holmes Tesche writes that she is selling residential real estate in her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, and enjoying it. Her daughter, Leighton Branton, and husband Matt, are living in Charleston with their three children.

Her son, Will, got married in May 2020, despite COVID, and he and his wife Shannon live around the corner from Leighton. She loves seeing her old SMJC roommate, Lenora Kendrick Clontz, who lives close by. They get together about once a month and laugh just as they did in college. She hasn’t been to any reunions but would love to attend our 55th in 2023 with Lenora and Cary Hancock Easterly, hopefully. Nancy Bowen Wiggins wrote that she had worked hard on the 2020 Federal Census and was getting ready to work for the local Board of Elections and early voting. She has had four operations (including a mastectomy) for breast cancer since May and is happy to report that she is cancer-free with no chemo or radiation. Congratulations to Nancy for being inducted in September into the “Order of the Hornet” in Mecklenburg County for meritorious public service!

Molly Richardson Swan writes that she is enjoying having two granddaughters at UGA! She had fun following UGA sorority rush with Martha Vaughan, who had a great niece also at UGA this fall. Molly and Bill celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year! She says she is mighty grateful for them both to be in good health and feels very blessed. Martha Vaughan retired from the Y in December, after 35 years. The new man in her life is George, a mini Aussiedoodle! Training him during COVID has been a lifesaver, both physically and mentally! She spent July in Clemson with her granddaughters (8 and 11), which she says has been the highlight of these crazy times. She will go for more extended visits over the holidays and winter. Susan Davis Virgin writes there is not much to report with COVID. She did go on the Saint Mary’s theater trip to New York in early March before the lockdowns, along with Martha Vaughan and Celie Smith Harris.

Kaye Lasater Culp ’68C and her sister, Lynn Lasater Reynolds ’73C, and I saw them at the plays and had dinner with them one night while we were there. Glad we went when we did, as the next week everything got shut down!) Susan has been to Wisconsin to play golf and is thankful for the Atlanta Braves games for giving them something to watch, until they got eliminated! I enjoy texting with Toot and Molly during Carolina basketball and football games! Susan has five adorable grandchildren, her youngest one’s name is Davis. (I suspect that the “I” references here are actually referring to Susan Davis Virgin. Could you check and see if Paula went on the NYC trip?) Cathy Swain Crossett writes that her last trip was to the master’s program graduation of elder son, Edgar, from Cal Berkeley on March 13. The news about the seriousness of the virus changed dramatically over the days of their visit and they were lucky that their flight back to Atlanta was not cancelled. The light and joy for her during this time is that she has been babysitting for their grandson, Ellis, who just turned one in October. He is also providing her with a rigorous exercise and workout routine free of charge - no membership fees. Arabella Nash Hubbard writes that she sold her house and bought a wonderful townhouse nearby in Essex, Vermont. Diane Stockard Wade sent a nice long email with her news: “My past year was ‘highlighted’ when I broke my leg over Labor Day weekend, 2019.

It was a very bad break, resulting in three different operations in six days. I was in the hospital for nine days in Greenville, because I fell at the beach. It was quite the journey with over 100 stitches and now I have three ugly, long scars. But thankfully,

14 months later, my leg works fine now and hey, I’m not entering any beauty pageants these days! Haha! Louis and I quietly celebrated our 51st anniversary November 1. It’s hard to believe how quickly the years have flown—we consider ourselves very lucky. We both still enjoy boating, the beach, and traveling. Our two daughters have given us four beautiful grandchildren, now 24 to 15 and our older granddaughter is now a junior at Saint Mary’s! Go Saints! I’m hoping you’ll get a lot of responses this year—I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s ‘news’ and there are absolutely no excuses for our classmates not checking in this year with COVID! We are all starved for good news and I pray that everyone feels safe and well.” Diane, unfortunately, this is all of the class that I heard from! Since our last newsletter, I have had a granddaughter who was born in Chicago on December 8, six weeks early and was in the NICU for 26 days. She now has two teeth and has been walking everywhere since she turned 10 months old! I got to spend a week with them in Asheville this summer. I have not seen my two Connecticut grandchildren since last January. Since COVID, they Facetime me almost every night at their suppertime and I get to hear all about their day. Thank goodness for Facetime!

Hopefully by the next newsletter, COVID will be behind us and we will be almost back to “normal,” whatever that may look like! If any of you have changes in your contact info for SMS, please let them know! Paula Johnson Stewart

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HIGH SCHOOL Susan Byars ’68HS ’70C Dear Friends, Well, it has been quite a year! Hope you all have stayed well during our “new normal” of social distancing, mask wearing, and continual hand washing! We have certainly had to make huge adjustments this year but hopefully we are all finding ways to make those adjustments and thrive in them. Jeanne Cross writes that she has been retired since 2017. She still judges horse shows and has put on local shows for many years. She loves seeing her Saint Mary’s friends from time to time and sends her love to all. Well, I imagine that all of us are hoping and praying for a wonderful year in 2021. I wish you all the best, Susan.

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COLLEGE Jane Wood Youngblood '70C Nan Wilson McLendon writes, “Best year in real estate yet! Oldest son, Kit, is in Aspen, Colo., and is married and has a daughter (4). Middle son, Knox, lives in San Diego, Calif. Daughter Nancy Stewart McLendon ’08 lives in Wilmington.”

Kack Hardin says, “Nothing much new on my front except still trying to figure out how to retire and enjoy some leisure time. I am on the board of directors for the North Carolina Community Foundation, which I have enjoyed

as it has gotten me back to Raleigh quarterly.

Now we all have to settle for Zoom meetings.

I hear from my roommate Elizabeth “Liz” Capehart Buchanan and was looking forward to seeing her. Saw Woody briefly as she was fleeing Florida to get home before the pandemic really changed our lives. Since we are all in the ‘vulnerable’ age group, we are doing a pretty good job of isolating, except work, so missing our gatherings.” Lee Barnard retired from Kentucky state government in May 2017 and is currently helping her siblings take care of their 93-yearold mother. Walker Holmes Haigh writes that their “beach group” has been meeting for more than 50 years! “Woody Bobbitt Lawson, Macky Dixon Ayers, Betsy Wharton, Sally Tomlinson Earnhart, Susan Byers, Mattie Simmons Carstarphen, Beth Denning Berryhill, and I have been meeting at Atlantic Beach at either Betsy or Sally’s. We were devastated to lose our dear Sue Anderson (my roommate at SMJC and D.C.) last year. Several times, we have changed it up and visited Woody in Duxbury, Mass. Last time we were able to connect with Margaret McLean Gore as well. What a dear group of friends who have supported each other and lifted each other up for 50 years! Thanks, SMJC!” Mary Stewart Stokes writes from Charlotte, “All my friends told me how wonderful it would be and now I know for myself! I’m a grandmother—MiMi! Berkley Olivia Stokes was born on September 22. She was almost six weeks early (4 pounds, 17”) but only had to stay in NICU for 15 days. Berkley and her parents are all doing well. And I’ve been able to get down to Durham regularly to spend time with them. What a blessing!”

Zealand ‘friend-girl.’ My daughter, Blakeney, moved to Houston, Texas, at the end of 2018 to accept her dream job as an actuary. She is busy working and also studying for the required exams. She is a lot more focused than I was at her age! The loves of her life right now are her two large rescue dogs, George and Duke. I am doing well. I am still working and just started a new job a couple of years ago, which I am really enjoying. I am also grateful to have reached my five-year point since being diagnosed with breast cancer, and to be healthy and doing well.” Coco McConnell Killian’s son, Rally, was married Dec. 1, 2018, in Wilmington. Alicia Dees Taylor, Neale Turlington Lindholm and their husbands attended. Coco and Ray love to travel, but when she is home, Coco directs weddings at her church. She has as many as 18 weddings a year, including SMS girls! Whew! Libby Holland resides in Raleigh and is a Registered Nurse in the cardiovascular intermediate care unit. She occasionally runs into Laura Norris Raynor ’69HS ’71C at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Laura was Libby’s “big sister” at Saint Mary’s, and still continues in that role! I am still practicing medicine in a federally funded clinic in Boydton, Virginia. I am way too busy seeing patients and acting as medical director for five practices.

I so enjoy my two granddaughters, Stuart and Bennett. I am a sucker and have already gotten them a miniature horse! I am also growing Angus cattle on our family farm in Boydton. I am still enjoying lake country living in Clarksville, on Buggs Island Lake.” Susan

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COLLEGE Sue Barham Moore reports, “Don and I are doing well. Don retired from practicing medicine after 41 years. We are enjoying our eight grandchildren through Zoom and social distancing. I hope all our classmates are staying safe and healthy.” Emalynn Cobb Tate writes from Daniel Island, S.C. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor in February. She retired as a full Commander in the Navy Nurse Corps in 1994.

Emalynn has been widowed twice, the last time in January 2018. She would love to hear from Katherine Purvis Wilder and Mary Guill. Nancy Johns Mohlere reports sad news: Cathy Quick Vennik passed away recently.

1972

HIGH SCHOOL Susan Hundley '72HS Janet Blair writes, “I'm sure this has been quite a year for everyone. Our small family of three is doing fine and we have all had as good of a year as can be expected. My son, Ben, is an analyst with a company here in Atlanta. He is enjoying his work, but unfortunately has not been able to do more traveling in Europe with his New

1974

Melrose Whitfield Fisher ’72HS ’74C A year already, and wow, what a crazy year it’s been. 2020 has been a memorable one for sure, but not one I want to ever go through again. I know you agree. The number of classmates sending in their news took a deep dive this year and we know that is highly unusual for our ’74C class! But nevertheless, I’ve heard from a couple of newbies and that’s exciting. One of the newbies, or at least one we’ve not heard from in some time, is Pam Hardage Misenheimer! It was so good to hear from Pam, a “four-year SMS girl.”

Pam is retired and moved back to Chase City, Virginia, three years ago with her four-legged type of children. Unfortunately, Pam passed along the sad news that Tony, her husband of many years, died two years ago. We all send our prayers and condolences to you, Pam. Continuing to travel this great land of ours via her New Aire motorhome is Gail Goforth and her husband, Ward. Gail and Ward have been crossing the country motorhome- style for several years now, and it’s always fun to hear from her and all the places they’ve seen. Because of this virus, arghhhh, Gail and Ward have limited the number of trips this year and have opted for those a little closer to Charlotte, which is their home base.

They will take their normal (what is normal nowadays, right?) winter trip to Florida for three

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CLASS NEWS months and will stay in Tampa/St. Pete, St. Augustine, and Key West. Then they’ll head out West/Northwest and take in as many national parks as they can. Can we all say “jealous?” I think it sounds wonderful. With the loss of her parents and more recently her sister, plus being retired, Gail has found a sense of freedom she says she never felt before. She says being healthy helps, and I think we can all agree with that. Gail invites any classmates who may be traveling in an RV, trailer, camper, etc., to contact her to see where she may be hunkered down at the time. She would love for you to join Ward and her. Happy traveling, Gail! Here’s another classmate who is enjoying traveling: Katherin Koonce. Katherin loves horseback riding and a lot of her trips and travels have involved riding horses. Last year, Kathrin was in Estancia Los Potreros, Argentina, and returned to the U.S.A. just ahead of the virus in March. Lucky for you, Kathrin. While in Argentina, Kathrin enjoyed herding cattle, horses, and playing polo. You go, girl! Mounting a horse would not be a pretty sight in my case. As soon as COVID-19 permits, Kathrin’s next trip will take her to Botswana, where she will enjoy a safari on horseback. Then, en route to Greece, Kathrin plans to meet up with her nephews in Cyprus.

Aside from these exotic trips, Kathrin is vice president of the BOD at Coastal Therapeutic Riding Program and thoroughly enjoys it. A great service organization, Kathrin. Margaret Ann Fraley, our mammography guru, has retirement in the works for January 2021. Yay, M.A! Margaret Ann has worked for years as a radiology specialist with a focus on mammography in the Mt. Pleasant/Charleston area. Once she retires, M.A. has plans to return to her hometown of Statesville, build a bungalow, get a little Cavachon pup, and just enjoy life. Good for you, M.A. Now you have no excuse not to show up at our 50th reunion in 2024! From the N.C. coast, Libba Barbour Shelton and husband Scott have been hunkered down during this pandemic at their home in Morehead City. They have been able to see their daughter Sarah’s three children play baseball there in Carteret County, providing them some entertainment at least. Libba’s youngest daughter, Mollie, and military husband Joey, have moved to Okinawa, Japan, where they will be for two years, which is now probably only one more year. Scott and Libba hope to visit them in Japan. Libba is glad to be retired from teaching in the public school system, but you couldn’t keep her retired too long. She now enjoys teaching kindergarten half-day at a private church school. The perfect retirement plan slow and easy. And thanks to Joey for his service to our great country! Down in Augusta, Ga., Susan Byers Muir reports, “Happy to say that life is great for me, our family, and my husband of 43 years, George (who is retiring in June after being an Episcopal priest for 40 years!). We both can’t wait. We see North Carolina in our future with our three children, husbands, and grandchildren all there. I will not go on and on as requested but I am sending lots of love to all my classmates and keeping all in my prayers! One last request to

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everyone - wear a mask!” Thanks, Byers! Next is news from the amazing, strong Bolling Quicke Scott, who has been battling ovarian cancer.

Bolling thanks all of us ’74C prayer warriors for giving her a lift in spirit and for keeping her in our prayers. Bolling is happy to say she continues to do well after this diagnosis. She will receive treatment every three weeks through February 2021. Hopefully, you’ll be finished with those treatments by the time this goes out, Bolling. She was fortunate enough to tolerate the treatments with minimal side effects. Wonderful news Bolling! More good news from Bolling to share.

Her daughter, Anne Randolph, gave birth to a little girl in September 2020, Sarah Jane Elizabeth Carter. Congrats, Bolling! Son Ford got married in February 2020 in anticipation of deployment to the Middle East in June. The family expects Ford to be home in February 2021. Great news all the way around, Bolling! More good news from the fab ’74C class - Betsy Newman Brabson reports her health is great! Along with great health, Betsy says her t-shirt business has been particularly good this past COVID-19 season at Debordieu, South Carolina. Well duh - that’s all people are wearing, right? Despite COVID, Betsy and husband Bill, along with her fellow turtlelovers, were busy this past turtle season 2020. At least it got them outside. Not a bad “virtual work” location, Betsy. Children Wylie and Tyler are living and working in North Carolina and Florida. Betsy doesn’t think Bill will ever retire. That’s not such a bad thing, Betsy. Bill continues to sell windows, do a little remodeling, and helping Betsy with her turtle project. Great news, Betsy! Jane Abernathy Hahn is still enjoying Beaufort and has had a busy year with a knee replacement, which was no fun with COVID hitting the country in March. As we all know, this meant no getting out for Jane.

Finally, in the fall, Jane was able to attend a wedding party for sister Joan’s daughter in Richmond, Virginia. As you all may remember, Jane’s sister, Anne Abernathy Roth ’76C, died unexpectedly in April 2020. Jane says her sister’s death has been exceptionally hard. We can only imagine, Jane. Jane’s son, Andrew, is living in Jane’s hometown of Ayden. Younger son Brian is living in Ponte Vedra, Florida, where Jane used to live. Her interior design business in Beaufort, hosting an Airbnb and “just life itself” keeps Jane busy. If any classmates are in and around the Crystal Coast, give Jane a call. Emory Rogers Church says that the pandemic shutdown last March came just days before her daughter, Betsy Church Bula ’09, was to be married in the SMS Chapel on March 28. After 11 months of planning a big wedding and reception, everything suddenly changed! Emory and John’s backyard became the venue, with just their minister and 10 family members. The Churches hope to have a reception for the happy couple later, but Emory says the tiny outdoor wedding could not have been more beautiful and special! Margie Spencer reports that all is well with her, other than quarantine craziness! Her third granddaughter was born in February. “She is spectacular, as all grandchildren tend to be!” Rachael Holmes

writes, “Still loving retirement, although nothing has gone according to plans yet. I had to cancel all travel plans after a rare complication post cataract surgery, right after our reunion, and did temporarily lose my vision in my right eye.

Very grateful to have regained it all after six months of drops and monitoring and love not needing contacts or glasses now. COVID halted travel plans again, shifting things for another year. It has given me time to complete mostly outside home projects. I have been in ‘sports withdrawal’ and hope we will actually have a complete ACC basketball season to watch on TV. I really miss volunteering in my kindergarten class the most. I am grateful for Zoom for church, exercise classes, and staying in touch with folks. It’s just not the same as in person.

Hope everyone is well and staying safe.” As for myself, I am totally over this pandemic. I hope to never see another mask EVER! I continue working on research for UNC Biomedical Department.

Like everyone else in the world, I’m sheltered here at home, working virtually. You know how hard that is for me not having anyone to talk to!

Our younger son, Davis and wife Michalia are happily married. Oldest son Rob(bie) is still in D.C. He has published his first book of a trilogy called, Off the Chest, and this first book is titled Yes, There are Stupid Questions. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or MeetRobFisher. com. Don’t you think Ms. Culley be so very proud of me? Don’t answer that ’74C! The final news that most of us are aware of is the passing of our sweet, funny, loving “Lightbulb,” Cindy Hancock Warren. Cindy passed away in July 2020 in her hometown of Lynchburg, Virginia. Cindy could light up an entire room with her gigantic smile. I think we all remember that about Cindy. There was nothing about Cindy you didn’t love. RIP, Lightbulb. I’ll end this year’s class news with a line Gail Goforth wrote at the end of her news and I thought was very well stated and sweet. Gail said to the ’74C, “I hope you will all be well and happy as your lives unfold with grace.” Until spring 2024! Mark those calendars NOW! Melrose

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HIGH SCHOOL Catherine Blankenship ’74HS ’76C Hello, High School Class 1974! It was great hearing from you so let’s get started. Still in Raleigh is Gwen Barnes Richie. She and Mark spend time working remotely at their house at Cape Carteret. Daughter Clair (26) is at University of Miami, working on Ph.D. in English.

Kelly (24) is in N.Y.C. as senior account exec with British-based public relations firm. Claire was in London for two years, which was a great place to visit. Leigh Spearman Goodson planned to retire and move from New Jersey back to North Carolina in 2020. She will be living in Marshallberg after remodeling her Dad’s home.

Leigh is recovering well from brain surgery and radiation that finished nine months ago.

SAINT MARY’S REMEMBERS Awesome news! Meg Rogers is working full time and living in Polk County, in an equestrian area. She is not riding now, but enjoys seeing/ being near the trails and farms. She reminds everyone to be safe, protect yourself, and stay well, healthy, and happy. Grace Johnson McGoogan has had a busy year! Son Graham is working as a builder. Son Charlie is with First Citizens Bank and his wife Lauren is a nurse anesthetist. Youngest son, Charlie Harrison, lives and works in Charlotte. Grace’s attorney husband, Graham, has reduced his workload and they are enjoying golf when at their home in Roaring Gap. She enjoys seeing Betsy Lindley Jones when there. Mary McGranahan Moss and her husband, Bill, recently downsized their home but are still in Raleigh. Her four grandchildren include a three granddaughters and a grandson, (ages 5, 1 (twins), and 8 months.) They are in Raleigh and Baltimore. She is working remotely and sends big love to all classmates who are facing a struggle in these tough times. Although she doesn’t have new news this year, Karen Hearne sends her best to everyone. As a nurse, she is busy working, fighting COVID, and being safe.

Becky Davis Morlok has done a great job keeping everyone up to date on her journey this year. Also downsizing is Val Tullai Williams, who after 26 years moved from Durham to Chapel Hill, near Jordan Lake. Her grandmother name is “Vivi” and she has six grandchildren under five. Her miracle grandson is sevenmonths-old, and she helps by keeping him out of daycare during this time. Val is no longer in the clothing business but working as a dental hygienist occasionally. She suggests that for our 65th birthdays (which are coming up) we should have a trip/reunion/party! I downsized too, moving just a few miles from Wilmington to Kure Beach. My two precious grandchildren are in Virginia but the pandemic has put a lot of time between seeing them and my two adult and married children. I still work as the director of a large home health agency here, and I am working primarily remotely. It is so wonderful to hear from anyone who writes because when I read your notes, it takes me back to one of the most memorable times of my life and the time I spent with each of you. I hope this finds you safe and well. Please take care of yourselves and keep our 50th in mind.

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Thomas Alison Fanjoy 1931-2020 Former Trustee Former Saint Mary’s trustee John Landi died peacefully in his home Oct. 5, 2020, after a rich and well lived life. John served with distinction as a member of Saint Mary’s College board of trustees from 1982-1988. He was born in 1932 in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended LaSalle Academy and Rhode Island College, which led to a stint playing professional baseball in the Boston Red Sox organization. He graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in human resources/political science. He moved to New York City to begin his business career and met his wife, Mittie Crumpler Landi ’55HS ’57C, on a blind date. In 1960, the Landis settled in Mebane, North Carolina, where they raised four children and where he established and grew Mebane Lumber Company, Inc. John served as a community leader in many capacities including the Library Boards of Mebane and Burlington, The Wachovia Bank of North Carolina, the Alamance Airport Authority, the Southeast Lumber Manufacturing Association Board, and on the vestry at his church of 60 years, Holy Comforter Church in Burlington, North Carolina. He also served on the board of Alamance Country Club and was a founding member of the Old Chatham Golf Club. He also earned a Master of Liberal Studies from Duke University later in life.

John is survived by his loving wife, Mittie; his four children, Denise Landi ’77HS ’79C and her husband Mike Cowhig, Helen Landi ’78HS ’80C, John N. Landi Jr. and his wife Tracy, and Tony Landi and his wife Katie Sullivan Landi ’85HS ’87C; and eight grandchildren including Kat Landi ’08.

COLLEGE Bess Knotts Walker ’76C Laura Frazier Norman had an exciting May in the midst of COVID. Biggest and best news of 2020 is that they had two granddaughters born 27 hours apart. Her daughter-in-law had a scheduled delivery May 11, after Mother’s Day. This is their second child. Meanwhile, the Normans woke up the next day, Tuesday morning, May 12, to see that their daughter had gone to the hospital at 3 a.m. That granddaughter was born about 11 a.m.

Also, luckily for their daughter and everyone else, their son-inlaw had been deployed and was not supposed to come home because of COVID. BUT the Navy sent him and another expectant father home in time to quarantine, so he was with Sally when the baby was born. Hallelujah! Holly Harris Post writes she and Chip are great! They have three grandsons that they spend lots of time with. Their daughter is due to have a little girl very soon. Holly is thankful and happy. She hopes everyone is doing well in this difficult time. A sweet message from Holly to you is to keep your faith - it will see you through. Mary Claire Seawell Thomas sent in news that she finds herself spending a lot of time in Raleigh because her family. Not only does her sister, Kate Seawell, live in Raleigh, but also children Michael and Rebecca Thomas, Claire and Will Walker, and Cristin Thomas. Mary Claire has grandchildren Jack (4), Boone (1 1/2), and Mattie (2 1/2). She keeps the road hot between Greensboro and Raleigh! Mary Claire is still working as an interior designer in High Point, designing showrooms for

market time. She says she is around awesome Saint Mary’s girls all the time!

Caroline Long wrote that her beloved dad died in May. He had lived on the farm for 93 years-- to say that his presence (along with his wisdom and entertaining stories) are deeply missed is an understatement. She is blessed to have moved from Atlanta over 14 years ago and had day-to-day hugs and contact with both of her parents. Her mom still lives on the farm and is frail, yet vibrant. Peggy Manly Graddy stopped by unexpectedly and they had a delightful visit. Caroline shares that she lives a very blessed life! And I would agree! Sandy Sherrill Womble tried to say she has COVID paralysis, but after spotting a painting of hers on Facebook, I quizzed her and found out something very interesting! Sandy went back to school at age 40. She attended UCF and studied art. She said she hid this

talent when at SMS due to socializing!

Haha! She first told me she doesn’t sell her art, but was thinking about it. And, then, good news arrived that she has her art at Carriage House Antiques in Greensboro. Jill Ciccone Pike wrote that she and Skip are spending lots of time at the beach, trying to dodge the pandemic. They welcomed their 10th grandchild in May, with a total of seven boys and three girls! (They think she might be the caboose.) Jill still has her little business, Ciccone Art, and just published her seventh book. She says she had LOTS of time to write since March! Her new book is titled In the Cleft of the Rock: A Thirty-One Day Devotional Guide of Lessons Learned in Crisis. Also, she has a children’s book entitled, Gray Bird’s Gift: The Legend of the Mockingbird. Both were published in the fall and are available through Amazon books. Catherine Joyner Hoft

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has been spending most of the time at the beach since husband Randy retired and COVID. Their three girls and their families were in and out all summer. Catherine has two granddaughters and two grandsons. Laura McSpadden Belle Isle continues to work part time doing physical therapy in an assisted living facility. Unfortunately, due to an increase in COVID cases at her facility, her work had been stopped at this writing. She and husband David enjoyed a 10-day trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons in September.

Photography is their hobby and there was no shortage of animals and landscapes to shoot on their trip! Their three boys and wives have given them seven grandchildren so far. The two oldest sons live in Florida and the youngest in Texas.

Laura hosts a weekly Bible study in her home and is active in her church. It’s great to know with all the uncertainties of this life that God is in control.

Mazie Swindell Smith sends her news of celebrating 39 years of marriage at Wrightsville Beach. She and husband Dan are settled into their new home at Lake Waccamaw, and enjoy all the fishing and water sports it affords when you “live the lake life!” They have spent a great deal of time during quarantine gardening and preserving organic food. Her freezer and pantry are full of good things to eat. Dan has kept very busy this year in his job as the national fire director for the Association of State Foresters.

Betsy Bomar Littlejohn is still working at the Junior League of Greenville, Inc. (Greenville, South Carolina) and enjoying her grandchildren, two girls in Cola (Columbia, South Carolina) and a boy and new baby girl in Greenville. Betsy says, “Life is full!” Leesa Lybrook Goodson says not much going on there. She is hunkered down trying not to get COVID. But, I saw on Facebook that she and husband Tom had a camp for their

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grandchildren! It was packed with creative activities, and great memories were made at Camp Goody! Leesa connected on the phone with Jane Johnson Brady and Liz Baskerville Goodman. She also had lunch with Kate Holmes twice during the COVID time. Bridge has been reduced to online but not much. Leesa is spending most of her time helping with home schooling four grandchildren who live around the corner. She had to cancel trips to Alaska and Kenya but has rescheduled them for next year and hopes they get to go. In keeping with 2020, it was unreal to have a hurricane and an earthquake in the same week. It shook their lake house pretty good! Civil Adams McGowen sends in news that she has moved from her life-long hometown, Charlotte.

Though she comes back to North Carolina from time to time and probably will come back in a few years, she is living in a tiny town west of Taos, New Mexico. She loves the gorgeous sunsets, hiking, and exploring a little bit of a different way of life. While it is a bit of a trek to get there, her sons love to visit! She has heard it is a grandchild magnet, if that day comes. But, no one is married yet. Civil teaches meditation and yoga. She says, “Namaste, ya’ll!” Barksdale Spencer Thompson says, “What a year it has been!” Her hope is all are doing as well as can be! Barksdale’s husband, Philip, has had a rough nine months after a melanoma was found in an armpit. He had six months of immunotherapy, surgery in August, and six more months of immunotherapy. But— THANKFULLY - he is cancer free at this moment.

They are beyond thrilled! During the hard times, the joy of grandchildren is wonderful. They are enjoying four grandkids and counting. Barksdale sends her love to all! Please stay safe! Carol Taylor has created a non-profit charity called “The East Carolina Knitted Knockers!” Volunteer knitters and crocheters are making breast prostheses for women who have had mastectomies due to breast cancer. The group adopts cancer programs and donates Knockers to women across Eastern North Carolina. They are now approaching 1,000 Knockers lovingly made and donated. Carol notes, “It has been a joy to be a part of this as I am a grateful 14-year survivor myself.” Lou White says the best news is that in December 2019, after 33 years, she retired from Alfred Williams & Co. She said she loved her years there but knew it was time. During her first week in retirement (and she isn’t sure how

Wake County knew she was now free), she was called for jury duty! If that wasn’t bad enough, then she was selected for the grand jury. This meant a six-month commitment, two times a month. But due to COVID, it ended up being seven months. Happy retirement! In March, Lou started spending most of her time in Beaufort, except for when she had to be back in town for jury duty. She is loving Beaufort and looks forward to creating community there. COVID has made it hard but she knows it will not last forever. This year has been one to remember!

Like most of you, I experienced many silver linings during this pandemic. The main one was being the “chief bottle washer” for my daughter, Ila Walker Bitler ’05, when our new granddaughter was born February 13. Due to COVID, my husband began working remotely, so we basically moved to Atlantic Beach to ride out the plague and stay COVID clear so we could be around our grandchildren. We found the joy of being “in town” grandparents. Bear is now four and his new sister is named Brinn Louise. Brinn was my mother’s maiden name and is my sister’s name, Brinn Knotts Smith ’72C. We are currently renovating our beach house, so that is keeping us busy and giving us additional excuses to be at the beach in the off-season. My other COVID activity has been co-chairing a food pantry with Laura Lewis Rogers ’75HS ’77C. We have learned a lot and met many challenges during COVID but it has been rewarding. Thank you for sending your news. Hopefully, our reunion will happen this spring. If so, please try to come! We are slowly creeping towards that big 50, but thankfully this is just 45! Stay safe! Bess

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1978

COLLEGE Bebee Bason Lee '76HS '78C Wow, with everything going on in our world it was wonderful to hear from so many ’76HS and ’78C classmates. I do need to open with the sad news of the loss of two of our ’78C classmates – Sandy Cook Barts (May 2020) and Lynn Ledford Brown (October 2020). Several years ago, our ’78C class established a memorial on campus to honor our classmates. Bricks in memory of Lynn and Sandy will be placed in the memorial. Thanks to Martha Murphy, the class ’78C also established a fund to send flowers to classmates when there is a death in their family.

Receiving flowers from your ’78C sisters at the time of a family loss is one small way we can let our SMS sisters know we are thinking of them. It was great to hear from so many classmates and, oh my, so many are retiring – yes, I am a little jealous. Among those retiring, Kathy Reynolds Phillips ’78C writes that after a career spent in the travel industry, at Circuit City Stores, and The C. F. Sauer Company/Sauer Brands, she retired in November. Kathy will spend her time

between Richmond and the Outer Banks and vaccine study being conducted by a physician Northwestern in journalism and hopes to be invites classmates to look her up if in either colleague in the HIV, Infectious Disease Division, doing investigative reporting. Husband Pen is area. Mary Butler Thorp ’78C writes she where she retired. Mary Lawrence, thank you still working from home in Alexandria, Virginia, continues to practice nurse anesthesia. After for your work – it impacts us all! Libby Holding and they have luckily stayed healthy and happy having retired from her local rural hospital, she Ross ’78C is hoping everyone is safe and healthy so far. Kerr said she had a wonderful surprise at had the opportunity to join Duke Hospital in the during this crazy year. Libby writes, as so many Wrightsville Beach while vacationing in South Clinic Endoscopy and Bronchoscopy in ’78C, that it has been so sad to read the news September: Elaine Bridger Mebane ’78C and suites. Mary says that working in these advanced of those in our class whom we have lost, and it her husband were staying just four doors down procedure clinics has been so rewarding. She is makes her very nostalgic for the “good old from her! They had a great, socially distanced under layers of masks and gowns providing days”. As life has gone on, Libby is more and visit on the beach. Jan Stewart Atkins ’76HS anesthesia with an amazing team. Mary’s more aware of what friendships mean and how ’78C writes that it has been a tough year for her husband, Norman, continues to practice law in important they are. She prays that when COVID since losing her sweet Papa, and she is now Oxford and assists his 89-year-old father in is behind us, we can have another weekend helping her sweet mother daily. It is truly a maintaining the family farm, Turkey Hill, circa reunion somewhere convenient and we can all blessing that Jan and Darren are so close. Jan 1859. Their son, David, an N. C. State 2020 connect again. “I miss my ’78C friends and send spent some time with Lisa Loftin Tomlinson graduate, has started his career. The Thorp love and prayers to all.” Debra Rhodes ’76HS ’78C at Lake Norman catching up, but family has survived COVID with their outdoor Gladstone ’76HS ’78C continues to serve as an Jan does miss seeing all the SMS crew so much. hobbies of fly-fishing, hiking, hunting, and elementary school principal in the Winston- She is still involved in husband Darren’s business, horseback riding. They are thankful for their Salem/Forsyth County School District. Debra, I Il Centro Alimentari. I know it is great food, and mountain cabin in Virginia, where cell service know this is so challenging for you and your I so want to make a trip to Burlington to check and Internet cannot be found. Mary’s thoughts team, educating our youth through a pandemic. it out and visit with Jan. Maybe in 2021. Liza and prayers are with all, especially now during Thank you for your work! Debra and husband Lamm Gauss is excited to have welcomed her this difficult time. Mary is reminded that Saint Bill still have one of their four daughters in fourth grandbaby to the world! Her daughter, Mary’s was there for her and put her on the right college, but she will graduate in 2021. Three of Anna Wooten Loggins, and her husband, road to a successful life and career. She hopes their daughters live in Winston-Salem and one Randall, had a baby boy, Watson Thomas to attend the next reunion. Lisa Lofton daughter in Houston. They are happy to have Loggins, in October. Liza reports that everyone Tomlinson ’78C is enjoying her ‘new’ career as the oldest daughter back in Winston after living is doing well, even following three days without a realtor in Charlotte. She loves helping people in Cambodia for three years, and their third power due to the Hurricane Zeta. Liza to the find the best fit for them. Lisa recently traveled daughter back home after living in New York for rescue to Atlanta for two weeks to help out with to California to visit their oldest daughter, several years. Elizabeth Kerr Agnew ’78C wrote new grandson and his two-year-old sister, Lucy.

Elizabeth, her husband, and two of Lisa’s that the Agnew family is doing well. Oldest son, Like everyone in 2020, it has been a crazy year, precious grands. Lisa also has two grands in Pen Jr., is working and living in D.C. and doing and Liza spent most of the summer with her Charlotte! She and husband John enjoy time at well. Daughter Stuart came back from Peace grandchildren in Atlantic Beach. It was truly a Lake Norman. Lisa, like so many, is ready for Corps in Botswana a year ago and now is silver lining to spend that much time with her post COVID SMS reunions. And from another working for the Public Health Department on precious grandchildren Bill, Dean, and Lucy, retiring classmate, Elizabeth Vann McDuffie the COVID task force in Jackson Hole, who all live in Atlanta and were happy to get out ’76HS ’78C joins the ranks of retirees in January Wyoming, and loving it. Their younger son, of the city! Liza is still working as a language of 2021, retiring from the North Carolina State Duncan, is finishing up his senior year at therapist at Greenfield School, and husband Education Assistance Authority, where she has served as executive director. You may recall that Elizabeth started her career in education working in the admissions office at SMC in 1980, and transitioned to a lifetime career in helping students pay for college. Elizabeth’s older son, Vann, got married in July on Catalina Island in California. It was an intimate and special oceanside wedding with just immediate family members. Mary Lawrence Hicks ’78C has retired, too.

Well sort of. She writes that 2020 has been a year like no other for all of us. It is times like these that help her appreciate the sisterhood of our Saint Mary's class. Mary Lawrence’s updates include her mother's death in June and her retirement on July 31. After Saint Mary’s friends gather for the rehearsal dinner of Hailey Hart Borden ’12 and Edwin Borden on the beach in Bald Head three months of R&R, Mary Island, North Carolina. Left to Right: Jane Lyle ’12, Darby Fallon Clark ’12, Berry Williamson ’12, Hailey Hart Borden ’12, Lawrence is going back to Margaret Blincow ’12, Hutter Black ’12, Cate Lyle ’12, and sister of the groom, Mary Ann Borden ’18. Edwin is the son of work part time on a COVID-19 Martin and Elizabeth Rouse Borden ’83HS.

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MARY’S REMEMBERS CLASSSAINT NEWS Ann-Tristam “Trissy” Holt Lomax ’54C 1934-2020 Longtime Class Secretary The College Class of 1954 lost its devoted class secretary, Trissy Holt Lomax ’54C, when she died Oct. 31, 2020, in Placida, Florida. Her obituary celebrates her full and vivacious life. Born in Baltimore, she grew up in Ridgewood, New Jersey. After high school in Ridgewood, she attended Saint Mary’s before transferring to UNC-Chapel Hill where she graduated with an A.B. in French. A sister at Delta Delta Delta at UNC she met Henry Lomax while he was waiting tables at her sorority.

They married in 1955. Trissy lived most her life in Charlotte, where she was active in numerous endeavors including Oratorio Singers of Charlotte and the Charlotte Historic Landmark Commission. As an entrepreneur, she also opened a natural foods shop in Davidson, North Carolina. Trissy was also an artist, accomplished in painting and other crafts. She loved travel and her pets.

A person of strong faith, Trissy’s passions were music and her church families. She and Henry were charter members of Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Charlotte, where she was instrumental in the development of adult and children’s choirs with overall support of the music program. In recent years, she joined Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church in uptown Charlotte, where a scholarship for the Choir School is endowed in her honor. She and Henry were longtime supporters of classical music on WDAV. In their retirement years, Trissy and Henry spent time between their homes on Lake Norman and Placida, Florida. In Florida, she remained active in Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Boca Grande, where a new organ is under construction in memory of Trissy and Henry.

At Saint Mary’s, Trissy was a marshal, president of Orchesis, a Mu cheerleader, a hall counselor, secretary of the Glee Club, director of the senior pageant, posture queen, a field hockey all-star, and a member of the Altar Guild, the Letter Club, the Circle, Sigma Pi Alpha, the YWCA, and the Canterbury Club. Her senior yearbook entry noted her dancing feet, versatility, and poise.

Harry is doing great, still in real estate.

They celebrated 39 years of marriage this summer and are hoping to actually travel somewhere for their 40th next summer! Liza, like us all, is hopeful we can also have a reunion of our Saint Mary’s girls next year. As we have seen from our friends, life is too short not to celebrate every time we get a chance!

I was so excited to hear from Clare Watson Chance ’76HS! She writes that she and husband Tony sold their house and moved into a lakefront

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condominium in Jacksonville, Florida, in the middle of the pandemic in May. Clare says moving is horrible, but downsizing is the bomb. They love it!

Clare is in her 14th year serving as a senior pastor, the last seven at Avondale United Methodist Church.

(We can watch Clare’s internet services stream on from their YouTube channel: aumcjax). Husband Tony is retired and loves to say that Clare is his retirement plan; of course, she reminds him that he just robbed the cradle! Clare’s dear

CLASS NEWS mama (Dr. Giva Watson to some of you) died in 2011, as Clare held her hand, and Clare misses her every day. “Tony and I are blessed to have five daughters, four grandsons, and two loving Chihuahuas. Blessings on you all for good health and joyful hearts!” From Anne Martin Cochrane ’78C, we hear that she and husband Rob just celebrated their 28th anniversary. They still live in Charlotte, and Rob still works selling commercial real estate. They are finishing home renovations that began in July, and Anne is ready to have her kitchen, laundry room, and bedroom/bathroom back! Living through home renovations such a challenge! Anne says the finish line is in sight, and it will be great when completed. As for their children: daughter Hallie (25) lives in Brisbane, Australia. She moved there three years ago this December and is starting to call it “home.” She had to cancel a scheduled trip back to the states for a six-week visit in May 2020 with boyfriend Sam. Anne has no idea when they will get to see her in person again. They miss her and are thankful she is healthy, happy, and thriving and are most grateful for FaceTime and Zoom! Son Rob (23) graduated Appalachian State in May 2020. He is an outdoorsman at heart and worked this summer on the Watauga River. He has decided to move to Utah this winter to enjoy snowboarding and friends he knows out there.

He will find a job and stay indefinitely. They are excited for him and his new adventure after being in Boone for four years. This strange year has had its blessings with trips to the mountains and weekends with good friends there. Anne sends her blessings and like many would love to plan a reunion in 2021. Dillon Robinson Manly ’78C writes from Asheville of two new grandsons, Max Manly and Jack White. The babies live in Greenville, South Carolina, and Nashville, Tennessee. Dillon and husband David’s three children are in three different states, but thankfully on the East Coast, so they get to see them even during COVID. The whole family got to the beach this summer and Dillon says it was EPIC. Dillon still works as finance director at Trinity Episcopal Church and Dr. Dave is still at the VA. Dillon catches up with SMC buddies, Sally Dillard Cohen ’78C, Libby Holding Ross ’78C, Lee Archibald Taylor ’78C, Liz Wright James ’78C, Donna Sherrill Steele ’78C, Jane Bratton Fleming ’76HS ’78C and Kappy Carr Black ’78C by Zoom these days. It is very chaotic with everyone talking at the same time and totally not the same, but it is all we have for now. Dillon thinks about her Saint Mary's times a lot and mourns those we have lost too soon. It is SO good to her from my roommate, Donna Byrd Getty ’78C! She and husband Paul divide their time between Morehead City and Martha’s Vineyard. Admittedly more of Donna’s time is on the Vineyard. It has been such a different season, as it has for everyone. It is very quiet but fortunately Donna is able to play pickle ball (says she is addicted), take beautiful hikes and, of course, beach time. Donna’s mom just celebrated her 98th birthday and is sharp as ever. She had COVID-19 and thankfully survived. Son Drew just returned from the U.K., having completed his MBA. He was detained longer than expected because of the pandemic, and is now looking for a job in the worst possible time. Donna’s daughter lives in Durham and works with addicts. She loves her vocation. “We have much to be thankful for as so many in our country have lost so much.” Anna T Wheeless ’76HS ’78C writes that her son, Joseph (34), is working at the College of William and Mary as assistant director of student leadership development, and son William (31) works for FIS - Fidelity National Information Service in IT. As for Anna T, she is doing great, staying busy cooking, making soups, chili, spaghetti sauce, and her grandmother's homemade mayonnaise for family and friends. Anna T is looking forward to the day when we can all get together and hoping for a ’76HS reunion in 2021. Martha Boisseau Mattheisen ’78C writes that they are living in White Stone, Virginia, in the NNK! (I admit I had to look it up – Northern Neck, Virginia.). She

welcomes anyone for a visit – be careful what you ask for, Martha. They are spending major time with their three grandbabies, Mason Lee (4), Palmer, and Waylon, both turning 3 in December. COVID has husband Steve working from home in the pool house. She is feeling blessed and sends her love. Emilie Lamb Freeman ’78C writes from Asheville. They have stayed at home but luckily, they live in the mountains, so at least they are able to get out and enjoy nature. Emilie’s children are well, and they enjoy seeing their three-year-old grandson when possible. Etta Ryan Clark ’78C reports a rescheduled, downsized wedding for her daughter due to COVID. 2020 has proven to be a real challenge for brides that is for sure – but also for so many others. Etta is wishing all of our Saint Mary’s family good health and much love during these crazy times. I did get a fun/funny message from Marsee Edwards Lee ’78C. She missed the call for news and my reminder found her with her hands full with her grandbaby for the weekend. Marsee, I know you are enjoying your time with your grand! Lauren Sherman Peele ’78C writes that the Peele family has been hunkering down more in Manteo this year. They had a huge celebration and a very busy 2019.

Their oldest son, Tripp (29), married Brittany Wade in March. The wedding was in Manteo and it was so much fun. Tripp and Brittany went to Thailand on their honeymoon and bought a home in Willow Spring. Tripp works for TEKsystems in Raleigh and is a telecommunications and network infrastructure recruiter. Rachel Woodruff Carlson ’78C came to North Carolina in July 2019 and they had a wonderful visit in Raleigh, the highlight was seeing “Annie.” They Facetimed with Mary Fondren ’78C and spoke to Betsy Eddins Richards ’76HS ’78C. Lauren attended the Western & Southern Tennis Open in Cincinnati, Ohio, in August (2019) with a cousin and watched some great tennis. In September, she met a group of friends she knew from high school in Nashville, Tenn. Husband Robbie and their youngest son, John Gates (26), are farming together, and that is working out OK and they are working hard. Since retiring in 2016, Lauren gets lots of sub time at Hobgood Academy and now at the new Hobgood Charter School. She stays involved at church and also with the Oak City Food Pantry and Oak City Recreation. As for me, 2020 has been a challenge. Husband David is still with Wake Stone and I am going into my tenth year with Junior Achievement of Eastern NC. Our children are happy and healthy with three precious grands – twins Procter and Sadie (4), and Rhett (2). We are blessed! Bebee

1978

HIGH SCHOOL Kelly Cassell Womble ’78HS ’80C writes that daughter Brittany moved to Logan, Utah, three years ago and works as the grant program manager for Utah State University. Kelly says, “I was lucky enough to visit for two weeks for

some spectacular sightseeing of Logan Canyon, Bear Lake, the Wasatch Mountain Range, over looking Cache Valley and the neighboring city of Salt Lake.”

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COLLEGE Cissy Lofton Elmer '80C Thanks to each of you for taking the time to send your news! The world could not be crazier at the moment but it is so comforting to know that we have each other and the strong bonds formed at Saint Mary’s endure through the best and even the worst of times. In the midst of all of the turmoil, we have some happy news to share and though many miles may separate all of us, somehow we find ways to connect and I love that. Before we get to the happiest news, I’ll share some heartbreaking news from Kathryn Nanney Alice. Her family is in Malibu, California., and unfortunately, their house burned down in the Woolsey Fire. They are still recovering but happy to say that Malibu is a great spot to be right now. Her kids are on the surf team and the beach is balm for the soul. Kathryn is still writing books and is grateful that their businesses are all virtual. She was so thankful that Saint Mary’s sent some great items to replace some that she lost in the fire. I can’t even imagine the loss that you feel but definitely sending prayers that things will get back to normal for your family, Kathryn! Raine Gilbert Archer is in Darlington, Maryland, where she and her husband are still farming. Her son, Will (33), lives in Denver, Graham (30) lives in Zion National Park, and daughter Hannah (26) is a nurse in Baltimore. Raine recently visited Raleigh to buy a special dress and was helped by none other than a Saint Mary’s girl. Raine has started a summer farm camp with a childhood friend.

Check out farmingme.com. Raine sends love to everyone. Colleen Smith Turner is in Charlotte working for Ally Bank and not traveling anymore, which she misses. She has been “Coviding” with her husband and two boys – one is working for Bank of America and the other is working for Ally Lending. Colleen has enjoyed a few trips to the Low Country and is looking forward to a Savannah trip after Christmas. She has loved Zooming with Saint Mary’s friends over a glass of wine every now and then, and like all of us, is very tired of this pandemic! Was so nice to hear from Debbie Bishop Hill – haven’t heard from her in a long time. She is enjoying the beach life in Virginia Beach and has loved catching up with Lisa Moye Thomas and enjoyed seeing Gwynn Walker Candee in Colorado last Christmas. The Hills were spending Christmas in the Rocky Mountains with their boys. Debbie’s son, Ben, was doing a pharmacy residency in Boulder and is now in Denver for his second-year residency.

Son Addison was able to join them from his new home in California, where he is a systems engineer for a company near San Francisco.

Debbie is working in the marketing field, which keeps her very busy, and she would love to connect with everyone so please reach out if you are in the Virginia Beach area. Happy to hear

from another missing “Hill,” Missy Berry Hill has not sent news since her wedding 34 years ago, but she was very happy to report that this year she is a brand new grandmother! Their middle daughter, Gatesy, and husband James, are the proud parents of James Haywood Plyler III. He was born September 12, 2020 weighing in at 6.1 pounds and measuring 19 inches long. Missy reports that a whole new type of love has opened up for them and what a great time for some happy news! Missy Basinger Plyler is in Charlotte and is also a new grandmother, as of October 9, 2020. Her daughter Katie and husband, Jesse, moved from Brooklyn to Greenville last summer and are the proud parents of Mattie (Matheson Anne) and Missy. They have enjoyed spending more time in Greenville, enjoying Eastern BBQ and seeing old friends. Elizabeth Smith Skinner hopes everyone is staying healthy. She is also a grandmother and she missed seeing baby Eleanor for two months but so thankful for FaceTime. Elizabeth spent a socially distanced cocktail hour on the beach with Margaret Williams Williams, Missy Underwood Miller, Katie Zevenhuizen Medlin, Carolyn Walser Johnson and G Lee Lewis Perkins in June. She had a wonderful 60th birthday with family and a few friends, including co-grandmother, Mary Craig Timberlake Brown ’79 in July. Elizabeth says that quarantine has its rewards – mostly at the beach, mostly outside, mostly with family and her Morehead City pod. She hopes to see everyone at our re-scheduled 40th reunion.

Patricia McLean has exciting news as she is the designer for the living room in the Atlanta Home for the Holidays Show House. You can view more information here: atlantaholidayhome.com.

Patricia hopes everyone is safe and well. Corbin Hogaboom and her husband, Wayne, both retired last year. Right away, Wayne had shoulder surgery, then COVID hit, so they were house bound for about seven months – what a way to start retirement! Their son, Edward, was flyfishing for spring break in the Virginia mountains with his grandfather when school came to a screeching halt, so he packed up, moved out and headed home in time to start classes online to finish the year. Corbin enjoyed having a third person in the house to converse with and include in their hikes and walks. By June, cabin fever was so fierce, they threw caution to the wind and went to Colorado to play golf and shoot skeet, a much needed birthday/anniversary getaway for all. Edward is thankfully back at WPI in Massachusetts and Corbin is playing golf like mad. Terry McLennan Whitney is in Charlotte.

Her older son, Hayes, lives in Austin, Texas and son Josh, is in Charlotte working with BB&T. Hayes was able to quarantine in Charlotte for almost a month this summer and Terry loved having him in town for a bit. Kelly Crouch is also in Charlotte and has enjoyed escaping to Kiawah on several occasions to quarantine in the sun.

Katie Zevenhuizen Medlin says that she is going to miss the reunion in April for a good reason –a family wedding in Beaufort. Her son, Grimes, was married in August in Atlantic Beach and Katie is

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CLASS NEWS over the moon that her family is growing in number. She is still teaching English IV and yearbook at South Johnston. Jill Turner is in Spartanburg, S.C. Her daughter, Rachel, is at Wofford and her son, Drew, is with Milliken and lives in Columbia. Margaret Williams Williams reports that her daughter, Eleanor Willliams ’20, finished Saint Mary’s class of 2020. She left her dorm room in Smedes in March for spring break and did not return until June to move out of the dorm due to COVID. She was sad for the senior class, as graduation was canceled due to COVID, but Margaret is hopeful for a celebration of some sort for the Class of 2020. She says that Brendan O’Shea and board chair Dee Williamson Marley ’77HS did a great job navigating the pandemic under pressure. She sends a big shout out to all employees at Saint Mary’s who are working tirelessly to keep school open and keeping the best interests of the faculty and students in mind.

Daughter Eleanor is a freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill, and daughter Margaret Cheatham Williams ’07 and her husband live in San Francisco. Son Hatcher and his wife, Anna, are in Charlotte and John C is also in Charlotte, working for Williams Buick GMC. Lydia Payne Pickard does not anticipate being a grandmother any time soon, so she’s getting her little people love by working part time in her church’s preschool, enjoying the kids and enjoying the change from her former corporate career. Lydia’s son Hampton (30) lives in Nashville, and daughter Katherine (26) is also in Tennessee, and is in school earning a second undergraduate degree in nursing. They enjoyed a fun trip to Costa Rica last February for a cousin’s wedding before everything came to a standstill.

Other than a few beach trips, they have been staying busy in their Raleigh “bubble” and really looking forward to the end of this virus. Joni Eargle Case is in Waxhaw, and her one and only grandchild, Ada, just turned 1 and has certainly been a bright spot in the midst of COVID. Joni is enjoying every minute with Ada and is also enjoying tapping into her creative side, needlepointing and making jewelry during quarantine. Missy Underwood Miller is excited about her daughter’s wedding plans, which we will report in next year’s class news. Her son, Rob, is still living and working in Mt. Pleasant, and her stepdaughter, Katie, is living and working in Santa Barbara, Calif. Missy and Will spent the summer in Blowing Rock and she enjoyed seeing Nancy Scott Grantham and Missy Basinger Plyler there.

Phyllis Alexander, Katie Zevenhuisen Medlin, and Margaret Williams Williams came for a visit and Carolyn Walser Johnson rented a house in Blowing Rock for a few weeks, so she was able to catch up with her as well. Kea Capel Meachum is happy that COVID handed her two grandchildren and the time to spend with them. Clara Evan Brendel was born March 3, 2020, in N.Y.C., and Cameron Harris Post Jr. was born June 19, 2020 in Chapel Hill. Everyone ended up quarantining near Kea so she enjoyed spending her days in a rocking chair and the moms (Capel and Charlotte) were lucky to have Kea in charge of babysitting.

Kea sends love to all and hopes everyone is well.

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Carolyn Walser Johnson learned to play golf during COVID and played lots of pickle ball too.

She spent her summer at Atlantic Beach.

Elizabeth Rouse Feerguson reported sad news as her husband Clarence died last May and her parents also died this fall. Her dad died August 10 and her Mom died from a broken heart September 10. Elizabeth is still in Raleigh and just moved into a house that she renovated in Quail Hollow. Her daughter, Isabel, went to Sweet Briar and then attended the Aveda Hair School. Isabel lives in St. Augustine, Florida, working in a great salon.

Elizabeth noted that it’s crazy how things happen – she has been best friends with Michele Pizer ’78HS since fourth grade and their moms died the same week. Certainly need to hold tight to good friends and good memories at this stage in our lives. Julie Williams Willis shared happy news that her daughter, Sarah Thorp Willis, was married COVID- style on October 10, 2020. So great to hear from everyone, loved hearing about all the weddings and grandchildren. Happy times, in spite of the nutty year. As for me, our two boys, Ben and Sam, both got married within six months of each other, and we are so excited to have two beautiful, sweet girls in our family. Ben married Maggie Harris and they live in Cashiers, and Sam married Leldon McClary and they live in Charlotte.

These girls have brought so much joy to us and our boys are very blessed. Danny and I are still in Asheville, working with Christ School. Hope to see everyone at the reunion. Hug your friends and family and stay well. xo, Cissy

1982

HIGH SCHOOL AND

1984

COLLEGE Beth Morris Gobble ’82HS ’84C Marion Dalgleish says, “We are making it through COVID-19 by spending a lot of our time at our home in the country. It's nice to have plenty of space to enjoy the outdoors. We return to the coast every couple of weeks, so it's the best of both worlds. Sterling is a freshman at Woodberry Forest and loves it! Virgina White Pou reports from Greenville, “I’m still teaching seventhgrade math and Wilson’s running Engineering Source of NC. We are officially empty-nesters, as all three adult children are graduated and working. We go to Atlantic Beach as much as possible.” As for me, Beth Morris Gobble, I lost my mother March 1, 2020, due to complications from a stroke in October 2019. It has been was a weird year or so - glad it's gone!

1984

HIGH SCHOOL Ellen Zollicoffer Jackson ’84HS Hello ladies of the Saint Mary’s High School Class of 1984! I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe during this crazy pandemic world we are living in. Susan Avent Irvine is painting

again after putting art on hold. She saw Chrisie Currence Pierce in Charleston recently. She got together with some of the class in Wilmington at Robin Ballard Earp’s over the summer: Mandy Johnson Spears, Carter Manning Wade, Alice Hemingway Baker, Chrisie Currence Pierce, and Jane McNair Marr. Copie Wheless Cain writes, “Jim and I are enjoying empty-nest life.

Daughter Mary Copeland Cain ’13 (26) lives and works in Park City, Utah, and son Quentin (21) is a junior at UNC-W. We spend our free time at Lake Gaston.” Mandy Johnson Spears says that there has been a lot of activity in Wilmington/ Wrightsville Beach with visitors from out of town/ out of state throughout the pandemic. Being empty-nesters, she and her husband, Lin, have enjoyed time outdoors on the boat, walking the loop, and taking bike rides when they are not working. Their youngest daughter, Anna Carlyle Spears ’20 (18), graduated from SMS virtually in July and has joined her two sisters, Maegan (21), and Lindley Spears ’18 (20), at N.C. State. Go Pack! She hopes all SAINTS are doing well! Carter Manning Wade says, “Once my nest was empty in Tennessee, I moved my nest to the Raleigh area with a statewide role in healthcare marketing. I have gotten involved in the community through Rotary and Junior League. My daughter, Allston, started her junior year in August at Middle Tennessee State University, which is outside of Nashville. She spent her first two years at Meredith College in Raleigh. It was a joy to have her close by for a time. My son, Will, is doing well with school and work and is in Tennessee. I would love to connect with my fellow alumnae, so feel free to reach out via social media so we can keep connected through this interesting time and plan social distanced get-togethers!” Rebecca Chilton Rogers is an attorney specializing in structured finance for renewable energy projects, and currently serves as director of project finance for Leyline Renewable Capital, based in Durham. Her family lives in Carrboro and her daughter, Ella (14), is a first-year at Chapel Hill High School. Her husband, Mark, is Register of Deeds for Orange County. She writes, “Ever since high school, our core group of day student friends has stayed very close and gets together often. During this pandemic, Maggi Jones Jackson, Jean-Louise Beard, Annette Stephens, Ann Mare Campbell Waller and I have gathered weekly for a virtual cocktail hour, which has been a blessing and a joy and often a source of hilarity. I'm grateful for Saint Mary's for bonding me to these amazing women for life.” Marty Worthy writes, “Although not precisely how we envisioned, we did celebrate two graduations in the spring (son Hoyt, from high school, and daughter Emilie, from UNCChapel Hill). Malcolm and I just celebrated 25 years since our marriage in Saint Mary’s Chapel.

We also just celebrated my mother’s (Isabel Carter Worthy ’49 C) big 90th birthday with a funfilled micro birthday party. As of this writing, we are preparing to drive to Dallas for Thanksgiving to visit our daughter, Emilie, who is in her first year of teaching fifth grade there. Happy New Year to all!” Kimbrough Mobley Gibson wishes

she had something more exciting to report and is missing the SMS alumnae cocktail party this fall that was cancelled due to COVID. She is still living in Atlanta, working in human resources for an accounting firm, and raising three boys. Her boys are 20, 19, and 16. And the oldest two are at the University of Georgia! A fun fact is that my youngest daughter, Janie Zollicoffer ’19 (20) is also at the University of Georgia and loving it. My other daughter, Mary Rinne (22), graduated from the College of Charleston in May and is living in Raleigh while looking for a big girl job. I have stayed pretty close to home these past several months, making lots of cheese straws, but when I do venture out, I get to see some of our fellow classmates. I run into Marty Worthy, Amanda Hutchens Williams, and Mary Hannah Wyman Jones around Raleigh from time to time, and I got to see Mary Barnett Hale back in April, when I went to a drive-by celebration for her mother’s birthday. I wish the best to you and yours and hopeful that we will all be able to get together again soon! Ellen

1986

1988

HIGH SCHOOL Joslin Jenkins Hultzapple writes that after 30 years in Richmond, Virginia, she and her husband have moved back to North Carolina.

“We are thrilled to be in Wrightsville Beach full time and enjoy getting to see my dad, Clauston Jenkins (former president of SMC), who lives in Wilmington.” Melissa Morrisette Tillman writes, ”One of the many pandemic bright spots was spending more beach time with our children last summer. Another was how Saint Mary’s responded to COVID, ensuring continued care, community, and learning for daughter Eliza Dunn (16), now boarding again as a 10th grader. We’re proud of her, serving on Judicial Board and Vestry this year, and thankful for her experience during COVID. Kudos to the SMS staff and faculty. Son Rollie (20), a sophomore at UNC-W, continues to serve as an "essential worker" at the Harris Teeter in Wilmington while taking classes virtually. So as empty-nesters again, Rollie and I are again spending as much time as we can at the beach. I’m also proud to serve on Saint Mary’s Forever campaign, along with Travis Brady. Call

one of us to learn more. Saint Mary’s has given so much to each of us, so I hope you’ll join me in supporting the campaign to help ensure the sustainability of Saint Mary’s vision and mission for future generations of young women.” Joelle Doane Pemberton reports, “Things are good here. Teaching preschool at White Memorial, and Lilly (14) and Julia (11) are getting used to classwork online.” Caroline Stephenson says, “During the pandemic, I’ve been busy spending time with my family and running the nonprofit Cultivator Bookmobile. The bookmobile gives away free children’s books in Hertford, Northampton, and Bertie counties. I have also been busy making a short documentary series about local African American farmers. You can follow Cultivator Bookmobile on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.”

1990

COLLEGE Barbara Bryant Baynes ’88HS ’90C I hope this letter finds you and your families healthy and happy! It was wonderful to hear

COLLEGE Margaret Efird Edwards says, “Win and I have moved from our house of 30 years in Kinston to Morehead City. I’m enjoying a new career in real estate at the coast!” Their oldest daughter, Margaret Ellen, got married in 2018. Middle daughter, Claire, graduated from Liberty University in 2020, and works at a real estate firm in Lynchburg, Virginia. Their youngest daughter, Sarah, is a junior at East Carolina. Bev Tuller writes from Columbia, South Carolina, “This has been a tough year. I lost both of my parents suddenly; their funerals were exactly six months apart. This leaves me as the last of my immediate family, which has been hard, especially with no husband or children of my own. My COVIDtime has been spent all about probate, moving furniture, and sorting through boxes and boxes of photos and papers! I'm becoming an expert, so please reach out to me if you need advice on aging parents or estate planning! I'm so hoping we can gather for a real reunion next year! I'll certainly be ready for a break!”

1988

COLLEGE Olga McCoy Faison ’88C Cindy Skinner Welch lost her mother, Margaret Crowson Skinner ’58C in August, 2020. Her mother lived in Burlington and was the owner/ operator of Crowson Insurance Agency, established by Cindy’s grandparents in 1939. “She had many fond memories of her roommates and friends at Saint Mary’s,” writes Cindy. “Thank you to all the Saint Mary’s friends who have sent condolences.” Niki Eubank has a new job. She is now property manager for Realty Trust Group in Greensboro. They manage all the property owned and leased by Moses Cone Hospital.

Saint Mary's School Alumnae Facebook Alumnae Instagram @saintmarysalumnae Saint Mary's School Facebook Instagram @saintmarysschool Twitter @SaintMarysNC LinkedIn Saint Mary's School Alumnae Network and Saint Mary's School YouTube Saint Mary's School 49

CLASS NEWS from you! Katherine Tierney Canady is the cutest mask-wearing fourth-grade teacher in Roanoke Rapids. Kate Harrill Cole writes that all is well in Pennsylvania and that they decided to add a little excitement to the world of virtual learning/working by adopting two kittens, Georgie and Harry! Katherine Allen Dierdorff is living in Atlanta with Tom and her three girls, Julia (13), Mary Bowes (11), and Amelia (10). They have two sister Australian Labradoodles named Luna and Stella and Katherine enjoys tutoring elementary-aged children who struggle with reading and/or have been formally diagnosed with dyslexia. Shelly Nuttall Gardner recently moved to Beaufort, South Carolina, and is enjoying life in the Low Country! Her son is a recent graduate of The Citadel and works in Virginia Beach, and her daughter is a junior at the College of Charleston. Wick Dunlop Garrard and her husband, Gardiner, are empty-nesters and split their time between Harbor Springs, Michigan, and Atlanta, Ga. Ellen Gilbert Gould lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., with her husband and three high school boys. Her daughter, Elle, is a sophomore at Old Miss. Blanche Slade Hancock enjoys her job as alumni relations director at The O'Neal School in Southern Pines.

She has two boys, one a sophomore at East Carolina and one a sophomore at The O'Neal School. Pat Gilliam Ivey's son, Jeb, recently graduated from Woodberry Forest and is a freshman at N.C. State. Kimball Harris Saunders and husband Jim live in Southern Pines. Kimball has worked for FirstHealth of the Carolinas for 24 years, where she continues to be amazed at the dedication and perseverance of all health care workers during the pandemic. Natalie Gaskins Sherman's oldest daughter, Parker, is a freshman at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Daughter Anabel is a freshman in high school and Brent is a sixth- grader. Natalie stays busy managing her public relations consultancy in Chicago. Heather Moore Thompson enjoys her role as the executive director of the REALTOR Foundation of Wake County. Her younger daughter, May '23, is a boarder at Saint Mary's and Grace Battle '18 is a student at UNC-Chapel in the Hussman School of Journalism. Sam Walker is still enjoying her job in N.Y.C. as the director of events for Rafanelli, but moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, where she is enjoying life in the suburbs! Amy Appert Windley and husband John live in Knoxville, Tennessee, and just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Their two sons are Sam, a senior in high school and Owen, a junior at the University of Tennessee. All is well in Greensboro! Ben graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and is working for IBM in Washington, D.C., Drew is a sophomore at N.C. State, and Lilly is a junior in high school. Jonathan and I will celebrate our fourth anniversary in May. Thank you to everyone who wrote with your news please keep it coming! Cheers to a safe and HEALTHY 2021! XO Barbara

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1990

1994

Stephanie Bishop Williams ’90HS I hope everyone is doing well during these unsettling times. I have been working from home since March, as I am sure many of you have as well. We have been blessed that our son, Henry, was able to return to in-person learning this fall. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, I have not seen any of our classmates but I have continued to keep up with Melanie Lewis Seamster and Meredith Green Steinbreker and I love staying connected with so many of you on Facebook, like Catherine Coombs Tallman, Meg Tuttle Powell, Molly Hull Boothe, Kate Landry Vinson, and Robin Bullard Stanfield, to name just a few. My hope is that we can have the reunion in Spring 2021 and that many of you will choose to be there. I would love to see you all. Stephanie

Andrea Staunch ’94C Sally Howell Donaldson, her husband, Sean, and daughter, Mary Smith (3) are in for a big change.

Sean was laid off, but then rehired by the same company six weeks later as director of the West Coast. They are off to Austin, Texas, for the next two years. She is going to miss her family and friends, especially her SMC girls, but she is also eager to see what new adventures await. She says there is always an open door for her college family to come for a visit. Meredith Toomes Gibbs writes, "We are now proud parents of twin 13-year-olds! Help us, haha! They keep me busy with cross-country and track (Lily and Josh), football (for Josh), etc. I have a goal of renovating our kitchen and downstairs in this upcoming year. My Dad is 84 and getting fragile and moving into assisted living. COVID lockdown has not helped. It is hard to take care of older parents.

We are ready for COVID to be cured with a vax!

Other than that, life is a good and comfortable routine.” Susan Taylor Hawes is still in Charlotte.

She and her boyfriend, David, love to fly and do so often. Her daughter, Catherine (20), and son, Wilson (18), attend UNC-P. Catherine is a junior and Wilson is a freshman. Her son, Matthew (15), is a sophomore at Myers Park High School. They have a one-year-old yellow lab named Ellie who keeps them on their toes. Heather May Hughes is still in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She and her husband, Joey, are celebrating their 17th anniversary. She says it seems like yesterday that they were walking down the aisle in the Saint Mary's Chapel. They keep busy with two daughters. Libby is a freshman who just turned 15, and Paige is 12 and in seventh grade. School

HIGH SCHOOL

1992

COLLEGE Michelle McLaughlin Cheshire ’92C Hello Class of ’92C! I hope you are all doing well, staying healthy, and picking up some new hobbies. We have two classmates who have daughters attending SMS. How special! Elizabeth Paxton Black shares that her daughter, Josie Parker ’21, is a senior at SMS. Elizabeth’s youngest son, Hill, is a third- grader and her oldest son, Britton, is a sophomore at N.C. State. Elizabeth hopes to see all of our classmates sometime soon! Ann Jones Montgomery’s daughter, Bryn, is a freshman at SMS, while her older daughter, Sutton, is a freshman at James Madison University. Ann and husband Vin are now emptynesters and report that they miss the girls terribly but know they are happy at their schools. Gray Williams Carlin says, “I can’t believe I have two kids in college. My third son is driving now.

I will be turning 50 and celebrating 25 years of marriage in 2021! My youngest son went to a dance at Saint Mary’s last year! I have the best time keeping up with what’s happening at Saint Mary’s from all these cute students posting on Instagram.” Weldon Jackson Byrtus reports, “I am continuing to enjoy my time at Saint Mary’s School! Daughter Liza is a fifth-grader at Magellan Charter School and is still playing soccer with VCFC.”

COLLEGE

and sports have been in full swing since August.

She says it has been nice to get back to a sense of normalcy. "I will continue to keep all those who have been struggling during the pandemic in so many different ways in my thoughts and prayers.

God Bless America!" She also says that she loves reading everyone’s news. I agree and would love to receive more! Joanna Weatherman Huskey writes, "My husband, Matt, and I are still living in Winston-Salem. I’ll be celebrating my 20th work anniversary this February at Wake Forest Baptist Health. I’m loving spending time with my son (that I placed for adoption when I was 18). He’s given us two precious grandchildren, Dawson (4) and Hadley (2). They are such a joy and it’s a blessing to be watching them grow up. COVID has been challenging, as it has for everyone. The one good thing to come from it is it looks like I’ll be able to work from home permanently. I hate what has been the reason for this, but I love the idea of working from home! Prayers that everyone and their families are staying healthy and safe! Hugs to all!" Robin White Mangum lives in Raleigh with her husband, Ned, and their boys, Bear (16), Gus (13), and Hugh (9). When not playing chauffeur, Robin is the Learning Coordinator at Marbles Kids Museum. Kendy Allen Smith, husband Bryan, and son Henry continue to enjoy living in the Pacific Northwest. Henry is 14-years-old and is in his last year of middle school at Lakeside in Seattle. Kendy and Bryan will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in May. She hopes that all of her classmates are staying healthy.

Amy Warren Dowdle writes, "It has been quite a year. My oldest, Clayton, is a freshman at Lees-McRae, and she loves it! My high school senior, Baity, is hoping to go to Salem College next fall. My son, Walker, is a freshman in high school, and plays a lot of baseball. The baby, Campbell, is in fourth grade, and has the wellearned nickname, “Chattie.” We spent the first part of quarantine at the beach house in Ocean Isle and were planning on riding out the fall there too, since the kids are doing virtual school.

Unfortunately, we lost our beach house to a fire during Hurricane Isaias. We'd spent the last 19 years there, so it was hard. I'm still working as a paralegal at my daddy's firm, and my husband, Jeff, is still a chef at 1250 Heritage. I miss seeing everyone in person, but love seeing everyone on Facebook. My love to all! xoxox." Austin Staunch writes, "Though I feel awful for those who have had a rough year, my 2020 has been pretty good. I went on a solo trip to Spain and Portugal for two months at the start of the year. I had to rush home on the day of the travel ban, and SIP was required two days later in San Francisco, but it was nice to be able to chill after being on the go for so long. I built things, finally got to house projects, worked out, and got outside on walks as much as I could. Unfortunately, all of my work that I was expecting to dive into upon return to the U.S. was cancelled for the year, but I got to spend two months at the beach in North Carolina during the summer. Now I'm doing work here and there and hope my industry picks

back up soon. I hope everyone has found some bright spots during this unexpected year." I, Andrea Staunch, am in my 11th year in Charlotte.

I wasn't wild about Charlotte post-divorce, but I have developed many new memories and now really enjoy living here. Caroline is soon to be 14 and in eighth grade. She is over remote learning and eager to get back to school. Alex is 11 and in fifth grade, but is also taking sixth-grade classes.

He's in a small private school, so he was able to go back to school in person. After remaining isolated during quarantine time, we spent most of our summer at Atlantic Beach with family. It wasn't the social summer of years past, due to COVID, but we spent lots of quality time, and Austin Staunch came in from San Francisco for two months. Between COVID and the craziest election year in memory, I am ready for life to be normal again. I've been dating a wonderful man for a couple of years now who is fully integrated with my children, my family, and my friends.

Many classmates met Louis at our last reunion.

Peace out 2020, HELLO 2021!

1994

HIGH SCHOOL Jeannine Eason Brown ’94HS ’96C writes, “Hi girls! Big changes for me. After 12 years of teaching, I finally paused and invested in myself.

I am enrolled in Drexel University's online master's program for nonprofit management.

I am enjoying being a student again, and it is especially nice to be home with my kids as they are all in online school. My daughter is about to get her driver's permit if you can believe that, and my son is a handsome seventh-grader.

We are still in Durham and moved to a house right on the Durham/ Chapel Hill border. Best of both worlds! With everything moving to the online world, I am now on the Saint Mary's Alumnae Council, which means a lot to me.

I hope you are all well and would love to see you in the spring during reunion weekend.”

Anna Carstarphen Howard writes, “ I live right outside Raleigh, in Rolesville, with my husband and two boys, who are 16 and 13. They keep us very busy! I also work full time managing a global research group that performs testing on clinical trial samples. Sending my love to all and I hope to make the next reunion!”

1996

COLLEGE Tracy Tranguch McAvoy writes, “The McAvoys just moved to the suburbs of Charlotte! We’ve been living in uptown Charlotte for many years, enjoying Panthers and Hornets games while walking to the many outdoor festivities that uptown offered. Our daughter, Finley (5), has started kindergarten at Catholic school and enjoys praying every day and saying the Pledge of Allegiance at school. We are very happy to live in such a loving town filled with diversity

and love. We are both still in medical sales. I am looking forward to our Saint Mary’s class reunion and catching up with all of the girls.”

Jeannine Eason Brown ’94HS ’96C writes, “Hi girls! Big changes for me. After 12 years of teaching, I finally paused and invested in myself.

I am enrolled in Drexel University's online master's program for nonprofit management.

I am enjoying being a student again, and it is especially nice to be home with my kids as they are all in online school. My daughter is about to get her driver's permit if you can believe that, and my son is a handsome seventh-grader. We are still in Durham and moved to a house right on the Durham/ Chapel Hill border. Best of both worlds! With everything moving to the online world, I am now on the Saint Mary's Alumnae Council, which means a lot to me. I hope you are all well and would love to see you in the spring during reunion weekend.”

1996

HIGH SCHOOL Leslie Allred Yates ’96HS ’98C is still living in Raleigh with her husband and their daughter, Vivian (6). “I am still close with several of our SMS girls and our kids are growing up together which is so fun (Laura-Burke, Lee, Liz, and Erin Webster). M’Lee Welch Davis ’95HS ’97C and I got to catch up at the end of last year, which was the best thing to happen in a while. We had not missed one beat and she is still maybe the only person in the world to make me laugh that much. She is still living in Big Sky and loves to remind me I am due for a visit with my godson. I still travel often to Winston-Salem but am no longer working for K&W. I have fallen in love with Beaufort, N.C., where my husband is from, and I am trying to figure out how to become a full-time shell seeker. Time will tell.”

1998

COLLEGE Laura-Burke Davis Kerr writes, “John and I are still in Raleigh but spent most of quarantine in Wrightsville Beach. It was a nice getaway and a change of scenery for us and for our girls, Grace (13) and Ellie (9) to do virtual school. I am working part time as a speech therapist for Transitions Life Care Home Health. Looking forward to our upcoming reunion (fingers crossed)!”

1998

High School Katie Jennette just entered her sixth year in Boston and recently began a new role as a vice president of global trade for TD Bank after 10 years with Wells Fargo in various commercial and corporate banking roles. She maintains that a New England fall is the best but remains “a Carolina girl at heart.”

51

CLASS NEWS 2000

Katherine Cvetko McElroy ’00 Anna Dale Bazemore and family are staying safe and enjoying SO MUCH family time. All of them have been home since March. Her son, Hudson, started sixth grade at Oberlin Middle School.

Anna's other son, Myers, started kindergarten at Root Elementary. They have enjoyed extra beach time and traveling thanks to virtual school. Anna retired from teaching in March. She is thankful their little family has stayed healthy and been able to spend everyday together but we looks forward to life being normal again one day!

Kathryn Henderson is living in her hometown of Elizabeth City, working as a hearing aid specialist at her family business, Albemarle Audiology. She has one daughter, Judy. She is eight-years-old and keeps Kathryn very busy! Meredith Bell Hughes welcomed a little girl, Effie Elizabeth Hughes, on October 15th. Miller (5) is a very proud big brother! Her family is busy navigating life with a newborn during a pandemic. She hates that our reunion had to be postponed but is looking forward to seeing all the SMS girls at the reunion in April. Michaela Idhammar-Ketpura is still living in the mountains of Colorado, right outside of Aspen. She serves as the executive director of Aspen Youth Center, the vice-chair of the board of the Zurbuch Foundation, and the president of DEVO, a local non-profit development group.

Aspen Youth Center has kept her busy, as they have remained open to youth in the community through the pandemic. She and her husband, Nick, enjoy skiing, hiking, biking, and paddle boarding with their daughter, Sylive (4), and their furbaby, Julius. She wants you to know, "Please visit, when it's safe, our guest room is open!"

Holden Royall is currently living in downtown Morehead City, on the waterfront, and enjoying the coast. She is working for Covance/Lab Corp as a project coordinator and loves being a part of COVID trials and the progression the company has been making in all clinical trials.

Anna Burkhart Turner lives in Mt Pleasant, S.C., with her husband Matt and two boys, Coy (8) and Abe (7). She started a new job this fall as tech executive for a Chicago-based company building HR software. During the pandemic, her family has spent a lot of time outdoors and at the beach, as well as watching Clemson football. She looks forward to seeing everyone at the reunion! Kathleen Kelly writes, “I am in my 8th year now as an Associate Professor in Dance at Montclair State University and happily living in a great apartment in Brooklyn and still figuring out ways to dance even through a pandemic!

Last year, I was deeply honored to be recognized as a Distinguished Alumni in the College of the Visual and Performing Arts at UNCG. I'm sad to have our 20th reunion cancelled, but I hope we get to come together this fall.” Olivia Hock Miller became junior partner at her law firm in Orlando in July, where she practices personal injury and insurance litigation. Her son, Smith, started inperson kindergarten in August and her daughter, Caroline, is in PK3. Her husband, Mark, has been

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working from home since March, and they have a small quarantine crew of one cousin and two friends they see in person. We are lucky that Elizabeth Bost Hock ’73C, moved to Orlando in February, a week before quarantine started. We are healthy but looking forward to seeing friends and distant family again soon! Katherine Cvetko McElroy is still residing in Charleston, S.C., with her husband, Richard, and three children, Mac (10), Gray (7), and Eve (4). She is welcoming 2021 with open arms!

2002

Katie Stuart Power writes that she continues to serve on the front lines as a nurse practitioner in an emergency room in Nashville, Tenn. “The past year has been difficult but doable with such a wonderful husband and two boys, Conrad (7) and Drew (3). Please continue to social distance and wear masks as we enter the winter months!”

2004

Katie Whitmore Allred ’04 Ryan Anthony Marston welcomed her second child in October 2020, a son named Wyatt Matthew Marston. She still lives in Atlanta with her family, and she owns her own wedding planning company called Organized Occasions.

Jenna Nash Hollmeyer and her husband welcomed a baby girl, Elizabeth Lane Hollmeyer ("Liza") late last year. All of a sudden, thanks to the COVID-19 time warp, Liza has just celebrated her first birthday and spends most of her time trying to keep up with her older brother, George. Jenna works as a freelance PR consultant in Charlotte and paints in her free time (follow @jhollmeyer_art). Merriweather Raidle Mulé lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband, Michael, and children, Camille (5) and Gabriel (2). With the support of Amazon’s 2-day delivery, TikTok, Disney+, and a 7-foot Walmart water slide, she and her family survived the quarantine. Merriweather serves as a Wealth Advisor for CornerCap Wealth Advisors, providing goals-based financial planning and wealth management services for professional women to help achieve their financial aspirations. Dr. Allison Schoen Hepfner is in her third year as proud principal of Doby’s Mill Elementary School in Lugoff, South Carolina. She lives with her husband and two children, Emmy and Tripp, in a suburb outside of Columbia. When she is not busy leading her school, she is actively “ubering” her son to soccer and her daughter to her many activities.

In her words, she is “living her best life.” While this year has been the most chaotic and unnerving, the pandemic has brought her family and school community closer together. Sarah Simons Team lives in Winston-Salem with her husband, Coleman, and two daughters Milly (6) and Copeland (3). As for me, in April 2020, we welcomed Henry Joseph Allred. He joined big brother Bobby (2) and has brought so much joy

to our family! This summer will mark two years since we moved back to North Carolina, and we absolutely love living in Southern Pines. Thank you to everyone who sent in your class news; it is great to hear from you! I hope you all have a happy and healthy 2021! Katie Whitmore Allred

2006

Caroline Ward Manning ’06 Alex Bielec is entering her ninth year with Delta Airlines. She and her partner purchased their first home in St. Paul, Minn., this summer. “We have not traveled as much due to the pandemic but are enjoying every moment spent with our 17-month old son, Charles.

2008

Mary Brown Taylor ’08 Lauren Worthy Barker, her husband, Taylor, and son, Worth (1), live in Wilson. She works for BB&T as a regional associate relations manager.

Anna Betts Kirby lives in Wake Forest with her husband, Winston, and is a full-time faculty member at Wake Technical Community College, where she works as an English instructor. She is pursuing her 500 RYT (500 hours for yoga teacher training) as her hobby/ passion. Kallie Blount lives in Wilson and works as the director of travel and sales for Group International Specialty Travel in New York. She is pursuing her passion for travel and building itineraries abroad. Elizabeth Bonner Covington lives in Charlotte with her husband, Alec, and son, Harrison, who was born on June 22, 2020.

She works as a PR account manager at Chernoff Newman. Julie Bynum Fraser lives in Jackson, Wyoming, with her husband, Jimmy, and works as a creative partner for a San Francisco-based design company, Brilliant. Hayley Dillon Cain, her husband, Brad, and daughter Millie, who was born on June 25, 2020, live in Raleigh. She works as a marketing manager at Booz Allen Hailton. Claire Chewning lives in Beaufort, S.C., with her husband, Alec, and son, Arch, who was born in April 2020. Claire works as a seventh-grade ELA/social studies teacher in Bluffton, S.C., at River Ridge Academy Martha Cox Whitesides and husband Tucker live in Wilmington. She is in school at Duke Divinity for a master’s in Christian practices and is working for both a church and a church consulting company. Allison Cranfill lives in Raleigh with her dog and six pet ducks! She works as a sales assistant at a commercial HVAC equipment manufacturer rep company. Jennifer Currier lives in West Asheville and works as the head of sour and wine production for Wicked Weed Brewing. Katherine Darden lives in Raleigh and is the general manager at So*Ca restaurant. Liz D'Atri Stefani and her new husband closed on a condo in Boston on March 19th, three days before the pandemic shutdown. They originally had plans to be married in the Saint Mary's Chapel on August 22, but had to cancel travel to North Carolina due to COVID. She says, “I married my

best friend, Brendan Stefani, on August 15th in our backyard. We invited 200 guests to join us virtually via livestream and my father (who lives in Raleigh) walked me down the aisle via FaceTime while my best friend held my phone.

My new married last name is Stefani. I currently work as the creative marketing manager for a real estate firm that's been in business for 40+ years in Boston.” Heather Dew Rosa lives in Longmont, Colorado, with husband Alex and labradoodle Berta. She works remotely as a water resources engineer for McAdams in Durham. Betsy Douglass lives in Charleston, South Carolina, where she is an artist and just finished illustrating a second children’s book, The Elephant Who Discovers Empathy, coming this holiday season to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and local bookstores in the Carolinas.

Sidney Dawson Dozier lives in Raleigh with husband Chris and their two children, daughter Covington (3) and Rush (2). She works for AWH partners. Catherine Early, Ph.D., completed a postdoctoral researcher position at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, Florida, and moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota, to begin her new job as the Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Kiki Sloan Eatman and her husband, Jim, live in Raleigh, where she works as a territory account manager for James Hardie building products. Elizabeth Mills Grantham lives in Raleigh with her husband, Stewart, and works as the executive operations manager at RedHat. Loftin Johnson lives in Raleigh, where she works as a personal trainer at Core Fitness and leads the triangle fitness program and coaches the JV soccer team at Saint Mary’s School. She also works as the youth ministry coordinator at Christ Episcopal Church. Mary Reid Larcade lives in Raleigh and works as a Licensed Professional Counselor at the family practice, Larcade Psychiatric Associates, PLLC. She specializes in working with adolescents and young adults with anxiety and depression.

Roslyn Ragsdale Manning and her husband, Max, live in Crestwood, Ky., with their two daughters, Scarlett (4) and Caroline (3). She works as a digital learning coach with their local school district, going into K-12 schools to support teachers in using innovative, instructional technology in their classrooms.

Katie Matthews Darling lives in Charlotte.

She and Edward were married September 26 in Charleston, South Carolina. She works as a sales manager for Robinson Media. Catherine Schaefer Maxwell lives in Chicago, Illinois, and works as a senior planner at Nike. Nancy Stewart McLendon lives in Wilmington and is a pediatric physician assistant at Kidzcare. Mady McLeod lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she works at TriStar hospital in the inpatient rehab department and helps with the outpatient department as well. Liz Moore Shaver and her husband, Jay, live in High Point, North Carolina.

Liz is a furniture designer and has been working for her family's firm, Otto and Moore, Inc., since

she graduated from Kendall College of Art and Design in 2013. Jay and Liz love their fourlegged children, Tito and Bronson. Ashby Claire Murray lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and works as a speech language pathologist at a pediatric learning center, Learning Matters, and also works at Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital.

Danielle Musselwhite lives in Raleigh and works for a company headquartered in San Francisco called 15Five. She traveled to six countries last year! Crutcher Nash Battin lives in Raleigh with husband Mark and works for SCOUT as a senior program manager. Sarah Staton Nash lives in Charleston, South Carolina, and works as the senior sales associate and is an ALA lighting specialist for Circa lighting. Beth Walters Nash lives with husband John in Raleigh and works as a marketing communications specialist for Red Hat. Julia Nutt lives in Charleston, South Carolina, and is an early childhood special education teacher (ages 3-5) at Goose Creek Elementary School. Cynthia Partrick lives in Charleston, South Carolina, and is a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway. Christina Nasuti Phillips lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with her husband, Brian, and daughter, Amelia Grace, who was born in 2019. Kim Purcell lives in Washington, D.C., and works in marketing for the “Got Milk?

Campaign.” Arden Saunders lives in Crested Butte, Colorado, and is a Pilates instructor.

Greyson Kane Sidebotham lives in Raleigh with her husband, John Reid, and son, Reid. Jessica Clark Stewart and her husband, Andrew, live in Wake Forest, where Jessica teaches at Franklin Academy Middle School. She and Andrew have a two-year-old son, Lyle, and just welcomed their newest addition, Clark Andrew Stewart, born October 28th, 2020. Mary Brown Taylor lives in Raleigh and works as the assistant director of Auxiliary Services for Saint Mary’s. She is also the godmother to her Sidney Dawson Dozier’s daughter, Covington.

Cameron Robbins Taylor and her husband, Josh, live in Raleigh.

Diane Tyndall continues to enjoy ministering among international students at UNC-Chapel Hill, and is excited that, beginning in 2021, she will be living in Europe for the next three to five years doing similar work through InterVarsity's global branch called IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students.)

Sara Walker lives in Raleigh and works for her family business, Walker Auto Parts. She also is the godmother to Sidney Dawson Dozier’s

daughter, Covington. Annie Whitmore lives in Charlotte. McCauley James Yates and her husband, Drew, live in Raleigh where she is a school counselor at Barwell Road Elementary.

2010

Emma Powell Pike ’10 Gates Killian will be moving from Atlanta to Charlotte in the New Year and will continue to work for IBM in The Weather Company Division.

Joi Marlowe relocated to Washington, D.C., and is working on her master’s in clinical research.

Joi is active on the Saint Mary’s Alumnae Council and is working with the Saint Mary’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) task force to bring more awareness to diversity and inclusion at Saint Mary’s. Louise Orr graduated from Clemson last December with a master’s in parks, recreation, and tourism management. She is now the communications director at Carolina Tiger Rescue in Pittsboro. Anna Dillon Sibley married David Sibley in October at the Saint Mary’s Chapel and recently relocated from Atlanta to Raleigh.

She is still working for OneTrust in events and marketing. Catherine Doyle Aimone married Connor Aimone in December 2019 and they have purchased a home in Cary. She is finishing up her Ph.D. in March in plant biology from N.C. State.

Laura Gulledge Rust and her husband, Evan Rust, were married in Raleigh in October. They relocated from D.C. to Raleigh and purchased a home that Laura has renovated as she works towards getting her general contractor’s license.

Ashely Flynn is working at Duke Medical Center as a nurse in the Emergency Department. She is also working towards her Bachelor of Science in nursing through UNC-W. Elizabeth Grigg Brown

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CLASS NEWS and her husband, Patrick, welcomed a baby girl, Harper, in May. Rachel Finney O’Brien gave birth to a baby boy, Finley Joseph O’Brien, in August.

Rachel and her husband live in Charlotte. Sarah Blake is still flying helicopters for the Navy and will be moving to D.C. in the near future to start her dream job working with the Senate in the Navy’s Office of Legislative Affairs. Lisa Michelson is finishing up her second year at UNC School of Medicine and will start her third year in March. She will also be rotating at Wake Med in Raleigh. Olivia James moved to Boston in 2019 and is working in crisis communications, media relations, and marketing for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. Cassie Helda Sagehorn married Matthew Sagehorn in June 2019 and gave birth to a baby boy, Sterling, in March 2020. Allie McDonald Atkinson married Alex Atkinson in September 2020, and the couple moved to Greenville, South Carolina.

Allie also passed the boards and began her first job as an outpatient occupational therapist.

Caitlin Monahan finished her dual master’s in architecture/construction management from the University of Michigan in December 2019.

She moved to Chicago in February to start her new job at Turner Construction. KK Vinson lives in Greenville, and is in her last year of medical school at ECU. She will be a pediatrician. Austin White graduated from UNC’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program in August 2020 and is practicing at Atrium Health with a focus on neuro. Peron Graeber is working as an emergency veterinarian in Las Vegas and was recently accepted into a residency program starting in July to become a specialist in emergency and critical care. I, Emma Powell Pike, continue to be impressed with my classmates’ accomplishments! My husband, Bryce, and I moved to Morehead City in September.

2012

Hailey Hart Borden ’12 Hailey Hart Borden married Edwin Borden on August 22, 2020. They live in Washington, D.C., with their new golden retriever puppy named Mossy. Hailey worked in the White House Office of Public Liaison and plans to continue working in politics in Washington. Bailey Jeutter is starting physician’s assistant school in Richmond, Virginia, in January. Hutter Black recently moved to Chapel Hill to open a spin, strength, and yoga studio, Spenga, with her sister, Suejette Black ’13.

Due to COVID, Margaret Blincow extended her travel nurse assignment and transitioned into a permanent role as a neurosurgery R.N. at Baptist Hospital, M.D. Anderson, in Jacksonville, Florida.

She works for the neurosurgery group, Lyerly Neurosurgery, and is an operating room nurse on the craniotomy and stroke team. She frequently assists with awake craniotomies and was featured in the hospital magazine for her excellence in patient care on a recent life-saving case. Sophie Bird lives in Raleigh and works as a secondgrade teacher at Glenwood STEAM Elementary

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school located in Chapel Hill. Catherine Bryant recently finished a judicial clerkship with the North Carolina Court of Appeals and moved to Charlotte for a new job. She is now an associate attorney with Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo in their workers' compensation defense practice area. Darby Fallon Clark lives in Atlanta with her husband, Jack, and two fur babies, Millie and Maddie. Darby is vice president, director of business development, at Fallon Benefits Group, an employee benefits firm in Atlanta. On the weekends, Darby loves to cook, build fabulous floral arrangements, and entertain friends.

Duncan Weaver Flynn lives in Raleigh and works as an interior designer for a commercial firm, Level Five Designs, which specializes in multi-family design. She married Daniel Flynn on October 24, 2020. Corinne Rixey lives in Charleston, South Carolina, and works at Carolina One Real Estate as a buyers and sellers agent in the Greater Charleston Area, where she has worked for the past four years. Eliza Stoughton lives in Raleigh and works as a real estate broker at Hodge & Kittrell Sotheby’s International Realty. She has been with Hodge & Kittrell for the past year and a half, working with both buyers and sellers.

Meredith Miller recently graduated from Bank Street College of Education in New York with a master’s in early childhood education. After four years of teaching in New York, she is living in Los Angeles, where she continues working as an elementary school teacher. Jeannette Sharp Oakes lives in Los Angeles and is currently working in a mix of digital and live production.

On the weekends, she volunteers with mutual aid organizations in L.A. and hopes to move back to organizing full time in progressive politics.

Kassi Wehbie currently lives in Raleigh. For the last two years, she has worked at Duke Raleigh hospital on an oncology unit and she now works at the Duke Cancer Center as a nurse. She is also working as a research assistant for a federally funded grant that promotes and increases access to primary care in rural North Carolina, through UNC. She will finish her doctorate in nursing with an oncology specialty from UNC in May 2023, and plans to continue to work in oncology upon graduation. Marwah Alzer lives in Athens, Georgia, and is in her second year of pharmacy school at The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy. During her free time, she works in the pharmacy at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Scottish Rite in the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorder Pharmacy. After graduating, she hopes to carry on her career as a pharmacist in oncology at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

2014

Mary Stuart Fountain ’14 Hi, SMS Class of 2014 friends! What a whirlwind year it has been! I hope you all are well, healthy, and safe. It is always fun to hear from you, and learn about the great things you are doing in your communities in our post-college lives. It seems like 2020 was the year everyone mastered the

“work from home” technique. I hope everyone stays safe this winter, and continues to bring light to the world! Thank you to everyone who submitted class news. Frances Cayton is a master’s candidate at Harvard University in Russian, East European, and Central Asian studies, where her research on populism and civil society is supported by a FLAS fellowship. Mills Carden says that “due to COVID some of my plans got canceled. But I graduated from Ole Miss last year and I got a TEFL certificate so that I can teach English in different countries. I originally was supposed to go back to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to teach English for a year but because of the virus I had to cancel my contract. I am currently teaching English as a second language online and am in graduate school at Southern Mississippi getting my master’s in TESOL.” Mills is also hopeful to move to Siem Reap, Cambodia, in May to teach English for a year! Holden Stanley Clark started a new job in March at McGriff Insurance in commercial marketing in Atlanta.

She and her husband, Matthew, celebrated their one- year anniversary in November, and just moved to the Peachtree Hills area. Anna Gardner De Santis also celebrated her one-year wedding anniversary on June 14, with her husband, Stellan. They also bought a home last April, and currently are working from home. Anna is an inside sales manager for Next Century Spirits, a start-up custom liquor company in Raleigh.

Emily Evans wrapped up her two-year rotational program and is now living in Charlotte. She spent a lot of time with her family and friends this year, including time with her family at the beach and mountain trips with Saint Mary’s friends. Dean Gibson writes, “I'm currently working at UNC, helping to take care of the research animals.

My news is that I recently got a promotion so I'm working directly with taking care of mice now and possibly other animals once I get settled into my new position! I'm also starting a computer programming certificate in January at N.C. State.” Florrie McCard continues to live in Madison, Wisconsin, while she finishes her degree at UW. She started a remote position with the JM Smucker Co. in June of this year, and officially became a Wisconsin resident in July! Katie Nash is working as communications manager for UNC Health Foundation, and has enjoyed spending time at the beach and back home in Little Washington since last March. Lindsay Nevitt is living in Boston and working for Jack Morton, an experiential marketing agency producing live events and consumer activations. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and meeting up with friends to explore the city! Claire Stark moved back to North Carolina last summer and started graduate school at UNC-Chapel Hill for a master’s in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling. She is excited for a career as a psychotherapist once she graduates! As for me, Mary Stuart Fountain, I am still working for Girls on the Run Greater Charlotte as the program manager, managing all of our program participants, families, and sites.

I recently finished up a business certification

ALUMNAE BOOK CORNER A Relentless Spirit

course through the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia, and enjoyed joining the Junior League of Charlotte last spring with Emily Evans! We are having fun meeting new people and serving the community in Charlotte! I have also enjoyed mountain trips with SMS friends this fall, and visits with my sisters, Caroline ’16 and Margaret ’18, and our new family golden retriever puppy! Thank you again to everyone who sent in class news. I hope everyone has a safe and a wonderful spring. Remember to keep in touch! As always, Proud to be a Saint Mary’s Girl! Much love to everyone, Mary Stuart Fountain ’14

By Pat Van Lear Veasey ’65C A Relentless Spirit, by Pat Van Lear Veasey ’65C, tells the story of the life of Catherine Ladd, Southern educator, entrepreneur, and author, who lived from 1808-1899. Veasey meticulously recreates the life and times of Catherine Ladd, a little-known Southern 19th century artist, educator, and writer. Ladd worked tirelessly to educate young women in the South before and after the Civil War. The book also tells of her

2016

Mary Alex Edmiston graduated virtually from Texas Christian University on the Dean’s List. She works as a marketing and communications coordinator at Carolinas Investment in Charlotte. She is studying for her securities industries exam and Series 7 exam.

2018

Erika Reiger ’18 It is still unbelievable to many of us that we have been outside of the gates for almost three years now. Although time has flown by, we have continued keeping in touch, still making time for one another, no matter the distance. I have loved being a liaison between Saint Mary’s and my graduating class. In conjunction with keeping up with all of these incredible women, I am studying public health with a double minor in business administration and Spanish at The George Washington University. Throughout this time, I have been in Washington, D.C., studying and working part time in Georgetown. Despite the dismal time, we do have a few updates.

Grace Battle Thompson is studying journalism and political science at UNC-Chapel Hill. Milly Etheridge is swimming at Sewanee and had a personal record in the 100-meter butterfly. Abby Harris was elected president of the Theta Iota chapter of Alpha Delta Pi at Bucknell University. Amber Morse declared a major in biology and organizational sociology last year. Since the beginning of the pandemic, she has worked remotely at Duke University, researching cardiovascular toxicities resulting from breast cancer treatment.

She also picked up a job co-managing Brown University’s designengineering makerspace, where she hopes to increase women’s inclusion in a male-dominated space.

2020

Kate Eagles ’20 Wow! What a crazy and exciting first semester it has been for Saint Mary’s Class of 2020. This incredible class left the gates on March 13, 2020, not knowing what the future had in store for them.

Since then, we have been able to persevere and overcome many challenges during this pandemic. Frances Williams, Elizabeth Rucker, and Maida Watson are all Kappa Alpha Thetas at the University of Georgia. Madden Robinson is also at UGA and has joined Alpha Delta Pi. Kate Eagles and Kate Garrison attend Clemson University, where they have both joined Tri Delta. They love seeing Lauren Murray, Lizzy Toms, and Bowen Gorden, who are all also at Clemson. Izzy Kempson, Forbes Weaver, and Eleanor Williams are all Chi Omegas at UNC-Chapel Hill. Caroline Smith attends East Carolina University, where she has joined Alpha Delta Pi. Martha Luck Johnston and Margaret Painter are Sigma Kappas at N.C. State. Anna Carlyle Spears and Sally Sandridge also attend N.C. State, where they have joined Alpha Delta Pi. Hannah Keller, Caroline Dixon, Lane Russell, and Sydney Vermillion are all at Wake Forest! Perry Morgan loves Fort Worth, Texas, and TCU, where she has joined Kappa Kappa Gamma.

teaching at Brattonsville Female Seminary and her life in Winnsboro, South Carolina. Ladd was hired in 1839 by Dr. John Bratton to organize and serve as principal and teacher at his female academy in York District, South Carolina, created to educate his daughters and other young women.

Forgotten outside the small South Carolina town of Winnsboro where she lived most of her adult life, Catherine Ladd now emerges from the painstaking and extensive research of Patricia Veasey to shine as a vibrant, dedicated, innovative educator and writer whose work spanned nearly the entire 19th century.

Ladd, who, unlike many of her contemporary writers juggled marriage with numerous children, established and conducted female academies, contributed poetry for publication, wrote and produced plays, helped raise funds for rebuilding her war-ravaged town, and submitted political commentary—all within 19th century cultural constraints. This delightful lady belongs alongside fellow 19th century contemporaries Mary Chestnut, Emma Holmes, Celia Thaxter, Ellen Allerton, Louisa May Alcott, Emily Dickinson, and Phoebe Levy Pember. Catherine, the wife, mother, teacher, writer, entrepreneur, and community activist, was indeed relentless as well as remarkable.

Pat Veasey is an awardwinning educator and author whose historical research delves into the lives of the people of the Brattonsville community throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.

This thoroughly researched book is soft cover and is 286 pages. Retail price is $19.95 plus tax. Please call 803-9819181, email mcockerille@ chmuseums.org, or visit https://chmuseums.myshopify. com/products/a-relentlessspirit to purchase the book.

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EVENTS

SAINT MARY’S REMEMBERS

Dr. Rollie Tillman Jr. 1933 - 2020

wanted to spend his adult life. During his college career he was a member of the Chi Phi fraternity, as well as a member of the Orders of The Old Well, The Golden Fleece, and The Grail, and the recipient of the John J. Parker, Jr. Medal for outstanding leadership in student government.

He was also a drum major for the Marching Tar Heel band. His best accomplishment at Carolina, however, was winning the heart of Mary Windley Dunn, a beautiful co-ed from New Bern, whom he married in 1957.

Former Chair of Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees Dr. Rollie Tillman Jr., past chair of the Saint Mary’s College board of trustees, died peacefully, Dec. 2, 2020, from complications due to Covid-19, surrounded by family in the hours before his death. He was an exceptional man, a loving husband, extraordinary father and grandfather, a mentor and friend to many, and a man of deep faith.

“While he was a man of many accomplishments, both academic and civic, his finest contributions were those he made to his family,” wrote his family in his obituary. “He showed us what it meant to be kind and generous and was a role model for patience. His deep love for his wife, our mom, was a testimony to us and those who knew them. Throughout his life, he shared his wisdom and love of learning and music with his children and grandchildren.”

Born in Lake Wales, Florida, on April 11, 1933, to Rollie Tillman and Louise Johnson Tillman, he grew up among his family's orange groves in central Florida, graduating from Lake Wales High School in 1951. He was drum major in the high school marching band and his love for music continued his whole life.

Arriving in Chapel Hill as a freshman in the fall of 1951, he quickly fell in love with the school and the town and knew that this was where he

After graduating from Carolina with a B.S. in Business Administration, Rollie went to Harvard Business School, receiving his M.B.A. in 1957 and his D.B.A. in 1962. He then returned to Chapel Hill to begin his long and varied career at his alma mater, which stretched from 1960 to 2003. During those years he was a professor in the School of Business, director of the M.B.A. and Executive Programs, vice chancellor for University Relations, and founding director and chairman of the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise. He received the H. Allen Andrew Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship in 1999. Of all the hats he wore during his career, his greatest love was being in the classroom, teaching and mentoring students, many of whom continued to be a part of his life after leaving Carolina. He was gifted and compassionate and left his mark on those he met.

He was always active in community and civic affairs, giving back with time and talent.

Outside of career and family, he found time to

serve as director of the Chapel-Hill Chamber of Commerce, the Chapel Hill Preservation Society, Orange County Habitat for Humanity, the Food Bank of North Carolina, and the NC Museum of Art Foundation, to name a few.

He was a trustee at Saint Mary's College, from 1968-1978, serving as chairman of the board from 1973-1975. Rollie was a board member of the NC Museum of Art Society from 1988-1997, serving as chairman for two years.

Rollie was a faithful member of the Church of the Holy Family, joining in its early years. He served in many capacities there, including numerous terms on the vestry. His church family was always of utmost importance to him.

Rollie was predeceased in 2007 by Mary Windley Dunn Tillman ’54C, his wife of almost 50 years.

He is survived by three children: Mary Windley Tillman Pratt ’79C (Michael), Jane Guion Tillman, and Rollie Tillman III (Melissa Morrissette Tillman ’88HS); four grandchildren: Guion Pratt (Abby), Win Pratt (Tracy), Rollie Tillman IV, and Eliza Dunn Tillman ’23; one greatgrandson, Moses Pratt; a sister, Jane Tillman Blackburn; brother-inlaw, John Guion Dunn III; and a quiver full of nephews and cousins.

SAINT MARY’S PROUD As part of a legacy of generations of women who have benefitted from a Saint Mary’s experience and gone on to live lives of purpose and intention, Saint Mary’s alumnae stand tall and proud from coast to coast and continent to continent. Here are some ways you can show your pride for your alma mater and inspire others about Saint Mary’s: • Include Saint Mary’s on your resume or whenever you are listing or discussing your education.

• Remember to wear that beautiful Saint Mary’s ring.

• Get some Saint Mary’s gear at our school store, shop1842, and wear it often.

• Send Saint Mary’s your news so we can share it with others. We love to hear about your personal and professional aspirations, achievements, and milestones.

• Mentor a Saint Mary’s student through an internship.

• Like/follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn • Keep the Alumnae Office apprised of your current contact information.

• Attend your Reunion Weekend.

! s t n i a Go S .

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Purpose and optimism: Planned Giving in support of Saint Mary’s School

By Brandon Wright, Director of Planned Giving I recently enjoyed a telephone call with an alumna who shared that other than her parents and grandparents, Saint Mary’s has been the biggest influence on her life. I was struck by the honesty and conviction with which these words were spoken and affirmed in knowing that a Saint Mary’s education and experience changes lives. While numerous alumnae have shared similar statements with me, this call was a powerful reminder that Saint Mary’s is a special place, and that her unique and steadfast mission of preparing girls for college and life is as relevant today as it was in 1842.

The call also reminded me that in times of uncertainty, Saint Mary’s provides a source of comfort, connection, stability, and pride for those who love her. As thoughts turn to the possibilities of a new year, I hope that you, like our current students, are filled with a sense of purpose and optimism. Perhaps now, more than ever, the people and institutions that are important to you need your love and support. To that end, and to make sure alumnae and friends stay abreast of recent legislative changes, here are two simple ways to use your IRA to support Saint Mary’s.

Support now Federal legislation as part of the SECURE Act changed the minimum age for Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) from age 70½ to age 72. However, the minimum age for alumnae and friends to make gifts up to $100,000 using a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from an IRA to support charities, like Saint Mary’s, remained at 70½. Using QCDs before turning 72 could be a tax savvy move for those with large IRA balances because

it may lower future taxable RMDs. QCDs can be used now to support Saint Mary’s Annual Fund, create a new endowed fund, fulfill an existing pledge, or support much-needed renovations to Pittman Auditorium.

Support in the future The SECURE Act also eliminates the “Stretch” IRA, which previously allowed non-spouse inheritors of IRAs to take distributions over the course of their lives. Non-spouse inheritors of IRAs are required to take full distribution within 10 years, which could expose loved ones to higher tax bills during what could possibly be their highest incomeearning years. To avoid this possibility, IRA holders may wish to pass on different assets or consider wealth replacement strategies for loved ones while designating Saint Mary’s School as beneficiaries of an IRA. Leaving an IRA to Saint Mary’s will preserve 100 percent of this important asset, as Saint Mary’s pays no income tax on proceeds received from an IRA. While helping alumnae make gifts in the most tax-efficient way is important, perhaps more comforting is knowing that giving is primarily motivated by the desire to see Saint Mary’s continue to thrive. I hope 2021 brings you good health, time with loved ones, purpose in your endeavors, optimism for the future, and joy in knowing your support to Saint Mary’s makes a meaningful impact and is greatly appreciated.

Please contact Brandon Wright, Director of Gift Planning, at 919-4244111 or at bwright@sms.edu to discuss including a gift in your estate plan or using an IRA to support Saint Mary’s School.

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900 Hillsborough Street Raleigh, NC 27603–1689

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Scenes of Saint Mary's Pavilion and Victory Bell Photo by Mary Virginia Swain '77C

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