82 class notes
Leslie Duoos Muzzio ’80 and daughter, Lindsey, getting ready to run the Santa Cruz Wharf to Wharf
when your kids are teens? I feel like our lives are busier than ever, but in a good way. I took a part-time job recently, re-entering the workforce as manager of development and communications for a non-profit, but soon discovered that non-profits are just that—no profit for me, working many extra, unpaid hours to get the job done. So I have taken a few months’ hiatus to catch up on many home projects and am now seeking part-time work again until our youngest, Jordan (16), graduates. I’m loving Zumba dance and a woman’s bike club. Our eldest is going to Wheaton College in IL, Our middle daughter just graduated from high school and heading to Switzerland
Mary Fergusson Bakan ’80 and fiance, Ken
Mignon Stapleton ’80
for 6 months with Youth with a Mission for a gap year while she saves for college. We as a family are learning to appreciate wine, as well as different types of milk. My daughter and I will be stopping by many creameries and wineries on her way to visit WAZZU, in eastern WA. It will be quiet with the kids out of the home in the near future but we are looking forward to this new adventure in our lives. Much to be thankful for!” Colleen Condon Marquez: “In December 2015, I was laid off from my five-year-long dream job as director of outreach for Bethany Christian Services. While working in the world of adoption, I saw first-hand how few post-adoption resources there are for birth mothers, adopted persons, adoptive parents, and those facing infertility. For the past seven months, I’ve been developing exciting new endeavors to answer this need for healing and restoration at our Carmel Valley family property—HeartLand: Hosted Equine Assisted Retreats and Training, a collaborative effort with Dr. Rob Magnelli of horsepowerprogram.com. We’ve hosted two post-adoption, equine-assisted retreats in less than a year It is amazing to see how horses can help heal hearts. I’m also developing a new ministry—Take Heart!, ranch retreats and workshops , also at our Carmel Valley ranch house for small staff retreats, church/ministry renewal retreats, and fun day workshops. I love adding these new features to our vacation rental offering. This is even more fun than my paid position at Bethany! We had a wonderful family reunion with my sisters and their kids this summer. It was the first time we were all together since
Mom passed away in February 2014. We sisters stayed in Morning Glory Cottage by the creek, which I’ve had the joy of renovating in Mom’s honor. My book, A Gift for Little Tree, is still selling well. I’ve had fun seeing how it is to encourage those facing infertility and those touched by adoption. A friend wrote an article about us in the May issue of Guideposts magazine. We still live in Pleasant Hill, while straddling work and care of property and family in Carmel Valley. My husband, Mickey, has been working on contract jobs since his job ended in 2014, so we are truly living by faith. Our daughter, Gabrielle, is finishing up her general ed courses and hopes to transfer to APU next year. Isaac is in seventh grade and loves playing trumpet. Life is uncertain, but we are surely thankful for our many blessings. Looking forward to staying in touch my Catalina sisters. Maybe we could pull together a party in Carmel Valley to celebrate our 55th? I know just the place!” Leslie Duoos Muzzio: “I hope all of our classmates are doing well! Lindsey, our youngest daughter, and I ran the Santa Cruz Wharf-to-Wharf. We finished and had so much fun! My husband, Joe, is an avid runner and encouraged us to run this year. Hopefully our new shoes will be nice and worn by the end of the year! Lindsey is taking a gap year after graduating from UCLA with a degree in biology before going off to graduate school, and Amanda is now in her third year at New York College of Dentistry. Amanda had her white coat ceremony in New York, on the same day my father passed away. He was so very happy that she chose dentistry as her career. We just celebrated my mother’s 80th birthday party at our family ranch. Mom is doing great! It was a memorable family reunion with family and friends coming from across the country, which included a few Santa Catalina girls as well. Kitty Yurich was there with her family and three classmates of Deanna “Dede” Duoos Davis ’75. helped out and served appetizers . Thank you to Chris Blom Gomez ’75, Joan Artz ’75 and Cecily Marble Hintzen ’75. Wishing all of you health and happiness!”