class notes
with no tuitions! Enjoying the Monterey Peninsula still. This year I substituted in 1st grade at Catalina for a few months and really enjoyed being back in the classroom. While there, I was able to see the progression on the new Lower School building. It is amazing. There are so many great projects happening on campus, you must stop by and see the changes. I am already looking forward to our next reunion.” Beth Skinner Harney shares: “Enjoy our occasional alumnae gatherings in Sacramento with Debby Petteway, Dina Nassar Guillen, Catherine Dee and Colleen Duffy!” Liz Lowden Herreid: “Peter and I are enjoying our new adventure/chapter as empty nesters! We have spent several vacations visiting national parks and exploring the beauty of this country. I highly recommend it!”
1983 Jean Mandel jeanmandel@gmail.com Our 30th reunion in March was joyful and well attended. Although Kim Ward kept plenty busy, attending Mr. Oder’s class and hosting Connie Speed Erickson, Rachel Rice Mendelson (and daughter Elise), Daniela Perez Fayer (and daughter Laura), and Kate Mullaney Barry, the best part of the weekend, she says, “was my daughter Katie’s Catalina acceptance letter arriving Saturday. The second best part was my husband, Chris, saying after reunion, ‘Of course Katie should go, we want her to be just like the group of ladies who just left our house.’ I could not be happier.” Nella Nencini is now ten years in to safari life in Kenya, where she and her partner, James, live above Lake Naivasha. Her company, Tin Trunk Safaris, is thriving. She flew James and two of her three step-sons to the Masai Maara for the wildebeest migration, and this summer she will accompany a family to Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania to see chimpanzees. “I remember when Jane Goodall came to Catalina to talk about chimps, and now I am in love with that part of the world, too. Amazing how life unfolds.” Rachel Rice Mendelson wrote from South Bend on the eve of a visit from
The children of Laura Austin Hair ’83: Madison and Dylon
Kate Mullaney Barry and family (Kate was coming to introduce her daughters to Notre Dame). During reunion, Rachel, like many of us, enjoyed her visit to the bookstore, which was full goodies unimaginable back in 1983. “I still giggle every-time I wear my cougar booties.” Cathy Biddy Bennett brought her family to Reunion, and wrote, “Everyone was so sweet and welcoming to my kids. I knew that by the next reunion they may not be as interested (fascinated) by where Mom went to school. They loved meeting the teachers I told them about: Mr. Oder (Is that really his name?), and Dr. J (Did she really throw chalk at you?).” Laura Austin Hair was sad to miss Reunion, but the gymnastics season beckoned. Her daughter Madison qualified for the Level 7 Regional meet, where she competed against girls from NV, UT, AZ and Southern California, ultimately placing 6th on both the balance beam and the vault. Laura says, “Life is good here at my barn. I have two businesses: the preschool and The Crazy Heifer Western Store. My son Dylon is in his senior year at Salinas High. I can’t believe how fast your children grow and mature into humans you love being around.” Anastasia Cronin McNabb sent a big hello to everyone from Fort Wayne, IN. Her son Greg will be off to Indiana University in August. Son Tommy is spending six-and-a-half weeks in Spain, in a full-immersion Spanish program. In Andalusia, “he got a fever and had to go to a clinic to be hooked up to an IV, and was diagnosed with tonsillitis. He is on the mend, and now he will be applying
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Jean Mandel ’83 and niece Margaret Ripsteen at Summer at Santa Catalina
Kellen Flanigan ’83 and fiance Rob Stinett
to colleges in the fall. With Stanford and UCLA on his top five wish list, there’s a chance he might be out in California for college.” Janine Bender wrote from Pebble Beach to say, “My estate sale business, antique glassware business, and Ebay sales, are keeping me very busy. I am looking forward to a cruise from Venice to Ft. Lauderdale in the fall.” Kellen Marie Flanigan was delighted “to bring my high school sweetheart, Robert Stinnett, to reunion and reintroduce him to all that knew him well from his frequent visits to the school. He and I are now engaged to be married, after being apart for 32 years. It was a treat to be back in Carmel again, together, and not have to worry about getting back to campus before dinner.” Her daughter, Madison (22) is a professional photographer, and son Nico (21) has one more year at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. Michelle Rutherford’s daughter, Lynne, stayed with her and Rob for a few months while her