WellsNotes December 2016 by Wells College

WellsNotes Wells College Alumnae and Alumni Newsletter

December 2016

In recognition and memory of Carolyn Bunn Wood ’52

2016 Outstanding Young Alumni Award In 2014 Wells established the Young Alumni Award to recognize the achievements of recent graduates. Selected for their extraordinary leadership, philanthropic service and professional acumen, Young Alumni Award recipients exemplify the spirit of the Wells community and demonstrate the power of a liberal arts education. The 2016 awards were presented during Fall Weekend (October 14-16). Each award is given in the name of another outstanding alumna. This year’s awards honored Carolyn Bunn Wood ’52, an exemplary volunteer who served her class in nearly every role, was involved in every capital campaign since her graduation and co-chaired the $50 million Campaign for Wells College (1995-2000). Carolyn joined the Board of Trustees in 1967 and was named an Honorary Trustee a decade later. In 1999, she received the Alumnae Award for her service to Wells and remained a dedicated, active volunteer and Trustee until her death in 2011. Her widower, Henry F. “Hank” Wood Jr. currently serves as an Honorary Trustee. The 2016 recipients of the Young Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award are Adrianna Anderson ’10, Molly R. Moen ’99 and Rozana Majumdar ’09. This year’s recipients exemplify the spirit of the Wells community as they support and advocate for at-risk communities.

“While I knew pretty early on in my Wells days that I wanted to be a lawyer, I didn’t take any classes that had to do with the law. I thought this would be a detriment, but it actually ended up being the biggest benefit. My liberal arts education prepared me immensely for my life as an advocate. Wells taught me how to analyze issues and present arguments in a respectful but persuasive way. I use these skills every day to advocate for my clients and do not think I would be the lawyer I am today without my Wells education.” Adrianna Anderson ’10

“I truly appreciate my experience at Wells, where I received a strong liberal arts education served with a heavy dose of feminist leader-ship. It was here that I learned to question the status quo, to demand excellence, and to recognize the power of a community working together.” Molly Moen ’99

“My first-hand experiences of living in the developing world opened my eyes to the need to help others. My Wells degree and the classes that I took helped me bring together and find parallels between my own experiences and the issues that women and men face around the world. The extra curricular activities and my study abroad experiences gave me the chance to get involved and build skills to use with the communities I work with.” Rozana Majumdar ’09

Adrianna Anderson ’10 found herself on a path to service the day after graduating from Wells. She applied to the AmeriCorps program and spent the next two years as a volunteer at Legal Assistance of Western New York, advocating for people on the verge of homelessness. While a student at the University of Utah College of Law, she worked as the Pro Bono Fellow where she spent hours managing the school’s various clinics, providing free legal help to low-income clients and recruiting volunteers. She also worked for Utah Legal Services and the Legal Aid Society. Before graduation, Adrianna was selected as the Utah State Bar’s Law Student of the Year for her dedication to serving others. Currently serving as an Equal 3 WCA President’s Message Justice Works Fellow at Legal Assistance of Western New York, where her journey began, she is 4 Fargo News focusing her efforts on consumer protection for low-income individuals and families who have been victims of fraudulent scams and predatory debt collections. Adrianna enjoys her life as an 5 News from Campus advocate and frequently partners with other Wells graduates on cases and projects. As the Vice President of Development & Communications of Chrysalis, Molly R. Moen ’99 leads the non-profit’s overall fundraising and communications efforts to support the organization’s mission—to create a pathway to self-sufficiency for homeless and low-income individuals by providing the resources and support needed to find and retain employment. With more than 14 years of fundraising and nonprofit management experience (continues on p. 42)

8-42 ClassNotes 43 150 Years, 150 Voices 46 Call for Volunteers 48 Reunion 2017

Wells College Association Board President

Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86 dnamcnaughton@mac.com Nominating Vice President

Sue Eskedahl ’79 eskedahl_reuper@msn.com

GREETINGS FROM PETTIBONE HOUSE

Reunion Vice President

Mary Mitchell Goodman ’70 goodman6th@hotmail.com

Dear Alumnae and Alumni,

Fall Weekend Vice President

I hope that you enjoy this issue of Wells Notes! It is wonderful to hear all of the news from our friends near and far; thank you for keeping us updated.

Tiffany Hancock Clark ’93 tiffanyjoyclark@gmail.com WCA Trustees

Katie Fong ’06 katiefong@gmail.com Joanne Kelley ’83 jkelleyco@gmail.com Nancy Wenner Witmer ’61 nancy.bob.witmer@juno.com Annual Giving Chair

It’s an exciting time at Wells College, and I have had the distinct privilege of meeting so many of you in my travels during the past year. Thank you for all you do for Wells College and her students and faculty. I hope to see you at Reunion in June. Until then, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if I can be of assistance to you. Sincerely,

Mary Pastore Cryan ’84 marykcryan@gmail.com Award Committee Chair

Virginia Meeker Munkelwitz ’67 munkelwitz@alum.mit.edu

Craig S. Evans, Ed.D. Vice President for Advancement

Members-at-Large

Eliza Heppner ’06 eheppner@gmail.com Sarah Messenger Gleason ’88 sgleasons@yahoo.com

FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

Member-at-Large—FARGO

Greetings! I am so excited to be a part of the Wells family as the new Director of Alumni Relations. In the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to meeting the many alumnae and alumni that make Wells so magical. It will be great to connect with you and hear your special Wells story.

Travis A. Niles ’09 travisandrewniles@gmail.com Admissions Liaison

Talyse Hampton ’09 thampton09@wells.edu Director of Alumni Relations

Jennifer Janes jjanes@wells.edu

WellsNotes December 2016, Volume VIII, Issue II WellsNotes is published by Wells College. It is circulated free of charge to College alumnae and alumni.

In the meantime, I hope you will consider becoming more involved in the life of the College. Perhaps you have career or internship positions available at your company. Or you would enjoy sharing your expertise on campus with our current students, perhaps in a round table discussion or classroom demonstration. You might consider sharing more about the Wells experience with a high school student who is beginning the college search process. Please take advantage of the many engagement opportunities Wells offers. Wherever you live, you can make a notable difference as a volunteer and supporter. And, as always, let us know how we can better serve the Wells alumni community by emailing alumoffice@wells.edu with your suggestions and comments. Your involvement will make a world of difference in the future of the College. Again, I am thrilled to have joined the Wells family and look forward to meeting many of you and finding ways for you to be involved in helping our students succeed in life after Wells.

Managing Editors

Ann S. Rollo Craig S. Evans Editors

Pamela J. Sheradin ’86 Jennifer Janes Class Notes Editor

Kelly Brown

Contributors

Jennifer Janes Director of Alumni Relations Jennifer comes to Wells after nine years as the director of the annual fund at SUNY Cortland. Prior to that, she served as the director of alumni relations at Utica College. Jennifer earned her B.S. in Marketing from SUNY Oswego and her M.A. in Higher Education Administration from Stony Brook. She and her husband Brett are the parents of teenage daughters Kaleigh and Hannah.

David Foote ’11 Michelle Landers Emily Peters Michele Vollmer Photography

Jessica Freeman Photography Neil Sjoblom Photography Chandler Smith ’17

2 December 2016

If addressee has moved, please contact the Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office at alumoffice@wells.edu, 315.364.3200, or Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office, Wells College, 170 Main Street, Aurora, NY 13026

Wells College Association of Alumnae and Alumni Wells College Association of Alumnae and Alumni (WCA) Annual Meeting June 3, 2017 Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Chapel, Main Building Wells College, Aurora, New York WCA annual minutes from the June 2016 meeting are available at

2016-17 Board 1st row: Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86, Tiffany Hancock Clark ’93, Virginia Meeker Munkelwitz ’67, Joanne Kelley ’83. 2nd row: Katie Fong ’06, Nancy Wenner Witmer ’61, Mary Mitchell Goodman ’70. 3rd row: Eliza Heppner ’06, Sue Eskedahl ’79, Travis Niles ’09. Missing: Mary Pastore Cryan ’84, Sarah Messenger Gleason ’88, Talyse Hampton ’09, Jennifer Janes.

global.wells.edu

or through the Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office.

WCA President’s Message I am thrilled and honored to be the president of the Wells College Association for Alumnae and Alumni during this momentous time in the history of Wells College! Not only are we coming up to our 150th year as an institution, but Dr. Jonathan Gibraltar had a wonderful inauguration as our 19th president this fall. I’m delighted to share with you that I’ve already appointed a new member to the WCA board to fill the long vacant position as the Alumni Admissions Liaison. I hope you will join me in welcoming Talyse Hampton ’09, who has already proven to be an invaluable asset. I have been reflecting on the WCA and our founding mission statement of “establishing and maintaining among graduates a permanent interest in one another, and in the prosperity of their alma mater.” It’s interesting to note that when this goal was originally printed in the 1878 College catalog it was not just the aim of the Alumnae Association, but also the aim of student groups as well. So what does this mean in today’s world? With the internet, social media, and the flood of information coming at us daily I believe it is more important now to maintain the connection with the place and people that inspired and influenced us to become who we are today. The wise women who created our Association and mission worked closely with students, and today it is imperative we continue this tradition. This year the 2016 senior class gift campaign had the title: Students today. Alumni forever. They became a part of us after graduation: a lifetime network of support

and friendship. Seeing these students blossom over four years and seeing them graduate was rewarding and heartwarming. I am looking forward to engaging with them in their new roles as proud alumni. Our Wells College Reunions are another tradition that allow us to celebrate with generations preceding and following us, and are a reminder that we are all part of an extraordinary community. But we don’t have to wait for Reunion to connect with Wells. Establishing and maintaining an interest in our alumni body can be done today: network with alumni and/or current students in your area, reach out to classmates, come back for fall weekend, make the Wells College Association Facebook page a favorite and keep updated. Most of the inspirational, amazing Alumnae and Alumni that have graced my life I encountered after my time at Wells. The Wells relationships created after graduation are beneficial, influential, and supportive, so I encourage everyone to reach out, stay connected, and be an active participant in our beloved Wells community.

Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86 wca President

Wells.edu 3

FARGO: Graduates of the Last Ten Years SHARE A LATTE

FARGO Ambassadors The Friends and Recent Graduates Organization (FARGO) promotes young alumni engagement, philanthropy and networking. FARGO is here to help young alumni as you transition from Wells College to the world. The FARGO board is currently looking for area ambassadors in the United States and abroad to help plan Wells meet-ups in your geographic area. These gatherings are very simple and can be hosted at coffee shops, pubs, restaurants, etc. Serving as a FARGO Ambassador carries no financial obligation, as attendees cover the cost of their drinks or meals. FARGO Area Ambassadors agree to organize and host at least one event each year. These are a great way to meet other Wells alumni, network, share ideas and reminisce about your memories of your time at Wells. There are currently ambassadors in many parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, and we are hoping to expand the program more broadly. We hope you will consider becoming more involved with the life of the College. Please email us at alumoffice@wells.edu to let us know if you are interested in helping. Additionally, feel free to reach out to your FARGO Co-Chairs and Class Representatives: n

achel A.K. Snyder ’11, FARGO Board Co-Chair: R rachelaksnyder@gmail.com J ohn Norris ’09, FARGO Board Co-Chair: johnsteven.norris@gmail.com Class representatives:

2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008

Katherine Mouradian Edward Easter Kathleen Lamanna Ethan Beardsley Paige Stone Colin Evans Caitlin Titus Laura Masse Catherine Walker Diana MacKenzie

kmouradian13@wells.edu eeaster@wells.edu kathleenmlamanna@gmail.com ebeardsley@wells.edu paigenstone@gmail.com cpevans520@msn.com emrlddestiny3@yahoo.com lauraemasse@gmail.com scooterpie127@hotmail.com diana.mackenzie@gmail.com

Get Social with WELLS! facebook.com/wellsalums twitter.com/wellsalums instagram.com/wells_college www.youtube.com/user/WellsCollegeNY

4 December 2016

IT’S NOT A LATTE BUT YOUR PARTICIPATION DOES A LATTE. FARGO’s goal when they launched this campaign was to show young alumni that even donating the modest cost of a latte ($5-$10) makes a difference. Young alumni participation helps the College in many ways, it: •

Expresses confidence in Wells’ mission

•

Helps increase our national rankings

•

Encourages others to give back

•

Boosts the chance of receiving grants (like the ones that funded the new turf field & library renovations)

THE COST OF A LATTE MAY NOT BE MUCH BUT LOOK AT WHAT IT CAN DO! PLEASE SHARE THE COST OF A LATTE WITH WELLS BY DONATING HERE: WELLS.WEBCONNEX.COM/ITSNOTALATTE.

#latte

THANKS A LATTE!

Wel l s sha Re a

Young Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award Wells College, in partnership with the Wells College Association for Alumnae and Alumni (WCA), seeks nominations for the Young Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award. This Award recognizes a recent graduate who has shown extraordinary achievement in professional, philanthropic, and or service work— within the first decades following graduation. The Award will be presented each fall. Nominations are due by July 7, 2017. Nomination forms can be downloaded from www.wells.edu on the Association page.

News from Campus

Diversity & Inclusion

The Wells Fund

Admissions News

Upcoming Events

The Wells community joins together each semester to create a multicultural educational experience through special events, programs and discussions. This fall, our new Director of Campus Life for Diversity and Inclusion Latesha Fussell has already proven a valuable and supportive presence on campus as she coordinates, advises and plans ways for us to share in education and understanding.

The remarkable generosity of our community speaks volumes about our belief that Wells is an incredible place to learn and grow. From July 2015 to July 2016 Wells exceeded its ambitious Wells Fund goal and raised almost $2.5 million. Your gifts continue to provide versatile, vital resources for the College that create an environment in which faculty and students have the freedom, flexibility and support to develop their ideas and talents, to explore their interests, and to pursue their passions. Today’s Wells students rely on your next gift to become tomorrow’s leaders.

As we speak with prospective students, consistently the most excited about Wells are those who learned about us from an aunt, a mentor, a counselor or friend of the family who knows the College firsthand. Wells alumni aren’t shy about talking up all the things that make the experience unforgettable. So all we have to say is thank you and keep it up! Your support of Wells, even in casual conversations, makes a difference in ways you can’t imagine.

DECEMBER 15: Holiday Open House, Taylor House, Aurora. 6:00-8:00 p.m.

As always, student organizations provide energy, insight, and opportunities for community self-expression. This semester— to name a few examples—the students of Umoja coordinated an observation of Black Solidarity Day (Blackout Day); the new club Querencia presented a panel titled “What does it mean to be Latinx?”; SAGA presented events around Transgender Day of Remembrance; and Prodigy held their Community Step-Off. The In-Residence Program, coordinated by Wells faculty members, also promotes the value of new perspectives through guest lectures and hands-on workshops. This fall, Peace Paper held presentations on paper-making methods from around the world and scholar Laticia McNaughton discussed Haudenosaunee food culture and the politics of nutrition. We’re proud of our students, faculty, and staff and value their differing voices in our classrooms and communal spaces.

Please consider what your next gift will make possible. We owe many thanks to the volunteers who worked tirelessly on behalf of the Wells Fund: Fiona Morgan Fein ’65, Chair of the President’s Circle; Mary Pastore Cryan ’84, National Annual Giving Chair; as well as the class fund chairs and agents, Trustees and the President’s Circle committee. We also rely heavily on the talent and good work of our Director of Annual Giving Pam Sheradin ’86, the Assistant Director Jessica Corter and the entire staff in Pettibone who support their efforts. And, of course, we owe a large and heartfelt sense of gratitude to you. Thank you!

Many of our alumnae and alumni have friends and neighbors who serve in their local school systems. You can help us out even more by providing names and contact information of people you know in your hometown schools, and we will send them materials about our campus and academic programs. Below you’ll find an application fee waiver. We welcome you to clip it out and share it with a college-bound person in your life who you think might love spending their college years here in Aurora just as much as you did. And if you have any questions about how you can volunteer for Wells, contact us at 315.364.3266 or email admissions@wells.edu.

JANUARY 10: New York City Networking Night. 6:00-8:00 p.m. JANUARY 23: Spring Convocation at 4:45 p.m. JANUARY 30: Wells Luncheon in Palm Beach, Florida FEBRUARY 2: Wells Luncheon in Bonita Springs, Florida FEBRUARY 3: Wells Luncheon in Sarasota, Florida FEBRUARY 9-11: Board of Trustees meeting MAY 1: Athletic Awards Banquet MAY 3: Honors Convocation MAY 19-20: Board of Trustees meeting MAY 20: Commencement JUNE 1-4: Reunion 2017 JUNE 3: WCA Annual Meeting JUNE 3: WCA Alumnae Award Convocation For more information on events contact alumoffice@wells.edu or 315.364.3200

✂

SHARING THE SPIRIT

Your application fee to Wells College has been waived. wells.edu/apply

The essence of the Wells experience lies in its lifelong support network. May your journey be as transformative as mine! Wells.edu 5

Admissions Leadership This summer, Kishan Zuber joined Wells as the new Vice President for Enrollment Services. A long-time veteran of college admissions, Kishan most recently oversaw the recruitment of 3,400+ graduate students in over 90 academic programs as Assistant Dean of the Graduate School at Binghamton University. Over the summer and into this fall’s recruitment season, Kishan has built connections across campus and introduced to Wells’ admissions department her energy for identifying new opportunities, a mindful knowledge of the many different ways that today’s students approach their college search, and a strategic eye for further developing processes that Wells already has in place. This work is of course buoyed by the fact that Wells is, as we know, a very physically and academically attractive college. “If you look at the questions and inquiries we get, there are already a high number of students that are interested in Wells,” she said. “They know about us, they’re excited about our campus, and we are just working to ensure we’re conducting the most effective outreach to bring them here.” That outreach has been one of Kishan’s areas of focus as she and her team revamp Wells’ admissions communications. From internal processes to comprehensive messaging efforts—taking advantage of new technologies and strategies as well as the programs that have worked for us— Wells’ admissions office is strengthening operations and creating opportunities to communicate more efficiently with our field of interested students. As a result, we’re positioned to reach prospective students more efficiently throughout the application and acceptance process to the moment they arrive on our unforgettable campus.

New Staff in Advancement • Many of you have already met Lindsay Hahnes at Reunion and Fall Weekend. Lindsay is the director of leadership and planned giving, who joined us last April from Ithaca College. • Matt Sleezer ’14 has joined the advancement team as a major gifts officer, having served as an admissions counselor for the last two years. • We recently welcomed Jennifer Janes as our new director of alumni relations. Jennifer was director of the annual fund at SUNY Cortland for nine years and, prior to that, the director of alumni relations at Utica College. • Kelly Brown has been named coordinator of alumni relations, and is working with Jennifer to enhance our efforts in that area. Previously, Kelly served as the administrative assistant for the advancement office. • Jessica Corter has been promoted to assistant director of annual giving, working with Pam Sheradin ’86, director of annual giving. Jessie will be working closely with FARGO alumni. • Michele Vollmer has been promoted to director of advancement services and campaign coordinator. She will support efforts to plan and execute a comprehensive campaign, and serve as lead data management and reporting specialist. • Finally, we also welcome Emily Peters, who will work out of the College’s communication office to support advancement communications efforts. Emily comes to us from a small start up company in Ithaca.

Planned Giving Planned giving at Wells College is one of the greatest ways for you to realize your dreams while helping students reach theirs.

It’s simple. Give a gift of appreciated stock Make an IRA Rollover gift Leave a general bequest To learn more about making a meaningful gift that lasts, visit wells.edu/plannedgiving Give me a call today to discuss your options! Lindsay Hahnes Director of Leadership and Planned Giving 315.364.3414 lhahnes@wells.edu

Sustainability Practices Wells remains committed to environmentally responsible practices. This piece is printed at Cayuga Press, an environmentally conscious facility run by 100% wind power, with vegetable inks, and on paper from tree farms with sustainable harvesting methods. They practice sustainable production methods in which nearly all waste paper, plastic, wood and metal is recycled. The facility is the first in New York State to regenerate press chemicals in-house to reduce output of chemical waste by 90%. 6 December 2016

The Inauguration of Jonathan Gibralter as the 19th President of Wells College On a beautiful fall day in Aurora, President Jonathan Gibralter formally took office as the 19th President of Wells College. The inauguration ceremonies brought together the dignity and solemnity that frames such events with the welcoming atmosphere and quirky personality of our campus. We were pleased to welcome delegates from higher education institutions and our own alumni community and found inspiration in the warmth and sense of community that was shared. Events began with an academic symposium centered on the theme “Simply Wells.” Guest speaker Paul Rogat Loeb, author of our common read “The Impossible Will Take a Little While,” gave an inspiring talk on learning from the past, caring for our world, and working to protect our future. Following this, a panel discussion of experts and scholars from our own campus discussed sustainability and civic engagement, moderated by Professor of Environmental Science Niamh O’Leary, and poster sessions in multiple campus locations allowed students to present and discuss their own projects and individual scholarship. Saturday’s Inauguration schedule was bookended by events focused on sustainability and community. Early in the day, alumnae and alumni joined current students, faculty and staff in service projects as well as a ceremonial planting of a red maple tree to mark the occasion. An afternoon farm-to-table dinner provided a forum for many, many individual connections and conversations on the Ryerson Commons. The ceremony itself involved the voices of all parts of our community—representatives from the current student body, staff, faculty, faculty emeriti, alumnae and alumni, the village of Aurora, and the Cayuga Nation all shared the stage with guest speaker Dr. Kevin Kruger and President Gibralter. In his Inauguration Address, titled “Distinguishing a Wells College Education for the Next 150 Years,” President Gibralter articulated the challenges facing all colleges today, the need for resilience and clear communication, and the faith he has in the networks that make up the greater Wells community. By the time the ceremony closed with the singing of the Alma Mater and benediction by Rev. Barbara Blom ’82, all in attendance felt energized and confident in the new leadership and vision for Wells.

Inauguration Reflections We couldn’t have asked for a better day to celebrate and usher in the next chapter of Wells College. We had 50 class delegates wearing academic regalia participate in the procession and ceremony. I was proud, honored and deeply moved as I looked out over all of them and presented a sycamore sapling to our new President on behalf of all alumnae and alumni. The Sycamore tree is an important symbol of our time at Wells and fit in perfectly with the day’s theme: Simply Wells. In presenting the sycamore sapling, I shared the following remarks, “I believe that for alumnae and alumni, Wells hits you straight in your heart. You come to Wells to learn, to live, to discover who you are; believing also that you are leaving your mark on Wells. Then one day you realize that Wells has made her mark on you. Wells College and Aurora are special, inspiring places, and when you leave Wells you become part of the larger Wells community. You join a lifetime network of support and friendship and are forever changed. Jon decided to move on from Frostburg University at the same time we were looking for a new president, and he applied for the job. He was captivated by our history and traditions: traditions that connect past, present, and future generations. Jon visited campus and appreciated our beauty and potential. He experienced what countless alumni have shared; you step on campus and know Wells is where you belong. So Jon chose to bring his nationally recognized, sought after talents here and lead us into our next chapter. He came here to make his mark on Wells, and I can already see that Wells has made her mark on him and has hit him straight in his heart. Our beloved Sycamore tree in front of Main was planted before the first Main Building was completed and is an iconic image for Wells. It is a living representation of our traditions and the connections we formed here. On behalf of the Wells College Association of Alumnae and Alumni I am honored to present this sycamore sapling to Dr. Jonathan Gibralter.” Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86 Trustee and WCA President Wells.edu 7

ClassNotes

ClassNotes 16 15 14 13 12

Chelsea Carlin 373 Ayer Road Williamsville, NY 14221 chelbell41994@hotmail.com Rachael Ristau 108 Southfield Drive Fayetteville, NY 13066 rwristau12@wells.edu Ica Stolt 33 Deland Park B Fairport, NY 14450-1405 stolt.jess@gmail.com Rose Chamberlin 3030 County Route 176 Oswego, NY 13126 rosechamberlin@gmail.com Jessica Ward Evans 291 Prospect St Oswego, NY 13827 j.leane.ward@gmail.com

Emily Knapp says she hasn’t done

anything as exciting as getting married or having a baby, “but congrats to those who have!” However her essay Silence Like a Cancer Grows, was published in The Spoon Knife Anthology: Thoughts on Compliance, Defiance, and Resistance from Autonomous Press. This is proof that she has never quite finished writing her thesis. In the meantime, she finally made her way back to Ithaca and is perpetually hunting for a job that will allow her more time to write. She continues her work on extensive embroidery projects, cooking and eating her way around the world, looking after stray cats and hosting other Wellsians passing through town.

Thank you for sharing! We’re happy to publish your news as written by you! Wells welcomes your submissions to ClassNotes, as gathered and assembled by your class secretary. In keeping with our news “for alums, by alums” approach, editing by the Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office is minimal, limited mainly to unintentional, overt errors in formatting or structure. 8 December 2016

Bryant Sanders writes “I’ve been

living in DC for over three years now and I love the city and people. The alumni network is pretty good since I get to hang out with Eliza Heppner ’06, Sarah Bryce ’05, Cathy Walker ’09, Travis Niles ’09, Adrian Trninic ’11, and Judy Lavelle ’14. On occasion I run into Lisa Marsh Ryerson’81 aka P-Rye and George. DC is surprisingly small considering it’s such a metropolitan city. I currently work at DC Central Kitchen, as the Donor Relations Manger, a local nonprofit focused on food recovery and hunger relief. We use innovative social ventures to fight hunger differently. P-Rye is also involved with DC Central Kitchen through the AARP Foundation. It’s great to still have that Wells connection through work. There are a handful of upstate New Yorkers in the office too, which doesn’t hurt either! I can’t believe it’s almost time for my five-year Reunion. I’ve had some good and bad experiences since leaving Wells, but one thing Wells instilled in me was how to overcome those challenges. I’m very happy to still be connected to a great network of people. Go Evenline!!”

—Jessica

Christine Becker PO Box 831 420 Rickard Hill Road Schoharie, NY 12157 christinerbecker@gmail.com

The past five years have been eventful for the Class of 2011! This is a time of immense growth for many of us, and I was thrilled to hear about the many ways our fellow classmates are thriving!

we’re all excited to see how they decorate their home. Nora Grosvenor graduated this

January with a degree in popular fiction from the Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing Program, where she spent two years working with accomplished faculty writers on her fantasy and science fiction novels. It was an amazing experience, and she recommends the program to any other Wellsians who are thinking of furthering their writing educations. Paula Goodnough Easton and David Easton welcomed their

daughter, Aurora Diane Easton, on February 4, 2016 (yes, they know—she’s one of those Evens). Aurora gets her name from the beautiful town where Paula and Dave fell in love. This isn’t the first time Wells has played a major role in their lives together: Their wedding took place on July 19, 2014 on campus under the smaller, lesser-acknowledged, yet still quite beautiful sycamore tree, followed by a lovely reception in the dining hall and on the new Ryerson Commons. Emily Ambrose received

her Master’s in Hospitality Management from Cornell University’s School of Administration in May 2016. She is very excited to have relocated from Central New York, where she resided since graduating from Wells, to her adopted home state of Maine where she has settled in the greater Portland area. Emily

also shares that she’ll be teaming up with a fellow classmate in an exciting new business partnership! Duncan Lawrence, collaborator and founder of Bend, a humancentered user experience collaborative, welcomed Emily on board in June as a collaborator and east coast manager. Bend is currently bi-Portland, with presences in Portland, Oregon, and Portland, Maine. What about me? Well, I’ll be joining the ranks of my many talented classmates who have earned advanced degrees. I completed my coursework for a Master of Arts degree in English at the University of Maine in 2015, then completed a third year teaching fellowship before graduating this spring. After an all-too-brief summer in New York, I’ll be moving to Boulder, CO, where I’ll teach creative writing classes and work towards my Master of Fine Arts degree in the fall. I’ll be serving as a FARGO Board liaison for the area, as well. I’m proud to share my history at Wells with such a talented, wise, thoughtful group of people. It brings me great joy to watch your families grow and to hear news of your success in school, career, and life. I’m excited to see what comes next.

—Chris

Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu

Alison Marchione graduated with

her Master’s in Environmental Science and Management in 2014, and has been working as a land steward for the Upper Valley Land Trust in Hanover, NH since August 2015. Even more exciting? Alison’s position recently became full-time! She lives in Lebanon, NH with her boyfriend, Tim, and their dog, Buck. Chelsea Eriksen writes that she

became engaged to her boyfriend, Warren Pascoe, on June 11, 2016. Warren found the perfect picturesque location to propose—Chelsea looks stunning and stunned—and just a bit delighted in their engagement photos. David Foote married Sharon

Vitello ’12 in October of 2015. This May, they bought their first house together in Ithaca, NY. The house fits their style perfectly, and

Oren Robinson ’09 at work with his new nonprofit Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ) and organizing Black Lives Matter events in San Diego, CA. Wells.edu 8

ClassNotes

In April 2016, Claire Petersen, DC joined Meridian Chiropractic & Wellness, PC in Liverpool, NY. Claire completed the requirements for the Webster Certification, and is acknowledged by the ICPA as proficient in this specific chiropractic protocol. Doctors who are certified in the Webster Technique are sought out by pregnant women and birth care providers who are preparing for safer, easier birth outcomes.

Abigail Corwin MouravieffApostol Corwin and her hus-

Talyse Hampton 1079 Taughannock Blvd Ithaca, NY 14850 talyseladora@gmail.com

band, Alexander, welcomed their first child, Olivia Minerva, on September 13th. Olivia was born at 10:50 in the morning and weighed 9lbs, 10oz. Abbie could not possibly be more in love with her.

—Erica

Oren Robinson sends love from

San Diego, CA! “I’m honored and privileged to be working with an inspiring team promoting equitable inclusion of our refugee communities here. Not many people know that San Diego is a top city for refugees in the United States: it’s estimated at least one in every 40 SD county residents is of refugee background, and these families contribute immensely while facing unique barriers, especially to civic participation. This past year we launched a new nonprofit called Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA). We have big things going on in terms of public health research, public narrative changing, voter engagement, and policy change. I’m learning so much in my first non-tech job in the United States since graduating from Wells, fueled by a life-changing community organizing training I attended in November. This opportunity reminds me how lucky I am for the many Wells sisters, especially leaders of Praising Our Work Ethnicity & Race (P.O.W.E.R.), who really introduced me to the importance of racial justice and solidarity. Outside of PANA, I’m a part of the San Diego chapter of Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ), organizing white people for Black Lives Matter, enjoying tacos and finally learning to swim. Come visit San Diego!” In March 2016, Tiphanie “PH” Copeland was invited to represent the YWCA of Minneapolis at the Commission on the Status of Women 60th convening (CSW60) head at the United Nations. She spoke about voter engagement and what the YWCA of Minneapolis accomplished during the 2014 election season. “It was a joyous experience I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d have. While in New York, I was able to meet up with my Wells sisters pictured above, Lisah St. John, Jenna Martines ’07, and Janeen Mantin. I started a new job journey in May 2016, and started working at the City of Minneapolis as a Community Specialist focusing efforts to increase voter turnout for the 2016 election in communities of color, youth/young adults ages

Erica Thomas 3 Lupine Court Albany, NY 12203-5342 ericarosethomas@gmail.com

Tobias, born June 10, 2016 to Gina Alyssia Rios Ramos ’09

18-30, and immigrant communities to name a few.” Kyra Schugt says, “Life back in

good ol’ Minnesota has been beautiful and gratifying. Since graduating from Wells I have worked in education. Specifically for the past four years I have been teaching at a public Montessori school working with grades kindergarten - 8th, and a non-profit art school in South Minneapolis. I am in graduate school at St. Catherine’s University for Holistic Health, continuing studies after becoming a Higher Brain Living Facilitator last summer. Most importantly, love is alive in partnership with fiancé Lucas Christopherson as we dream and work to impact the realm of education and recovery in the Twin Cities. We will be married next summer on a farm near our hometowns. Sending you all a lot of love from the North Star State.” So much has happened since leaving Wells for Gina Alyssia Rios Ramos. “I’ve worked for a non-profit organization called Single Stop. I became an Adjunct Lecturer and have decided to continue my education so as to become a full-time professor, but my favorite update is named Tobias. Born June 10, 2016 @ 5:57am, weighing 7 lbs & 1.6 oz, 19 1/2 inches long.”

Abbie Corwin Mouravieff-Apostol ’08 and her husband Alexander welcomed their first child, Olivia Minerva, on September 13th.

yoga, barre, and the BEACH! I’ve taken a short break from outrigger paddling after winning the Hawaiian Airlines Liberty Challenge last year in NYC, but hope to pick it up again next season. A few months ago, fellow Wellsian and my good friend Lauren Eggleston came for a visit and we had a blast hiking, eating sushi, and fixing flat tires (still sorry about that, buddy! Haha!). Overall, life is great and I look forward to what the next year brings!” I’m currently living in Ithaca, NY, and working as VP of Sales & Marketing for a tech start-up that has designed mobile apps that connect high school students to college; the perfect combo of my career experience in undergrad admissions at Wells and Cornell University and marketing! This year I’ll be applying to graduate schools to study brand management. My ultimate goal is to build an empowerment program for young women to realize their leadership potential and articulate their goals.

—Talyse

Allison Dodge Gunnip 3099 State Route 370 Cato, NY 13033-9710 allisonmdodge@gmail.com

Katie Fong 668 Park Place #3B Brooklyn, NY 11216-3806 katiefong@gmail.com

Sarah Bryce 6134 Sligo Mill Road, NE Washington, DC 20011 sjbryce@gmail.com

Jessica Hulslander is relocating

from Boston to Philly for a new job, so look her up if you’re in town! Heather Turner just received

the Central New York School Librarians Soaring Through Excellence Super Librarian Award in June and is the new middle school/high school Librarian at Fabius Pompey Schools in New York. Janina Fisher is working for Chef

Jean-Georges Vongerichten and took a painting class at the National Academy Museum and School in July. Alessandra Sarrica LaTour and

her family recently moved in to a fixer-upper home so her summer is going to be full of renovations and swim time in the pool with her son. KristyLee Hochenberger Witt told

me that she is still trying to figure out what she wants to be when she

Marina Loew writes, “Time is

sure flying since graduating from Wells! Recently, I was promoted from Quality Control Manager to Technical Designer of KaiKini Bikinis here in Hawaii. One of my designs was featured in Sports Illustrated and we made it into Cosmo, which was pretty exciting! Currently I am working on designs for next year, training new employees, working with clients, gearing up for some big photoshoots/fashion shows, and trying to keep production going. What little free time I have is dedicated to friends, teaching art classes to the community, housesitting,

This year’s annual Wells adventure was a trip to Gettysburg with Nick Kerr, Kim Jaskula ’05, Matt Klemann, Melissa Carusone-Klemann ’05, Nicole Pellegrino ’05, Christina Taylor Kerr ’05, “Abraham Lincoln”, Sarah Bryce ’05, and Eliza Heppner ’06. Wells.edu 9

ClassNotes

grows up, and it seems to me that she is finding plenty of things to keep herself busy in the meantime! She just accepted the Directorship of Miss New York International, a preliminary to the worldwide Miss International pageant. She says, “I am happy with this system as it doesn’t have the skimpy swimsuit portion and focuses on community service and how the delegates give back to the community.” Her first history book is slated for publication in Spring 2017 and she is hoping to work on a Wells history book soon. KristyLee will also be celebrating 10 years of marriage to Marcus in October! Sarah Mastrolia continues to work

as a geriatric pharmacist and is convinced that her two year old son is smarter than she is. Nicole Obaid Kirkpatrick lives in

Oklahoma with her boyfriend, Marcus, and puppy, Mason. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma with her Master of Arts degree in history in 2010 and she currently works in the oil and gas industry. Her oldest son (Colin) is about to start 7th grade and wants to be a chef and her youngest son (Connor) will be in 5th grade and wants to be a computer engineer. Nicole says that she has a mild obsession with Game of Thrones and that in her spare time she can usually be found playing X-Box or cooking. Melissa Carusone-Klemann will be

entering her 10th year of teaching high school special education this fall. She and her husband, Matt, recently purchased their first home. Emily Gunawan will be graduating

at the end of the summer with her Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Minnesota and will start a visiting professor position at Gustavus Adolphus College in the fall of 2016. Kacey Snyder Marsh has, in my

opinion, some pretty fantastic plans to spend much of the

summer camping and boating on Cayuga Lake and being “back in the area we love so much.” She and her husband just celebrated their daughter, Lillian’s, first birthday. Earlier this spring Leanne Peck Viola came to DC and I got to see her! She shares that the last year has been pretty eventful. She received a promotion at work; Beth Evans ’03, her mom, has had health issues, but she is doing much better and those close to her keep hoping for continued improvement; and last but not least her sister, Kristen Peck ’02, is getting married in August at the Aurora Inn! She says, “I’m so excited to be at my old stomping grounds and to be part of this awesome event.” To round out her adventures, Leanne is in the process of buying a house (a whole new level of adulting) and is having a great summer with her son, Parker.

Sisters—Kristin Peck ’02 and Leanne Peck Viola ’05.

Jill Parsons Wilson continues to

play librarian by day and farmer by night. She and her husband, Greg, are enjoying growing their beef cattle herd and expanding the farm to grow more vegetables for local farmers markets. You can find either one of them at the Syracuse Regional Market selling home grown beef, vegetables and their new spices and rubs. While bittersweet, Jill is leaving Cornell to start a new position at ChaseDesign in Skaneateles, being the first Digital Librarian for the firm, and she has completed her certification in project management. She has spent much of her summer back on her bike and plans to complete rides around Keuka and Cayuga Lakes. Jean Rhodes just began her 12th

year working at the Cayuga County Jail in Auburn, NY. She teaches a college and career readiness program and just became certified in Adult Education. She has two beautiful granddaughters, Fiona (age 3 ½) and Faye (15 months).

Alessandra Sarrica La Tour ’05 and family in front of their new home!

Sarah Jo Beck Bushinger is current-

ly working as a quality control/ sales manager for the family business, Rolling Star Manufacturing, which manufactures custom trailers for the government, fire training, military, and many others in Barneveld, NY. She and her husband, Chris, are “truly blessed” by their son Wesley Keith Bushinger, who just turned one this year and is the “joy of our lives”. Jaimie White still sees Heather Giannotta, Anna Grace Schruman Mbow, and Julianne Wilson. She

moved to Mid-Hudson Valley, NY and is working as a physician assistant in urgent care. She also shared that Julianne is working as a nurse at Planned Parenthood, Heather received her doctorate (DMD, MS, MPH) and Anna Grace works in DC as the executive assistant to the CEO at the U.S. Green Building Council. Ariel Merkel and her husband,

Erick Ihlenburg, welcomed Elijah Merkel Ihlenburg into the world on October 28th in Brooklyn, NY. Erick felt Elijah move in utero for the first time at Wells College at our 10th Reunion! In his eight months of life, Elijah has been to four states with his mommy for her new position as disability integration advisor for FEMA. He can’t wait to see Aurora, NY sometime soon! Meggy Hai Trang ’06 and Tiffany Silliman Cohen ’04 hanging out in Providence, RI. 10 December 2016

Jenna Basiliere reports “Hey

Friends! For the first time since we left Wells I can proudly say that I’m not a student anymore. I successfully defended my dissertation and received a Ph.D. in Gender Studies from Indiana University in December 2015. I recently moved to Grand Rapids, MI, and this fall I will join the faculty at Grand Valley State University as an assistant professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. I’m enjoying exploring nearby Lake Michigan, but deep down I will always believe that it can’t hold a candle to Cayuga Lake in the fall.” This year’s annual Wells adventure was a trip to Gettysburg with Nicole Pellegrino, Kim Jaskula, Melissa Carusone-Klemann, Christina Taylor Kerr, and Eliza Heppner ’06. We rented a big house, I force-fed people a lot of tomatoes from my garden (I was really into the fact that I had successfully grown something) and Melissa’s husband, Matt, put his history teacher skills to good use as our personal tour guide. Eliza and I have successfully completed another year of home ownership, as evidenced by the fact that our house is still standing. I’ve also enjoyed working with Travis Niles ’09 to informally gather together Wells folks in the Washington, DC area from time to time. Let us know if you are interested in joining us!

ClassNotes

In closing, I would like to share the following Haiku from (and about) Karen Stangl: I live by the lake and I make delicious beer Come taste some with me Promotion this year I’m Quality Manager going to Hop School Boston marathon taught lots about myself Lived to tell the tale Haven’t bought a house No spouse no ring no offspring I miss my Wells Gals Sailboating summer Road tripping around the states See You Out There, Cheers! In prose form she says: “I miss everyone dearly—come visit to raise a pint & Hail the Old Oddline. Health, Wealth and Happiness to all—Cheers!”

—Sarah

Alexis Boyce 403 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 msboyce007@hotmail.com

In May 2015, after four years of working as a freelance personal assistant and professional organizer, Alexa Benedetti closed her small business and accepted her dream job working for a Silicon Valley CEO. Five incredibly demanding yet amazing months into the new position, the CEO fired her entire personal staff, including Alexa. Following this upset, Alexa put her dual U.S./Italian citizenship to good use by moving to Italy in October 2015. She and her dog, Poppy, currently live with some amazing Italian friends in Viareggio, a small resort town on the coast in Tuscany that just so happens to be the birthplace of her great-grandfather. She is an elementary school teacher at a private

Thy Bui ’00 and Jeannemarie Aubertine Eskridge ’01 in Atlanta, GA.

bilingual school and co-teaches as the English language teacher with Italian language staff. She is rapidly learning Italian (her fourth language!) and enjoying adapting to life here. Alexa says, “Any Wells sisters visiting the area and interested in a meet-up are welcome!” Natasha Hauptfleisch Meier re-

cently spent a fabulous day and night over the July 4th weekend on Cayuga Lake with Lily Cavanaugh Talcott, Jackie Freeland Britt, and former (current?) Chipkid Keeper Mike Britt. She continues to plot a way to live in or near Aurora…someday! For now, she just transferred companies and started a new job. She says, “It’s only been a month but I’m loving it!” Her daughter, Charlotte, just turned 2 and is just the right amount of sassy, independent, curious, and loving. Natasha calls these “leadership qualities.” She’s also pushing for her own kitten or puppy, so she is very much Natasha’s child. Tazeem Pasha has been in

Afghanistan for seven months as the financial attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul on a one-year assignment. As a U.S. Treasury Department official, it is her job to monitor Afghanistan’s economy, and U.S. contributions to development efforts. She also focuses on efforts to curb the illicit use of the U.S. dollar in the region. Since the United States lifted nuclear energy related sanctions on Iran in February, her work has uniquely focused on helping develop the Afghan banking sector to connect with international (and U.S.) correspondent banks while respecting the firewalls that exist to cordon off the Irani rial. Tazeem says, “I have learned a great deal and look forward to coming home to DC to join my husband, Tom Meyer, and to continue my work at the Treasury. We would love to see you all if you are passing through!”

year at the five-acre farm they purchased as a home for them and their rescued animals. So far, Fairy Tail Farm has become a sanctuary to 28 chickens, three guinea hens, two rabbits, eight pot-bellied pigs, four dogs, and six cats. Don’t be surprised if a few more wayward critters find their way to the farm soon! Tiffany Silliman Cohen is now set-

tling into Providence, RI with wife Rachel and their little child, Asa. Last year she joined Patricia Castro-Vega ’05 at Tazeem Pasha’s gorgeous wedding to Tom Meyer. Other Wells connections: Meggy Hai Trang ’06 visited to meet Asa! And she sadly moved away from Burlington and long-time friends Jasmine Walker and Sarahjane Locke Dube. You can find her these days being a freelance activist, running a massage business, doing pediatric massage at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, and running after an active and sweet toddler. Rachel Young recently moved back

to California from Washington, DC to work at IDEO, a design firm, where she specializes in education. Rachel says, “I continue to be fascinated by digital behavior, the future of education, and small societal shifts that have a big impact. My daughter, Dalia, just turned two—she likes spiders, ponytails, and burritos.” As for me, I am writing these notes from sunny Lusaka, Zambia,

where I have been for the last ten days as a member of the Zambia Community Education Initiative, a non-profit that works with local teachers and community members to build and supply modern secondary schools in rural areas. The trip has been absolutely marvelous, a mix of business and tourism. We’ve visited schools to meet with teachers and students, traveled to the construction site to observe and do a little work, and toured through game parks to see rhinos, elephants, cheetahs, lions, giraffes, and a whole host of other birds and animals. At home, we are creeping into year four of a historic house renovation in the heart of the big city, downtown Aurora. I work at Cornell’s Institute for Comparative Modernities (esoteric name, interesting topics) and am doing a lot of thinking around how the university does and should take on community engagement work.

—Alexis

03 02 01

Brooke Andersen 66 Glenbrook Road 4212 Stamford, CT 06902 brookeandersen@hotmail.com Megan Nagurney Phanthasy 11601 Myrtle Oak Ct. Waldorf, MD 20601 mmnwells@hotmail.com Jennifer Burke 6548 Elmer Hill Rd Rome, NY 13440-9365 jennifer.lynn.burke@gmail.com

KK LeuamChampassak klchampassak@yahoo.com Jill Mullins-Cannon 428 Cosgrove St NW Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 jmullins00@gmail.com

Thy Bui met up with Jeannemarie

Aubertine Eskridge ’01 in Atlanta, GA last April and had a great time reconnecting! Megan Minot Condon and her

family moved to Shanghai, China last year when her husband, Andrew, was offered a position abroad. She began the first Girl Scout troop at her children’s

Liz Prochazka Bartow has recently

Tazeem Pasha ’04 and Tiffany Silliman Cohen ’04 on Tazeem’s wedding day.

retired from playing roller derby and coaching a youth derby team that she and her wife started three years ago. This fall will mark one

On a recent trip back to New York, Danielle Sullivan ’00 met up with Jodi Riggs Carling ’00. Wells.edu 11

ClassNotes

Lori Kabelac ’99, Monica Sanders ’99, Jen Zalewski ’99 and Julie Kabelac ’99 in Aurora.

international school in Pudong. The troop has 13 girls participating, from grades 1–5. The juniors consist of seven girls, five of whom were first year Girl Scouts, and earned their Bronze Awards by creating a website where international Girl Scouts can share projects and ideas. Last fall, she began an online master’s program in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine through the University of Western States and is looking forward to graduating from this program in mid-2017. While living abroad, her family has enjoyed traveling around this part of the world and celebrated the holidays in Phuket, Thailand and look forward to vacationing again in Thailand in the upcoming winter season. As they prepare for their second year abroad, they are excited to continue their familiarization with their community and advancing their skills in speaking Mandarin. Cynthia Dubuque started a new

position as the campaign manager of the Connecticut statewide campaign to end homelessness which is rewarding and challenging. Cindy continues to teach as an adjunct professor of social work. Cindy is enjoying life and traveled to France with her dad and fiancée, Kathleen, to experience a “trip of a lifetime”! Allison Winters Fisher left

California and moved to Washington, DC last fall for a

job as a wellness coordinator at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence – Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) program at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Additionally, she is moving into the dissertation phase of her Ph.D. in Mind Body Medicine at Saybrook University. She and her husband, Doug, are approaching their 8th wedding anniversary and are the proud parents of two beautiful children who are growing up so quickly! Charlie is now four years old and Lily is one. Jena “Tesse” Fox is still living in

New York City, writing about hotels, travel, theatre and the arts. She attends plays written by Christie Perfetti Williams, among others. Tesse remarks, “Yes, Hamilton is really good. No, I can’t get you tickets.” Amy Mak is the proud mother to

“Captain, Call Me, Maybe”, otherwise known as Alex. He is the magic in her and her husband, Jason’s, lives. He is the master of slinging green beans and applesauce in his amazing onesies and is an outstanding future botanist—as he enjoys pointing out the brightest flowers and plants he sees while out on nature walks with his mom (watch out, Matt Damon from The Martian!). She is doing well and continues enriching lives through her business, Soul Workings, based in Lafayette, CO.

Carmen Mullenmaster Harrell ’99 and Christina Kubasta ’99 in New York for Christina’s book reading. 12 December 2016

Traci Camilli Pole hosted her ’99 Wells sisters at her home in Denver in July. (Top L-R) Sonja Roberts Cutter, KT! Eaton, Dawn Joslin Cooley, Traci Camilli Pole. (Bottom L-R) Shelly Larson-Peters, Leslie St. George, Jaqui Besaw-Lacroix, Christin Schaaf.

Becky Moses enjoyed a drive-by

visit with Jena Tesse Fox and has been diving into her work in the Los Angeles area. Becky has had a great musical summer, having the opportunities to see Emmy Lou Harris and Lyle Lovett perform. Additionally, she was able to see the last show of the season for A Prairie Home Companion. She continues to love spending time with her amazing dogs and is excited for new things that are coming. Danielle Sullivan lives in St.

Petersburg, FL, with her partner Haley. She works as a professional development specialist for Curriculum Associates where she supports teachers and administrators in Florida. Recently, she had an opportunity to spend time with Joellen “Jodi” Riggs Carling while on a visit back to New York. Tabitha Pohl-Moore, while work-

ing as a school counselor at her alma mater, Mill River Union High school, opened a NAACP branch in Rutland, VT. She has a goal to enlist at least 100 members by September, which would allow the group to apply for a charter with the national NAACP in October. As for myself, I am rounding the bend on my second year living in Alaska. I have enjoyed seeing this beautiful part of the world from all different vantage points. From enjoying the mountains and forest from the sky riding in helicopters, float planes and regular planes, to soaking in the views from the water on small boats and tour boats. I am constantly amazed by the incredible wildlife around me—and have had closer encounters to moose, bears, bald eagles and porcupines—than I ever could imagine! Mother Nature has outdone herself throughout my time here—as I have been blessed to see the Northern Lights on multiple occasions, experienced what an earthquake of 7.1 magnitude can feel like/do to my surroundings, heard and seen glacier calving, and last but not least, marveled at being so up North as five planets

were aligned and visible in the sky. I continue to keep in touch with as many Wells sisters as I possibly can and look forward to seeing many more down the road. As always, I am wishing you all well!

—KK

Carol LaGrow 25 Oak St Wurtsboro, NY 12790 indigopotter@yahoo.com

Christina Kubasta visited Wells

for a reading from her book All Beautiful & Useless last spring, and enjoyed catching up with Erin Morrow Haenlin and Anne “Bird” Cramer ’97 in Aurora, as well as the English department past & present. Her bestie and one-time Wells woman, Carmen Mullenmaster Harrell, joined her for the visit. Robin Manthei-Ostroverkhov

shares that her family grew by one in September 2015, and that Kylan is “on the move”. Tennyson just finished pre-school and loves being a big brother. Robin continues to work part-time as a veterinary technician but spends most of her days at the pool with her boys. Traci Camilli Pole hosted seven

Wells women for a long weekend in July. Jaqui Besaw-Lacroix, Sonja Roberts Cutter, Leslie St George, KT! Eaton, Christin Schaaf, Dawn Joslin Cooley, and Shelly LarsonPeters all converged on Denver for a great weekend of sisterly fun and relaxation. Jen Zalewski had a mini-gathering in Aurora with Lori Kabelac, Monica Sanders, and, Julie Kabelac. Jen writes that “it was

great seeing the ’old sights’ like Main, GP and Campbell and exploring the ’new’ Zabriskie!” Jen also came to visit me and my husband in July during a camping trip to the Catskill Mountains. We took her dogs for a walk and showed her Wurtsboro.

-Carol

ClassNotes

Tarah Popiak Loy 10 Highland Drive Amherst, NH 03031-1742 tarahloy@gmail.com

Jennifer Hagberg Candib 203 S Chelton Rd Colorado Springs, CO 80910-2808 candibsonline@earthlink.net

Audrey Kittredge Yeager 220 Edwards Dr Fayetteville, NY 13066-1006 audreykitt@yahoo.com

Katherine Halligan-Elinoff 3541 Caribeth Drive Encino, CA 91436-4103 katherinehalligan@gmail.com Karlyn Kasperek Finucane 6357 Genesee St Lancaster, NY 14086-9729 karlyn@karlyn.us

96 95 94 93

Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu

Bridget Williams Dudzik 194 South Montgomery Street Walden, NY 12586-1637 dudsox@yahoo.com Zsa Ho-Sang 120 Dreiser Loop Apt. 21D Bronx, NY 10475-2663 zsahosang@gmail.com Kelly Bouchie Bell 30 Holly Tree Court Richmond Hill, GA 31324 kellybell1202@gmail.com Dayanne Douglas Izmirian 7215 Volta Court San Diego, CA 92111-7132 dizmirian@gmail.com

Susan Arthur Gorman 4506 Mainfield Avenue Baltimore, MD 21214-2843 arthursj@yahoo.com Julie Hamblin King 10 Brighton Avenue Andover, NJ 07821-4547 jehking@yahoo.com

Davida Barboza Kosa 10024 Hume Court Bristow, VA 20136-3066 davidakosa@comcast.net

Colleen Corcoran 3 Orchard Grove Loudonville, NY 12211-1713 ccorcoran2020@gmail.com Heather Kowalski 2230 George C. Marshall Drive Apt 1028 Falls Church, VA 22043-2583 heathertk@aol.com

Joelle Cabal Vitale 1473 Berger Road Port Byron, NY 13140-9622 joelle_vitale@yahoo.com

Jenn Barnett 690 Main Street Hampstead, NH 03841-2048 JennyB8952@comcast.net

87 86 85

Heather Coburn Snyder 38 Amber Hill Drive Pittsford, NY 14534-9444 heathercsnyder@gmail.com Heidi Russell Johnston 3412 Westbury Place Birmingham, AL 35223-2106 heidimbal@yahoo.com Deb Callahan 951 Seahorse Court Annapolis, MD 21409-4750 dlcallahan@hotmail.com Marsha Lawrence 39 Draper Avenue Plattsburgh, NY 12901-2710 munger39@charter.net

It was great to hear from Kimberly Osler Frodelius who writes that she is working as a senior analyst for National Grid, a multinational utility company. “I am also taking classes at Empire State College, working toward a second bachelor’s degree in Math and Science with the intention of pursuing a masters in Electrical Engineering at Syracuse University.” She and her husband, Blair, have enjoyed several long-distance train excursions in the past couple of years, including a trip from Syracuse, NY to Seattle for their daughter’s wedding. All six kids are grown, with just Noel married at this point. No grandchildren yet, but plenty of fish, birds and a dog to keep them busy! The ever-delightful Katie Camarro reports that all is well in

Saratoga Springs. Her business, Sundaes Best, occupies 95% of her time and that is just delicious! She launched a new line in May called The Chocolate Farmer Fruit & Pretzel Dip. An ALL natural no preservative, no corn syrup, gluten free and kosher spreadable chocolate for fruit, pretzels, spoons, stir it into greek yogurt, or kick up a smoothie. I can’t wait to try it! Katie says she is always looking for happy, chocolate loving peeps to help her sample team cover the world in delicious, good for you chocolate. Katie feels really blessed to love her work. She stays in touch with some Wells folks, Joanna “Jody” Boyd ’94 and Pam Sheradin ’86. She would love to reconnect with Stacy Nelson Starkey ’86 (world’s greatest roommate ever!). Katie is committed to doing more for Wells in 2017 and was delighted to learn that Keegan Evans ’15, her January intern a couple of years back, has started a food venture of his own…protein waffles!

Sandy Metcalf Bertetti ’62 and Deb Schroeder ’85 having fun at a Kentucky Derby party in Andover, MA in May 2016.

Karen Burri Becher has spent the

last more or less 30 years living in Europe, some of these years spent in Germany, where they lived in Bonn, then on to London for a good 10 years, then to Vienna for 6 years and now they’re back in the UK, living about an hour north of London. “Work has moved us around a bit and it has been of great use that my husband Klaus, our three children (now 29, 24 and 22 years old!) and I all speak both English and German fluently. I am a Holocaust educator working at the National Holocaust Centre and Museum−Britain’s only museum that is solely dedicated to the topic of the Holocaust. I keep in touch with Genean Stec Lee ’79, who lived in London for many years and is now back in the U.S. One of these days I hope to visit Wells while visiting family in New York as I can’t quite imagine my alma mater as a coed institution. Not sure what I really think of this in a world where we have seen a reversal of progress for women, but I am willing to look and learn.” Prin Purpura Furst and her husband

just celebrated their 25th anniversary last year. “We have raised two wonderful people. My son started medical school this August and my daughter is a nutritional consultant for dairy cows with Agri-King. I teach Enriched (honors) Regents

chemistry and AP Chemistry at Auburn High School in Central NY. This past year I received the STANYS (science teachers association of New York State) Teachers of Excellence Award for teaching Science, The TACNY (Technology Alliance of Central New York) Outstanding Teacher Award and the NYS Teaching Excellence Award from Governor Cuomo’s office. I am still active riding my horses and enjoy the beauty of living in the Finger Lakes Region.” Life in Annapolis, MD continues to be great for me. In 2015 I was tapped for the CEO position at the National Fenestration Rating Council where I had worked as COO for 11 years. The transition from COO to CEO has been tough but rewarding. In 2014, thanks to the changing laws, I married long-time partner Emilie Stafford. With the kids out and on their own, Colleen in Washington DC and Sara Chiochetti ’11 in Philly, we spend most of our free time traveling. Last year it was Greece, Turkey, and Costa Rica. This year we did a seven day walking tour of Wales, and a scuba diving adventure in Tahiti and Bora. When not traveling, I spend my free time in the garden, on the bike or running trails, playing bass in a band, and working

Mini Wells gathering of 1985 classmates in summer 2015 at Liz Kemblowski’s home in Haverhill, MA. Pictured: Vilma Riquelme, Lisa Stinson, Marsha Lawrence, Liz Kemblowski, and Nicola Williams. Wells.edu 13

ClassNotes

on my wellness and nutrition venture feelgreatnow.idlife.com! I see Georgina “Gina” Todd for lunch every couple of months, and of course have the pleasure of working with Una Moneypenny. No complaints here and happy for each and every day! Thanks to all who wrote in. I love keeping the Wells connection going!

—Deb Melanie Valencia became a grand-

ma in April 2015 and loves her little Lola Rae—what a cutie. She’s in her 22nd year of teaching 6th grade, 7-8th grade bands, 6-8th grade jazz band, assorted small ensembles (flute, saxophone, brass, percussion, clarinet choirs); taught chorus for four years in addition; worked in the Binghamton City Schools; she teaches private flute and woodwind lessons. Next year she will be guest conductor for the Broome County and the Tioga County Festival Bands. She plays baritone sax, flute and clarinet for a big swing band called Blue Velvet and founded and directs a flute ensemble called The Parlor City Flutes (they recently performed at Mohonk Mountain House during their Music Week). Melanie still keeps in touch with Annie Shepherd ’84. Melanie’s “kids” are 19 and 22! Wow, where did time fly?! She’s getting married in July 2017 to a wonderful retired music teacher, musician Tony Alduino. They enjoy skiing (both downhill and cross country), biking, kayaking, traveling, gardening, cooking and eating, and music. Christina Smith is still doing

the school psychologist gig, but thankfully is no longer in public education. She left her parttime position with the Margaret Williams Developmental Evaluation Center (Upstate

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14 December 2016

University) in December 2015, and began working fulltime for Hillside Children’s Center, Finger Lakes Campus in Auburn, the same month. She also travels down to Bath, NY once per week to work at Hillside’s Snell Farm location, just until they find someone, or the snow flies, whichever comes first! Retirement can happen at any time, but she’s not seriously considering it for at least another three years. Christina’s significant other of five years, Mark, has finally relocated back to Auburn after two years working in Kentucky. It’s nice to be able to have a companion to do things with. They’re making up for some lost time, and went camping in Pennsylvania the last week of June and have trips to Darien Lake, Keuka, and Lake Ontario scheduled for September and October. The rest of the time they spend enjoying each other’s company and working on their respective houses. She says, “Some think it’s an odd arrangement, but it works for us.” They’ll be attending a wedding reception for Patricia Rafferty ’87s oldest son, Nate, in August. Sue Trainor still lives in State

College, PA where her daughter, Caela, just finished her freshman year at Penn State. Her son, Conor, will be a high school senior this year and he, too, is looking at Penn State. Sue continues to work as a diabetes nurse practitioner for a local health system, which keeps her plenty busy. They’ve carved out a couple of weeks in August to travel to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks on a trip carefully planned by husband, Jan, who has taken on the challenge of a second set of teenagers and has arranged the RV and itinerary for the four of them! Sue feels really lucky to have two teens that will still consider traveling in an RV for two weeks and she’s looking forward to taking them to Grand Teton where she spent two summers in the late ’80s. Una Moneypenny is still happily

settled in Canaan Valley, just outside of Ithaca, NY. She seriously missed her twin boys this past winter as both went off to college. Brendan is at Clarkson and Eamonn (’19) is at Wells and thank goodness he’s an Odd! Una is happy to have them home for the summer. The hundred plus bales of hay for the sheep are not going to walk themselves into the barn! Third son, Liam, will finish up at Dryden High School, which will then mean three away at college and Una in need of a new hobby. She misses many of her Wells sisters. She ran into a fellow who approached her with the comment “we have a friend in common in Boulder” and Una found out this guy is a runner and knows Cheryl “Caolan” MacMahon.

A mini-Reunion for some 1984 classmates in Spring 2015 in Delaware: Laura Bishop, Annie Goan Cronin, Karen Russell Esperson, Antoinette Ptak, Doreen Lyons, and Margaret Neenan Leahy.

Marsha Lawrence just returned

from an awesome 25th anniversary trip with her husband, Jim. They toured and hiked in Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Bryce, Zion and Yosemite. It was extreme heat, but extreme beauty and a fantastic way to celebrate 25 years together. Marsha’s kids are in their twenties, with daughter, Adrienne, living in Portland, ME, working and doing some artwork and son, Elliott, starting his last year at RIT as a math major. Marsha works as an LPN for an allergist and loves her job, especially doing about 35hr/week with every Friday off. Marsha keeps up with many Wells friends via Facebook. There was an impromptu mini-Wells gathering in summer 2015 at Liz Kemblowski’s home in Haverhill, MA attended by Vilma Riquelme, Lisa Stinson, Marsha Lawrence, and Nicola Williams.

—Marsha

Betsy Brady 26 Rockaway Street Marblehead, MA 01945-3312 bbrady84@hotmail.com Jeanne LeFever 311 North Granby Street Richmond, VA 23220-3558 jltg311@earthlink.net Lisa Kendrick Nichols 847 Hale Street Beverly Farms, MA 01915-2233 lkendrick62@yahoo.com Judith Scott Pellowe PO Box 1222 Alton, NH 03809-1222 jude_36@yahoo.com

Annie Goan Cronin lives in Edina,

MN. “We are new ’empty nesters’ as of the fall of 2015. We don’t miss going to thousands of soccer matches or ski races, but we do miss the kids and parents. I took advantage of the time to travel to Delaware (Spring of 2015) for a mini-college reunion with Karen Russell Esperson, Antoinette Ptak, Laura Bishop, Doreen Lyons and Margaret Neenan Leahy. So far this year my husband and I have traveled to Utah, British Columbia, Canada, Mexico,

Florida, Montana and California (where our youngest attends college.) As you can see there is a theme of warm weather destinations to escape the Minnesota cold! My husband, Nick, and I will celebrate our 30th anniversary this fall with a trip to Carmelby-the Sea and play golf at Pebble Beach, Spyglass and Spanish Bay. I am an avid golfer in the summer and a paddle/platform tennis player and skier in the winter. I serve on the Board of Governors for our Country Club. I spent countless years volunteering at my high school alma mater (where two of our children attended) and serving on the alumna board. I am now a regular volunteer for Loaves and Fishes and The First Tee organization. Our two older children are launched and off the payroll. Our son lives close by and stops by to grocery shop in our pantry and do his laundry. Our daughter moved to Los Angeles this summer and is an aspiring creative writer. This fall our youngest son will be starting his sophomore year at Santa Clara University.” Mary Pastore Cryan “My life is

enriched daily with conversation, quips, and comics from my fellow dear classmates Karen Vrabel and Ghia Szwed. For that I owe to Wells my sanity in this wild world. A couple of trips a year to bucolic Aurora with the benefit of visits with Marion Hares ’83 restores my soul. And seeing all the capital improvements at our alma mater is amazing! Just want to add that my volunteer involvement has gifted me with enriching engagement among so many Wells Alumni. As for other juicy fun stuff, my trips to Greece this year have been of symbiotic benefit to me and the Greek economy with a refresher in classical studies. Also, in a short couple of days in happy Amsterdam I saw their high quality of living which they attribute to the freedom of sex, drugs, alcohol and bicycle riding. Something to think about for retirement! I love my ESL teaching in Yonkers

ClassNotes

and classes via Coursera keep me engaged in global education.” Natalee Cronk Denard “My small

part of Pawcatuck, CT is paradise. The pleasure of being able to walk out my front door, cross the street, get in my boat, and be on the most beautiful New England beach (with a margarita of course) in 10 minutes, can’t be beat! I guess that pretty much sums up my summer. Ben (at 22 our oldest) graduated from Plymouth State in May. So all three boys (Sam is 19 and Tim is 17) are home now, the house is just as much a mess as when they were younger (my living room currently has bats, golf clubs, skate boards, one pair of snowboard boots that no one is claiming, and a soccer ball - although none of them have ever played soccer. The yard is an assortment of kayaks, surf boards, paddle boards and more golf clubs. And the sink is always full of dirty dishes in spite of two of the boys working as dishwashers this summer. But it is a happy place and we enjoy having them all around. I can’t believe that I’m about to begin my 27th year teaching middle school, but am excited that I can count single digits until retirement. Don’t know yet what that will look like, but we are beginning to think about options!” Dawn Krahn Denman writes, “Life

is kind of slowing down for us. “We finally have all the kids out of the house and enjoy doing whatever we feel like when we feel like it! Although somehow the kids get mad that we aren’t always home and waiting for their calls! Our youngest daughter is getting married August 20th at Lake Superior. She claims that is “her lake”. And we spend time traveling to Oklahoma and Iowa to visit the other two married daughters. Who would have ever thought that is where I would be traveling to! But I am looking forward to next year with two trips to Australia for my good friends son’s weddings. I can’t wait to get back there. Other than that I’m working hard, (all the time it seems like).” Karen Russell Esperson writes,

“Spring 2015 provided an opportunity for an impromptu gathering of Wells friends at Antoinette Ptak’s home in Delaware. We could not get Betsy Brady to break away from her Lacrosse coaching duties however, Annie Goan Cronin, Doreen Lyons, Laura Bishop and Margaret Neenan Leahy were all in attendance. We hope to do it again in 2017. Spring 2016 was dedicated to home improvements and the summer has been about catching up with family and friends while enjoying the Atlantic ocean or poolside in Ipswich, MA.”

Betsy Brady continues to enjoy

the greater Boston area and time on the water in Marblehead. “I frequently shuffle off to Buffalo for family time to spoil my nieces and am very appreciative that my parents Francis & Sally Hitchcock Brady ’60 are active and well. Yes, still holding on to my youth with the Bruce Springsteen concert schedule! Coaching kids lax keeps me grounded when I’m not working. Giving back with roles on local for profit and non-profit boards has been rewarding. Last fall pals Antoinette Ptak & Karen Esperson invited me to join them for a hilarious mead tasting. I had a fun brunch in June with Bambi Tancioco Kokinos ’83 and Ellen Hillers-Patterson ’83 celebrating Ellen’s eldest, Nika, graduating from Emerson College. Catherine Babbitt says, “I’m still

working in the criminal field, albeit in a slightly different capacity. After almost 25 years with the District Attorney’s office, I left and am now working as a staff attorney for the criminal district judges. For you law and order types, the last big trial I had at the DA’s office was covered by 48 Hours and the episode is on their website, called “Everything to Lose.” Other big news−my wife and I got married in New Mexico in the fall of 2014 on our 16th anniversary with family and friends joining us. We love to travel, recently visiting Iceland, heading to Rome in the fall, and are hoping to visit Israel and Palestine next spring. I’m still performing in local theatre productions and directing now and again, thanks to Professor Wynn!” Colleen Coughlin writes, “Sorry

I was wrapping up my summer teaching load so procrastinated, but I hope not too late. I am still in Grand Rapids, MI teaching at Davenport University. My big news was being elected as president of the Faculty Senate for the 2016-2017 academic year. I share my home with two college students, two cats and two dogs−one of whom is a recent rescue adoption. Brie (as in the cheese) joined my household about a week ago. She is a 4-6 year old Whippet/Jack Russell mixture (we think) and is just a bundle of quick-moving love. Other than a quick trip to Pennsylvania for my mother’s 75th birthday and a conference in New Orleans, I have been fairly homebound. I am however headed to

San Diego in March...any class of ’84 folks out there to visit??”

—Betsy Terri Fritz says, “The most exciting

thing I’ve done lately is spend a week at my sister’s new house near Seattle. Also, Ron and I attended the four Wagner Ring Cycle operas at the Washington National Opera.” From Avery Lenhart “I’m living in eastern Connecticut and I’m the director of a small Montessori preschool and kindergarten. During the winter months, I also work as the manager at the local “nofreeze” homeless shelter. I’m currently coordinating an initiative to address the issue of homeless youth in the northeastern part of the state as well. My daughter, Molly, is now 24 and lives nearby. She’s working on a degree in social work. My daughter, Nell, (now 21!) is in her last year at Hampshire College. I don’t know where the time has gone, and when I see my Wells friends on Facebook it still feels as though we are all together, sharing laughs, agonizing over papers due, and cooking up some wild times together. I’m sorry I missed the last Reunion, but I will be there in ’19!” As for me—it’s been an exciting year personally and professionally. The architecture firm in which I am a partner is growing and expanding in revenues, staff and reputation. Makes for exciting times! We are having some growing pains but it is all good and moving forward in a really great direction. My daughter, Lydia, is a rising sophomore in high school. She is really enjoying it and is excited to get back to school. She loves Latin, science and drama. They performed “Urinetown” this past spring and getting ready for Shakespeare this fall. This summer we traveled to Ireland. I went for two weeks—one with the youth group from church on a pilgrimage following the footsteps of Saints Patrick, Brigid and Kevin and visiting places reputed to be “thin places”. My family joined me for a second week which rounded out the spiritual experiences and was totally awesome. I recommend it to all! I keep in touch with Lisa Kendrick Nichols, Lynn Lambert, Michele Mustico-Murphy, Jackie Mullen Mastro, and loads of others on FB. I had a visit from Lynn Lambert last fall as she was moving back from DC to Rochester. I also saw Judy Scott Pellowe and Claire

REUNION 2017 JUNE 1-4, 2017

Hurd in New Jersey Thanksgiving

weekend for coffee, which was wonderful.

~Jeanne Ann Macmillan writes, “My per-

sonal news is that I have collaborated with Jackie Mullen Mastro−Jackie earned her Reiki Master in my classes and now she is certifying me for 200 hours of Yoga Teacher Training. I credit my Wells Religious Studies B.A. with drawing me to Reiki and Yoga and currently teach meditation/relaxation response and facilitate goddess workshops at my studio 12 Oak Growth and Renewal Center in Beverly, MA. I spent time with Michele MusticoMurphy and her family in Salem, MA last week when they visited the North Shore during their family vacation. I miss Aurora and Wells so much and hope to visit in September.”

—Lisa Michelle Ferrari Vallelunga took a

new job last year, away from eight years of bedside nursing, to work for a stroke program compiling data, doing reports, and leading quality projects at the hospital. Michelle teaches classes all over the community on stroke awareness and women and strokes. It took a while to finally see where her interest in Neurophysiology with Advisor Dr. Torres would take her! Michelle also writes “My daughter is going into her senior year, so my hubby and I are busy visiting colleges, marching band practices, and driving lessons—all the good stuff. She wants to be a journalism/communications major and has had her poems published. Proud of her. She is on her way.” Gretchen Stewart also changed

jobs. She writes “left HP, forced out based on age, being a woman and sexual orientation—yes, Wells Alumni this is still alive and well in corporate America. I did get at least one person fired in my wake. I am at INTEL and really excited and happy to be at such an inclusive company. My job is focused on state and local governments and education, one aspect is really rewarding that is working with STEM programs in the northeast. Life with Marleen is great—created a challenge for us and my sister Laura, which is a bucket list of all the national parks. Seems fitting on the 100th anniversary. So far we have gone to Carlsbad, NM, Big Bend, TX and Acadia in the last six months. All spectacular and cannot wait for what park is next, we are thinking Yosemite and Smokey Mountains. Love seeing others great adventures on FB. Big excitement for us will be getting a dock built later this summer, great time to host a Wells gathering.” Maggie Thomas reports that she is

well, her family is great, and she is Wells.edu 15

ClassNotes

enjoying being back in Rochester, NY. Maggie is volunteering at the local humane society, and busy with family, friends, and kitties. The summer included a trip to Cape Cod, with a stop in Boston. Kathryn “Terry” Ellis Thomas has

retired from teaching after 27 years in the classroom—she loved every minute of it. She ended her teaching career on a high note, with her One Act Play group placing 8th in the State with the play The Beggar’s Opera. Son, Luke, is now 12 and going into 7th grade. Terry hosted Cori Lynn Asaka Pratel and her sister, Leslie, when they came for a visit in May. Cori’s son, Daniel, just graduated from high school. I’ve had a very busy year. February saw a trip to Nicaragua to do eye clinics on the island of Ometepe. In May, Jim and I spent a week in the Virgin Islands. Oldest daughter, Katie, got married last year and works as pediatric nurse; middle daughter, Amanda, continues working on her doctorate in biomedical engineering; and youngest daughter, Emily, is working for a non-profit as a violence prevention educator. We have a mostly empty nest, and would love to welcome some Wells sisters for a visit! Remember that there is a ’Wells College Class of 1984’ page on Facebook. ’Like’ and ’Follow’ to get notified when it’s time for our class to be featured in the notes, and also to get news at Reunion time!

—Judi

Bambi Tancioco Kokinos 185 Washington Street Marblehead, MA 01945-3304 bmbkokinos@aol.com Julia Lerman 1155 Moody Road Huntington, VT 05462-9554 jlerman@thedatafarm.com

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Kristin Soderberg Zimmerman 97 Stone Ridge Rd Franklin, MA 02038-3145 kriszim130@yahoo.com Helen Schwickrath 390 Broadway, #14 Somerville, MA 02145-2719 schwicky@hotmail.com RoseMary Dugan Stevens 1 Pine Tree Drive Katonah, NY 10536-3334 Dugie102@yahoo.com

Janice Collins 120 Linden Ridge Road Laurel, MD 20724 jancollins58@gmail.com Kristine Selander Gordon 53 Hillside Avenue Short Hills, NJ 07078-2025 kristine.s.gordon@gmail.com

16 December 2016

This group of ’78s got together in Aurora to celebrate their 60th birthdays: Row 1: Holly Mitchell Cook, Jan Watkins Albano, Fran Trubilla Kissell, Barbara Post, and Maryann “Mame” Ekblom Cudd. Row 2: Kathy Stehle Chase, Fredi Steven-Hubbard Hungate, Sara Lee Keller, Michelle “Myke” McKaig Wallace, and Lisa Hotte Young.

Patti Wenzel Callahan 320 Overlook Drive Syracuse, NY 13207-1021 pjcallahan@cbasyracuse.org Martha Dove 1008 Pleasant Street Unit 24 East Weymouth, MA 02189-2516 dove.martha@yahoo.com

Betsy Hursh Ginsburg 109 Hillside Avenue Glen Ridge, NJ 07028-2218 dginsburg109@comcast.net

Theresa Chicorelli Schaffer writes,

“Well, I have been busy this summer. The weather is great here in the Catskills. Our motorcycles are busy, but on hot days we don’t ride. It is too hot with the helmets.” Terri just got back from a week of visiting with Kaye Martin ’75, in Great Falls, VA. While there, Karen Jennings called from her travels to visit her family and friends in Georgia, with other trips to North and South Carolina and Florida. She sent pictures and they looked to be having a great time. Terri and Kaye went to Yorktown, Williamsburg and Jamestown and found the weather a bit hot! Terri is also looking forward to retirement and writes, “I am entering my last year of teaching this year. I think it is time for me to “graduate”. I have a wonderful grandson who is two and I can’t wait to spend time with him.” She and her husband just celebrated their 5th anniversary on a “super hot” day—just like their wedding day—and bought a snazzy purple Jeep Wrangler Back Country Edition! Gail Moliff Warner is still work-

ing as a hospital administrator at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Her two children are both working and living in the East (Evan is an electrical engineer in Pennsylvania, and Samantha is an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) in Rhode Island). “We recently downsized,” says Gail, “and are settling

into condo living in the same Chicago neighborhood (Wicker Park) we’ve lived in for almost 25 years. Usually we get in a visit to Ithaca over the summer and see Louise Watson, but probably not in the cards this year, unfortunately.” Gail and her husband have had wonderful family trips this past year, to France last May and Vietnam over New Year’s. “In sum,” she adds, “we are busy with family, friends, work and travel... and just enjoying life!” Kathy Stehle Chase notes that

Aurora is having a great summer, with lots of sunny days and warm weather. “It was fun to be part of the 60th birthday celebration,” she writes “and great to have all of my friends around. Fredi StevenHubbard Hungate attended the party but as she will tell you, she’s much younger than the rest of us so we’ll have to have another party in 2018 for her!” Kathy has heard good things about the new Wells president and believes this change was overdue for the college. She urges any Wells sisters coming through Aurora to let her know of possible get-togethers. Fran Trubilla Kissell asks,

“Remember when we were growing up and were told ’Don’t trust anyone over thirty?’ Well…here we are, most of us reaching a different milestone birthday this year, and I think we’ve proved we are both trustworthy and TERRIFIC!” She enjoyed seeing everyone who made it to Aurora this April for the ’78 collective birthday celebration. Along with Fran, others in attendance were: Holly Mitchell Cook, Jan Watkins Albano, Barbara Post, Mame Ekblom Cudd, Kathy Stehle Chase, Fredi Hungate, Sara Lee Keller, Michelle “Myke” McKaig Wallace, Lisa Hotte Young, Anne Brodie, Nancy Post, Susie Partridge Robinson, Jeri Vargo ’70, and husbands: Randy Kissell, Jim Chase and Hugo Robinson.

“It was especially nice to be back on the Wells campus while the students were there and to see them in their activities. All that youthful energy and enthusiasm for Wells is downright contagious. I vote for another gathering soon! “Fran sends special thanks to Jim and Kathy Stehle Chase and Jacci Farlow for letting the Class of ’78 revelers use their rental houses for the weekend, and to the Advancement Team at Wells for the lovely gift baskets filled with party goodies. Fran adds, “I’m up to all the usual things you’ve read about before. My favorite is working with the WCA. While my two terms on the WCA Board are through, I’m having a blast working on some projects to get us ready to celebrate Wells’ sesquicentennial in 2018. We have a wonderful history, and it deserves to be celebrated. Noting that our 40th Reunion will coincide with the sesquicentennial year, Fran is hoping that many of us will make it to Aurora for the big celebration and says that Jan Watkins Albano and Maryann “Mame” Ekblom Cudd are already at work on the planning. Fran’s husband, Rand, is starting a term on the Wells College Board of Trustees. “See,” she says, “I told you we were trustworthy!” Rand is “very honored” to be asked to serve and Fran is excited about having even more opportunities to come back to Aurora and Wells! She hopes to see everyone in Aurora—and soon. Sue Pollard Jones is well and

happy with small town life in Skaneateles, and only slightly envious of friends who are already retired! Her work at Baltimore Woods Nature Center is very satisfying but her favorite role is grandma to Johnny, aged three and James, one. “I treasure every moment we can spend with them,” she adds. Three seasons of the year, Sue’s grandchildren (and their parents) live in Williamsburg,

ClassNotes

VA, (“a wonderful place to visit”), but she loves it when they can spend time at Skaneateles Lake in the summer. Sue’s parents celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary this June. When not hard at work at the Nature Center, she tries to stay in shape and enjoys working in the garden. She and husband, Paul, also enjoy daily walks with their aging pooch, Odie. It has been a difficult year for me, as I lost my husband of thirtyfive years, Dave Ginsburg, to a sudden heart attack in February. Fortunately, my daughter, Kate, and I have had incredible support from the Glen Ridge, NJ community, friends and family. In April, I began full-time work as the executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, an advocacy/lobbying organization for public education in New Jersey. Dave knew about the job offer before he died and we had time to celebrate it together. The work is challenging, but is also a somewhat logical extension of my sixteen-year career as a local school board member, not to mention my professional work as a writer. I look forward to lunch with my old roomie, Lynne Widli, this summer. In my spare time, I continue to be passionate about my garden and still produce “The Gardener’s Apprentice”−weekly articles for the local newspaper chain and my online blog.

—Betsy

Rhonda Rivers Tevels 5936 Allen Padgham Road Farmington, NY 14425-7007 rtevels1@rochester.rr.com Meg Tocantins 24 West Trail Stamford, CT 06903-2406 meg.tocantins@gmail.com

Mary Henriques is currently a free-

lance copywriter specializing in aviation, travel & food; an artisan—weaving Nantucket baskets, chair caning; artisanal baker of macarons and breads; elite customer service provider in aviation and high-end retailing.

Sue Drinkard Fullgraf 5620 Dry Valley Road Philadelphia, TN 37846-2222 sfullgraf@gmail.com

Pam Bugbee Laurion W176N8432 Sunset Ridge Menomonee Falls, WI 53051-2652 pbslaur@aol.com Wendy Pratt 501 North Lucia Avenue Redondo Beach, CA 90277-3009 wpratt@earthlink.net

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Pam Thomas 8 Troon Lane Bluffton, SC 29910-4979 pamdyer@outlook.com Kathi Lenrow 15 White Oak Court Montvale, NJ 07645-2018 k_lenrow@yahoo.com

Kathie Phelps Lamb is still working

as an actuary at Mercer but plans to work remotely more and more and eventually retire. Kathie’s husband is retiring from his real estate business and relinquishing his office this fall. They bought a home in South Carolina so they are looking forward to spending the winter there. Their daughter, Austin, lives in Chicago and works in PR in the retail sector. Kathie’s sister, Lynda Phelps Taylor ’75 is expecting her fourth grandchild next month. Kathie doesn’t have grandchildren yet, but looks forward to the day she does! So, all is good with her and she hopes all is well with our other classmates! Thayer Quoos loves hearing

from college friends. She works full-time as the senior chaplain at Masonicare and as an on-call chaplain once a week at Yale-New Haven. She loves her work and is grateful to be healthy. Thayer’s eleven year old grand-daughter also wonders “Where did the time go?!” Thayer loves gardening, enjoying the company of friends and is content living in New Haven—a great little city with lots of “jewels” from museums to great restaurants, theater and more. Thayer wants us all to know she has room for guests! Barbara “BJ” Rich writes that she

and Robert celebrated the 2016 Two Beer Festivals in Boston with Sally “Wiz” Willard and Eileen as they tried to recapture their youth. They did a pretty good job. BJ celebrated 25 years with Commonwealth Financial Network as a financial advisor and she is not planning to retire for a few more years. She observes that it hardly seems possible that 46 years ago we were Wells students. She plans to go to Reunion in 2018 because it is wonderful to see how Aurora is truly the land that time forgot. Mary Sickles Roberts reports her Carlisle Music Studio thrives with many wonderful piano students and their families. This year she took the Level 8 piano assessment in the Royal Conservatory’s music development program along with one of her students. Mary continues to spend a month in Washington, DC teaching in the Levine Music’s summer arts program. She was one of the founding teachers about 28 years ago. The program is directed by Sara “Sally” Mennel ’70. Mary plans to continue her music teaching for at least a few more years.

Felicia Roper has had an abso-

lutely crazy busy year so far. She and Cathy did a trip to Matanzas, Cuba in April to visit their sister church there. It was one week after President Obama’s trip, and just after the Stones concert. Their Cuban friends are so excited that things are finally opening up for travel with the U.S., and Cuba is a very interesting place to visit, especially if you like seeing cars that look just like the ones our parents had when we were in elementary school! She further reports that church life is hectic, and there have been lots of things going on that Cathy is involved in…most recently, two search committees to replace staff members who are leaving. They’re hoping that things will settle down this summer, but that’s probably unlikely. Things at home are good, and Felicia remains busy being staff to their two cats and keeping the pantry stocked so they can have dinner when Cathy gets home. Felicia’s son is graduating from a local community college in August with an AA, and is going on to

is also on the board of her local church foundation which funds a number of community projects in what is now a diverse neighborhood for the congregation. And she has plans to become a hospice volunteer when she can squeeze in 40 hours of training. Roger and Dori have also been traveling to Europe and most recently to Cuba for 10 days—memorable, beautiful and enriching experiences which careers didn’t allow them to enjoy often enough prior to retirement. Luckily their health is good so they can do the latter. And they plan to begin a regular eight-week rental situation in Tucson, AZ, starting in winter of 2017 to deal with living in Minnesota in their retirement years. Dori still misses her sister Alice Hanson ’71 very much since her sudden passing in October 2013. Karen Minton ’71 has stayed in touch with Dori and has been a huge comfort via emails from the East Coast. Dori is hoping to get back to Wells in 2018 for our 45th class Reunion—more connections to wonderful Wells women!

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JANUARY 15, 2017 East Carolina University in the fall to work on a BS in construction management. He just turned 28 (OMG!) so it’s taken a while, but they’re really proud of where he is now. Felicia’s daughter is about to launch into a new adventure. Felicia and Cathy drove a U-Haul to move her from Greensboro, NC (where she went to school and has been working since graduation) to Madison, WI. She has a job at an affiliate organization of UWMadison, the Fluno Center, and is really excited to move to a different part of the country. Felicia and Cathy are thrilled for her, just sad that she’ll be so much farther away. So that’s life in Raleigh…busy, but good! Dori Hanson-Schlins writes that

after retiring on May 1, 2015 from 18 years as office manager for an engineering firm in suburban Minneapolis, she is loving the process of choosing volunteer pursuits into which she can pour her talents and abilities. Right now it’s chairing the archives committee for her high school alumni association and sitting on the board. They are busy connecting alums with current students to offer mentoring, tutoring, financial assistance, job training and so much more. Dori

Stephanie Schweighofer-Jones has

had a difficult past 18 months. In January her miracle Mom (living with stage 3b lung cancer for 9 years) began to fail at the age of 86. Stephanie made a trip to Boston and realized she needed to come back and stay, which she did from February until her mom died early June a year ago. Her Mom lived in a lovely apartment in a fancy retirement home and got dressed and wore lipstick until her last breath. Stephanie is grateful to have work that allows her to work remotely so she could live with her, care for her and sleep beside her until the end. All the grandkids flew in and visiting was lovely. Stephanie said that the loss of her second parent hit her with a different and unexpected kind of sucker punch to the gut—the sort that comes with realizing one is an orphan, that the life runway is short, that time is zipping by and that it’s time to enjoy life more. So now she is trying to “get back” and focus on “where from here”. Despite the sadness, there were a string of happy events that followed including her oldest daughter’s (Dominique) first art show in Los Angeles, fall road trip with both daughters, Dominique and Claire, to Sedona and Santa Fe, trip to Cabo with both girls Wells.edu 17

ClassNotes

and their fiancés for Thanksgiving, the gift of an adorable rescue puppy (Maxi) for Christmas just in time for foot surgery mid-December (great timing ha ha) and finally the gift of both girls and their partners staying with her for two weeks during the holidays, and on and on. Maxi is a joy. She is an emotional support dog and truly a gift. Dominique has since founded her fashion and production company, LLC. Zach, her partner, completed his Avid certification to round him out in film production skills. Claire has become officially SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and continues to trudge the life of a struggling actor. And Gabe, her partner, is on the finishing lines of his TV pilot for which they are all crossing fingers (and toes). Stephanie is getting better every day, appreciating life more than ever and looking forward to visiting her brother and his wife in Boston. Stephanie sends everyone wishes of precious moments!

Thanks so much to all of you who responded to my request for news! As shown below, everyone is very busy, so I am grateful all grabbed a few minutes out of their crazy schedules to write. In the past year, Trisha Clarke Anderson has sold her 30 year business, Frontier Soups, to her two sons, freeing her up to enjoy her six grandchildren, aqua aerobics, and her book club. She sees Betsy Buenger Shults regularly as both have parents in the same residential care facility. In June Wendy Stolz Thomas ’69, Nan McCarthy ’69, and Ruth Harlow ’69 met for their first mini-Reunion. They met at The High Tide for a clam strip fest and then went to visit Rosaly’s Garden in Peterborough. Also pictured, Rosaly Swann Bass ’58 (second from left), 2016 WCA Alumni Award winner, graciously gave them a tour of her wonderful organic gardens.

Pat Van Hemelryck sends news

from Seattle. She retired two years ago from a rewarding career as a fourth grade teacher. She loves, loves, loves spending time with her two lively grandsons—Corban, almost 5 and Luke, nearly 3. These are her daughter Julie’s kiddos living within an hour of her. Julie (32) is currently a full-time mom married to a busy, ambitious Microsoft artist/ administrator. Pat’s son Damien (29) and his wife, currently living in Michigan, are planning to move back to the west and looking at job prospects in aviation. The family misses Damien and looks forward to the change ahead. Pat’s husband is nearing another milestone birthday (70) which they plan to celebrate with a trip to Europe in the fall including family visits in Switzerland, Belgium and Spain. Pat and her husband are planning many travels in the near and farther future to national parks and the Southwest in their recently acquired travel trailer, August sailing

Shelley Osmun Baranowski ’68 and Bonnie Baranowski ’71 on a trip to South Africa in February 2016. The trip was organized by Lisa Jenner ’76.

Salish Sea in their tiny sailboat and visits to Costa Rica where her other-half, Cousin Anne, now resides. While Pat and her family are perturbed by the political future of this country, they are generally optimistic and still quite idealistic despite the harrowing noise out there.

—Kathi

72 71

Holly Gosselink Davidson 5897 Lower Lake Road PO Box 331 Cayuga, NY 13034-0331 bdavids1@rochester.rr.com Suzanne Doty 849 Marilyn Drive Campbell, CA 95008-6015 suzannedoty@sbcglobal.net Paula Scali 5604 Chesterbrook Rd Bethesda, MD 20816-1302 paula_scali@ml.com

Karen Brown PO Box 520 E. Middlebury, VT 05740-0520 wells1970@comcast.net

Anne Oliver Roberts 3107 West Sentinel Rock Road Phoenix, AZ 85086-2228 anneor@q.com Nancy Tillinghast 10452 Courtney Drive Fairfax, VA 22030-8125 nancy-tillinghast@cox.net

68 Gail Funston Wasson ’68 and husband, John, with their grandchildren at Martha’s Vineyard, Summer 2015. 18 December 2016

Karen Kennedy Gallimore 476 Oaklawn Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15241-1764 kkgallimore@verizon.net Susan Mills PO Box 2129 Shepherdstown, WV 25443-2129 susanmills955@gmail.com

Shelley Osmun Baranowski has

had some difficult times, losing her parents, and then her husband, Ed. Now in West Palm Beach, she is keeping busy writing, including a volume on Nazi Germany which she is co-editing with two other scholars, and a book project on Axis empires. She also traveled to South Africa with her sister Marion, and sister-in-law Bernadette “Bonnie” Baranowski ’71, where she visited the island on which Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for many years. More travel plans in the future include a Danube Cruise and Iceland. She also visited Wendy Wilson Hilty and husband Ken in South Carolina where she also reconnected with Katherine Wohlers Harder and Phil. Keith and I and Andi McMahon Lamoreaux met her for lunch in West Palm during our annual sojourn in Florida as well. Travel, grandchildren and the farm keep Tingle Culbertson Barnes pretty busy. Travel included two “magical” weeks in Spain where, along with some friends, she rented a house in Andalusia from which they explored the area. Virginia “Tica” Edgecomb Barr still

owns her tax preparation business, which allows her to work at what she enjoys, albeit a bit too much, for three months of the year, and then relax (somewhat). She recently returned to Cuba where she and her brother were born. She observed that not much has changed since the 50’s, except that things are more decrepit than she remembered. However, she had a great time enjoying the music, dance and culture. Politics seem to be front and center for Charline “Kippy” Kaffenburger Boyle, but not to the exclusion of other endeavors, such as writing grants for her Conservation Advisory Council, organizing Arbor Day programs, and involvement in the design of a seven acre park on Newburgh’s Hudson Riverfront. That should leave us catching our breath! Dionys Miller Briggs is equally as

busy, splitting her time between Carmel and the Sierra. She enjoys

ClassNotes

long walks along the ocean with her friends and Airedale, Angus, participates in book groups, volunteers at the Monterey Museum of Art while creating art and art quilts. Her son is an engineer in Santa Cruz, and her daughter is assistant professor of neuroscience at Dartmouth. She recently spent time using her “rusty” French in Normandy and is planning a fishing trip to the Aleutians this summer with her son. Leisurely retirement doesn’t interest Bonnie Brugger either. At the time of my news request, she had just returned from racing in the 27th Annual World Pilot Gig Championships in the Scilly Islands, where the pilot gig originated, a race that attracts rowers from all over Europe, as well as her Gloucester crews from the United States. Her ladies’ crew came in third in their group and the men’s crew came in first in theirs. Deb Coulson Choma doesn’t have

a whole lot of spare time either, she has three grandsons, two living in Texas and the other in Washington, DC. She still rides her horse daily, which she thinks either keeps her young, or fooled into thinking she is. Is there any difference? New grandmother Carol Iskols Daynard is enjoying her grandson while curating a number of art shows in Boston, and working with the St. Botolph Foundation and the Massachusetts State Committee for the National Museum for Women in the Arts. The school will be part of Tufts as of July 1st so her role as chair of alumni will disappear, hopefully allowing her more time in her own studio. Richard continues to teach at Northeastern Law School and run his non-profit, The Public Health Advocacy Institute. Many changes occurred in the past few years for Judy Ehren. After retiring in 2014, she did a lot of volunteer work for Legal Services of the Hudson Valley and the food pantry at the Episcopal Church in Peekskill, NY. In 2015 she moved to Kendal, a retirement community in Ithaca. Downsizing was difficult to do with so many cherished heirlooms and possessions, but she is delighted to be where she is, although she has found herself on a few too many committees. She opines that if she could just stop having new ideas life would be less hectic. Yep, that sounds about right!

is looking forward to her annual visit with Carroll Wetzel Wilkinson and Lisa Goodridge in Maine this summer.

Jan Lyeth Sharp ’68 and her horse, Magic.

Betty Engilis Fish now has five

grandchildren under the age of three, and is enjoying every one of them. Her daughter, Leigh, had a daughter, Cate, on my birthday, who joins Coco, also born in January, Ollie and Betty’s son, Brian’s, twin daughters. Additionally she and Ron are doing some traveling and playing some golf. She appreciates having the stamina to keep up with the toddlers and is looking forward to Reunion. Like the rest of us, she wonders how it could be so long! From Lisa Goodridge, “It is hard to report on any news from the past year that does not include the death of my son, Jeremy, last August after a three year battle with cancer. It is the first thing that comes up when anyone asks me how I am doing, the first thing I think about when I wake up each morning. I am living the undeniable and compelling path of grief, dealing with the new reality of my life with this tremendous hole at the center. Jeremy was so alive when he was here; he never stopped finding joy in assembling his many friends, his ’tribe’, whether for a baseball game, a film, a concert, an art museum, a meal or just hanging out in the New York City he loved. I am so glad he included me in that life; I have inherited dozens of ’children’ through him. He is missed by many, but that does not make it any lighter to carry. Losing a child is a special kind of loss. You learn that you will never get over it, but it makes you resolve to live every moment, not just for yourself, but

to honor them.” Our thoughts are with you. Barbara Altimier Gressman made the move to Colorado to be closer to her daughter and family, but when career changes moved her family to Rye, NH, she and Bill returned to the retirement community in Rockville, MD where they had been before. On the return trip, they visited Joyce Guy Iwamoto in Indianapolis. She and Bill have been very active in their community, which she describes as akin to the eastern Caribbean cruise they took to celebrate their 70th birthdays. Margaret “Peggy” Devenish Handley had a wonderful visit from Carol Moore and Kathy Barnes at her “summer home”

in the mountains of Green Mountain, NC, where they laughed, compared notes, and caught up, all while taking a cool dip in the North Toe River. All this, even though they had not seen or spoken in 47 years, which doesn’t surprise me at all. They hope to repeat the visit this year. As usual, Rhea Hirshman is very busy writing, editing, and challenging undergraduates at the Stamford Branch of the University of Connecticut, where she is adjunct professor of women’s and gender studies. Somehow she finds the time to perform with Another Octave: Connecticut Women’s chorus, make it to the gym, garden, attend arts events, and enjoy cats and friends. A few of her own blog posts were reprinted on Ms. Magazine’s blog as well. She

And speaking of visiting, Keith, Andi McMahon Lamoreaux and I enjoyed our visit with Shelley this past February, and also hope to make it an annual event. We look forward to escaping winter each year on Sanibel Island, and fortunately, Andi is able to escape the windy city for a while as well. Otherwise, we imported 40 tons (honest!) of mountain rock from western Maryland to re-landscape the back yard, which provided much entertainment for the neighbors. We plan to travel a little in Eastern Canada with our son and daughter-in-law this summer, and then feed my new addiction to The Greenbrier in September. Having retired from active politics with a sigh of relief, I have more time for quilting. Again, thanks so much for keeping in touch, and thanks too to Susie Mills for sharing this with me. Best wishes to all for peace, happiness and health.

—Karen Andi McMahon Lamoreaux writes,

she still hasn’t retired yet as she is still enjoying her work at WFMT radio. She plans to travel some this year. This past winter she saw, Karen Kennedy Gallimore and got re-connected with Shelley Osmun Baranowski, both in Florida. She also saw Barb Kennedy ’64 there as well. Andi writes, “In 2015, I experienced many losses in my life, deaths among family and friends, and through those griefs I have come to value even more the people I love.” She says she’ll see us in 2018 for Reunion! Jane Lang is busy printing, weav-

Nancy Rathkopf Fallon writes that

she is still working a bit too much at her several part-time jobs, but is reasonably happy and healthy. She has just returned from a delightful Caribbean cruise and is headed for Seattle in June.

Visiting seems to be a favorite activity for all of us. Wendy Wilson Hilty enjoyed her visit from Shelley Baranowski, and Wendy’s new neighbor, Kathie Harder. She and Ken had a great three week trip to Scotland where they played golf at “very funky” courses, visited whiskey distilleries, and met with old friends. They both love living on Callawassie Island, SC, and since obtaining her master gardener’s certificate from Clemson University, she loves “playing in the dirt”.

Gail Funston Wasson ’68 and her instructor paragliding in Zermatt, Switzerland in January 2016.

ing, collaging and Facebook, I know, she keeps in good shape via Pilates. She spent two days with Mary Brayton in Japan before they departed on their separate tours. She loved Japan and being with her daughter, Amelia, for 12 days as she lives and works in NYC. Jane volunteers at Restorative Resources, an alternative to our justice sentencing system. She loves spending time with her other daughter, Devon, husband, Simon and her two grandsons, but they will be moving to Bend, Oregon, Wells.edu 19

ClassNotes

so Jane guesses that will become her second home. She lives with her partner, Steve and writes, “Life is good!”

little more cautiously) and enjoy their grandchildren. She sees Chrissy Lapp Williamson a lot in the summer. Charlotte Lucas Small ’69 was on the ski trip she took to Zermatt, Switzerland and she also sees Gail Gentes ’74, as she lives in Hanover, where her husband is president of Dartmouth.

Barbie Kimberly writes from

Philadelphia where her husband is one year into a gradual retirement from his 35 years on the faculty at Penn. Barbie is still a fulltime music librarian for her church choirs which number 85 singers. She says it is a perfect job for a detail oriented person as their music library has over 1,000 anthems along with many other works, spanning several centuries. Her adult choir was in residence at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London for one week in July. She will spend part of the summer traveling in Paris and the Adirondacks with lots of family. Two of her kids live in Philly and the third lives in NYC with her one grandchild. She writes, “Looking forward to our 50th (yikes) in a couple of years.” Barbara Mahler Markussen keeps

busy with church activities and visiting her grandchildren. She and her husband enjoyed a two week cruise of the British Isles last summer, the highlights were the Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle and Beatlemania; and this summer they are planning a driving trip of Nova Scotia. Jan Lyeth Sharp loves being re-

tired. She reports she’s now a “responsible ski bum, skiing about 60 days last year and still improving.” And when it’s not skiing she’s training her horse, Magic, and plans on doing some low level eventing. Her current goal is to ride until she is 80 and ski until she is 90! Elizabeth Buenger Shults pledges

to do better about keeping in touch via the Wells Class Notes. Five years ago, they bought a house in Bluffton, SC where they stay from mid-autumn to the end of spring, otherwise they are at their lake cottage the rest of the year. Her husband continues to

Chrissy Lapp Williamson loves fol-

Wendy Wilson Hilty ’68, Shelley Osmun Baranowski ’68 and Kathie Wohlers Harder ’68 got together in South Carolina.

practice law so he goes back and forth, but less often with each year. Betsy writes, “After spending over 35 years alone in my studio in Western NY where I painted and sculpted in both wood and clay, my hands and body announced that it was time to call it quits and try something new.” She now does volunteer work a couple of days a week and has taken up Pilates and golf. She loves being in “this new, sunny and warm environment where there are always new and fun things to try (kayaking, adult courses, nature club, book club, etc.).” Her mom passed away last spring at the age of 97 after doing remarkably well up until two months before she died. Betsy says she misses her visits to Chicago for mother-daughter lunches and outings with Trisha Clarke Anderson. She also enjoyed a delightful dinner with Mary Brayton in San Francisco. Betsy’s three kids are happily married and the grandbabies are finally starting to appear, she reports. They were all together for Christmas and will be joining Betsy at the lake to celebrate her 70th birthday. “Life is good and I do feel very fortunate.” Stephanie Wallach who is in her

11th year of retirement from being

a commercial airline pilot, can’t believe her time is now all her own...and she is busy. Sewing, gardening, “wrestling” with her violin, trying out bluegrass music as well as classical. She writes, “You don’t start violin lessons at age 65 and ever expect to become good at it. But I enjoy it.” She’s joined the board of the Pacific Northwest Ballet and enjoys going to studio rehearsals, backstage performances and travelling to NYC with the company. She’s also involved with a local obstetric fistula organization that operates in East Africa. In the fall, she went to Jordan and Israel on her first ever (and her last) organized tour. “Every time I leave home I tell myself that this is my very last trip, but then 2 3 months later, I’m on the road again.” Her son, Tommy’s first novel, We all Looked Up was on the NY Times Bestseller List for 10+ weeks and his second book is also doing well. She reports some non-life-threatening health problems which are annoying inconveniences but as she says, “she’s dodged some large bullets the last few years. Fingers crossed.” Elizabeth “Gail” Funston Wasson

says “life is just fine.” She and John continue to travel, play sports (a

CLASS OF 1967 50TH REUNION We hope many of you will find your way to Aurora to be part of the Class of 1967’s 50th Reunion scheduled for June 1-4, 2017. The four days will include many events arranged by Wells—tours of old haunts plus new or renovated buildings, Reunion College classes (that won’t require homework), dining, dancing, Convocation and plenty of time to reminisce. Since we will be housed together, we can relive the dorm experience. In coming months, you will be contacted by members of the planning team about ways you can participate in advance, including a questionnaire for an “electronic yearbook” that will be circulated prior to Reunion. For those of you who have Facebook, we have started a closed group (only group members can see your postings) called “Wells College Class of 1967.” If you aren’t on Facebook, now is a good time to consider it. Finally, if Wells does not have a current email address for you, kindly send it to Eileen Kraskouskas at kraskous@yahoo.com. PLEASE CONSIDER COMING TO REUNION THIS TIME; A 50TH ANNIVERSARY IS A BIG THING!

20 December 2016

lowing everyone in our class on Facebook and she’s probably not the only one. She and her husband spend almost five months a year on Martha’s Vineyard now that he’s retired from overseeing the donor travel program for Colonial Williamsburg. Chrissy says they miss the trips but it sure is relaxing now. She sees a lot of Gail Funston Wasson. Rachel Bommer Kuhe ’69, also lives nearby. Chrissy continues to oil paint and has some commissions. She writes, “It is empowering when commissions are from someone you don’t know.” She also plays lots of tennis and gardens and says everyone is healthy and happy. “Life is good.” Sadly, Chrissy notified me of the passing of Beth Roby Steffey on August 11, 2016. Beth and Chrissy reconnected after 47 years when their two children wound up in the same graduate school class at Harvard and they kept in touch a bit after that. Such sad news, Beth was a special lady. As for myself, I’m still enjoying my retirement VERY MUCH. Playing golf, traveling, short trips and long. Planning on going to India in January and February. Also serving on the board of the Contemporary American Theater Festival, which presents five new plays in repertory in the oldest town in West Virginia. Love meeting the playwrights, actors and the interns. Also I sing in the university/community Masterworks Chorale, take courses at the university and Alliance Francais and help with feeding the homeless and other church supported activities. Best of all, I love staying in touch with my Wells friends, Tica Edgecombe Barr and Patricia “Tobie” Tyler van der Vorm ’70 and I’m Facebook friends with many others. Looking forward to seeing everyone at our 50th Reunion.

—Susan

Eileen Kraskouskas 2437 Groveview Ct Richmond, CA 94806-5291 kraskous@yahoo.com Kaffie White McCullough 1100 McLynn Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30306-3347 kaffie@bellsouth.net

ClassNotes

can. Although I am still working four days a week at the Florida Department of Health, my husband retired ‘for real’ this spring, so we’re looking into moving north within the next year, somewhere closer to family. That will be our next adventure.”

Susan Van Ranst Crego 55 Berkeley Street Rochester, NY 14607-2207 scrego@rochester.rr.com Jo Ann Kessler Lake 1300 NE 16th Avenue Apt 431 Portland, OR 97232-1480 jody.lake@gmail.com Kate LeBoutillier O’Neill 55 North Main Street Pennington, NJ 08534-2204 kate.oneill1218@gmail.com

Ann Simonsen Hughes says her

Susan Stamberger 9335 Belvoir Avenue La Crescenta, CA 91214-2333 suestam@aol.com Nancy Rose Stone 1940 Mahre Drive Park City, UT 84098 nancystone00@gmail.com

News from Deguerre Averell Blackburn − “I have a granddaughter, Aspen Averell Rose, who is now three. I am the director of a Hague-accredited agency responsible for both international and domestic adoption and development programs. We work with a group in Guatemala that educates girls, and also provides a ecohealth program about the environment and animals. We have brought children from other countries to the U.S. for medical treatment, including 12 from Haiti, as a result of the earthquake. My husband, Rod, is writing books about the Okiek tribe with whom he and I worked in Kenya for over 28 years. We gave a collection of tribal artifacts to the National Museum of Kenya, the Natural History Museum in NYC, and a third collection is going to Michigan State university. We are all just fine, and this year Rod and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.” Mary Ella Wagner Jones writes:

1. Reunion—our 50th was terrific—an amazing time, in which all of us were 21 again, and even looked it for the most part. We are a well-preserved lot! 2. A lovely trip with all my kids, spouses, and grandkids to the panhandle of Florida for a family beach vacation in July 2015. 3. Two trips back to my Texas roots, including one, which celebrated our family company’s 100th anniversary…family owned by perhaps 80 cousins/relatives, etc. Amazingly, we’re all still speaking to one another, and on good terms. Lots of talent and intelligence there! 4. Three fascinating weeks in Germany in May 2016, with Richard’s sister and her husband… time in the gorgeous Rhine Valley, Berlin, and Dresden. 5. All in the family are thriving and happy; grandchildren are growing up WAY too fast (two turned 15 this summer, and are

Carolyn Day ’65 with her therapy dogs, MacGyver and Jazz.

driving…egad!); the youngest is almost six. 6. I’m loving my home, my family, my friends, Hilton Head, board work at Memory Matters, some bridge, lots of reading, exercise, and needlework. 7. I’m one lucky woman!!! Barbara Peterman Boissonnas

writes “We drove back East in April, went through Aurora and explored the beautiful Wells campus while classes were still in session. So many changes, and yet so much the same. Wonderful to see the great diversity in the student body now. We live near Chicago, where Christian and I continue to be deeply involved in community governance and various volunteer programs. Our calendar seems busier now than before retirement! Our five children are located from San Francisco to Connecticut, and we have 14 grandchildren from one to 22 years old. We proudly attended the first of their college graduations this year, with many more coming soon!” Fiona Morgan Fein’s current ac-

tivities include “the high school graduation of our youngest grandchild and a trip with her and her best friend to London in early July; helping in the planning for the October inauguration of our new president, Dr. Jonathan Gibralter; and thinking about a short trip for Harvey and me, also to London— the so called adult version of my adventure with the girls which omits the total immersion in Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes and the Beatles. LOL. I went to Wells for Reunion 2016 where I had the pleasure of hanging out with the class of 1966 and meeting with many of Wells leadership donors at the President’s Circle Reception, which was held in Taylor House. I stayed over in Aurora to have a long visit with my dear friend, Pat Parnie Wahlen ’66, who helped plan her 50th. She too found it a labor of love with many heartfelt rewards. Last, but certainly not least, our

great-granddaughter, Ada Beth, was born in December. She lives in Somerville, MA and we watch her progress daily on Facebook to tide us over between actual visits. I hope those who weren’t able to come to Aurora for our big Reunion will take advantage of other opportunities to visit campus. There is a great deal happening on campus and in town of which we can all be very proud! Deborah Nelson Aylesworth loved

our 50th Reunion−seeing so many of our class, enjoying the beautiful campus, and learning more about our future as a coed school. “Many thanks to Fiona who organized us and those who volunteered as class agents. Shortly after my return, I had an accident resulting in a calf wound that has been “my life” for the last year because it did not heal. But I am grateful to be on the upswing and hope to be swimming this summer at last. My grandchildren and I had two trips to NYC to visit my older daughter who lives in the financial district. I continue with my volunteer work in environmental issues and in the Episcopal Church. I hope to travel more this year.” There are not many special events or activities to report from Debby Beaman Hopps, but “my husband and I are still blessed with good health and enjoy spending time with our three granddaughters in New Hampshire, when we

news is pretty boring stuff. “Other than Rotary, I am pretty freewheeling, but find that I am just as busy. Traveling is a passion. Will have done three walking tours this year – one to Puglia, Italy with Nancy Hall Zambie, was super terrific. And my gardens are basically a full-time job. Our three boys are managing the family farm and seed business quite competently even though their dad is still at it full-time. In a year or so, the third generation will be joining the team. The first of the eight grandchildren graduated from Iowa State this year and, by golly, will begin his job after a few weeks in Spain. Earl and I are blessed with great health and all our family lives within a mile radius. What could be better?” Sue Huntley Baker is still dividing

time between NYC and coastal Connecticut. “We’re enjoying our two small grandsons, one in Oregon and one just two buildings away in NYC, whose birth kept me from joining you last year at our 50th, but otherwise is delightful! I continue to work in ceramic sculpture and in my garden in Rowayton. Love and best wishes to all!” Carolyn Day is having a blast these

days competing with her dogs, in both obedience and agility. “Agility is my favorite activity with them, and it keeps me very active! Both of my dogs are also registered therapy dogs. We visit assisted living facilities, handicapped children and psychiatric facilities for adults and youth. Both my Border Terrier (MacGyver) and Rottweiler ( Jazz) have been providing comfort and joy in this capacity for many years. It’s very rewarding to see them bring smiles to so many faces.”

Jane Dennis Wigertz ’65 and Adele Maslen Miller ’65 in Stockholm, Sweden. Wells.edu 21

ClassNotes

in St. Augustine, which is a lovely break from winter. Since we’ve rented there a number of years, it feels like home...same beach, same bikes, same restaurants, same friends. We’ve just made plans to return to Zermatt, Switzerland this September. While we won’t be hiking the distances we used to, the trip will be delightful. I’m already smacking my chops thinking about the wonderful views of the mountains.” Laura Beth Mason Foster is still

Anne Price Iverson ’65 and husband, David, on one of their many adventures.

Nancy Fitzsimmons Cornell truly

enjoyed seeing so many classmates at Reunion last year. “It seemed as though we just picked up where we left off in 1965! A highlight for me was playing the bells a bit before Convocation. Somehow during the last renovation, they improved the mechanism, making it so much easier on us older ringers! We are heading out for a week on Cape Cod with our daughter and son, their spouses, and our four grandchildren, ages 16 months to eight years. The cousins love being together and they are all water babies. We get to relax while they wear themselves out. We do this every year and it is a special time for Doug and me. Otherwise, we keep busy with community and church activities, and I am in my third year of violin lessons. I’m not ready for a solo appearance yet, but am getting better, I think (and hope). I am in the second year of a garden club presidency; love to garden, but Lyme disease is so prevalent here, and I’ve presumably had it twice, that I need to cover head to toe and spray clothing every time I work in the yard – not great in this summer heat! We also still sail our Breezing Up out of historic Newburyport in the summer. Looking forward to our next great Reunion!” Deborah Guptill recently retired

and is enjoying traveling and visiting friends! Lorrie Ball Holmgren says “It was

wonderful to see so many classmates at our 50th Reunion. How amazing that our friendships have lasted half a century! Another highlight of the year was a trip to Italy in the fall. Jon and I revisited our favorite cities including Bellagio, Venice, Florence and Siena, and discovered others such as Verona and Bolzano. We had a fabulous time. (It turns out my ideal diet consists of red wine, pasta, pastries and chocolate. The 12,000 steps a day we took sightseeing may have been a factor.) Now we’re settled in at home enjoying seeing our kids and our adorable grandson. Once again 22 December 2016

we’re going to hockey and soccer games, music recitals, and school events. Such fun! I’m trying to find an agent or small publisher for my mystery novel, but so far no luck. It’s lots more fun to write a book than try to sell it! Judith Chapman Harron doesn’t

have a great deal of news, but she and Art did have a nice lunch with Anita “Jo” Ullman Gazda this spring where they had fun catching up. “All our family, thankfully, are doing well, with grandchildren visiting Prague and the Galapagos this summer; so fun hearing their adventures.” Anne Price Iverson continues

to enjoy retirement in Eastern Tennessee where they have wonderful neighbors and mountain and lake views. “We are both busy with golf, tennis, boating and charity work. David and I travel

loving life in New Hampshire. They have four grandchildren.... two in California and two in New Hampshire. “I keep busy with volunteer work, tennis, golf, hiking, and pickle ball. My husband has not been too well, but is keeping himself busy. We have been going to Arizona in the winter, and I see Betsy Oliver Kelly there...occasionally see Nancy Hall Zambie and Ann Mellor Katzenbach as well.” Linda Hitchcock Berry was so

sorry to miss our 50th Reunion. “However, I was on a longplanned visit to see my stepdaughter and her family (10-year-old grandson and son-in-law) at their home in Kailua, Hawaii. Good thing too, as a job change is taking them to Germany; so now I have my sights on a trip to that country! My health continues to be very good, although my seniorage friends and I love to joke about the occasional forgetfulness, as we give thanks to Google. As long as we have enough information for a valid search, Google fills in

KEEP YOUR INFORMATION UPDATED Help us go greener by providing a current email address and/or cell phone number. Receive invitations to events, our monthly Alum2Alum e-news and other College updates.

alumoffice@wells.edu 315.364.3200 frequently to visit family and friends and explore new places. This summer’s adventure will be to Ireland, Scotland, and England. If anyone is looking for a peaceful place to retire with a busy social life, please contact me for more information.” “We are doing fairly well here” writes Carol Morgan Bigman. “Since my son and his family live in nearby Katonah, we are able to see them frequently. Watching our granddaughter grow year by year has been a huge delight. She will be six in October...hard to believe she will be in first grade. We spent the month of February

the memory blanks. I continue to take art classes, with focus on oil painting. Some friends and I in Ridgefield, CT are exploring putting on a group art show—a scary thought, but something to shoot for. This week I am singing in a performance of Mozart’s Requiem (thank you, Crawford Thoburn, for your training). If any of you are in the neighborhood of Ridgefield, I’d love to see you. My best to you all.” The recent annual report and class photo got Christie Stagg Austin thinking of our Reunion and reminiscing, the point of it all. Here’s a quote from a letter she

wrote to Fiona after our 25th: “I went to Reunion and had a wonderful time. It is amazing how the college seems unchanged; the feeling of the ivory tower I’d always loved (instead of messy, marshy campuses), and the calming beauty of the setting were still there. But more important in going back were our classmates: we were so open, so responsive, so genuinely glad to see each other again or, in a way, to meet each other for the first time.... (That) is why I went back and was so moved, and why Reunions are so wonderful. A pause in time and a deep look backward at something that helped make us who we are. A time to share another’s path taken when our roads diverged. That worked for our 50th too.” First, thanks to everyone who responded to our requests for news! As for this class secretary, retirement continues to be wonderful! Short trips to California destinations, concerts of all sorts, opera singers as guests, visitors from Vienna and Australia…the home has become a bed & breakfast! 2016 travel includes a week at the Santa Fe Opera–five operas in five days. Then a week later, I am off to Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, Ontario, to see how the construction of our new cottage is progressing. From there, I fly to Vienna, and then to the Dalmatian coast! All in all, six weeks of “vacation”! Be well, all of you! It’s not too early to mark the next Reunion on your calendar!! The last one was a blast!!

—Stu Kathy Wenner Palmer reports:

“Have spent many moments thinking fondly back over our 50th Reunion. Will we ever forget the laughs in the classroom as we put together out class skit; and on the steps of Macmillan having our class picture taken? What wonderful memories of reconnecting with so many fantastic classmates. Many kudos to Fiona for putting it all together. Last September Tom and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary with a great cruise from Boston round trip to Quebec City. Time goes on: the grandchildren are in college and below; praise God for good health for both of us; we’re still doing our puppet ministry in church and in our community and we’re planning another cruise—Transatlantic—in the fall. Greetings to all.” Ann Peters King writes “Diane

Doviak Webb ’63 and I traveled with OAT to Africa last fall spending two weeks ’in the bush’ in tented camps in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe and then a week in Cape Town and South Africa. A memorable trip—the animals and birds just a few feet away (including the two hippos who had

ClassNotes

a midnight soirée leaning against my tent one night), the sweeping landscapes and most important, our daily contact with the people of Africa sharing their culture with us in the camps, their villages and homes. In November, our four children and 11 of the 15 grands celebrated Jay’s 75th in Chicago. In January and February we rented a lovely home on a deep water creek in Beaufort, SC surrounded by marshes and with seven live oaks dripping with moss in the yard. We savored all the history, the architecture and the landscape of the Low Country and had our fill of she-crab soup, shrimp and grits and other fresh seafood every day. A special way to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary before the official date in March. I’ve taken over the small family home in Lenox, MA and looking forward to spending more time there especially since one of our grandsons from Chicago will be attending Berkshire School (where his parents met in 1988!) Two grandsons finished up their freshman year at Northeastern and Stetson and another is off to Auburn in the fall. Jay and I enjoy playing bridge together a couple of times a week. I’m enjoying my woman’s study group now in its 145th year, ringing hand bells, being program chair of the Cazenovia Garden Club, and lots of swimming, Zumba and aerobics at the YMCA and then gardening, tennis, kayaking, sailing and XC skiing as weather permits. Life has been good to us and only wish we could spend more dayto-day time with our children and grands in Minneapolis, Chicago and Larchmont. Have gotten together with Deanna “Didi” Drewes Emerson a couple of times this year and Marian “Nan” D’arcy Gunderson ’66 is coming from Oregon June 1st to spend the night with us and then I’ll drive her down to Wells for her 50th. With happy memories of our 50th and the fun and lots of laughs we had especially during the class picture taking.” Nancy Hall Zambie has had a rather

eventful year. “The last of our three kids are finally under new management, even if the date has yet to be determined. I’ve had two wonderful trips with Ann Simonsen Hughes—last year to Alsace and Lake Lucerne with a high school classmate of ours who lives in Italy, and this year a hiking trip in the boot heel of Southern Italy. Both just wonderful. I’ve been doing a lot of babysitting for a 2-year-old granddaughter who seemingly has developed into a human bioterrorist. Much to my dismay apparently I haven’t had every virus. What a delight to see the world through new eyes. Since she’s far above average I’m preparing a Wells application. Pickleball has become a new obsession

although I can’t quite say it’s easier on the body than tennis or paddle tennis. I wonder if this counts as learning a new skill.” Adele Maslen Miller’s life has con-

tinued to be full and fun since Reunion. “A second grandson arrived in our family last fall so we have four grandchildren now. Last summer we cruised southern Europe and this summer we cruised northern Europe around the Baltic. A highlight of this year’s travels was having dinner in Stockholm with Jane Dennis Wigertz and her husband. John and I continue to do our ’things’. John serves in a very small parish in Vermont, and I teach one or two courses per semester. Neither of us can imagine stopping. We also enjoy volunteering at the arts center and the co-op in our town, and now I am also gleaning. It is fun picking vegetables, digging potatoes and picking apples for local food banks and lunch programs.” Dick and I have also had a busy year following our very enjoyable 50th Reunion. (For those of you, who missed it, we had a really fun time – the photographer who took our class picture couldn’t believe the lively group had graduated 50 years ago). Speaking of 50th, Dick and I also celebrated our 50th anniversary in June. It coincided with Dick’s Mother’s 100th birthday, so we had a great family reunion in New York to celebrate. Dick and I followed up with a wonderful Alaska cruise. We are still loving Utah where we enjoy mountain biking, tennis, four wheel jeeping and skiing, although Dick is recovering from a February broken leg from skiing. Also enjoy the 4 grandchildren, two living a mile away, and the other two visiting for the summer from Washington while our daughter heads up the China desk for the State Department and her husband heads up the Korea desk.

—Nancy

64 63

Barb Kennedy 9 Russ Point Road PO Box 207 Mount Vernon, ME 04352-0207 bkennedy11742@gmail.com

Sandra Metcalf Bertetti 24 Brady Loop Andover, MA 01810-3224 smbertetti@verizon.net

2016 seems to be the year of transitions for our class: moving, downsizing, retiring and health issues (including several falls), and losing our dear mates. Well at the outset, since this is my last correspondence as your secretary, I want to give special recognition/tribute to Jane Jowett Brooks who has kept our Class of ’62 together for the last three years; we owe her much gratitude! It is indeed remarkable all that she has accomplished— from organizing mini-reunions each spring in Massachusetts to sharing photographs, sending many e-mails around, keeping us abreast of the changes in our lives (addresses, phone numbers and illnesses), and in doing that keeping our memories alive and lifting people’s spirits! Many of you have written and commented on her generosity with her time and efforts. I would like to quote from one of Jane’s notes written in February 2016, “Although I’ve thought often of each of you, I recently have enjoyed such a flood of memories and images that I felt the urge to share with you my hopes that you and those you love are well and content. For too many of us, this time of life has presented challenges we never anticipated. May we find strength, courage and the support of friends and family.” June Dallery Doolittle says it all “Jane, you are the sweet ‘glue’ that keeps US together!” So on behalf of our class, thank you many times over, Jane!! Carolyn Byers Anderson writes

in May that she is almost back in Clayton, NY after a two day trip from Florida. She knows that life has changes so going back and forth between two homes is not easy. Carolyn and Andy do not plan any long trips this year but they will try to think of something. Carolyn also met with Nancy Rockwell Consedine, Sandy Maceyka and Pat Day LaBarbara

last October in Canandaigua at a lovely restaurant and she said it was wonderful catching up with all of them. Wendy Todd Bidstrup says she

and Larry are relatively well right now, but growing old is not for sissies! As the saying goes. Larry had a bout with Lyme disease but seems to be getting better with medication. Wendy’s knees are pretty stiff, but she goes to the Y for exercise in the winter and swims in the ocean in the summer. They have stayed pretty close to home lately but did take a trip to Ireland two years ago, rented a car, drove themselves around on the wrong side of the road, stayed in castles and had a wonderful time! Since she retired from Marion Art Center, Wendy has joined the Marion Garden Club and enjoys helping with window boxes, wreath making and other projects. “They asked me to be secretary the first year and then treasurer this past year—a meteoric rise to power! But I really just want to learn about gardening and help beautify the town.” This winter Wendy worked part time at the Art Center while the current director was on leave of absence. Her decision to retire was confirmed! So much new technology, everything done with e-mail, Paypal, etc. Very time consuming & overly complicated (in her opinion). However, she does miss the people and kids, as it was fun to see them. Five of their seven grandchildren are in college. Wendy reports that the two youngest are at Indian Creek School in Annapolis where Robin is director of admissions. Jenny graduated from law school and is engaged to be married in Sept. of 2017. Signed Great Grandy Wendy? Oh my! A.L. Wagner Carlisle writes that

all is well with her. She is having a wonderful time with her family—holiday and birthday celebrations, sporting events, school concerts, violin and piano recitals and the list goes on. It’s one

Cathy Ricketts Greenwald 336 West End Avenue, Apt 20A New York, NY 10023-8119 cathygreenwald@hotmail.com Peggie May Hillegass 53 Jenny’s Lane Barrington, RI 02806-4424 mhilleg497@aol.com Mary Francisco Miller 700 Clayton Corners Drive Ballwin, MO 63011-2839 mfmmary@yahoo.com

Nancy Rockwell Consedine ’62, Carolyn Byers Anderson ’62, Pat Day LaBarbera ’62 and Sandy Maceyka ’62 at a restaurant in Canandaigua, NY. Wells.edu 23

ClassNotes

of the benefits of having all your children within seven miles! A.L. has seen many Wells classmates and friends, including spending a few days in Florida in March with her freshman-year roommate, Debbie Cutler Riveros and her husband, Jose. She also had a great visit with Judy McFarland Hanrahan, Carolyn Anderson, Pat Richter Ondrick, and Mindy Stout Mast and had a great visit! A.L. saw other classmates at a lunch in Newburyport, MA and a gathering in New Hampshire. She also met Olivia James at the new Applecrest Farm Bistro for lunch last summer. She often sees Jane Jowett Brooks. June Dallery Doolittle wrote Jane

Brooks to thank her for her updates and commented that changes for folks in our class are not always so easy. She said she had a long conversation with Bill Hansen on Easter Sunday-he has had a very difficult time with his wife Joan in the last few months. ( Joan in the early part of January fell in the shower and broke the upper part of her femur requiring many changes which I will explain later, ed.) June says that “Jay and I are hanging in on our little piece of paradise in Paradise Valley, Montana. There have been some scary surgeries along the way, but we somehow manage to put ourselves back together and carry on!” Kate Birdsall Duffy says she has

nothing exciting this time although retirement from teaching has opened many doors to volunteerism for her. Unfortunately her dreams of travel have been curtailed by arthritis and early dementia for her husband. However, Kate says they have wonderful memories to share and a strong marriage to help them through the tough times.

Karen Eckberg Gottovi and Dan re-

cently moved to an apartment in a wonderful continuing care retirement community in Wilmington, NC. Kina says she and Dan are both in good health and good spirits. They have two grandsons, one in Washington, DC and one in Costa Rica, both great places to visit and they like going to the beach in North Carolina. Jane Brooks sent me a note with exciting news about Kina. Kina was one of only four inductees to the Brighton Schools Alumni Association/Brighton High School Alumni Hall of Fame. “A project of the BSAA that aims to inspire students in the Brighton Central School District of Rochester, NY, by honoring outstanding BHS alumni who ’make a difference’.” They will be celebrated at the 2016 Recognition Gala on June 3, 2016. Now for the rest of the story about Joan Hunter Hansen. Barbara Hagen Smith (Moose) sent this information about Joan’s accident to Jane Brooks who passed it on to me. Joan has been having a very difficult recovery and has been in rehab and a nursing home. To complicate things, her husband Bill had to prepare to sell their house immediately so that the Hansens could move into a place that would better accommodate Joan’s needs when she is discharged. Bill managed the sale in record time, but Joan was in a room with no phone or computer. Their new home is in Twin Lakes Community in Burlington, NC. Jane Kohring Hoey has started a

new life in San Diego and it is going well. She has tried new activities resulting in meeting new friends. But she continues to go back all summer to her Michigan cottage in the northern part of the state, which she owns with her sister. It is a place where her whole

family can congregate, including her daughter and family from San Diego and her son and his family from Seattle. Ann McKnight Kittelberger writes

that she and Steve have had a pretty good year, even turning health concerns into nice trips for diagnoses. They saw Hamilton the Musical and La Boheme in NYC, among other things! Now that their granddaughter is the elderly age of 14 (nearly) they have less responsibility for her. That has given Ann time to volunteer at a city of Rochester pre-K program. She reports that it has been a delight to see these little kids learn so much in a short time. Last fall she met Sally Leary Murphy for lunch. It was a lovely visit but she learned two months later that Sally’s husband died. (Sally’s husband, Mike, died December 2015 from heartrelated issues. We certainly, as a class, extend our deepest condolences to Sally.) Ann spoke with Sally a few weeks ago and she is doing pretty well; no grass is growing under her feet as she keeps busy with all sorts of things. Ann and Steve are fortunate to be taking their granddaughter on an Alaskan cruise this summer. Linda Kendrick Levenson’s news:

After eight-plus years living in Wilmington, NY, she and Tom made a good decision when they decided to return to Maine and live in a condominium in Topsham (pronounced top-some)! Their house in Wiscasset, ME had sold (at last) and after a summer of being “homeless” they moved into a new construction, in a quiet area, close to everything they think they need for the future. Daughter Sarah and husband are in Orlando, FL. Son Matthew continues to live in the Adirondacks with their three grandchildren. “Downsizing is great! I recommend!” She says it

Class of ’62 mini-Reunion in Newburyport, MA in May 2016. In front: Daisy Mathias and Kirsten Olsen Prigge. Back left to right: Fran Murray McArthur with dog, Penny Langeler Rogers, Linda Kendrick Levenson, Sandy Kolyer Masih, Carolyn Sandford Scattergood, Jane Jowett Brooks, Wendy Todd Bidstrup, Sandy Metcalf Bertetti, and A.L. Wagner Carlisle. 24 December 2016

has been fun to connect with the Class of 1963 members…Bundy Harding Boit, Kathy Dana Nelson, Ellen Goodman Kornrumpf…and enjoy their exploration of the coast of Maine. Sandy Maceyka had a scare last

October with a spot on her pituitary gland which her doctor discovered. Thankfully nothing came of it. She praised the University of Rochester Medical Center and also her acupuncturist. She claims that acupuncture is wonderful and says if you have not tried it, you should. “It really makes one feel stronger and have more energy.” Also this year her Elizabeth Cady Stanton Women’s Consortium is planning exciting things to celebrate NYS getting the vote for women in 1917—thanks to Elizabeth and her friends. Sandy says she is in Rochester having cataract surgery, trying to be President of the local AAUW branch, saving an old building and managing it. “Someday I’ll get to enjoy my retirement.” Notes from Sandy Kolyer Masih: Sandy wishes she had happier news to report but…she says that she and Lalit have had a difficult time since the last class news due to Lalit’s failing health. This past year, since he fell in the shower, has been especially trying…multiple hospitalizations, transitions to an assisted living facility and tons of therapy. The therapists have been wonderful and have succeeded in helping him a great deal. Visits with family and friends have brought them much comfort throughout this uneasy period. Sandy is particularly thankful for her Wells friends who have kept in touch, visited and raised her spirits every time she has communicated with them. On the brighter side Lalit has a very good attitude and actually likes the assisted living facility…which is a blessing! Their grandchildren have grown up soo-o fast…all three will be in college this fall at ages 21, 20 and 18. She says it is hard to believe that the eldest is the same age as she was when she and Lalit got married. Their son and daughter are doing well; during the winter they all live in Florida now and they have been lucky enough to have quite a few reunions. News from Daisy Mathias: She says her family is all well (long may it last) and she continues to consult part-time as a pediatric speechlanguage pathologist (averaging six hours a week) to the local Shriners Hospital cleft palate team; and spends the rest of her free time writing (poetry, novels) and reading poetry on air at WMUAAmherst, streamed live at www. wmua.org. Daisy’s husband, Bob Nelson, has taken a break from his RN hospice job, and is pursuing a Reiki practice. They both enjoy

ClassNotes

Carolyn Sandford Scattergood’s

Daisy Mathias ’62 and family at a tour of the White House gardens in April 2015.

gardening in clement weather. Their daughter, Anne, has been a legislative aide to a member of Congress for nine years, but her current employer, Donna Edwards (D-Maryland) lost her bid for the Senate primary, so Anne will be out of a job come December, and is considering other options. A late bit of news was that Daisy drove up to Chester, Vermont recently to have lunch with Mary “Rosie” Harlow Segal. After a fall, Rosie’s left arm, post-surgery, is healing. Daisy reports that Rosie is looking forward to our 55th Reunion and plans to attend. I received notice of the passing of Barbara Lucas Regen who slipped on ice in late January and died a short time later. I am sure I speak for our class in sending Barb’s family our most heartfelt condolences. Debbie Cutler Riveros wrote

me back in February to tell me she had lunch with some Wells alumnae in Bonita Springs, FL. She sent me her new address in Saratoga and said that they had a good turnout for ’62. She stated that it was wonderful to see Judy McFarland Hanrahan, her senior roommate, whom she had not seen in 54 years! She also saw Carolyn Anderson, Pat Ondrick, Bonnie Getschel Sawyer and Mary Lou Johnson Malachowski and enjoyed their visit. But she said that unfortunately Mindy Stout Mast could not make it and Hope Creed Skilling had left Greenville. Yes, Debbie you have quite a group on that coast of Florida-enjoy the warm weather! We Northerners are jealous! She also stated that she was looking forward to A.L. Carlisle and Jane Brooks’ visit in March. I enjoyed very much talking to Margaret “Penny” Langeler Rogers

a couple of weeks ago at a miniWells luncheon. She had just taken her Dad to his 80th Williams Reunion!! Imagine!! He turned 100 (God bless him) in December 2015 and she says “still has curb appeal!” Penny continues with

her rental properties, traveling to Canada to their summer place and to San Diego to visit some charming little grandsons. “Life is good, as the shirt says.” Barbara “Bonnie” Getschel Sawyer

writes that life is pretty much the same and she is grateful for that. They still go to Vero Beach, FL. in the winter until mid-April and New London, NH in the summer into mid-October and Baltimore in between where they are lucky enough to have family. Their son and his wife are there with their two little girls and their daughter, Nancy, and her husband just moved into a house right around the bend from them! Nancy’s

news is that on May 9th she met her junior roommate, Sally Leary Murphy at Wells and had a grand tour of the campus followed by lunch at the Fargo; unfortunately the Inn was closed for lunch at that time. Carolyn had not been back to Aurora in 55 years!! And she had not seen Sally for at least 45 years (their memories are a little fuzzy on that). Their memories also failed them when they tried to find the exact room in Leach where they lived that year. They trudged up two flights of stairs in Main Building where Carolyn lived freshman and sophomore years but gave up finding the rooms when nothing looked familiar and most of the doors were closed. But they had a grand time catching up!...Carolyn states that she still lives in Gilford, NH on the island in Lake Winnipesaukee where she grew up. Her health is good and her days are full. She misses Tony, who died almost six years ago, but her family is nearby and friends abound, so life is good! She also sees Liz Bigelow Weber at least twice a year for lunch—generally in New London or Concord, NH. She says if anyone would like to join them sometime please e-mail her or Liz and they will arrange it. Eleanor “Coco” Annable Siewert

says they are well and busy with visits around the country, with

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JANUARY 15, 2017 daughter, Gray, will be nine soon and little Bruce is three. Bonnie and Bruce’s daughter, Betsy, is completely blind now and has a great guiding eye dog and lives with her husband in Chapel Hill. Bonnie seems to be pretty busy trying to manage three places but so far so good. They try to travel a bit and hope to go to Croatia in September. A small little group of Wells pals came to New Hampshire last September and this year Bonnie and Bruce are going to Aurora June 1st and 2nd for a stay at the Aurora Inn. They plan to see Fred and Marion “Cricket” Cunningham Twichell ’61, who live in California so they have a hard time getting together. It will be Cricket’s 55th!! And she introduced Bonnie to Bruce way back when. Bonnie wishes all the best to everyone.

eight grandchildren, including a summer vacation at Yosemite and a holiday gathering in Kissimmee. Coco and Robert enjoyed a river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest and they individually and jointly have lots of community/church involvement. Robert has fun as a docent at the Detroit Zoo and displays his photography in juried art shows. He travels with Coco around the state and nationally as she serves parliamentary procedure/dispute resolution clients. Hope Creed Skilling has recently

moved from Ohio to Asheville, NC. I have her e-mail and phone numbers if anyone wants them. Hope is in a new community 10 minutes from downtown Ashville. She says if there are any other “Wellsies” in Western North or South Carolina she would love to be in touch.

I am also sorry to report that Judy Billington Stallkamp’s husband, Jim, died in March 2015, three years after being diagnosed with liver cancer. Our deepest condolences to Judy. In June 2015, Judy moved to Stonegate, a retirement community in Greenville, Delaware. Cynthia Wickes Vail has, for the

past two years, been working on what she calls an ’interpretive memoir’. Now in its second rewrite, the manuscript (working title Devils Dancing Inside) deals with the impact of her chaotic childhood on her behavior as an adult. Much of the story involves conversations with a therapist who provides insight by referencing the psychological literature. Suky is now embarking on finding a suitable publisher. Okay it is now my turn—well, this past year of 2016 has had many difficult times. In late January my husband, David, had a stroke. I was so fortunate to be in his presence when it started and being a nurse I recognized the symptoms right away – I called 911 and he was taken to the local emergency room where he was given a drug called TPA. This drug miraculously took away all the stroke deficits. He then spent 3 days in the Intensive Care Unit and ended up having a pacemaker put in for bradycardia. The cardiologist and neurologist feel that the stroke was caused by undiagnosed atrial fibrillation; the end result is that he is on a permanent anticoagulant. So please, classmates, heed the stroke warning signs: F.A.S.T. which means Face drooping, Arm weakness, and Speech difficulty. If you notice any of these, call 911. It is imperative to get help immediately as this drug I mentioned has to be given within the first three hours! Now the dilemma for David is to balance the Coumadin level with his diet. In addition, I also have a problem, less severe, but still painful-arthritis in my left knee, which the orthopedist says will need a replacement but not right away. Enough of our health− our sons are well−Scott still travels internationally for Bayer, A.G., Stephen’s wife has been working for The White House for the last year (which allowed us to see the Christmas 2015 decorations−beautiful!), and Dr. Rick’s 4-year-old daughter, Piper, is in a Hollywood movie called Mudbound which is to be released in 2017. David and I continue to spend two months in the spring and fall at our 100 year old plus house, in Illinois, and spend a considerable amount of time as leaders in our local church. About two weeks ago we had the mini-reunion in Newburyport, MA. It was great to see Sandy Kolyer Masih, Linda Kendrick Levenson, Penny Langeler Rogers, A.L. Wagner Wells.edu 25

ClassNotes

Carlisle, Wendy Todd Bistrup, Kirsten Olsen Prigge, Jane Jowett Brooks, Daisy Mathias, Carolyn Sandford Scattergood and Frances Murray McArthur. We all had fun chatting and eating! In conclusion, I want to say that I have enjoyed my five-year stint. It was very pleasant to reconnect with so many people and hope we can all get together next June 2017 for our 55th Reunion!!

—Blessings, Sandy

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS WCA AWARD THE ALUMNI AWARD COMMITTEE IS ACTIVELY SEEKING NOMINATIONS FOR THE WELLS COLLEGE ASSOCIATION AWARD. THE AWARD HONORS WELLS ALUMS OF HIGH ACHIEVEMENT IN PROFESSIONS AND CAREERS, IN VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY WORK, IN SERVICE TO THEIR ALMA MATER, OR IN SOME COMBINATION OF THESE ENDEAVORS. NOMINATION FORMS CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM WWW.WELLS.EDU ON THE ASSOCIATION PAGE. WCA AWARD COMMITTEE CHAIR VIRGINIA MEEKER MUNKELWITZ ’67 MUNKELWITZ@ALUM.MIT.EDU

Susan Biele Alitto 5200 South Kimbark Avenue Chicago, IL 60615-4010 salitto@gmail.com Sally Maclay Dayton 4 Hazel Glen Lane Savannah, GA 31411-1629 sallyjoy@aol.com

But through her exploration of, these threads of time are now at hand.

TAA President Kerrin Buss commissioned a poem to honor Louise Mackie on her retirement from the Cleveland Museum of Art Textile Art Alliance and presented it to her at the June TAA Board meeting. The poem was written by Sandy Johnson.

Her “Symbols of Power” to help us know of other symbols past,

The Fabric of Her Life

Displayed with love and efforts great, she’s always been so kind.

Written by Sandy Johnson for Louise Mackie BOLTS of cloth from other worlds, are resting in the shop, The greens, the blues, the reddish hues, our eyes can hardly stop. They drape the walls and floors and frames, with luscious mystery Now made clear from days gone by, this ancient mystery. This path that started long ago was charted on a steady course, From Wells and on to distant lands, to views up in the Poconos. A glass of wine, on summer nights, while gazing at the stars, With friends to celebrate the time of lands so near and far. From Canada to Cleveland’s shore, she traveled to begin A path that would explore a time, a call from deep within. At last light shines between the leaves and branches of the trees, Reflections of the jewels of life, her woven history. A glimpse of kings and royalty for us to feast upon, And learn of Silk’s Road’s wellworn path, to future and beyond. So hard for us to understand another time, another land,

26 December 2016

These strands of time have come to life, these riches now will last. With dignity, her life-long dream, has soared upon the mind,

And like a magic carpet ride that flies above the clouds, A job well done will carry on, like everlasting sun. So let us not forget her works, created for us all, And toast a glass of wine to her, and those fabrics on the wall.

Edie Wilcock Patrick 114 W. Fairview Ave Apt 418 Johnson City, TN 37604 ediewpatrick@aol.com Susan Becker Tier 2838 Lakeridge Lane Westlake Village, CA 91361-3303 sbecktier1@mac.com

Sally Hitchcock Brady has had a

rough year. In November she had an open craniotomy to clamp off an aneurysm; her last follow-up tests in May indicated that she is fine. In February their younger daughter-in-law died; their son and 11-year-old granddaughter live near-by, which is a blessing. Judith “Wendy” Carty sent

me a card in December 2014; she and her brother had been on a family history search through Revolutionary War sites in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania; she also went on a similar search in Charleston with some first cousins. She is healthy and happy and still in Toronto (since 1969) and welcomes visitors. Barbara Rumpel Cascio writes:

“In August I went on a Vantage River Cruise on the Rhone and

Saone in France. Loved the medieval stone villages, the French cuisine, the wine and the flowers. Very relaxing way to travel. Back home grandson, Connor, graduated in May from the University of Colorado with a degree in civil engineering and minor in philosophy. Mary Gleason Colton and her hus-

band have left New York State for a permanent home in Myrtle Beach, SC. In August Mary goes north for her 60th high school reunion. Janet Pernaa Coulombe writes:

“My older daughter, Anne, and her husband, both of whom work in heavy-duty IT, live near Boston. My younger daughter, Lisa, is winding up a posting in Dakar, where I enjoyed yet another visit in February. My older grandson is at UBC in Vancouver. The younger one will enter university in France in September. Lisa moves to a Canadian Embassy posting in Kiev in August. In the meantime, I’m so pleased they will all have spent a few days under my roof by mid-summer—same roof in Quebec. I’ve been widowed for five years. Too much stuff, and too lazy, to downsize. Quebec is home. J’y suis. J’y reste.” Cathy Cox says her life is the same

as usual: she swims, plays bridge, takes lifelong learning classes, belongs to a book club, takes cooking lessons, and goes to the theater and the ballet. She went to Italy with her cooking teacher— went truffle hunting with dogs. A Michelin one-star chef taught the cooking lessons—including stretching pasta out to thirty feet. “So now you know that cooking lessons are really entertainment for me…” She also took a 96-passenger boat trip from Southampton to Edinburgh. She meets M. J. Mather Snyder and Ann “Betsy” Truex Steele for lunch. Paula Olewiler Gelbach continues

to live independently on the campus of the continuing care retirement community of the Lutheran Home at Topton, PA. She really enjoys the people and takes part

in as many activities as she can. She has balance problems and occasional recurrences of MRSA but otherwise is fine. A highlight of the last year were visits from Wells roommate Jean Marie Hayes Rock. Betty “B. J.” Greener Henry left

New Jersey last year, headed straight for Chesapeake, VA, for the high school graduation (with honors) of her granddaughter, Michele Moore. Michele has now finished her first year at James Madison University. Her brother, Matthew Henry Moore, is to be married on December 10. Claire is a proud mom. In August B. J. will have been a resident of Londonderry, a co-op retirement community of 155 in Easton, MD, for a year. She’s learning to play Mahjong. Her cottage has a full view of the Tred Avon River. She could write advertising for the place! “Life is good.” She hopes to attend another Road Scholar program soon. Anne MacMillan Holst says that her

granddaughter Chloe Marcus will enter Wells this fall as a member of the class of 2020. Annie still enjoys retirement: walking on the beach with her dog, gardening, singing in a choir, reading, and volunteer work. “I am blessed to have both of my daughters, a son-in-law, granddaughter, Chloe, and grandson, Ian, all within twenty minutes of my home.” Priscilla Keith Kirby and Bill are

moving to a condo in less than a year. They are delighted to have gained a daughter-in-law in July, when Heather and her partner got married. Bill and Chillah both volunteer a lot. Seven-year-old grandson, Paul, plays soccer, and 12-year-old Laura dances. Chillah still takes watercolor classes, and her very first “very small” show is coming up. Polly Pollock Leaf and Andy vis-

ited England and Scotland last September for the wedding of the daughter of a family friend in London. At home they spend many long weekends on the road for games, concerts, and theater productions that involve their grandchildren. Polly and Gail Zabriskie Wilson met at the Met for exhibits, especially the Fashion Institute exhibits. Polly broke her vow never to join Facebook and now enjoys keeping track of some Wells classmates there. She’s trying to get used to the fact that her sons are old enough to have collegeaged children. Audrey Mishuris Lewak and Norm

are still in Berkley and in good health and exercising regularly. “I credit Pilates for helping me overcome my hip fracture 2 1/2 years ago.” They are in the same house they bought in 1967 and have no

ClassNotes

plans to move. She’s allowed her hair to be its natural silver white. They enjoy caring for their granddaughter, now seven, on a weekly basis. They volunteer for an annual white elephant sale to benefit the Oakland Museum of California. As a result, Audrey has become a modest collector of California art. She still keeps track of the stock market. They plan a trip east this summer to visit Marney Krengel Van Raalte and Audrey’s sister on Cape Cod. I’ve lived in a small retirement establishment, once the city’s hospital, for about a year and still love it. I’ve kept up with the physical therapy exercises I was assigned for my balance issues because my arthritic knees no longer hurt. I went back to Wells this June with a couple of first cousins to help their sibling, Rosaly Swann Bass, ’58, celebrate her receiving the WCA Award for 2016. Roey’s sons were there, too, so it was a mini family reunion. We then returned to Massachusetts, where I visited friends before going to my high school reunion and driving home to Tennessee. I have another trip planned to New Zealand to visit my three granddaughters and their parents during their summer vacation and the Christmas holidays.

—Edie Thanks to you responders. The phone rang. I answered. I listened. Marion Elizabeth “Betsy” Morey,

at warp speed, related news of her successful knee replacement, that lets her bolt up the stairs to her fifth floor apartment, writes and publishes the newsletter for her Carnegie Hill Neighborhood, and maintains a hectic schedule of travel, which includes several visits with Cindy Beste Marechal and family. Katherine “Kitten” Neff Nickoley

and Keith, settled in Sanibel, will move their northern base closer to the girls. She and Judith Blake Schumacher get together when Judy winters near them, and she gets more Wells contact from the Spring Wells luncheon in Naples. A photo she sent me proves how kindly the years have treated her. Still gorgeous!!! Camilla “Cam” Roeder Nielsen

travels: Mexico, Cuba, and three weeks in Sri Lanka in August. She’s retired from the family business, but not from her other activities: board of Habitat for Humanity (back problems prohibit construction crews), and volunteers at the Peninsula School of Art. She enjoys bridge, a gourmet lunch group, and local garden club. Janet Klein Patlow has lost track

of how many times she’s taken a world cruise, the three-month

ALMA MATER Fair Wells, with loyal hearts we will forever sing, And to the name we love our joyous tribute bring; And Wells, dear Wells, we shout in singing, To thee our song we raise, Thee would we ever praise, Our Alma Mater, Dear Alma Mater! To thee our song we raise, Thee would we ever praise, Our Alma Mater, Beloved Wells! variety. She’s unsure about this coming year so is thinking out of the box. Escape from the Rochester winter is still the motivator. (I relate; I tremble at the thought of a brutal NY winter.) Jan wrote on a sample of her Christmas card, a lovely haunting rendition of a barn (her favorite subject), that I will certainly save and savor. Jean Marie Hayes Rock has been

in her car a lot of the year, driving to visit and participate in family events; then they return the favor and come visit her in Florida. A highlight was a visit from her sister. She had a two-day visit with Paula Olewiler Gelbach, who is in poor health, doesn’t drive, and is somewhat confined to a nursing home. Jean unconfined her on her visit and the two of them dined out and around. Here’s her report on herself: “I’m doing O.K. for my age, and get out on a daily basis. I plan to keep going places until the time comes that driving will be a problem, but they are developing cars that will not need to be driven…” You go girl!!! Barb Bravo Smith, snug is

Sunnyvale, says everyone is healthy “and that is enough good fortune for anyone.” Two grandsons, both U of C physics graduates, are equally snug in the high tech world. The youngest boy is still in high school. Last year saw a return visit to Italy and some rewarding experiences in Fiesoli, a town near Florence (actually overlooking Florence) that we love. The other Barb Smith, nee Holtz, is busy creating bead jewelry, and loves wearing her own creations, but considers earrings her specialty, and rightfully so; she sent a picture of herself wearing two different models and they are truly special, uniquely beautiful. She does shows, custom orders, displays in other venues, under the name Barb’s Baubles. Barb has a nice little business going. Good for her! Mary Jane “M.J.” Mather Snyder

and David are in traveling mode,

London this past spring and a planned river cruise in France come October. They’re building up their strength, working with a personal trainer each week. M.J. calls it maintenance but David delights in it. Virginia “Viki” Graf Turner took her

daughter, Katie, Katie’s daughter, Taylor, and V’s youngest daughter, Carolyn, on a June cruise. Quality girl time. The family is thrilled that Carolyn was able to move to a group home an hour away from Lancaster. It makes things easier, a boon at this stage of life. Viki also had a European trip she squeezed in, with her brother and his wife. She sent a photo taken in Florence, of four women; Viki looks just the same and so does Lil−I have no explanation. Marcia Specht takes courses

at C.W.Post, volunteers at her church’s food pantry, and got to see James Levine’s final performance at the Met Opera, which had to be stirring and bittersweet. She’s a regular at the Y’s water aerobics sessions. Health issues kept her “close to home” in the recent past, but she’s better now and fall will see her resume her travels. Marcia wins the “Best Aunt” award, having been closely involved with all her siblings’ kids and then the grandkids from infancy. Now it’s time for graduations, proms, and college applications. “I am so lucky to have most of my family close by!” Marilyn “Marney” Krengel Van Raalte had a Chicago fling with

roomie Audrey Mishuris Lewak and Norman. She’s scheduled to return the favor when the Lewaks come east. Those old roomies have really stuck together. I cannot begin to tell you about Marney’s exploits all over the globe. Ever since one of her daughters relocated to Hong Kong, the woman has explored everything from here to there, on a regular basis. Daughter Rachel has provided Marney with two great granddaughters, a three-year-old and a 19-month old. Tennis is still a major pastime,

squeezed in with her reading, knitting, major volunteering, and being part of the team teaching English to a 34-year-old Syrian widow with five children. Marney takes care of the field trips to familiarize her with American life. I was breathless reading her description and now I’m breathless writing about it. Marta Samuels Weiner is sticking

with both water aerobics and yoga (“albeit protesting all the way”). Bridge, piano and complicated crossword puzzles fill much of her day. Her two married sons, wives and children are all in Ithaca, lucky woman, and Marta manages occasional visits to the Boston area to see her daughter Karen and family. A Panama jaunt with sister, Ruthie Samuels Drucker ’61 was a treat. Unsurprisingly, Faith Ryan Whittlesey is revving up to expand her role in the presidential campaign, so she plans to increase her time in D.C. She’s been busy of late with graduations, etc.; you can just imagine what it’s like with 10 grandchildren, seven boys/three girls, ranging from the early 20s to 9. They garner many honors that make her proud. Faith continues her work for the American Swiss Foundation. “I am thankful to be alive and active, having survived Stage 4 cancer for 20 years, as well as heart problems.” Gail Zabriskie Wilson and Peter

play tennis thrice weekly, among other healthy exertions, in winter and “I dump myself into the lake and a kayak and Sunfish and ride a cart around the golf course, in Maine in the summer.” The Wilsons keep on the move visiting their children, Pasadena for Aubin, Telluride for Anne, closer to home for Peter in New Canaan, and Sara, also in Connecticut. They have a really big family and everybody wants a piece of them. They are on the list to move to a lifecare place in Naples, FL within the next 1-2 years, “somewhat reluctantly but wisely, we think.” We’ve stuck close to home, dealing with the here and now. Stefanie is doing fine, but the news of her condition really rocked our boat, especially since I am the designated worrier in the family. And what a job I do! Richard and I have all the standard aches and pains but try to ignore them. There’s much to do for the upcoming election! Our class has endured our share of losses this year, starting with Polacheck and Beth. So what’s the balm to ease the pain of losses: Just keep going!!

—Love, Becker

Wells.edu 27

ClassNotes

the Fourth. They then visited their son on the Cape and went on to Nantucket. In the winter they are in Florida in Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island. She is still painting, playing sports and spending time with “pals.”

The Minnesota Fete in August was held at the home of Jennifer Johnson Friends ’80. Each year the Minnesota Club raises money to support their scholarship funds and donate supplies to create welcome baskets for first-year students from the mid-West.

59 58

Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu Cynthia Ferguson Campbell 920 Revere Drive Hillside, NJ 07205-2914 Campbells6@aol.com M’Liz Campbell Parkhurst 681 Fairfax Way Williamsburg, VA 23185-8204 mlizndick@verizon.net Patricia Smith Waterbury 26 Mount Street Bay Head, NJ 08742-5359 h2obury@worldnet.att.net

Heard from Anne Horton Ladau that she sees a lot of Judy Korman and Teddy Stevenson Cameron and in September will get together with Penny Betts Colby, Janet Brown Tucker, Mary Ellen Hauck and Daphne Stillman Holmquist. Nancy Gates Gerber has moved to Pennsylvania for a while so won’t be able to join them. She hopes we will all come to our next Reunion. Mary Jane Janke Krieger says all

is well in Michigan. She still is chairman of the condo board and does booking for a local tutor and does gardening and seeing for her neiva. As for children, Gretchen is in Naperville, IL along with her daughter, Sarah, who is getting her RN next year. Amdrea (class granddaughter), husband and two boys have moved to Roaton in western Caribbean. Pieter is home with Meej. He has FSH muscular dystrophy but works a 50 hour week as a senior loan officer at Michigan’s largest bank and only uses a cane in snow and ice. She is trying not to dwell too much on turning 80 in a few months. Aren’t we all! Lynn Cowell Headrick reports that

she and Roger are still healthy and active. They spend summer 28 December 2016

months in Montanna and winters in California and St. Thomas with a bit of Florida thrown in. Well done Lynn! Golf is the main sports activity. Lynn and Roger still enjoy travel. Last Christmas they took their immediate family of 22 ( four children and spouses, and 12 grandchildren) on safari in Kenya and Tanzania. After that she and Roger went to Chili and then Buenos Aires. This fall they are off to Morocco. They now have four grandchildren who have graduated from college. One grandchild is currently a sophomore at William and Mary, four others will be college sophomores next year - two are at Colgate, one at Hobart and one at Pepperdine. The rest are in elementary/high school. WOW! Sad news from Dorothy Elferink Maples. Elfie’s dear husband passed away recently. She is having to figure out a lot of things on her own these days. She made a trip out west to visit her son and family and stayed for a bit. Ellie, we send you our sympathy. Francie Ludwick Marks wrote,

“Over the past 58 years, our twotiered family (the first incarnation of over 21 years and the second of over 32 years) has grown in size, age, location, and life’s work: eight children, six boys, two girls, seven married, one not; 10 grandchildren, one deceased, ages12 to 35; and two great-granddaughters under five. Children’s professions, descending ages from 65 to 46, are Lieutenant Commander (ret.), U.S. Military (ret.), respiratory specialist, company president, property manager, university professor, senior biochemical research scientist, and home management expert. States of residence include Hawaii, Washington, Missouri, Florida, Massachusetts and New York. The Rochester homestead of 53 years (four years short of a century old)

as of spring 2016 now includes Robert’s studio, which in turn spreads into four discrete areas: our “lower level (all media in winter),” 1974 living room (summer drawing), and garage/tent annex (summer painting and sculpture). Two cars gone, one newly acquired. And we are still both fully employed/involved: one practicing artist in three media and one manager of documentation and public relations. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.” As for me, we have just had a wonderful celebration for my 80th birthday. I took my whole family to Basin Harbor Club in Vermont over July 4th weekend. My sister, brother-on-law and their children and grandchildren also came. They live in Burlington, VT. There were 30 of us all together and it couldn’t have been more fun. Now I also have my Christmas card picture. Cannot believe we are all reaching that ripe old age, but I guess time flies since arriving in Aurora all those years ago. My best to you all.

—Cynthia As always I would love to hear from more of you but those with email were the ones who responded in time for me to write—which was at the last possible minute. Many thanks to you all. Carol Stoodley Richards is still 79

as of this writing. How many does that leave? She is still married to Bill after 58 years and still lives in Florida. They have three sons, seven grandchildren and two greatgrands. They spend their summers in Pennsylvania and are both happy to be in fairly good health. Gina Rankin Riddiford wrote from

her wonderful summer home in South Bristol, ME where her daughter and family visited over

Sadly, Mary Karros Radnik lost her “best friend,” Bob, in early 2015 and is just getting herself back into the swing of things. She had a wonderful Road Scholar trip to the Balkans with her sister where they went to Montenegro and Slovenia. Their hotel in Belgrade was just around the corner from a park that was housing a lot of refugees. Her comment, “Such a diverse and vulnerable part of Eastern Europe.” She returned to her beloved Tortola after 8 months away. She has many friends there but was returning to Virginia for graduations of relatives and then to Cooperstown for her nephew’s baseball debut. She was headed for a huge sibling gathering at a Masonic Home Camp Reunion Labor Day Weekend in the Adirondacks. She did mention a huge surprise 80th birthday celebration at Devils Backbone, VA. She is glad the Esophagus door is blue and green. Shirley Schou Bacot Shamel and Charlie do a cruise each year and then travel between homes in New Jersey, Georgia and Lake Champlain, NY. She has two daughters and her grandson is headed to Northwestern this fall. Charlie’s grandsons and parents visited from Switzerland. Shirley is still on the board at Wells and tries to get there often. She feels very lucky to have Jonathan Gibraltar as President. She also serves on the board of a professional theater in Westport, NY as well as the board of the NY Philharmonic. Ann Morgan Slonaker’s youngest

child is getting married in October for the first time at age 40. Ann is very happy in a retirement home outside Pittsburgh where there is so much to do that it is hard to fit it all in. She goes to Sanibel, FL each year with her sister, Virginia Morgan Stahlsmith ’63 for three months and to their Chautauque, NY cottage for July and August. She is fine even if her knees tell her otherwise now and then. Suzanne Kline Collins, Nancy Gates Gerber and Mary Ellen Houck joined Roberta Monaghan Smith and attended their 3rd an-

nual (mini-reunion) Shakespeare weekend in Quakertown, PA in July. She has a granddaughter who will do graduate work at Berkeley, CA and a grandson who is working on his Ph.D. in Oxford. Two other grandsons are also doing big academic things and one will be at Washington State. She is president of the docent board at the Delaware Art Museum and chair

ClassNotes

of trustees for the Wilmington branch of the AAUW. “Bertie” and Nancy will do a week of theater in London in October. Janet Brown Tucker had a major

birthday celebration (like many of us) at Kay Gray’s house in Maine with John and Becky Hatch Glezen in attendance. Otherwise, everything in “status quo.” I was so thrilled to hear from Nancy Morrell Wilkinson for the first time in many years. Sadly, she had a stroke in 2014 and after months of therapy and much hard work she was able to go back to Cashiers, NC, sell their house and move to a retirement home in Dallas near her children. She referred to where she lives as a 5 star hotel with meals!!! Only in Dallas. We have enjoyed the fact that we both have sons who graduated a few years apart from Washington and Lee but she has a grandson who just graduated Magna Cum Laude from there and she went back for the graduation. Her son, Dwight, is now on the board of W & L and plans to move back to Lexington in the future. A beautiful place! Dick and I went to our granddaughter’s graduation from Wake Forest University where she also graduated Magna Cum Laude. I have told everyone that she got that from me and if you believe that you are crazy. Nancy’s grandson may have gotten it from her! That was really a marvelous experience. I have nine to go and one will be next year from UNC and the next a year after from UVA. Don’t know how many more I will be around for but hopefully some. The youngest of all of them is 11. We have seven granddaughters and only three grandsons. Love them all. Dick and I are both still playing tennis and doing all the other things we are involved in and hope to continue that way. We spend the summers in Bay Head where I have been going since I was about three. This year we have rented the house for two weeks. We will see how that goes. We would have liked four weeks but rentals are down. It took a lot of daily work to prepare for that since no one has thrown anything out since 1956. As you know, Cynthia and I share the house and together we have 21 grandchildren. A few years ago we put all of them together at that house. Special place for all those cousins. There isn’t much more to tell other than we are still well and happy to be here in Kingsmill in Williamsburg, VA. It is sort of mid-way for all three children and they all love to come here. So happy to have heard from you. It seems that those with email are the ones who respond so the rest of you might want to send

email addresses to Wells to make responding to news requests easier.

—M’Liz Seven responses this year, the same number as last year. When I sent out my letter, I said I remembered playing bridge 24/7 in the “smokers” around the campus. I asked for other old memories. Nancy Barten Chagnot (Little

Abbott) responded first and said she was reminded of Wells’ Bridge last winter when it began to rain on the golf course. The players returned to the clubhouse and had three for Bridge so they wandered around saying “fourth for Bridge” and it reminded her of Wells. She said her Bridge keeps her busier than her golf these days. My second responder was my other roommate, Browna, Nancy Brown Armstrong. She said same as last year−Florida, home, Beaver Island. Her memory was of a time she went to Janet’s in Utica and Mrs. Brown gave them some fishnets and told them to go out back and catch some tadpoles. They did! To this day she has shown her grandkids about nature outside or in, in water, sky or grassy fields. Ann Snyder Allport reported life is

the same. Winters in Florida next door to her daughter and family, summers is the 150 year old house and barn in New York. Her memories were of winning the faculty/senior Bridge tourney with Sally Benton Dell. Sally got a super hand, bid it well and played well. The rest she asked not to print— but why tell me? She and her roommate were sitting in a room freshman year, next to M’Liz and Cynthia’s room, and the smoking girls were teaching them how to smoke! She still remembers those awful Viceroy cigarettes. Smoking didn’t last for her or me. She also remembers M’liz’s Care packages from home with chocolate cookies that she shared. Susie Hough Doyle wrote on her

way back from St. Petersburg, FL to Tacoma, WA. “Can’t believe we’re hitting the big 80 with some limitations.” Still gardening, bridging and acting and lots of being with kids and grandkids. Three colleges grads and Jim awaiting a knee replacement. He’s lucky, my husband was told no more new knees. Agnes “Teddy” Stevenson Cameron

reports that she has lunch with Judy Korman and Anne Horton Landau every four to six weeks. She and Anne drove to Stewart’s (Nancy Gates Gerber) mom’s memorial service. Said Stew looks great. They sat with Berti and Sue. She remembers the 24/7 Bridge games and freshman phone duty— not as fondly as the Bridge games. “Looking forward to our 60th.”

Kay Ganzauge Gray is in Five

in the last few years, from New York City to Connecticut, back to my home town of Palmerton, PA, and now to Cornwall Manor in Pennsylvania, in lovely Amish country. I had to give up driving and can walk only with the assistance of a walker —primarily caused by arthritis. But this is a large place, funded largely by the Methodist church, with lots to keep busy or not, as you wish. Would love to hear from any alums who can visit—lunch or dinner on me and some catch-up time.”

Last just in, but not least! Two pages from Ann Bentley Beltz. Lots of medical stuff that we and our husbands all seem to have these days. Had a trip to Wake Forest for a grandson’s Magna Cum Laude graduation. “We did this two years but did not go this year for our Abigail’s physician’s assistant degree. Abigail will be working in Winston Salem Hospital in a Trauma unit.” Ann is enjoying Charleston. Teaching adult Sunday School, jail ministry, Bridge and singing in the local groups. She loves the many cultural and historic offerings of the city.

Dillu Ashby moved to a lovely re-

Island, Maine this summer. Kay often spends the night with Janet Tucker in her “lovely, spacious new apartment in Exeter”. Janet comes up to Maine to visit and sometime they overlap with Becky and John Glezen. Kay is still involved in the art scene in New Paltz, NY and Maine. Her memory is looking out the window of GP and seeing Gina Williams Merwin and Anne Crone Williams with a cow they had bought. Doesn’t remember the details. Does anyone?

As for me, we are still in Bay Head in the summer and Vero Beach from Halloween to Memorial Day. I play some semi-serious Duplicate Bridge in both places and not so serious tennis 4 days a week. The 5th day my Bichon and I do dog therapy at a nursing home. We love it but he is almost 14 and the patients laugh at how he is almost as slow as they are. Kids and their families here all summer so it is great fun.

—Patricia

Ellin Messolonghites Johnson 4280 SW 78th Avenue Portland, OR 97225-2309 eemjohnson@comcast.net

As always, an inundation of replies informed us that the more things change, the more they stay the same, at least according to the more than 50% of the class who replied, including many phone calls. Since our last news in 2014, the following classmates have died: Barbara Gabis Hagerman, Barbara Williams Joy, and Nancy Butterfield Bunting. Gail Van Winkle spoke with Maury Hagerman after Barbara’s death and reported a tender story. Barbara had received a balloon at her 80th birthday, which Maury still had in his car as he planned her service a few weeks later. Returning to the car, the balloon was gone. Two days later, the balloon appeared at the Hagerman house, a full six miles from where it was originally considered lost. Katherine “Trina” Anderson Ely

wrote: “I moved several times

tirement home slightly north of Pasadena and she loves it. “My new address is 2212 El Molino Ave. M411, Altadena, Calif. 91001; 626-765-6945. I have a wonderful apartment so come and visit— I would love to see the Wells crowd.” From their summer home on the Cape, Gail Benedict Van Winkle continues year-round contact with Wells friends and many children and grandchildren’s visits. Though one granddaughter looked at Wells, St. Michaels offered a can’tpass-up field hockey scholarship— alas, poor Wells, we lament the failed matriculation of an alumna granddaughter. Gail’s contacts in the winter include Anne Larson; when in Delaware, Karen “Kitch” Young Sproat and me, too, by phone. In Florida, Gail and Alan have been renting in Boca Grande, where she regaled me that German subs during WW2 unsuccessfully tried to navigate the Boca Grande Pass (full disclosure: no Wiki research here). One of the Van Winkles’ properties just underwent a massive revamping. We loved seeing Helen Bernheim Lehrman in New York in January (same gorgeous complexion too). Their whole family will celebrate her son’s 50th in Bermuda, a spot frequented during his youth but not since he was 18. As we all read in the exquisite Wells Spring-Winter Express, Betsy Boveroux has been appointed as a new honorary trustee of Wells. The short bio of our nowClass President highlighted Betsy’s work over the years as a member of the board of the Boston Conservatory, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Walk Boston and the Women’s Education and Industrial Union. Other Bostonarea board affiliations were named, culminating in membership in an organization to further social justice for young women. (This directly quotes Wells.) Further, Betsy has served the college as a Reunion fund chair and she’s a member of the President’s Circle Committee and the Nucleus Fund Committee. A retired VP from Eaton Vance Management, Betsy Wells.edu 29

ClassNotes

PLANNED GIVING Planned giving at Wells College is one of the greatest ways for you to realize your dreams while helping students attain theirs. To learn more about making a meaningful gift that lasts, visit wells.edu/plannedgiving

Lindsay Hahnes Director of Leadership and Planned Giving 315.364.3414 lhahnes@wells.edu

now has time to wander the country and maybe the globe: she took the train to New York in January for our lunch in Rockefeller Center. In her own words, “I am still having a good time in Boston. Go to lots of concerts and theater, try to walk a couple of miles a day, stretching exercises every morning. So I’m holding up but it isn’t getting easier. Very much looking forward to Reunion next year! Hope to see many of you there.” Mary Ann Colwell Nitchie: “Wow...

what has happened in the last two years? A pulmonary embolism, not fatal, thank goodness. Many trips on Gilligan, which sails on without much supervision. My “dolls,” mixed media miniature sculpted people, are currently being exhibited in downtown Vancouver... no, not BC, WA. We are proud of our grandkids, park ranger Marjie, lately of the Peace Corps, and artist Cal, recently awarded a Regional Emmy for art direction in Chicago. I suppose you could say it’s not very important, but we are alive, relatively healthy and happy after what…59 1/2 years. Skip is still the happy fella’ he always was…bless him.” Suzanne Crelly Nash has been

living a quiet life in Princeton, teaching ESL, supporting local environmental initiatives, writing a bit, reading a lot. Some highlights since 2014: meeting the impressive new President of Wells, seeing the Clark collection in Williamstown and the Yale art museum, visiting Elaine Egee Pratt and Peter in their beautiful new house in Connecticut, and catching up with Mary Lou Lehmann Peterson and Marilynn Ray at the 60th reunion of the Sweet Briar Junior Year in Paris (1955-56) in New York City. (Mar Ray was also at the NYC luncheon.) Portland bade adieu in June to Nancy Dye Robinson, 20 years in the Northwest, moving to Channing House, in downtown Palo Alto. She and Fletcher and I enjoyed a “You Can Go Home Again” (non- restaurant) farewell-cum-celebratory dinner the night that Secretary Clinton won the California primary. Nancy and I had many interesting 30 December 2016

years together in Portland and of course many celebratory birthday lunches too. Nancy was especially thoughtful after Spence’s death (shortly followed by Ned’s suicide), and she provided entertainment and wonderful companionship during that harrowing time— kindnesses never to be forgotten. Thanks and see you on Webster St., Nancy! (Update: Nancy has arrived in Palo Alto, to “dropdead, gorgeous weather”and loves her new quarters, complete with elegant window views). Sue Goodrich Motycka is down-

sizing. In October she and Dave will move into a brand new townhouse and her son, David’s, family will take over the old homestead. (That will really confuse the Post Office.) Aside from packing, she serves as education chairman for the Historical Society of Glastonbury. In addition to giving tours and talks, she writes history columns for the local newspaper. She and Dave sing in the church choir and volunteer with several state and local organizations. In April they enjoyed their annual get together with Suvia Thayer Siekman and Tom and Joy LaRoche Brass. Sue looks forward to a relaxing summer at their Groton Long Point, CT home and has already signed up for the bi-weekly tennis clinics. Never too old to improve the game, she wrote. Val Hansen Cross and Dick are

still spending summers on Lake Winnipesaukee in NH, though they love the CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community) they live in New Jersey. They see Nancy Barton Barclay ’56 and Sara “Sally” Clark Brummer ’56 frequently as they are in the same community, Medford Leas. They now have an adorable great-grandson and three cute step-great-grandsons. We send our sympathies to Dorothy Harris Wilken, whose husband, Jim, died this year. She writes, “I am beginning to look forward to traveling again and will be taking a river cruise through Holland, Belgium, France, Germany, and Switzerland in October and next year will do the Mississippi Riverboat cruise with

my 15th grandchild, the last of the third generation offspring. I hope all are well enough to enjoy the life we have left and remembering each other in our prime, not having changed one bit since 1957. That’s how I remember and still think of you all.” Lauralee “Lolly” Hill Clayton and

Jim have moved to Camden, ME, renovating a pre-Civil War era house in the village. While in Florida, they went cruising in the Caribbean with youngest daughter, Carolee, and family. Lolly enjoys art, tennis, bocce, pickle ball, and good times with family. Exuberantly from Mary Kniffin Gillett: “I loved your letter, Ellin, and am answering it with all the news fit to print from Redondo Beach. Tom and I have done a lot of traveling. In January we took a new long ship from Viking around the Mediterranean. The ship was beautifully appointed and the ports exciting. Then in March I went to see my sister in Uruguay for two weeks and then met Tom in Rio for a cruise to the Amazon and surroundings. Recently we had a family celebration for Madison, my granddaughter, who graduated to middle school. I love getting together with my family for any reason. “LIFESTEPS” is a company my son formed 20 years ago and is very successful, but better still helps low-income people with jobs and better quality of life. Goggle it and you’ll be thrilled with the results that are achieved. Love to all and come visit Redondo Beach for local fun. Anne Koenig Larson is happy to

have sold her house in North Carolina and now resides year round in her adorable little house in Sarasota, FL. She is surrounded by all of her children and most of her grandchildren, who all are in the immediate area. She is busy with family, exercising to stay healthy and feels great. She keeps in touch with Roxanne West Powning, Mimi Brown, Gail Van Winkle and occasionally Kitch Sproat Young. Anne sends her best to all classmates. Jane Langfitt Lind and Jon are

happy in their new home. It was a tremendous move, after being in the same house for 46 years. They are now in a development of six new homes and know all the other owners. They still spend six months in Illinois and six months in Vero Beach, FL. They just returned from a wonderful trip to Sweden with their youngest child and her family of five. They spent time with Jon’s family near Stockholm. Now they are enjoying summer, still playing tennis and golf. They lost Jon’s sister, Geraldine Lind Gilbert ’50 in January.

Mary Lou Lehmann Peterson and

Don’s middle daughter, Sheila, age 54, died unexpectedly last year, after battling a long illness. She writes, “Our grief was softened by a wonderful memorial service, attended by about 150 relatives and friends. Sheila’s sisters spoke eloquently, her father sang, her former husband was MC and Don left them all laughing amidst the tears —Sheila would have loved it. On a brighter note, I had a great trip to southwest France (think Toulouse and Carcasonne) in October 2015, and discovered Cathar country and learned much about the 12th and 13th centuries wars of religion. The Cathars built great fortresses atop Pyrenees mountain ridges, the ruins of which you can still visit. Very educational and lots of fun! The high note so far this year was my 80th birthday celebration in April. Again, my great family showed up and we celebrated in Pacific Grove and Big Sur, where we lunched at Nepenthe, the restaurant where I had my first job (as a waitress) after graduation and traveling west (with Nancy Dye Robinson and Dillu Ashby). All is well with the Petersons, and you’re always welcome to visit here in Vineyard Valley, St. Helena, CA.” Suzanne Love Huml sent a won-

derful photo of herself at her 80th birthday, celebrated with a festive dinner, orchids, Debussy, surrounded by many friends. We had a great visit some years back when in the Chicago area. She has a thriving writing life, as befits one who edited our ’57 yearbook, with poetry and a memoir about Ithaca. Peter is well. Jan Lutton Olt has lived in down-

town Washington, DC, for two years now and is still in awe at the convenience of it all! With such everyday amenities as the U.S. Post Office, UPS, CVS right outside the door, the White House six blocks away, her Metro pass in hand, and her car garaged in her building, she is grateful for her freedom to come and go—and GO she does, back to South Africa in 2015, for her interest in the continuing effects of Apartheid, Road Scholar trips to NYC, Maine, San Diego, and exploring the East Coast, after so many years in the Midwest. Every now and then Ellin blows into town, and is such a breath of fresh air! (Ellin: Thanks for all your hospitality since your move, vastly enhancing DC visits). Ma Bell still works to play Classmate Catchup, which is how Sibyl McCormac Groff and I keep current. Sib is NYC Involvement Central—Jacob Riis House, with benefits and exhibits to participate in and always the Victorian Society. Last year the Society was in London, and this year their study tour takes her and

ClassNotes

them to Vienna. Afterward, Sib’s on to Budapest. No grass grows under the feet of the Spirited New Yorker, who glories in the city in all seasons, especially December, with her popular tours and enduring presence at Rockefeller Center. As mentioned, she spearheaded a small reunion for us in January (we missed Meryl Bunim Koopersmith and Janet Rabins Benesch, but mugged for Toni Riggio’s camera). Sibyl, the Queen of Rock (Center), even managed to keep the storied Christmas tree there alit longer than expected so that we could all revel in its sparkle. Still in progress is her Gotham Christmas book, percolating in her office far from the York and 88th apartment, a blockbuster opus even in draft form. And—yuge!— she very graciously made a contribution to Wells in my name as 48 years as class secretary, for which I was overwhelmed and immensely grateful. Many thanks, again, Sibyl: everyone needs a cheerleader like you. Betsy McConnell says she is basi-

cally doing the same activities as in the previous report—just doing them a bit more slowly. That includes tennis, skiing, cycling, some traveling, occasionally by bicycle, a short trip in the Cape May, NJ area. She’s looking forward to being a great-grandmother and knitting wildly to prepare for the occasion. She comments that she’s involved too much with the gardening arena of her HOA. Betsy and I have five-mile meanders, with a weather eye out for coyotes, when I visit Denver. Lois McGrath moved to Fort

Lauderdale, FL, last year to be with her sister and niece and nephew and family. Her sister, Ellen, lives in the same beautiful condo on the New River in the city. She has traveled twice to

New York, where she will doubtless join Sibyl’s famous restaurant lunches soon. Lois loves Florida and being with family. Lois herself hosted a number of celebratory restaurant lunches in San Francisco last September before leaving. The Wells one at the Magic Flute restaurant was gala beyond imagination: Nancy Dye Robinson and I flew from Portland for the day and the lunch (and a farewell to Lois’ stunning Gough Street condo); Dillu Ashby flew from LA; Gayle Roberts and Mary Lou Peterson motored in from Berkeley and St. Helena (Mary Lou meeting us at the plane and doing a lot of automobile heavy lifting all day). California Perfect weather for the day, with three of us feeling very jet-setty. Thanks, Lois, for a super treat. And Lois later this year wrote a bit of a paean to the California migrations in the post-Wells years. “For many years seven members of Wells College, ’57, lived in the San Francisco Bay Area. Nancy Dye Robinson (Palo Alto), Gayle Rich Roberts, Annetjen “Ava” Van Akin, Carolyn Brown Dundes (Berkeley) Mary Lou Lehmann Peterson (Mill Valley) and Dillu and I lived in San Francisco. The numbers changed over the years, and we continued to celebrate each other’s joys and to “circle the wagons” in times of sadness. We’ve been friends for 62 years and the bonds of friendship remain strong. I recently returned to San Francisco and, of course, Gayle hosted a luncheon for me. I smiled when I noticed that Gayle and Mary Lou were wearing Wells rings. As we grow older, let’s continue to celebrate each other’s joys, continue to “circle the wagons” and appreciate that, as we grow older, our eccentricities become more pronounced. Let’s celebrate them too.”

Judy Reid Fitz-Patrick, my first

Wells roommate, had a serious stroke in May. An active and athletic woman always, she was paralyzed on one side, spent nearly a month in rehab, and was expecting to move to assisted living. Jerry was simultaneously hospitalized in the Newport News, VA area with equally unsettling medical problems. Their daughter Kim arrived to care for them. Tender, loving thoughts to both Fitzpatricks, such a part of my own history during and since Wells. Gayle Rich Roberts remains busy

with the UC Botanical Garden and after more than 25 years has now been asked to join the Directors Advisory Board. She says, “We have a new director so he may be sorry as I have a long view of the garden and there is much to be done as we have become of age. As always, am busy with water aerobics, friends, and entertaining visitors and having an academic guest house in this university town for some 20 years also. Ellin was here recently so am in touch with much of the news of our class. I feel well and energetic for which I am most grateful.” My second Wells roommate, Katherine “Kitty” Sauerman

Albertson, and Tom with whom I had, yes, a celebratory restaurant lunch in January, had been preparing to retire on Block Island, Rhode Island. However, as no one wanted to buy their house in Somers, NY, (a direct quote!) the retirement date has been moved up a year. Kitty has a new job working twice a week for a lovely woman of like age, doing minor management organization (what does it mean? asks Kitty). They also spent a wonderful week on Sanibel Island, FL, with Jean Richardson McKeon and husband Maury. While not surfing, they

were able to walk the beach and enjoy delicious dinners. The unsinkable Miriam “Mimi” Speno Brown and I caught up by good old-fashioned phone in May. She is one determined woman: Mimi faced down pancreatic cancer with chemo treatments for six months, only to discover small lung spots that required radiation in May. But she falls easily into the “nothing daunted” category, though, resuming golf within three months of the first chemo and even a bit of tennis on those lovely courts in Naples, where, 16 years ago, she was the most gracious and welcoming presence when I moved to her city. She found me tennis friends to launch my shaky transplant experience, and, years later, she and Bob were equally welcoming when Fletcher and I visited. Mimi is generous with everyone: on Saturdays she makes faithful hospital visits to offer help and friendship on the wards. Sundays, she is a Lay Eucharistic Minister, taking communion to the same hospital group. She volunteers with golf groups to supplement her continuing activities on the links (doubtless to be adding more holes-in-one to earlier triumphs). She provided a sweet quotation to bring a sad and wry smile to all, I’d hope: “Too bad there aren’t visiting hours in Heaven!” Bravo, Mimi, for your noble fight. Sue Standfast Wright and her hus-

band, Ted, are still traveling. In 2015 they did an Indonesian cruise and an Elderhostel trip to Ethiopia. The other big event was a family reunion in the Adirondacks to celebrate Sue’s 80th birthday in July. In October, Sue spent a weekend with Georgia Cortright Weathers in Alexandria Bay. This year (2016) started with a riverboat trip on the upper Amazon in

In Memoriam Martha Worcester Lease ’28 Gertrude Murrell Howland ’31 Ruth Walker Voshall ’32 Gail Francisco Hood ’33 Mary Deemer North ’34 Louise McCarty DuBois ’35 Helen Cook Sherman ’35 Helen Lockwood ’37 Francie Weld Shaffer ’37 Ada Urquhart Deemer ’38 Louise Darling-Glick Luria ’39 Patricia Fox McIlroy ’39 Elizabeth Manegold Meyer ’39 Ellen Stephenson Porteous ’39 Ginny Matson Robinson ’40 Lois Baxter Shinault ’40 Jane Gerwig Strouss ’40 Mary Ellen Combes McNeil ’41 Barbara Sayre Ellis ’42 Jane Wangler Hoskins ’42 Dorothy Morgenthaler ’42 Joan Carpenter Crimmins ’43

Barbara Fincke Talburtt ’43 Marion Bayer Freas ’44 Margarita Piel McCoy ’44 Susan Keefe Schultz ’44 Terry Silver Becker ’45 Dot Milham Gauntlett ’45 Betty Moody Hoeg-Hagen ’45 Nancy Lennox Collis ’45 Martha Jay Mennel ’45 Helen Anderson Morey ’45 Helen Gubb Dolan ’46 Sylvia Rottman Epstein ’47 Barbara Broome Hedberg ’47 Jean Smith Howland ’47 Marian Merrick Cutting ’48 Laurette Speer Engelmann ’48 Beverly Eppink Gairing ’48 Patricia Addison Harrington ’48 Suzanne Owens Heintz ’48 E. Eve Freck Switzer ’48 Marion Ullstein vonRautenstrauch ’48 Ann Bernhard Alford ’49

Jill Sherndal Jones ’49 Julia Buck Kringel ’49 Barbara Coe Sly ’49 Mary Appel Swingle ’49 Merle Jacobson Tyler ’49 Sally Jo Wasson Baldwin ’49 Abby Elder Winkelmeyer ’49 Nancy Straus Lipsky ’50 Helen Graseck McClure ’50 June Caruso Schenck ’50 Sara Squires Weed ’50 Helen Rosen Yellin ’50 Terry Caswell Butler ’51 Ann Blair Lyne ’52 Jan Marthinson Mewhinney ’52 Virginia Wood Peterson ’53 Phyllis Fraser Budd ’55 Elaine Riddell Massick ’55 Virginia Opstad Beebe ’56 Edith Stahl Peden ’56 Betsy Porter Bowman ’59 Margery Makowski ’59

Mary Susan Kilgour Van Alstyne ’60 Carole Coulson Benjamin ’60 Janet Klein Patlow ’60 Judith Hoffman Hays ’61 Beverly Cook ’62 Alice Mellon Diaz ’62 Elizabeth Succop Stevens ’62 Judith Cox Hollohan ’63 Micaela Sauerbrey Tyler ’63 Margaret McKinlay Hemnes ’64 Nancy Scarci ’65 Susan Dimond ’67 Constance White ’67 Beth Roby Steffey ’68 Carol Whitney Thomason ’69 Mary Albert ’73 Mary Ann Sauta ’75 Sue Shola ’78 Betsy Benander ’80 Emily Smith Crowley ’86 Sheila Carroll ’88 Emilee Mazur ’03 Wells.edu 31

ClassNotes

Peru. Amazing wildlife and interesting indigenous villages. April was the time to celebrate Ted’s 90th birthday with many relatives and friends in a nearby restaurant. Their six grandkids now range from high school to kindergarten. She planned a summer trip to the Bay Area via Canadian Rockies. We enjoyed having them for dinner when they were in Portland in July. Barbara Unsworth Washburn’s grandson was here in the winter and may have moved to Portland. Judy Warren and I have a jolly, annual phone talk from her home in King Ferry. Suel Withus Novak is in the midst of a move to another Santa Barbara house. In her case, “cottage” industry is a wild understatement. Carolyn White Sampson enjoyed a

Viking River Cruise, going from Budapest to Nuremberg, then up to Prague—a fabulous trip! We missed her at Rockefeller Plaza in January at our mini-reunion, documented by a photo in a recent Wells publication. But there will be more reunions like that, and there’s always the 60th in 2017. A toastier-than-usual faux summer began in April, but the lawn survived. Lacking grandchildren to chortle over publicly, I can offer only that we were featured on a big garden tour this year. Again, a summer tennis league, some team members in late eighties. I’m involved with a local “Villages” project—Google “Villages” to read about this “aging-in-place concept initiated in Beacon Hill c. 2002. As Prez Betsy B informs us, the 60th Reunion beckons next year.

—Ellin

Susan Kendall Scammell 23 Hidden Valley Rd Orleans, MA 02653-6734 susannescammell@gmail.com

Well believe it or not our 60th Reunion has taken place, and I heard about it from Mary “Joan” Olsen Mueller. Yeh Joan! She wrote” Augie and I had a nice time at our 60th Reunion. We went to Wells just for the day Saturday and met up with Irene Hirschman Brown, Joan Winslow Buhrendorf and Barbara Brickley Dollard and their husbands. I missed Nancy “Chippie” Wilson Cleveland as she was leaving just as we arrived. The highlight of our day was singing ’Ivory Towers’ as our class stunt on Saturday night. We got quite an ovation. Not sure if it was for our performance or our grit for just four of us getting up to do it! Had a quiet year with a few health problems—to be expected as we have entered our 80s. No travel to report—just very busy with our volunteer work. Augie continues to refurbish donated bicycles with a couple of friends. 32 December 2016

Again, they were able to give 300 bikes to deserving children. I continue as my church treasurer and accounts payable at Habitat for Humanity. Kathy Hatch Stewart has moved

from her beloved farm to a new house which is more manageable. She is still working with clients in physical therapy at her new home. Elise Unhock Mock says, “Family business keeps us in common cause with our sons, to whom the mantle of responsibility has passed. There are five grandchildren, two out in the world of New York and San Francisco, and three still in school locally. We are grateful.” Elise keeps track of our class giving. Marty Mavon Friday says “I en-

joy living in Pasadena, CA particularly the beautiful weather and the very talented performers of all kinds even in the smallest venues. I see my daughters much more frequently as they both live in California. We have had some great expeditions and long weekends, and many Sunday dinners in Pasadena’s wealth of all kinds of restaurants. I live in a CCRC (retirement community) and have recently been elected to the board of directors of the parent organization, Front Porch. I like the fact that it pays well, unlike many other boards I have been on.” Mary Lou Foradora Webber says,

“How quickly these 60 years flew by. Last weekend we were at Ross’s 60th reunion from Princeton and today was our grandson, Hardy’s, graduation from the Pennington School. He will be going to Hobart (where Stephen went—you may remember his visiting us at the boathouse during our 40th). For the most part we have been well—I did have a TIA/stroke three months ago and fortunately have recovered extremely well. It is really special to have Nancy “Buz” Barton Barclay and Dave and Sara “Sally” Clark Brummer and Gordon living only 13 miles away in Medford Leas—we see them often. Eleanor “DeDe” Diederich Pennington and Barbara “Brick” Dollard live near Princeton. Just heard today that Dede was in a serious car accident, but thankfully is recovering beautifully.” Now to the statistics: married 60 years to Ros, five children (three girls, two boys), 18 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Priscilla “Biff” Hoopes Andre called

on the telephone before she left for a vacation and cruise from Juno in Alaska in June. She recently had a hip replacement but is now doing well and walking without a cane. Dave is doing well and loves to be outdoors working in his vegetable garden. It was such fun to chat.

Janet Russell Faith writes “I don’t

have many adventures, but mention of ’balance’ struck a chord. Over the years I’ve heard sensible advice from two credible sources: a sea captain and a Navy Seal. ’One hand for the ship and one for you’ the captain recommended. ’Maintain a three point contact’ suggested the Seal. The big difference, of course, is that I’m not on a ship plying the rough seas or engaged in heroic military missions—just doing the regular activities. Since trying to walk young hasn’t helped, I’ll try walking very young, like a duck!” Pat Buell Anderluh says she and

John are doing well. “I have had three hip replacements but still play golf three times a week both here and in Florida in the winter. I also play lots of Bridge. We have four grandchildren through college now and two of those through grad school. They range in age from 28 to eight (grandchildren that is) so three to go years from now.” Pat says she always misses reunion because they go to Cornell’s. Cornelia “Keela” Messenger Rogers

says “Jim and I are still in Lake Placid—still both working part time—still involved in lots of civic and church activities. We have four great-grandchildren on the scene. Life is good! It’s wonderful to be able to be busy in our 80’s”. Katie Keller Bulette reports that

2016 has been a good year for the Bulettes. “We flew to Florida for R&R three days before the big snowstorm, all of 30+ inches fell in York! In April we attended the Civil War Trust event held in Baltimore, MD. Learned more about the British Invasion of Baltimore Harbor during the War of 1812. Our Community involvement continues in York City. Spent spring and summer ’restoring our souls’ enjoying our perennial gardens and vegetables Warren cultivated in his ’Veggie Villa’. And most of all we feel blessed to grow ’old’ together.” Katie and I had a very special chat on the phone this spring. We have lost the addresses of two members this year. They are Lillian Growney, and Sylvia Halleck Winkler. If you know of their current addresses, please let the college know. We are enjoying our new deck and the superb weather this June. We will be going to Isleboro ME, with my son, Tom, and his wife for July 4th weekend—a beautiful place! All three kids are well and so are our four grands, one going to graduate school this fall at U. of Chicago in computer science. Oh, how the world is changing! Thank

you for all your news. It has been wonderful to hear from you.

—Sue

Ann Greener Ottaviano PO Box 1290 Wilmington, VT 05363-1290 annieott55@gmail.com

Nancy Haines Snow writes, “We’re

finding the hill of life a bit steeper each year, but our hearts still remain good; I do love and miss each one of you. We are still busy with some exercise (Aquacise and tri-cycling), some civic clubs (SAR and DAR) and Alan is now an Honorary Rotarian after over 50 years of service so I still often attend Rotary meetings with him. We both continue with Church Choir here because we have such a superb and talented music director who has now become a close friend. Our big news this year is the celebration of our 60th anniversary on June 23rd. Our children planned a lovely party for us in Ocala with about 50 guests attending. Son Jim, with his fiancé, Tabbetha, brought two of our grands with them; so we were able to enjoy his family for nearly a week before the big party. Our daughter Susan and her husband, Jim, arrived a few days later and remained a few days after the party for some good family time. Unfortunately Sue & Jim’s children could not make it. Granddaughter Colleen Curry ’06, now married, lives in Alaska; grandson Jim is a Captain in the Air Force and currently being transferred to a base in Albuquerque, NM; grandson Joshua is a Lt. in the Navy (pilot) now being transferred to Point Mogu in California; granddaughter Caitlyn recently graduated from UMO and is now working in a bank near Rockland. Our son, Jim’s, oldest son is in his third year of the Maine Maritime Academy currently assigned to a project aboard a 325 ft. fishing vessel operating near the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. The Party was fantastic with a centerpiece of white roses (one rose of every five years of marriage!). Tabbetha made a lovely 4-tiered replica of our wedding cake, perfectly decorated. It was super to see so many friends come to honor us and give us a chance to catch up on all the news.” Jane Marsh Dieckmann and Dick

took a Viking Ocean Cruise to the Mediterranean in December. On their way home from their annual quick road trip to Florida and back in January, they stopped in Lancaster, PA to see Priscilla and Fred Oppenheimer. “Both are doing well and we had a good visit. Now we are packing up our house as we plan to move to Kendal at Ithaca, it’s a Quaker retirement community, now 20 years old. I was up at the College today (May 23rd), things looked beautiful and

ClassNotes

they are getting ready for Reunion this weekend. I think things are going well.” Marilyn Turtle Braun and John are

healthy and active. “We attended my 64th high school reunion in New Jersey last fall and plan on attending my 65th in Tennessee in October. The biggest problem in our lives seems to be our 110 year old home that needs TLC…everything from broken clay drainage pipes to fresh paint and repairs to windows, railings and gutters. Soon we hope to take a break and travel again.” Lois Prem Simon is involved with

the same activities as in the past, “which says I love what I am doing. We bought our third home in five years and are in the process of taking out walls, redefining space and designing new bathrooms and kitchen. I have always loved moving; offering new adventures. Working on my seventh children’s book Bogey the Golf Ball, who shows us all.” Bill and I have a book ministry where we go to high poverty area schools, read to the kids and give them each a free book to take home. This usually involves three classes and 75 books. Painting and exhibiting rounds out the day with one new activity—BRIDGE! I am into my third year of lessons. My doctor says it is the best thing we can do for our brain. Molly Shannahan Taylor and

Pete celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary “and they said it wouldn’t last.” Their big excursion this year was to their grandson Tim’s graduation from Cleveland State University. It was a fun weekend with lots of family and friends. “We are still in Venice, FL, we play a little pickle ball, read a lot, do some volunteer work at church and just generally take up space.”

Priscilla Cameron Oppenheimer

and Fred have had a busy and healthy year, not much in the travel department but keep chugging along in several clubs or interest groups. “I’ve just finished my first term as president of Lancaster Torch; have been to Philadelphia several times for orchestra concerts and art exhibitions and New York for the Picasso show. We had a great, but short, visit from Jane Dieckmann and Dick in January.” Anne Roberts Miller writes that

since January 2015 her husband Dan suffered with pain that they called “sciatica” for lack of a proper diagnosis. He tried everything under the sun to find a cure; chiropractors, acupuncture, physical therapy, swimming, cortisone shots, epidurals, etc.! A new physical therapist suggested he have his left hip X-rayed, and it showed major disintegration. Hip replacement surgery on St. Patrick’s Day has made a new man of him. They have planned a couple of cruises to celebrate his recovery. Anne states she doesn’t feel quite so old when she pays a weekly visit to a 103 year old lady! Laura Woolven Shapleigh reports

that her granddaughter, Whitney, received her master’s degree in May from Lehigh and will be working for Price Waterhouse in September. “We’re trying to stay healthy for her destination wedding this August in New Hampshire.” Mynnette Sheller Wilson “Our

three daughters had a lovely 60th anniversary party for us in North Carolina including neighbors and Silver Sneakers friends. They resurrected ancient pictures; put them on straws, then straws into bottles so our guests could see how we use to look. We split our time between Florida and North Carolina but are tired of driving so far and organizing and reorganizing

refrigerators! Half of our six granddaughters are married; we have two adorable great grandsons. One daughter retired from teaching in Houston, another is helping her husband’s medical instrument company get off the ground in the Cincinnati area and the third daughter is an EED school psychologist in Raleigh grade schools. Jim and I are content to be boring! Hugs to all ’55ers.”

ever since graduation until the last couple of years. I remember her as peppy and cheerful, making our days at Wells full of fun. She took part in our exciting summer-long trip through Europe with Frau Fleissner, where we “carried on” in ways that today’s students would find laughably dull. My color photos of that trip have faded, but my memories of that wonderful time are still alive!”

Joan Ruf Pappas reports she is thankful that she and Art have had another healthy year. “We sold our boat and now fish with guides and from the beach. I do miss our many fishing trips but having a boat is really a lot of work and time. We went on another Viking Cruise on the Rhine and really enjoyed it, however the cobblestone streets were too much for Art’s replaced ankles; we are just happy that he is able to walk. All our family is doing well. Our oldest granddaughter is an engineer for GE Global Development in Schenectady, N.Y., two are attending the University of Florida, one at Florida State and one in PA School in Orlando, FL. Our two youngest grandchildren are 12 years old and live in Hawaii. I still play tennis 3 days a week but at a slower pace. Orchids and gardening take up a lot of my time. We are active in the Brevard Orchid Society and continue to play bridge as often as possible. Our visits with Laura and Dick Shapleigh are always fun and I speak to Kathleen Van Deusen at Christmas. She hopes to live in a retirement home soon. My thanks to Anita for all her hard work as secretary and thanks to Ann for taking over the job.”

Anita Calkins Shannahan was

Pris Oppenheimer sent an additional note, “I just read in the obituary section of the Wells online newsletter that Phyllis Fraser Budd died in March. I was sorry to learn of it; we’d corresponded

showered with cards congratulating her and Tom on their 60th wedding anniversary last March. “Our daughter proved to be quite a sleuth in finding old address lists and also contacting Ann for the Wells list. Thanks to all of you who responded. It was quite a delightful surprise to hear from people whom we have not heard from for years. Cards came from all over including Italy, England, New Zealand and even Tanzania, where our missionary friends are serving. Another eventful surprise was seeing Nancy, our AFS daughter from Ecuador, two of her four children and her sister. Nancy spent a year with us in 1976-7. We have been in touch with her over the years, but this was the first time we have seen her since she left.” Genevieve “Vivi” Savarese Schubert and Bill celebrated their

60th anniversary at the Woodstock Inn in Vermont. Vivi volunteers at her library and a charity based consignment shop. She has been taking courses in Russian literature. Joan Battin Weir informs us that

“at the venerable age of 82 years I’m experiencing new and exciting adventures. I am viewing everything through new eyes having had cataract surgery. This was the year I traveled around the south. I visited Daytona, O Boy!—It’s OLD Florida. The raceway was awesome. On to Tampa and back and forth a few times to Orlando, I had forgotten how much Florida had to offer. It has really grown since my days when I first moved here in 1957. To continue, I went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, visited my kiddos and grandies, walked on the pier and beach that stretches toward the horizon! As the coup de gras, the family often gathers together to celebrate different holidays at our Lake Burton Mountain Cabin in Georgia to celebrate family and holiday memories.” Ann Parker Taylor writes, “I

Joan Battin Weir ’55 and family.

spent July in Clayton, NY hosting a tapestry exhibit for the Thousand Island Arts Center. The artist is a world class weaver, Nancy Kozikowski and the exhibition was magnificent. She is from New Mexico, but also lives and shows her work in China. Please google her to see her work. Wells.edu 33

ClassNotes

Then, as I have done for the past 4 years, I taught another class in Architecture and Designs for Children in Clayton Some of the students returned for the fourth year and they built small models from recycled cardboard paper tubes and then a full scale model near the St. Lawrence river with large scale tubes ala the Japanese architect, “Shigero Ban, Jane Marsh Dieckmann and I are working on a modification of the architectural and historic walking tour of Wells and Aurora that our class gave to the college in 2005 at our 1955 50th Reunion. Stay tuned for that one. The best to all of the 61 left in our class and just keep on ’truckin’.” I want to congratulate all my classmates that celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this year. I continue to hike with the Champagne Hikers; we pop the cork at the top! Skiing and kayaking continue to be enjoyable but I am not as aggressive as I used to be. I am recording secretary for the Wilmington Trails Committee and I also lead hikes for them. Last October I went with Grand Circle Cruise Line on a tour of the “Dalmation Coast.” It was a small ship with 49 passengers and I had a wonderful time! We started in Athens and worked our way up the coast to Split in Croatia. The Bay of Kotor in Montenegro is a sight to behold! After a couple of days in Zagreb my friend and I extended the tour for four more days in Slovenia. Bled, Slovenia reminds me of a miniature Switzerland and I would love to spend a few days hiking there, maybe in my next life! Marcia Hendrie Holroyd stayed overnight at my home on her way to her summer home in Rochester, VT at the end of June. We had a nice time bringing each other up to date on our activities. May all my classmates enjoy good health and great adventures this year and next.

—Ann

Katherine Van Wormer Howard 5729 36th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55417-2907 kh1433@juno.com

Shirley Cox Kearns is in Florida for

the winter, Maine in the summer, back home in between and these days it’s all high school and college graduations and the older Grands are in wedding mode—two last fall, and two this spring and summer! A wonderful way to get families together. Have one great and another on the way. Betsy Balch Dickinson “As you

know my husband, Roy, died February 14, 2014 of heart failure. Soon the loneliness of living in a big house by myself became too much and I moved to a newly renovated apartment in my son Doug’s house in Buffalo where I 34 December 2016

am quite content, seeing as how I lived and raised my three children here three decades ago! Daughter Laura, now remarried, is also here and I have many friends from the past too. Another new chapter begins!” Diana Charlton Lyford says life

in a gated community takes a bit of getting used to as there are many rules due to Home Owners Dicta! “Traveled to Mexico last February and are going to tour the Cabot Trail in August. We have a grandchild who graduated from Michigan State and will be working as a restaurant manager in Chi. One grandson and granddaughter graduated from high school with honors and multiple scholarships, granddaughter going to Loyola Marymount, as she wants to be a surgeon: grandson is on to Oregon Univ. Another grandson is a Jr. at Regis Jesuit High School, and youngest granddaughter is in 3rd grade. We are blessed as all our children live here in Denver and are employed.” Things are quiet for Nancy Friedman Friedman. “Three of my sons kids live in the next building to me, so I have someone close. My daughter and son-in-law live in St Louis too- pretty nearby. Of course their four sons live in: California with three children, Chicago with two children, New Jersey with one child, and NYC. I keep busy—not knitting so much but quilting—small ones for children.” Sally Hayes Dorn is still living in-

dependently with a new “fella”, a terrier mix named Oliver (Ollie for short).

Judy Herbuveaux Sullivan reports “Our news is not so happy. Our eldest son, Michael, died November 11, 2014, very suddenly of septic shock. He had been an excellent lawyer, and we had him for 57 happy years. Being positive about that has made it easier for me. Jim and I are trying to sell our “too big” house and will either stay here or move to St. George, UT. Two of our sons built homes there and there’s a great medical center. I am well. Jim has Parkinsons, but our three children and 10 grandchildren are helping—sort of.”

Other than her volunteer work for the library and the hospital and serving in the church, Yvonne Koser Kun doesn’t much to add. They are planning on going to Maine in September and hope to see Mabel “Mabe” Depue O’Brien while they’re there. Flora Howie Logie writes, “We’re

both doing very well. We love our new retirement community. We are kept so busy I can’t believe we’re retired. All the people here

are so nice, knowledgeable and friendly. We have very interesting programs and concerts. I am on the music committee and we’re very busy arranging the concerts for next year. Our family are all very well and doing nicely. Allan lives in North Carolina and has two daughters. The oldest will be a senior at Liberty U next year and is on the field hockey team. Her sister will be graduating from high school today and will be following in her sister’s footsteps and going to Liberty too. Beth lives only 15 minutes from us. Her oldest son works in London. Her youngest is just finishing up a tour of all the WWII battle fields in Europe in conjunction with the course he took this past year. I can’t wait to talk to him about it when they all return. She and her family do a lot of traveling. As a matter of fact they are in Vienna right now and we are dog sitting. Her yellow lab feels very much at home here.” It is almost two years since Nancy Dobson McGilliard moved to an independent living residence in Midland and she continues to feel comfortable there and enjoys the people she meets. “The best part of the move is being in the same city as my daughter, Sarah and her family. I am using hiking poles when I walk out of doors and get a good workout for legs and arms. I continue my interest in reading and keeping up on current events.” Ann Lennox Olson is very happy

that she made the decision to move to a continuing care community. “I am so busy...walk 2-3 miles daily (won a gold medal in the Wake County Sr. Games). Took a fly fishing course and caught more fish than anyone else. I play a lot of bridge but just to keep my mind active. I attend plays and do a lot of sightseeing. I spent a few days in Vermont in May visiting my youngest daughter and family and am busy watching my 10 year old North Carolinian grandson play basketball and baseball. My only travel plans are to go on a Mississippi River cruise in early October with my former New York City roommates. All the family is great, three daughters and six grandsons...no greats as yet.” Louise Veprovsky Reebel has

reached that point in their lives where “we are grateful for all of our blessings, for our family and all the fabulous memories. Health issues have limited our activities and flexibility but we are so glad that we are still able to maintain our life-style in a more confining manner. This year we celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary and Hal will be 95!” Marjorie Lewis Wallace has been

dealing with some heart issues. She fainted in a Best Buy store in

March and had a trip to the hospital by ambulance; since then she has been staying fairly close to home. “Ann and Holly had plans to drive us to Columbus, OH then on down to Louisville next week, but I begged off. I just have not felt up to it and Ted was in agreement. He was really looking forward to the trip since he grew up in Columbus. He moved here when he was 14. I am feeling better now. My best to fellow classmates.” Life for Sarah “Sallie” Youngman Ransom “Is living in a house Jack and I built as a “holiday house” in Palm Beach Gardens, and then became a permanent year-long house in 1994. Jack died in 2003 and I began a new chapter−committing to the fashion world, creating Ransom’s Rag’s and becoming a sales agent for Doncaster Clothes. Keeping me in and out of trouble. My biz, volunteer work for the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Junior League Sustainer activities, the Garden Club, and working in my own garden, keep house, body, and soul in working order. My three boys, two fabulous grandchildren and their respective families who all live in different locations, from New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and Colorado, ground me. We connect with all the new devices available to stay in touch, and plan how to be together for holidays. Family is key for us all. JJ Lyons and I stay regularly, irregularly in touch—so wonderful to just pick up, so comfortably, with someone I’ve known so long wherever we left off and chat. Joan “J. J.” Jordon Lyons talks to

Sallie Youngman Ransom quite often which is wonderful as they both love to keep in touch. She also keeps in touch with Bettye Speed who has had her share of medical issues recently. “Almost four years after super Hurricane Sandy we are still in recovery. Some folks are still not back in their homes or are afraid to rebuild due to the extreme lack of sand on our beaches. Yes we have a steel wall and some have gigantic rocks, but the lack of sand is appalling and scary. We are at the mercy of a few ocean front owners who refuse to sign easements so that the Army Corps of Engineers can replenish what was once there plus more. The real estate market has suffered as well and there are an unusual number of homes for sale so I guess I will stay put for a while longer. I have the good fortune of my daughter, Leigh, and youngest son, Peter, living about an hour away and visiting often. Leigh also lost her summer home in Point Pleasant and is not sure she wants to rebuild so she comes most weekends and stays with me, which is wonderful company. Middle son, Chris, lives in Atlanta and due to a busy travel schedule

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Cori Langton Drill ’52 and Margaret Gray Good ’52, then (wearing their freshmen signs) and now!

gets to visit when he can. His daughter Nikki lives in Chicago and at age 23 recently had a successful kidney transplant and so far is doing well but faces many challenges. Her brother Taylor is studying hard at Iowa State and will turn 21 next month. Oldest grand is Jordan, who after graduation from college, spent a year and a half in Prague teaching English. Back to reality and he is living and working in Maryland. I manage to stay busy and socially active. It is still a ’couples world’ and it is a bit lonesome for life without your spouse. Unfortunately I have had to give up tennis as the MD’s warned after three hip replacements, a fractured femur, knee staph infections and various other injuries so I am at the gym several times a week. I do play bridge several times a week and do some volunteer work and keep busy.”

It was a treat to hear from all of you. Especially Nancy Friedman who I haven’t heard from in a while. The Howards are fine. Kit broke his hip last fall riding his bike home from work one evening. We got him to the hospital 8 p.m. Saturday night and he had a new hip at 9 a.m. Sunday. He is fine, but now rides an adult trike to work! We do travel a bit. Last fall we went to the eastern Canadian Provinces with friends. We spent most of the time on PEI, and loved it—they spent their time in the highlands of Nova Scotia. We stayed in Airbnb homes and loved it. This winter we went to Iceland, as I wanted to see the Northern Lights. It was overcast for the week, but we still had fun. Spent some time in Idaho in April. I am the same, knit a lot, and still teach ESL twice a week. Love to you all, and stay safe!

Marilyn Wenner Gordon sent news,

—Kathie

they had reached their one year mark at the assisted living place where they reside with some 300 other residents-many 90+ which makes 83 seem not so old. “As we learn the history of so many, we are most inspired and marvel at all they have done with their lives. There is lots to do here— I’m in a bell choir and Bill sings in a group (the harmonizers), we still get on our bikes (especially when we find a level route) and we are part of an exercise class. Two years ago at Reunion time, we lost our daughter to cancer and it was a very sad time. It was wonderful to hear from those who did make Reunion; I so appreciated the many good wishes you sent my way. Our son and family continue to keep us busy and just to follow their activities is challenging; graduations, a semester in Spain, summer work at a farm in France, teaching English to teens in Jordan and being host with other college age students at the Rio Olympics. We are looking forward to our upcoming visit to Mabe Depue O’Brien at her lovely condo in Falmouth, ME. Greetings to all in the class of ’54. Our numbers are dwindling but the memories live on.”

53 52

Roxanne Per-Lee Motter 4751 Pleasant Oak Dr. C-73 Fort Collins, CO 80525-3776 rockymotter31@gmail.com Rosemarie Wirth Krenitsky 575 Osgood Street #1212 North Andover, MA 01845-1987 rpkrenitsky@comcast.net

Thank you to all of you who responded to my plea for news. It was great to connect with you again. The sad news is that Ann Blair Lyne is no longer with us, and that Margaret “Peege” Gray Good has lost her dear Ray and Janet Lauster Witzeman her husband, Bob. We’re thinking of all of you as we record the lives of those of us who remain. Janet Witzeman (Elise) keeps busy with Butterfly Club and Audobun Society and traveled last summer to Germany with her son Jeff to visit towns where her father’s ancestors lived. Winner of the great-grandmother prize is Ruth Hatch Pearson, with eight great-grands. As Ruth says, “The Lord said, ’Be fruitful and multiply,’ and we’re trying to obey.” Lyndy broke a hip last summer, which pretty much ended their tennis playing days, and both

of them agree that “being in the eighties is not as much fun as the seventies.” Alice Lind Griffith could well be

an example to all of us. “I have retired from real estate and have sold my aptartment buildings and purchased two Walgreens.” Alice is still playing Bridge, largely on bridge cruises, and is working on becoming a life master. She feels lucky to still be able to travel and is in good health. Acknowledging that we are “in a new phase of our life’s journey,” Sally Hurlburt Rosemond reports the incredible news that Crusty, at 91, still visits the office once a week. Sally continues to stay busy with garden club, PEO, Bible Study, lunches and visits with friends, including Winnie Kendall Wannamaker, Perrie Drysdale, and Peege Good. Sally spent 10 days with last fall with Winnie while Crusty went hunting in Colorado. Winnie still winters in Naples, Florida and summers in South Carolina. She and Perrie attended the Wells luncheon in Naples last winter and enjoyed meeting President Gibralter. Louise Cameron Benson keeps

busy visiting the children of her daughter Mary “Missy” Benson Barnhard ’80, most of whom live on the East coast or abroad. They all gather in the summer in Pennsylvania, at Elk Lake. The rest of the time, Louise enjoys her pool in Woodland Hills, CA. Our other Californian, Laura Nader, writes from Berkeley that she is still teaching two courses at the University of California: one on anthropology and the other on “Energy in Culture and Society.” Her latest book, published by the U. Calif. Press in 2015, is titled What the Rest Think of the West ( Japan, China, India, Middle East). Laura and her three children and grandchildren are all doing well. Living in Washington, D.C. but with sons in California, Sandra Adler Leibowitz has her usual basket full of news: all injured members of the family−Arny,

Susan, and Tyler, continue healing and are doing well. Sandy and Arny celebrated their 61st anniversary with a Road Scholar trip via the Queen Mary 2 to London and back and had a wonderful time. Back on terra firma, Sandy is continuing her monthly French Conversation Classes, with donations to the Homeless at Friendship Place. Arny is continuing to teach his Lifelong Learning courses on the U.S. Constitution and Great World Trials. George McIsaac thoughtfully wrote a letter about his wife, Mary Melone McIsaac. She had five children with her first husband. She and George met, married, and moved to a retirement community on Amelia Island, FL, where she now is struggling with advancing dementia, “mostly with positive good humor,” says George. “I know she treasures her Wells experience and would greet her friends from those days with her old jollity and elan. Janet Taylor Reiche tells of their

move to a retirement community in Princeton, close to their former home. Jay-Dee and Frank visit Wells about twice a year and she hopes that we will have a great turn-out in 2017 for our 65th Reunion. Meanwhile, they will visit Honolulu in December, to celebrate the second birthday of their great-granddaughter, Joy, daughter of their grandson, Alec. Perrie apJones Drysdale has two

granddaughters who belong to Up With People, the group that sings and dances in the U.S., Canada, and abroad. Perrie had just returned from 10 days in London, visiting relatives. She’s learned how to beat the long lines at airports by calling for a wheel chair! From Jean Bauberger McCauley we learn that she and Frank still divide their time between Florida and Maine, but with more Florida and less Maine. They keep in regular touch with Shirley King Orr, who is enjoying her CCRC, which is adjacent to a state park and arboretum and close to her Wells.edu 35

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son, Andy, and his family. Shirley is still deep in genealogy and excited to learn that many of her early ancestors settled in the eighteenth century in Lancaster, not far from where she is now, in Pennsylvania. Still a traveler is Frances Clinch Jones, aka Francie aka Narf, who during the past year has cruised the Mississippi and visited daughters and son in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. She loves life in her CCRC in Sarasota and sings praises of all its amenities. Another Sarasotan is Mary Denison Scott, who lives in a separate home in another CCRC, on a pond, where she and her husband enjoy visits from daughters and granddaughters. Denny and Tom continue to be active in community life and Denny walks for an hour each day. Carolyn Shults Millonig comments

that it is 24 years since she was first diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. “I still lie down most of the day and am hoping that someone will find the cause and treatment of CFS. I am blessed with loving family and friends who help me with so much,” she says. Janet Witzeman and Marth Hutchinson Garvey are among the friends who keep in touch. Another person who is still living happily in a CCRC after nine years is Joan Fiery Vogel. Fire is fortunate that her four children and most of her ten grandchildren live nearby. She keeps busy with volunteer activities but has stopped driving because of declining vision. As for the Krenitskys, we’re both reasonably well, happy, and busy. Paul continues to work half-days in his volunteer job as a grant writer, and I still write for the Edgewood magazine, manage a small group of volunteers in our library, and act in occasional plays. We continue to enjoy concerts, theater, museums, and small trips to various points of interest throughout New England. It’s a good life, and we intend to enjoy it while we can. Many thanks to all of you who responded to my request for news. It was great to hear from you, and all our other classmates will be happy to hear from you also.

—Ro

Janet Poole Reinhardt 647 Willow Way Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 jpr@pa.net

“Here’s to Brownie, she’s true blue…” Indeed, Alice Brown Westervelt went to our 65th Reunion but no one else did. She went to see her daughter who lives on the other side of the lake and 36 December 2016

drove up for the day to discover she was the only one to pose for the class photo. She toured the campus and was very impressed with the new buildings and wonderful facilities Wells has now. It is mind boggling the things colleges have to do to keep up with the times and to attract students. She is still fine living in the old family house with its constant maintenance issues and enjoys gardening despite no longer being able to weed. Like many of us, getting down is not the issue…getting up is something else. Cleaning out the old Providence house with its 50 years of memorabilia is defeating and Spring Green with no closets is already full of generations of family stuff. This past spring she took her 14-year gold granddaughter to Spring for Spring vacation. It was a great trip despite being all uphill. Pat Carter Brammer is learn-

ing to “age in place”…Daughter Karen, who is a reverend in the UUChurch wanted to return to Red Hook…they wanted to stay in their home…so they changed the garage into a studio apartment and all is well. Many body joints have been happily replaced but a month ago while visiting daughter Linda’s family in North Carolina, Fred had a heart attack. North Carolina is a great place to need medical help, and with a wrist catheterization and a stint he is recovering nicely. They keep busy with local family of four children, four grandchildren, and two great-grands! They are less active in their church choir and food pantry but hope to travel to Maine in August. Elcy Donovan Brooks says they still

enjoy the lake and summer weather as well as watching the family get bigger with six grandchildren and eight great-grands! Mona Williams Brown had intend-

ed to get to Reunion but last fall a little blip on a routine test suggested otherwise. She was diagnosed with a heart/lung issue called “Chronic TEPH” which affects 2-3% of heart patients so you want to be where there is a specialist. This has resulted in her having to cut down on most activities, but still enjoys her coffee friends, morning Minnesota Orchestra concerts and the superb Institute of the Arts. With more time she is sorting out mountains of “stuff”, reading, and reviewing travel adventures. She has had 42 trips to Switzerland, and seen 32 countries, not including places like Tahiti which she is not sure qualifies as a country. Her grandson, Thomas Dougherty ’16, graduated cum laude from Wells, and Columbia on a 3-2 plan, which is new since our time in Aurora.

Ruth “Rusty” Hadley Dunbar has

found life at their retirement village to be a really good deal… close to home…45 minutes to the kids…Amy and Tad get up from DC often…their place is just 5 minutes from Jean so she feels she could not be luckier. She has a super group to sort out her paperwork which is under control finally! She feels especially lucky to have her old tennis partner and friend at the same place so there is lots of hiking, ping pong and exercise. Their place is surrounded with open land, two barns and four horses without the work of caring for any of it. What is not to like! She still keeps in touch with Claire “Puddy” Porter Pearmain and Daws both of whom are on

my “never reply” list so it is good to let you know they are well. Sally Cummings Goodrich still en-

joys having the house on the Cape as well as the cottage on Abaco Beach which is such a lovely island. It is a magnet for friends and especially the family. The six grandchildren ages 19-28 love it and still get there when they can. Sailing and love of the sea seems to be in the blood line though her Virginia son is addicted to tennis. Her 36’ sailboat “Que Sera” is still in the family with her oldest son now the skipper. Sally’s 102 year old stepmother is still around, telling her how to dress and behave… ”no more shorts, Sally!”…Her tennis career as a senior olympics champion is still legendary. A delightful surprise was getting an email from Genie Lenz Gray who has become “The Queen of Inertia” at 85. She has moved to the house of a friend who works full time leaving it to Genie all alone most of the week. She enjoys the Sunday NY Times crossword puzzles as long as they are from the 80’s and 90’s because she is so out of touch with celebs and songs of the current day, (aren’t we all!)… and runs a six-table Duplicate Bridge event once a week at the clubhouse. In addition to shopping and cooking dinner seven days a week, she reads, reads, reads— mostly mysteries and suspense. Her brother and wife have moved to Naples, FL, her daughter and family are moving from a local town to Nevada this spring, so although being quite solo, life is lovely. Carolyn “Lynn” Ledgard Hallman

says “ditto” to whatever she wrote last time as her life does not seem to have changed much. She continues to age happily in place, keeps very busy doing nothing very important, and regrets that she had to miss Reunion. Margarete Weisbrod Lindsley

doesn’t drive very far anymore and has decided she needs more than 12 hours of sleep a night in order to function. She still volunteers

at the fire house selling bingo instants and has enjoyed doing more research on her family. Her most instant “find” was her father’s record in WWI with the Bavarian Cavalry and his application for citizenship in 1925. Helen “Taffy” Preus Mairs had

hoped to make Reunion but it was not to be. She and Bob are still in their old house with 10-year old Ruby, their Golden Retriever, and an accumulation of 47 years of “stuff”…They continue to work out at the neighborhood “Y”, helping at the church, and keeping up with grand kids. It was good to hear from Alethea “Lee” Lyder Meagher who is still perking, but slowly! She continues to play Bridge when she can, exercises regularly to keep mobile, and tries to walk 1/2 mile a day. Nancy Weil Rosenthal is making

a new life in Sun City, GA. It is a good place to keep busy and meet people. She volunteers 5-6 days a week picking up and delivering food to pantries, transporting people who can no longer drive to doctors and markets, and does vision and hearing screening in the schools. She drove to Maine last summer to see family and friends. Spent time with Jean Carr Semonite and plans to repeat the trek the end of July. Two granddaughters graduated this spring… one from Bates College and one from high school. The latter was her youngest granddaughter and valedictorian of her class. Aubin “Teeny” Redfield Sander

celebrated her 87th birthday with her son, Jim Bryan, who incidentally is always so good about sending me updates for his mother. She is still active at Galloway Ridge in Pittsboro, NC, and loves to talk with old friends. If you want her number, you can email me and I will give it to you. Jean Carr Semonite is still in her

house on Casco Bay, ME and keeps busy with her two book groups, antique house research for the Village Improvement Society and the Yarmouth Historical Society, church stuff, her garden, an occasional Bridge game, as well as the family who are conveniently close. She enjoys Nancy and Pat stopping by once or twice a year when they come to Maine. Mary Taylor Sherrill wrote while

waiting for the family to arrive: son Ned, his wife Lizette, granddaughter Hannah and her husband Jeff with Grandsons Goldy and Sam plus some of their friends. I lost count! The winter went well, and Mary kept busy with books and sewing projects some of which were started in 1953 while in North Dakota, and is happy to

ClassNotes

putter doing necessary chores to keep things afloat. Edie Weekes Ulatoski writes that

she and Joe are still pulling weeds and tending three acres with two old dogs. There are a lot of changes on Vashon Island which is not bad like the new performing arts center housing an opera company, chamber orchestra, and drama groups. This summer her grandson and his mother Laurie will be playing in the Bach Fest in Chelan, and then he heads to Chicago to join Team USA. After two weeks of practice they head to Poland for World’s competition in Ultimate Frisbee in which 60 teams will compete. (If the games are on TV make sure you cheer for him!) The U.S. Nationals follow after which he heads to college for a four-year paramedic class. Oldest daughter, Kari, is looking to retire in a few years and turning her needlework hobby into a business. Edie is busy with four raised beds for veggies, flowers, and lots of fuchsias. Life is good! Barbara “Rusty” Hagaman Westbrook is moving back to New

Jersey at the end of August assuming the new apartment complex in Princeton is finished when they say it will. She will be 15 minutes from her daughter. Her son in Maryland drives to New Jersey frequently, so she will have a chance to see more of them. She still has a son in California and another in Hong Kong but since she lived and taught school near Princeton it makes sense to be near at least part of the family. The downside is leaving good friends in Leesburg, FL. Her best news is that her son, who had colon cancer, is now cancer free. Let’s all hope that continues!

Bill and I are still glad we made the final move…he is pretty much a loner, but I seem to be involved in everything here as well as DAR and AAUW where I was just awarded my 50-year membership. Then there are the three book groups, a great books course on short stories, and church activities. The body is still holding together and I had a marvelous Road Scholar trip to Portugal and Spain in the spring staying in paradores and posadas that have been updated from original service as hospitals, monasteries, and royal servants quarters. The emphasis was the Christian conquest of the Moorish world so I was enmeshed in my beloved Middle Eastern art with the intricate patterns carved and inlaid. I always marvel how those Middle Eastern patterns share designs with the Inuit Indians in Alaska, and the Amish here in Pennsylvania. I had a short but fun trip to Kentucky in May to visit David who is working hard to re-activate the growing of hemp. The farmers are looking for a replacement crop for tobacco, and hemp is so versatile it has many uses from medical marijuana to clothing to homeopathic medicine, and food. I went to spin hemp at the festival at Henry Clay’s plantation where he made his money growing hemp on some 8,000 acres. There was a dinner that night at Ashland serving salad with hemp dressing, hemp flour pasta with veggies, chicken encrusted with hemp, and blueberry pie with a hemp crust. The best ever was the hemp julep of one-third bourbon, one-third Kahlua, and one-third hemp milk! Here is a factoid for all of you… at one time you could pay your college tuition in Kentucky with hemp! This fall I hope to complete the silk road traveling from western Mongolia to the Caspian

Sea through what is called “the five Stans” that were under Russia until fairly recently…Uzbekistan, Turkistan, etc. As always, I will be posting wherever I can on Facebook so friends can share the trip. If you want to come along, just friend me and join the ride and see the photos. Besides, it would be another way of keeping in touch! I have not heard of anyone dying to take over the job of class secretary so I guess you will continue to hear from me asking for news. Many thanks to those who replied…where were the rest of you? A pox on all your houses!

—Jan

Judi Blank Goldsmith 4A Coldbrooke S Lenox, MA 01240 jbg111213@gmail.com Sarah Leidt Hockings 200 Library Place Princeton, NJ 08540-3068 hckngs@verizon.net

It’s a good thing I did not choose sales as my career, as judging from the number of responses I received I would have been a total failure. Happily, though, I did hear from two classmates for the first time. Betty Schurmeier Christensen (aka

Bones) broke her leg while visiting a brother in Texas. It was a real challenge for her family to get her home. She has been volunteering in the same place for thirty years. She has difficulty seeing so she no longer drives. She has a granddaughter in Niger and a son-inlaw and granddaughter in Kenya on a mission. She is still “stuck” at fifteen great-grands. Charley Clarke, the son of Diane Brandley Clarke sent a note to tell us that his mother is well but has dementia and lives in a memory care facility in Scottsdale. Caroline Abraham Delavan says

she and Byron are hale and hearty, still in the same house, and active in the community. Abe says they don’t take as much advantage of Rochester as they used to, since they don’t drive at night. She talks to Cynthia “Cy” Vogler Henritzy once in a while. Cy is doing well in a senior community in Bethlehem. Lilja Parssinen Delphey is justifi-

ably annoyed as Wells lost her for updates for more than sixty years, despite making contributions. Lil spends her winters in Florida and has been in touch with Emily and Winnie whom she saw at the alumnae luncheon. Her family is scattered...San Diego, San Francisco, North Carolina, Washington, and New Hampshire, so that involves much traveling and visiting. Judi Blank Goldsmith ’50 being charmed by a snake in Cambodia.

Margaret “Peggy” Beatty Finch still

lives in her cottage in Moravian Village and enjoys it, especially as three of her children live in the area. Peggy and her daughter, Holly, just returned from a trip to Iceland. They both love traveling and Holly is an excellent companion. Peggy remains quite healthy and can get around under her own steam. Kay Silvernail Johns is chagrined

that she allowed herself to be among our lost classmates. She says her news is not unique but has been steeped in the same issues with which most families have coped--death of a husband, loss of a son to cancer, and the wonderful support of her two daughters and friends. She has been to Aurora several times for lunch at the Inn and a “look-see” at the beautiful innovations on campus. Kay goes to Hilton Head with her daughters several times each year, but is happy to be at home and enjoy the company of her five great-grandchildren, some of whom are into music and sports. Now that she has been “found” she wishes us all the best and says we were a great class. One of my summer Bridge partners knows Shelda Kahn Salvi from Duplicate Bridge in Pompano, FL, and says that Shelli, despite being frail and needing an aide, is definitely the queen of that bridge club. As for me, my life is anything but dull. I went with my son, daughter and daughter-in-law to Vietnam and Cambodia and announced to the immediate western world that it was absolutely my LAST trip, so, of course we are going to Berlin in the fall. Upon my return from the trip I had a knee replacement. I live in a thirty story retirement facility in Portland, the second floor is rehab, so I went directly there from the hospital and had a quick recovery. After not playing the piano for about 25 years, I am now playing again, practicing an hour a day, and accompanying an excellent violinist from my building in a monthly recital. While I haven’t been to Israel for two years, my family still supports two interfaith kindergartens on the grounds of our major charity, Israel Tennis Centers, which uses tennis to build character. I enjoy living in Portland, which is a really great place to live, I get to see my son and his family frequently. I have one grandson who just graduated from Northwestern, a granddaughter at Bowdoin, and a grandson at Indiana U, but, of course the two great-grands are the most fun of all.

—Judi Constance Macdonald is still living

independently with two ancient cats who are aging along with her. Reading is her favorite pastime

Wells.edu 37

ClassNotes

since yard work and sailing are no longer possible. Although most of her family is in New England, there are no trips in that direction in her future. Millie Fox Mailliard moved into a

very nice retirement home a bit over 1 1/2 years ago at which point things seemed to go to hell in a handbasket. But then if we live this long, we should expect trouble of some sort. The biggest annoyance is no longer driving. But her new residence has lots to do with nice people. The food is VERY good. And there is always UBER. She was planning to take her family on a cruise on the Snake and Columbia Rivers in August which will be fun, for the 20 of them going! I had not heard from Helen Graseck McClure in years but her May 2016 letter explained everything. Miraculously she was still alive and in no pain, having been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2012. She had a targeted drug which worked for a year, then was on radiation until she received a new targeted drug. She thinks she is being kept alive and is enjoying the moments. Her older daughter is a teacher and artist living in Darien, son is an engineer at Siemens in Florida, and younger daughter is an architect living in Brooklyn. Husband Bob is on dialysis but manages to survive, and helped Helen when she was very weak. She knows she is lucky to still have him. He does all that computer stuff and all the finances so she can memorize poetry and enjoy the pictures. She is an ardent birder and led many local field trips. We heard from Bob that Helen died on June 12, 2016, and send our condolences to him and their children. Helen mentioned in her letter that she had not talked to Dorothy “Timi” Johnson lately but she was still helping the Laos and Vietnamese teens that she rescued. “She’s one of a kind.” For Emilie Van Petten Merritt, it has been over 6 months since Bill died and she continues to miss him very much. She is still attending bereavement therapy at Moorings Park. She and son Bill flew to Auburn for Bill’s memorial service on June 30th. It was a celebration of his life, which was a good life. He was in excellent health until he was 92 and enjoyed a long, productive life accomplishing many worthwhile things—serving his community, his country and his church as well as building up the family business. He enjoyed life, skiing, sailing, golfing, gardening and travelling. He was a wonderful person, much loved by family and friends. It has been good for Emilie to move to Moorings Park where she sees Anne Churchill 38 December 2016

Jones and Ginny Grace Small.

There are a lot of interesting things going on and plenty of help available, plenty of socializing and exercise—all the things they tell us to do to promote a long happy, healthy life. And somebody else cooks dinner! It has been a year alone, but Abigail Schurtz Schten is in pretty good health, having periodic steroid injections in her spine and usually using a cane, but otherwise gets around well, drives, and lives by herself. She is in the unenviable position of managing the finances for many organizations, including the County Historical Commission and their Township Community Center. It’s awfully hard on her eyes, having had one cataract surgery and using drops all the time, but dealing with figures, she’d like to give it up. She began writing a weekly column for the local paper, in order to do something with her mind after Arn died. It’s entitled “Domestic Issues Person” or “Dip”. It’s kind of fun: she makes up the questions and the answers. Her grandson had his wedding at her farm last summer. It was quite a party with about 500 guests, the weather was lovely. When she took her granddaughter to Europe, Abby was still suffering from chronic inertia and was pretty sick, so it was not the kind of trip she had hoped for. She keeps in touch with Jean “Linc” Lincoln Fish via e-mail and occasionally Bones (Betty Schurmeier Christensen). Ginny Grace Small is doing well

outside of some creaky knees, keeping busy and still enjoying life at Moorings Park. It’s like being back in college, attending lectures, concerts and morning coffee with friends. Not sure if she’ll get back up to Vermont, but feeling lucky to do what she does! She was in Kennebunkport in June for the marriage of her younger grandson Andrew. Her great grandson George, who wasn’t quite two at the time, was the ring bearer... sort of! It’s gratifying when a note connecting us with Wells is one of the month’s bright spots! Age and its by-products had not caught up with Miriam “Mimi” Goldstein Sommer until recently. Now she finds age and she are running or soft stepping “it” side by side. She thinks about Wells often and would welcome more newsletters from the college. She is in beautiful touch with Helen Rosen Yellin and Dean Palmer Hall. Sadly, we have lost communication with Betty Bloom Klausner. Mary Edgar Walmsley is 88 years

old, has just published a book, and is about to launch a career! In May 2016 her latest book, The Beauty of Covenant, became available on

Amazon.com. This book is an epic poem telling the story of a marriage covenant from beginning to end: courtship, betrothal, wedding, marriage, and reward. It is presented in the form of a dialogue between a man, a woman, a chorus of people, and God. Ninety percent of the text is from Holy Scripture; ten percent is Mary’s. Scriptural references are included. It has some of her artwork in it, too. Simultaneously, the Covenant Teaching Ministry, of which she is a part, is about to launch a new website featuring more of her writings and artwork. It’s exciting! She is blessed with good health and loving, supportive family and friends. She is truly blessed! God is good! Sara “Sally” Squires Weed phoned

with the sad news that Joe had died on June 8th. Just prior to publication, we learned that Sally passed on October 30, 2016. Sally and Joe were both popular, faithful attendees at our Reunions, we send our condolences to Harry, Andy and Brenda.

Carol Kane Weiser and Ken are en-

joying life though ploughing along with assorted ailments. She is dealing with a form of rheumatoid arthritis which has curtailed her golf but has her doing more physical therapy. Not nearly as much fun but it’s a necessity. Her Bridge playing with friends continues to be a great pleasure. It’s low-key, friendly and pretty good quality. They also continue to see friends frequently. Ken’s walking is not perfect (a result of a stroke in 2009) but in general he gets better all the time. He’s truly amazing! She went to their fifth (out of eight) grandchild’s college graduation in May. What a treat to see the beautiful Duke campus. They now have four greats. The California grands, with girls two and three, are moving to Brooklyn. They consider themselves blessed and unique to have their whole family in the New York area. Sadly, Joan Safir Wiener’s news was not good. She lost her husband last year to prostate cancer. As others have confirmed, the challenge of living alone after all these years is tough. Family and friends have been over the top supportive, but for those who have walked the walk, we know life abruptly changes. She spent the winter in Florida as she has done for the past 25 years, and when she wrote, was back in New York. She takes one day at a time, always trying to find sunshine instead of rain. She is at home more than she would like, as her days of moving around have diminished. However, she is still driving (not too much at night) and living an independent existence, for which she is most grateful. She says the years are going by very quickly and she looks forward

to continuing connection with all the gals from the class of 1950 and sends much affection to all. The news from us probably indicates that we are slowing down. We haven’t travelled much except for a visit with family and friends in West Virginia and Indiana a year ago that left me with a virus that hung on for too long and a trip to Maryland for my brother’s funeral in January which allowed us to escape the great snow storm that blanketed New Jersey. Otherwise, Eric and I are thankful for relatively good health and watch the neighborhood around us turn over to the next generation. Your responses to my plea were outstanding and it was gratifying to know that so many of you are doing so well, all things considered. Carry on as best you can and do keep in touch.

—Sally

Barbara Abt Hickling 109 Village Drive Endwell, NY 13760-1065 wfhickling@stny.rr.com

Thank you for all your letters and calls. It’s fun to get something in the mail besides bills and junk. It was saddening however, to have the first three responses obituaries. Boyd Tyler left me a message that Merle Jacobson Tyler actually died in November of 2014. She had had a massive stroke and was greatly incapacitated. Her varied career included teaching at University Leggett School in Grosse Pointe, then becoming a realtor, then acting as a disability inspector for the state of Michigan until she retired only to continue working as a substitute in two different county school systems in Michigan, She is survived by Boyd and three daughters, two of whom, Janeen Tingley Beebe ’76 and Tracy Tingley ’79, graduated from Wells. We have just had a fourth California reunion early in May, writes Ann Skeratt Richardson, our 67th anniversary of graduation from Wells. This was the first time that all five of us were not together. Betsy Taylor was in the hospital and is now at home. The three Jersey girls, Midge Leuhs, Deck Whipple and I met in Carmel, then went up north to have a visit and glorious brunch with Jule Buck Kringel. It all began at our 65th Reunion when Deck and I heard the alarming news that we had to be under 83 to get into a retirement community in California (not true universally). We lived in the Washington, DC area and had looked diligently from the eastern seaboard to the west coast. We wanted to be near our daughters, hers in Santa Cruz and mine in Morro Bay. Betsy and Jule had already been settled for years in Oakland and Palo Alto.

ClassNotes

Deck and I each moved across country in 2011 and we held the first reunion in 2012 in Carmel. We have had four reunions all together, one at Deck’s in Saratoga and three in Carmel Valley, where I live. Midge flies in from New Jersey, where her family lives. We look forward to seeing one another and count the days before we meet, like waiting for spring break. We plan activities that show us the environment, the beaches, mountains and cities. Exploring local shopping areas is fun, more looking than buying! Wine tasting possibilities are everywhere. This year we visited the John Steinbeck Exhibit in Salinas that has been expanded and augmented with media, excerpts from books acted on film. It is one of the best, if not the best, literary tributes going. Our greatest pleasure is not the wine and the great food—nor Clint Eastwood’s former “Hogs’ Breath Bar” and Mission Ranch— it is sitting comfortably, preferably in front of the fire, and just visiting. We all get warm and fuzzy when we talk about our children, grandchildren, and even greatgrands and their accomplishments. They surprise us and we feel lucky. This year we celebrated 71 years of friendship. We try to keep up with our classmates who are still up and around and we remember those who are gone. We have all had careers, Betsy and Jule as valuable right-hand assistants to professors in University of California and Stanford respectively, Midge as head of the library in Cedar Grove, NJ, Deck as a state department wife from the Congo to posh London, and my own career, Navy wife and writer of innovative public school curriculum. Our talk of Wells is not focused on subject matter and major fields. It is more personal, teachers and things they said that have remained with us for years. We knew the Greatest Generation and we benefitted from that personal attention. Wells was a unique experience, and 67 years after graduation, even more deeply appreciated! Boyd’s call was followed by an e-mail from Abby Elder Winkelmeyer’s daughter informing me that Abby died early in January 20l6. Abby left Wells for Washington University in St. Louis, her hometown. There she earned her bachelor’s degree followed by an MSW. She raised six children in a home filled with music. When her husband, Bob, died in 1989 she left St. Louis for Prescott, AZ, built a house and devoted her time and energies to animal welfare interests and her grandchildren. Our sympathy to Abby’s family. Ken Baldwin sent a very short note stating that Sally Jo Wasson Baldwin died November 11, 2015 suffering from Alzheimer Disease.

Ken noted that she loved Wells and her classmates. She is survived by Ken, five children, eight grandchildren and a sister. Betsy Taylor is making a slow

but steady recovery from infection threatening the heart valve replacement she received in June 2015. Julia Buck Kringel watched her

grandson graduate from U. of Vermont last summer and then visited with her kindergarten friend in Baltimore and family in Bethesda. She also spent a lot of time supporting Betsy Taylor after her heart valve replacement. Unfortunately Jule fell and broke her wrist and elbow as she was planning a trip with a recovered Betsy to NYC for a theater tour. Their plans were cancelled, a major disappointment. Both Betsy and Jule missed the annual California mini-reunion at Carmel this spring at Ann Skerratt Richardson’s house but Deck, Midge, and Anne drove north to Palo Alto for a great luncheon with Jule before Midge flew back to New Jersey. Jule has involved herself with Amnesty International and still volunteers in the library at Channing House where she lives. Prior to publication, we received news that Jule passed on August 12th from complications following a double heart valve replacement. Our condolences to her family. Barbara Coe Sly resides in assisted

living at Heath Village in New Jersey, which has a great staff. Last year she celebrated the graduation from Haverford of her granddaughter, Robin, who majored in biology and has since spent a fellowship year teaching STEM courses. This summer Robin is teaching sustainability and ecology on Hurricane Island, ME. Granddaughter, Melissa, graduated from Bucknell in May and her grandson, John, is majoring in engineering at UVA. Two other grandsons are very busy high schoolers. Barby was delighted to lunch with Midge and Midge’s daughter recently. Carolyn Decker Whipple is one of

five regular ’49ers who join together in Carmel, CA each spring where Ann Skerratt Richardson resides. This year Midge Leuhs flew out to CA, joined Deck for two days at Saratoga, CA, Deck’s home and then drove to Anne’s at Carmel. The three of them toured the John Steinbeck Museum in nearby Salinas, visited and talked Wells for two days. Deck and Midge drove back to Deck’s in Saratoga and then on to Palo Alto to lunch one day with Jule. Ill health kept Betsy Taylor from joining them. Later in June, Deck is planning a return to Virginia for a grandson’s high school graduation and then will fly to London,

Pam Stemler Reynolds ’45 with her grandson, Dr. Edward Smith, and great-grandson, Jackson.

where her youngest son has settled. His son finishes five years at Eton in June and was a bowler on the Eton cricket team. He expects to be one of the bowlers at the annual Eton-Harrow cricket match, played at Lord’s Cricket Ground and Deck can’t wait to be there. took her usual trip to Guatemala to visit with Alex’s family. She continues to categorize and catalogue old documents in the Boerne, TX Courthouse. She is up to the 1940’s in the probate records so no more hand written wills, though some of them are still in German (Boerne is in a part of Texas that was heavily settled with German immigrants). Her oldest daughter is a first responder in the Houston area and a stepgranddaughter will marry this fall. Kate still has a bucket list of todo’s and she has added zip-lining to that list.

I called Shirley McKee Shreiner because I got a mail return from Joan Carpenter Harms. Shirley called her and reported that Joan was still living in Seminole, FL, in the same senior residence but that she had moved her to a new apartment and they won’t forward mail. She reported that Joan was busy and well but no longer driving. Shirley has been dodging scaffolding and other debris for several months while her community reconstructs the area where she lives, a needed effort for a 40 year old building. In keeping with a Shreiner tradition, the family elects to celebrate everybody’s birthday in May. All but one of the family gathered on May 14th, 25 in all, candles were blown out on a huge cake and it was a big blast. In July her daughters will drive her to Cape May (where she spent many, many summers of her life) for two nights of reminiscing and togetherness eating lobster and crab as an added treat.

Ruth Miller Woodcock traveled

Martha Stephens wrote that she

Katherine Emmons Skinner-Klee

to Patagonia with her daughter Debbie over last Christmas’s holidays. She was thrilled by the jagged mountains, emerald blue lakes and glaciers. They also traveled to Santiago and Buenos Aires. Ruth has “retired” from the Kendal Board of Directors which minimizes attending numerous meetings. She still relishes auditing classes at Washington and Lee. Her latest audit was a class on medieval art in Southern Europe. Her spring highlight was singing Elijah with a local choral society. Jeanne Munning Luehs letter was

full of her trip to visit Deck, Anne and Jule. She still enjoys traveling. Dana Garnock Scadden was ex-

cited to report the birth of her first great grandchild, a girl, the first girl born to a Scadden since 1927. She was looking forward to a July departure on a bridge cruise to Hawaii and back with three of her fellow senior community residents in the San Mateo, CA area.

sold her condo in Mexico as old age prompted fear of illness from traveling and high altitudes. She is again planning a family reunion picnic in July peopled with new great-great nephews and newly married great nieces and nephews plus other assorted relatives all hoping for perfect summer weather. What a treat to have a letter from Nancy Selinger Summers! She and Dick have slowed down considerably especially since Dick has Parkinsons and is confined to a walker. She still belongs to a piano club which meets monthly in member’s homes where members perform. She has two pianos and recently joined with her piano partner to play a Bach concerto; sometimes they play Brahms’ waltzes. She also knits baby blankets, hats, scarves and mittens for her church ministry. Mary Louise “Colonel” Woods Raymond called to visit and report Wells.edu 39

ClassNotes

she is no longer driving but is still very involved in many of the activities of her community. Olivia Ray Singleton and Bob are

still in the “old homestead”. They don’t go about much but do play Bridge. Her lung difficulties have now morphed into pulmonary hypertension which affects the heart requiring oxygen 24/7 which she calls “very boring”. She was looking forward to the graduation of her grandson from Woodbury Forest School (HS), Bob’s alma mater. He has been a star track runner but has already determined he will not run in college. Sadly, we learned Jill Sherndal Jones passed away on October 7, 2016. Jill was a vibrant, enthusiastic supporter of Wells and the Class of ’49 contributing her energy and skills to many class projects and Wells activities. It was always fun to receive her notes describing her busy life full of family, sports and dogs. Our condolences to Jill’s family. We are muddling along. Fred’s sight is almost gone (a sad fate for a painter, carver and reader) and he is presently in a rehab facility because he began to fall a lot. We are hopeful he will be back in our cottage soon. We are now blessed with eight great-grandchildren, four of them born last summer and early fall. Our youngest grandchild, Maggie, graduated from Penn State in December 2015, an industrial engineer, and started with Ernst and Young the first of March. As a special graduation gift she and her father climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro just after Christmas. Much to his disappointment, our rower grandson did not make the Olympics team. We’re a bit relieved! The Outer Banks attracts most of the family for frequent visits but we no longer venture out of upstate New York. I’m still singing in our church choir (my broken arm resulted from falling off the steps from the choir loft to the balcony—now entirely healed), still do a little for the Phelps Mansion and am now secretary of our Good Shepherd Village Resident Council. Thanks to all of you who wrote. I hope those who did not, are well and keeping active.

—Love, Bobbie

Virginia Rogers Burgess 95 West High Street Somersworth, NH 03878-2338 snibsey@comcast.net

I guess there’s no getting away from empty desks—I try, sadly. I must tell you of the passing of Laurette “Laurie” Speer Engelmann and Marian “Ricky” Merrick Cutting. Laurie was widowed

young, remarrying after 22 years. She lived in a retirement community many years and enjoyed many of the activities offered. 40 December 2016

Ricky was as active as she was at Wells, and how could we forget the lovely luncheons after some of our Reunions! To the families and friends of these classmates, we send our thoughts and prayers. Carol Nalen Boslet had just re-

turned from a two-week hiking adventure in the Dolomites with her brother when she wrote. That was the upside. The downside was the aches and pains that went with the ascents and descents. Carol is looking forward to visiting her son in San Francisco, the Santa Fe Opera with Joan “Shep” Shepherd Jones, and Sun Valley with her brother for their symphony week. Ann Cameron Corrie visits fam-

ily in California, Maryland, North Carolina, Long Island, and Virginia Beach. She also finds there are many things to do, thanks to the community care provided. Joanne “Jody” Warvel Davis says

her news is her new address. She is in an apartment in a retirement community. Many of the residents are people Jody already knew. Best thing? Good food—no cooking! Dorothy Loomis Dunbar was await-

ing the surgeon’s talents to repair a leaky valve to correct for difficulty in breathing. Confirmation received that all went well. “Now the sun is out, it’s July, and the younger generations are beginning to arrive for their annual summer visits at the lake.” Joan “Shep” Shepherd Jones en-

joyed a vacation at Cape Hatteras with 16 family members present. With her daughter Susan, Shep spent a delightful overnight in Aurora. Shep said that Wallcourt has been totally changed to a contemporary style Inn by Pleasant Rowland ’62. It is now an inn well worth the stop-over. Katharine “Kabby” Lydecker Lowe

has done a good deal of traveling, visiting family and friends in California, Florida, Lake Placid, and London, where Kabby attended her grandson’s wedding. Kabby’s daughter, Betsy, won the “Creative Thought Matters Award of Distinction” at her 40th reunion at Skidmore. That was for building the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks in Tupper Lake. Kabby is looking forward to celebrating her 90th in October in London. Ann Justice McLendon is still

spending weekends in Denver for some music and visiting of friends. Her daughter and two grands spend half the year in San Diego and the other half in Ann’s house in Loveland. It’s all a lot of fun and a bit chaotic. Ann was able to see a large group of family at her sister’s

Alice Norton Haehl ’45 with her two granddaughters.

memorial service, which was a happy diversion. Anne Zabriskie Sheldon had a visit

with her brother, and they visited Aurora, among other places. The time at Wells was Reunion, and Anne was able to listen to the Alumnae Award Convocation and part of President Gibralter’s speech. She also attended her grandson’s graduation ((with Phi Beta Kappa attached) from Wilamette University in Salem, OR. This was the first university west of the Mississippi. Between the time Joanne “Johnnie” Stager Gould wrote to me and I had edited the news, Johnnie’s husband died. Johnnie, rest assured that the Class of 1948 of Wells College has you in our thoughts and prayers.

As for me, not much has changed. My two little great-grands have both passed their first birthdays. I only have one nearby. My daughter, Nancy, is still living with me, and I enjoy her company. At present, we are preparing for my granddaughter’s wedding to take place in September at a venue set in the Muir Woods of California. Driving has become a bit of an issue, so I don’t drive after dark anymore. I hope everyone stays healthy and happy. I try to keep doing what I’ve always done, but it gets more difficult. I have a wonderful church family, so that’s my social life! Happy 90th to a bunch of us!!

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Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu

Anne Wilson Baker writes “Audrey Edwards Brown and I had a de-

lightful 70th Reunion. The weather was perfect, the grounds were full of flowers, even the

buildings look as though they have been washed. Audrey enjoyed a cruise on Cayuga Lake while I walked through almost all of the buildings. We were both quite taken by our new science building Ann Wilder Stratton ’46 Hall. It is large and wonderfully settled among the other buildings. It made us very proud to have our classmate’s name there. Our transportation was a golf cart with delightful Valerie Schweigert ’16, who was always available. She was most helpful all weekend even with our banner that Audrey had made so that we could lead the parade. Even the horses that lead the parade had their coats shined and their manes braided. No more nags! We met some ’66ers who knew my niece, Kaffie White McCullough ’67 and her mother, Kay Wilson White ’42. I was happy to see Liz Bowman Rothermel ’66 and many other trustees and honorary trustees in a get together in Taylor House at President Gibralter’s invitation. You can be happy that he is the President of Wells College. Audrey and I ended our evenings in GP’s living room both Friday and Saturday after our wonderful dinners. We chatted about our classmates and wished they were with us. We can all be proud of Wells College and glad to support our alma mater.

Marge Leinroth Gotshall 145 Columbia Ave Apt 519 Holland, MI 49423 geeg@mymailstation.com

Greetings to all of you and thanks to you who responded to my plea for news. There are twenty of us still living and I heard from nine of you. In March Helen “Andy” Anderson Morey died. Wells was so important to her that being near Aurora was a factor in their deciding to move to Kendal in Ithaca. She remained involved with the College and died shortly before Dr. Gibralter was to speak at Kendal which she had arranged.

ClassNotes

Jean Eisele Andon sounded full of energy when we talked. She had been on a trip down the Mississippi with a friend and is going to Cuba in January with her daughter. Recently she acquired her 8th great grandchild (isn’t that a record for the class?)—all boys except for one girl! She enjoys good health. Ann Harden Babcock wrote from

her summer home on Cape Cod where she was expecting all her family to gather, including her two great granddaughters, one a two month old she hasn’t seen yet. Ann and Anne Wilson Baker ’46 will again host a luncheon in July for alums in the area where Dr. Gilbralter will be present. At our 70th Reunion, Ann and Andy lit a candle in the Chapel Service of Remembrance for Ellen McFarland Sutton who was killed in an automobile accident in 2014 (I reported that car crash in a previous Wells Notes as a special item). Carolyn “Terry” Silver Becker

emailed and phoned so we had a good phone visit. Her email read: “So much happening here lately that I’m behind on everything. Glad we are in a retirement home as we have been through three weeks of HELL with our hot water heater exploding with water covering everything. Not the way to get a new carpet and to endure living on concrete floors but they took care of everything cost wise and no furniture damaged but too upsetting for us at this tender age!! In between having our daughter from California come for a week’s visit, my husband celebrating his 95th birthday and our 69th anniversary! All back to normal now and all the china that had to be removed from all cabinets back in place. A different way of life but we are glad we did it 14 years ago. Talk to Pam Stemler Reynolds often and heard from Dot Milham Gauntlett after she had seen our rollator picture and recently had a card from Emily Sykes Rohrer

who had moved to Virginia. My sister, Marjorie Silver Burriack ’55 tried hard to get me to go to our 70th and did mention our class when she spoke remembering when we shared our 60th with her 50th!” (Prior to publication, word came that Terry died in September. Terry always maintained a lively interest in what was going on at the College. She sounded like her usual energetic self when we talked in the summertime. Our condolences to both families.) I can always count on hearing from Louise Dempsey Grifone; however, this year’s news was sad. “My husband, Dr. Jim, passed away earlier this year. He suffered from congestive heart failure for several years. We had 58 years of a very happy marriage. I’m carrying on alone, but I enjoy life in Seal Beach, a small seaside sleepy town, south of Los Angeles. I’m still living in my home with a Girl Friday helping out, a housekeeper and an excellent gardner. I’m still a member of AAUW and I volunteer at the local library selling books in the bookstore. I am still an avid reader. I try to stay busy and active. I’m blessed with good health but have hearing problems.” Alice “Tidder” Norton Haehl has

a wonderful secretary in her son, Bill Wein, who says, “My mother is doing well. On August 31st of last year, she became a greatgrandmother to Connor Joseph Nestor, baby of my niece, Laura. We took Mom out to dinner last night. She uses a walker most of the time, but is planning to be around for her 100th birthday.” Emily “Syksie” Sykes Rohrer

brought us up to date telling that in April 2015 they moved to Richmond, VA. ”After 35 years in Tampa, it was a tough decision. We still miss our friends and our church. Gayton Terrace is lovely and we are close to Betsy and her family and nearer to our other

children. We are doing pretty well but did not make it to our granddaughter’s wedding which was recently held in Georgia. We are loving the family reunion pictures from Jamie’s special day. In spite of my macular degeneration, with help, I enjoy reading my emails. You can send them to me at esrohrer@yahoo.com.” A short email from June “Pam” Stemler Reynolds said “I still live on the side of a hill in West Virginia with two large yellow dogs. My three children are nearby. I play Mahjong twice a week, but my Bridge group faded away. I celebrated my 93rd birthday on June 6th. If you remember that is D day, you are probably an old lady!” Jessie Maben Smith emailed to say

her life has not changed very much since she last wrote a summary. “My husband, Alastair, remains a resident at the Sunnybrook Veterans Hospital here in Toronto, ON, in a wing for those with dementia. I was there this afternoon visiting him, listening to a music program and later in the delightful garden where flowing water surrounds lilies and birds flit about. I live in the same retirement residence in Toronto where Alastair did live with me for the first four years before medical reasons caused his move.” Connie White Wentzel sent her

news just in time. “I can only say that not much has changed in my life. I had a spell of illness last February (pulmonary embolism), but seem to have beaten that back and am gradually feeling more energetic. Present involvement at Horizon House is with the elections committee. We set up a series of forums for the candidates for each stage of the upcoming elections: primary and final. Since we get a good turnout of residents (up to 175 each evening) the candidates make a point of accepting our invitation to come. They know we vote! And we set up a carefully structured series of pointed questions to which all can speak for a very closely limited time. I have never felt this engaged in our democratic process!” In June 2015, a severe back problem put me in a rehab facility for a month, making me realize that it was time to move near one of my children. So now I’m in an apartment in a life care community in Michigan, near a son and his family, including two great-grand kids. My California daughter visits frequently. After 60 years in my Bethlehem, PA house, I’m still adjusting to life in Holland, an attractive town, known for its spectacular Tulip Time Festival. I still

drive locally, wear hearing aids, cope with a back problem and use a cane for balance but still have my wits about me—at least most days.

—Warm wishes to you all, Marge

Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu Roberta Berry Humez writes that

she stays busy with music at her arts center in Natick, where they feature young emerging musicians, Walnut Hill School and N.E. Conservatory, among others. Her failing vision has limited her activities—Shakespeare Club & Historical Society, but she walks and exercises with ease at her community senior center. She summers in Vermont with three daughters, three grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and other relatives. She’s planning a glider ride over the Finger Lakes! Loraine Teninga Plasman had hip

surgery in January 2015 and still enjoyed golfing that summer, although she says it was par 3 only. In July she attended the wedding of her second grandson in Door County, WI and had a lovely time. “Both great grandmas were ’flower girls’!” In August of that year she attended the Minnesota Wells Club Fete and was surprised with a cake, as it was her birthday. Her family also attended the celebration, including her daughter, Barbara Plasman Rogers ’74. That same month she visited her sister, Ruth Teninga Anderson ’39 in Hinsdale, IL in celebration of her 98th birthday. She doesn’t see any travels out of state this summer and feels “blessed for what we get!”

Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu

Mary Jane Schorr Bension wonders

how busy one can be when pushing 95! She says she still attends all the Philadelphia Orchestra events, however. She still lives alone—but sometimes thinks it would be nice to have help other than someone to clean.

Although her family does not live in Rochester, Jeanne Bahn Hutchins’ four daughters often visit with their spouses or children. She sold her home last fall and moved to a new senior apartment complex in Pittsford called Cloverwood. She has lots of friends and even a relative, Frank’s sister, lives there. She sends her best to all. Marjorie Bailey Rachlin and Jack are still home with lots of helpers

President Jonathan Gibralter visited with Marge Leinroth Gotshall ’45 at her home in October 2016. Wells.edu 41

ClassNotes

and aides. They enjoy friends and her garden, despite her heart problems. She talks to Anne “Nancy” Maddock Ewing every few months and she is doing ok. She recently heard from Jimmy Schorn. Barbara Fincke Talburtt says “For 95, life is good!” She lives in an assisted living facility in Ann Arbor, MI near her oldest daughter. She still loves to read about her classmates in the Wells Notes and wishes everyone good health and happiness.

Sue Horr Mindnich 107 Kings Highway Middletown, NJ 07748-2032 smindnich107@comcast.net Laura Beale Toy Waverly Heights Apartment A324 1400 Waverly Rd Gladwyne, PA 19035-1254 laurabtoy@yahoo.com

Polly Vanneman Fisher 1063 Edgemere Court Apartment 2 Akron, OH 44321-1686 tfisher@sumneronridgewood. com

Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu

All of the names submitted by the Class Notes editor have been contacted—sadly, no one responded. Fran Stephens Fowler keeps in touch quite regularly. She is still travelling and enjoying her life in a retirement community in Lebanon, NH. Fran writes lively letters describing her woes with car care and doctors, all of which she has managed successfully and efficiently—no surprise! Life has been lovely for us this month, with visits from nephews, children, grands and greatgrands as Tom celebrated his 90th. We still swim, exercise and play Bridge.

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Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu

Lois Brock’s nephew informed us

that it was necessary for her to resign, after many years of editing class news, due to her limited sight. She is still living at

Rockynol in the independent living apartments and turned 100 on July 6th! She enjoyed a number of celebrations in North Myrtle Beach, SC and in Akron, OH. Jean Clark Jones is living in a retirement home in Alexandria, VA. She is not letting confinement to a wheelchair interfere with some of the things she enjoys. She went to a baseball game and sat at the top level and had a great time! (Mets 2 – Nationals 0).

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not.” Betty says, “Thank goodness Wells did change and for the good!” Life is still full and exciting and she and her husband live in a fine retirement community. She sends good wishes to all.

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Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu

Elizabeth Imbrie Werrenrath says

it’s a very odd feeling to be the only surviving member of the class of 1935. Her memories of her four years at Wells are many and wonderful. Many changes in those years, but good ones. She remembers trying to persuade a member of the board to have Wells be a coeducational school but was told that “there should be one place where girls can be where boys are

Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu

Gertrude Murrell Howland cel-

ebrated her 106th birthday on July 25th with family and friends. She published her memoirs, entitled As I Remember last year. She is currently living in her hometown of Richmond, VA. Prior to publication, we were notified of Gertrude’s passing in August. Our condolences to her family.

(continued from page 1) in the fields of homeless services and public health, Molly stewards relationships with current and potential individual, corporate, and foundation donors, manages all public messaging, and ensures the continued success and prominence of Butterfly Ball, Chrysalis’ signature $1.5-million fundraising event. Molly holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Wells College and a master’s in international business from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management, from which she also earned a prestigious George Award for Community Service in 2014. She was a collaborator in the 2014 launch of 1-in-4: A Social Change Movement to End Homelessness among Women, and she serves as co-chair of the Southern California region’s Advocacy Committee. She is also a member of the board of directors of Piece by Piece. Molly lives in Los Angeles with her husband Derek and their son Wyatt. Rozana Majumdar ’09 has dedicated her career to advancing the rights of the marginalized, especially international women and girls. After graduating from Wells with a degree in international studies, she earned a master’s in gender studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, UK. She interned and worked in New York City for two years before moving to Bangladesh, her home country, where she felt her education and skills could make the biggest contribution in eradicating widespread poverty. In Bangladesh, Rozana has worked at several International Development Organizations while completing a second master’s in development studies from BRAC University. Currently, she is overlooking the gender and social inclusion programming at Christian Aid Bangladesh, a UK-based development organization. A Bengali-American, born in Washington and brought up in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Rozana is a global citizen. She loves traveling the world to explore new cultures, visit old friends, and make new ones.

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150 Years, 150 Voices Throughout the history of Wells, countless stories touching so many lives illustrate how a small community can have such a wide reach. As we look to those who make up this community—professors, students, supporters, presidents and administrators, alumnae and alumni, and so many more—it becomes obvious that Wells is remarkable because her people are remarkable. What, then, do these stories look like? Who are the Wellsians that have contributed so much to our nearly 150 years of education? We are exploring this through a series called “150 Years, 150 Voices” in which we’re asking members of the community to share a part of their own unique Wells experience, and to tell what the campus and the community have meant to them. You can expect to see quite a number of these accounts (150, if you’re counting) spread across our various platforms, including the website and social media, publications and mailings, and spanning video, photography, text, and more as we draw closer to celebrating the College’s Sesquicentennial.

Dorothy J. Harden ’87 In October 2016, the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) selected Dorothy J. Harden, Esq, attorney and owner of a woman’s empowerment company, as one of the Top Ten Business Women of the Year. The Top Ten Business Women of ABWA is a national program that honors 10 outstanding members for achieving excellence in career, education and community involvement.

An exceptional student, Dorothy graduated from Wells with many distinctions and went on to obtain her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law, earning more honors and accolades in the process. Dorothy began her legal career in Dallas, Texas, before eventually starting her own law practice in Islamorada, Fla.; she has provided professional legal representation to individuals, companies and organizations for over 20 years in areas including civil litigation, labor and employment law, commercial and business law and family law. In addition to her thriving profession as a lawyer, Dorothy was inspired to found Go-Get-’EmGirls!, a company dedicated to empowering women in their self-confidence, life purpose, passion and finances. Dorothy has firsthand experience with the struggles women face in their lives and careers, and she wants to share her lessons learned overcoming personal and professional hardship to support other women, break down barriers, conquer fears and have women really learn to live their dreams. Feeling both honored and humbled by the Top Ten Business Women award, Dorothy revealed, “I am passionate about helping women grow personally and professionally and [the ABWA] – which embodies sisterhood—has helped me and others grow, achieve and exceed goals many thought unimaginable.” “The extraordinary education that I received from Wells College gave me a firm foundation to think critically, problem-solve, and communicate ideas and theories effectively. Wells allowed me to experience growth and achievements that were amazing. My Wells education provided, and continues to provide, skills and learning that I use today not only in my legal practice but also to transform women’s lives and businesses.”

David Glidden ’16 David Glidden ’16 united his political science major and social & economic justice minor in his thesis, Decolonizing the Tongue: Negotiating the Linguistic Legacy of Colonialism in Sub-Saharan Africa. Researching the culture, literature, and politics of countries such Senegal, Kenya, and Tanzania, David considered how a group of people might “use a language that they were colonized in to express anti-colonial sentiments.” For instance, “liberation movements in Angola all used Portuguese; that was what united the country, and yet most of the country can’t access it.” He credits Professor Tukumbi Lumumba-Kasongo as an essential advisor; his deep knowledge of colonial liberation movements informed the research. Questions of unity, belonging, and perspective also influenced David’s student involvement. As a leader of numerous clubs during his college career, he noted: “I ended up taking leadership roles and discovered that I enjoyed running events, but it was the conversations that motivated me to join.” His consistency and dedication earned him the Frances Tarlton Farenthold Leadership Award at Commencement; and as David embarks on a job as a field organizer for the Vermont Democratic Party, meeting people with conversation seems like a good route to follow.

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Maia Baskerville ’17 The question to ask Maia Baskerville ’17 is not whether she misses out on research opportunities at a small school like Wells, but rather, how she finds time to pursue them all. As a first-year student considering a pre-med curriculum, Maia shadowed doctors to learn about rural health care needs as part of the Rural Health Immersion Program. As a sophomore at Cornell University’s School of Integrative Plant Science, she researched the genomic sequence of a virus that injures grapevines. As a junior she presented that work at the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research—a multidisciplinary event that was one of the highlights of her college career so far. Self-motivation has been critical to Maia’s development as a scientist, scholar, and Wells community member. “I am a 100% different person than when I first came to Wells,” she says; the high school student who looked to others to solve a problem is gone. “You need to do it yourself,” whether it means knocking on doors, advocating for others, or looking ahead to the next stage of life—in Maia’s case, a PhD, a teaching career, and her own research lab. “If you want something,” she says, “you have to go out and fight for it. And that’s a good learning experience.”

Kitty Van Bortel ’76 “I didn’t choose the car business because I’m wild about cars,” says Kitty Van Bortel ’76. “I get excited about what cars can do for people.” Although her father was a car dealer who owned 17 franchises at one time, Kitty began her career at a dealership independent of her family. “My father was brilliant and I learned everything from him. But he was from an era that made him believe that women couldn’t and shouldn’t be in this business. He was tough and refused to ever help me financially.” So, despite obstacles, she worked her own way into the industry, becoming a top salesperson and then a sales manager in the Rochester, NY area, before opening a used-car lot – another step toward the goal of owning a dealership. In 1991, Kitty convinced Subaru to give her a chance and opened Van Bortel Subaru, and she hasn’t looked back. Her business has since expanded to include both Chevrolet and Ford dealerships as well. The reputation Kitty has built over the last 30 years pairs her automotive career with an equally impressive commitment to giving back to her community. A nine-year breast cancer survivor, Kitty is dedicated to spreading the word that early detection is the cure. “This cause became my passion as early detection saved my life.” In addition, Kitty supports an array of organizations working to alleviate hunger and homelessness, protect children and veterans, and support families impacted by illness. She has received numerous awards for her community service and business leadership, including the 2009 Herbert W. Vanden Brul Entrepreneurial Award from the Saunders School of Business at Rochester Institute of Technology; 2011 Athena Award from the Women’s Council of the Rochester Business Alliance, the 2009 Rochester Women’s Network “W” Award, and in 2016 she was named the TIME Magazine Dealer of the Year. ”How to understand and work with others, how to contribute to a community, how to redefine your own boundaries—these are the kinds of things you learn at Wells, and they were a large part of what helped me become successful professionally.”

44 December 2016

Gwen Wilkinson ’77 In July 2016, Attorney Gwen Wilkinson ’77 retired from her post as Tompkins County District Attorney after 26 years of public service. Her legacy includes aggressive prosecution of domestic violence and child abuse and advocating a sensible drug policy to address addiction-related crime. After Wells, Gwen graduated from Dickinson School of Law (now run through Pennsylvania State University) and became a lawyer in 1989. Although she joined the Tompkins County District Attorney Office in 1991 to gain valuable trial experience, her work on behalf of vulnerable victims, including children and domestic violence survivors, changed her perspective and career ambitions. Prosecuting cases involving children is especially challenging and too often unsuccessful. But Gwen was committed. “Sometimes you have to step up knowing you might not prevail. But I thought it was important enough to shine a light on the issue.” Gwen eventually left the DA’s office to become a domestic violence prevention coordinator and later work for the Tompkins County Department of Social Services to file petitions on behalf of family court. In 2005, Gwen successfully ran for District Attorney (and was re-elected in 2009 and 2013). Maintaining a focus on prosecuting child abuse, Gwen was also determined to change the way addiction-related crime is sentenced. Under her leadership, the county began using drug treatment courts once again, offering the opportunity to complete rehabilitation programs and support from social services rather than depending on the revolving door to prison. Most recently, Gwen helped spearhead The Ithaca Plan, the city’s controversial new drug reform policy, and she hopes to stay involved in this work, believing that helping people get treatment before they have a criminal record is a priority. Gwen’s retirement too early from her term as District Attorney was driven by health issues and a need to allow her body time for rest and recovery. But Gwen is not done fighting for other people. “I imagine I’ll find a way to keep doing that, on some level, on a more healthy proportion to the rest of my life. It’s a huge part of who I am.”

Anthony White ’18 “History was an easy choice for me,” says Anthony White ’18. “I’ve always been steady with history, never changed, always was a history fanatic.” With that goal in mind, though, Anthony has found that there is plenty of room to explore his education and expand his boundaries. In his first-year seminar, taught by Assistant Professor of Education Sara Levy, he began to make connections between fields of study and professional and personal interests. “I saw the way [Professor Levy] taught and thought she was a history professor! I thought more about that, and something just clicked. I realized that maybe I am meant to be a teacher. So she just took me under her wing, and I fell in love with education ever since.” At the same time, Anthony has made an effort to find new experiences outside of the classroom as well, as a member of the Prodigy Step Team, Umoja student organization, and Evenline tradition; and he’s parlayed his talent and determination into leadership roles as a Resident Advisor, Programming Board co-chair, and now men’s Evenline coach for the 2017 and 2018 teams. “I think the main aspect I’ve been learning in these experiences is a lot of patience,” he says, “and that gives me the strength and focus that I need in order to be an active teacher, work well with my students, and teach them in a way that will work best for them.”

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WCA: Call for Volunteers, the Tradition Continues Volunteer Spotlight Preserving Wells’ history has become a passion for Frances Trubilla Kissell ’78. Fran is fascinated with documenting the history and heritage of all that is Wells for reunion attendees. Since 2013, Fran, and other volunteers, have created a display that showcases the various aspects of Wells history. The displays have celebrated the 140th anniversary of the WCA, traced the history of several of the prominent buildings on campus, and showcased the history of many Wells traditions. Since Wells was a life-changing experience for her, Fran enjoys giving back to her alma mater to show her pride. As a student, Fran was known to spend little time in the library; however, through her new volunteer role she has discovered a new joy in digging through the archives to uncover so many marvelous pieces of history. Fran has

also volunteered on the WCA Board as the nominating vice president, attended college fairs in the Carolinas on behalf of the College, and hosted alumni gatherings at her home. Wells is proud of the many volunteers, like Fran, who choose to give back their time and talents. Alumni are encouraged to engage with the College in a way that is meaningful to them. If you have an interest in helping students, hosting an alumni event, planning your class reunion, or just love Wells, we will find an opportunity for you.

✂

Get Involved We need you! Are you good at party planning? writing? researching? fundraising? recruiting? building relationships? Tell us what you are interested in or what strengths you can bring to the table to benefit Wells and her alumni. Let your strengths be our strengths! Please let us know if you are interested in getting involved with the Wells College Association of Alumnae and Alumni (check all that apply): Host a Wells event

Serve on a WCA committee

Plan a Wells event in my area

Recruit students

Raise money for Wells

Plan my class Reunion

Host a student intern

Assist with alumni communications

Other interests and strengths:

please print name class year phone email

Please return to Wells College Office of Advancement, 170 Main Street, Aurora, NY 13026 Fax: 315.364.3441 • Scan and Email: alumoffice@wells.edu

46 December 2016

SHARE YOUR NEWS PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR NEWS TO YOUR CLASS SECRETARY BY

JANUARY 15, 2017

WE LOVE YOUR PHOTOS Help us print them clearly— so we can recognize your smile. • Set camera to: 150 to 300 dpi.

KEEP YOUR INFORMATION UPDATED Help us go greener by providing a current email address and/or cell phone number. Receive invitations to events, our monthly Alum2Alum e-news and other College updates.

alumoffice@wells.edu 315.364.3200

IN YOUR WORDS! We’re happy to publish your news as written by you! Wells welcomes your submissions to ClassNotes, as gathered and assembled by your class secretary. In keeping with our news “for alums, by alums” approach, editing by the Alumnae and Alumni Relations Office is minimal, limited mainly to unintentional, overt errors in formatting or structure.

• Email JPEG FILE ATTACHMENTS to your class secretary or to alumoffice@ wells.edu. • Provide DETAILS, NAMES, and CLASS YEARS.

REUNION 2017 SAVE THE DATE JUNE 1-4, 2017

Reunion 2016

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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Ithaca, N.Y. Permit No. 780

Wells College Association 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026

General Reunion Schedule The schedule for the weekend allows alums to both participate in many campus activities and spend time with each other. More information is available at www.wells.edu. Here is the tentative schedule for the weekend, subject to change:

Thursday, June 1

Friday, June 2

Saturday, June 3

Sunday, June 4

1:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m.

9:30 – 10:15 a.m.

7:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Reunion officially begins!

5:00 – 6:o0 p.m. Welcome Reception, Ryerson Comons

6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Dinner with Reunion College faculty

Flag Raising

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Reunion College

1:30 – 4:30 p.m. Afternoon Fun

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Wells College Reunion Address

6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Class Dinners

WCA Annual Meeting

10:30 a.m. Reunion Parade

Farewell Brunch

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Service of Remembrance

11:00 a.m.– Noon WCA Award Convocation noon – 2:00 p.m.

Reunion Picnic

2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Individual Class Activities

6:00 – 11:00 p.m. Celebration Dinner and Dancing

WellsREUNION2O17

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