WellsNotes Wells College Alumnae and Alumni Newsletter
Spring 2019
Wells College Association of Alumnae and Alumni 2019 WCA AWARD
SHELLEY OSMUN BARANOWSKI ’68
In recognition of her distinction as a scholar of modern German history, the Wells College Association of Alumnae and Alumni will award its 2019 Alumnae and Alumni Award to Shelley Osmun Baranowski ’68, Ph.D. She will be honored at the Alumnae and Alumni Award Ceremony on the Saturday morning of Reunion weekend in June. As a scholar, author and teacher, Shelley reshaped her field. Her first awareness of the horrors of Nazism came in a 10th-grade English class where, she recalls, students wrote short autobiographies and read them aloud. As one classmate described her family’s immigration to the United States as Holocaust survivors, Shelley realized how little she had known about the war and resolved to learn more. At Wells College, she majored in religion, with a major-equivalent minor in history. Throughout her education and career, the two fields intersected, leading to groundbreaking insights that help answer the question: “How and why did German society—from laborers to elites—embrace Nazism?” Shelley was one of the first women accepted by the master’s program in the Department of Religion at Princeton University (“… quite an accomplishment for a woman at that point in Princeton’s history,” says Wells College Emeritus Professor of Religion Arthur Bellinzoni, Jr.). She went on to earn her Ph.D. at Princeton, subsequently expanding her dissertation as her first book, probing the post-war assumption
of Protestant resistance to Nazism. As Shelley dug deeper and wider, she developed new theories, challenging accepted theories that often encountered resistance. With time, however, the strength of her research prevailed, providing a new understanding of the tools of Nazism. In 1980, when Shelley earned her doctorate, she faced a collapsed job market in academia, especially in the humanities. “To keep her name in the game, she published her dissertation and took part-time jobs—at schools including Rutgers, Princeton and Kenyon—before being offered a full-time, tenure-track position at the University of Akron,” says a former Akron colleague, Professor Steven Harp. “It turned out to be a perfect, academically challenging, and accepting environment. Although she started in a junior faculty position, her strength promptly made her the equivalent of senior faculty,” says Professor Harp. Shelley proposed a new subject, Kraft durch Freude (“Strength through Joy”), the Nazis’ vast travel and tourism program. Historians then believed that there were too few sources to make the topic worth exploring. But she persisted. In two trips to Poland, in 1989 and 1990, she delved into just-discovered records in a bombed-out
(continued on page 38)
WCA AWARD CEREMONY INVITATION The Wells College Association of Alumnae and Alumni cordially invites you and your guests to attend the 2019 WCA Award Ceremony recognizing the achievements of Shelley Osmun Baranowski ’68
Saturday, June 2, 2019 Ceremony at 11:00 a.m. Phipps Auditorium, Macmillan Hall Wells College, 170 Main Street Aurora, New York
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 2 | DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE PAGE 3 | WCA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE PAGES 4-37 | CLASS NOTES PAGE 39-40 | REUNION
Wells College Association Board
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK
President
As we wind down our sesquicentennial, I am reminded that not only do we need to take a minute to honor our past and celebrate our present, but it is also important to continue making strides toward the bright future ahead. We want you to be a part of that future as active alumnae and alumni—and thus we welcome your thoughts, ideas and comments as we prepare for the next 150 years.
Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86 dnamcnaughton@mac.com Nominating Vice President
Sue Eskedahl ’79 eskedahl_reuper@msn.com Reunion Vice President
Christin Schaaf ’99 cschaaf99@gmail.com Fall Weekend Vice President
Tiffany Hancock Clark ’93 tiffanyjoyclark@gmail.com WCA Trustees
Katie Fong ’06 katiefong@gmail.com Joanne Kelley ’83 jkelleyco@gmail.com Heather Kowalski ’90 heathertk@aol.com National Annual Giving Chair
Mary Pastore Cryan ’84 marykcryan@gmail.com Award Committee Chair
Virginia Meeker Munkelwitz ’67 munkelwitz@alum.mit.edu Members-at-Large
Sarah Messenger Gleason ’88 sgleasons@yahoo.com Eliza Heppner ’06 eheppner@gmail.com Member-at-Large—FARGO
Brad Murray ’15 bcmurray15@gmail.com Admissions Liaison
Talyse Hampton ’09 talyseladora@gmail.com Director of Alumnae and Alumni Engagement
Jennifer Janes jjanes@wells.edu
GOLF COURSE
WellsNotes May 2019, Volume XI, Issue I WellsNotes is published by Wells College. It is circulated free of charge to College alumnae and alumni. Editors
Kelly Brown Christopher Pollock Pamela Sheradin ’86 Design
Coburn Design Class Notes Editor
Kelly Brown Contributors
Janice Yu Cheng Jennifer Janes Emily Peters Photography
Janice Yu Cheng Emily Peters Michele Vollmer 2 Spring 2019
It is also important to us to keep you informed, share more things with you and keep you connected to other Wells alums. In addition to our printed publications that are mailed periodically, we also send a newsletter each month via email, as well as various event and program invitations. Please make sure we have your current email address so you don’t miss all of the exciting news! We also want you to be involved with Wells. There are many things you can do to engage with other alumnae, alumni and the College: • Contact our Alumnae and Alumni Engagement Office with ideas on how we can serve you better • Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram • Sign up for our alumni online community (details below) • Join us at an alumni event in your local area or contact us to host a OneWells Celebration on July 23 • Come back to campus for Reunion or Fall Weekend, or visit campus at another time to see all of the exciting improvements • Let us know about your career and expertise; consider coming back to share your knowledge with current students or having them visit your place of business However you choose to stay connected to or engaged with Wells, we welcome your involvement.
Wells College Association of Alumnae and Alumni WCA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Over the past 12 months we celebrated 150 years, starting with multiple OneWells events on July 23, a community-wide celebratory Fall Weekend, other alumni gatherings throughout the country, and wrapping up with Reunion festivities. In a few short years the WCA will have its own 150th anniversary, and we will have another opportunity to reflect upon our past, celebrate the present, and prepare for the future. Those amazing women who formed our association in 1874 stated that the association’s aim is “to establish and maintain among graduates of the College a permanent interest in one another and the prosperity of their alma mater.” At a time where women didn’t even have the right to vote, these wise alumnae set the WCA on a powerful course of connected, committed involvement—an involvement that has impacted and influenced both Wells and her students during the past 150 years. Some things, both at Wells and the WCA, will adapt and adjust to meet the needs of our current students and alumni as we prepare for our future. Change is constant, but some things remain the same. It will remain important to maintain the connection with the place and people that inspired and influenced us to become who we are. Reunions will remain a tradition that allows us to celebrate with the generations preceding us and those following us. The Wells relationships created after graduation will continue to be beneficial, influential and supportive. And we will always be invested in the success of Wells and her students.
With Wells College pride and spirit, Jennifer Janes Director of Alumnae and Alumni Engagement
New Alumni Engagement and Giving Platform Our new online community is the alumni gateway to Wells College. It is the one-stop-shop for information and getting involved with the College. When you log in, you will be able to access benefits and services available to alumni, upcoming event information, volunteer opportunities and an online alumni directory where you can search for classmates, alumni in your area or business field. Creating a personal login will automatically populate fields with your personal information, making it quicker and easier to register for events and make a gift. It’s even easier to access your donation information and support the College in the way that works best for you. With our new giving platform, you now have the option to make a onetime gift, a recurring gift with a scheduled end date or a perpetual recurring gift with no end date. You can even select the date your credit card is charged! You will be notified by email of upcoming billing commitments before your credit card is charged or if your credit card has an upcoming expiration date. There is also an option to resend confirmation statements to yourself by email. To create your personal login: 1. Go to http://alumni.wells.edu to access the website and click “Login” at the top right. 2. On the Login screen that appears, click on “First Time Login.” 3. On the “Account Registration – Lookup” screen, enter your first and last name. Your first name is your given name (not your preferred or nickname) 4. Click the button next to your name, then click “Next.” 5. T o verify that this is your account, please enter the following code into the “Constituent ID” box: (this can be found on your address label) If you are having trouble creating your account, please contact the alum office at 315.364.3200 or alumoffice@wells.edu during business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
I hope you were able to participate in our 150th anniversary events over the past year. I encourage you to stay connected and continue to celebrate and support our alma mater as Wells College begins her 151st year.
Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86 WCA President; Member, Wells College Board of Trustees
The Wells Fund EVERY GIFT, EVERY YEAR. At Wells every gift is meaningful, and every gift is needed every year. When you make a gift to the Wells Fund you impact every student, every day. Our student success is tied directly to your generosity. There is still time to give this spring. For those of you celebrating a Reunion (4’s & 9’s), every dollar you give or pledge counts towards the class gift total. We are grateful to those of you who have stepped up and supported the Wells Fund. We are just over halfway to our goal of $2.8 million. We need everyone’s participation to reach our goal. So please when we close our books on June 30, 2019, please be sure you are counted on the list of those who truly embrace the Wells motto “To Have and To Share.”
Wells College Association of Alumnae and Alumni (WCA) Annual Meeting June 1, 2019 Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Chapel, Main Building Wells College, Aurora, New York WCA annual minutes from the June 2018 meeting are available at global.wells.edu
or through the Alumnae and Alumni Engagement Office.
To make a gift you can visit our secure, easy-to-use donation site at www.wells.edu/ giving at any time or call the Advancement Office at 315.364.3476.
Sustainability Practices Wells remains committed to environmentally responsible practices. This piece is printed at Jacobs 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. If addressee has moved, please contact the Alumnae and Alumni Engagement Office at alumoffice@wells.edu, 315.364.3200, or Alumnae and Alumni Engagement Office, Wells College, 170 Main Street, Aurora, NY 13026.
Pam Sheradin ’86 Director of Annual Giving Wells.edu 3
ClassNotes
ClassNotes FARGO: GRADUATES OF THE LAST TEN YEARS
2018
2011
DALLIA RORICK 479 County Rte. 13 VanEtten, NY 14889-9500 dalliarorick@yahoo.com
CHRISTINE BECKER PO Box 831 420 Rickard Hill Rd. Schoharie, NY 12157 christinerbecker@gmail.com
2017
Elizabeth Barclay Benham shared
the exciting news of her marriage to Colin Benham on February 13, 2016 on a beautiful snowy day in Freeport, ME. “Since graduating from Wells, I have completed a degree in nursing from Southern Maine Community College and currently work as a registered nurse at Maine Medical Center in Portland, ME. I am also working on my master’s in nursing at Saint Joseph’s College.”
KELLY REPPERT 397 Doing Rd. Norwich, NY 13815-3281 Kdreppert13@wells.edu
2016 CHELSEA CARLIN 373 Ayer Rd. Williamsville, NY 14221 chelbell41994@hotmail.com
2015
2010
TYLER FISCHETTI 53 Park Ave. Auburn, NY 13021 amfischetti@twc.com
2009
JES LYONS 361 S Manoa Rd. Havertown, PA 19083-3208 jlyons3192@gmail.com
NICOLE RILEY 15 Kent Rd. Cortland, NY 13045 nriley21@gmail.com
2012
2007
JESSICA WARD EVANS 211 Main St. Owego, NY 13827 j.leane.ward@gmail.com
ALLISON DODGE GUNNIP 11329 Bonta Bridge Rd. Cato, NY 13033-3314 allison.gunnip@gmail.com
Nicole M. DiMauro is happy to report “I have found my way back to money handling as a teller with Sunmark FCU!! It’s a blast and I know that all of you will laugh that my time in the business office really shows that this work is for me. I have to say I love living in Albany with a bunch of other Wellsians. And I meet up frequently with members of the class of 2010 Sam Delia ’10, Amanda “Panda” Le, Paul Kinter ’10 and Kealy Whiting Brunelle ’10. And my lovely classmate Danielle Cregan. Anybody in the area let me know!!”
-Jess 4 Spring 2019
Nicole Di Mauro ’12, Sam Delia'10, Kealy Whiting Brunelle'10, and Amanda “Panda” Le'10
2008
ROSE CHAMBERLIN 3501 County Route 4 Oswego, NY 13126 rosechamberlin@gmail.com
ALEXIS BOYCE PO Box 425 Aurora, NY 13026 msboyce007@hotmail.com
MEGAN NAGURNEY PHANTHASY 11028 McIntosh Ct. Waldorf, MD 20602-6131 mmnwells@hotmail.com
Sherry Bianco and her wife Christine are moms to two boys. Samuel (4), is the oldest, followed by Jude (2). Sherry works for the Cayuga County Department of Social Services as a senior caseworker, in charge of PINS/JD youth and RAISE THE AGE work for the county. They own a home in Weedsport, have two dogs, Molly (8) and Rico (5), and as Sherry says, “Life is busy and chaotic and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I miss Wells and I miss all of you guys.”
degree and still in Northern Virginia.
TALYSE HAMPTON 255 W 139th St. Apt 3R New York, NY 10030 talyseladora@gmail.com
2013
2002
Kat Cornell is working on a masters
-Christine
ANNA FELDMAN 22 Myrtle St. Northampton, MA 01060 miss.anna.feldman@gmail.com
2014
The wedding of Shane Knezevich Snyder ’12 and Timothy Snyder on June 2, 2018
2004
The wedding of Elizabeth Barclay Benham ’11: Adrienne Tomao ’11, Rebekah Coons ’11, Elizabeth, and Stefanie Miller ’11
2006
As for me, I’m still working at Cornell University but started a new position as the program manager in Asian American Studies back in August 2017. It shouldn’t be a surprise after my wonderful Wells experience, but it turns out I LOVE working with undergraduates. They delight me every day with their passion for and insights on politics, culture, academia, and the everyday work we do in our program. My fiance Matt and I continue to labor away on our historic home in Aurora, accompanied by our dog Clementine, who is nowhere near as good a carpenter as she pretends to be. Matt started a boat tour company, Bianconi Tours, last summer, which was enormously successful, and we look forward to another great season this coming year. We took a road trip up to Nova Scotia last fall, and I can’t recommend it highly enough breathtaking views, and surprisingly affordable!
2003
-Alexis
BROOKE ANDERSEN 410 Canyon Ridge Dr. Broad Brook, CT 06016 brookeandersen@hotmail.com
2001 JENNIFER BURKE 6548 Elmer Hill Rd. Rome, NY 13440-9365 jennifer.lynn.burke@gmail.com
2000 KK LEUAMCHAMPASSAK wellsclassof2000@gmail.com JILL MULLINS-CANNON 7101 6th Ave. NE Apt 5 Seattle, WA 98115-5437 jmullins00@gmail.com
1999 CAROL LAGROW 25 Oak St. Wurtsboro, NY 12790 indigopotter@yahoo.com KT! Eaton recently took the
reins as producer/director of Commonwealth Public Broadcasting’s series,Virginia Farming. She’s looking forward to telling the stories of the people, traditions, and innovations that are at the heart of Virginia agriculture. She expects that when she reads these words again, she’ll still be reveling in the memories of Reunion 2019: kayaking on the lake with her writing buddy, heartfelt conversations with her Wells sisters, and sharing mirth & mischief backlit by Cayuga sunsets.
Sarah Ashman Hadden began her
teaching career in Horry County, SC after graduation. She had done two internships there while at Wells, arranged by Professor Stasz. After teaching, she worked her way into curriculum leadership. In 2010, Sarah had a daughter, Makenna Rose, and soon after felt the call to come back home to New York. She soon returned to her home town of Goshen, NY and got a job as a director of curriculum, instruction,
KATIE FONG 566 Sterling Pl. #2A Brooklyn, NY 11238 katiefong@gmail.com
2005 SARAH BRYCE HEPPNER 6134 Sligo Mill Rd., NE Washington, DC 20011 sjbryce@gmail.com Big sister, Caroline, welcomed Helen Vera Zabriskie on October 16, 2018. Daughters of Kelley O’Keefe Zabriskie ’10 and Kenny Zabriskie.
Jennifer Chie’ng ’08 signed her first book deal!
Samuel, Christine, Jude and Sherry Bianco ’04 family photo
and technology in a local school district. Later, she was promoted to assistant superintendent. Sarah is incredibly excited to be taking the next step in her career as a superintendent of schools in that same district.
1997
Tina Post earned her PhD from Yale in May and accepted a tenuretrack post-doc in the English department at the University of Chicago. Her husband Mark is directing communications for the Center for Decision Research at UChicago’s Booth School, and her children Arlo (10) and Phineas (8) are enrolled at the Lab School. She writes, “so we are Maroons through and through. We miss Connecticut very much, but we’re enjoying the Hyde Park community.”
KATIE HALLIGAN-ELINOFF 3541 Caribeth Dr. Encino, CA 91436-4103 katherienhalligan@gmail.com
Jen Zalewski writes that she “had a great time kicking off the new year with Carol LaGrow and Sam Dillon in Ithaca.” Jen is still living in Syracuse with her dogs, working at SU, and camping in her spare time (most recently Iceland!).
I am enjoying working from home, and recently began writing paid articles, in addition to my other projects. Sam and I visited Jen Zalewski this summer while she was camping in the Catskills, and shared her birthday with her (and her dogs). In December, Jen met up with us in Ithaca, and we had fun poking around bookstores together.
1998
-Carol
DORI SHAND RILEY 8517 Evans Mill Pl. Raleigh, NC 27613 dori.riley@gmail.com AUDREY KITTREDGE YEAGER 220 Edwards Dr. Fayetteville, NY 13066-1006 audreykitt@yahoo.com
KARLYN KASPEREK FINUCANE 159 Princeton Ave. Depew, NY 14043-2858 karlyn@karlyn.us
Suzy Ondrus sent a note to the Alumnae/i office with an update. She is a Fulbright Scholar for ten months in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in West Africa. Suzy is teaching Creative Writing; American Poetry & Drama; Literary Theory; and American Civilization to graduate and undergraduate students at the Department of Anglophone Studies at the University of Ouagadougou. She has learned basic conversation in the dominant local language of Moore. Her students enthusiastically responded as she greeted them in Moore and introduced herself in Moore on the first day of class. She took her graduate students of drama to the theater; only one out of ten had ever been to see a play. Right now, the temperature is in its cool season, known as the dry season because there is hardly any rain; this means an average of about 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with peaks of 100 degrees at high noon. Staying out of the heat and sun, Suzy drives a car. She navigates the chaotic traffic of Ouagadougou, looking for motorcycles on her left and on her right or coming towards her. And yes, there is the donkey pulling a cart that can appear! Filling her small Toyota Yaris up costs about $40. Classes are large at the university. She has a thousand undergraduate students; however, only about four hundred show up to class. Most will come to take the final exam, which is the only grading mechanism in a class this large. Students who do not attend usually make an effort to get copies
ClassNotes
ClassNotes
of the materials and notes from a peer. Each class year (undergraduate and graduate) has a class capitan. The class capitan is responsible for organizing student copies; students pay for their own copies. Almost all classes use photocopies instead of purchased books. The Department of Anglophone Studies has 7,000 students, and the university has 50,000 students. As Thanksgiving approached, Suzy enjoyed a meal of local turkey at the American Embassy where staff and expatriates gathered to celebrate with an inflatable Pepsi turkey. Also, rest assured, even in Burkina the American Embassy pardoned a local turkey in a ceremony! A small local Burkinabe turkey costs about $80. She was stunned to learn that the whole university’s book budget is around $4,000. This amount would be normal for just one average department in America. She travelled with about 150 lbs. of academic books to donate and scanned articles. Curious about research, Suzy visited the university library in order to get a sense of what resources her graduate students writing their thesis and dissertations have available. The verdict is that there are only five shelves of books for the Anglophone Studies department. Also, the university has no electronic database. Her department specifically could use American history books, books on racism, books on anything relating to African Americans, any American literature, and any Irish and British literature. If you have a question about donating books, feel free to email her at: Suzanne.ondrus@ gmail.com. Otherwise, books can be safely mailed to Suzanne Ondrus, S/C Abbé André Kaboré, 01 BP 1195 Ouagadougou 01, Burkina Faso West Africa.
1996
-Karlyn
LEAH CERMAK DIMLER 941 Sheehan Ave. Glen Ellyn, IL 60137-6485 dimlerl2@gmail.com LISA GIL 12258 Scotts Mill Dr. Bristow, VA 20136-1914 woosedahv2000@yahoo.com
1995
Please submit your news to your class secretary by the following deadline:
1994
July 15, 2019
ZSA HO-SANG 1 Landmark Sq. Apt 222 Port Chester, NY 10573-3350 zsahosang@gmail.com Xandi DiMatteo is proud to be a
community services librarian in Rochester, NY’s Central Library. She loves to promote reading and purchasing books for the community growth and enjoyment of local teens. In particular, life literacy programs focused on subjects like cooking, culture and art. Her delightful sister Annu and her husband Tim have blessed Xandi with a niece and nephew to spoil rotten. She aspires to be the “cool aunt” who bails them out of jail when necessary. Xandi still enjoys riding horses, hiking and canoeing. She is also very pleased to share she still uses her original AOL account (OG - Original Grand-ma)
Jessica Nichols is entering her
fifth year living in Alexandria, VA with her mother. She lost her grandmother in 2017 at not quite 93 (fun fact: grandpa was Cornell ’42). Jess enjoys her dream job of working in DC at the Department of State. Though it took her 20 years to get there she encourages all to remember no career path is linear. Her travels have been mostly up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Jess expects to start planning a longer trip, schedule permitting and is looking forward to Reunion. She hasn’t missed one yet! This year marks the first update from Marcia Grutka Hoffheins and she is excited to recall that it has been 25 years since the class of ’94 graduated! Her life has been full. She lives in Northern Virginia with her amazing husband Robb and two gorgeous and talented daughters Melissa (18) and Isabella (17). Marcia and Robb will celebrate 20 years of marriage in July. She has been a professional yoga teacher and educator now for 16 years. Like Jessica Nichols,
Thank You for Sharing! We’re happy to publish your news as written by you! Wells welcomes your submissions to Class Notes, as gathered and assembled by your class secretary. In keeping with our news “for alums, by alums” approach, editing by the Alumnae and Alumni Engagement Office is minimal, limited mainly to errors in formatting or structure. 6 Spring 2019
SHARE YOUR NEWS
BRIDGET WILLIAMS DUDZIK 194 South Montgomery St. Walden, NY 12586-1637 dudsox@yahoo.com
Kimberly Wood Roselle ’02, Rebecca Moses-Brewer ’00 and Sara Yehl De Vlieger ’00
Marcia’s career path was not linear (her major was Art History) but she loves it. She hopes to see many of the ’94 ladies in May and party on the shelf again! I moved back to Port Chester, NY after five years living in Manhattan. I continue to work as a film & TV editor. In 2017, I joined members from Trinity Baptist Church and went on my first mission trip to Rwanda. For two weeks the team worked in Nyamagabe side by side with locals. The highlight was building a home for a needy family. I recently had lunch with Elizabeth “Bethany” Dill to celebrate that her first book, Erotic Citizens will be published this fall. Elizabeth lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband Steve. I was also able to visit Ramona Cornell in January and express condolences for the passing of Ramona’s nephew, Tim Dingler, in Ithaca.
1993
-Zsa
KELLY BOUCHIE BELL 30 Holly Tree Ct. Richmond Hill, GA 31324 kellybell1202@gmail.com DAYANNE DOUGLAS IZMIRIAN 7215 Volta Ct. San Diego, CA 92111-7132 dizmirian@gmail.com Jessica Johnson Taube writes that
in August 2018, she gathered for an annual Sisters’ Trip with Sasha Swetland Wyckoff, and Jennifer Baker Roopnarine ’94. They went to a lovely little lake cabin in northern Minnesota where they paddled, swam, hiked, and laughed into the wee hours. “The sojourn was, as always, a healing balm in this world gone mad.” In other news, she’s been busy teaching, gardening, and raising two kids, a dog, and five chickens with her husband Michael. She also traveled with her husband and children, Charlie and Alice, for a magical trip to France to mark the 2018 Christmas holiday. They celebrated with a special stop at the famous Shakespeare and Company, such a treat!
Laura Kirkpatrick de Otalvaro
returned with her husband and two boys (7 and 10 years old) from Turkey to Fairfax,VA in 2016. She still works for the State Department, on UN Security Council issues. Her husband is a freelance photographer and helps with the kids. One of her stepdaughters (22 years old) stayed in Turkey to finish her university studies, and the other (14 years old) immigrated last year. She keeps in touch with Julie Hamblin ’92, and is sorry she missed Reunion last year!
Katrina La Douce Wilson writes
that she has created a life by design, helping individuals live a healthier lifestyle along with financial and time freedom as an Arbonne Independent Consultant. She recently welcomed Samantha Hall ’18 on her team and continues to keep in touch with several alumni through social media. Expanding her business has lead to exploring California, Florida, Nashville, Las Vegas, Oklahoma and Italy. She looks forward to traveling to Greece in the summer of 2019 along with trips to England and Iceland. She would love to catch up with classmates through her travels. Katrina & Marcus’ oldest daughter Laiken is a junior at St. John Fisher College with her own cake/sugar cookie business: Caiken. Kennedy is swimming for Davidson College as a freshman and studying biology. Makenna is a junior in high school and enjoys babysitting, dance and swimming. The college search has begun, for the last time!
Kelly Wallace ‘99, helicopter/hiking the Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand, January 2019
forward to celebrating with family in Germany this summer. Our son Ryan is currently in Pre-K, so he is keeping us both really busy! Thanks to all who responded, it was a pleasure to hear from you.
1992
-Kelly
SUSAN ARTHUR GORMAN 4506 Mainfield Ave. Baltimore, MD 21214-2843 SusanA.gorman@gmail.com JULIE HAMBLIN KING 10 Brighton Ave. Andover, NJ 07821-4547 jehking@yahoo.com
1991 DAVIDA BARBOZA KOSA 10024 Hume Ct. Bristow, VA 20136-3066 davidakosa@comcast.net Deb Murphy marked her 20th anniversary working for HarperCollins in August. In September, Deb was married to Nanci Blaisdell at Live Well Farm in Harpswell, ME. Several alums joined them at the farm, including
Bethany Berry, Lyn Beecher Salembier, Colleen Cuff Montondo,
Jen Dimond ’92, and Hilary Lukas ’09. Deb was mindful of all of the alums she knew were sending her warm wishes on September 22, and was thrilled when Bethany arranged for the bells to be rung on campus. Deb and Nanci are looking forward to a honeymoon in Iceland, and plan to remodel the kitchen in their New York City apartment in the year ahead.
1990
COLLEEN CORCORAN 45 Dunsbach Ferry Rd. Cohoes, NY 12047-5015 ccorcoran2020@gmail.com HEATHER KOWALSKI 2230 George C. Marshall Dr. Apt 1028 Falls Church, VA 22043-2583 heathertk@aol.com
It was nice to hear from some Wells women that we haven’t heard from in a while! Mindy Cheraz Kinsey has been very
busy with a new life! Last spring, she quit her job, sold her house and moved to Richmond,VA!
Trine Vanderwall writes that she
lives with her family in Haverford, PA. She keeps busy volunteering for the local Conservancy by testing road salt levels in the Schuylkill River watershed, baking for newly settled refugees in Philadelphia, and is active in a Mahjong group. Her daughter is currently looking at colleges and her son is in middle school. As for me, I am still working in private practice as an individual and couples therapist in Savannah. This year marks my 25th wedding anniversary, which is so hard to believe! Sean and I are looking
-Davida
Nine years into their relationship, she and her husband finally live together. For the first time ever, she and Kim Kozak Kresge live in the same town, although they don’t get to see each other as much as they would like. Mindy, Kim and Deb Fasbach got together last summer to celebrate their 50th birthdays. They stayed at Deb’s house in St. Augustine, FL and took in a Barenaked Ladies concert. Mindy started a new job in September as the editor of Virginia Living magazine. Mindy’s son is graduating from Penn State in May. Her husband’s twins are graduating from Virginia Tech two weeks later and then they officially become empty nesters, except for the dog. On January 21, 2019, Sara French attended a book launch symposium at Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, England for Bess of Hardwick: New Perspectives. Sara was invited to contribute an essay titled Hardwick Hall: Building a Woman’s House to this new collection of scholarship of one of the most important non-royal women in Elizabethan England. Sara’s dissertation, Women, Space & Power:The Building & Use of Hardwick Hall in England, 15901597 has led to the publication of three scholarly investigations into aspects of Hardwick Hall, women’s architectural patronage, and Elizabethan Garden design. Sara teaches at SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry in Syracuse, NY. Amy McLaughlin Foster has also
been in a time of transition as her twin daughters headed off for their freshman year at college. Both are in Rochester schools, so Amy and her husband have made the 2+ hour commute quite a few times for swim meets and concerts. While she enjoys time with her husband Todd, she is not a huge fan of empty nesting! She still loves her job in human resources at a community bank and has recently become a board president at a local not-for profit. She talks to Trina Biesemeyer Mills, but doesn’t see her nearly enough! Marisa Pawlewicz Goodenough is
still living in the Oxford, England area and working for a start-up tech company. She organized a One Wells event for UK alums last July. She gathered alums for tea at the
Tina Post ’99, left, earned her PhD from Yale in May 2018.
Ashmolean roof top restaurant in Oxford. They had a brilliant time in the sweltering July heat. They talked so long, they found themselves locked in the museum after closing hours! Megan Toohey has found herself
back in Buffalo, after a few years away, first in Westchester County, NY and then in Long Island near Stony Brook. She is director of government relations at the University of Buffalo. Her daughter Catie, will be 11 in March and is in the 5th grade. She sees Molly Corbett somewhat regularly and is in touch with Dina Johannemann and Posie Owens. I took a fabulous trip to Italy last October, to celebrate my 50th birthday! I’ve been dating an amazing guy for a couple of years. We do a lot of skiing and traveling. I even brought him out to Wells in October 2017. Fifty isn’t so bad!
-Colleen Kristine Swansen Munden reports: “Big changes this year! In August we moved to awesome Austin, in time for the twins to begin their freshman year in high school. Robert got a new job as General Counsel to a software company, ESO Solutions, and we are all happier for it! We are living the apartment life, while we wait for our house to sell in San Antonio. In the meantime, we are eager for our summer vacation, a 25-day Mediterranean cruise. In addition to trip planning, I’ve been pursuing creative writing and blogging (thetweedtote.com). Moving to Austin has put us close to Heart of Texas Lab Rescue where I now volunteer and where we got our sweet lab six years ago. I’m also pleased to report classmate sightings! This summer, the kids and I met up with Laura Kim for lunch in New England. And in the fall, I caught up with Roxanne Weber who was on a layover in Austin. Her sons are grown up and she now loves being a flight attendant for Jet Blue! Of course I encouraged them both to come to Reunion 2020! If anyone is visiting Austin please look me up!” Heather Maxwell popped up to say hi. It prompts me to think that several of our classmates have entrepreneurial endeavors. Kristine has a blog. Heather M. makes jewelry: the Pacifik Image and Wells.edu 7
ClassNotes
ClassNotes hospice and enjoying classical music performances with her husband Ron. She is looking forward to seeing everyone at Reunion. Mary Pastore Cryan writes “I enjoy
Suzy Ondrus ’97 (center) is pictured with her two female graduate students, sporting African fashion.
GoodwinandMaxwell.com. Heather H. blows glass at Little Sandy Glass. Sara has a new book. Things to remember when in need of gifts or ideas… As to me, I left OPM, staying a Federal employee, and moved to INTERPOL at the Department of Justice to be a CIO. It is a bigger title but smaller portfolio. However, this job includes travel. I visited France in December. In addition, I am enjoying my role as alumnae association representative to the Board of Trustees. One of the benefits has been the opportunity to renew friendships. I have met up with Teresa Haslauer and Kia Correll Larsen, ’92. I also met up with Kia’s mom, MaryBeth who worked in the President’s office during our time at Wells. I had a lovely conversation with Lydie Haenlin (who has also written a book or two) during my visit. She is encouraging me to find my French language skills now that I will visit France regularly. (Glad to report I didn’t embarrass myself in France while speaking French.) Here in DC, I see Deb Cotter and Sloane Bailey ’87 regularly. Sloan and I attended a soccer game where Wells played Gallaudet. If you come to DC, please let us know. I would love to see more people…Finally, I treated myself to a luxurious vacation last month (part of why I am delinquent in gathering notes). My mother and I went on a cruise from San Diego to Hawaii. Other than 20-foot waves and weather that caused the cancelation of three of our five ports of call, it was a blast. Sadly, it also interfered with time planned with Ingrid Hubik Freire ’92 in Kona. My mother quilted; I read. It was wonderful. As a final note, after many years, I am handing over my quill and ink to Kristine. She will be taking over my duties as a Class Secretary. Thank you…
-Heather
1989 JOELLE CABAL VITALE 4 S Hunter Ave. Auburn, NY 13021-4358 joelle_vitale@yahoo.com
1988 JENN BARNETT 690 Main St. Hampstead, NH 03841-2048 jennyb8952@comcast.net JENNIFER HAGBERG CANDIB 203 S Chelton Rd. Colorado Springs, CO 80910-2808 cocandibs@gmail.com
1987 HEATHER COBURN SNYDER 523 Cottage Club Rd. Stowe, VT 05672-4142 heathercsnyder@gmail.com
1986 HEIDI RUSSELL JOHNSTON 3412 Westbury Pl. Birmingham, AL 35223-2106 heidimbal@bellsouth.com
1985
Elizabeth “Bethany” Dill ’94 and Zsa Ho-Sang ’94
Many thanks to Marsha Lawrence for her term as co-class secretary and welcome Una Moneypenny as my new co-class secretary. Una writes, “I’m is still hanging out in Canaan Valley with my sheep, Marley and Milo. My children are ready to fledge, and I’m thinking about this next phase of life I’m entering and feeling pretty good about it. Eamonn will graduate from Wells this May. I’m excited for him, although I will miss the unplanned trips to Aurora to provide whatever groceries he needs or attend his latest play or dance concert. I’m in my ninth year working for NFRC, with Deb Callahan as CEO of the organization. Wells women get things done! I want to encourage the Class of ’85 to come to reunion next year (our 35th!) to reconnect. You are all welcomed to a stay in the Valley if that makes it easier or more inviting to attend.” As for me, I’m keeping busy with my job as CEO of an energy ratings non-profit. I’m lucky enough to count classmate Una Moneypenny as a colleague. Free time is chocko-block with travel–3 scuba diving trips (Grand Cayman, Roátan, and Cozumel) along with a whiskey walking tour in Scotland. I continue to play bass in a band; we released
a new Christmas CD in December 2018. Please remember that we have a milestone reunion coming in 2020. It’s hard to believe that it will be 35 years since graduation. Be on the lookout for more information about this not-to-be-missed celebration.
1984
I am still working as the director of HR and operations at Glave & Holmes Architecture where I am a Partner. I have been here for 23 years – where has the time gone. Strangely after all that time and effort to get the desired architecture degree, I am no longer doing architectural work but supporting the firm in these other ways. I do love going to find new talent at the college Career Fairs and am knee deep in that endeavor right now (Feb and March). We attend at least five fairs from Miami to South Bend and places in between. Just love Chicago in Feb!! LOL. Tim and I have a daughter who is anxiously awaiting acceptances from colleges right now. She’s gotten three acceptances and waiting on two more–fingers crossed. She is interested in studying neuroscience so she’ll be at school for a long time. Hope we win the lottery!! I am still heavily involved with the American Institute of Architects Virginia Chapter, currently serving as Secretary and at my church, currently serving on the Vestry. I
BETSY BRADY 26 Rockaway St. Marblehead, MA 01945-3312 bbrady84@hotmail.com
1983
-Jennifer
BAMBI TANCIOCO KOKINOS 185 Washington St. Marblehead, MA 01945-3304 bmbkokinos@aol.com IANA BURHOE STROMINGER 22 Moulton Rd. Arlington, MA 02476-6220 terpsichore314@gmail.com
KRISTIN SODERBERG ZIMMERMAN 97 Stone Ridge Rd. Franklin, MA 02038-3145 kriszim130@yahoo.com
1981
LISA KENDRICK NICHOLS 847 Hale St. Beverly Farms, MA 01915-2233 lkendrick62@yahoo.com
HELEN SCHWICKRATH 390 Broadway, #14 Somerville, MA 02145-2719 schwicky@hotmail.com
JUDITH SCOTT PELLOWE PO Box 1222 Alton, NH 03809-1222 jude_36@yahoo.com Terri Fritz writes that not much
am starting to think about retiring or a Second Act. Last spring I hosted a Wells 150th Happy Hour Celebration with Mindy Kinsey von Schmidt-Pauli ’90, Anne Frackelton Geyer ’79, Kathleen Dooley ’82, Kristen Tuxbury ’11, and Elizabeth Van Swall Horn ’76. We had a wonderful time comparing experiences and sharing memories. We sang to Wells and cheered her anniversary. Also, had a great visit in New Orleans last spring with Emma Weiss ’83. I keep in regular touch with Lisa Kendrick Nichols (best roommate ever), Lynn Lambert, Michelle Mustico-Murphy, Jackie Mullen Mastro, Judy Scott Pellowe and Anne Macmillan. I love hearing from my classmates and all out other Wells sisters on FB! I hope to see many of the Class of ’84 in May at Reunion!!
1982
JEANNE LEFEVER 311 North Granby St. Richmond, VA 23220-3558 jlefever@glaveandholmes.com
Laura Kim ’90 and Kristine Swanson Munden ’90
new is going on with her. She is still writing grant proposals for a local
ROSEMARY DUGAN STEVENS 1 Pine Tree Dr. Katonah, NY 10536-3334 Dugie102@yahoo.com
1980 JANICE COLLINS 120 Linden Ridge Rd. Laurel, MD 20724 jancollins58@gmail.com
DEB CALLAHAN 1222 Boucher Ave. Apt D Annapolis, MD 21403 dlcallahan@hotmail.com
KRISTINE SELANDER GORDON 21 De Bary Pl. Summit, NJ 07901 kristine.s.gordon@gmail.com
MARSHA LAWRENCE 39 Draper Ave. Plattsburgh, NY 12901-2710 munger39@charter.net
1979
Jill Harrison sends greetings from Rhode Island where she is a full professor of sociology at Rhode Island College. Jill offers service learning courses in Central and South America.
PATTI WENZEL CALLAHAN 320 Overlook Dr. Syracuse, NY 13207-1021 pjcallahan57@hotmail.com The wedding of Nanci Blaisdell and Deb Murphy ’91
8 Spring 2019
-Deb
getting together/networking with alumnae/i from different classes, so last month I attended a NYC Wells Club 1st Wednesday event with some younger, very engaged alumnae. On July 23, 2018 I hosted a 150th celebration lunch with Gail Fletcher Edwards ’57, Lisa Hotte Young ’78, and Cathy Ruhland ’82. We shared heartwarming and affirming stories about how we each chose to attend Wells College. I’ve had a couple wonderful stays with my roommate Marion Schooley Hares ’83. And I keep in touch with classmates Margaret Neenan Leahy, Ghia Szwed Truesdale and Karen Vrabel Centurioni mostly as phone friends but we’ll rally to be together for Reunion 2019 with Miriam Cotto Delnicki and our class. On February 7, I drove up to Aurora with Talyse Hampton ’09 sharing fun ideas on topics from zero waste to networking so I could attend the cleverly conceived Women’s Leadership Conference at Wells, which was full of insight into career paths of successful women.”
Gilda Krampf Oliver is in Baltimore doing incredible artwork and is represented by a group in New York. She is in touch with Cindy Overstreet.
Deb Fasbach ’89, Mindy Cheraz Kinsey von Schmidt-Pauli ’90 and Kim Kozak Kresge ’90
MARTHA DOVE 1008 Pleasant St. Unit 24 East Weymouth, MA 02189-2516 dove.martha@yahoo.com Karan Himes Goodhue reports
that it’s really quiet in her neck of the woods, that is Newtown, CT. With husband Chad’s business growing, she is back at work doing administrative tasks, accounts payable/receivable and whatever else needs attention. In an exciting turn of events she has taken up riding which is so much fun, and at her last lesson, she graduated to cantering! Hold on to your teeth Nelly! She can’t wait to gallop! It’s a fun thing twice a week–the exercise is great for your whole mind, body, and soul! God knows our 60+ year old bodies and souls need all the help they can get! :) Chad’s daughter, Nicole, had her #2 baby boy, Desmond on December 5 and he is too adorable. His big brother Caleb loves him to pieces! Karan’s son Marc is very busy with his full-time gig as photo assistant with a well-known photographer in NYC (“no names Mom”) but it is a dream job for him which includes traveling the world! It’s a good feeling our gang is safe, happy, and healthy starting out in the new year. At the time of her writing she was heading to Orlando to see her brother Scott AND Andrea Bocelli in concert for Valentine’s Day!
Donna Gnassi Eyman remarked
simply, “WOW! I have not been involved all that much but truly appreciate hearing about all of you periodically and hope everyone has the best 2019. 60 plus rocks!”
Durrie Durant Golding writes that
it hardly seems like 40 years has gone by, but here we are at the beginning of 2019 and our 40th is just around the corner!! She sends best wishes to all classmates and hopes to see as many as possible in Aurora. 2018 was a good year and her life continues to evolve around work, singing, and wonderful trips with family. Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic (an affiliate of the national office of Planned Parenthood Federation of America in NYC) does amazing work every day and Durrie will celebrate five years there in March as executive assistant to the Development Office. These past few years have been a real eye opener in terms of what can happen to basic human rights– so she is very glad to be there, helping support PPHP’s mission and keeping the organization in the public spotlight for all the right reasons! Singing still brings great joy and relaxation having been with the Hudson Chorale for 25 years. It is a volunteer, communitybased mixed chorus of about 75 singers who recently sang to a sold-out crowd at Maryknoll Wells.edu 9
ClassNotes
Jeanne LeFever ’84 and Emma Weiss ’83 on Bourbon Street
Seminary in Ossining, NY for Christmas. The program highlighted motets by Brahms, Bruckner, and Mendelssohn, with the final half of the program featuring Faure’s Requiem. In addition, Durrie is still with the choir at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Chappaqua, NY (recently celebrating 20 years there) and has recently joined the Old Mill Singers in Ossining, NY. OMS is a volunteer community-based mixed chorus, but focuses on more contemporary music and show tunes. With two concerts a year and commitments to 12 community outreach programs, all this keeps her very busy!! The highlight of summer 2018 was traveling with sister, Amy Durant Solomon and her family to England. Amy’s chorus (The City Choir of Washington) was invited to sing at Gloucester Cathedral, Ely Cathedral, and Temple Church in London. It was such an amazing 15 days of seeing places such as Stonehenge, Oxford, Cambridge, Bath (and the Roman baths), Bristol, the British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Leeds, Canterbury Cathedral, Tower of London, Regent’s Park, and so much more. At the end of the official tour she joined Amy, her husband Eric and daughter Sarah for a trip by rail to Edinburgh, touring this amazing city for 4 days–she even liked haggis!! Durrie’s son Eliot is doing wonderfully well as a teacher at The Cornerstone School in Stratham, NH (a Montessori school). He lives in Portsmouth, NH and teaches third, fourth, and fifth graders. Eliot adopted a 7-year old female Maine coon mix cat and “Katie” quickly became a welcome new member of the Golding family. He continues to work summers at Camp Kabeyun on Lake Winnipesaukee where he runs the waterfront, the swimming program, and helps with administrative duties. Anne Frackelton Geyer writes that being 60+ is OUTSTANDING! She is still bicycling or spin cycling 4+ days a week. So happy to 10 Spring 2019
ClassNotes have had a Wells 150th party in Richmond last July. She caught up with Sue Pollard Jones ’78 attending the Williamsburg Holiday Grand Illumination while she was visiting her grandsons! She is super grateful to visit her mom, Joan Pierson Frackelton ’54, and dad when she can. They are both still healthy and enjoy their home on Cayuga Lake. Anne had a fabulous cross country drive last March with one daughter to visit her other daughter in Olympia WA, with a two-day stopover in Moab, UT. The Geyers are almost moved into their dream farmhouse that’s been a labor of love since 2013. The family business, Agriberry, is working through a new seven year business plan that includes their semi-retirement and succession to their son. She enjoys teaching master gardener classes across Virginia on berry production and plans to attend our 40th. Lisa Mazzola Cania is looking
forward to being at Reunion, for at least part of the weekend since SLU has their reunion the very same weekend. She remains at St. Lawrence and her husband Sal is now back at SUNY Potsdam which is a full-circle move for him. Her son Sal is a real estate agent in Hanover, NH, where he lives with his wife Courtney and daughter Penelope, who will be four in May. Daughter Emily lives in France with her fiancé, and will be relocating to Aix-en-Provence in May. Emily teaches English for now. Lisa “love, love, loves” serving Wells as a trustee and enthusiastically reports that Wells has a bright future!
Stephanie Sutton Beavers notes
that her writing/editing work continues full-time. Thankfully she can do this work from anywhere. So, have laptop, will work and travel at the same time! She and John moved from the Philadelphia area to Lebanon, PA, in 2017. They are near Hershey and Lancaster, and enjoy discovering this beautiful part of their state. They also keep active and busy in their community and enjoy their SEVEN grandkids. She is looking forward to our 40th and getting back to Aurora.
Robin Lawrence Cunningham is
working 24 hours a week as an advanced practice nurse in an inner city, level 1 trauma center, emergency department. It is wildly busy, but she learns something new every day, and it keeps her intellectually stimulated. Three of her four kids are on the East Coast. She has one granddaughter, who is 2 1/2, and is such a joy. Her son is in Northern California and building a tiny house. Robin’s husband is a chemist and they have an adhesives and coating business, with most of their customers in China. They are hopeful that the trade issues will be resolved soon. Robin has not been
Linda Joseph ’89, Marisa Pawlewicz ’90, Cora Lynn Heimer Rathbone ’78 and Jennifer Segal ’94
back to Wells since graduation, but thinks Reunion could be fun! Madeleine Adam-Kearns writes that after 20 years and 6 months, a few weeks ago she left her graphic designer/photographer position in a law firm’s marketing department. She is enjoying no longer commuting two+ hours daily Monday through Friday! It was time for a change. Currently she is doing freelance work while looking for a full-time job much closer to home. Eventually she plans to set up a portrait photography studio as a hobby. She is practicing and playing jazz whenever possible on the alto saxophone. The sax was a gift from her father when he was in his 80s. He was both an M.D. and a band leader/arranger/ musician-extraordinaire so she is very happy and proud to be playing his arrangements in a small swing band! Sara Hutcheson has had a very busy year! Her big news is that she retired after 37 years of state service at the end of May 2018. There was a wonderful surprise party which her son, his girlfriend and her mother attended along with
many friends and colleagues. She now works part time as a mobile crisis counselor for a county hotline and has also been named to the mental health subcommittee for St. Lawrence County. She is enjoying retirement! Trips have been made to Philadelphia, Aruba, Italy and Florida-twice. She ran a 5k at Walt Disney World with Lisa Knapp Kaempffe ’80 during marathon weekend. A special trip occurred this past fall when she traveled to Washington, DC to pack meals for AARP, where it was fantastic to get together with Martha Dove, Lisa Knapp Kaempffe, Amy Durant Solomon (their gracious host) and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81. George Farenthold was a terrific guide for them in DC! She is so looking forward to seeing many Wells sisters at our upcoming Reunion! I was happy to join the festivities celebrating Wells’ 150th year– starting with the kickoff in Aurora in July 2018 and including Fall Weekend in October. We have much to be proud of and thankful for. Since it’s been a while since our class notes were last published and we are soon to celebrate our 40th, I am taking this opportunity
OneWells event: Jeanne LeFever ’84, Kathleen Dooley ’82, Kristen Tuxbury ‘11, Elizabeth Van Swall Horn ’76, Mindy Cheraz Kinsey von Schmidt-Pauli ’90 and Anne Frackelton Geyer ’79.
to catch up! We had a terrific weekend in Aurora in July 2017 celebrating our 60th birthdays. Several photos depict various antics during the course of the weekend including a tour of campus, a visit to the Fargo, and a picnic at my Owasco Lake house. What fun we have when we are together! I have also enjoyed almost annual trips to Manhattan with Wells classmates to see a show and have dinner. Our most recent jaunt was February 2017 when Karan Himes Goodhue, Amy Durant Solomon, Durrie Durant Golding, and my daughter Amy and I went to see Come From Away. Following the show we met up with Betsy Westlake ’77, Meg Tocantins ’77, Lisa Hotte Young ’78, and Kate Harcourt ’77 AND a couple of members of the cast. On a personal note, my daughter Amy is graduating from UNE medical school in April and will begin her residency in family med in July. She is getting married in September, the last of our three to tie the knot. In other news, both of our sons’ wives are expecting this summer–on the same date! You can’t make this stuff up! I am still at CBA, starting my 18th year this fall and actually beginning to think about retirement–probably
by summer 2022. My mom had a long stay with us in the winter after she fell and broke her leg, but she is back in Auburn on her own again, thankfully. I am hoping to make it to at least part of Reunion, since, as always seems to be the case, the weekend conflicts with a big reunion/commencement weekend at CBA. With gratitude for the many blessings that have been bestowed on each of us, with appreciation and acknowledgment for the strong women of the Class of 1979, I think of you, and the memories we share, and wish you all the best always!
-Patti Jane Baker Pasquini is still living in Charlotte, NC enjoying their townhome. John and Jane downsized and live in a walkable neighborhood near uptown Charlotte. They travel and spend time on Dewees Island, SC and in the North Carolina mountains. Jane still manages her rental properties, and visits sons in Charleston, SC, Houston, TX, and Colorado Springs, CO. Jane gets up to NYC a couple times a year and enjoys seeing Jessie DeWitt, Sue Epstein, Katy Dallam ’77 in MD, and others.
Barb Blake Notter’s 2018 began with the marriage of Bob’s daughter Sarah in February in St. Petersburg, FL. Sunny skies, high 70s and no humidity at the picture-perfect Museum of History along the bay. Five weeks later Bob had the first of two hip replacement surgeries on his left hip (the new hip moved slightly, and they had to go back in three weeks later). Summer was spent mostly recovering from that and enjoying family and friends time up in Rochester. Barb said, “No great travel experiences because of all of this but it’s hard to complain when I get to spend Oct-May in Florida and May-Oct in Rochester.” Bob was scheduled to receive his 2nd hip in early February; they hope to have a trip out west later in the year to visit some of the National Parks they haven’t seen. Daughter Emily and two grandkids, Blake and Ceci, are great. Barb was fortunate enough to spend two weeks at the end of 2018 with them, as it was the first Christmas they had everyone together (Emily’s family, Bob and Barb, and Sarah and her husband). And to mark this special occasion ...they all had to wear Christmas jammies! Sadly, Barb’s mom’s dementia continues to worsen. She is at a wonderful memory care facility in Pittsford. Her spirits are good, and she still recognizes her children, but conversation is becoming harder for her. So for now they focus on the positive and find ways to accept and adapt to the things they cannot change.
2018 was a busy year for Amy Durant Solomon, with lots of travel and mini reunions! In January she went to the Women’s Anniversary gathering on the Mall! All those pink “pussy hats” were amazing!!! February was a mini-reunion in NYC. In June, Amy and Durrie met up with Pam Hoskyns Yanco ’77 and Martha Dove for a “throwback to our youth”, where they saw David Crosby, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Steven Stills, and Judy Collins perform. In July, Amy’s City Choir of Washington performed
in England, followed by a trip to Edinburgh. Eric and Amy did some hiking in Washington State. September included the AARP Foundation’s Day of Service, where Amy, Sara Hutcheson, Martha Dove, and Lisa Knapp Kaempffe ’80 packed lunches for DC-area seniors, led by Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81. George Farenthold was a fantastic tour guide! The rest of the year included a trip to Aurora for the 150th celebration, Nantucket with family for Thanksgiving and the Christmas Stroll, a trip to Hawaii to celebrate Eric’s retirement from Ernst & Young and Sarah’s finishing coursework for her masters in environmental science and policy. (I’m tired just repeating this!) Mary Feldmann-Miller retired in
May of 2018 after teaching general and choral music education for 30+ years. She continues to teach one day a week at a Catholic elementary school and is doing a long-term sub for a maternity leave, as well as directing the musical for the school from which she retired and serving as a mentor for new music teachers in the Decatur Public School district. (Mary – look up “retirement” in the dictionary!) Mary spent four weeks in Rochester, NY when her 100-year-old mother suffered a stroke and passed away. In her spare time (!), Mary enjoys spending time with her three daughters and six grandchildren!
Sherry Hansel Qualls had an amazing 2018. Scott received his industry’s highest award on his 65th birthday, and they celebrated in Chicago, Park City, and South Africa. They then celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in London. They looked for Meghan and Harry but kept missing them! Sherry and Scott visited Aurora over the summer to share the beauty with their son and daughterin-law, then biked from Prague to Vienna in September. Sherry says the Czech Republic is very special. She also travelled to London, Germany and Italy for work. Scott
Young Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievement Wells College, in partnership with the Wells College Association of Alumnae and Alumni (WCA), seeks nominations for the Young Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievement. 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 is presented each fall. Nominations are due by July 7, 2019. Nomination forms can be downloaded from wells.edu/alumni.
-George Murphy ’20 History Secondary Education
Karen Himes Goodhue ’79 taking riding lessons Wells.edu 11
ClassNotes plans to retire in May and they will consolidate in Lancaster, PA and celebrate the next chapter in St. Croix. The family is well, including amazing grandson Alden (5). Sherry says they’re blessed with good health and good fortune, and she was sorry to miss our reunion! Anne Jones Szymanski wrote,
Where to start? She earned her M.A. TESOL at SUNY Stony Brook in 2003. Between November 2003 and our 25th Reunion, Anne lost both parents (mom only two weeks before) she was so glad to have been able to be there. In 2010 Anne and Steve bought their first house in Silicon Valley. (It’s a 1250 sf house, value doubled now and worth over $1 million–to give you an idea of how ridiculous prices are out here.) After 18 years at another company, Steve returned to Apple three years ago. He works at Apple Park, aka the “space ship.” Anne worked for a few years as a tutor and coordinator for the ESL Online Writing Center at De Anza College and later spent time as assistant to their church administrator. Anne’s been out of commission recently, as she celebrated her 62nd birthday by getting a new hip! Anne said, “One benefit of being on the West Coast is that places like Australia, Hawaii, and Alaska are easier to get to. We’ve been to each, Hawaii for both 25th and 30th anniversaries (2013 & 2018). ”Anne wishes California wasn’t quite so far away, as she’d love to return to Aurora and Wells. She stays connected through the Wells Virtual Book Club.
“Still” is the theme of Katharine Martin Owens’ news. She still advises the campus publications at Trinity University, she and Rob are still renovating a 1930s bungalow, and their 17-year-old mutt is still alive. What might be new is granddaughter Abigail after three grandsons. For New Year’s, 14 cousins, siblings, grandparents, and partners traveled from Texas to Minneapolis to visit son Andrew and family.
ClassNotes Peg Merlau Skellington wrote that husband Scott retired from Metro North Railroad in July, she retired from Griffin Hospital in December. They hope to move south later in the year, possibly to Florida. Peg’s mother is still there, plus it is near Disney! In the meantime, Peg is substitute teaching at the local elementary school. Peg and Scott saw Kate Volkens Waters at the Highland Games in Scotland, CT in October, which was great! Heather Moncrieff Schelhorn
spent July on Martha’s Vineyard, where daughter Cami was married. It was a week-long event filled with celebratory parties. Daughter Lindsay was maid of honor, son Daniel was a groomsman, and Steve gave a funny and touching toast before sharing a “lump in the throat” father/daughter dance to “Landslide”. Heather returned “home” to Scotland over the summer and observed the Royal Tattoo, looked for the stone circle in Outlander, and visited several historical sites. Heather hopes to make the trip a yearly event. The next big adventure for Heather is becoming a grandmother in June of 2019! She’s sure she’ll be the “cool grandma” and already has a babysitting gig scheduled for August, when Cami and family are in PA for a wedding. Marilyn O’Neil wrote from Florida,
where she and Alex were spending a few months after Alex’s knee replacement–they thought it would be easier for his recovery to be in a warm climate and be close to Marilyn’s parents and their daughter, Ally. Warmer than normal “winter” weather in Florida made Marilyn reconfirm that she’s a Northern girl (I’m with her on that!). Ally was married last year and graduated from University of Miami as a family nurse practitioner and is starting a job in the oncology center of Cleveland Clinic in Florida. The rest of the O’Neil clan is doing well.
'79ers at Fall Weekend 2018: Patti Wenzel Callahan, Durrie Durant Golding, Molly Fandrich Trapani, Amy Durant Soloman and Lisa Mazzola Cania 12 Spring 2019
Selfie in front of the Wells College Store (Hashtag: #79celebrates60)
Carla Piperno-Jones and Roy
are still happily employed; Roy as a truck driver and Carla as the director at Springport Free Library. They tour New England and love state parks and recently purchased a van to facilitate their trips. Pugs Zelda and Mr. Bigz are adorable and keep them busy. Carla says they’re happy and healthy and hopes her classmates are too!
Anne Porter Van Buren wrote from Aruba that she and Mike are thoroughly enjoying retirement. They spend two weeks in Aruba every January. Anne had rotator cuff surgery in 2016, which has helped her golf game! She won the Northeastern NY Women’s Senior Tournament two years in a row! She plays in tournaments all over the Northeast in summer and has a blast. Anne had her other shoulder done in December. The Van Buren’s are planning a National Parks tour for June, including Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Ellen Vidovich had a great time at our 60th birthday celebration in Aurora. Seeing classmates that she had not seen in over 25 years was so fun. The time went too quickly, but it was surely worth the trek from
North Carolina. 2018 was a bit of a crazy year. Ellen’s mom continues to decline, and since she is over five hours away, the drives are long and a lot less frequent than Ellen would like them to be but feels blessed to still have her. Daughter Emily moved to Phoenix just a year ago. Ellen and sister, Jane Vidovich Shearer ’78 have gotten together frequently when visiting their mom, and they spent two weeks vacationing on the east end of Long Island where Jane and brother-inlaw Doug live. Ellen can be found on Facebook as Ellen Vid. As ever, Ellen remembers our four years together with great fondness for all. Signe Warner Watson left Sotheby’s after nine years and attended Bard Graduate Center (applied arts). While in grad school, she worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as an intern in the Costume Institute. The Watsons relocated to Pittsburgh, and Signe now works at the Warhol Museum doing research for upcoming projects and exhibition catalogues. Both daughters moved across the country this year to San Francisco for new jobs. One works in tech and the other in marketing. Lots of fun to visit!
Manhattan, February 2017: Kate Harcourt ’77, Karan Himes Goodhue ’79, Patti Wenzel Callahan ’79, Amy Durant Solomon ’79, Betsy Westlake ’77, Lisa Hotte Young ’78, Durrie Durant Golding ’79. Standing: Meg Tocantins ’77
Liz Wylegala and Dan are still in Williamston, MI where Liz is a teaching artist and artist-inresidence all around the midMichigan area, as well as a specialist in arts integration. She works in partnership with the Kennedy Center. Liz has a 3-year-old grandson, son of Liz and Dan’s son Stuart and his wife Amber. Ella will graduate in May of 2019 with a degree in graphic design. Gracie is a college junior who is the goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team at Ferris State University. Liz and Dan have a blast watching her games, and in some ways it takes Liz back to her field hockey days (although Gracie’s experience is MUCH more intense). Liz stays in touch with Kay Maloney, who turned 100 in March of 2018 (and was featured on a Boston TV show about seniors staying active). Liz and Ellen Vidovich spent some time in Aurora in the summer of 2017 prior to the group 60th birthday event. They hadn’t seen each other in 17 years. It was wonderful, as was the weekend with all who made it to Aurora!
I did quite a bit of travel in 2018. As documented by others, I spent March in Aruba with Hutch, June at Tanglewood with Amy, Durrie and Mort (where we ran into Judy Erdely Johnson ’77 and Pam Ziolko ’77), September in DC with Amy, Hutch, Tigger and George, and October at Disney with Hutch and Tigger. (I agree with Marilyn – I’m a Northern girl). I spent a week in July in Seattle for the Special Olympics USA Games, I returned to Aruba in September to celebrate my brother’s 59th birthday and visited Skaneateles frequently throughout the year. I recently had breakfast with Lee Musmeci Darst, who is an attorney in Hingham and living in Hull.
-Martha
able to catch up with Wells friends. After many years at home with three children, she’s delighted to be working as a librarian at an innercity middle school. Husband retires this year and she hopes he takes up cooking. Their three horses take up her free time. If any of you pass thru Richmond,VA let her know as she’d love to see you.
Sara Hutcheson ’79 traveled to Washington DC to pack meals for AARP. Pictured above: Lisa Knapp Kaempffe ’80, Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81, Martha Dove ’79, Amy Durant Solomon ’79 (their gracious host) and Sara Hutcheson ’79.
1978 BETSY HURSH GINSBURG 109 Hillside Ave. Glen Ridge, NJ 07028-2218 dginsburg109@comcast.net
1977 RHONDA RIVERS TEVELS 5936 Allen Padgham Rd. Farmington, NY 14425-7007 rtevels1@rochester.rr.com MEG TOCANTINS 24 West Trl. Stamford, CT 06903-2406 meg.tocantins@gmail.com Judy Jordan and Lisa Hotte Young
’78 enjoyed getting together in NYC to see the Andy Warhol Exhibit at the Whitney and the play The Ferryman on Broadway. They also got together with Nancy Clarke Crawford and Meg Tocantins for an evening of laughs and memories of Wells.
1976 MARY KATHERINE DECKER Kamfonas 228 Church Rd. Devon, PA 19333-1820 kamfonas@gmail.com
’79ers celebrating their 60th birthdays at Patti Wenzel Callahan’s house on Owasco Lake
SUSIE HENGERER SNEERINGER 7 Keats Cmn. Slingerlands, NY 12159 shs8277@gmail.com SHAUNA TINDALL 1053 Scio Hills Ct. Ann Arbor, MI 48103-6305 shautinda@aol.com
1975 PAM BUGBEE LAURION W176N8432 Sunset Rdg. Menomonee Falls, WI 53051-2652 pbslaur@aol.com WENDY PRATT 501 North Lucia Ave. Redondo Beach, CA 90277-3009 wpratt@earthlink.net Cash Edwards is semi-retired, still
working as publicist for Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna fame and doing volunteer publicity for several nonprofit organizations in her community. Husband is playing golf. They are also learning French and having a marvelous time studying gypsy music in the south of France.
Carol Franz Allen enjoyed a visit to
Aurora this past summer and was
Gail Burmeister Young still loves living in charming downtown Bristol, RI, where the only complaint is that the numerous excellent restaurants within walking distance of home are hazardous to their waistlines. She is on the board of Mount Hope Farm, and active in the Bristol Garden Club, the Bristol Art Museum, and both are involved with Linden Place and the Herreshoff Museum. Paul says they need a cure for “raise-your-handitis.” After many successful years as an at-home producer of small individuals (stole that from author Beatriz Williams), she is the founder, president, and creative director for Camp Grammy during the summer. Admission is limited to Burmeister grandchildren and the occasional close relation. Random craft days occur throughout the year. At the close of Camp Grammy this past summer, they enjoyed a delightful trip to Copenhagen and Hamburg. Two lovely cities! Janice Riccio Bassett was back at Wells maybe five years ago. Her eldest daughter was moving back east from Colorado…and they stopped to see our lovely campus. Her daughter actually now works for Cornell Development (based in NYC) and gets back to Ithaca quite often. Linda Haas Jasinski had an eventful 2018. Middle child Peter married a wonderful woman in June in Seattle. A few days later Linda retired from the Special Ed department at Lebanon High. Later in the summer daughter Johanna and her husband had their first
Jane Vidovich Shearer ’78 and Ellen Vidovich ’79 in Quogue, NY Wells.edu 13
ClassNotes
ClassNotes
Jane Baker Pasquini ’79, Jessie Dewitt ’79, and Sue Epstein ’79 in NYC
grandchild, a boy. Happy new additions to the family! Retirement has been great, she says. Husband Tom has been retired for five years so they have fun spending days together volunteering around town, restoring antiques, traveling, and taking care of the house projects and gardens. They grew and canned about 30 quarts of pickles last summer! She still works out at 5:30 am every day but also joined a master’s swim team and is able to hike or snowshoe every day. No time to waste time! Dorothea Cottrell Coleman has been managing editor of Public Garden, the journal of the American Public Gardens Association, for six years now. She continues to volunteer with the Friends of Saline Public Library–almost two decades now. Bill retired three years ago after 40+ years as a software engineer. Since he retired, they’ve done a little traveling–mostly visiting botanic gardens and arboreta in the States and Canada. Mary Kay Dugdale Danskin is still
working part time as a preschool director for toddlers at the Presbyterian church in Westfield, NJ She plans to keep on until she can’t crawl on the floor any longer! She did have arthroscopic surgery on her knee, but she’s back to doing volunteer work, golf and taking mini-trips as often as possible. Had a great time at Wendy Pratt’s wedding and reconnecting with Maura Flynn Pratt ’74 and Joanne Markun who were also there. It was wonderful getting to Cape Cod and seeing Ann Dowd Hale. Hope more classmates will consider going to our next Reunion! As I type this we are still in recovery mode from Polar Vortex 2019–record setting cold here and major snow & ice. Have actually been back to New York quite a bit as my mother fell, breaking her pelvis, and subsequently has left her senior apartment for a facility in Horseheads, NY (just north of Corning). I also went to Disney World with my sister and seven nieces age 4 to 64 (me!) We had a good time – only one meltdown (again me!). Steve and I did the trip
14 Spring 2019
around Lake Superior – up through MN into Canada around to Sault Ste. Marie and down through the upper peninsula of Michigan. As Nancy Wood Heitz reminded me: our 45th Reunion is 2020!
-Pam Joanne Markun continues to enjoy
her job in production planning and inventory control at Conair Corporation in Stamford and is now in her 33rd year! Congrats! She received a special service award for 30 years and treated herself to a fabulous Perillo Tour in Italy for ten days. Joanne is taking a Caribbean cruise in early February with her cousin from Massachusetts to celebrate her cousin’s milestone birthday. They are sailing to St. Thomas, San Juan, Turks & Caicos and a private island! Joanne keeps in touch with Mary Kay Dugdale Danskin, Linda Jenks Yaeger ’73, Mary Kay Decker Kamfonas ’76, Maureen Casey Gernert ’76 and Sue Busa Markus ’76.
Beth Mather Graves and husband
Joe have adjusted to life in Houston, TX with plenty of friends and activities. They found their 1950s remodeled ranch, put in a pool, and are learning about zone nine gardening! Joe’s beloved Rice University is nearby and their daughter, son-in-law, and most importantly, granddaughter are three blocks away. They babysit and travel. “Y’all are welcome to visit!” Beth is doing well and looks forward to getting together with Daisy Young Skupien and Edith Phyfe this spring when she’s back east for some weddings. She says Daisy is good at keeping them going. Kudos to MJ Spellane Marchisotto for collecting lots of news from multiple classmates! She is such a good storyteller that I will share her words pretty much verbatim from E.B. Morgan where she was “sitting by the fire with husband Alan, Marie “Muffy” Chapman Carroll, and Ruth Bradley, enjoying a nice glass of Cayuga County red wine and cheese! Muffy and Alan were there for trustee meetings; I was there to enjoy February in Aurora and to see Ruth and Rosey Jordan. Ruth, Rosey and I had
dinner at the ‘face-lifted’ Fargo. Food was great and service even better. I also ran into Judy Erderly Jordan ’76 at the Fargo—some things never change after decades. In October, Pat Profeta and Rob, Alan and I met in the Brandywine for a weekend of Wyeth Family Art, Winterthur, and the Longwood Gardens prior to meeting up with Muffy in Philadelphia. In Phillly, we saw The Berthe Morisot show at The Barnes, followed by terrific cocktails at Muffy’s new space in Philly where Pat’s husband, Rob fell in love with Muffy’s new puppy, Willy, and managed to get us to clean Muffy’s floor—(you had to be there), and an incredible mutual 65th birthday dinner at one of Muffy’s favorite local spots. We all rose early the next morning to ensure we made our daily steps by taking Muffy’s native walking tour of the city. Muffy has given up retirement to work on all Wells matters (until she temporarily terms out in June) and electing progressive women to the Pennsylvania legislature. Susie Miller bailed on the whole Philly trip at the last minute–something about the need to complete due diligence prior to merging her firm with another investment firm. The transaction closed February 1...and rumor has it that Susie and Fred have reduced their work commitments to 100 hours a week (each). Susie sent greetings from New Zealand where she and Fred were recuperating from closing the deal with three weeks off the New Zealand coast on Pacific Aurora. After years in the Ohio Witness Protection Program, Ruth Bradley has returned to her roots in King Ferry. Ruth reported to MJ that, while it is hard to get out of first gear, she is firmly established as the official historian of Cayuga County. Among her responsibilities are dressing the animal skulls that have taken up residence at the intersection of Routes 90 and 34B. She also has completed the story boards for our, greatly anticipated, 50th Reunion skit. The story
boards will be presented at our 45th Reunion. Wendy Baker was unable to be with us in Aurora as she was in Africa on a safari and playing golf at the beautiful Pezula Resort Hotel in Knysna, South Africa. We had dinner the night before she left for Africa and we left for two weeks in Japan (incredible trip!). We look forward to Wendy’s return and pasta dinner in a few weeks before she heads back to South Carolina. Deb Olsson Stocker has been busier in retirement than she was as a school teacher. Her day starts early with yoga and workouts, followed by lots of time with her growing crew of grandchildren. We’ve been trying to schedule a day together— maybe this spring. Alan and I and kids had traditional Christmas Eve with Linda Marchisotto, Orazio and their kids. Dinner gets better every year. Linda recovered from festivities by spending two weeks in Rome in January. Alan and I are still working full time—he in tugboats, I in food allergy. Luckily, we get to travel quite a bit and get to work with incredible people all over the globe. I’ll end by saying that we all continue to miss our dear friend and classmate Pam Wells who left us all too early.” (end of MJ report of news). Barbara Reichert Williams enjoys
reading the class notes and hearing what people are doing now. After college, Barb worked at a dude ranch in Wyoming while trying to change federal law that disqualified women over six feet tall from being commissioned as unrestricted line officers. Once that was fixed, her Navy adventures began as a female in a virtually all-male canoe club. “I am so grateful for the confidence and strength that I gained from my time at Wells!” After retiring from the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander, Barb worked in public education at Akron Public Schools, Ohio, where she currently serves as director of College and Career Academies. Barb says, “A second retirement is on the horizon, and
her personal Wells reunions this year: returning to Wells to see Becky Haag receive the Alumnae Award, having Marjorie Salzman and husband Doug Johnston in Duxbury, Becky Haag hosting a fun mini-reunion on Martha’s Vineyard with Anne Cagwin Hagstrom ’72 and lastly, a Boston visit by Mary Gruss Perrone which reunited dear friends. (See Mary Gruss Perrone’s notes for details!) Jessica Vermylen Fiddes still works
The wedding of Wendy Pratt ’75 – L-R: Maura Flynn Pratt ’73, Mary Kay Dugdale Danskin ’75, Wendy Pratt and Joanne Markun ’75 at her wedding reception in May of 2018.
I am very ready to spend more time with my husband, four children, their spouses and seven grandchildren. Maybe we’ll go sailing or just sit on the dock like days of old!” Daisy Young Skupien and husband Charles are house hunting in Gettysburg, PA, having decided that Florida is too crowded and too hot for their retirement locale. Daughter Sophia lives in London and works for Deloitte as a management consultant. The family plans a reunion in Paris this October. Daisy, Edith Phyfe and Beth Mather Graves hold a mini-reunion every spring. In 2018, they met in Boston where Gail Kotch Farrell joined them. In 2019, they will meet at Daisy’s house in Baltimore. Daisy also keeps in touch with Sue Herthum Garrison ’74, Lynda Phelps Taylor, Deborah Dishman, Nancy O’Connell, Katie Paine Dixon, Kay McGinley and Meg Gwaltney. But wait, there’s more news. Sophia is engaged to her beloved Irishman, Conor O’Reilly, and they are planning their wedding in Dublin this summer! “We are very excited and they are coming here for Easter, so we will see them soon,” says Daisy. Congratulations to the mother-of-the-bride and her beloved daughter!
Daisy managed to track down another classmate and reports that Nancy O’Connell is doing well, and lives in Oxford, MA (which is near Worcester.) Her husband John is still working and has taken up the hobby of serious baking. He even took classes in Vermont at King Arthur Flour! They have two children, Colleen, who will graduate from UMass Amherst this spring; and son Mike who works for his father’s company, but will start grad school in the fall in statistics. Nancy plans to take a cooking class at Culinary Institute of America in May. (Thank you Daisy!) Ann Dowd Hale ’75 and Mary Kay Dugdale Danskin ’75 in Chatham, MA
Speaking of weddings, I married
Tom Shuart on May 12, 2018 in Westport, CT where I grew up. It was a magical, memorable day despite some rain and clouds. My then 93-year-old father (Ted) proudly walked me down the aisle in the historic Episcopal church I attended as a child. My two sisters and sister-in-law, Maura Flynn Pratt ’73 served as my attendants; and Tom’s younger brother and two former fraternity buddies from Eastern Michigan University, completed the bridal party. With the help of a dear friend in California, I managed to have the wedding of my dreams at age 65 no less! Tom and I are blessed to have such devoted friends and family members who traveled from as far away as (Zurich) Switzerland, Tennessee, Michigan, California, Georgia, New Jersey, New York,Virginia, Washington, DC, Colorado and Florida to be with us that weekend. I especially enjoyed spending time with Joanne Markun and Mary Kay Dugdale Danskin. The reception was held at the beautiful Fairfield County Hunt Club in Westport. Tom and I spent a glorious week at The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka’anapali in June and are enjoying married life in Redondo Beach, CA. My big news is that I am retiring from my PR Consulting business at the end of February after 23 years in business as a freelance publicist to join Tom who retired in 2017. We look forward to spending more time together, entertaining friends and family, and traveling in the U.S. and abroad. I still enjoy singing in my parish choir and volunteering for altar guild and other outreach ministries on campus. We owe Roberta Husted Young ’74 and her husband Bob dinner as they graciously helped us plan our honeymoon trip!
After spending a year living in the suburbs of Nashville, Debra Johnston Cobb and husband are moving back to North Carolina. They bought a condo in Greensboro and want to know if this officially makes them old? Having a maintenance-free home in the U.S. allows them to easily lock up and spend more time in the UK, where they continue to maintain a flat an hour north of London. While they call themselves retired, they still take on a few projects in the textile industry.
On a very sad note, we are sorry to report that we have lost three dear classmates. Anne Dern Freebing passed away on April 23, 2018; Vicky J. Pickell passed away on December 21, 2018; and
Judy Connolly Dinneen and husband Jim have lived in Duxbury, MA for 39 years. Judy stays busy with two of their four sons’ families in Duxbury and having five grandchildren. Highlights of
Helen Holler Fultz passed away on January 29, 2019. Our prayers and condolences go out to their families and friends. Thanks to those who responded to my call for news. Hope everyone has a healthy, happy and exciting year ahead!
1974
-Wendy
PAM THOMAS DYER 8 Troon Ln. Bluffton, SC 29910-4979 pamtdyer@outlook.com Stephanie Vogel Blackwell reports
from Fairfield, CT that she could not be happier if she can ignore the fact that gravity has taken its toll and her hair has turned silvery white. Three is the magic number! With Steve, Stephanie’s third hubby, she feels blessed. They are traveling frequently and enjoying their new summer beach home. Her business, Aurora Products, supplies supermarket chains and warehouse clubs with nuts, dried fruits, trail mixes, and other snacks. Stephanie still loves her work, although she is now looking into succession planning.
as marketing & communications director at Delbarton School in Morristown, NJ while husband John continues to broker business deals. Radically downsizing (so liberating!) to an apartment in the middle of Morristown shortened their commutes to under ten minutes. Summer weekends are spent at her family’s beach house on the North Shore of Long Island. Their four children are scattered around the country (Arkansas, New York, Texas and New Jersey) and their first grandchild (Annabelle, age 2) lives in Austin. Jess sees fellow New Jersey resident Dede Offray regularly, and lunches with roomie/ London resident Denise Redmond Diesen several times a year in NYC. Jess is looking forward to reconnecting with other close friends at our Reunion this spring! Liz Carroll Helsel is enjoying the
active lifestyle (including golf) at The Villages, FL 15 years after her devastating cancer diagnosis. She has lots of new friends and has been a frequent traveler, her favorite being European river cruises. Son Chris (31) is getting married in September. He’s an attorney in Manhattan and fiancée Jill is a platinum marketing specialist. Liz spent Christmas 2017 with Muffy Chapman Carroll ’75. Liz is considering coming to Reunion.
Virginia “Ginger” Hoveman is
retired but remains “of counsel” to Bousquet Holstein in Syracuse. Timing is everything as her work as board chair of Hiscock Legal Aid Society has been more demanding than would normally be expected. They have been tasked with the creation of a model representation program in the immigration area. Norman and Ginger vacationed this year in Chiang Mai and environs. The trip was fascinating and she’s still sorting through the 2000+ pics. Last spring they hosted Marjorie Salzman and Doug Johnston. Ginger will be at Reunion!
Right after Gail Kirkpatrick retired as director of the Center for Contemporary Art in Muenster, she and her husband boarded the Queen Mary 2 in Hamburg for a wonderful transatlantic crossing. Gail’s last projects were some of her most rewarding: organizing a large exchange exhibition with a museum in Seoul which involved a Wells.edu 15
ClassNotes very informative and guest friendly visit to South Korea and curating a large permanent installation project with Gerhard Richter, one of the most prominent living artists. Son Robert, as part of his master’s degree program in vehicle design, is working as an apprentice in Italy, with a follow-up apprenticeship nearer home at Mercedes Benz in Stuttgart. Gail enjoys yoga with her new free time. This winter they had a trip to Lebanon and this summer to the West Coast. She hopes to make it to Reunion. Marilyn King Leetaru is still a
substitute teacher in Illinois. In her spare time, she is organizing 100 years of genealogical research done by her grandmother/mother/father. Her goal is to use this info to label all the “no names/places/dates” family negatives/photos. Marilyn will not be able to attend Reunion due to a previous commitment.
Diane Dougherty Lutz and husband
Tom have retired and are doing deferred home maintenance projects. They have lived outside Philadelphia for 38 years. She loves the regular Wells dinners in their area. (See Cindy Woodcock Pierce’s news.) They have one grandson in Charleston, SC, so Diane is very jealous that Lucy Baker Long ’75, Cindy Pierce and Rebecca English Kennedy get to regularly babysit their nearby grandchildren. Diane and Tom have been doing some traveling and plan to do more since their daughter moved to Australia. Diane is thinking of coming to Reunion! Ellen Brenton McAllister stayed
with us in the Lowcountry this past December. A lovely visit as usual, which included dinner with Wendy Baker ’75. Son Hoitt (29) works for Marsh McLennan, following in Jay’s and Ellen’s footsteps by living in NYC. Son Ned (23) is at home in McLean,VA, providing welcome company while he finishes an associates degree. Ellen and her boys took their first-ever trip to Africa, spending ten days in Tanzania. Ellen plans on attending Reunion.
After being a Mainer for two years, Ruth McCrea still loves it and especially enjoys working to help turn the state blue again. Ruth has many new friends at Highland Green and nearby through her volunteer efforts. She works at the local food pantry with a great crew and serves on the board of Friends of Seguin as treasurer. Ruth still knits and goes on a number of retreats with members of Maine’s amazing fiber community, including by float plane deep into the North Woods. Past and upcoming travels include Tuscany and Umbria, Iceland, the San Juan Islands, and Mongolia. Her girls are great, in NYC and Denver. 16 Spring 2019
ClassNotes Last January Vicki Keller Panhuise joined Arizona State University as an Adjunct Professor teaching Strategic Management and Project Management to juniors and seniors in the Engineering school.Vickie and husband John just finished remodeling their second home in Flagstaff, AZ. When looking at the class directory,Vicki discovered Kathy Lampros lives only about a mile from her and will try to connect.Vicki attended the 2018 Reunion with her sister, Sara Lee Keller ’78, for her 40th reunion. She reconnected with Anita Manuele ’73, Fran Trubilla ’78 and Mame Cudd ’78 and her husband Jim who worked with Vicki at Honeywell Aerospace for many years. She is connecting with many Wells friends on Facebook and enjoys hearing about their lives.Vicki is looking forward to attending our 45th Reunion! Mary Gruss Perrone is looking forward to reaching her first year of being cancer free after nearly four years of treatment. She celebrated her 10th anniversary of volunteering at her local Phoenix library and is now running the lobby bookstore selling lovely donations from patrons and raising money. She had a wonderful trip to Boston in October and saw Wells friends Chrissie Volaitis, Becky Haag, Judy Connolly Dinneen, Annette “Muffie” Andruss, Ellen Brenton McAllister and Bonnie Phinney. She is hoping to make it to Reunion! Cindy Woodcock Pierce’s days
are constantly shifting between selling real estate, seasonal work at Chanticleer (an extraordinary must-see garden in Wayne, PA), volunteer commitments, travel, and best of all–an adorable 2-year-old granddaughter who brings endless laughter to her life. A group of Philadelphia-based Wells alums try to occasionally gather for dinner and reminiscing…Sally Nassau, Lucy Baker Long ’75, Diane Dougherty Lutz, MK Decker Kamfounas ’76, Kathy Rohrer Haight ’72, Trina Burns Wynne ’71, and Marie “Muffy” Chapman Carroll ’75. Last summer, Carolyn Anderson Connors visited and updated all on the latest news from Aurora! Ripley Ross is still working in
Florida for Carrier and is having fun coaching the company’s future leaders. Meanwhile the real fun comes in four pint sizes: Tripp (4 ½), Sam (4), Grace (2), and Aurora (6 months). Grandmother is the best job yet! Ripley had a full house for a white Christmas on Canandaigua Lake. She enjoyed a great trip to Iceland last year. She hopes to attend Reunion. One of Marjorie Salzman’s highlights this year was traveling to
Aurora to see Becky Haag receive the Wells Alumnae award. She loved connecting with Wells alums from the classes of ’72 and ’73 whom she hadn’t seen since they graduated… and everyone recognized each other! After Reunion weekend, Doug and Marjorie bicycled the Erie Canal and many Rails to Trails in New England, especially enjoying their visits with Virginia Hoveman, Winkie Carroll Moeller and Judy Connolly Dinneen. In November, they traveled to Raleigh’s French Sister City, Compiègne, for the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice. A memorable experience, which included a few days in Paris and Reims. Pam Smith reports that all is well.
She is retired, still doing art, music, enjoying friends, family, skiing, traveling and loving life in the glorious western mountains of Utah. Unfortunately she will not be able to come to Reunion. Having moved three times in the last 21 months, Claudia “Coco” Ward is glad to hang up her packing tape for the next three years. They are leasing a lovely condo in Bridgehampton and loving downsized living. (Getting there was pure hell. Coco suggests to DO IT NOW!) Coco adores her work for the Sag Harbor Historical Society as their office manager. She is also on the board of an incredible CCRC on the North Fork called Peconic Landing. She is still taking lots of pictures but increasingly with the iPhone XS Max. With Peter’s successful cancer surgery behind them, they are taking it easy. Roberta Husted Young and
husband Bob went to Egypt and Jordan in late November/early December. The tour had a very serious archaeology focus going to over 40 sites, prominent guest lecturers and special events. They were able to visit some pyramids, temples and tombs normally closed to the public; others were opened early for their group to have unimpeded access. Jordan was equally fascinating, and a visit to Petra was absolutely fabulous. Roberta can’t wait to see everybody at Reunion!! Bill and I still love the lifestyle and weather of South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Tennis is a popular sport here, so I play year-round on multiple 4.0 teams. Last June we took a Danube River cruise; our favorite city by far was Budapest. Bill and I also hiked Glacier National Park after his grandson’s wedding in Bozeman, MT last summer. About every two months I travel to New Hampshire to visit my 92-year-old mother who still lives independently at home. I am excited about an upcoming adventurous girls’
trip in July (with Ellen Brenton McAllister)…mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda then onto Zambia and Botswana. Being at Reunion last year to honor Becky Haag reminded many of us of the special friendships we have as Wells alums. Let’s meet in Aurora for our 45th Reunion as we continue to strengthen that bond!
1973
Harriet Higgins bought a new home in Homer, NY with plenty of room for Wells classmates–her back yard is only 35 acres! She has also rejoined the College Community Orchestra, playing violin. Harriet recently had lunch with Julie LeBlanc Coleman and spent the night at Thayer Quoos’ home. Harriet says “the welcome mat is out if anyone wants to drop by. It’s cold out in Upstate now, but warm inside.” Thanks Harriet!
-Pam
KATHI LENROW 15 White Oak Ct. Montvale, NJ 07645-2018 k_lenrow@yahoo.com
1972 HOLLY GOSSELINK DAVIDSON 5897 Lower Lake Rd. PO Box 331 Cayuga, NY 13034-0331 bdavids1@rochester.rr.com
Hello Class of 1972! Thanks to all who replied to my plea for news and if you didn’t get an email from me, please contact me at bdavids1@ rochester.rr.com with your email address! We have many classmates “missing” and I would love to hear from you. Liz Abbe has grown from animal
rescue and pet therapy to animal advocacy. She regrets never taking a Civics or Government class because she is spending a lot of time working on legislation on behalf of animals and meeting with legislators at the CT state capitol. “It’s an amazing process to get a bill passed and incredibly rewarding when it is made into law.” Liz also goes to court cases to check on the implementation of some of the laws she’s worked on. “Now I’m also wondering why I went to library school with Alexie “Tink” Knapp ’76 instead of law school. Oh well.”
Nancy Bishop still lives in Alexandria, MD, spoiling her cat Tigger. She continues with her photography hobby, making beautiful greeting cards and doing photography for her local church– she just had her Christmas pageant photos printed in the Almond Tree, the church newsletter!
Encouraged by Billie Grieb, Jessie Brinkley has taken up bridge again after 40+ years–playing Duplicate at Billie’s Bridge Club in Ft. Lauderdale. Their success rate is varied…Jessie plays at home at the Rockville Bridge Club. Apparently the game has really changed since the days of playing in Dodge on the lounge floor! (The 4th floor Main folk only played Pitch and cheated!) She and Billie hope to become Life Masters (500 points) if they live long enough. Billie has 150 Masters
Nadine Hundertmark’s son Bobby '72 Luncheon, Spring 2018: Jane Duncan, Kathy Shapleigh Kolowich, Susan Dancik Bahman, Anne Cagwin Hagstrom, Marley MacMillen, Elizabeth Abbe.
Points and Jessie has 15–good luck Jessie! “In any case, it is a lot of fun and endlessly challenging.”
her work at Guide Dogs for the Blind, enjoys life and keeping her health together.
Alice “Fern” Bryan is still in Wyoming taking advantage of both downhill and cross-country skiing on her “new” knees! She and her giant dog Gus rocked the 1K skijoring race recently–she points out that Gus was clueless, just chasing the dogs that started before him! She also water skis up in Michigan at the family camp each summer. She funds these hobbies with her business of walking dogs and caring for pets. Fern lost her longtime partner Paul this year and finds that talking to her five cats and Gus doesn’t quite fill the void. Give her a call or go visit!
Jeanne Cronin Ceccolini says she hasn’t “made the retirement move yet but took a bit of a ‘break’ (pun intended) this past year when I tripped and broke my patella. Nothing a few screws and wire couldn’t fix.” Although it sounds like Fern recovered a heck of a lot faster after she recently got two brand new knees! “Have stayed with the Knapp sisters (Leslie and Tink ’76) several times when visiting Christopher and his partner/fiancé Jordan in Boston. The family is in wedding mode as we gear up for their fall 2019 wedding in the Berkshires. Did some traveling to Santa Fe, San Diego, Hilton Head, Charleston and the Cape and celebrated my 50th HS reunion in the fall.” Also celebrated Goose’s daughter’s Aurora wedding this summer (with Nadder). “All good things…other than the knee mishap.”
Julie Burnet wrote that she had just
returned from Egypt and Jordan on a 17-day jaunt. Both countries were amazing with history and LOTS of temples, but she does not miss the 5 a.m. call to prayer! She also did some “fun travels to the Arctic (Svalbard to see the most amazing polar bears, walruses and birds), Mammoth Lakes, the Maritimes in Canada and Mexico.” Phew–I’m exhausted just writing this! This year includes travel to San Diego, Memphis (Bridge tournament), Tanzania/South Africa, British Columbia for Spirit Bears and Alaska with family. Julie continues
Patty Simmons Cunningham shows
her art at the White Rabbit Gallery in Traveler’s Rest, SC and in open Art Studios in Greenville. She pays for her art supplies and fun by doing real estate in South Carolina. Son Aron and family (wonderful wife and two sons) are in Germany with the army–Aron is flying
Chinooks. Daughter Kelly and her husband and daughter moved back to Pennsylvania last spring. “Grandparenting is the best, but I wish I were closer!” Nancy Juraschek Dykes just
attended an informal Wells gathering in Greenville, SC and met with Matt Sleezer ’14 from the advancement office. (Patty Cunningham was unable to attend). They loved reminiscing about the campus and plan on making it an annual event. Nancy still works part time and spends the rest of her time with her four grandchildren, driving I-85 between Charlotte and Atlanta! Hubby Dave retired after 43 years in newspapers and has spent the last three freelancing with no intentions of full retirement. They have traveled to the Carolina coasts, Florida, Maine, Connecticut and a conference in Las Vegas. Nancy feels “so fortunate to have three very grown daughters with stable jobs and family lives!”
Letitia Gardine Gittens has retired! Letty has moved permanently to Knoxville, TN to be near her sons. She had survived two hurricanes in 2017 and said, “That’s enough.” Letty sends best wishes to all. Ottilya Mex Hallinan should get
together with Julie Burnet! She and Joe had “an out-of-this-world trip to Africa–three-and-a-half weeks of safaris. The two gorilla treks were tough due to rain, but spectacular and the Nile River cruise and visit to Petra and the Dead Sea were exciting.” They also spent two weeks in Iceland chasing the Northern Lights, a fall week in the Smoky Mountains and two weeks hosting friends from Australia checking out Philadelphia, Chincoteague, etc. This year will include Vietnam, a river cruise to see the tulips,Vancouver, and a Road Scholar trip with their granddaughter. Phew! Joe volunteers and helped Otti recover from a complete tear of her rotator cuff and bicep. Hope you are now fully recovered! He does a small amount of tax work and plays with the grandkids.
married the lovely Annie in October–they met at Rice years ago. They are both lawyers in NYC, loving life in Brooklyn with their little dog. Nadine retired two years ago from her last job as interim pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn. Since then, she and husband Rob have been involved with a fabulous Roman Catholic parish in Brooklyn. They lead retreats–Rob does art history and Nadine does the “Bible stuff.” They “travel several times a year to France and Italy, he with a camera and me with a sketchpad. A whole new life, so very good.”
Kathryn Howard Kerrigan and Jim
retired after 17 years abroad (Prague, Beijing) working in international schools (no children of their own but they have enjoyed incredible student communities). She writes “Politics aside, joyful to be back in the States. Busy now, learning how to solder silver (gold when I can afford it) into jewelry, working with local nonprofits, hanging in the garden and doing projects in the barn in warmer weather, sharing meals and laughter with friends and traveling when (and as much) as we can. A few health ups and downs, but loving life every single day. I see Suzie Carlson Garratt regularly (we’re on opposite coasts), Billie Grieb too. So much fun to savor friendships that truly withstand the tests of time. Looking forward to our 50th.” Life in Baltimore is good for Lea Manly-Power Kusner, hoping that her granddaughter could be a future Evenliner! She continues working in sports administration as an assigner in field hockey and lacrosse and travels in Maryland as the field hockey rules interpreter, giving many presentations. For fun, Lea plays bridge, participates in a book club and plays bar trivia at a place reminiscent of the Fargo! She also sings in her church choir and traveled to England in 2017 to sing a series of evensongs in the Midlands and plans to sing at Westminster Abbey next year. Lea sees Pat Harrington McMullen, Kathy Muller Salom and Paula McKee Corbett every Thanksgiving weekend in Baltimore–can we crash the party?
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ClassNotes
ClassNotes needs. Brad is adjusting to fulltime retirement and I am adjusting to our being together 24/7! We continue to travel, hiked the Swiss and French Alps, drank in Munich’s beer gardens and visited Prague with the “kids” last fall. We still scuba dive and ski as often as possible at Whiteface. My gardens keep me busy and my freezer full. Our 50th Reunion is not all that far away and MANY of you mentioned coming–I will hold you to it! You know I will bug you endlessly about it. Always great to hear from y’all–Thanx! Keep in touch and find me those missing classmates!
Shelley Osmun Baranowski '68, Bonnie Baranowski '71 and Lisa Jenner '76 at Machu Picchu, Peru, February 2019.
Karen Nadder Lago reports that
daughter Ruth and her 12-year-old son James are bunking with her while the family builds their new house–and it’s going well! Ruth has a new job with the local newspaper and daughter Ulea will start a new job as director of development and external partnerships with the Mistletoe Foundation in California. Ulea will be able to work from home and “commute” to California about six times a year plus travel to Japan and Singapore for meetings– and a trip to India will precede this transition. Husband Greg continues to create wood engravings, water colors and sculptures although his main passion is burning brush! Nadder is wrestling with possible retirement from the library this summer–personally I don’t think she can sit at home–she has too many programs to monitor there.
Cathe Foley MacInnes retired from MAXIMUS Federal as director of the Medicare Advantage and PACE Reconsideration Project, responsible for Advantage plan claim appeals nationwide. Since then Cathe has “bought a new house, moved again, celebrated Tom’s daughter Rose’s wedding and continues to volunteer for our local NPR station and serves on the board of directors of the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation and on the executive board for the NYS American Legion Auxiliary.” Mary Mac Millen reports that she is
always busy with family projects and trying to stay sane while “political dramas are playing out around us.” She is looking forward to spring when she can reopen her beloved cottage on Southport Island, ME for the summer/fall season. “For me, nothing beats the ocean!” Mary attended a super chatty/ fun luncheon at Kathy Shapleigh Kolowich’s home with Jane Duncan, Anne Cagwin Hagstrom, Susan Dancik Bahman and Liz Abbe. “Always great catching up with classmates!”
18 Spring 2019
Leslie Baumline McGuire retired two years ago from the Tulsa U.S. Courts Library and remains in Tulsa “doing lots of yoga and exercising, reading lots of books.” She has a great group of friends who socialize together frequently so she doesn’t miss working at all! She also visits her younger brother who is in a local nursing home. Last year Leslie traveled to Peru and this year a group is going with a couple of English professors to Ireland. Unfortunately New York seems so far away now… Pat Harrington McMullen retired
three years ago and hubby Rick retired this summer so they are “happily exploring our new normal.” Pat volunteers with America Reads as an elementary school reading tutor and with her library year-round fundraising book sales. Son Jim married in August and daughter Kate is engaged to be married May 2020. Pat is eleven years CANCER FREE and counting! Yay Pat!!! She is part of the annual Baltimore gathering. Susan Olmstead-Wang and Mike
“have been having fun playing with grandsons, Alexandre and Thomas. They speak French at home, English at school and Mandarin with Mike– it seems natural to them! Older son started at the Gates Foundation in Seattle as a senior cyber security engineer. Younger son is at Northrup Grumman and happy in San Diego. Daughter is here in Northern Virginia.” Susie still teaches online for the University of Alabama and does assessments for Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. They spent two months in China following the Grand Canal (begun 609AD), Beijing to Hangzhou, visiting relatives in GuiLing and hiking Mount WuXi. “Jet lag is getting a bit harder but we are grateful for health, opportunities and friends.”
Debbie Brown Ricci reports “After spending my whole life, except four years at Wells, in Maryland,
we moved to Deltaville,VA last fall. Deltaville is in the middle of no place–a little over an hour east of Richmond. I would love to hear from anyone in the general area, especially if you play bridge. Sue Colwell ’70 and her husband are planning to stop by the beginning of March. We are going back to MA in May to do a little more sailing around Boston, Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound before sailing our boat down to Virginia. We have one daughter who is married and moved to Old Town, Alexandria,VA last summer.” Deany Meritt Wood and Rob moved to Hamilton, NY (think Colgate) to be near one of their daughters and her family. They stay busy making new friends, enjoying their new home and being close to daughter #1, son-in-law #1 and granddaughters 1 and 2. They tell daughter #2, son-in-law #2 and granddaughters 3 and 4 that they get them next! Deany says they have extra rooms at their Hamilton house–she’d love to see you–the welcome mat is out!
The Davidson family had an epic year! Heather and Tom FINALLY got married–a beyond perfect wedding at the Inns of Aurora–yup– where Heather is the Director of Events! Tom continues to commute to Ghana, Africa managing a cocoa bean plantation. Son Greg is in DC working for an NGO that helps women in developing countries with their health and reproductive
1971
-Goose
SUZANNE DOTY 1555 Merrill St. #109 Santa Cruz, CA 95062 suzannedoty@sbcglobal.net PAULA SCALI 5604 Chesterbrook Rd. Bethesda, MD 20816-1302 paula_scali@ml.com
1970 KAREN BROWN PO Box 520 E. Middlebury, VT 05740-0520 wells1970@comcast.net
1969 ANNE OLIVER ROBERTS 3107 West Sentinel Rock Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85086-2228 anneor@q.com NANCY TILLINGHAST 164 Island West Dr. Bluffton, SC 29910 nancy.tillinghast@gmail.com
Greetings, Class of 1969 Members! We’re taking this opportunity to invite you to join us in Aurora for our 50th Reunion this year! Our class will be solicited for news for the fall publication, following Reunion.
May 30 – June 2, and we hope to see you there! For the 50th Reunion, there are some special features such as: All of us stay in Weld, which has air conditioning and private bathrooms; and on Friday night, there will be a special dinner at the Aurora Inn for the 50th Reunion class and those from classes beyond the 50th. On Saturday night, there’s a banquet and celebration party which is now held in a huge enclosed tent on the upper Leach parking lot. There are also Reunion College Sessions, and interactions with faculty and staff throughout the weekend. A “Class of 1969 Yearbook” is being compiled for all of us to enter our information about what we’ve been up to for the past 50 years at www. alumni.wells.edu/yearbook-1969. Even if you can’t attend, we hope you’ll enter your information and a current photo if you like. It will be fun to see what everyone has been up to the last 50 years! If you haven’t already registered for the Reunion, you can access the registration online at www.alumni. wells.edu or you can contact Kelly Brown in the alumni office at kbrown@wells.edu or 315-3643200. Here’s to a great weekend together with our Class of 1969! Hope to see you in Aurora!
1968
-Anne & Nancy
KAREN KENNEDY GALLIMORE 1290 Boyce Rd. Apt 405C Pittsburgh, PA 15241 kkgallimore@comcast.net ANDI MCMAHON LAMOREAUX 21 West Goethe St. #8B Chicago, IL 60610-8295 jslx@aol.com
Correction of notes printed in Fall 2018 class news:
Elisabeth Goodridge: Staying
hunkered down and waiting for the stupendous blizzard to hit, I figure I have some time to write my class news. The problem is, when did I last post, and what is truly new so I won’t do that annoying age thing of repeating myself!? Peter and I (mostly Peter) have just finished renovating our living room, getting rid of all the old furniture, sanding and re-finishing the floor, taking down the old plaster ceiling, opening up the wall between the living room and dining room, painting walls a lovely warm color, and installing track lighting for the artwork. The new space really feels wonderful! What a difference! We also enjoyed Christmas with my sister, our first together since we were kids. Peter and I traveled in France last spring visiting Alsace and Lorraine (a stop in Domrémyla-Purcelle, the birthplace of Jeanne d’Arc), a region I had never visited before, then a week in Burgundy to see the cousins in Beaune, picking up my daughter Erika who was in Paris after taking a student group on museum tours, and having a thoroughly great time, including visits to Autun and Vézelay cathedrals (for the art historian!) Later on, we rejoined Erika in Paris for a week before heading home. It has meant a lot to me to stay in touch with and in some cases reconnect with friends from Wells to share life experiences and memories. It has become very dear to me, this way of measuring time, a reminder of all we have been and are still becoming! This mysterious way in which we manage to grow and change while still remaining our essential selves. With that in mind, I am definitely planning on going to Reunion, and encourage everyone to do the same. Especially if you have never gone to a class Reunion. I promise it will be a rich and surprising experience.
Jan Lyeth Sharp is training her
horse, Magic, in eventing: dressage,
stadium jumping, cross-country jumping. To “still be learning and advancing” is very exciting for her. Besides equine activities she enjoys skiing and hiking. Garry plans to retire this year, and they’ve done lots of traveling. Probably more to come after the retirement.
1967 EILEEN KRASKOUSKAS 2437 Groveview Ct. Richmond, CA 94806-5291 kraskous@yahoo.com ELIZABETH VAN RANST 120 Foster St. Cambridge, MA 02138-4745 elizabeth.vanranst@verizon.net Whitney Scofield Bagnall proclaims
Wells friendships are the best! She and June Allison meet fairly regularly for lunch, museum exhibits, and chatting about the joy of grandchildren. Chinta Amaral joins them from California via email. Linda Sayre lives about five blocks from Whitney, and they enjoy lunches at a local dumpling joint. Recently, Jean Reid and Whitney were the only members of ’67 at the January Wells gathering in NYC, a lively, but very noisy event. In December, Whitney and Roger were honored to attend a ceremony of renewal of vows of Constance Coles and Bill McKeown at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. A superb performance of Bach’s Cantata 140, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme followed the service. “So grateful for my life” reports
Nancy Holmes Baker. She’s
mostly retired from practicing psychotherapy but still does some because she loves it so much. She also meditates for two hours a day as a follower of Paramhansa Yogananda and has a meditation group at her house that has been going on for 18 years, a real blessing
Karen Frankel Blum’s biggest news is that she’s now the grandmother of a terrific little boy named Cameron Asher Blum, born to son Morgan and his wife Melissa on June 13, 2018. They live nearby, so Karen’s teaching him how to dance and open all the cabinets in his kitchen. “Some rules just need to be broken!” Still flunking “retirement,” Karen does programs for federal judges and writes amicus briefs. In her second term as a trustee, she treasures the trips back to Aurora, even in February! She’ll be seeing Judy Reed Scott on her next trip, and on February 20, Donna Tripp Ravn and Dee Gebhardt Bissell will be coming to Boston for the day. She sends love to all!
In July Constance Coles and her husband Bill McKeown attended the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Austin, TX, including a moving prayer vigil at a detention center for undocumented women. In September their Union Theological Seminary Core Group celebrated its 50th anniversary. In 2003 the group resumed meeting annually. December brought Constance’s and Bill’s 50th marriage anniversary and a service at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York City. They renewed their vows and heard Bach’s Cantata 140, Sleepers Wake, performed by a small orchestra and chorus. They were delighted that Whitney Scofield Bagnall and husband Roger and Gail Fletcher Edwards ’57 and husband George attended. January 2019 was the 40th anniversary of Constance’s ordination to the priesthood. This past year Karen Lewis Foley has become more involved in a local interfaith justice effort in Charlottesville,VA, as part of the research team on affordable housing. She also continues her spiritual direction practice and gardening and does lots of reading. Dan and Karen partake of the area’s incredible cultural offerings. They enjoy being close to their daughters and two granddaughters (8 and 6) and await the birth of their third in Boston, on or about the Ides of March (her son Jeff ’s first). She calls them “The Triumvarette!"
We’re looking forward to a great turnout for our milestone Reunion,
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for her. In addition, she does line dancing for two hours a week at Dartmouth and takes two private lessons a month doing all different types of dance, her favorite being West Coast swing. Nancy also loves to cook and is enjoying having more time to try new recipes. The rest of the time she walks around her town taking in all the natural beauty around her.
Barbara Hopgood Jones continues Celebrating at the lovely home of Goose and Brad Davidson after our accomplished, well-deserving '74 classmate, Becky Haag, received the Alumnae Award last June. Sitting L-R: Goose Davidson '72, Judy Connolly Dinneen ’74, Pam Thomas Dyer ’74, Becky Haag ’74. Standing L-R: Alan Connors, Jeanne Cronin '72, Wendy Baker '75, Doug Johnston, Marjorie Salzman ’74, Carolyn Anderson Connors ’74, Karen Nadder '72.
finding great satisfaction directing the Stow, MA community chorus and orchestra, for 40 years now! Her piano students and six
Wells.edu 19
ClassNotes
ClassNotes the women around me. We try to laugh when left speechless in mid-sentence, a downside of age. I often sketch brain synapses getting lost reaching for speech neurons. Onward with strength and courage for the challenges ahead.” Ann Freehoffer Manley says that
Audre Engleman ’68 (L) and Judi Whetstine ’68 (R) were skiing in Vail, CO when they happened to meet Matt Concha ’08 (C).
grandchildren keep her in touch with the next generations. She invites folks coming to Lake Winnipesaukee, NH in the summer to visit their Cow Island camp– Marty Ryan Severens and Ann Maxwell did last year. Barbara’s husband’s seven-year battle with multiple myeloma continues; he enrolls in studies of new medicines whenever they become available. His spirit and perseverance are a model for all and have deepened their appreciation of the wonderful medical establishments nearby and the benefits of good friends and community. Barbara hopes to hike in Slovenia in September– anyone interested? As she says, do everything you can now since circumstances can change dramatically. This year brought Carol Doty Kalauskas and her husband Charlie their second grandchild. Anna Marjorie Bonstead was born last January to their daughter Rebecca and her husband Tyler. Although the next generation lives across the country in Los Angeles, Carol and Charlie have managed several visits. Son Peter lives in San Francisco; daughter Sarah lives close by in Boston. Carol and Charlie are enjoying retirement with more time to travel. In October they drove from Los Angeles to San Francisco up the Pacific Coast Highway learning history and natural science and savoring glorious scenery as they went. She has recently started yoga and is also learning Feldenkrais to strengthen aging bones. She believes friendships old and new also strengthen us as we grow older. Retta-Leigh Perel Keil is so glad she went to Reunion and had the chance to reconnect with so many classmates. This past summer Sharon Schutz, Susan Montgomery Cotton and Susie Coyle Wardrop joined her at her Virginia Beach cottage for a wonderful week of being college girls again. “Amazing–no contact in 50 years and it was like we had never separated. Wells girls are the best!” 20 Spring 2019
Margaret Morse Kuykendall
and her husband Dave have two passions, their 2½ year old grandson and their 2-year-old SLO Village. Being a grandmother is the unexpected delight of her life, and having their grandson living five minutes away is incredible. Son Chris and wife Danielle now live and work in San Luis Obispo; son Brian may relocate there from the Bay Area. SLO Village is part of the national grassroots Village Movement of 300 Villages that began in Boston in 2002. Margaret and Dave became founding members of Village Movement California, with 50 Villages statewide, to create a better aging experience. Members live in their own homes and benefit from volunteer-provided practical services to support independence, social connections and lifelong learning, (www.slovillage.org). Keare Leavenworth, Quinn Hourigan Lique, Sally Hauck Allen,
and Sally’s husband Peter had a wonderful sharing time visiting the Canadian Maritimes last summer. Keare is still involved in the local school board, humane society and land conservancy work on both the local and national levels. She will be travelling to DC for a National School Boards Advocacy Days Conference and then on to Puerto Rico for a Land Trust Alliance National Board meeting. Luckily, Quinn, Sally and Anne VanDeWater McComiskey will be joining her in Puerto Rico for a week of more sharing, exploring and just enjoying!! Keare hopes all is well with our classmates!
Lynn Lederer and husband Les Long
continue with pretty much the same volunteer and other activities which have the weeks flying by way too quickly. During 2018 they were lucky to have a number of canoeing/kayaking trips at beautiful state and national parks in North Carolina and South Carolina, took three trips to Vermont (daughter & family), flew up to White Plains a couple of times (son & family)
and made their annual trip to Montana and Oregon. They are looking forward to a long-planned trip to Rio in March to visit a dear friend and colleague from the ’70s, traveling with their Oregon friend, Jennifer. And in February, Marty Ryan Severens and Annie Maxwell will be coming to Ashville, where they’ll join Lynn for lunch. I continue to sing (nearly 35 years) in The Concord Chorus here in Maryland. My better half Jerry Zuriff and I went to Barbara Hopgood Jones’s chorus’s performance marking her 40th anniversary as director. So proud of her! Also in attendance were Karen Kilty, Carol Doty Kalauskas, and Annie Maxwell. In the spring, my sister Susan Crego ’66 and I toured the Low Countries, partly on a canal trip. Never tire of Holland’s Keukenhof, the most incredible bulb garden. I have also done a lot of genealogy work, this year tracing the Van Ranst side back to 1633 with the help of a Dutch genealogist. I hope you are all enjoying life and thriving. Thanks to those of you who contributed to these notes!
-Betsy Nancy Catherwood Magnusson
sent her best to all and offered this reflection. “During recent years I have not had more grandchildren, won any major awards, been elected to anything, earned a penny or published a book. I am grateful for these ‘nots,’ grateful to be out of any limelight, grateful to be relieved of those pressures and responsibilities. Sort of like being a hippie again, although the inequalities and injustices in this country weigh heavy on me. The city I live in has the worst schools in the country and the highest crime rate. But also a vibrant, diverse art community of which I am a part. I have lifelong friends all across the country, friends who have seen me through rough spots, brought joy, laughter and challenges into my life. The years continue to be enriched by
her life is much the same. She and Ron enjoy retirement, spending time with friends and family, and exercising and eating healthy. They have planned a 22-day trip to France in June and a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer (train) in October and are looking forward to both. They are grateful that both of their grown children are employed in jobs they love there in Orlando where they can see them often. Life is good! Since Wells is now doing a regional gathering in January in Orlando, they don’t have to travel to Palm Beach or Bonita Springs to participate. Proving that the world is small, one of the attendees last year lives very near her and attends the same church that they do. They had not met before even though they share many friends.
Carol Mawhinney reports that
not much has changed since everyone met in Aurora (such great memories). She’s still traveling (lots of road trips), still singing (in the choir), still learning (as a docent at the Bruce Museum). What HAS changed is Time. “It’s true that it seems to go much faster as you age. So many places to go, so much to read and learn. And, seemingly, so little time.” So, in the Carpe Diem spirit, she’s planning her fourth safari for June, this time to Botswana and Zimbabwe, with a few old, good friends. She’s reading up on elephants, her favorites. Her new mantra is Seize the Day!, which will be added to her long-standing others: Watch Your Step! And Deal With It! She says they have worked out pretty well for her.
Anne VanDeWater McComiskey
still lives in a western suburb of Atlanta with Frank, coming up to five years of marriage, and, although retired, continues to work on a text about babies with brain-related visual impairment. “I’m into my sixth year working on this puppy… and I am beginning to understand why Dr. Jaffee didn’t think much of my thesis!” She counts herself lucky to live close to Kaffie White McCullough, with whom she has lunch every couple of weeks. Additionally, she is looking forward to a trip to Puerto Rico in February with Keare Leavenworth, Quinn Hourigan Lique and Sally Hauck Allen. “The Boyer Quad will live again!” To stay off the streets she’s playing Mahjong regularly with some savvy women. Kaffie White McCullough and Bob have settled into their retirement community and she loves not
having to cook. Bob’s health is status quo although he remains tremendously compromised. He has an aide five days a week, eight hours each day, which lets her still have a life. She’s continuing to make jewelry and has added book arts to her creative endeavors. She took a week-long course at Wells’ Book Arts Center last summer and loved it. Her grandsons are all doing well with the oldest being a plebe at West Point, one in California, a junior in high school, one a sophomore in high school and one in the fifth grade. Three of the four are based in Atlanta, which she loves. “Life is good despite national struggles and aging challenges.” Cindy Gravely Morse continues to lead a “magical” life, filled with friends, family, the music and food of New Orleans and travel. Remarried three years ago, she travels every year with Bill Ives to visit their grown children and their families in San Francisco, Seattle, Alexandria,VA and northern Vermont. Each year, they plan one BIG trip: this past summer they swapped houses with five families in France, spending nearly seven weeks exploring and enjoying. They play games with a group of friends and listen to a lot of music in New Orleans. She volunteers with Friends of the NO Public Library, selling donated books at the Arts Market each month. She invites anyone heading that way to visit and share a meal, some music or both.
In April 2017 Ollie Parsons Moochler had a stroke that wiped
out her speech, but nothing else. After six months of speech therapy, although she still has some problems articulating and with word retrieval, she can sing, play golf and make herself understood. She considers herself blessed! Fred now has two new iliac stents in his groin following a scary blood clot, but he is now back to golf and doing fine. Freddie is also doing well working three or four days a week.
artists in which Marty had a hand. In August she visited Barbara Hopgood Jones’s camp on Lake Winnipesaukee and Ann Maxwell joined them. This winter she will lunch with Ann and Lynn Lederer in Asheville and see Margo Lozon Brackett, Adelma Park Gillespie, Beth Horning and Barbie in Charleston. Writing and lecturing about art have slowed somewhat, but hiking is still her passion—new friends, exercise and the great outdoors. Andie Bartholomay Sheaffer says A group of ’67s enjoyed dinner at Orsay in Manhattan, April 2018. First row L-R: Suzanne Lloyd Liebolt, Adelma Park Gillespie, Karen Rodemann Lloyd, Marty Ryan Severens. Second row L-R: Linda Sayre, Barbara Hopgood Jones, Whitney Scofield Bagnall, Carol Mawhinney.
Carol Quinley reports that all is
well in Tampa. Although she had some health issues last March, things have come along nicely. Matt, Jenn, Kaiya, Ben and Kendall are now living in Dallas, PA (outside Wilkes-Barre/Scranton). Kate, Aaron, Teo and Eleanor are still on Cape Cod, and Anne, John, Phinn and Tallulah are now in Ft. Collins, CO and loving it. David is still with the University of Nebraska, Lincoln but beginning to think about retirement. She hopes this New Year brings good health, much joy and an abundance of peace to one and all.
Susan Milne Ritter and John are now closing in on their fifth year in Bangkok. The town continues to tickle them with its vibrancy and it serves as a good launch pad for the travel they do in support of their work for Search Associates. She provided the following link which will explain how, in part, they got where they are (overseas since 1973 and still loving the adventure of it all): https://www.searchassociates. com/news-events/the-bohemianpath-of-senior-associate-johnritter-and-his-partner-susan-ritter/. A second link gives information on how to access her by clicking ‘Meet My Team’ at https://www. searchassociates.com/associates/ john-ritter/
Kathy Keare Leavenworth, Quinn Hourigan Lique, and Sally Hauk Allen ’67s in the Canadian Maritimes last summer
Betsy Kimbell Rogers and Frank
have enjoyed a good year. Never having been Florida people, they visited in March and surprised themselves by how interesting they found it! Beautiful state parks, fascinating history…and the birds!! They also went to Albuquerque for the October balloon fiesta, which was great fun. Otherwise, they loved being in Wisconsin for the summer, as always, and visited Washington, DC often to be with all their kids and grandson Alex. She offered a travel tip: if Wells friends haven’t yet seen the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, do go. They visited at Christmastime—barely scratched the surface, and will go back, repeatedly. When they’re not on the road, she still does a little editing and writing, putting off retirement. She’s looking forward to the 55th Reunion in Aurora!
Since Reunion Marty Ryan Severens has stayed connected
with several classmates: through emails with Eileen Kraskouskas and Nancy Catherwood Magnusson. With Kaffie White McCullough, Anne VanDeWater McComiskey, and Karen Rasmussen Shaefer she enjoyed Faith Tyldsley’s tour of Atlanta’s Botanical Garden. They then reconnected in September at the Georgia Museum of Art for an exhibition of Southern women
that the 50th Reunion at Wells was so much fun that the seven (from Pennsylvania,Vermont, Georgia, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon and California) who rented a beautiful house on the lake are getting together again at Cape Cod in September. “What are the chances that seven 74-year-olds from across the country would repeat that event?” Here’s hoping they all make it and send a picture for the next Wells newsletter! On the Pennsylvania front, Andie finally retired from running two 18-table bridge games for 14 years and now just enjoys playing. She sent her news from the airport on her way to a tournament in Bermuda.
Gail Thornton sends her best to all. She is still spending half the year in Sun Valley, ID and the other half in Indian Wells, CA. She is loving her daily golf! In between, she visits her three kids and eight grandkids; two live in San Francisco and one nearby in Boise, ID. She sees Ellen Foley James more often, now that she is living full time in Sun Valley. Gail feels blessed to be in good health and very happy with her sweet labradoodle Lexy and her ‘guy friend’ Gary. Carol Voorhees sends greetings. “In
two weeks I leave to go thru the Panama Canal on my Wind Star sailboat, my 13th vacation on that gorgeous ship. Actually I haven’t been on it for a decade because I’ve spent the past decade in Asia and Africa. It’s my 5th year lifting weights 2X/week with a trainer,
Key West at Marsh’s home. Seated: Ollie Parsons Moochler ’67, Dotty Stevens Corcoran ’67. Standing: Mindy McCain Tabor ’67, Julie McCain Hunter ‘68, Marsh Martien Bogen ’67, Kathy Wolff ’67, Peggy MacDougal O’Brien ’67. Wells.edu 21
ClassNotes
ClassNotes
taking two classes, volunteering at a place that outfits underprivileged women for job interviews, am on three committees at my Quaker Meeting and have three different groups of women friends whom I see often. I’m a voracious reader! My life is full; I feel blessed. BUT, I worry daily about the Rohingyas, the Palestinians, Africans living under despots, the survivors in Yemen, our 800,000 citizens who are still not getting paid due to our ignorant, embarrassing President’s hissy-fit. Still don’t have a TV, but have made the necessary decision to turn off NPR whenever they start yammering about Trump, or whenever I hear his voice.” Last July Susan Coyle Wardrop had a delightful mini-reunion with Susan Montgomery Cotton and Sharon Schutz at Retta-Leigh Perel Keil’s summer home in Virginia Beach. They spent five wonderful days together, reminiscing about their time at Wells and getting reacquainted. Some of them had not seen each other in 50+ years! Mary Filstrup Wilson and George
have moved to the Kansas City area to be closer to their daughters and their families. She reports that the Baha’i community there is large–mostly Persians who make their lives more interesting! She is now involved in exercise classes, chair yoga, and painting at a local senior citizen center (can’t believe we got old so soon!). She continues to “tangle” in Zentangle, has been decorating blown eggs, sculptures of all kinds, stones, anything that has a flat surface. Finally, she wonders if there are any Wellsians in the Kansas City area. As for me, I continue to enjoy being class secretary for last names M-W and welcome Betsy Van Ranst who is taking responsibility for A-L. I look forward to the New Year after a very complicated 2018 which, among other things, included being hit by a car while I was crossing the street one evening in Santa Barbara. Wasn’t looking both ways one of the skills we learned in kindergarten? The actual collision was followed by a growing crowd of gawkers and arrival of first responders in their vehicles with blinking lights.This is not a comfortable situation for an introvert! After surgery and a few days of recovery in the hospital, I flew home where wonderful friends picked me up and delivered me to the comfort of my home. At the moment, I’m in the process of downsizing and going through possessions from the last 50 years or so as I prepare to move into a condominium nearby and close to those good friends who picked me up at the airport!
-Eileen 22 Spring 2019
1966
KEEP YOUR INFORMATION UPDATED
SUSAN VAN RANST CREGO 55 Berkeley St. Rochester, NY 14607-2207 scrego@rochester.rr.com
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.
JODY KESSLER LAKE 1300 NE 16th Ave. Apt 431 Portland, OR 97232-1480 jody.lake@gmail.com
Pamela Hotine Espenshade: Nothing new with us. I continue to enjoy being retired with various activities that don’t make for a full schedule. Tom continues to go to his office at Princeton most days to work on his research project. He no longer teaches, which means we can take trips like a river cruise this fall from Basel to Amsterdam. Children and grandchildren are thriving, and we were all together in Jamaica for Christmas.
KATE LEBOUTILLIER O'NEILL 55 North Main St. Pennington, NJ 08534-2204 kate.oneill1218@gmail.com
1965 SUSAN STAMBERGER 9335 Belvoir Ave. La Crescenta, CA 91214-2333 suestam@aol.com NANCY ROSE STONE 1940 Mahre Dr. Park City, UT 84098 nancystone00@gmail.com Mary Ella Wagner Jones: A year of
travel! I spent time with cousins who own cottages on Lake Joseph in the beautiful Muskoka Lakes region of Ontario…did a driving trip & went thru Aurora, treating myself to a night at Pleasant Rowland’s “Inns of Aurora!” Great fun! Canada was in July, wended my way from Hilton Head through Richmond, then Aurora, Lake Joe (12 days of bliss!), back through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, etc. Patagonian side of Chile was fantastic…we left from Valparaiso, went down through the Straits of Magellan, did Zodiak trips to see (but not touch) glaciers, Torres del Paine National Park, through Beagle Channel & around Cape Horn before landing in Ushuaia & flying to Buenos Aires. Just a terrific trip…unbelievable history & culture, and one hell of a long way down there! Still doing lots of volunteer work for Memory Matters (www.mymemorymatters. org), a remarkable organization which works with dementia patients & their families, but also teaches brain health & wellness. And, one grandchild graduates from high school in May, so is off to college (TBD still), while another is hot on her heels as a rising senior in high school , etc. In short, they’re all growing up, but I don’t think I’m getting any older, until I realize I just had cataract surgery!
Deborah Nelson Aylesworth: It
has been a good year that included several trips to NYC where my older daughter lives. Theatre, a birthday celebration for my brother-in-law, a family wedding in West Sayville (Long Island) and several beach days in Amagansett
Retta Leigh Perel Keil ’67, Susie Coyle Wardrop ’67, Susan Montgomery Cotton ’67 and Sharon Schutz ’67.
kept us busy. I celebrated my 75th with my sister and her husband on a cruise from Quebec to NYC. It is hard to believe that we have all reached that milestone. My three grandchildren here on the Cape are a sophomore in college, a junior and freshman in high school. The Episcopal church here in Harwich Port has been my main volunteer activity. We are in search for a new rector and I have just been elected senior warden of our vestry. In my free time I continue my beach walking and fitness program. Nancy Fitzsimmons Cornell: Doug
and I are still in our home in Andover, MA and feel fortunate to be able to do all the things we enjoy, albeit somewhat more slowly. We both volunteer at a thrift shop, sail our boat out of Newburyport, MA and are involved in many ways at church. I love to garden at home and at civic gardens, and Doug sings in a choir. I let my violin lessons (begun four years ago) slide this year, but hope to get back in tune soon. Our son and daughter and their families also live in Maryland, so we see our four grandchildren, ages 3-10, with some frequency. They keep us young and provide us with lots of stories. Doug and I visited Essex, CT with Marla Waterman Peltzer and husband Dwight last summer, and I also enjoy keeping up with my roomies, Leslie Stewart Ketchum and Adele Maslen Miller. So pleased that Fiona was honored by the College last spring! Debby Beaman Hopps: Our second year of retirement and life in the Northeast has been good. My latest adventure was snowshoeing with my sister-in-law near Squam Lake, NH.You can’t do that in Florida! We’ve enjoyed adventures with our granddaughters, now 8,7 & 5, who
live only 40 minutes away and have their own room upstairs. We have a nice little outboard motor boat for fishing and playing at nearby lakes. Son Scot still works for a hotel group in Boston, and our daughter Chrissy, who lived in south Florida for 20+ years, decided to find a job and an apartment in Boston! As of late November, she works for MA as assistant director of the Lakes and Waterways program. It’s good to have family nearby. I’m grateful to be part of a good church but happy not to be “in charge” of any committees and other things. All is well in New Hampshire! Laura Beth Mason Foster: My last year was not the greatest since my husband of 51 years died in April. He had been sick for a few years. My children and grandchildren are still in Flagstaff, AZ and Lafayette, CA. They have been a great source of strength for me. I still live in Sunapee, NH and am active in a local land trust organization. I travel a lot...still ski and play tennis and try to golf. Life goes on... Susan Huntley Baker: It’s been an eventful year, getting used to the new family configuration of daughter Sarah, grandson Corey (age 3) and me. Sarah was widowed in December 2017 and I in February 2017. She works full time for a textile design firm here in NYC and Corey is in preschool, so my role has been to help hold things together and fill in gaps in lots of practical ways. Not a time of leisure or travel, but full of the fun of participating in Corey’s development on a daily basis. I’m also continuing my own version of delight at La Mano Pottery, a ceramics studio nearby. On Instagram, I’m @SHbakerstudio. Cheers to all of us, and especially to Stu for pulling all this together!
Anne Price Iverson: Retirement is
an adventure with lots of time for golf, tennis, a little pickleball, card games, volunteer work, and travel. Last year I was president of the Rarity Bay Garden Club which kept me busy planning garden events and an overnight trip to the Biltmore in May to see the rose gardens and Chihuly glassworks lit up at night. David and I made trips to Newport Beach, Palm Desert, Park City, New York City, Boston and Aruba. I also took an Overseas Adventure Trip to Sicily with six other gals from Rarity Bay. OAT is a division of Grand Circle which runs trips for 16 or fewer travelers and specializes in spending time with the locals. Their trips are amazing. Needless to say, 2018 was a very busy year!
Carol Morgan Bigman: Larry and I are doing well, having enjoyed a February Florida break and a stunning cruise last May. Neither of us have visited Spain before and we just loved the charming cities we visited on this cruise. Touring the Sagrada in Barcelona was a real highlight as well as seeing the amusing monkeys in Gibraltar. We also made our annual visit to Cooperstown for a Glimmerglass reunion with our friends from Canada. Our son, Dan, and his family still live in nearby Katonah so we’re able to see them frequently.
Emily, who is now 8, reminds us that we can’t say we’re babysitting anymore, as she’s not a baby! It’s been a real joy watching her grow up...it’s just going too fast. I’m very involved with an Interfaith Group helping to settle a family from the Congo in nearby Danbury. Our highlight was having the youngest son attend the American School for the Deaf. It’s lots of hard work with huge rewards. Besides that, I bike, play golf and try to really stay active. Best to all! Fiona Morgan Fein: Fiona is still smiling after a truly Cinderellaat-the-Ball weekend at Wells’ last Reunion when she was one of the recipients of the WCA Award. Since then she has rejoined the Wells Board and is very glad to be part of the large group of people devoted to the College and working on its behalf. She is looking forward to 1965’s next Reunion and wants all of us to know that the dates are May 28-31, 2020. All volunteers who would like to help with the planning and fundraising are welcome. Other than that, she’s still happily married to Harvey, still keeping up with the classical music world, still reveling in her many Wells friends, still living in and loving Manhattan, and still trying hard to learn to play the classical guitar. Lorrie Ball Holmgren: My
retirement has turned out to be very busy. I drew on my fond memories of Wells in my second novel, Homicide in Hawaii, An Emily Swift Travel Mystery, which features a murdered Wells alum. Last Spring Jon and I went to England to gather inspiration for the mystery I’m working on now, set in the Cotswolds. I’m trying to promote my books at signings and panel discussions, not doing nearly enough on social media. I’d much
67s mini-reunion in Puerto Rico Feb. 2019: Anne VanDeWater McComiskey, Sally Hauck Allen, Kathy Keare Leavenworth and Quinn Hourigan Lique
rather write than promote. I’ve reconnected with the local Wells club, a lively, enthusiastic group of women. I’m still dancing Salsa and doing water aerobics. Jon and I are taking a drawing class. And we’re lucky enough to see our kids and our adorable grandson often. I love playing board games with Adam and cheering him on at hockey scrimmages. He’s quite speedy now. Barbara Peterman Boissonnas:
Christian and I continue to be involved in the governance of our community of 2,500 people about 40 miles northwest of Chicago. He is chair of the Rules and Regs Commission, I am chair of Architecture and our calendar is always full with meetings and friends. We have 14 grandchildren ranging in age from 3 to 26 and live close enough to a few of them regularly. Lots of graduations at all levels to attend every spring. Despite the physical challenges that being this age brings, life is fun and fulfilling.
Sandy Lascell Bruce: My husband
Bill and I moved to Connecticut about two years ago to be closer to our five grandkids, here and in Boston. We worried a bit about leaving friends and family in Rochester after living there more than fifty years, but it turned out to be a good move. We are slowly renovating a house here in desperate need of TLC after leaving a mint condition condo there; I know, I know, we failed an IQ test... We joyfully celebrated our 51st wedding anniversary in December. Unfortunately, our usual trips to see all this country and countries abroad have to offer are on hold while I struggle with my third bout with cancer. I am trying to snuggle those grandkids as much as possible while I have the chance :)
Trudy Hemstead Calabrese: Hard
to believe 2018 is almost over. Tom and I are profoundly grateful for all that has been bestowed upon us. Sarah, Kate and Andy are all well and we have been fortunate to spend good times together. Sarah recently joined Sandvine Corporation, a worldwide provider of Network intelligence. She heads up a global team and travels a fair amount. She is enjoying this new challenge and very happy living in Winchester near many friends. Kate is growing her own interior design firm (Baxter Design) and working part time for another designer. She is finding the work to be an exciting challenge and LOVES that her “office” has become the D&D building. Andy is thriving at Foursquare, as head of agency development. They love splitting their time between NYC during the week and their cozy weekend retreat in Laurel Hollow. Tom continues to enjoy the ever more complex operations at Daniel
Gale Sothebys International. This year has shown strong steady sales. He loves his volunteer involvement with the Caumsett Foundation. Trudy recently joined the Heckscher Museum of Art board and is energized with this new learning curve and direction into the arts world. The high point of our fall was Patrick Duggan’s, (Tom’s nephew) marriage to Courtney Dwyer. It was a beautiful celebration. All in all, we are blessed with our wonderful children and full lives. We send you best wishes for peace and joy in 2019. Love to all. Susan Stamberger:Year 2018 was a very busy one! We were gone for a month in May/June, first to South Africa, visiting Johannesburg. We then flew to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls (highly recommend!), and rode on an elephant. Then we flew to KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, for six days of safari drives. Five feet from a two-ton elephant is as close as I want to get! From there, we flew to Vienna, where we have to visit whenever we are close by! I spent three weeks (just we three siblings) enjoying our new, amazing cottage! Finally, don’t choose to become board chair of a nonprofit unless you have 20 hours a week to spare! I echo Fiona’s words–put our next reunion on your calendars NOW!
-Stu I really enjoy getting the news I receive from some of you and would love to get more. I loved Anne Kent Necker’s comment: “Not a whole lot of news to report. At our age, no news is probably good news.” Anne also reports, “We’re still in the Denver area where I’ve lived now since 1970. My daughter and family live here and my son and his family live in Vancouver, WA. We travel a fair bit–our whole family (12 of us) enjoyed an amazing trip to the Galapagos Islands Xmas week this year (2018). When we aren’t somewhere else, we ski, camp and hike in the summer, ride our bikes and just generally enjoy the great outdoors. My husband David and I are members of a small nonprofit that collects used musical instruments, repairs them, and then distributes them to Title 1 schools so kids who might not otherwise have an instrument to play, can participate in school band or orchestra. I also belong to a group called the Denver Uke Jammers. We play gigs for retirement homes in the area.” Anne also reported that they were just in Park City (where I live) last week “skiing in more snow than we have had in a long, long time!!” I was impressed that Leslie Stewart Ketchum still has a tax business: She says “Nothing new to report this news cycle. Life continuing as usual. Still have a private tax practice that Wells.edu 23
ClassNotes I’m gearing up for. Same husband, same kids, same grandkids. All thriving so life is good. ” Roberta Jerman Peters reports: “I have been living in the beautiful mountains of south central Virginia since retiring from Federal Government in 2001–and loving every minute here with husband Bill and fourth Bruna (dog) who is a bit wild and crazy! Doing some GED tutoring but otherwise being a woman of leisure. A shout-out to all.” Roberta (formerly known as Bobbie). Note from Nancy (as I was sending out the requests for news, I was wondering how many people still went by their Wells nickname after 54 years– thanks for making that clear Roberta).
I was pleased to hear from Donna Kuhn Laidlaw after many years. (We used to carpool back and forth to Wells from our homes in Western New York 55+ years ago; I was sorry to hear a couple of years ago that she lost Bill). She wrote “It has been way too long since I have communicated with the Wells community. I don’t even know if everyone knows that I lost Bill very suddenly and unexpectedly, in August of 2009 as we were vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard. He was only months away from retirement and I had already retired. I chose to stay in Columbus, OH rather than move closer to family and it has worked very well for me. Lots of really good friends helped me steady myself on this new path. My kids, of course are grown with children of their own. Christina is in Houston with two children, now 19 and 15. Scott is in Northampton, MA with one daughter, 14. I am fortunate to see them often and get them together for some holidays and in Groton Long Point, CT for part of my vacation there. After having been a very involved board member of various nonprofits I have settled on the ProMusica Columbus, our local and growing in reputation, chamber orchestra. I and my Goldendoodle Bexley have trained as a therapy dog team. He is such a love and brings great joy to residents of nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. My latest overseas adventure was to Spain and Portugal this past fall. No adventure is on the books at this point but I’m headed to Florida for a week tomorrow and then for a week in March to Santa Fe. The only Wells people I am ever in touch with are Kate LeBoutillier O’Neill ’66 and Charlotte Jenness Foster ’65. I recently caught up over the phone with Charlotte who lost her husband, I believe over a year ago. One of her two sons lives near her in New Jersey.” Adele Maslen Miller has mixed news: She says,“Here’s what’s new in our corner of upstate New York. It has been an interesting time for John and me since our last class news was published. 24 Spring 2019
ClassNotes John was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bile duct, in the spring of 2018. We are fortunate to be relatively close to DartmouthHitchcock, where we could meet with specialists and he could have abdominal surgery. Now he receives treatment in Bennington,VT, just a stone’s throw from our house. The good news is that our hope for moving to a life care community has become a reality. After being on a wait list for a long time, a cottage has become available at Collington in Maryland, just outside the Washington, DC beltway. We’ll move there around the beginning of May. That gives us almost three months to downsize. I hope we can do it.”
challenges of the State Department in Washington, DC. Oldest granddaughter is a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania. We enjoy having our younger daughter and her two children less than a mile away in Park City. Thinking of the Wells Class of ’65 and wishing you all the best.
Sue (Stu) and I received a lovely note from Connie Root Nuss ’72, Peggy (Melody) Root’s sister: Peggy was diagnosed with inoperable cancer about a year ago–a week later, on February 9, 2018, she passed away in Greenfield, MA. Her one-and-only, Henry Josephson, was with her, and he said she went peacefully. Henry and their fox terrier Twister miss her terribly but they’re doing their best to carry on at the home Peggy and Henry purchased several years ago in Heath, MA. The world is a drearier place without Peggy. She was a wonderful sister and I miss her every day. She loved Wells and I know she was looking forward to the next reunion of the Class of ’65.
JEAN REYNOLDS HADDON 5 Carol St. Stoneham, MA 02180-2705 JeanReynolds33@gmail.com
Linda Holdredge Ross’s biggest
news may be “we are still well and working at teaching seminars in finance & accounting across the country. We downsized from large dogs (Bouviers) to small dogs (Morkies) and are happy about that. We get together with our children and grandchildren (9 with number 10 on the way) at Film Festivals (NYC, Tribecca and Telluride) and have cut back on skiing holidays. We still like visiting our farm with everyone, though sometimes have to set up tents to accommodate everyone. No big news, which is good news. Hello to all.” The Stone family is still in Park City and as I write this enjoying “more snow than we have had in a long, long time.” We had a wonderful trip to Australia and New Zealand with two other couples in November and December. (Our first trip below the equator). Dick had a bad episode in May that required a life flight helicopter to Salt Lake City, but a pacemaker installed right away has him back on the ski slopes, bicycle trails, jeep trails and tennis courts. We love the skiing in this area, but keep our RV in Nevada for the winter, so that we can periodically ‘snowbird’ and jeep in Arizona. Our older daughter and her husband are still dealing with the
1964
-Nancy
BARB KENNEDY PO Box 317 748 Donax St. Sanibel, FL 33957 bkennedy11742@gmail.com
1963 PEGGIE MAY HILLEGASS 53 Jenny's Ln. Barrington, RI 02806-4424 mhilleg497@aol.com MARY FRANCISCO MILLER 700 Clayton Corners Dr. Ballwin, MO 63011-2839 mfmmary@yahoo.com
1962 FRAN MURRAY MCARTHUR PO Box 420 Orient, NY 11957-0420 francesmcarthur@hotmail.com Jane Kohring Hoey wrote “I have
just celebrated my fifth year living in San Diego, having moved from Michigan. My sister and I still own a summer home at Higgins Lake in Northern Michigan. I go from mid-June to Labor Day for my summer vacation there. But I am well integrated in life here in San Diego. I work with refugee women with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to help them with microfinance loans to set up their own businesses. There I met and see often, Oren Robinson ’09, graduate of the first class at Wells when men were admitted! My children live here in San Diego and Seattle...so can be with them often. I stay in touch with many from the class of ’62. Wells is still in my heart with good memories. Singing and remembering all the good Wells experiences.”
for another year!! Luckily we are happy and healthy and enjoying family and friends. Our son David and family are in Baltimore and Betsy is in Chapel Hill, NC. We still go to New Hampshire in the summer!! Went on a trip to Sicily in September. Also, a small group of us try to go to Wells each September. I will be 79 in February and Bruce will be 80 in March. Can’t believe it!! Cricket (Marion) Cunningham Twichell ’61 and husband Terry are coming to visit us in Vero all the way from California.” From A. L. Wagner Carlisle - Not much has changed here, except we’re all a little older. This fact matters only to the grandchildren, who are eager for driver’s licenses and becoming adults, teenagers, or tweens. Had a short but great trip to Florida to see Debbie Cutler Riveros, as well as Carolyn Byers Anderson, Pat Richter Ondrick, Mindy Mast Stout, and Jane Jowett Brooks. Also saw several classmates at what’s become an annual lunch in Newburyport, MA. Spent a wonderful few days in Aurora with Pleasant Thiele Rowland, Jane Brooks, Wendy Todd Bidstrup, Bonnie Getschel Sawyer, and Karen Ahlberg Armour, checking out Wells and the village–both looked lovely. “Jane and I have lunch a few times a year with Linda Kendrick Levenson, and three alums from the Class of 1963: Kathie Dana Nelson, Ellen Gordman Kornrumpf, and Bundy Hardy Boit. Sometimes, Gail Zabriskie Wilson ’60, joins us. Jane and I also met Sandy Kolyer Masih for lunch, since she spends the summer in Maine. I met Debbie Cutler Riveros, Jose, and two of their grandchildren at what is now my youngest brother’s orchard (Applecrest Farm Orchards) to pick apples and have lunch in late August. I am so grateful to be able to see so many Wells friends as often as I do. They are the very best!”
Bonnie Getschel Sawyer and
Bruce winter in Vero Beach, FL now. Their children, Nancy and Otto Sheridan, and grands Gray and little Bruce visited last year. “We have purchased an apartment in a very nice retirement home called Blakehurst near them in Baltimore. Might not move in
Susan “Stu” Stamberger ’65 with the elephant she rode in Zambia
Daisy Matthias wrote – “There is
little change in our lives since the last Class News. We are still living in our cozy house in Holyoke, overlooking the Connecticut River. I continue to work as a speech-language pathologist at the monthly cleft palate clinic at a nearby Shriners Hospital, and give occasional lectures. My radio show, Poetry à la Carte is in its 12th year on WMUA-Amherst, 91.1 FM, currently airing on Mondays at 5 pm Eastern time (streamed live at www.wmua.org). My husband Bob Nelson practices Reiki healing one morning a week at a senior center, and volunteers at a local hospital once a week. Our daughter Anne has signed up for a third year of teaching ESL to elementary school students in Busan, South Korea. Thank goodness for Skype and texting: we miss her! Although I have moderately severe spinal stenosis (at the L4-L5 level, where I damaged a disc in 1978), I can do everything comfortably (yoga, snow shoveling, long walks, reaching down and up) thanks to a combination of therapies and spices (no painkillers needed!) I am grateful every day for good health and mobility. Looking forward to another Newburyport Class of ’62 gathering in the spring!”
Pat Richter Ondrick wrote, “It has
been ten years since we sold our New York home in the Thousand Islands. We decided it was time to return for a reunion with the River! Grandchildren: Ian was five when he left; Ella was 4—Ben, now 11, didn’t remember ever being there. We went to a different part of the River, and our rental came with kayaks, a swim dock, beautiful sunsets and ships passing so close you could feel the vibrations before you saw them. With our trusty manual, we all became experts on ship origin, what it carried, when it was built. Now we are all renewed as “River Rats.” 2018 also marked our official exit from North Carolina. Our home on Lake James sold on January 10th. We reluctantly left good friends behind. We had celebrated our 50th anniversary there along with a couple of great family reunions. We must admit, however, having only one home to worry about is a new appreciated blessing. We have been reasonably healthy but have also started thinking of the future. In September we took the two-year restriction off our retirement home wait list application and within a few weeks were offered exactly the location and apartment we sought. We will move the end of February and now will find it easy to access the concerts and classes we have come to enjoy. The hard part has begun! We must pare down from 3700 square feet. Daughter Kathy, who is still in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania was here to assist; she is our expert in organizing
us out of here! We will be at The Glenridge, same zip code, same doctors…keeping old friends and making new. Our email is still pjo@ ondrick.com.”
We think it is amazing that after all these years, the lasting friendships we made at Wells are resurfacing, deepening and new ones being discovered.”
June Dallery Doolittle: “Jay and
Louise W. Mackie announced her
I are still living on our farm in Montana, with huge cattle ranches on three sides and a vast mountain wilderness on the fourth. To say that this location is peaceful is an understatement! Wildlife sightings are plentiful: bears in the orchard, elk in the pasture, the occasional wolf and mountain lion, and eagles, hawks, coyotes and deer galore. We are doing pretty well, old as we are! Lugging loads of firewood every day keeps us fit, I guess. Two granddaughters down the road are a constant delight, but we miss others who are in New York State. I stay active with gardening, playing my instruments, singing, and taking advantage of the constant photo ops around here. I am very involved in a progressive women’s non-profit group in Livingston (Montana Women For...) which promotes and supports local and national issues in defense of our democracy and our society.”
1961
-Fran
SUSAN BIELE ALITTO 5200 South Kimbark Ave. Chicago, IL 60615-4010 salitto@gmail.com SALLY MACLAY DAYTON 615 Laurel Lake Dr. Apt. A-235 Columbus, NC 28722 sallyjoy@aol.com Mary Ann Sheller Carter sent a
great note to the alumnae/i office for class news, “A few years ago in San Miguel de Allende (SMA), my husband and I were waiting in line to see a movie. Two lovely women in front of me were chatting. One of the voices sounded very familiar. I quietly said, ‘Linda?’ She turned around and said ‘M.A.!’ There was Linda Glick Conway, standing in line in front of me in MEXICO! She invited Ian and me to her home for cocktails that evening and we met several people who have since become friends. Ian takes numerous art courses in SMA. In one of the courses two women draw and paint capillas around the campos or small country churches the indigenous people still use. They became friends through their similar interests. Ian bought their book and realized he had painted a few capillas they had not seen. Linda Wilson Whynman ’66 invited him to join her and her co-author for a conversational afternoon about their art work. As the conversation progressed, they discovered that Linda and I both attended Wells.
retirement from the Cleveland Museum of Art, where she has served as Curator of Textiles and Islamic Art since 1998. Her last day was Friday, June 17. Before arriving in Cleveland, Louise served as the department head and curator of the textile and costume department at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada (1981–98). She trained in textiles and carpets under Irene Emery and Charles Grant Ellis at the Textile Museum in Washington, DC, where she was curator of the Eastern Hemisphere Collections (1971–80). Previously, she was secretary in the Islamic department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1964–67). Louise, a founding member and past president of The Textile Society of America (1996-1998), is the author of the recent magnificent opus on Islamic textiles, Symbols of Power: Luxury Textiles from Islamic Lands, 7th–21st Century (Cleveland Museum of Art, 2015). Congratulations Louise on your 46 years as a leader in the field of textiles!
1960 EDIE WILCOCK PATRICK 114 West Fairview Ave. Apt 417 Johnson City, TN 37604 ediewpatrick@gmail.com SUSAN BECKER TIER 2838 Lakeridge Ln. Westlake Village, CA 91361-3303 sbecktier1@mac.com
Cheers for us!! We’re here and we’re vocal. Ann “Anka” Katan Angrist and Burt enjoy the gifts of the mid-Hudson Valley: hiking, skiing, climbing, albeit somewhat modified. Anka volunteers, focusing on her “tendencies as a nature freak.” Our 50th gives her “warm memories of Wells.” And she hopes “to stay upright for 2020.” Martha King Campbell and David
handle their condo “with help from stair chairs and the occasional use of a cane.” Marty credits daughter Betsy’s four kids (newly relocated nearby) for their renewed energy, cheering soccer, baseball, softball, dance teams, choral concerts, etc. They treasure the grandparents day at the schools, as do we all. They proudly proclaim their “status as Uber drivers” getting all the kids to their various activities. Son Doug and his new wife are also fairly local, too. The cup runneth over!
Caught up with Cathy Cox (via phone) stuck at home recovering
from knee surgery. That recovery is the product of many hours on her recumbent bicycle: She can’t wait to get back to her busy life! The always unique Janell Tyler Fiarman wrote about everything: traits not lost: sense of humor, curiosity, humility; appreciation for family; new interests, e.g. justice reform. What is lost: “interest in interplanetary travel, desire for a lot of meat (read veggies), concern about fashion–okay, that was never a big issue for me.” Here’s how she closed her wonderful missive: “I must admit I am still curious about how all the women I knew at Wells are doing, which is why I am obeying Becker and responding.” I’m grateful since obedience was never a Janell trait, but I was thrilled to hear from her, as I know you will be, too. I need more of you to “obey.” Now to Annie Mohn Glenn, whose itinerary is amazing, an adjective word I hate since its current usage is so Cooool, and ubiquitous: Cher on Broadway, two weeks in Paris, a month-long trip to Vietnam, and an upcoming jaunt to Florida (she’ll see Gail Zabriskie Wilson and Peter, hopefully.) Coming seasons will be the Adirondacks (and the Jersey shore, of course) and Upper Saranac Lake. She wrote just before dashing off to pickleball(?). All the kids, glorious spouses and delicious grandkids are doing great, several are working in the family business. The whole clan is near. Grandson Kelly keeps tradition safe as the fourth generation at Colgate. Annie is a definite yes for Reunion, knock on wood. Her description of her current state of health: “Shaking from Parkinson’s on right side, but Hey! I don’t live in Syria…life is good.” Barbara Berger Goldman and her
Craig remain in Winston-Salem, living their romance after a 50year recess, harking back to high school and Wells. (See Edie Wilcock Patrick’s love story below.) All the children and grandchildren are grown. “My children couldn’t see Winston-Salem in the rearview mirror fast enough,” she quipped. They’re busy with “friends and their two dogs” and of course, Barbara still dances, zumba and a mixed class.”
Happy and busy describes Pat Lewis Goodman. Children/grandchildren are succeeding brilliantly. Her 20-year-old grandson “a complete, computer genius, will be a millionaire” by 21; the 19-yearold is excelling at Dartmouth. Her twin granddaughters (14) exhibit Pat’s talents, both musically (and intellectually) gifted and starring in school and church musicals, sometimes singing duets with Pat, who stars in the shows at Cokesbury Village and is branching
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ClassNotes out in a newly formed duet act with another resident—a tenor. Pat characterizes herself as “shy and a bit of a loner,” but feels she’s found her niche through the singing and shows. “I’ve become the Tree Lady as well. Once they discovered my knowledge of trees I have been kept busy giving lectures, documenting all the hundreds of trees on campus and constantly answering questions. Be prepared for some serious intimidation. To celebrate her 80th, Fred “forced” Ann Shaver Hammer to bicycle with him from Berlin to Dresden. “I loved it; him not so much.” Following the adventure, Fred got a new hip! Shaver reports no after-effects. These two defy all the norms and I (the most sedentary creature on the planet) don’t know how to explain it. High energy levels astound me. Shaver is planning on Reunion.Yea! Bring Freddy. They flew in from around the country (siblings from NYC and Denver and one Wells junior) to celebrate Annie MacMillan Holst’s big b-day: a loving crowd having a great reunion. Granddaughter Chloe Marcus ’20, the Wells junior, loves the Big W and plays varsity field hockey and lacrosse; her graduation coincides with our 60th, so Annie will get a double dose. Annie enjoys retirement, busy volunteering, taking long walks with friends (and dogs), concerts, etc. and “reading in the middle of the day.” That’s my big activity!! Several American River Cruises have been a delight, “getting to know the middle part of the country.” “Gravity is winning, but we are doing pretty well,” reports Priscilla Keith Kirby, adding that she and Bill enjoy life in their retirement community, keeping active. “We are not far from where we used to live, so we keep up with our old friends too. The whole family is close by and frequent visits are a great asset. “All three of our daughters are happy in their personal lives and jobs” and grands Laura and Paul are doing well in school and give them more joy than can be measured. As veterans of the Foreign Service, they are distressed by the current disarray and chaos at State and all the empty desks and ambassadorships. Chillah is a frequent visitor to their community gym, explaining “I trudge to our gym in hopes of being able to trudge up those campus hills at our 60th Reunion.” Admirable goal; I have no similar aspirations. Those hills did me in when I was 18! “Aloha,” from Nancy Mathias Granborg, who splits her time in month-long stays between Hawaii and Incline Village, NV, where she bought a condo after selling her house last year. She was 26 Spring 2019
ClassNotes planning to go “back for some skiing once or twice, if I dare,” then back to Hawaii the next month, for a big B-Day gala. Her 82-year-old sister (who still lives in Auburn) is coming; the two did a Mediterranean cruise last summer. The cruise I understand, but skiing? Crazy! Have you tried Mahjong?: Reunion is a definite possibility! Then you can ask her what she did with her Wells ring!! Great story! Jane Rumsey Kelley and Kel drove
to North Carolina last summer to see their oldest son (who I remember as a baby) and one of their seven great-grandchildren (read those last words again!) The Kelleys keep up with all the activities at their retirement community (Kel still plays tennis) and their big nearby family: four kids, 14 grands, and those seven great-grands. I think that takes the trophy. They keep their eye on Washington, too. No word on Reunion.
In the past two years, says Polly Pollock Leaf, “I have been educated in the art of the deal,” which means “to lie, be amoral, cruel, heartless.” With her own hands, Pol upgraded their outdoor property by extensive digging and planting, by hand, then went on to transform their basement into a teenagers’ paradise, for her 7 grands, put to good use most recently at Christmas, when everybody was there.You won’t be surprised to learn she’s well able “to do a complete forward bend and touch my toes with ease in yoga.” Whatever in the world is this thing called yoga? And she’s still whipping up fancy meals for Andy and the rest of the group. A veritable Wonder Woman! And she looks great, to boot. Pol looks forward to walking uphill from Weld to the athletic field in 2020. I reserve comment on that, but you can guess.
will pack up her suitcase and be off to Norway this summer. Cam volunteers in both Chicago and Door County, WI—“I need both urban living and the country life to feed my soul.” Her three children run the family business splendidly and it continues to grow. They do her proud. Now me. I’m absolutely gobsmacked by all your physical feats. I am a world-class relaxer (yes, lazy) and always have been. But you’ve inspired me to make some changes. Maybe. All is fine here; we endured the fires with minimal damage, routed out of bed by a 2:30am evacuation phone call. Elizabeth was in more danger, since her condo community was framed by flames, but survived intact. We all wound up at Stefanie’s apartment, which thankfully was never endangered. But wherever you went you could SEE the flames. And the danger stays with you in unforeseen ways. My granddaughter Miller (19), is on a gap year before college to study drama and comedy. She’s my enthusiastic stand-in at the political rallies, ready to seize the microphone and make her voice heard. Bradley (16) is one of those driven perfectionists who sets her own goals and then achieves them. Beckett (9) plays soccer and flag football and we unfailingly attend and cheer. My despair at our nation’s political situation remains strong, although I do persist. I escaped into books again, reading close to 200 this year. Many were wonderful and too many stunk. And every night Netflix takes me to “The West Wing” that was. I send all of you my love.You exist in my mind just as you were in 1956. Take care of yourselves, stay strong and healthy enough. We have a date next year in Aurora!
-Becker
1959 ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI Engagement Office 170 Main St. Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu Nan Lee Leeming: Feeling pretty good and healthy as my 80s arrive. I am lucky to have my two sons, Jay and Chris, both living in Ithaca. The poet, Jay, is starting a new career as a story teller in addition to writing his poetry. Chris continues to work for Cornell but spends a month each summer with a circus group called The New Old Time Chautauqua, bringing entertainment to underserved groups in the Northwest. I still help at our local book sale, history center and my P.E.O. chapter. Hope to see you all at our 60th in June. Susanne Whiting Slayton: My news
has not changed much. I still live in East Middlebury,VT close to all the action at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl and the Breadloaf summer campus. It’s a busy street, but my rental carriage house sets back from the road with lots of open space behind it. My daughter, Sarah, lives next door with her family. My other daughter, Lauren, lives up the hill in Ripton with her husband, animals and gardens. It has now been 3 years since Sarah moved back from her 23 years in Portland, OR so this has been nice. My son and his family live about an hour away in a suburb of Burlington. In spite of my back injury four years ago, I can still do a lot. I tutor one student at a time as the need arises. I still am on the board of the county retired teacher group and spend time at the local health center. Things are good and I’m grateful.
“All good in the Lewak household. Our three children are healthy and pursuing their careers,” reports Audrey Mishuris Lewak, adding that their granddaughter just turned 10. Audrey and Norman are having fun with Road Scholar, which has provided some really fascinating trips and experiences, combining good times, insider insights and education. They had a New York trip to see Audrey’s sister and, of course, Marney Krengel Van Raalte. Both Lewaks exercise several times a week, aerobic and weights, and Audrey adds pilates. Loyal Audrey and loyal Norm still volunteer for several events that support the Oakland Museum.
Lynne Sheppard Chanin: After almost 80 years, I moved from Long Island; a difficult process which has taken many months. I have purchased a condo in a 55+ community in Florida, returning to Connecticut and Long Island to be with daughters and their families in the summer. I enjoyed two great trips in 2018. Paris and environs, Normandy, and Giverny in June; Sicily in October. I hope to visit more of the world in the years ahead.
ankle, and last Monday the surgeon finally gave permission for me to put full weight on it. Now I’m in Physical Therapy to learn how to walk again. So things are looking up, and I fully intend to be able to resume my former activities in the springtime! On a happy note, I am so proud of my granddaughter, Margaret, who, as a violist in the St. Olaf College Orchestra, played in Carnegie Hall on February 2! Not sure about reunion, as I don’t drive long distances.”
Lynn Rider Jacobsen: I count our
Joan Mallett Bruno had a
blessings: grateful for every day, for reliable medical care, that our 5 children and 11 grandchildren are all doing well, and that we are still able to be actively involved in our church and civic organizations. Sadly, one daughter-in-law lost her battle with cancer this past year. While her life was too short she had made every day count. She is deeply missed. We are currently vacationing in Florida where shortly will be our annual reunion with Ann Pohlman Lang and Trixie Clyde Girolamo. Hard to believe we are now all in our 80s and I am very much looking forward to catching up will all of you at our 60th Reunion this spring. Be well.
wonderful trip around the British Isles last July and a January trip to Ireland – very interesting and enjoyable. Christmas in Boston and New Year’s in Buffalo with her daughter. “As always, lots to do here in North Carolina. Look forward to Reunion!”
Caroline “Sukie” Campbell Knott
forward to another year of volunteering at our magnificent Morris Arboretum, enjoying so many of the books I’ve always meant to read, the knitting and rug hooking projects that need finishing, and anticipating a move to a nearby retirement community. And hoping to make our 60th Reunion!
wrote: “It does not seem possible that 60 years have passed since our Wells graduation in beautiful Aurora on the lake. Bob and I moved from our New Jersey home to Ocean View, a retirement community in Falmouth, ME in the summer of 2017. We still have our summer place in Yarmouth where I grew up and life is good. Our two grown sons, Gibson and Colin, visit us frequently. We also take periodic trips to New York City to attend the theatre, enjoying the smaller off-broadway productions. A. R. Gurney’s plays, The Final Follies at the Cherry Lane was a treat this last fall. Am not sure about a reunion trip this May, so best wishes to all of my surviving classmates for a healthy 2019.”
Harriet Smith Lindblom begins by saying “I am sitting in a wheelchair writing this! But I am on the road to recovery. Dan and I were in an auto accident last November which totaled our car and almost totaled us! He had eight broken ribs and I had a badly broken ankle. I have a plate and lots of pins in the
Chase Lichtenstein, husband of Marie Sullivan Lichtenstein, sent a note in response for class news. He sadly reported that “Marie fought cancer for four years, but the Lord took her home on November 19, 2018. She spoke often of her time at Wells.” Our condolences to Chase and family.
Tonia Cerveny Uffner is looking
1958 CYNTHIA FERGUSON CAMPBELL 920 Revere Dr. Hillside, NJ 07205-2914 Campbells6@aol.com M'LIZ CAMPBELL PARKHURST 681 Fairfax Way Williamsburg, VA 23185-8204 mlizndick@gmail.com PATRICIA SMITH WATERBURY 1460 Winding Oaks Cir. West Apartment A101 Vero Beach, FL 32963-4160 h2obury@att.net
I will start my section with an apology. I lost my whole Wells file with my earliest letters. Therefore, only my emails are exact. Last spring I fell picking up the dog dish and broke several ribs. That along with a shoulder injury and bad knee has ended my tennis. I now sing in the Sea Oaks Chorus, play duplicate bridge, work on the computer, exercise, attend lectures and theme dinners and Happy Hours. Here in Vero Beach eight months, Bay Head four. Nancy Gates Gerber: “I have moved myself into a nice CCRC with a lot of other nice old people. I am managing to be entertained, but miss NYC every single day. I’ll get over it.” Best, Stew (never Stewie), often Nancy, but not to old friends. Penny Betts Colby: “There’s not
Cam Roeder Nielsen is facing
some surgery this year for her spinal stenosis, which she hopes will return her to her hiking days. You’ll have our hopes, too. If all goes well at the Mayo Clinic, Cam
Jane Kohring Hoey ’62 and Oren Robinson ’09 on their way to a meeting
Bonnie Getschel Sawyer ’62, husband Bruce, with daughter Nancy Sheridan and family
Daisy Mathias ’62 and husband Bob Nelson on vacation in Paris
much to tell you. We are still in the house we bought in Guilford in 1962 and are now ruminating about downsizing. But what do we do with the STUFF? Terry and I are in pretty good shape at the moment but I’ve had some health issues probably due to too many years of smoking. Kids all well, two with families living either side of Boston, the third at Yellowstone playing cello and piano at the Old Faithful Inn most of the year and cello with the Lake String Quartet in the summer. All are doing things they like. Grandchildren either in,
out or just about to be in college and doing well. No billionaires or prodigies, but basically happy offspring and who could ask for more? Reunion was fun and it was great to see those stalwarts who made it back to Wells.” Nancy Brown Armstrong: News
from Browna — nothing new. “I am here in Jupiter Fl. until midMay. Army and I are excited to be at the wedding down here of our son, Paul, who is marrying. Dede is her name and both of them lost their spouses about five years ago and found each other and fell in love. Will be a great time.” Browna
Nancy Barten Chagnot: As for class
notes — everything is pretty much the same. “Due to a car accident in Nov. in which we were passengers, Richard sustained a concussion so we are working through some issues there. Lots of doctor appointments but still out and about in spite of it. I’m still playing a little golf but a lot more bridge. We have a small duplicate group here at the club which I help run so that’s fun. Had a great time in Massachusetts in mid-December. Saw all kids and had an early Christmas. Looks like we have a wedding coming up soon. Bob’s daughter and fiancée are tying the knot in Nags Head in November. Just received a Wells Express with some very old class notes but still fun to read. Most of us seem to be going strong. In addition to Jinx, I saw that Debbie Fowler had passed away. Great gals, both of them. That’s it for now. Hope we are both hanging in there for a while.”
Kay Ganzauge Gray spends much of her time painting. A friend of mine here says all her work is fabulous. She has one.
-Pat As I sit here writing these notes I am in Vero Beach, Fl. visiting with Pat and Steve Waterbury and another friend from Bay Head. It was very nice to be out of this terribly cold weather for a little while. It has been quite a winter, but I was glad to hear from all of Wells.edu 27
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ClassNotes there. She is happy that her sister is in the same place but both in different apartments. Unfortunately, she had a bad fall in which she broke her neck (not recommended) but is doing well and is so happy that she has so many of her children and grandchildren in western Pennsylvaia where she lives. Roberta Monaghan Smith Nancy
Laurie Pepe Fields ’61, Judy Miller Colie ’61, Linda Glick Conway ’61, Louise Mackie ’61, Carol Gaines Ruckle ’61, Karen Kessler Sade ’61
you. Gini Goldmark Koehler was the first to respond. She reported she has four married grandsons and one of them just made her a great grandmother. She said all children and grandchildren are employed which in this generation isn’t all bad. Nice email from Gina Williams Merwin. She was sorry to miss Reunion, but in Sept. Francie Ludwick Marx and her husband Robert spent a week with the Merwins and had a wonderful time. Granddaughter Hailey just graduated from Georgetown with a master’s degree in science. She is now a registered nurse anesthetist and working at Enova Hospital in Fairfax,VA. Both daughters and their husbands are leading active healthy lives and Gina and Bob are in good health. That’s always good to hear. Anne Darling Hamar says they
have taken the big step and moved to a CCRC. After 45 years in the same house the move was ghastly, but they had a lot of help from their three grandchildren who live in Connecticut. Two other grandchildren who live in California encouraged them via Face Time. Other than that, Anne and Martin are in pretty good health and hope to stay that way.
News from Meej Janke Kreiger says they have just come through the most amazing cold spell in Michigan. Minus 14 degrees with a minus 35 degree wind chill. The last time she remembers anything like that was junior year at Wells during independent week — 17 degrees. She, Barb and Ann stayed in bathrobes all day until dinner. Last August, Meej had a stent put in an artery, but other than that she is fit as a fiddle. Dorothy Elferink Maples says
Reunion was delightful and she is so glad she went although the trip driving by herself was not pleasant. She goes to concerts, supports her local symphony, and volunteers at the museum. She does go to Lewisburg (Bucknell) to see National Theatre Live productions. At one point, she joined Francie
28 Spring 2019
Ludwick Marx and her husband for wonderful chamber concerts in Rochester. Dorothy had breast cancer surgery last summer 25 years after surgery on the other breast followed by radiation. Our best to you Dorothy for good health from now on. Thank you all for your great responses. It is always fun to hear from you all.
-Cyn Shirley Oviatt Paul is happy to have
stayed out of the hospital this past year and has continued working as a grief counselor at hospice. Most interesting is the fact that she is painting and selling a lot of her work in Central Virginia. I had hoped she would make it to Williamsburg where I am but she does not get this far.
Mary Karros Radnik loved being
at Reunion. Hoping to see more classmates next time! She talked about recovering from Irma in BVI where she lives. She chose to stay through it all and says the weather, the skies, the hills and the sea are still beautiful even though you have to overlook the remaining debris. She visited Central Asia this summer. She returned to BVI to continue rebuilding, but plans a visit to her sister in Virginia and then back to BVI.
Shirley Schou Bacot Shamel had
a tough year dealing with a mild heart attack following cataract surgery, followed by open-heart surgery and lung complications that caused her to miss Reunion, which must be a first for her. However, she is still very much in touch with good old Wells. She and Charlie stay in touch with all the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. They still vacation in the Caribbean, Lake Champlain and make trips to their home in Georgia.
(Stewart) Gerber and Sue Collins get together quite often and are also in touch with Mary Ellen Hock. Nancy and Bertie did a theater tour in London through a Yale program. She continues her classes, museum docent work and is continuing her involvement with the local AAUW. She loved Reunion and was so impressed with how Wells has developed. Janet Brown Tucker had a great
time at reunion but missed so many who weren’t there. She remains healthy and is grateful for each day.
Both Anne Darling Hamar and Ann Williams Jennet celebrated a 60th anniversary. I know this by way of Facebook. Always a great achievement! As for the Parkhursts, (M’Liz and Dick), we are still enjoying a lot of things. We love our time at our home shared with Cynthia in Bay Head, NJ and then all the time we are here in Williamsburg,VA. Tennis is our game as long as the weather allows us to be on the courts. That has not been overly cooperative over the last year and currently. We seem to do all the same things and I remain very involved with keeping St. Bede Church looking beautiful in all seasons, enjoy my Garden Club activities and helping to feed the homeless several times a year. Our children and grandchildren are all doing well and we had them all but one with us for both the 4th of July and Thanksgiving. One was in Australia in July and one was in Denmark at Thanksgiving because of college programs. We now have 3 out of college, 4 in college and 3 waiting their turn. Totally blessed to be in touch with all of them and thankful for all our times together. Wishing all of ’58 classmates the best and always look forward to hearing from you.
-M’Liz
1957 ELLIN MESSOLONGHITES JOHNSON 4280 SW 78th Ave. Portland, OR 97225-2309 eemjohnson@comcast.net Dillu Ashby moved into a lovely
retirement home three years ago and says it has been great. She does a lot of volunteering at the Huntington Museum and Gardens (where they are conserving the Blue Boy painting for the public to observe), the Gamble House and, of course, the Los Angeles Zoo. Dillu says, “I find getting to be 84 is making me feel like an old lady and of course I am. No Wells contacts recently but I do have two younger local Wells friends, with whom I do things frequently.” Gail Benedict Van Winkle and Alan
were en route to Boca Grande, FL, when her Christmas letter came. They’ve gone to Florida for many years and see the southern Florida contingent faithfully. Life may be quiet for the Van Winkles, but it sounds as if it had been very happy, with relatively little left on the Bucket List, Gail says.
Helen Bernheim Lehrman is off
to seek Polar Vortexes soon with a cruise to Antarctica. No, we cannot beat that, Helen. Happy cruising.
Betsy Boveroux, class president,
reports all is well in Boston, at least almost. Her walking is much slower and her muscles need to be awakened every day! Other than that, much the same: lots of concerts, wonderful coffee hour every Tuesday with South End Senior neighbors, clerk for The Art Connection and Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP - pronounced Be-Mop) and board member of WalkBoston, hosted a great holiday party in mid-December (been doing that for years and years, maybe 50). Traveling is less appealing, although she did go out to Wisconsin to spend Christmas with her sisterin-law and enjoyed it. Through a neighborhood book group she has read Daughter of Time (Josephine Tey) and Empress Dowager Cixi (Jung Chang) and recommends them highly. Best to everyone!
Ann Morgan Slonaker says her
news is pretty boring but she thinks that might be a good thing. She loves where she lives and partakes of many of the programs available
the Parkland shootings, Genevieve would land a summer internship at the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, with offices right in D.C. With a second bedroom and bath, and her own computer, Gen was in residence with her all summer — what a privilege it was to see her work ethic in place. Son-in-law Mark Kerr did return safely from his year’s deployment in Kabul, so Christmas with my two families in Tacoma, WA, was a special Thanksgiving. Jan updated us on Janet Marsteller Spillman, now in a Bethany Village retirement community near her sister Peggy Marsteller Shelly ’60, in Mechanicsburg, PA.
Judith Trencher Marshall ’61, Mary Ann Sheller Carter ’61, Linda Wilson Whynman ’66 and Karen Kessler Sade ’61
David and Martha King Campbell ’60
Nancy Dye Robinson lives in a splendid Palo Alto CCRC, Channing House, where your secretary visits, with no small amount of California real estate envy, on occasion. The vistas from her apartment are nostalgic, and the Channing House residents, ever lively. Nancy is in a writing group, on occasion doing biographies of newcomers to CH. Sue Goodrich Motycka and Dave recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Their lives are blessed with three children, their spouses, six grandchildren, a granddaughter in-law and two great-grandsons. They divide their time between their townhouse in Glastonbury and family cottage at Groton Long Point. Sue is involved in many organizations and answers in the affirmative when confronted with “you still play tennis!” She and Dave sing in the church choir and John and Becky Hatch Glezen are in the congregation. For years, they enjoyed getting together with Suvia Thayer Siekman and Joy LaRoche Brass and Tom. Unfortunately, that has ended. Suvia moved to Mitchellville, MD, to be near her daughter. Joy is in an assisted living facility where, according to Tom, she is getting excellent care.
We send tender thoughts and sympathy to Valerie Hansen Cross, who lost her husband Dick of 62 years last March. She’s still living in Medford Leas, a CCRC founded by Nancy Barton Barclay’s father. She sees Nancy (Buz) and Sally Clark Brummer frequently. As of January 17 she is downsizing to a smaller unit...address will be 47 Medford Leas, Medford, NJ 08055. She’s in good health, enjoying tennis, golf and family, now including a few great-grandchildren.
Lauralee (Lolly) Hill Clayton and Jim enjoy the wildlife in FL with recent, close sightings near their yard of an alligator, otter, bobcat, Florida panther and exotic shore birds. In Maine, their last summer was busy with family gatherings and running a vacation rental house. Of the 13 grandchildren, three graduated from college and one from high school, with two valedictorians. Tennis, art and heritage groups still hold interest. Lolly sends her best to all. Anne Koenig Larson: “I’ve had a good year, healthy, happy, and doing well; emails with Sibyl Groff and Mimi Speno Brown, telephoning with Roxanne West Powning (in Naples), and visits with Gail Van Winkle. I’m lucky to be living in the same town with children and grandchildren, two of whom were married around Christmas. All is well with me, and I send my best to everyone in the class.” Anne was our First Responder, kudos to her. In our own phone talk, Anne mentioned that Roxanne and Al Powning were moving out of and eventually back into their home at Moorings, during renovations. A very recent lunch with Gail Van Winkle took place in the area also. Jan Lutton Olt, her daughter Wendy Grant, and granddaughter Genevieve Grant, all met in Paris one fine weekend last April, then travelled on, really to see and experience Gen’s dear little academic town of Menton, in the far southeast corner of the French Riviera, right at the border with Italy, with its own European immigration problems. Jan could not be that close to her AFS Italian daughter without seeing her, so onward they flew to Venice the next weekend. Little did Jan know when they all parted there, that after
Betsy McConnell’s serene update: “I am looking forward to a visit here in Denver with Ellin when she is here for a weekend to visit family. I will be planning a ‘nature’ hike, something we both enjoy. This one we hope will include lots of wildlife viewing. That is not so easy to do in the metro area, but we will hope for the best. Other than that I’m trying to simplify my life; however, I find myself quite busy and active and happy to say I am still doing most of the things mentioned in recent news reports; i.e., sports and community organizations. Not much has changed really in recent years, and for that I am grateful. Thanks to Ellin for 50 years on the job with the class.” (Ellin:Wouldn’t have it any other way—it’s like being one of the Supremes—in for life!) Sibyl McCormac Groff, in her
zillionth year of being the Lady in Red, the Spirited New Yorker, and the First Lady of Gotham, received some (more NYC) ink in a midNovember New York Magazine, which extolled her as Rock Center Royalty, long-since crowned. Channeling Icelandic Christmas Eve custom, Sibyl does her own extolling of the custom of giving books on that occasion. What better one than Queen Santa’s own tour de force, A New York Christmas: HoHo-Ho at Gothamtide.
A shout out to Crary Pearson Reynolds, whose grandson Arthur
entertainer to the Berkeley visitors has not dimmed. She reports that Mary Lou Lehmann Peterson is “cruising with assistance from her daughter in becoming strong again after some setbacks.” From Newport News,VA, my freshman roommate, Judy Reid Fitz-Patrick writes: “It’s our third Christmas in our CCRC and we’ve been able to remain in Independent Living status ... not without challenges ... but we’re enjoying its pleasures. Having so many good friends here is paramount, and participating in outings is fun. It’s been another year of figuring out how to simplify routines. Google helps with that, particularly in ordering stuff. Duplicate bridge keeps our minds cranking, playing at the local ACBL club a couple of times a month. It helps to have been a partnership for some 60 years! Family is our glue and support. Karen and Ned and their families stay in close touch. Kim came from Baton Rouge in June and will be back in January. The Sundluns have taken over the holiday meals and celebrations living halfway between the Virginia families. We’re very proud of granddaughter Ashley who has signed with George Mason University, relatively nearby, and will play a top spot on their tennis team. Brother Hunter is a champion swimmer.” Judy and I enjoy long, soul-satisfying phone talks, during which the years vanish. Sue Standfast-Wright and Ted are still traveling, although at a slower pace. In July they took a Road Scholar cruise of the five Great Lakes. In January they went on a Road Scholar trip to Costa Rica, leaving behind 16 inches of snow and subzero temperatures. Sue keeps in touch with Georgia Cortright Weathers by email. Matt Sleezer ’14, Wells College director of major and planned giving, takes Sue out to lunch once a year. Children and grandchildren are thriving. The oldest is bound for college in September. He’s interested in pre-med. Barbara Unsworth Washburn
Brooks ’18, son of daughter Crary Brooks ’87, is a third-generation Wells graduate as of May 2018. Crary says it was a wonderful eventful day for all, adding “unfortunately he is an Even, but we forgive him!” Her life in New Jersey continues to be active with church, P.E.O., and garden club. Travels last year included Sanibel, FL, with her sisters and the Jersey shore with children and grandchildren. Gayle Rich Roberts, still invincible, continues to be involved in the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden as an active advisory member, fueled by daily early morning water aerobics, in part. Her Perle Mesta image as
Annual mini-reunion of ‘59ers: Trixie Clyde Girolamo, Lynn Rider Jacobsen, and Ann Pohlman Lang Wells.edu 29
ClassNotes
ClassNotes
wrote: “I never knew Jack and I would be living apart by necessity, but he is getting good care in a facility 10 minutes away (though not as good as home) and he gets to see more people. Our son and daughter are involved in his care and advising me on what I should be doing. After being home bound for so long, I am looking forward to short trips and catching up with people and getting this neglected house a facelift. We have enjoyed 25 years in Mystic, not far off Route 95, and love our water view.” Carolyn White Sampson has gleefully escaped the freezing cold, snowy, icy winters of Ithaca for snow birding in Tempe, AZ, returning at the end of April. Much travel took nine family members (sons, sister, brother and spouses) on an 11-day cruise aboard the Viking Seas, from San Juan to Colombia, with ports of call at Santo Domingo, Antigua, St. Kitts, for starters. Carolyn also sees her son in Provence twice yearly, and she and her sister have enjoyed Viking River Cruises. Lots of nifty wander lusting for Carolyn and her crew.
The fall 2018 Express revealed two Wells alums, also class secretaries, in Portland, each in a senior living community owned by the same company: Jody Kessler Lake ’66, wife of a retired 1980’s ambassador to Mongolia. From ’50, I found Judi Blank Goldsmith ’50, like me, the class baby and born in New York City, (end of similarity). She’s energetic and glamorous beyond imagination, with a glass collection in her impeccably gorgeous apartment to rival works by Chihuly, a Tacoma, WA, denizen, BTW. I met both women within days of the discovery and am trying to coordinate Oregon alums of both centuries. Duncan Lawrence ’10 and I enjoying an occasional lunch too. I expect to see Suel Withus Novak and Art in Montecito, CA, and have seen Nancy Dye Robinson and Gayle Roberts in the Palo Alto area frequently. I regretfully observe a fall-off in response from ’57 classmates this year. No Polar Vortex in Oregon this year, but Fletcher and I still welcome an exodus south now and then. Current volunteering comprises a garden club and work for a local Village in the image of the original Beacon Hill Village, my duties for both of a mildly editorial nature, with lots of interviewing, something Mrs. Schemm did not stress in our maiden voyage Creative Writing class, alas.
-Ellin
30 Spring 2019
1956 ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT OFFICE 170 Main St. Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu
1955 ANN GREENER OTTAVIANO PO Box 1290 Wilmington, VT 05363-1290 agogaude@gmail.com Anne Parker Taylor reports: She and Jane Marsh Dieckmann revised the Architectural Walking Tour of Campus that our class funded at our 50th Reunion. Jane recently gave a talk at the 150th Celebration, about the history and architecture of the campus as an environmental learning tool and about sustainability and conservation of buildings based on the tour. Anne is sorting through boxes of writing, research, books, photos, honors which will go into the Anne Taylor Archive of Design Education at the Zimmerman Library on the University of New Mexico campus. In addition, a scholarship fund has been set up for architecture students interested in Design Thinking named the Anne Taylor Design Education scholarship. Priscilla Cameron Oppenheimer
reports that she and Fred had a good trip to Austin in January to visit daughter Carolyn, joined there by son David. “I expect a visit from Jane Marsh Dieckman and Dick this month. I had to cancel Jane’s and my usual late–summer get-together, as I stupidly broke my hand in August, then still in the cast, had a heart attack. I have been feeling fine ever since after stent in artery. Fred and I will be moving to Woodcrest Villa in Lancaster the end of summer, though not looking forward to leaving our neighborhood.”
Had a surprise call recently from Trish Veale Mlaska, from whom I haven’t heard in an age, for a good catch-up. Marilyn Turtle Braun and husband vacationed in Death Valley where they enjoyed remarkable scenery, warm weather and hiking. “This year we have transitioned to old age and find ourselves decluttering our home of 55 years, while considering options for senior living. We continue to enjoy Cincinnati’s cultural activities, but have retired from active involvement in international visitor and sister city programs, though keep in touch with these friends. One thing that hasn’t changed is our daily trips to the Y. John goes to the Fitness Center. I head to the pool. Swimming has been a lifetime
Joan Ruf Pappas and Arthur went
WE LOVE YOUR PHOTOS. Help us print them clearly—so we can recognize your smile. • Set camera to: 150 to 300 dpi. • Email JPEG FILE ATTACHMENTS to your class secretary or to alumoffice@wells.edu. • Provide DETAILS, NAMES and CLASS YEARS. activity for me as I transitioned from swim meets, to teaching swimming, to synchronized swimming (“White Caps” at Wells!) and most recently preparing for my 6th annual “Great Ohio River Swim” (across to Kentucky and back again) scheduled September 18. Sadly, that competition was cancelled due to river pollution. As the oldest woman competing in this event, I can report that I have never won the race, but have never been last. I shall hope for cleaner water in fall 2019.” Sally Barton-Higgins attended a wine and cheese get-together of Wells alumni in Denver this past fall. “I had no idea so many Wells alumni lived in Colorado! A lovely surprise was seeing and giving a big bear hug to Betsy McConnell ’57. During the past year, I feel as if I have regained my life and have been able to ski (cross country) and hike as far as my knees will take me. Of course, Gwyn laps me! We often use my condo in Frisco as a base. Travel has been limited the last several years except for an annual week’s trip to ski in Taos, NM with friends. I am headed that way again this February. Jane Darling Barnstead and I have kept in touch and hope to somehow get together again. Life is full of grandkids, friends and family (I have my three sisters here in Denver now), volunteering and all the events that go on around this area.” Molly Shannahan Taylor and
Pete have been staying pretty close to home. “Our two sons are both in their 60s now, and that really makes us feel ancient. The only trip planned for this year is our grandson Tim is going to be married on February 16. It is to be in Cincinnati so we are crossing our fingers that the weather (and the government) cooperate. We are digging around looking for some heavy coats for the trip. Anita and her daughter Carol will be attending the wedding as well so it will be good to see them. Best wishes to all our classmates.”
Lois Prem Simon and Bill claim that
this year’s activities are about the same as last year. “We are thankful for being able to be active in many events and volunteer work. One new volunteer job of mine is being involved with Alzheimer patients.
It is called the Friends Group and involves a day of activities for them. My biggest excitement this year is being represented in a wonderful new gallery. The owner is nationally known for her angel paintings and has a book in most bookstores across the country. She is Anne Neilson and the gallery and paintings can be seen on Anneneilsonfineart.com.” Barbara Graves Starnes states that she spent a brief time on the Wells campus. “However, my memories are all fine! I love reading about my classmates from ’55. I continue to live at Hamilton College.” Anne Jennings Jones and Dave are
doing well and living in PlanoDallas, TX! They hope to leave for a cruise from Miami to L. A., California through South America, Panama Canal and all Central America countries and Mexico to L.A. “Best wishes to all my classmates.”
Vivi Savarese Schubert and Bill
state that no news is good news. They are still upright, the roof is not leaking and the cars are still running. She continues to volunteer at the library and the consignment shop and takes a course in Russian Literature at Senior College.
Anita Calkins Shannahan and her daughter, Carol, went to Ireland and had a fabulous time. “We went with Road Scholar and the group was more Carol’s age than mine. I was the old lady. The scenery was lovely and the people so friendly and cheerful. I am going to Cincinnati for a wedding of my grandnephew so I will see Molly and Pete. Marilyn Braun will meet me for lunch while I wait for my daughter to arrive. Carol and I will fly to Kansas for Carol’s 60th birthday. Ye-gads how did we get so old? I have lost 3 inches and have to stand in the first row for pictures instead of the last. I am still able to play some tennis. My friends put up with me because they need a fourth. I have started pickleball and like it a lot. I try to exercise in the gym and walk; it helps me with the Parkinson’s. I am in two book groups (one in Bethlehem, one in Kirkland). I play bridge in two bridge groups as well. I started a poetry workshop and we have fun with that. My best to all of you.”
to Seattle last May to vacation with their family from Hawaii. Mt. Rainier was great as was the trip along the Columbia River. “I am very busy with my orchids and on the board of the Brevard Orchid Society. I try to play tennis twice a week on a senior team. Seniors are now 50 years and up, what fun! Art and I play a lot of bridge and he still teaches the intermediate bridge class. I spoke to Kathleen Van Deusen and Laura Shapleigh and they are fine. Our grandchildren are busy working in various fields and one is attending medical school. That’s the news from Melbourne, FL.” Barbara Fox Knapp is enjoying
good health, only a minor heart procedure. “God said, he “was giving me a rejuvenated heart for the long haul”. Aglow International is my heart. I attended the November Spokane Conference before visiting Portland and grandson Cheston author and father of Emerson Fox, two years practicing Superman. I arrived in Redding, CA. Devastating summer fires left son Andrew’s home untouched. Paradise, CA fires came, but also God’s Isaiah 61 assurance that His people would shine Christ’s light over CA becoming their finest hour. Aglow’s monthly D.C. presence enlightens critical issues; anti human trafficking, Life, ‘Mercy’s Call’ ministering healing to post abortive women, love for Israel, Muslim women, friendship for First Nations Women. I was in lovely Charlotte, NC visiting Lois and Bill Simon while attending granddaughter’s graduation from Davidson College.”
Jane Marsh Dieckmann and Dick
are well and have settled nicely into Kendal, a truly wonderful retirement community. “My activities seem to increase, but this past year I have been very involved with Wells, working on updating the historical and architectural walking tour brochure that Anne Taylor and I did originally for our reunion in 2005. I gave a talk at Reunion on the college presidents and events during their tenures. At the 150th birthday celebrations in October, I did a historical survey of the important buildings on the campus. The first version of the brochure had just come out. The celebration day was grand, though rainy at times. We had talks, and a fabulous evening orchestral concert of music by women. I saw Pris Cameron Oppenheimer only briefly last Monday, January 28. We had to cut our visit short because of a bad storm. We also saw Florence Dowdell Fasanelli ’54 in Washington a few weeks before that. She is in fine form.”
Margery Levy Lustig is doing well with the minor problems of osteoporosis and a frozen shoulder. “I am now retired and am playing a good deal of bridge and can report that Cynthia Fulton Williams and Betsy Phillips Taliaferro do the same as well as being in good 85-year old health. Marcia Hendrie Holroyd and I have lunch dates twice a year, although I stupidly forgot our December date. My daughter Stephanie and I made a trip to Cornwall and Devon in May and I did a similar trip with Gillian in 2016, visiting friends from my working days in London and those from the Linen Ladies buying trips. Of our 7 grandsons, one is a freshman at Temple, one graduating college in May and another from high school. Hope to see Jacquelin O’Connor Davies this spring.” Asenath Hatch Fuchs is in good
health and keeps busy with quilting and her volunteer work.
Laura Woolven Shapleigh and Dick moved from Ormand Beach, FL to the Windsor of Palm Coast where they have settled in nicely. Nancy Haines Snow and Alan have had a great year. “We visited two grandsons with their brides plus our daughter and her husband. Those visits spanned October, December and January. Our son and his wife and daughter are scheduled to arrive on February 6th. We love them all! Right now I am challenged with a bug which I am fighting but I have a dear husband of 62 years caring for me. Life is good!”
I spent the winter of 2018 and now, 2019, in Vero Beach, FL taking long walks and kayaking on the Indian River avoiding the snow and icy conditions in Wilmington,VT. Last spring I attended two college graduations in California. Grandson Bryce McLaughlin graduated from Harvey Mudd and grandson Milan Copic graduated from Santa Clara University. I celebrated my 85th birthday, July 19, 2018, in Reykjavik, Iceland surrounded by family. Two days later we celebrated the wedding of my daughter, Joanne Ottaviano, to Shaun McCarthy in the small fishing village of Stykkishólmur on the Snaefellsnes peninsula of Iceland. So nice to hear from so many classmates. Keep walking, keep swimming and keep fit!
1954 KATHERINE VAN WORMER HOWARD 5729 36th Ave. South Minneapolis, MN 55417-2907 kh1433@juno.com
-Ann
Carolyn White Sampson ’57 with sons Chris and Cory
Condolences to the families of Janet McCarthy Thrower who died last November and Ann Hopkins Nolan, who died in August. Nancy Dobson Mcgilliard: Four of us enjoyed a mini reunion at Mabe O’Brien’s home in Falmouth ME in October. Marilyn Gorden,Yvonne Kun, Mabe & I chatted the years away. We all enjoy good health & the challenges of our years. I am grateful to live close to my youngest daughter Sarah & in a friendly independent living community in Midland, MI. I am enjoying exploring the attractions of this small, beautiful city. I have no plans for Reunion. Florence Dowdell Fasanelli: Our daughter, Antonia, was called out by the Baltimore Orioles as a Birdland Community Hero at Camden Yards 29 Sept. Seeing her being honored on a Jumbotron was a thrill. As executive director of the Homeless Persons Representation Project she now has eight lawyers & three paralegals full time on her staff & 480 pro-bono lawyers and law students seeking out all over Maryland those who are in need. I am tutoring reading to 13 thirdgrade students in groups of two or three days a week as an AmeriCorps Volunteer! I completed 12 years — to the day, December 5 — of being secretary of the Foundation at the Heurich House Museum & excited as it completes its years of laying a foundation of work & expands with
a new art gallery. Please come for a tour. I visited my wonderful stepson Jonny (& his family) at his home/ studio in Muscatine. Every moment learning from & with him is life enhancing as he tries new ways to get his ideas on paper even though he cannot control his body as he carries his aberration of ALS. I have taken Julia Robinson Mathematics Festivals to hundreds of inner-city schools where students experience the joys of doing math while they think they are only playing games...I still am Planning with The Algebra Project still a priority (now 30 years strong) as the Washington Teachers Union is adding its support to an initial Flagway game. Sally Hayes Dorn: Since April
2017, I have been residing in an Independent Living establishment because my sons wanted me to be “safe.” I don’t have any “keepers” & most of my food is provided. What I miss most is my car: no more driving! Luckily, there’s metro & lots of buses, cabs, etc. My sons are in England, Sweden & California respectively. I have a small dog which keeps me active. No plans to go to Reunion. Love to all.
Yvonne Koser Kun: My husband
Joe died a year ago, January 2018, from congestive heart failure. I am remaining in New London, NH, a town I love, & not too far from my two children, who both live in the Boston area. In Sept., Nancy, Marilyn & I had a great four day
Call for Nominations WCA AWARD The Alumnae and Alumni Award Committee is actively seeking nominees for the Wells College Alumnae and Alumni 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 alumni.wells.edu on the WCA page. committee chair
Virginia Meeker Munkelwitz ’67 munkelwitz@alum.mit.edu Wells.edu 31
ClassNotes
ClassNotes
Jerry Fitzpatrick and Judy Reid Fitz-Patrick ’57
get together at Mabe O’Brien’s in Falmouth, ME. We have met several times over the years & have enjoyed each other’s company so much, often reflecting on our years at Wells, which meant so much to all of us. I send my best wishes to all of you.
Lulu, connects us up. Right now, I say no to Reunion but who knows what is possible next May. I missed the last five-year Reunion due to the death of my daughter, & would dearly love to renew friendships of 1954. To those hardy souls who do make it. Love & best wishes.
Ann Lennox Olson: I continue to keep busy walking three miles a day & taking exercise & yoga classes. Travels this year included an amazing trip to the United Arab Emirates in Jan. Hilton Head in Mar. and Niagara Lake in July. On a more somber note, my eldest daughter Kirsten was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer in Mar. She has never been a smoker, so that news was quite unexpected. She is getting the best care at Golisano Cancer Center, Rochester, NY. I’ll try to make Reunion.
Dede Boos Recker: She and husband
Marjorie Lewis Wallace: Not much
news here. Ted & I have not traveled out of Rochester in a few years. He is quite tied to the house with his health issues. I get out but not out of town. I, too, have various health concerns. Guess many of us do at this age. I do not plan to go to Reunion even though I live not that far away from Aurora. Our granddaughter is getting married in February so that is the big family news. I wish everyone well. Louise Veprovsky Reebel: Hal & I
have reached that point where we are happy to maintain a low-key lifestyle in Southold & statusquo with doctor appointments & physical therapy. We do miss our Florida home & warm winter weather but it was the right decision for health reasons. Our children have been extremely supportive & our 15 year old grandson, now 6’2”, is a joy. We have been blessed & are grateful for such wonderful memories.
Marilyn Wenner Gordon: Life is too
different without my husband of 60 years. I did find my way to Maine last October where Nancy, Yvonne & I joined Mabe for a few days of catching up & just enjoying being together again. I have had some fun telephone conversations with Maggie in GA whose daughter,
32 Spring 2019
Bruce moved into an assisted living facility in Denver, CO. They are both doing well. Bruce is not on email very often anymore but does love to get news from friends. Unfortunately, they will probably not be able to attend Reunion but would love to see anyone visiting the Denver area.
Shirley Cox Kearns: This past year was pretty much the same as always — quite a bit of travel, mostly visiting family. I actually had four graduations last May, made them all — two high school and two college. Spent time in Florida over the winter & Maine last summer. My family is all well, another wedding (which means I won’t make our Reunion) & now have five greats - 6 mos. to 5 yrs. I’ll miss seeing all who do manage to get to Aurora. Magali Riquelme Grimany: Sad
news: my husband Rene passed away three years ago, I moved to Atlanta to be closer to Lulu Grimany ’79. A few months after Rene passed away, I moved to an assisted living facility very close to Lulu, so we see each other quite often. Her two sons live in Atlanta too, so they stop by every few months. My other grandson, Guillermo (Chabela’s son), now lives in San Diego & in July of last year gave me my first greatgrandson! His name is Jackson Reed Witte. His middle name starts with an R in honor of Rene. We haven’t met in person yet, but they plan to come visit probably in March. I can’t wait to meet him, they send videos & pictures & he’s so cute! I still communicate with Marylin Wenner Gordon on the phone & by letter. I think my address book got lost in one of my moves. I hope everyone is doing well. Give everyone my greetings. I can’t wait to hear the news. I am not planning to go to the Wells Reunion this year, I have had some
health challenges although I’m doing much better now. Still here & relatively hale & hearty. Kit & I have taken a couple of trips this year. We escaped the hullabaloo of the Super Bowl in Feb. by traveling to Fairbanks, AK to hopefully see some Northern Lights. No such luck, but we did have a good time & on the way home stopped at Victoria, on Vancouver Island – one of our favorite places to thaw out. Then in the spring, we took a boat trip from St. Petersburg, Russia to Moscow with our daughter & son-in-law. That was a very interesting trip. All in all, the kids are well — Granddaughter Jennifer had a brain tumor removed this summer, but has healed completely, & the doctors are pretty confident they got it soon enough. Grandson TJ, who is divorced, was called suddenly this summer & told he had custody of his 3-year old daughter as of now, come & get her. It has been a life altering experience for him, but they seem to be enjoying themselves. They live in the S.F. Bay area on a boat which TJ has renovated. I continue to knit, & do all the stuff I have been doing. I hope to be able to make it to Reunion & would love to see all of you there.
1953
-Kathie
ROXANNE PER-LEE MOTTER 4751 Pleasant Oak Dr. C-73 Fort Collins, CO 80525-3776 rockymotter31@gmail.com
1952 ROSEMARIE WIRTH KRENITSKY 575 Osgood St. 1212 North Andover, MA 01845-1987 rpkrenitsky@comcast.net
Wonderful response to my request for your news! Beginning with Martha Hutchinson Garvey, who tells that all her children and grandchildren gathered at her summer home at Queechy Lake last summer, although not all at the same time. Her children are all gainfully involved in literature, teaching, and writing; the grandkids are heavily involved in sports and music, and one grandson Sam will appear on Jeopardy on March 13, which will be either earlier or later than the appearance of this magazine. When her husband Ted died a year ago, Katie Garnock Shannon moved to Eau Claire after living in Madison for ten years. She spends her winters in Green Valley, AZ and is thinking seriously of moving there permanently in the spring. Katie would love to hear from any
classmates living in the Tucson area.
handicap.
busy summer in 2018 — she and her five children gathered several times, including once at Elk Lake with rain heavy enough to flood roads and float docks. They even had to cancel their 85-year-old Regatta because of a 9:00 a.m. thunderstorm. Louise has one greatgrandchild.
just keeps going, seeing family and watching her circle of friends get smaller and smaller. She gets to Boston on occasion, mostly for the dentist and the MFA and hopes to get together with those in the area one of these days.
Louise Cameron Benson had a
Another one with many family visits to and from children and grandchildren last year is Frances Clinch Jones (Narf and Francie), who managed to see nine of them all at one visit. And if I’m counting correctly, she has three greatgrands. A great quote from Narf: “Aren’t we all lucky to live in an era with great retirement homes? All the great facilities, lectures, and interesting, lively residents. A far cry from the days when I used to take my Girl Scout troop to sing at the ol’ folks home where the patients just slumped in wheelchairs and drooled.” Carolyn Shults Millonig plans
to visit her sister, Janet Shults McCoubrey ’53 in Sarasota. Otherwise, all is well.
And Helga Horiak Harriman reports that she and Arthur are still going strong. She sends her best wishes to all. Also, George McIsaac says that he and Mary Melone McIsaac are still living on Amelia Island, FL. She has dementia and he’s in a wheelchair, but they both enjoy their beautiful scenery and daily walks together. “I’m in amazing health, and sing in the church choir,” says Winnie Kendall Wannamaker. Her youngest daughter lives next door to her, and she has four greatgrandchildren. Laura Nader’s latest book, published
in 2018, is titled Contrarian Anthropology–The Unwritten Rules of Academia. Laura still teaches fulltime at U.C. Berkeley. She says her grandchildren, ages 3 to 26 years, are “all full of beans.” Sandy Adler Leibowitz continues
her French discussion group, and Arny continues to teach in the Lifelong Learning Institute, which currently numbers 1,000 members. His current subject is Famous Trials. He is also updating his book, Defining Status: An Analysis of U.S.Territories. Their son Mark is a political analyst on the TYT network and on radio station KFI in Los Angeles. Son Eric is managing his own company; grandchildren are all in responsible positions: tax analysis, marketing, environmental services, musical entertainment, and
Alice Brown Westervelt says she
Mini-reunion of ‘54s: Mabel Depue O'Brien, Yvonne Koser Kun, Nancy Dobson McGilliard, Marilyn Wenner Gordon.
physique competition.
Margaret Gray Good (Peege) misses
Ray terribly, but is glad that they made the move to a retirement community while there were still two of them. She lives near her three sons and seven grandchildren and has enough volunteer activities to keep her busy. She was planning to winter in Florida before returning to Minnesota.
Sadly, with her loss of Crusty last year, Sally Hurlburt Rosemond will be packing her things in preparation for selling her house and moving to a Retirement Community in North Carolina later this spring. Two of her children are living nearby in Chapel Hill. Ruth Hatch Pearson and Lindy are “still hanging in at 89.” They lost their youngest son last July at age 54, but Ruth reports that their children and grandchildren are very attentive and that “we are blessed in so many ways that we feel very fortunate”. They have eight greatgrandchildren.
The third edition of Janet Lauster Witzeman’s book Birds of Phoenix and Maricopa County, Arizona was published in December of 2017, and Elise was busy in 2018 marketing it. She also went on a two week birding trip with friends in southeast Brazil, visiting three sites along the Atlantic coast between São Paulo and Rio. Although she still misses Bob a lot, frequent visits from her daughter and son and their families, and spending time with her friends in the Arizona Field Ornithologists and Butterfly and Dragonfly clubs are sources of pleasure. Shirley King Orr cites the great
pleasure that her five-year-old great-grandson Samuel gives her. She spent a week last summer visiting Jean Bauberger McCauley in Maine.
And Jean Bauberger McCauley herself had a number of other pleasant visits as well: a nephew came frequently to help with “strong man” jobs around the
house, and Jean visited her niece, Dr. Deborah McCauley ’91, in Spain. Deborah is a wildlife veterinarian with projects in India with tigers, Nepal with rhinos, and Yellowstone with bison. Corinne Langton Drill and spouse
sold their Arizona home a year ago, but missing the warmth they decided to rent a place in Rio Verde during the past winter, where they have a son and daughter and many friends in the area. They have six great-grandchildren, says Cori, “all beautiful, healthy, and brilliant!”
Having spent 30 years buying, renovating and owning homes, condos, and apartment buildings, Alice Lind Griffith sold the business to her son and bought two Walgreens drugstores. “No maintenance,” says Alice, “Just two checks each month”. Her latest involvement is with bridge, often on bridge cruises. She will be sailing on a bridge cruise in October from Athens to Barcelona. “Cheers!” says Alice. Paul uses a walker and I a cane as we continue to enjoy Edgewood, our Life Care Community. Our very first great-grandchild was born last December. Thank you to all 18 of you who responded to my query for news. Looking forward to our next get-together!
1951
-Ro
JANET POOLE REINHARDT 647 Willow Way Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-8427 jpr@pa.net
It is Groundhog Day and snow is coming down so I guess we know there is more winter ahead of us. Many of you have asked how many of the class are still on the list… it was 32 until last week when I learned that Ann Mueller Coughlin died recently. So getting a response from 13 of you is good and Teeny Redfield Sander’s son sends me an update occasionally to let me know that his mother is well and enjoying life despite her loss of vision
Jean Carr Semonite still enjoys her house on the edge of Casco Bay outside Portland, ME enjoying the water birds and summer boat traffic. She has given up singing but still does volunteer work, is active in the Village Improvement Society and antique house research projects— plus bridge on a regular basis. Her daughters, Leigh and Ann, live close by and her son Ned is in Maryland, so family get-togethers are possible. She finally has one married grandchild so has hopes of being a great-grand one of these days. She and Nancy Weil Rosenthal still manage to spend a week together once a year. She also talks to Pat Carter Brammer on occasion. Pat has had a challenging year with too many losses of dear friends and her brother Han. She has also had a precipitous loss of mobility and independence and is grateful for family and home healthcare. Barbara Dawson Peek has had a quiet year at Fellowship Village. Her travels were limited to a lovely birthday excursion to Forest Lake with the family in May, and she is looking forward to a trip to Northern Virginia for her grandson George’s wedding. Days are filled with bridge, luncheons, dinners and movies as well as visits from the kids. Mollie and Paul are happy in Lockport, NY and Bill just bought a house on Martha’s Vineyard where he lives and works as an organist and choir director. Rusty Hagaman Westbrook is
looking forward to becoming a great-grandmother in the spring and hopes to go to California to see the baby and visit family. She is settling into life back in New Jersey near her daughter and son-in-law. She is not driving any longer but still goes to the gym several times a week. She joined a book club in her apartment complex and has also joined a Women’s College Graduate Club in Princeton where she sees Sally Leidt Hockings ’50 and Jay-Dee Taylor Reiche ’52 at gatherings.
Genie Lenz Gray is as OK as 88 can be with the body closing down, with some new ailment every once in a while, as an old ailment recedes or goes into hiding. After owning a unit on the golf course in Shadow Lake Village, she has moved in with a friend while sweating out the waiting list for a one bedroom at a local Methodist (she is not one) home in Red Bank. It has been a hassle but is a nice place and she
can be in the center of things. She runs a Duplicate Bridge group once a week, attends the Met operas via the satellite in the sky, and dines out with Les girls. She reads about six mysteries a week with an occasional book that reflects her Wells education. She even banks at Wells Fargo, which I boycott after they took our coach emblem! I applaud her closing comment “how blessed we are not to live in Afghanistan or the like and to have had the education and careers and families and loves that we have had.” Lyn Ledgard Hallman continues to
enjoy life in the senior residence right in downtown Evanston so she can take part in all the joys of a college town. She enjoys attending cultural events in Chicago like the opera, symphony, art museums et al…to say nothing of constant exercise classes in her building. She is still driving but with all the vehicles on the highways may give that up. Mainly she misses the vitality she enjoyed a few years ago.
Taffy Preus Mairs reports all is
as well as it is at this stage…Bob has been on chemo for appendix cancer for two years and still has a half hour treatment every other week, plus pills, but friends still call him the “energizer bunny.” After 50 years in the house it is time to move on and they are waiting for an apartment in either the Episcopal or Presbyterian Home. They are still active at the House of Hope Presbyterian church and she goes to the YWCA aqua aerobics classes and does Tai Chi at the Episcopal home. She also belongs to a neighborhood seminar meeting about eight times a year to focus on economics, philosophy, literature, politics and just about anything else. The program has gone on for over 50 years. Three of the kids live close… Elizabeth who is in cyber security with Xcel Energy, Julia who is a PT and works in wellness at the Episcopal Home, and Rob who is an investment manager. He and Aimee have two boys, Joe (16) and Will (14). Heide is an engineer with Exxon in Houston. She lost her son in June following a drug overdose.
Nancy Weil Rosenthal continues to
do volunteer work five days a week in Sun City, and keeps up a fairly busy social life. She drove to Maine in August stopping to see family and friends, spending a week with Jean Semonite and Pat Brammer. She feels very fortunate to be as active as she is, although more forgetful!
Mary Taylor Sherrill feels so lucky
to be healthy when she realizes how many friends are in wheelchairs, on walkers, scooters, canes, and the like. In the fall, she and the two girls had a lovely visit to Quebec City and Tadoussac. It was her 15th Wells.edu 33
ClassNotes trip there and it never disappoints. Her grandson was married in June which was a lovely family reunion occasion. She is hoping another grandson will follow suit this year. She has two great-grandsons learning to skate. The ambition has been to skate when she is 90 but worries about how smart it is to risk a broken hip! She enjoys bridge, embroidery and this year is constructing a model ship which is very challenging! Edie Weekes Ulatoski writes that being in reasonably good health is good news! She can’t believe her daughters are in their 60s! One is ready for retirement and the other has found a great partner who happens to be their veterinarian. Her grandson decided college was not for him, declared he wanted to join the army, and asked his grandad to do the swearing in. Joe was thrilled to do it, and it was quite a day for the family. He is now at Ft. Benning hoping to advance to Special Forces. Edie took a deep breath and wished him God Speed. She and Joe are doing well. Their house was built with aging in mind with no steps, no curb on the shower and wheelchair access everywhere. Margarete Weisbrod Lindsley is happy to be able to stay at home with some wonderful help and enjoys reading and keeping up with genealogy research. She has been helping her granddaughter find her lineage to the Mayflower Society. She also volunteers at the firehouse running a computer bingo game twice a week, and writes asking for contributions to their fund. She avoids doctors and is content to feel good when the sun shines, and sleepy when it is cloudy. Mona Williams Brown is adjusting
to life in Fayetteville where she moved because of her heart/lung issue and to be near her daughter. Her apartment is spacious with a large balcony overlooking trees and gardens and family is half an hour away. The move had some challenges with furniture damage from the moving company that was devastating with some pieces deemed “non-repairable.” Some pieces dating from 1780 are mostly restored but took 10 months to repair and return. Her right knee totally gave out, eye and back problems arose, but it could be worse! Like so many our age, water therapy and aerobics work wonders! Being in the south has been an adjustment for someone born in Boston of New England settlers but she is adjusting and admits to liking fried catfish, okra, grits, and collards, the latter not so much! Thanks to all of you who have been so supportive of my aches and pains…I am slowly getting there having accepted that the pelvis is
34 Spring 2019
ClassNotes not meant to be fractured TWICE! I use a cane in public so people watch out for me and because balance has never been my strong suit, but can still enjoy life and activities both here on campus and neighboring towns. The left leg has gained strength thanks to having a clutch on my Mustang! I may never travel again but I have gone from Vladivostok on the Pacific to Lisbon on the Atlantic thru the entire Silk Road, hiked the outer island of Scotland and the Inca Trail…and mushed a team of dogs in the Arctic wilderness! I still enjoy the cottage and life with my dog. Bill retreats further and further but it was a good life together while it lasted. I grouse but know I have been blessed through the years.
1950
-Jan
JUDI BLANK GOLDSMITH 3550 SW Bond Ave., Apt 1804 Portland, OR 97239 jbg111213@gmail.com SARAH LEIDT HOCKINGS 200 Library Pl. Princeton, NJ 08540-3068 hckngs@verizon.net
I was delighted to receive news about Carol Hoyt Burns for the first time in all these years. Unfortunately, her news could be better. Her daughter-in-law wrote to say Carol is in relatively good health but she fell in January and broke her hip. However, she is on the road to recovery and the family hopes she will be walking soon. At 91, Carol is a widow as her husband Bob died in 2014. Sadly, they outlived both of their sons. Brian died in 2004 and Daniel in 2013. However, Carol has three granddaughters, one grandson, two great-granddaughters and one great-grandson. Her daughter-inlaw has had the joy of thinking of Carol as her mom for 36 years. While Carol’s memory isn’t the best her Wells memories are dear to her. Betty Schurmeier Christensen is
one of my two regulars for which I am so appreciative. She says she is hanging in there but moving more slowly. Her eyes are giving in to age so no driving, commission of the blind talking books and little reading. She still volunteers but claims she is not much use. Three grandchildren are Clemson students or grads so they were overjoyed at winning the national football championship. Bones has not gardened in ages but hopes to plant some raspberries and blueberries because she just misses playing in the dirt too much. My other regular Caroline Abraham Delavan will join the nonagenarians on March 19 this
year. Byron at ninety is still very much alive, having been voted Mr. Canandaigua in 2017. Abie was delighted to remind him that it took him 17 years to catch up with her. The happy couple is slower than they were but few complaints and so glad to still be together. She can’t believe they have a 21-year-old grandson who is quite a satisfactory fellow–junior in college–dean’s list– wants to go to law school and he is diligent and bright so he just might make it. She is still volunteering but cutting back a bit and hopes that everybody still counted among us is healthy and happy. Lily Parssinen Delphey is still in
the Albany area and has been since 1977 when she started with New York State as a purchasing officer. Her family is scattered: son in San Diego, daughter in New Hampshire, grands in Washington, DC, Durham, NC, San Francisco and San Diego, so she does get to travel to see them. She has been in touch with Anne “Winnie” Churchill Jones all these years and has seen Emilie Van Petten Merritt in Florida. She was so sorry to read about Jeanne Oehrlein Morley. Kay Silvernail Johns writes that
it has been a busy 68 years since graduation. She did a few years of social work, then marriage, three children, several years of working and traveling with her husband involving marketing custom cabinetry. After her husband’s death from a heart attack, she lost a son to cancer. Now totally retired, she lives a peaceful life close to her two daughters and friends. Kay has been to Aurora several times over the years and still enjoys remembering her time at Wells. As for me, this has been a mixed year. I fell in August and broke a vertebrae which never healed, so in January I had surgery where they put cement into the bone, which did alleviate the pain. My daughter had a lumpectomy, Stage one, so we all walk around with crossed fingers. Since the last report I have acquired another great-granddaughter, which makes six grands and three greats. By the time you read this I will have taken my oldest granddaughter, her husband, and the seven and four-year-old to Hawaii to the Disney Hotel, which should be major fun. Interestingly, I had an email from Ellin Messolonghites Johnson ’57, who is secretary of their class and lives here in Portland. We had several chats and plan to meet for lunch soon. Ellin has also met another Portland Wells woman who is the wife of the former Ambassador to Mongolia, and perhaps we can form an Oregon Wells Club. Keep hanging in there ’50s women. It is always such a pleasure when I receive your notes.
-Judi
Char Floyd Kerr is doing well. She
is living at Summit Place in Eden Prairie, MN, an independent senior facility. Her three girls all live nearby and her son is in Irvington, NY. She has been by herself now for six years, but her life is full and busy. She loves bridge, mahjong and the great pool there for exercising, and still plays her cello in a community orchestra. There are many activities and lots of great friends, so all is well.
For Ginny Grace Small, life remains interesting and busy at Moorings Park, all of which she thinks has contributed to her continuing overall good health. The knees aren’t great, so a cane adds some security; otherwise, all is well. Had a wonderful trip to visit two grandsons and three greats in Boston and Portsmouth with a weekend in Vermont in September, as well as a wedding (with bride and groom on horseback) in North Carolina in May. Though her traveling days are pretty much behind her, she is happy to be there staying active! She reminds us that our birthdays are getting awesome! Joan Safir Wiener wrote from
Florida where she planned to stay until April, so grateful to be out of the frigid horrible weather up north. She is OK or as OK as a geriatric can be. She had a silly little spill over last summer that resulted in a slight leg fracture, but fortunately it healed 100% and so she is back on her roller skates once again. She is still driving, no problem with that, if only walking were as good. A cane helps and she is blessed with excellent vision and acute hearing. Something has to offset the negative! Family and friends keep her propped up and so far her independence remains intact. Her five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren are a continuous source of joy, although they are spread out all over the globe, including one in Singapore. Pictures and phone calls have become a great substitution.
Abigail Schurtz Schten sent a lovely
New Year’s card to reassure me that she does think about us and realized she should send “news.” She is still struggling along at home with almost full time aides and commented on how awfully hard it is to have to give up traveling.
Millie Fox Mailliard writes that
days are pretty much the same in a retirement community. Life gets harder with time especially when living with eye problems. She commented on the problem with her writing, not as a complaint, but to explain why she didn’t have any interesting news. Since we all must be reaching a milestone age this year and that is news, happy birthday to all!
Sadly Dean Palmer Hall and Mimi Goldstein Sommer have been added to our list of the departed since our last report.
By the time you read this Carol Kane Weiser will have had hip surgery and be well on her way to a more comfortable lifestyle. When she phoned me, she reported that otherwise she and Ken are doing well and appreciate having their three kids, eight grands and four greats all within visiting distance in the New York area. It has been a relatively good if uneventful year for me. The highlight was a visit from our daughter and eldest grandson. The lowlight was a bout with pneumonia that took too long to heal. Another sign of the aging process perhaps. Spring will be brightened by another visit from Susan and youngest grandson. Eric and I are doing well for our ages, enjoying our archiving and genealogy, respectively, and still not facing up to downsizing. Many thanks to those who wrote.You are wonderfully faithful. We remember the rest of you, would love to hear from you, and trust you are doing well. With my best regards, -Sally
1949
BARBARA ABT HICKLING 109 Village Dr. Endwell, NY 13760-1065 wfhickling@stny.rr.com
It is with sadness and regret that I start with a letter from Gail Cooper Sinclair: “My mother Paula Johnson Cooper suffered a stroke in August and never left the hospital. My sister and I miss her greatly but she had 90 wonderful years.” That was followed by an email from Joan “Chris” Ridder Challinor’s daughter Mary. Chris died November 24, 2018. She is survived by her four children and seven grandchildren. After she left Wells she ultimately graduated with a PhD from American University in history. In 1983 she received an MBE (Master of the British Empire) from Queen Elizabeth II for her leadership of the Bicentennial Treaty of Paris. She served on the National Commission of Libraries and Informational Sciences and was, in addition, a director of Knight Ridder, a newspaper and publishing company. The class of 1949 extends its sympathies to both these families. Carol Ecklund Cadwell: Carol
welcomed her first greatgrandchild, Elijah Staples Cadwell, August 7, 2018. He is bringing great joy to the whole family.
In Memoriam Nancy Stern Hirschler '40
Alice Woodall Comiskey '52
Norma Whiteford '42
Janice Hudson Davies '53
Marjorie Schenk Decker '42
Janet McCarthy Thrower '54
Charlotte Gaddis Sheridan '46
Jean Hurd Gordon '56
Mabel Bender James-Reynolds '48
Marie Sullivan Lichtenstein '59
Paula Johnson Cooper '49
Wendy Lundgren Nicolosi '68
Joan Ridder Challinor '49
Patricia Lang Perry '69
Alethea Lyder Meagher '51
Cynthia Petersen Bernhard '69
Ann Mueller Coughlin '51
Helen Holler Fultz '75
Marilyn McEntee Fandrich '52
Mary Kittelberger Pisano '79
To view the most up-to-date obituary notices, please visit
alumni.wells.edu/memoriam Joan Carpenter Harms has
moved to assisted living as a result of repeated fractures due to osteoporosis. A year ago Christmas she fractured her spine, faithfully did her rehab, and promptly fractured it again once she was back in her apartment. She already had several previous breaks. Fortunately, her son lives ten minutes away and visits often. Her only grandson is in Los Angeles working for Northrop Grumman. She keeps in touch with Shirley Shreiner.
Jeanne “Midge” Munning Luehs: “Though I planned on Reunion last time, I’m not making plans to drive to Aurora for our 70th. Iceland was a treat in October: cavorting whales, ghostly lava fields, stunning glaciers, and soaring geysers, plus lovely people. My 12 grandchildren provide lots of entertainment for me and all 12 are nearby.” Mary Louise “Colonel” Woods Raymond called me and we talked
for an hour. She moved to assisted living at White Horse Village as she needed additional support not available in her independent apartment. She has the freedom to eat either in the assisted facility or in the community dining room and keep up with her former neighbors. She has discovered that volunteering in the facility library is fun and works there as often as she can. Her family are scattered but she still has a daughter not too far away in Pennsylvania. She talks with Shirley Shreiner infrequently.
of bridge and we have bocce ball tournaments each year. I now have two great-grandchildren, one a girl–the first girl born to a Scadden since 1929.” Shirley McKee Shreiner has officially given up sending Christmas cards but loved hearing from several classmates. “I celebrated my 90th last May among family and friends. After living at Dunwood Village for 20+ years, I am now residing in assisted living where I am most comfortable. I enjoy my beautiful view of a lovely pond, complete with fountain, wildlife, and nature’s treasures. My daughters, Stacy Chreiner Kley and Alix Shreiner Markee, live close by and I am spoiled by their daily visits. Son Terry lives in South Carolina and ventures north periodically. As my mobility is challenging, I won’t be at our 70th but will be thinking of my classmates and all the wonderful times we had at Wells.” Kate Emmons Skinner-Klee just got back from her annual trip to Guatemala to see the family. “Weather there was great! Our small group here (Boerne, TX) is still working on preserving the old courthouse records. We’re in the 1970s so it isn’t as exciting as the very old ones. We did find one with a modern date, written in German script. I don’t think I’ll make Reunion. It’s getting harder to travel now.”
Martha Stephens is still in her house in Old Saybrook. “I’m full of titanium (four joint replacements), so I no longer play golf, but I do enjoy gardening activities and I spend much more time reading on my Kindle (a lot of history) and watching too much TV. My family is scattered.”
Since Betsy Taylor last wrote she had “another bout with cellulitis and the antibiotic she took created a whole host of problems.” Betsy will not be at Reunion. She is saving her energy and strength for a trip to Alaska. She celebrated her 90th with most of her siblings, who made the trip west to California. She is now looking forward to celebrating her sister Mary Taylor Sherrill’s ’51 90th. Labor Day weekend she joined several nieces on a trip to Sedona, AZ, which she found to be gorgeous–said it reminded her of her many trips with Jule. Much has changed for Joelle “Inky” Seiff Weiss this past year. “In September I moved to an independent living apartment near one of my children in Philadelphia, this after having lived my whole life within a 10-mile radius. My kids live in distant cities and we all agreed the time had come. This is a lovely city for me…near fine museums, wonderful symphony, terrific small restaurants, beautiful buildings and top-notch medical care. My daughter Cathy and family are here. My oldest grandson is in Seattle as are two of my greats. The youngest grandson is in Los Angeles and two more grandchildren live in Brooklyn. There are seven grandchildren in all and three greatgrandchildren. There is much to do here but I find the adjustments difficult at times. I don’t know if I agree with Browning, ‘grow old along with me, the best is yet to be’.” Carolyn Decker Whipple is not considering the long trip from California to New York. She has not been threatened by the terrible fires California has suffered but endured two weeks of heavy smoke from 200 miles north that hung over the whole San Francisco/Silicon Valley. Now rains have begun and the whole region is looking for relief
At Christmas I had a letter from Ann Skerratt Richardson’s daughter Sara. Ann fell and broke her sacrum on her birthday (some birthday present!). She is recovering nicely– was walking by Christmas. Sara and her husband spent Christmas with her and visit frequently. Dana Garnock Scadden: “All is well here (San Mateo), everything working pretty well. I play a lot
Marge Leinroth Gotshall ’45 with her daughter and son Wells.edu 35
ClassNotes
ClassNotes and sometimes one or more of the grands come. Thanks for such a welcome response. Keep strong and as well as you can.
1948 Sarah Burton Nelson ’46 – on the road to recovery.
from the drought. She is still driving and there are enough events at her community to keep her busy. She hasn’t seen Betsy Taylor or Anne Skerratt Richardson, as they are too far away. Ruth Miller Woodcock will not be
at Reunion this year as she will be celebrating her sister’s 90th birthday, thus the three that made our 65th will not be present. Ruth had an enjoyable trip to Malta in April with the Roads Scholar program. She also made a trip to Vienna 68 years after her first visit when she was in graduate studies in Geneva. This time she was part of a “Great Performances Opera” program. She is fortunate that her daughter and son-in-law enjoy joining her as travel companions. As for me, my days are pretty busy. I try to get to the nursing home twice a day, only down a short hill from my cottage. Fred is so sensorially deprived because of virtually no sight and minimal hearing that I try to keep him as focused as I can–I read a lot of history, biography and daily newspaper stories (especially the Giants and Yankees). I still drive so I can shop, play bridge on and off the Village grounds and sing in the church choir. Though Monday Club has now morphed into a permanently certified New York museum with a big push in that direction from me and five others, the remains of the club membership meet monthly and I act as bank deposit treasurer for the museum. I also serve as secretary of our Village Council but will end my term in May. My year’s highlight was flying to Greensboro for four days last June to celebrate my 90th with all my family, minus two grandsons and of course, Fred. Celebrations included a dinner party out with most of my adult children and grandchildren, plus some extended family and a Saturday afternoon picnic in Dr. Bill’s backyard, with thirty adults and all nine greatgrandchildren. It was like herding cats, but my skilled photographer daughter-in-law got a wonderful picture of all nine, the oldest being only eight. Our three children make every effort for one of them to turn up here every six weeks
36 Spring 2019
-Love, Bobbie
VIRGINIA ROGERS BURGESS 100 Sterling Way Apt 202 Dover, NH 03820 eric@lauraburgess.com
1947 ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI Engagement Office 170 Main St. Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu Helen Barolini wrote: I am at the
beginning of what promises to be a long journey among memories– my daughters have been after me to write my life story, especially focusing on the Italian years when I first arrived there with a letter of introduction to an already wellknown author named Antonio Barolini. Then came the years of our marriage and birth of our three daughters, our life in the U.S. when Antonio was appointed Italian Consul for Manhattan and his stories, in my English translation, were published first in the New Yorker magazine and then as books. It was a very exciting, creative time, followed after some years by our return to Italy, and then, after Antonio’s death there, by my return with daughters, to the U.S. where I began my own writing career.
Peg Pearson Aldrich wrote: “The
aging process is something to be undertaken with few complaints and as much decorum as possible” (from Archer Mayor). This is my current favorite saying - I’m still here!
1946 ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI Engagement Office 170 Main St. Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu
About a year ago, Sarah Burton Nelson moved into what they now call a skilled nursing facility, along with her husband Bernie. “Unfortunately, I can’t walk, and it really bothers me, so I’ve hired a trainer to help me regain whatever strength I can. That’s the old Wells can-do spirit, wouldn’t you say? You can see from our faces that we’re both pretty darn pleased! What else makes me smile: visits from friends and family and the birth (this year) of my first great-grandchild, Riley. I had a great career as a physician, first in general practice then as a psychiatrist, and careers matter, of
course, but when you get to be this age (94) and look back, what matters most are the relationships. May all of you have meaningful relationships throughout your lives, as well as meaningful careers.” Martha Miller Vayhinger wrote to say she received a book titled Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide. She was curious about its contents and how it related to her. In the first part of the book there were eight pages listing Women of Excellence–she was pleased to find her name among them.
1945 MARGE LEINROTH GOTSHALL 145 Columbia Ave. Apt 519 Holland, MI 49423 sgotshallmaxon@yahoo.com
At our age it is not surprising that our number is dwindling. There are only ten of us still living. We have lost five classmates since our last published class notes. The College has informed me that Nancy Lennox Collis, Dot Milham Gauntlett, Louise (Weezie) Page Kastner Pelton, Emily (Syksie) Sykes Rohrer and Connie White Wentzel have died. Jean Eisele Andon called and we
had a good chat. All 31 of her family helped her celebrate her 95th birthday. She loves where she lives independently in a retirement community near Washington, DC which means there are interesting speakers such as ambassadors available. Amazingly, she travels alone to Boston and Florida to visit family and still enjoys playing SixWicket Croquet. Sounds like she is in good shape.
Alice (Tidder) Norton Haehl’s son
sent word that his mother “will be 96 in April. Her days are leisurely. She has another great-grandchild, Holly, who was born in August, and she is looking forward to the wedding of another granddaughter.” Jessie Mablen Smith emailed from Kingston, Canada that she uses email to keep in touch with family and friends. Her grandson is back at Cornell, after taking two years off to join the business world. His friends who graduated are having trouble finding jobs, meanwhile working at restaurants like Tim Hortons. She observes “life is not easy for any of these young ones.” I trust she is well but says “I definitely find old age is not fun.” It was good to get a letter from Pam Stemler Reynolds. “I’m still living
on the side of a mountain in West Virginia, my three children close by. Also nine grandchildren and three great-grands. I no longer drive, having bumped into a sixteenwheeler. A timely warning and no one hurt.” She will be 96 on D-Day.
Betsy Lent Cohen is still living in
her home in Palm Beach Gardens, with her eldest son Douglas nearby, and her daughters Alice and Marcia visiting frequently from Toronto and San Francisco. Sadly, her husband Martin died in July of 2017, but she enjoys the visits of her six grandchildren, and three greatgrandchildren. All things considered, I am doing well living a normal independent life, although I use a walker and have found my hearing aids leave much to be desired–so in a group I laugh when everyone else laughs. With a family companion, I went to California for Christmas with my daughter and her family and met my third great-grand. Also still get to the Jersey shore with all my Michigan family every summer. Seem to have my wits about me for which I’m grateful. Our Class Scholarship for the 201718 year went to Colson Martin from Newbury,VT. He is the class of 2020 and has not declared a major but seems to be leaning toward an English major. Thanks to those of you who called and wrote this time. We seem to be a hearty bunch. I hope to hear from more of you next time. Best wishes to all.
1943-44
-Marge
ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI Engagement Office 170 Main St. Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu Roberta Berry Humez ’44 found her request for news buried among other papers just in time! “I am now legally blind, but can read with the right set up and lighting arrangement. After 30 years of good eye care for glaucoma, I am able to live in my own home and manage, with a good support system as needed. I am still involved in local music events, and find great joy in my remaining two daughters and three grandchildren, along with my four great-grands. Unfortunately, they are scattered from D.C. to Portland, OR, but we have family reunions in Vermont. As for missing classmates, I can only tell you that Nancy Wiley Walker transferred to Juilliard Music School in New York during freshman year.” Marjorie Bailey Rachlin ’43 writes: “My college roommate, Nancy Maddock Ewing, and I are doing well despite our 96 years. We are the survivors of 1943.”
Reinald and Betty Imbrie Werrenrath ’35 and their children
1942
1940
LAURA BEALE TOY 1400 Waverly Rd. Apt A324 Gladwyne, PA 19035-7001 laurabtoy@yahoo.com
ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI Engagement Office 170 Main St. Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu
1941
1939
POLLY VANNEMAN FISHER 1063 Edgemere Ct. Apartment 2 Akron, OH 44321-1686 pollyfisher19@gmail.com
Happily five of our class remain to recall our years above the lake at wonderful Wells College. We all are at or near the 100-year mark and living in retirement homes in New Hampshire, Ohio and New Jersey. They are Fran Stephens Fowler, Ann Lazarus Schloss, Isabel Sullivan Sefton, Barbara Reed Turner, and your reporter, Polly Vanneman Fisher. We all have such happy memories of our days at Wells and believe our Wells education was the best!
-Polly
ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI Engagement Office 170 Main St. Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu Ruth Teninga Anderson celebrated
her 100th birthday on August 24, 2018. A festive gathering of 57 family members from 12 states and four generations took place at the Hinsdale Golf Club, Hinsdale, IL, in her honor. Present were Ruth’s daughter, Leigh Anderson Rappole ’64 and her niece, Barbara Plasman Rogers ’74. Ruth’s sister, Loraine Teninga Plasman ’44, age 95, was unable to make the trip, but was there in spirit. Special greetings were sent to Ruth from Sandra Rappole Peck ’64 and Dorothy Zayatz Baker ’73, as well as from
Last Call for Wells Keepsakes Wells College Time Capsule We've been collecting Wells memorabilia for our very own time capsule and we have some great treasures! Do you have any Wells keepsakes you want to share with future Wells alumni when it's opened in 50, 100 or 150 years from now? The time capsule will be buried in the hearth of the new fireplace in Sommer Center during Reunion Weekend, May 30 - June 2, 2019.
Drop off, bring to Reunion or mail your item to: Alumnae and Alumni Engagement Office ATTN: Time Capsule Submissions 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026
Alice Norton Haehl ‘45
many many others. The party was given by her children, Geoff Anderson, Ross Anderson, and Leigh and Clint Rappole. During the evening everyone had the opportunity to speak to Ruth. There was also much lively visiting by family members who rarely see each other. At the end of the evening, Ruth took the microphone and thanked everyone for coming and for their many kind words about her. She said she was very pleased to be part of this family and a part of this joyful reunion.
1936-38 ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI Engagement Office 170 Main St. Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu
1935 ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI Engagement Office 170 Main St. Aurora, NY 13026 alumoffice@wells.edu
Ruth Teninga Anderson ’39 celebrated her 100th birthday on August 24, 2018. Her sash, given to her by a granddaughter reads "100 and Fabulous."
As the only living member of her class, Betty Imbrie Werrenrath thought she might share some thoughts about Wells College from a 105-year-old graduate. “Wells is a small College but large in vision. When I have been challenged through the years as to why I am glad I went to Wells I always say–the advantage of small classes forced us not only to be prepared for class, but offered the intimacy with the professor so we could dialogue and learn from an exchange of ideas. Becoming co-educational gave Wells an added breadth which in 1935 we did not have. In the 1940s I was on an alumnae board meeting and in discussion with a trustee suggested Wells become coed. She responded ‘Young lady, there has to be a place where women can go where men aren’t’. But I met my husband at a dance when I ‘cut in’ and asked to dance with him. So, I lucked out–but Wells made the right move to be coed. I cherish my experience at Wells and am proud to say ‘I went to Wells and loved it’.”
FALL WEEKEND October 11- 13, 2019 Connections with current students • College updates Athletic events • Networking with alums An opportunity to get involved with the WCA Lots of fun and laughter!
Come back to Aurora for a beautiful weekend.
Wells.edu 37
REUNION REGISTRATION FORM
Shelley Osmun Baranowski ’68 to Receive WCA Award at Reunion (continued from page 1)
May 30 -June 2, 2019 name
Nazi government building. In 2004, her book was published to high acclaim, and a paperback edition followed three years later. At Akron, for 24 years, she taught, advised and mentored students at the undergraduate and graduate level. In addition to publishing four books, she regularly contributed to scholarly journals and was a sought-after presenter and panelist. “As graduate students, we often wondered if Dr. Baranowski ever slept, because of how incredibly productive she was,” says Rachel Boaz, whom Shelley advised on her dissertation. She had a central role in reconceiving curricula and requirements both university-wide and in the history department. And she did all this while commuting 240 miles round trip between her home and the university. Shelley was named a full professor in 1995 and, 12 years later, was promoted to the rank of distinguished professor of history. A note from Professor Peter Fritzsche of the University of Illinois encapsulates praise from fellow historians: “How seldom scholars move on to a series of new questions, retool in new archives and reach new audiences, but this is precisely the enviable accomplishment of Baranowski.” Shelley became only the third department member and the third woman in the school’s history to be awarded this honor. Now retired, she is a distinguished professor of history emerita. She serves as president of the Central European History Society and continues her long involvement with H-Net, an online resource for historians; she is the co-editor of H-Travel. Shelley has never wavered in her devotion to Wells. She loves returning to Aurora, staunchly supports the College, and has attended all of her five-year reunions. Her late husband, Ed, was equally enthusiastic about Wells, where he met Shelley in 1966. He promptly recruited his sister Bonnie to the class of 1971; his two other sisters followed: Marcia, in the class of ’76 and, Michele, class of ’82.
Remember to Vote! WCA Election 2019 Vote for upcoming candidates for the WCA Board. Vote online at alumni.wells.edu/wca-election or complete the ballot that was mailed to you. Return ballot by May 31, 2019 to: WCA Elections 2019 170 Main Street Pettibone House Aurora, NY 13026
Shelley was freshman class president and played on the Even Line basketball team. As a junior, she was a member of Wells’s first and only GE College Bowl team—coached by Professor Alan Clugston—which was only narrowly edged out by Boston College. She served on the Representative Council for two years and on the Student-Faculty Administration Board her senior year. As vice president of Collegiate, Shelley “led a kind of studentgovernment revolution,” says classmate Andi McMahon Lamoreaux. Along with Collegiate president Otile McManus, she spearheaded opposition to outmoded rules, giving students more say in college life. In 1968, in the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Shelley helped pressure Wells to develop an updated curriculum, with new emphasis on contemporary issues. “What stands out in my mind is that Wells was (and is) an academically serious but exciting environment with a faculty that engages its students in and out of the classroom,” Shelley says. Members of the Religion Department were an especially powerful influence. Professor Bellinzoni’s scholarly investigation of text in the Old and New Testaments intrigued her and opened the door to the overlap of religion and history. And, through his Sunday evening speaker series at Wells, philosophy and religion professor Thomas Litzenburg broadened her focus beyond student issues to activism against the Vietnam War. “It was especially empowering in my era,” Shelley says, “when many of us sought to use what we had learned to understand and act upon the enormous political and social changes taking place.”
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One-way (per family): ■
$25 Ithaca Airport $25 Ithaca Bus Station $30 Syracuse Airport $30 Syracuse Bus/Train Station $30 Rochester Airport
date
time
airline
flight #
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departure date
TIme
airline
flight #
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arrival
Get ready to toast Wells College during a simultaneous celebration on July 23, 2019. Alumni are invited to connect with each other in person and on social media using #Wells150. Do you want to be a part of this annual celebration of the inauguration of the College? Would you be willing to host a gathering for Wells alums in your neck of the woods this summer? Contact our Office of Alumnae and Alumni Engagement today and join in the fun! alumoffice@wells.edu or 315.364.3200
Please contact the Alumnae and Alumni Engagement Office with any questions:
Must be arranged in advance due to limited van availability
TRANSPORTATION
Upon arrival please pick up your packet, including schedule of activities, room assignments, keys and other information, in Faculty Parlors in Main Building.
■
transportation total
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ALL-INCLUSIVE PACKAGES (housing and meals) (or choose separately below) THURSDAY ARRIVAL ( i n c . T h u r s , F r i , S a t & S u n ) FRIDAY ARRIVAL ( i n c . Fr i , Sa t & S u n ) SATURDAY ARRIVAL . ( i n c l u d e s S a t & S u n )
# .# .# .
× $320 = × $235 = × $125 =
all-inclusive total
If you select an all-inclusive package, all meals for the day(s) you choose (through Sunday) are included; simply transfer your all-inclusive total to the payment due section below. Please do not complete the meals or housing only sections separately.
HOUSING ONLY (per person)
Celebrating the College’s Founding
Online registration and payment
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(cell)
phone (home)
THURSDAY NIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# FRIDAY NIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# SATURDAY NIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .#
I am a member of: WCA (WCA Board, Award Committee or Nominating Committee) Housing is free of charge for WCA Board Members
× $50 = × $50 = × $50 =
housing total
MEALS ONLY (per person) THURSDAY RECEPTION & DINNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# FRIDAY BREAKFAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# FRIDAY LUNCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# FRIDAY DINNER, CLASS OF ’69 & PRIOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# FRIDAY DINNER, CLASSES 1970–2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# SATURDAY BREAKFAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# SATURDAY LUNCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# SATURDAY CELEBRATION DINNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# SUNDAY BRUNCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .#
× $35 = × $10 = × $15 = × $45 = × $35 = × $10 = × $15 = × $35 = × $15 =
alumoffice@wells.edu 315.364.3200 ■
5 × 7 class photos will be taken on Saturday and are available for $12 each. Please include the cost in the payment due section.
Important Dates APRIL 20 Register by April 20 for a chance to win a Wells-themed gift basket. Register early! MAY 17 Registrations due. After May 17, registrants will be accommodated as space permits. MAY 24 Until May 24, registrations are fully refundable. Unfortunately, due to the costs we incur, refunds cannot be issued after this date.
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE TRANSPORTATION TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ALL-INCLUSIVE TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HOUSING TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MEALS TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5 × 7 CLASS PHOTO @ $12 each . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1969 SPECIAL GIFT @ $10 each
TOTAL
meals total any other special needs or requests
THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS ARE ALREADY CONFIRMED: • Chicago, Illinois
• TBD, Connecticut
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Seattle, Washington
• New York, New York
• Minneapolis, Minnesota (Fête)
• Rochester, New York
• San Francisco, California
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Buffalo, New York
CREDIT CARD PAYMENT If you are paying with credit card please consider our secure online
PAYMENT BY CHECK
system to register at alumni.wells.edu/Reunion.
Make check out to:
credit card #
/
expires mm
38 Spring 2019
last
wells last (MAIDEN)
signature
/ yyyy
CVC
MC AmEx
(last 3 digits on signature line on the back of the card )
VISA Discover
Wells College
MAIL WITH PAYMENT TO: Wells College Alumnae and Alumni Engagement Office 170 Main Street Aurora, Wells.edu 39 NY 13026
GOLF COURSE
Wells College Association 170 Main Street Aurora, NY 13026
COME JOIN THE BIGGEST WELLS PARTY OF THE YEAR!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 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 alumni.wells.edu/Reunion. Here is the tentative schedule for the weekend, subject to change:
THURSDAY, MAY 30
1-9 p.m. Welcome Center Open, Faculty Parlors, Main Building
1-4 p.m. Class Displays, Hagedorn Learning Commons, Long Library 5:30-6:30 p.m. Welcome Reception, TBD 6:30-8:00 p.m. Welcome Dinner, Dining Hall, Main Building 8-10 p.m. Cocktails and Conversation, Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81 Commons
FRIDAY, MAY 31
7-9 a.m. Breakfast, Dining Hall, Main Building
8 a.m.-9 p.m. Welcome Center Open, Faculty Parlors, Main Building 9 a.m. Flag Raising Ceremony, Meet at the Sycamore Tree
9:30-10:30 a.m Reunion College Session 1, E. Marge Matthews Filter Hostetter ’62 Lecture Room, Ann Wilder Stratton ’46 Hall 10:30-10:45 a.m. Coffee Break, Susan Wray Sullivan ’51 Atrium, Ann Wilder Stratton ’46 Hall
7-8:30 p.m Class Dinners • 1969 and prior: Aurora Inn, Lakeside Room • 1970 – 2018: Dining Hall, Main Building 9-11 p.m. Reunion Trivia Night, The Well, Smith Hall
10:45-11:45 a.m. Reunion College Session 2, E. Marge Matthews Filter Hostetter ’62 Lecture Room, Ann Wilder Stratton ’46 Hall
7-9 a.m. Breakfast, Dining Hall, Main Building
Noon-1:30 p.m. Lunch, Dining Hall, Main Building
8 a.m.-6 p.m. Welcome Center Open, Faculty Parlors, Main Building
1-4 p.m. Class Displays, Hagedorn Learning Commons, Long Library
9:30-10:15 a.m. Wells College Association Annual Meeting, Chapel, Main Building
3-4 p.m. Tea Time with Retired Faculty and Staff, Hagedorn Learning Commons, Long Library
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Aurora Farmers Market, Boathouse Lawn
5-6 p.m Reunion Conversation with President Jonathan Gibralter and the President’s Cabinet, E. Marge Matthews Filter Hostetter ’62 Lecture Room, Ann Wilder Stratton ’46 Hall
SATURDAY, JUNE 1
10:30-11 a.m. Reunion Parade, Meet in front of Main Building 11-Noon Alumnae/i Award Ceremony, Margaret Phipps Auditorium, Macmillan Hall
Noon-1:30 p.m. Lunch, Dining Hall, Main Building 1:00 – 4:00 p.m Individual Class Activities 5:30-8:00 p.m Reunion Celebration Dinner, Under the tent, Upper Leach Lot 8:00-11:00 p.m. Celebration Party with Brass, Inc., Under the tent, Upper Leach Lot
SUNDAY, JUNE 2 7 a.m.-Noon Welcome Center Open, Faculty Parlors, Main Building 7:30-10 a.m. Brunch, Dining Hall, Main Building 9-10 a.m. Service of Remembrance, Chapel, Main Building 11:00 a.m. Checkout