June Davis McCormick
18 Lynnbrook Road
St. Louis, MO 63131-2925
jaymccee@yahoo.com
Our class is further diminished by the loss of another classmate. As previously reported, Mary Craig Thomas bravely battled lung cancer, to which she succumbed in September. Our heartfelt sympathy is extended to her husband, Earl, two daughters, a son and six grandchildren, one of whom is Leigh Critzer ’08.
Since husband Ben’s passing in August, Harriet Scott “Scotty” Brockenbrough reported that she has been unbelievably busy on a daily basis. Putting their house in Mechanicsville, Va., on the market brought an immediate sale, for even more than the asking price. Fortunately, the buyer has allowed Harriet to remain until late February when her new residence was to have been completed. Scotty’s children have been supportive during this major change in her life.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, Kate Mayo Schmidt and Bill spent early October conferring with a builder about the construction of their new house in a nearby small town. Many e-mails were exchanged between Kate and me as her Houston Astros and my St. Louis Cardinals went on to the playoffs and reversed roles for the World Series. Returning to Houston after that disappointment, Kate had cataract surgery and a week of restricted activity. That same week, the Schmidts put their Houston home on the market and it sold in a matter of days, for which they were unprepared. As a result, Kate and Bill had a scant month to move everything to the farm to await the completion of their new home. Obviously, Kate added, they had a lot to do in a short period of time!
Welcome news came from Anne McCaskill Libis about the trip she and Claude made in the fall to West Virginia. In early October, Margaret “Peggy” Elliott Sweeney arrived from Ilion, N.Y., for a visit with Anne and Claude in Baltimore. As pre-arranged, the three then drove to meet Frances Houston Layton and Roland at West Virginia’s Blackwater State Park Lodge. Roland and Claude were classmates at Western Maryland College while the three Fabulous Forty-Niners were becoming best friends at Mary Washington. In the course of events, Anne and Claude played Cupid by introducing Roland to Fran, and they took it from there. Now, fast-forward some 50-odd years to the happy reunion of the three classmates from Marye’s Hilltop and the two male buddies. Anne said they shared three wonderful days together, hiking, listening to bluegrass music, enjoying the fall scenery, and just getting to know each other even better. Anne said Fran still plays her cello in and around Lewisburg, W.Va. Before dispersing, the old friends also helped celebrate Claude’s birthday.
Another meeting of longtime friends took place in Harrisburg, Pa., where Jeanne Farrington Leslie and Mike joined Mary Elwang Sharp and her daughter, Kathy, at a regional dog show. Kathy was there to show her beautiful Brittany spaniels. While Mary didn’t report the results of the judging, she said they all had a wonderful visit.
Charlotte “Chot” Baylis Rexon reported on the adventures she and husband Fred had last year. In early spring, they were jitterbugging when Chot tripped, fell and ended up with a fractured kneecap and a torn meniscus. Not one to be deterred, Chot recovered nicely, enabling them to travel in June to Vermont, where they attended a wedding and visited with Chot’s roommate Dorothy “Dotty” Booker Pinkham and Dave for a few lovely days. The Rexons later enjoyed a fabulous cruise around the British Isles. They spent the summer in Ocean City, N.J., with their extended family coming and going. In November, they took another cruise to relax before Fred’s knee replacement in December. In summary, Chot said she and Fred had a busy but happy 2005. To top everything off, she said, they fell in love with and bought a precious bichon frisé. Just what these consummate cruisers needed – a dog!
Ever busy with many things, Anna “Andi” Dulany Lyons and her rescued golden retriever continue performing community service in Manassas. Andi and Hannah, a certified therapy dog, make regular visits to a nursing home and the local hospital, where Hannah brings pleasure to the sick, the lonely and the apprehensive. In recent months, the therapy group has expanded to include a reading project. It is geared to young children who know how to read but have trouble reading aloud to people. As dogs are totally nonjudgmental, the child learns to read to the dog, which eventually transfers to the classroom situation. While Hannah needed no further training for her role, Andi had to undergo many hours of instruction.
An update on their latest travels came from Marion “Wendy” Selfe Kelly and husband George, who had deemed this their last big jaunt. Rather than taking “a slow boat,” the Kellys flew in an airplane to China. They also visited Japan. As a pilot in WWII, George had been based for a time in China, so Wendy really had a built-in, knowledgeable guide. The couple also visited Croatia and Slovenia, where Wendy had lived for several years when her first husband was in the service, and where one of their children was born. Then, a chance encounter with a resident of Lumberton, N.C., prompted George to ask about a fellow he remembered as being from that town. As a result, the Kellys traveled to Lumberton last fall to be reunited with George’s co-pilot, whom he had not seen in 60 years! Wendy and George were happy to return home to Lynchburg and their apartment in the Westminster-Canterbury retirement complex. Another of our classmates also resides in the same complex. Esther Reece McVeigh left Mary Washington after freshman year but has kept her interest in our class and her love for our alma mater. Esther and Betty Bond Heller Nichols have been friends for many years, so she’s kept up with the news of our changing school and her classmates. Now for the latest news from Betty: She has accepted a new paying job at the ripe old age of whatever! After a lifetime of graciously playing piano for every possible occasion for a wide variety of productions and performers, of smiling through interminable rehearsals, and of readily recalling every melody suggested, whistled or hummed, B.B. has come full circle. Right at her doorstep in Lexington, Betty has been hired as the accomplished accompanist for the V.M.I. Glee Club.
Good news also came from Barbara Watson Barden and husband Bob, who had a lovely six-week summer vacation at their cottage in New Hampshire. Bob inherited the cottage, a Barden family retreat for many years, from his father. Daughter Priscilla and her husband bought a place nearby, and the entire family has devoted many hours to refurbishing it. The Bardens’ sons, Jeff and Rob, and their families live elsewhere in New Hampshire, but were in and out during their stay. With both cottages on a lovely lake, there’s always time after a day’s work or play for a swim or peaceful float aboard their catamaran. Back in Lancaster, Barb happily baby-sits Calvin, the newest grandchild and light of her life.
We were delighted to receive an update from Virginia “Ginnie” Colwell Read. Ginnie and husband Don returned to Marco Island, Fla., after spending last summer at their Wisconsin home. Ginnie said July was a full, noisy and fun month, shared with their four children and their spouses, 10 grandchildren, assorted nieces, friends and their children. Needing to recuperate and enjoy the wonderful Wisconsin weather, Ginnie and Don stayed at Lake Julia through the end of September. In October, the Reads traveled to Colorado and visited one daughter who lives on a ranch in Loveland with her husband and four horses. They then visited a cousin in Colorado Springs and a friend in Denver. Ginnie and Don also plan a visit to Knoxville, Tenn., where one son and his wife have their medical practices and are the parents of 7-year-old triplets.
Ginnie also reported on the third annual alumni luncheon, which featured President Anderson and Jeff Rountree ’91, Mary Washington’s Vice President for Development. Held at the Registry in Naples, Fla., Ginnie said each year has brought a larger number of attendees and affords an opportunity to get to know other alumni in the area. One special surprise was finding Betty Lou Shelhorse Rogers now living nearby in Naples. Ginnie and Don had lunch with Betty Lou and husband Ed and found it delightful to renew old friendships. Ginnie also has been in touch with Ann White Dobbins and said Ann seems to be doing well after the death of her husband in April 2004. Ginnie and Ann hoped to get together.
With 10 classmates known to be residing in Florida and others in Gulf Coast areas, we were most concerned about their safety during the horrific hurricanes. In the absence of any further word from those in harm’s way, we continue to hope for the best.