Class Notes 1960s
| 1960 | 1961 | 1962 |
| 1964 | 1965 | 1966 |
| 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1960
Jody Campbell Close
3653 Kingswood Court
Clermont, FL 34711
jclose2@cfl.rr.com
Karen Larsen Nelson
2550 S. Ellsworth Road, #399
Mesa, AZ 85209
karenlarsen_nelson@alumni.umw.edu
From Karen:
Susan Beil Segalla earned a master’s degree from Lehigh University, was employed by aircraft companies in Baltimore and on Long Island, married in 1964, gave birth to a daughter, divorced, and moved to Reading, Pa. There, she raised her daughter, taught school, programmed computers, and became an independent programmer and systems analyst. In 1975, she began flying airplanes, and in 1985 bought her own Piper Archer plane. She attended her daughter’s two college graduations and subsequent marriage. In 1996, Susan moved from Pennsylvania to Florida, met air show pilot Stanley Segalla, received free aerobatic lessons from him, and they married in 2002. She now summers in New England – where Stanley flies in air shows – and winters in Florida. Together, they have eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. They enjoy traveling, flying, and the new generations.
Like most of us, Suzanne Smith Goodrick’s education at Mary Washington has allowed her to pursue several different careers. After graduation, she went to work at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., hoping to travel the world, but love intervened and she married before her first opportunity to go abroad. Her husband’s job with the Department of Agriculture did take them to Puerto Rico for 18 months. After the birth of her two children and the start of Bob’s new job in Florida, she became a stay-at-home mom until her youngest started school; then, she became an instructional aide in the local school. Time marches on and, in 1994, with kids grown and successfully graduated from college, Sue and Bob retired and moved to Wilmington, N.C., built their dream house, and enjoyed eight years surviving three hurricanes. In 2002, Bob was diagnosed with a brain tumor and passed away in 2004. After Bob’s death, Sue’s parents needed her help, so she moved to Wilmington. Her dad is in a nursing facility, and Sue is primary caregiver for her mom, who is still in her own home. Sue’s other activities these days revolve around working in her garden, being secretary of the local Women’s Club, and enjoying her two grandsons.
Cary Tilton Doyle, who had a marvelous recovery from a brain aneurysm in 2003, joined her son and family this summer for a trip to Vail, Colo., and rooted for her oldest grandson who is on a traveling lacrosse team. While there, she toured Denver and visited her sister and her family. At home, Cary is active in Kiwanis and enjoys reading to a second-grade class each month. She practices yoga, enjoys singing with a group of 60 women who visit nursing homes in Richmond, and is in the Altar Guild at her church.
Dodie Tyrell headed to New Jersey in October for her 50th high school reunion. After attending Mary Washington, she received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of Richmond and her master’s degree in psychology from Pepperdine University. Dodie worked at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and was employed at UCLA for almost 30 years as a research associate in various neurological and neuropsychiatry research programs. In 1991 she moved to Sacramento, Calif., did a stint with health and aging, and now serves as the research manager for the California Department of Health Services Alzheimer’s Disease Program. She’s had biographies printed in Who’s Who in the U.S. Her volunteer activities include working in various capacities with the Los Angeles Opera, the Metropolitan Opera Auditions in the west, and as an administrative officer for the California Disaster Medical Assistance Team under the Department of Homeland Security. She was also deployed to New Orleans in September 2005, as part of Hurricane Katrina rescue efforts. Wow, did I have trouble condensing this lady’s activities! Her final note was “No husbands, children, or grandchildren!” My response: How would she ever have found the time?
Gail Mooney Grobe and husband Lee, of Fairfax County, Va., occasionally return to our beautiful Mary Washington, enjoying both the campus and the charming atmosphere of Fredericksburg. She says that although many changes on campus have occurred, the former splendor remains. Following graduation in 1960, Gail worked for the State of Maryland, Department of Social Services. In 1971, she married a career Army officer, and had wonderful experiences as an Army wife. She and Lee have three children and three grandchildren. Their greatest satisfaction is watching with pride all the accomplishments of their 31-year-old Down syndrome son. She stays in close contact with her roomie, Carolyn Rolston Rourke.
After spending more than 35 years in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dee Merrill Albright and her husband, Al, retired to Williamsburg. She is busy with church and volunteer activities, many of which revolve around her love of gardening – being a Master Gardener, a member of the Herb Society of America, and a garden guide for Colonial Williamsburg – all which leaves very little time for her own garden. She has met several Mary Washington grads that live in Williamsburg, but not from the Class of ’60. She sees Pat Gray Proulx ’59 several times a year at the Broadway Series in Norfolk.
Willie Burton Calhoun and Jim have migrated north to Mount Joy, Pa., between Harrisburg and Lancaster. They are enjoying meeting people in their new community, which is adult-oriented and has a community center, many activities, hiking trails, and a park. Jim’s brother and sister are within 15 minutes of their home.
Cyd Day Getchell made her annual summer trip to the Rosebud, South Dakota, Indian reservation where she has become an adopted member of the nation. She is amazed by the level of poverty and also by the number of academically and artistically gifted children and young people on the reservation. In order to pursue their dreams, they need personal and financial support as well as a good education. Cyd has established a foundation to make these good things happen. Due to space constraints, we are unable to provide more than these highlights about Cyd’s project and her love and concern for these people. However, if you would like to help her meet her goals, we will provide you with Cyd’s email address.
After graduation from Mary Washington, Carolyn Rolston Rourke studied medical records administration in Baltimore, and she accepted a position at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. In 1974, she met and married Dr. John Rourke, and they moved to Harrison, N.Y. Their lives were blessed in 1976 with the birth of a daughter. When John retired in 1996, they moved to the Bar Harbor area of Maine, where they anticipated enjoying all the natural wonder. They were not disappointed and were thrilled with the tranquil beauty of their adopted state. John died in 1998, two months before their daughter’s graduation from the Air Force Academy. Susie’s graduation and subsequent Air Force assignments, however, have brought Carolyn much joy and adventure, both in the United States and abroad. Carolyn was further blessed by Susie’s marriage to an Air Force officer last year, and she anticipated being a grandmother in January of this year.
Betsy Hopkins Hays and Rusty spent a month in England visiting their daughter’s family and four grandkids. Rusty is the same U.S. Naval Academy guy she was engaged to while at Mary Washington, she said. After nine years in the Navy, he headed to business school, then worked for the federal government in Washington, D.C., where he received the call to full-time pastoral ministry and attended seminary to prepare for the new career. Betsy and Rusty have served in churches up and down the eastern seaboard. When Rusty retired from full-time ministry in 2004, they moved to Fort Meyers, Fla. They are temporarily in Vicksburg, Miss., where Rusty is an interim pastor. Betsy is a four-year breast cancer survivor. In addition to travel to England, they visit their son in North Dakota, and Rusty leads tours to Israel, Turkey, and Greece.
Liz Hill Heaney and Bob left Amelia Island, Fla., in early November to be nearer their children and grandchildren and live in a beautiful new home in Dover, N.C. They planned to be settled in for the holidays.
After five grandsons, Nancy Carruthers Meeker is ecstatic over the recent birth of a granddaughter! She’s doubly excited because this one lives in Florida near her, and she’ll get to see her often. Sharon Scott Bailey has returned to Florida, after summering in Wisconsin, and she is substitute teaching.
Co-class agent Jody Campbell Close happily anticipated a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with her eldest son and his family in North Carolina, and a really fun Christmas in Seattle with her daughter and her family. She took up watercolor painting and Tai Chi last fall, but wasn’t ready to report on her efforts in either area – yet.
Last June, we went on a delightful camping trip through the western national parks with grandchild No. 6, who was absolutely enchanted with every place she visited. We spent July and August in Show Low, Ariz., landscaping our RV site and getting acquainted with neighbors. We survived our annual 10-day September round dance “marathon” in New Mexico, returned to Show Low to close up the trailer for the winter, and headed south to Phoenix for our winter life in “perpetual summer.” We enjoy our round dance workshops and visits with friends. We spent Christmas with our daughter and her four children in Las Vegas.
We’re one year closer to our 50th now, ladies, and there are still many of you we haven’t heard from. Keep those cards and emails coming; Jody and I love to hear from you.
1961
Renee Levinson Laurents
11906 Beatrice St.
Culver City, CA 90230
Arjle@aol.com
Connie Booth Logothetis
2816 Kennedy Road
Wilmington, DE 19810
Logothet@comcast.net
Lynne Williams Neave
530 East 86th St.
New York, NY 10028
Lyneave@aol.com
From Connie (A-G):
I’ll start off with news gleaned from last January when I made Reunion calls; then I’ll cover post-reunion news, mainly from my third of the class members. Thanks to all for contacting me!
Graham Walker Burns, our freshman class president, is one busy lady! After graduating from UNC, she married Arthur Lee “Bud” Burns, raised seven children in Lookout Mountain., Tenn., and now has five grandchildren. In 1994, Graham entered the real estate field and has become a multimillion-dollar producer each year, as well as being active on several community boards. Only a daughter’s wedding in June kept her from Reunion.
Julia “Judi” Early Bidwick and her husband, Al, divide their time between Venice, Fla., and Ocean City, Md., where most of their blended family of seven children and 16 grandchildren live. Both are retired teachers/principals and now volunteer with the boating auxiliary of the Coast Guard, spending 30 hours a week teaching sailing, navigation, and water safety; patrolling the waters; and helping with hurricane relief.
Betsy Ottley Taggart lives in Cheyenne, Wyo. Lynn McCarthy suffers from chronic breathing problems and lives in an assisted-living facility in Frankfort, Ky.
Mary Hatcher, of Wilmington, N.C., is retired, busy, and hopes to travel to Singapore. Porter Phillips Booker, of Poquoson, Va., attended Mary Washington for two years and finished at Old Dominion. She raised four children, one of whom graduated from Mary Washington in 1991, and is retired from teaching. Carol Schock Furman of Virginia Beach cares for her two preschool-aged grandchildren, while her younger daughter teaches at Old Dominion. Her older daughter is a registered nurse in Charlottesville. Conflicting reunions kept Sandra Phillips Conklyn from attending ours; her husband’s at Bucknell won out. Sandra went to nursing school in Lancaster, Pa., and continued in her field for 20 years. She has two children and three grands.
Sue Ellen Peacock Hains was with us only during freshman year. She and her husband, John, a school teacher, lived for many years in Suffern, N.Y, and now live in Los Alamos, N.M., where she earned a degree from the University of New Mexico. They have a daughter in Honolulu and a married son in New York. When I spoke to her, she had complications from a broken foot, and we hope she is back on her feet by now!
I caught up with Matt McCeney Campbell in Atlanta where she was taking care of her grandchildren while her daughter was ill. She lives in Nashville, Tenn., and is in touch with Babs Buse Johnson of Bowie, Md., and Jean Ryan Farrell of Dunwoody, a suburb in Atlanta. The Farrells travel a lot – scuba diving in the Caribbean, skiing in Utah, visiting a son and family in Oslo, Norway, and volunteering in the Honduras with church members.
Judy LaRoe Hare of Alpharetta, Ga., is on three teams with the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Assoc., and she travels out west to ski. She works from home, running My Pool Pal, a company that manufactures children’s flotation devices and other specialized swim products. She’s been divorced for many years and enjoys traveling to Kentucky, Arizona, and Oregon to see her three kids and grandkids. Janice Murphy Riefler’s husband died, and she divides her time between her home in Hamburg, N.Y., and Los Cabos, Mexico. She has two children and seven grandchildren. Bobbie Brookes Nation lives in London, and has a daughter and grandchild. Mary Jane Giles Stearns is in Dubach, La. Linda Berenguer is a librarian in Shandaken, a suburb in upper New York State.
Our beautiful May Queen Sylvia Barden Heiner Wester lost her battle with ovarian cancer in September. She lived in Atlanta for many years and owned a couple of companies. Her immediate family consisted of her second husband, Allen; two children from her marriage to Phil Heiner, who died in 1982; five grandchildren; and her mother. Dee Doran Cairns and Doug went to the memorial service and remembered the fun times visiting the Heiners in Atlanta.
Patsy Whitehead Towle has moved to a smaller house on Cape Cod after her second husband died; she has two daughters, one in Austin, Texas, and the other in Annapolis, Md. Each daughter has presented Patsy with two granddaughters.
Vaughan Hargroves Scott has throat cancer, and her brother died recently. She would appreciate messages from classmates. Please contact me or the UMW Office of Alumni Relations for Vaughan’s email address. This news hits us hard, but seems to strengthen those ties of friendship made more than 45 years ago.
Eleanor Knight Jensen and Cliff both are retired from their chemistry careers at Union Carbide, and they are hardly ever home in New Fairfield, Conn. Last year, they visited China, Maine, and St. Barts, and they spent three months in New Zealand and three weeks in Fiji.
Eleanor asked that I let you know that Nancy Hamlin had a stroke in July, but is improving in a rehab center in Roanoke. Nancy, twice divorced, has three children. She sold her very successful Century 21 Realty business a few years ago, but still worked some in real estate.
Carolyn Barnette Wright lives in Pembroke Pines, a suburb of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. In May, she retired after teaching 45 years, most of them as a professor of psychology and education at Miami-Dade College in Miami. She hopes to see us at the next reunion. Good planning!
Carole Grant LeMay and Ralph still live in Natchez, Miss., liking it so well that they decided to stay after his retirement from International Paper in 1999. They have a daughter and family in Birmingham, where they may eventually move. She was off for a trip to Europe, including a cruise in Sicily, in October. Bev Carlson Shea lives in Bethlehem, Pa., and is in close touch with roomie Joan Gibson Lippold.
Ellen Grumbly deGail – a.k.a. Grum, which she still loves to be called – divorced in 2002 and moved from Maryland’s Eastern Shore in January 2006. She now lives in an active, 55-plus community, Peppertree Crossing, in Brunswick, Ga., and loves it! Grum has two sons, one in Maryland, the other in Wisconsin.
About two years ago, she popped in to see Carlotta Croghan Clark at one of their several lighting stores in Annapolis, Md., and said she hasn’t changed – just as crazy as ever!
Grum, Nancy Wright, and Joan Gibson Lippold, have gotten together for several years. She reports Nancy and Joan are as much fun as ever! Nancy is doing well now, adjusting to Grant’s unexpected death a few years ago. She travels a lot with friends, and she lives in a new condo in Springfield, Va.
Joan is her usual bubbly self. She is retired from teaching, lives in Port Republic, Md., and she and husband Jim are world travelers. They have a daughter nearby, and another daughter in Texas. Grum, Nancy, and Joan have made a pact to attend our 50th.
Andy and I traveled to Greece and Istanbul in May. He had both knees replaced in August, so we have been home enjoying our delightful Basset Lab, Fiona, and planning our next adventure. I love hearing from you, by any means you choose, so keep those communication lines open!
From Renee (H-Q):
Hope all of you are well and enjoyed a lovely fall and winter. First, thanks to these ladies who responded so promptly to my request for information: Sara, Sylvia, Peggy, Marilyn, and Debbie. Next time, I promise to give you guys more of a heads up.
Here’s my news. I have retired from the practice of law and have taken up the mantle of bum and, thus far, I’m good at it! Actually, in retirement, I’ve been so busy I don’t know how I had time to work. I love cruises, so a repeat to the Mexican Riviera at the end of November was in the cards, and I’m going to Greece and Turkey in May. At home, I have two dogs and a cat and three outside strays that, because I feed them, show up at the same time morning and evening! I attend classes at Beverly Hills Adult School and that is fun! There is volunteering for animal rescue groups, and there is theater, concerts, and, of course, shopping! I am handling a few minor matters for friends, but apart from that, I haven’t cracked a law book in months!
Sara Prosterman Brown enjoyed a week-long visit by Sarah Leigh and husband Tom Kinberg this past winter. It’s amazing to get back together with old friends and reminisce. Sara still works full time in healthcare recruiting; in her spare moments, she quilts, takes walks, and gardens. She is enjoying grandchildren – four local and three in Richmond.
Sylvia McJilton Woodcock and Stuart spent last May in China, Japan, and Thailand. A recent UMW President’s Council Book Club featured our own class member, Emyl Jenkins, who gave an exceptional talk. She has gone from writing books on antiques to writing novels. Emyl’s latest, released last year, Stealing with Style, is entertaining and very well written.
Reading about Emyl in the winter issue of UMW TODAY led Becky Paris Spetz to become a big fan. Becky met former roommates, Carol Turner Daniels and Judy Abbott Copes, in Greensboro, N.C., for a long weekend in August. Travel, bridge, reading, hiking, and families make full schedules for each one of them.
While on her way to a duplicate bridge tournament in Ocean City, Becky stopped by UMW and picked up a brochure on the new Carmen Culpeper Chappell ’59 Centennial Campanile on Double Drive near George Washington Hall. It is an 88-foot bell tower that will become a beautiful addition to the campus entrance.
Peggy Howard Hodgkins, Lloyd Tilton Backstrom, and Lloyd’s husband, Art, had a fast-paced two-week tour of Egypt in October. It included a camel ride; a sunrise hot-air-balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings and Queens; three nights on the Nile River; trips through temples, tombs, and museums; and visits in the homes of folks in Cairo, Luxor, and a Nubian village near Aswan. Peggy went on her regular Jacksonville Beach trip in November, visited her Mom, and attended her brother’s wedding.
Cindy Scott Margot and Woodie spend last fall in Hilton Head, the winter in Florida, and the summer in Scotland.
For 26 years, Marilyn Messier Whitmore and husband Bill have made their home in the Simi Valley in Southern California. She works part-time for Bill, who still has his own business, and they have no plans to retire soon. They have three daughters, all of whom married great guys, and they all live within two miles of Marilyn and Bill. There are 10 grandchildren, three boys and seven girls, ranging from age 1 to 22. One day each week, Marilyn is a docent at the nearby Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. It’s in a beautiful spot atop a mountain and has an Air Force One Pavilion that houses the Boeing 707 used by seven presidents.
Marilyn reports the following: Sybil Smith Lyon lives in Glastonbury, Conn.; Kay Gamble Reinehr lives in Danbury, Conn.; and Peg Hobart Mailler ’62 lives in Warrenton, Va. They are all well and happy, with many grandchildren. Marilyn can’t believe our 50th reunion will be here before we know it. It’ll always be the way I remember college, but I’m glad it is now a university.
Debbie Phinney Wylie does some tutoring for the SAT exam and keeps busy with tennis, bridge, and the Friends of the Library. She spent a wonderful 10 days in Italy with her sister, her first trip since her husband, Tom, died. She said she is managing. She planned to spend the holidays in St. Louis with her two sons, one daughter, and four of eight grandchildren; the newest arrived in March and evened up the score to four girls and four boys.
From Lynne (R-Z):
This being my very first Class Notes submission, it will probably be pretty unimaginative. I will do my best, though, to carry on the tradition of the beautiful job Ann Hopkins Burroughs did for so many years. Please share your news and email addresses with me or send news via snail mail.
Jane Riles took her annual summer artists’ workshop in Cannes, France. She has since returned home to San Diego, Calif., where her daughter, Marguerite, works as a nurse practitioner, Marguerite and her husband have a son, Abner. Older daughter Annelise and her husband teach at Cornell University; they have a child named Xavier.
Jane was delighted to have visited with Connie Booth Logothetis, Andy, and their new dog, Fiona, in Wilmington. She also visited Great Falls, Va., to see Clara Sue Durden Ashley and Clarence, a docent at the Library of Congress. Clara Sue organized another very successful quilt show at her church fair in September. She finished her last chemo treatment in October.
Sally Barlow Smith-Miller, who was with us junior and senior years, married Chris Miller a week after our graduation. They have been adventuring since then, including living 11 years in New Zealand, but have returned to Fellsmere, Fla., to be close to their three sons and five grandchildren. Pat Scott Peck was Sally’s roommate both years. Pat’s brother and only sibling, Tom, died suddenly last November in Washington, D.C. He had been ill for several years. Carolyn Spell Robertson, of Pensacola, Fla., is retired, having worked in her husband’s dental office as his business manager for a number of years. She was concerned about not knowing what to do after devoting 21 years to office, church, ministry, and family matters.
Kay Slaughter works half time for Southern Environmental Law Center and teaches an environmental and land use law class at U.Va. Barbara Steen Paulman of Barrington, Ill., husband Roger, and Prudie Shepard went camping on the Georgian Bay in Ontario recently. Pru has retired, lives in Sandy Hook, Conn., and is in great shape. Barbara and Roger keep active – traveling, playing tennis, playing bridge, and gardening. Every year, around March, they visit daughter Julia and family in England for a month. They frequently visit their son, Fred, and his family, who live nearby in Illinois.
The Saunders twins were world travelers in 2006; their most recent trip was nine-days of yacht sailing around the Cyclades in Greece. In addition, Eleanor Saunders Sunderland has been to Paris, Milan, Eastern Turkey, Cyprus, and London. Fortunately, for the holidays she planned to be home in Falls Church, Va., with her three children, five grandchildren, and her ex-husband. Judy Saunders Slifer enjoyed another cruise in June to Alaska, while Bob happily stayed home with their cat in Crownsville, Md.
Polly Updegraff Champ is still involved with the theater. She worked wardrobe for the Mamma Mia touring company in September and Carmen at the Connecticut Opera in October. They winter in Delray Beach, Fla. It was so special to me to see and chat with Katharine Nell Robinson May at the reunion. She is gorgeous and seems to be loving life with Richard in Williamsburg. They take advantage of the College of William and Mary activities and seem to enjoy various sporting events and travel. Last year they traveled to South Africa, Egypt, and England.
Aggie Welsh Eyster is still in San Antonio, Texas, and was named 2006 Artist of the Year by the San Antonio Art League. She considered it thrilling to be chosen, as each year the honor goes for something different and can be a young emerging artist or an established one. She thinks her work stirred things up since it includes everything from traditional transparent watercolor to recycled materials. She and Dick have four grandchildren; they report that life is good.
As for an update on my activities, Sandy and I continue to enjoy our lives and his “semi”-retired status. We planned to spend two weeks in November and February in Boca Grande, Fla., and hope to join the UMW trip to the Greek Isles and Turkey in June.
1962
Ann Tench Huml
P.O. Box 4039
Emerald Isle, NC 28594
ahuml@ec.rr.com
Patricia Mackey Taylor
351 Level Green Court
Hampton, VA 23669
PTaylor55@cox.net
1964
Elizabeth Jennings Peterson
2655 35th St.
Moline, IL 61265
betmelp@earthlink.net
Betsy Stanley Klein hopes she will have moved in to their renovated home by the time you read this. She continues to enjoy her 18-month-old grandson.
Carol Major Smith and her husband of 41 years, Ben, live in Sharps, Va., in the Northern Neck. Ben is in the oyster and packaged ice business with their son. Their two daughters live in Richmond, and one has two children. Carol retired after 16 years as alumnae director/coordinator of special events at St. Margaret’s School in Tappahannock. Their travels have included a trip to England and several cruises – one to the Panama Canal.
Linda Reading Pullen lives in Dallas near her daughter, Anne. Susan Turner Weaver lives in Costa Mesa, Calif., and has two grown children. Judy Bailey Givens lives in Denver and has four grown children. Ann Little Preece makes her home in Atlanta.
Jean Gano Neisius has lived in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for 17-plus years and received her doctorate in English at Texas Christian University. On a part-time basis, she teaches college-level English, mostly writing. Last fall she really felt she was returning home to Virginia when she taught at VMI for a semester, had four classes of “rats,” and loved every minute of it. Her oldest, a Naval Academy grad, is in D.C. as a Naval Reservist, but should be back in Dallas soon. Both daughters live in Dallas with their husbands. One has two small sons, so they get to see their grandparents often. Last year, Jean and her husband of 41 years, David, traveled to Machu Picchu, where they climbed from the city, at 7,000 feet, to the Sun Gate, at 9,400 feet! They also visited the Galapagos Islands and planned to see Germany and Austria in the spring.
Norma Bass Mears has lived in Virginia Beach since 1982 when the Marine Corps transferred Don to Norfolk. She taught elementary school at Quantico, Camp Lejeune, and in Virginia Beach; she retired in 2004. Norma’s daughter, her husband, and their two children live nearby. Norma’s son lives in Richmond with his wife; they were expecting a child in March. In the fall of 2005, Norma and Don traveled to Italy and France, where her art history degree came in handy.
Marilyn E. Washburn has been an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ for 26 years and a pastor at Faith United Church of Christ in Frederick, Md., for 16 years. She chairs the board of directors of Interfaith Housing Alliance, the largest nonprofit affordable housing builders in the state, and she spent a week last year assisting hurricane survivors in Mississippi. She continues to knit, something she began in college, and when she retires in a couple of years, she plans to knit for profit!
Anne Raymond Hufnagel and Fred are finally in their renovated house and love it! They have a new grandson, born last July. Their Naval Academy group met in Atlanta this year; next year they will meet in Tuscany. Virginia McClenahan Denny is widowed with one son. She is controller/treasurer of an electrical supply house in central New Jersey. Anne’s roommate, Jessie Weisiger Dyess, also widowed, is a retired school teacher. Jessie lives in Jacksonville, Fla., and has one son. Anne and Jessie keep in touch and have traveled together to Europe, England, Scotland, and Ireland.
After teaching Spanish for 21 years in Millburn, N.J., Linda Hopkins Lapin retired to Southern California with husband Ken. Son David lives in Simi Valley, Calif., so they see their grandson often. Their other son, Jason, his wife, and two children live in Las Vegas, Nev.
Marietta “Bunnie” Hirschhorn Montgomery and husband Wally live in Belton, Texas, where he retired from the Army at Fort Hood. Bunnie taught English for the Killeen Independent School District until she retired in 2003; she continues to work part time for University of Mary Hardin Baylor and for an alternative teacher certification program. Daughter Lorie’s husband is with the U.S. Coast Guard stationed with the embassy in Trinidad/Tobago. Beth’s husband, Rob, is career Air Force and attends the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. They have one daughter, with another on the way.
Mary F. Blatcher said Julia Welde Palmer and husband Charlie stopped by her home in Rice, Va., last October on their way to Richmond. On their trip they also visited Romine R. Newsome in Windsor, Va. It seems like yesterday Romine and I were bridesmaids in Julia’s wedding! Linda Rudd Davis retired from medical practice management when she and husband Peter moved from Arizona to Maine in May 2006. They moved to be closer to their daughter and granddaughter whom they visit often as it is a two-hour drive away. Their son and his wife now live in New York State and are within commuting distance. Last summer, Betsy Churchman Geary, husband Raymond, and Peggy Morgan Tarr – all from Columbia, S.C. – visited us for a week.
Peggy Mitchell Bliss, our classmate and a Skidmore graduate, retired from media/video production at the Hartford (Conn.) Hospital after 23 years. She has started the University of Connecticut master gardener program to keep her brain working. “Now, I’ve learned why my grapes died 40 years ago,” she said. She maintained the Connecticut Herb Society’s Herb Garden in Hartford as her internship, and she volunteered in the University’s Extension Office. There she got to know one of her master gardener classmates who graduated from UMW 40 years after her. They compared differences in their classes and college life and enjoyed much laughter.
1965
Phyllis Cavedo Weisser
5308 Fairfield West
Dunwoody, GA 30338
pcweisser@yahoo.com
Last summer, Sue Wooldridge Rosser, Carolyn Shockey Moore, and I met in Virginia Beach for a mini-reunion. We had fun reminiscing about old times and marveling at how none of us had changed a bit in the 40-plus years since our last get together! Sue and I continue to meet in Atlanta when she visits her son, Reed. I try to send the unedited version of our classmates’ notes to everyone on my email list; however, many of you have changed your addresses and a few of you control spam by censoring your emails. If you want to get news from me and all your sisters, please add me to your approved list or email me your new address.
Life in North Carolina is still wonderful for Penny Partridge. In March 2006, she visited daughter Lisa and her family in Kobe, Japan. She had an intense immersion in Japanese culture that included beautiful shrines, temples, gardens, and lots of Buddhas. She had a fabulous time sightseeing and hanging with grandsons Zach, 5, and Jonah, 3. In April, granddaughter Ellie Maguire was born to Trisha and her husband who live about ten minutes from Penny’s home in Holly Springs. So with 2-year-old Aidan and his new baby sister, life got even better! Penny planned to teach at Wake Tech Community College in the fall so she can pay for her passions.
Lee Smith Musgrave had macular surgery last March. The surgery was a piece of cake, she said, but the recovery – face down for two weeks plus six weeks of minimized activity – was a mental and physical challenge.
Even though Janet Hess Bello is a “Grammy,” she seems to be more active than ever in her profession. After she and Joe raised two sons, mostly in Atlanta, they make their home in Rhode Island. They have a combined family that includes four granddaughters, a new grandson, and another who was expected in January.
Missy Bush Shives took a 16-day trip to Albania, Macedonia, Northern Greece, and Bulgaria. She traveled from the Adriatic to the Black Sea and visited Alexander the Great’s birthplace in Pella, Greece. Margaret “Meg” Cobourn John retired last December from AT&T. She is heading to warmer climes – Myrtle Beach, S.C. By the next issue, she should be happily ensconced in her condo 10 miles from the beach.
Lisa Corder Wharton lives in Georgetown, Del., and is a former teacher of Latin and French. She spent the last 16 of her teaching years in a classroom across the hall from Donna Lingo Rauch, who was her roomie for their sophomore and senior years at Mary Washington. They have both retired, mainly to be able to coordinate care for ailing parents. Lisa has a wonderful husband and two grown children who live nearby. They love to travel and spend every weekend they can at their home on the Chesapeake. She travels often with Trudy Kitchen Kohl, who was at Mary Washington for two years. Trudy lives in Virginia Beach, and together they have traveled to France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Hong Kong, and Spain.
Anabel Williams Greenlee and husband John celebrated their 41st anniversary while walking Hadrian’s Wall in England. She first heard of the wall while in Dr. Lindsey’s British history class at Mary Washington, and she developed an immediate desire to walk it. While there, she made a pilgrimage to the Abbey of St. Bede the Venerable in Newcastle.
Evelyn “Evie” Crews King-Cox survived her first hurricane on the Northern Neck in Virginia. The water rose to six feet above flood stage (higher than during Hurricane Isabel in 2004).
Susan Cutler Oertel’s husband, Bob, was elected to the Cumberland County, Va., Board of Supervisors. Susan was pleased and proud to have been appointed to the Cumberland County Social Services Board in July 2006 for a four-year term. It was a particularly meaningful appointment for her since, before retiring in 2000, she was in the social services field for 32 years and had been director of Social Services Department. In October, she was elected to a three-year term as an elder in her church, Cumberland Presbyterian.
1966
Katherine Rogers Lavery
507 Devonshire Drive NE
Vienna, VA 22180
hlavery1@cox.net
Barbara Bishop Mann traveled from Richmond in September with Jana Privette Usry to attend the inauguration of Dr. Frawley, the new UMW President. After an impressive ceremony and luncheon, they drove around Fredericksburg, stopping – of course – by Carl’s. They also met Gerry Sargent Habas and her husband at the luncheon and visited with them later at the inaugural ball.
Grace Marie Bamforth Garriott wrote from Virginia Beach that she enjoyed at mini-reunion last summer with Mary Kathryn Rowell Horner, from Alexandria, Va.; Dinah Walsh Eitelman, from Hampton, Va.; and Pat Johnson Orgain, from Chesapeake,Va. It was the first time all four of them had been together since graduation. Grace Marie and Pat have visited regularly, while accompanying their husbands to Charlottesville to attend U.Va. football games. Grace Marie has retired from teaching and is encouraging husband Dick to cut his work week back to three days. Two of their children and all five grandchildren live in the Virginia Beach area and participate in many family events. Their youngest daughter lives in Greenville, N.C. Grace sends fond greetings to Dr. Van Sant, our beloved class sponsor, and is sorry to have missed seeing him at our reunion last June. Pat and Frank, now retired, have earned their real estate licenses and spend their spare time playing golf. Pat has joined the Class of ’65’s group of cancer survivors and is happily enjoying good health.
Sally Souder wrote that she has moved into a condo in Bradenton, Fla., where the landscaping is worthy of a botanical garden. After settling in, she planned a December trip to Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Nancy Dean Wolff of Marysville, Wash., was disappointed her Reunion plans didn’t materialize and she sends her best wishes to all. She and her husband enjoy the water and the mountains and are looking forward to the arrival of their first grandchild this year. Nancy has been self-employed for 26 years with the flexibility of working from her home. After her husband’s retirement this year, they plan to spend more time together, travel, and perhaps rekindle old friendships.
Pam Kearney Patrick of Alexandria, Va., is still active with watercolor art. She had two pieces on display at the Alexandria City Hall as part of the mayor’s first Art of the City exhibit and has another there in the second show. In December, she displayed several works at the 14th annual watercolor art show at St. Andrew’s Church in Arlington. Pam’s roomie, Carol Bingley Wiley, also an artist, was scheduled to visit this winter from Newcastle, Maine.
Peggy Beeler Burns and husband Norm have lived five years now in a golf community in Dade City, Fla., about an hour from both Tampa and Orlando. Peggy enjoys the warm winter days there, which nurture her love of gardening. She and Norm make frequent trips back to Illinois and Wisconsin to visit daughter Kristin, Norm’s family, and mutual friends. Last November, while visiting son Jay and his wife, Stephanie, Peggy spent a day with her roomie, Pam Patrick. Jay and Stephanie are both captains in the Air Force. Jay, a JAG member, returned safely from a tour in Baghdad and is anticipating a promotion to major this spring.
Anita Hening Stephens lived in Virginia Hall freshman year and transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University, where she received her degree. She kept in touch with Susan Bogese Wagner and has reconnected with her roommates, Prentiss Davies Murphy and Carol Pettigrew Hallman. Catherine Cargle Catchpole emailed that she and her husband live in Wellesley, Maine, where they own and manage a high-tech public relations firm. They have two sons. One is in New Jersey with his wife and two children; the other is in Seattle, and plans to marry in June. Despite their busy work schedule, the Catchpoles manage to travel frequently to visit their sons and grandchildren.
Carole Trent Fletcher is retired and has relocated to her childhood home in Kilmarnock, Va. After Carole’s parents passed away, she and her husband maintained their home in Springfield as well as her parents’ home in Kilmarnock, until they finally decided to leave Northern Virginia. They certainly do not miss the Springfield interchange! With much more space, they enjoy vegetable and flower gardening, church and community activities, and traveling to see their widely scattered family of four children and two grandsons. Eldest son David is a government contracts attorney in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Jen, and sons, Riley, 5, and Will, 3. Second son, Wade, is a doctor of internal medicine who recently relocated to Savannah, Ga.’s Memorial Hospital. Daughter Kacy is a “headhunter” in Charlotte, N.C. Her specialty is placing and relocating medical personnel, and she planned to marry in February. Youngest son, Brandt, is a representative for Konica-Minolta, living and working in Alexandria, Va.
Anne Powell Young, of Knoxville, Tenn., and her family enjoyed a great week in the Outer Banks, N.C., where she witnessed grandson Kevin take his first steps. Ryan, 3, climbed to the top of Currituck Lighthouse without her, because Anne’s “climbing days are over!” Anne scheduled a family reunion in Fredericksburg for Thanksgiving weekend as a memorial to her mother, who passed away in March. She said she “raked up more leaves from the family tree than she knew existed.” Anne has resumed her Mind Benders program for high-functioning senior citizens at a nursing home in Oak Ridge, which she describes as “teaching the gifted and talented without discipline problems.” Anne and Betty Birkhead Vickers, of Sevierville, Tenn., have enjoyed some wonderful outings since they rediscovered each other in Tennessee. Betty remains constantly immersed in a variety of church and civic activities, taking the “Volunteer State” quite literally. Betty expected her fourth grandson in February. She also mentioned her former roommate, Kathryn “Taffy” Copper Aranda ’67, who actually graduated from Goucher College in Maryland. After the death of her husband, Kathryn is remarried and is the executive director of downtown development in Waynesboro, Va.
Susie Williams Cluff, of Alexandria, Va., and husband Mike took a long trip to California in October. Her sister in Beverly Hills took them shopping on Rodeo Drive and to dinner with cousin Jack and his wife. They traveled to Escondido to visit a widowed aunt, then on to San Diego for Mike’s reunion with 40 of his Marine Corps buddies from the Basic School Class of ’62. Susie and Mike looked forward to having son Michael, his wife Ronda, and granddaughter Grace at Thanksgiving, followed by Susie’s sister Sharon and husband Lou for Christmas.
Midge Meredith Poyck, of Lexington, S.C., wrote in November that she had just returned from a wonderful 10-day trip through upstate New York, touring the Finger Lakes region, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin-Martin House in Buffalo, and the magnificent Niagara Falls. She bravely hiked the impressive Watkins Glen Gorge and scaled a 36-foot vertical wall! The glorious fall colors enhanced the whole experience. Midge spent Thanksgiving in Tucson with her daughter and family, then headed back to UMW to attend a Foundation function.
Carolyn Eldred, of Silver Spring, Md., wrote that she moved back to the D.C. area in 2005. For the two decades before, she had lived in New York City, Philadelphia, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. In 1993 she moved up from employee status to independent consulting, which, with the support of technology, allowed her some geographical freedom. She had been a full-time resident of the Outer Banks since 1997, overseeing survey research projects supporting the evaluation of a variety of social policy initiatives. Now Carolyn is “pretty much retired,” enjoying the environs of Washington, D.C., and hopes to see us all at our next reunion and other UMW events.
Nancy Shackelford Jones, of New York, wrote that she and husband Jeff visited China in October with a Yale Alumni tour. The trip included visits to Beijing, Xi’an, the Three Gorges Dam, a boat trip up the Yangtze River, and a stop in Shanghai. The huge country offered breathtaking sights, unusual sounds in the language and the music of the Beijing Opera, unique foods, and spectacular changes to a culture that has survived for 5,000 years.
Kathleen Crawford Hoffman, of Reva, Va., wrote on her 63rd birthday. She is still deputy director of the Association of Social Work Boards and has made recent business trips to Los Angeles and New Brunswick, Canada. Kathleen and husband Jack took a leisurely vacation in San Diego where the warmth more than compensated for the long flight and encouraged her to think about retirement.
Linda Mitchell Spiers continues to thrive in her ministry in Collinsville, Conn. Although she is rarely able to travel south except to visit her aging mother, Linda hasn’t given up on attending one of our reunions. Bonnie Bobbitt Cooke, of Montross, Va., reports that she is completing her 27th year with Westmoreland County Schools, 23 as a middle-school librarian. She enjoys her 2-year-old granddaughter, Molly Nevin, the daughter of Sarah Cooke Nevin ’93. Molly’s sibling was due in March.
Lenore Gilbert Bowne, of New Hope, Pa., missed our reunion because of moving into her new house. She asked about Pam Wald Wagner, of McLean, Va.
Marty Spigel Sedoff, of Edina, Minn., like me, is still hooked on freecell solitaire, but, unlike me, is not trying to get into the Guinness Book of Records. Marty is having fun working as a technical project manager dealing with the spin-off activities of Ameriprise Financial from American Express. After work, she volunteers at Edina High School where her husband is the new theater manager, and she participates in water aerobics and a book club. Son, John Riedlinger, was in town for several months from Los Angeles to act in the play “Mother Courage” with the Frank Theater. He received rave reviews in the Star Tribune and Marty is still beaming with pride. Younger son, Jim, won a year-long internship with Weyerhauser Paper in Hawesville, Ky., and consequently is taking his “junior year abroad” to gain some chemical engineering experience. The job is great, but the cultural difference between Minneapolis and a very small town is a hurdle, and he was really glad to have his parents visit in September. Judy Wells Clark, of Roanoke, Va., continues to work for Opera Roanoke serving as education/development associate and rehearsal pianist. She is in Kiwanis Club and is her church’s organist.
Roberta James East, of Purcellville, Va., took a break from the flower farm to indulge in a “chick trip” to Colorado with five other gals. They went from Boulder to Pegosa Springs, barely made it through Wolf Creek Pass before the road was closed due to snow (in September!), and took a memorable dinner train through a magnificent gorge. Robbie spent a relaxing week in Southport, N.C., then she traveled to Florida to visit her daughter and family. She helped organize a very successful “Miss Spider’s Tea Party” for her 5-year-old granddaughter, complete with 12 handmade spiderweb cakes. All the children and grandchildren planned to spend Christmas with Robbie and Dennis, Robbie planned to travel to Brussels in April for a garden tour.
Kay Smith Majeski’s father passed away last year, and she has consequently moved to Charlotte, N.C. Kay welcomed her second grandchild and celebrated son Jim’s wedding in May. Both he and his bride are FBI agents.
Cherie Wells Brumfield, of Port Orange, Fla., keeps busy at the computer doing genealogy research and visits her younger daughter and 4-year-old grandson in Orlando. Her husband is retired, so they go snorkeling in the Florida Keys with their elder daughter. They spent a lovely, long weekend in New Orleans and a large part of the summer just “floatin’ around in the swimming pool, looking forward to the holidays.”
Susanne Landerghini Boehm, of Vienna, Va., plans to continue managing her music agency, which places talented musicians in local engagements. Husband Ralph continues to teach public school orchestra, both in high school and elementary school, and is considering retirement now that his 30th anniversary is approaching. Her younger son, Karl, is public relations director of a graphics business in Pasadena, Calif. Elder son, Maurice, changed jobs to work at Lockheed Martin in Reston, Va., where he can better use his information-management-services degree and love of challenges.
Sandra Hutchison Hoybach, of Reston, Va., has decided to retire and it should be official by the time this is published. With three grown children, six grandchildren, and a host of cousins who love to travel and visit, they say Sandra “should install a revolving front door at her house.” Son Ricky and family live nearby and are active with a landscaping business plus Boy Scout activities. Son Brandon and family are still in Croatia but manage to come home at least once a year. Daughter Amy recently finished a six-month term in a nursing exchange program in Sydney, Australia. She and husband Shawn, who telecommutes, were looking to relocate to the Denver area after spending a month’s vacation with Sandra.
Hank and I maintain the status quo with our very large blended family, the export licensing business, our sailing club, church, church music, math tutoring, and a myriad of activities. We traveled to Chihuahua, Mexico, in October for a short business trip and thoroughly enjoyed the change of pace, change of scene, and a refresher Spanish course for me. The shuttle bus driver asked me, the only blonde in town, if I was from Argentina! The magnificent baroque cathedral and Pancho Villa’s house, the museum of the revolution, and the Museum of the Mammoth were enough to hold our interest in the little spare time we had.
Thanks to all of you for making the Class of ’66 the most generous class of all with your contributions to the reunion class gift. We managed to raise a record dollar amount with 53 percent participation, and we will be duly recognized in the President’s Message and Annual Report of Gifts. As you can see by our class notes, too, we are still an awesome class! Congratulations to everyone!
1967
Nancy McDonald Legat
109 Amelia Court
Lexington, SC 29072
danlegat@affinity4.net
After graduating from Mary Washington, Elisabeth Young Pendley received her J.D. from the University of Wyoming College of Law. Living in the Rocky Mountain west, she and her husband of 36 years raised two sons. One is an officer in the Marine Corps and is happily married to a charming veterinarian; the other is a student, actor, and screenwriter in New York City. Lis teaches fourth- and fifth-grade Sunday school, works with Christian outreach, practices law, feeds elk with perennials from her garden, and hikes with her dogs. She has just published her book Marriage Works! Before You Say “I Do.”
Lynne Guindon Heflin and husband Rob live in Winston-Salem, N.C. She works at Wake Forest University with the men’s basketball program, so they are busy going to the many athletic events during the year. They are fortunate that they live only an hour from their two grandchildren – Anna, 4, and Clay, 6 months. The highlight of last spring was their amazing trip to the southern part of Spain, and they hope to go to Italy in the future.
Susan Spencer Collins, of Birmingham, Ala., keeps busy sewing and waiting for grandchildren to visit. Husband Mike is semi-retired – cutting his hours from 80 to 40 per week – and now specializes in geriatrics. He still does hospital work, takes calls, and has clinics in various nursing homes so that patients and their families don’t have to travel to the doctor’s office. Susan has heard from Florence Bishop, who had breast cancer and flooding problems. Last spring, Susan and Mike went to Mike’s 35th medical school reunion and she saw her old U.Va. roommate, Betsy Gantsoudes, who is as pretty as ever. Betsy married Steven Robeson, a med student who had been in Mike’s class. Betsy has been office manager in her husband’s office since he opened his practice in Santa Fe, N.M.
Doris Smith Parrish lived and worked in the Annapolis, Md., area for 24 years, then she and husband Steve longed for a new adventure. In 1991, she left employment with Aeronautical Radio Inc., and he transferred from the Naval Academy to the Indian Health Service in Albuquerque, N.M. Although they loved the culture change and the climate there, they moved back to Virginia in 1998 to help aging parents. In 2005, Doris joined Steve in retirement. Their daughters, Jennifer and Julianne, also have moved around the country. Jennifer’s family recently moved from Las Vegas to Virginia; Doris and Steve enjoy having Cody and Tyler close by. Juli’s family moved from Phoenix to Houston. Her children, Michael and Reanna, escape the desert heat for about six weeks each summer in Virginia with Doris and Steve. In the winter months, Doris and Steve travel in the southwest and they’ve also discovered cruising. At Doris’ 40th high school reunion, she met up with Willard dorm mates, Glennis Carr Neuhauser and Win Berry Baker, who are both doing well. She also caught up with her high school and college classmate, Helen Holland Baker, who lives in Fredericksburg. Doris and Steve got together with one of her best friends from Willard, Laura Jo Newton Payne, who married Steve’s childhood friend and also moved back to Virginia in 1998.
Christine Brooks writes that she worked as a computer programmer for 30 years after majoring in English at Mary Washington. After retiring from that job, she is working as a technical writer/documentation specialist for Harris Corp., whose client is the State Department. She works closely with programmers who write software for non-immigrant visa applications. People all over the world use Harris software when applying for a visa to visit our country. After her mother died in 1987, Christine bought, renovated, and moved into her parents’ home in Vienna, Va. Last year, she added a sunroom next to the woods; both Christine and her kitty love it!
After teaching in Prince William County, Va., until 1996, Mary Beth Bush Dore moved in 2001 from Haymarket, Va., to Beaufort, S.C. After retiring from the federal government in 2002, husband Casey joined her. They have loved the Low Country of South Carolina ever since they honeymooned at Hilton Head in 1967, when Hilton Head was new and uncrowded. They have a home on a tidal creek and really enjoy the crabbing and shrimping. They also have an RV, travel quite a bit, and have been as far west as Wyoming and Colorado. Mostly they go back and forth to Maryland in the spring and fall to their sailboat at Solomons, Md., where they’ve sailed since 1983. Along the way they visit their daughter, Ginger Dore Marshall ’94, who lives in Virginia. Many years ago, Mary Beth and Casey discovered cruising in the Caribbean, and in 2005 they branched out with a cruise in Alaska and a land trip to the Arctic Ocean, following the pipeline. They also planned a cruise to Hawaii.
Sheri Gates Brindle and husband Paul retired in 2001 and began some serious cruising on their boat, Twelfth of Never, their residence since 1999. For two years, they cruised up and down the Intracoastal Waterway from the top of Chesapeake Bay to the Florida Keys and back to Virginia. They were off the boat for a year after that while Sheri recuperated from being hit by a pickup truck while crossing the street. They sold their condo in Virginia and took the boat down the Waterway to Sanford, Fla., where they live in a marina on the St. John River, just outside Sanford. In 2005, they spent three months camping throughout Europe in a VW camper. Their younger son, Damon, was stationed in Germany at the time, so they used his house as a base. Damon and wife Cindy joined them on a couple of journeys. Sheri and Paul visited some of Paul’s family in England and then visited Wales for the first time. After returning, they worked for a FEMA subcontractor, taking applications from 2005 hurricane victims. Sheri says this was a very heart-wrenching experience. In 2005, Sheri and Paul drove across country and enjoyed a great visit with older son Chris, his wife, Michele, and their three boys, who live in San Diego. Then they explored southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. They also drove up the Pacific coast to central Oregon, headed inland, and visited Washington before going to British Columbia, Vancouver, and Victoria, where Paul went to high school. When they headed back home, they tent-camped most of the time and stopped in Oklahoma, where son Damon is now stationed.
1968
Margaret Livingston Asensio
4858 Somerset Drive
Riverside, CA 92507
meglala@aol.com
1969
Jean Polk Hanky
1130 Crab Point Road
White Stone, VA 22578
jhanky@aol.com