class notes 1943

Edith Winslow Staalman moved to Aiken, S.C., in 2000, after living in Northern Virginia most of her life. Her daughter moved to New Hampshire; Edith is now near a granddaughter and great-granddaughter. Jo Walker Magee also lives in Aiken in a retirement village with husband Roger.

Edith has traveled with her former roommate, Ruth Bailey Conroy, on some of Ruth’s trips with the Naples Florida Concert Band. Ruth, who moved to Florida in 1984 after retiring from her position as computer systems analyst, plays saxophone in the concert band as well as in a dance band that plays ’30s and ’40s music. She also has played with the American Winds Concert Band and has traveled to 16 countries. Another travel companion on these tours has been Mary Anne Kimman Sutton ’46.

Marcia Williams Barkelew of Carmel, Calif., wants to thank everyone who sent a contribution for a 60th reunion gift to our alma mater. She reports that we exceeded our goal! Marcia has five grandsons, two in southern California and three in Spain.

Rita Henriques Rummelsburg lives in Dallas with husband Charles. Agnes Constantine Specia lives in San Antonio. She paints, knits, plays Bunco, and is adjusting to life as a widow.

Jane Keefer Priewe of Alhambra, Calif., hears occasionally from Jane Bonney Mason and Elizabeth Winfree Quaiff. “Keefer” is a published author who also teaches writing. She has three children, three granddaughters and one great granddaughter.

Edith Whittemore Richardson lives in Church View, Va. She lives alone and says she is doing well except for rheumatoid arthritis. She has a son and daughter, three grandchildren, and two “great grands.” Edith has attended several alumni events, including one where she and Dorabelle Forrest Cox sat at the same table and had a good visit.

Rita Unruh Chinn lives on Lee Hall Farm in Hague, Va., in Westmore-land County. Except for six years of teaching elsewhere, she has lived in the area since graduating from college. Her daughter runs a flower and gift shop on the farm during the growing months. Her son lives in Connecticut, and her grandson and his wife are in Richmond. Rita has been in touch with her college roommate, Helen Tracy Totura.

Betty Randolph Jones Clement lives in Perrysburg, Ohio, and has been a widow for 12 years. She has three sons and one daughter, in various locations across the United States – Connecticut, Georgia, Michigan and Washington state and five granddaughters.

Catherine Newberry Trevillian has lived in Wytheville, Va., for nearly 54 years. She plays golf and bridge, and works with the bloodmobile and a local food pantry. She keeps in touch with Joey Potts Coleman ’44, her roommate the last two years at Mary Washington.

Charlotte Hawthorne Cheatham still plays the piano for fashion shows in the fall and spring at her club, the Ginter Park Women’s Club, in Richmond. Her former roommate, Ethel Wilson Rogers, lives in a retirement home in Roanoke Rapids, N.C. After Ethel retired from teaching, she did a great deal of traveling. She has three daughters.

Ellen Johnson Coleman, of Chestertown, Md., retired from teaching 30 years ago, but is very active with the Red Cross and volunteers at the local hospital and nursing home. She sees Irene Noble Frey frequently and often hears from Carol Clarke Graves, who lives in Richmond. Ellen reported that Barbara Tillinghast Jones was quite ill.

Flora Copenhaver Scott of Chilhowie, Va., spent a week at Callaway Gardens, Ga., in March with her niece. Frances Rector Steagall and daughter Susan drove up from Ozark, Ala., to join them.

Anne Mason Gall sings in her church choir in Anaheim, Calif., and remains very busy with her writing. She wrote Practice Exercises in Reading and Written Language, which is used throughout California public schools. Her new book is Visions and Verses.

Jewel Spencer Marvin is moving to another house, but will still be living in Port St. Lucie, Fla. She and husband, Edward, keep busy with various activities, including traveling. They have been on several cruises. They spend each Christmas in Martinsville, Va., with members of her family, and get away in the summer to Michigan and Colorado to visit Ed’s family. She would like to get in touch with her Mary Washington roommate Mary Jo Ward Llewellyn. Can anyone help her?

Alma Kirkpatrick Howell has two great-grandchildren. Evelyn Squier Brandt spends winters in Florida and the rest of the year in New Jersey. She has had her second knee replacement and walks without pain. Her grandson graduated from Mary Washington in 2001. Evelyn keeps in touch with former roommate Mary Turnley Burnett.

Ann Middleton Kelly is active in volunteer work, plays cards, takes trips and belongs to a garden club. After her husband’s death, she sold the old homestead in Aberdeen, Md., and bought a little house in town. She hears from Evelyn Sheads Appleton, who lives in Florida, and frequently sees Jane Edmonds Ford ’47.

We have news from Peggy Draper Eckenrode all the way from Australia. A few years after her husband’s death, Peggy moved to a nearby retirement home in a suburb of the city of Adelaide. Peggy decided to stay in Australia because her three children have married and have homes there.

Please continue to send your news. Do you have a brief “Memory Moment” you would like to share? For example: Remember when Fredericksburg was virtually without water? Dr. Combs gave us suggestions on how to cope, but I remember only one – use a little extra perfume before going to class!