Edna Gooch Trudeau
8200 St. Peter’s Lane
New Kent, VA 23124
Ednanewkent@aol.com
We had a fabulous 45th reunion! Many thanks to Dorothea “Dodie”
Reeder Hruby, Irene Piscopo Rodgers and Katherine “Kay” Rowe Hayes,
who planned the reunion weekend; Barbara Gordon McNamee, who wrote the class
booklet; Faye Jessup Young, who designed our poster; Mary Fredman Downing,
who provided yearbook pictures of our deceased classmates; and Judith Fink
Beckmen and Barbara Lewis Leddick, who spearheaded the financial campaign
for our class.
An extra special thanks to the late Carmen Chappell’s husband, John,
who graciously and generously paid for all our beverages at the five-hour
party Friday night. He was accompanied by his son and daughter-in-law.
A lovely remembrance ceremony was held for our 28 deceased classmates. On
a lighter note, prizes were awarded for longest distance traveled, most grandchildren,
etc. Patricia Hundley Osisek came to her first reunion in 45 years.
Absent from this reunion but vowing to attend the 50th was Sara Bryson Damskier,
who lives in Denmark and does not often visit the United States due to her
husband’s health problems. Knee surgery kept Ann Brooks Coutsoubinas
away, but she had recovered enough to resume this fall her position as head
science teacher at her school.
Phyllis Hartleb Rowley took a cruise to northern Italy. She serves on the
Republican Executive Committee for Palm Beach County, Fla. In April, she attended
a six-day convention in Miami Beach. Phyllis’ oldest son was planning
to wed.
Marianne Carrano Raphaely and Russ toured Normandy before coming to our reunion.
Their two sons and their families live close by. Marianne serves on 15 boards
of directors – whew! They have five grandchildren. Jane Tucker Broadbooks’
John refuses to retire. They do find time for traveling and antiquing. Their
son, Jon Karl, is executive editor of the Hattiesburg American News in Mississippi.
He and his wife have three children.
Guess who won the most grandchildren prize. Gloria Winslow Borden has 14 granddaughters!
Gloria retired from teaching and spends her time traveling to spoil all those
girls. She is also involved in theater work.
Kaye Rowe Hayes stayed close to home in 2003 except for the annual three-generation
family outing in July at the Outer Banks. Kaye teaches English ESL classes,
citizenship and GED testing classes at the local adult learning center. She
is into gardening, landscaping and environmental issues.
Joan Essick Woloson has retired from teaching. Her daughter, Wendy, is writing
her second novel. She heard from Celeste “Pug” Shipman Kaufman.
She and Alan were on a cruise in the Baltic. They have five grandchildren.
He is coaching golf at the University of Alabama. Pug continues to golf, hike
and spoil the grandchildren.
Nancy Crosland Lehfeldt has retired to Florida. She has three daughters and
six grandchildren. Ann Rollins Pyle teaches in Fairfax County, Va. Mary Fredman
Downing has retired from United Airlines and Glenn from consulting. They still
live in Reston, Va. and do a lot of traveling.
Judith Fink Beckman and Tom have been married for 41 years. They have three
sons and seven grandchildren. Barbara White Ellis operates a horse-boarding
farm in Woodford, Va. She also works part time at an animal hospital.
Jo Neal Hendricks Scully, our celebrity human patterns consultant and handwriting
analyst, continues to work with the Virginia State Police and the Violent
Crime Investigative Unit in Richmond. She helps decipher personality profiles
of murderers and rapists, aids in jury selection, and is an instructor for
the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.
Dianna Trishman Lee loves retirement. She plays bridge, volunteers at a hospital
and travels. She has three children and five grandchildren. Joan Stahlhut
Good lives in Maryland and has retired from the real estate business. She
has a son and a daughter. Joan Whittemore Loock left Wisconsin and retired
to Gulf Shores, Ala. She has two children and twin grandchildren.
Ann Rodabaugh Wright is still in Tuscaloosa, Ala. She has five sons, two stepchildren
and nine grandchildren. She still enjoys participating in summer stock.
Nancy Seward Howard ’60 is operating a bed and breakfast in the Adirondacks.
Carol Noakes Robinson, a systems analyst, has retired and was in the process
of moving from her New Jersey brownstone to a house she’s building in
Rhode Island. She has three children and three grandchildren; in her spare
time, she teaches yoga.
Geraldine “Gerry” Jenks Winston and Addison are retired and living
in Roanoke. They have two sons and four grandchildren. Sally Jean Arnold Sullivan
and Bill are in Wilmington, N.C., living with daughter Stacey until their
new house is finished.
Molly Bradshaw Clark is a cancer survivor. She has four children and four
grandchildren. Carol Daehler Leonard is another cancer survivor. She lives
in Southern California. She and her retired Marine husband, Bud, have been
married 44 years. They have four grandchildren.
Irene Piscopo Rodgers says Don is just fine. Irene continues to consult, travel
and lecture; she is an expert in electronic microscopes.
Ann Watkins Steves’ daughter, Linda, came with her to the reunion. Ann
and Bob are still in Texas and have four children and seven grandchildren.
Sondra Kates Douglas, another first-time reunion attendee, has two children
and three grandchildren. Sondra is still working in real estate and thinking
about retirement. Sadly, husband Larry passed away.
Nancy Smith Campbell is retired. She has two children. Sharon Greene Hope
lives in California. Marcia Kyes Price is writing a children’s book.
Beth Shochat Cole has her own business in Maryland helping women set up businesses
through the Department of Development of the Cooper Assistance Fund. She has
three daughters and five grandchildren. Sandra Quarles Cockrell lives in Tampa,
Fla., and is retired from teaching, but still active in the theater.
Nicollete Forchas Alexiou lives in Coral Gables, Fla. and has been married
for 45 years. She has a master’s degree and works as a part-time guidance
counselor. Audrey Manke Cameron lives in Connecticut. She works for J.P. Morgan
in New York and has gone through five mergers with them. She has a daughter
who works in advertising.
Julia Coates Littlefield and Mo are retired. They have two children and two
grandchildren. Mary Massey and Jack Meiners had a death in the family and
could not attend the reunion. Cecelia Bergin Robbins, another cancer survivor,
has retired from her government job. She has seven grandchildren.
Barbara Bache Barker has retired from her law career and is focusing on tennis.
She has two grandsons and one granddaughter.
Barbara Gordon McNamee teaches technology courses at Walsingham Academy in
Williamsburg and synchronized swimming classes at William & Mary. She
traveled to Athens to serve as a judge for Olympic qualifying events. Her
husband, Bob, is W&M’s varsity diving coach. With their combined
seven children, they have 12 grandchildren. Edith Weber Staib and Allen are
retired in Hilton Head, S.C., where they play golf. Married for 43 years,
they have three children and seven grandchildren.
Dodie Reeder Hruby retired from teaching seventh and eighth grade English.
Her new hobby is oil painting. She and Dale have three children. She is painting
a portrait of each of her eight grandchildren. Emily Babb Carpenter and Tom
have returned to Virginia after many years in Connecticut. They live in Manakin-Sabot,
which puts her close to daughter Caroline. Son Tom lives in New York. Faye
Jessup Young still lives on Long Island, but visits Fredericksburg to see
son Ian, who just gave her and Avery their newest grandson. She has two other
sons and five more grandchildren. Faye plays tennis, gardens and travels.
Marcia Phipps Ireland and Gary have two children and three grandchildren.
Marcia Spence Harrison-Thornton is a psychotherapist in Annapolis, Md. She
works several days a week in her office and volunteers in the emergency room
at the local hospital. Kitty Taylor, who transferred from Mary Washington
to a nursing school, is a retired Air Force colonel.
Joyce Kirby Erlandsen is retired from teaching. She has three children and
four grandchildren. Carol Agesen Dunigan is retired and lives in New Jersey.
She has two children. Tay Reisner Adams and Bob have three daughters and seven
grandchildren, all of whom enjoy skiing, competing in small sailboat racing
and figure skating. Tay is a semi-retired lawyer who works part time for the
Orphan’s Court and Mediation Center in Montgomery County, Pa. She and
Bob have been married 46 years.
My Virginia is moving into her first house – an exciting step. When
I’m not worrying about Virginia, I spend time with my mother, who is
suffering from Alzheimer’s.
Keep your news coming. We are retired career women, cancer survivors, grandmothers,
caregivers and world travelers. I love hearing from you. You write the column!