class notes

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People & projects | UWW | In Memoriam

1940s

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1945

Olga Massimiano Gigante

In Florida Barbara Mirsky Baker and husband Bernie have been working for the National Parkinson Foundation of Palm Beach County, a chapter they founded five years ago. The foundation has contributed over $60,000 for research and caregiver groups in Boca Raton. Bernie now resides in a nursing home, where Barbara visits every day.

Seasoned traveler Kay Krauskopf Brylawski enjoyed a river cruise from Bucharest to Budapest. She also attended an Elderhostel at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, MD. Kay still works part-time as a travel agent and exercises at a fitness center near her home.

Bernie Barclay Straitiff, another avid traveler, had a day trip to Branson, MO, and toured the Truman Library. Next up are a river cruise to Moscow, and another cruise from Rio to Antarctica. She takes a physical therapy course in balance, which helps her traveling.

Pegge Fowler Lander and Raymond enjoy living in Rochester, NY, and have a winter home at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, FL. They enjoy visits to their children and grandchildren and play tennis, golf, and bridge.

Marjorie Hill Laughton’s granddaughter and husband both graduated from Harvard Business School in June, with a proud Marjorie looking on.

Marjorie Duffett Reid had her left hip replaced in June (her right hip was replaced five years ago) and is “doing fine.” In May she visited sister-in-law Martha Reid Cucci in Rochester, NY, when their grandson graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Another grandson graduated from Emory and Henry College in Virginia.

Virginia Kent Hoffenreffer received a nice letter from Helen Remy Cobean, who ran into Virginia’s son on a flight to Chicago. Helen, on her way to Maine to visit her son’s family, observes, “It’s a small world after 59 years.” Virginia volunteers at a local veteran’s home.

Carol Weyand Yorston’s family gathered in La Jolla, CA, for a reunion. Her granddaughter and English husband and their 15-year-old son (Carol’s first great-grandson) attended, as did seven other family members.

Ruth Peters Doyle, active in church and hospice work, is also a busy grandmother. She shares gardening with three like-minded neighbors at her apartment complex in Bronxville, NY. Ruth has eleven grandchildren, ages 14 to 26, all on the East Coast between North Carolina and New Hampshire. She makes time to travel with friends and visit family.

Jean Garvin Slate’s daughter threw her a party at their country club. Four children, two granddaughters, a great-grandson, and friends from upstate New York, Seattle, and Phoenix attended. “It was the party of a lifetime,” say Jean. She grows tomatoes and peaches and claims that gardening and reading are her “therapies.”

Joan Hamilton Damon loves her new senior residence at Sterling Glen in Rye Brook, NY. There was no room there for her beloved piano, but other activities seem to compensate.

Carolyn Dangler’s niece notified me that Carolyn has moved from Solana Beach to Anaheim, CA.

Carol Fleischer Boswell had lunch with Susan Rabinowitz Malloy, Marilyn Maier Feneberg, and Susan Kadison Richman at the Colonial Inn in Concord, MA. “We had a great time talking about politics and our families,” notes Carol.

Maria Teresa Peyri Pi-Sunyer enjoyed the summer in Rojas, a small town in Spain. She has seven great-grandchildren.  Husband Peter died three years ago.

Elizabeth Chipman Coker lives at Cokesbury Village in Hochessin, DE. She and I had a lovely chat several months ago. We are both learning how to cut down on our possessions and collections now that we are living in smaller quarters.

Speaking of reducing our possessions, I am down to 120 pounds of yarn, all cleverly hidden. Jim has recovered nicely from heart surgery. Our five daughters and nine grandchildren came for my birthday, and it was wonderful. In May we went to North Dakota for a grandson’s high-school graduation.

Now listen, everyone—make plans to attend our 60th reunion June 2–5, 2005. Let’s break some records. Write to all your friends in the class and urge them to come. The more the merrier.