class notes

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1941

Mary Phillips Murray
mmurray102@cs.com

Miriam Ogden Cudmore’s daughter Wendy ’72 spent two weeks visiting this summer. Wendy has been teaching Asian studies, and US and world history, for 33 years at Weston High School in Connecticut. She has been sent to China twice by the Weston School Board to set up exchange programs. “Skidmore must have given her a good background,” notes Oggie. A Cudmore family reunion was held in June to celebrate oldest grandchild Lauren’s engagement.

I was happy to hear from Jean Clements Natale, who insists she’s “still navigating.” After earning her master’s at Columbia, Jean was an art instructor at SUNY-New Paltz and later taught at a Norfolk, VA, high school. She has five children, ten grands, and eight great-grands. A member of the Foster Grandparent program, she has volunteered in day-care centers for the past 24 years. She currently works with 3- and 4-year-olds at the YMCA in Binghamton, NY.

Kay Diemer Chichester moved into a retirement apartment in July. She and husband Chi are looking forward to their new adventure.

Adele Bagg Durward is trying to learn the Greek alphabet. She loves watching “Jeopardy” and still drives her car.

Bettina Towne Moore shared some bad news. In June she stood up, heard her hip snap, and fell down. After undergoing surgery, she recuperated in the hospital for three weeks and is continuing therapy at home. If all goes well, she can return to playing croquet and golf. The good news: she and John are living year round in Florida and love it. If you’re in the vicinity of Lakeland, Bettina would love to see you.

Lolly Swift Burbank’s summer was full of “great visits with the children,” including a week in NYC celebrating daughter Laurie’s 60th birthday and spending time with two granddaughters and two great-grandchildren who live close by. In July, Lolly traveled to the coast of North Carolina to visit son Jim, his wife, and two of their children. In August she was planning to be on the beach in Naragansett, RI. Eldest son Terry lives near her in Lookout Mountain, TN, so she sees his “thriving” family often. Lolly sends love to all ’41ers.

Jean Summersgill Neiswinter says where she is in Prairie, KS, is a long way from her home in Long Island. “I have a lot of friends here, but I do miss the swimming I enjoyed so much.” This summer she had dinner with neighbor Jeanette Taylor Brady ’38.

In Denver, CO, Barbara Ketchum Lahey is enjoying grandchildren and “this glorious country.” She volunteers at the University of Colorado library and the Colorado Music Festival. She feels “lucky.”

Ruth Mook Kerr is finally settled into her apartment in a retirement community but still has things she can’t find while, at the same time, long-forgotten items continue to crop up.” This past spring they attended a granddaughter’s graduation from University of Nebraska, a grandson’s high-school graduation in Ohio, and a granddaughter’s wedding in Nebraska. Add to that a great sight-seeing trip with son Fred to Salem and Plymouth, MA, and many “interesting visits to various MDs.”

Lucia Dana Eastman’s clan of 16 spent the month of June in New York’s Adirondack Mountains—a wonderful time was had by all. “The rest of my time is spent paying taxes and bills—pretty boring.”

Tomi Kuwayama-Tedesco took a two-week trip to Japan with two daughters and two granddaughters (at her granddaughters’ request) in search of roots and relatives. Special services were held in their honor at Tomi’s parents’ temple and ancestral gravesite in Nagaoka (where the family can be traced back to 1600), and they met relatives in Tokyo and Kyoto. “From the youngest, 12, to the oldest, 50, we all felt positive about our heritage; the trip was well worthwhile.”

Genevie Wyckoff Sewell reports that Jane Dewey Cash stopped overnight on her way to a family reunion in Binghamton, NY. The Sewells have five grandchildren. Their daughter and son in California, plus a daughter in Texas (along with all their families), visited during the past year. Gen says she has been watching politics in Saratoga with interest. I’ve been watching it with distress. My little hometown is getting too big for its breeches. But it is still a nice place to visit, and I hope you are arranging your schedules to include Reunion ’06—our 65th!

The class extends its deep sympathy to the family of Patricia Moseley Trepagnier, who died in July 2004 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

I took a Caribbean cruise in April that included stops at some islands that my late husband John and I had not visited. Although it was certainly different traveling as a widow, it was a pleasant interlude. In July I traveled to the Cascade Mountains of Washington State to see three of my nine grandkids. In August I spent time with five more grandchildren at a grandson’s wedding. The ninth grand is in Taipei, Taiwan, teaching English in a Waldorf school.