|
Spring 2003 - - - - - - - - - - |
1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969’60
Leilani Holloway Eells’s Christmas letter was filled with news of family gatherings and travel. She and husband Dan are members of an RV club, so many of their outings involved traveling with other members to sites in and around California. Other trips included two weeks in Honolulu, HI, visiting family and friends and three weeks touring Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland by several modes of transportation. “Every minute was a delight,” she writes, “with perfect weather and scenery.” Three of their four children are married and live within three hours of them, so they enjoy lots of time with their five grandchildren. Tucson, AZ, has been home to Gail Bendix Jaffe and husband Allen for the last year. They continue to bask in the beauty and easier lifestyle of the Southwest. Sue Smith and husband Bill, who also live in Tucson, were very helpful to the Jaffes in their relocation. Gail has taken up horseback riding and immersed herself in the discipline of dressage. “It’s both a challenge and an exhilarating experience—the fulfillment of a lifelong dream,” she writes. Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays brought visits from their children and five grandchildren, as well as Gail’s 91-year-old father, whom Gail says “still recalls Happy Pappy Weekend with great affection.” Last winter Jane Christie MacVicar and husband John rented a house on Anna Maria Island, FL, where Jane’s college roommate Ruth Crist Cawein and husband Charles live. Jane visited daughter Jill in Holland for two weeks. Daughter Heather is the mother of one-year-old twin girls, whom Jane describes as “just precious and the joy of my life.” Anne McGroary Butler enjoys her job as director of the Visiting Nurses Association in Naugatuck, CT, a position she has held for 17 years. She is involved with the local garden club and Rotary and serves on the boards of a hospital and bank. Her passions are quilting in wintertime and gardening in the summer. One of her three daughters lives in Scranton, PA; the other two live in Arlington, VA. Anne has three grandsons. She stays in touch with Niantic, CT, resident Betsy Hamlin Holloway and would love news of other nursing classmates. “Live the Life That Matters—Discover Your Path” is the tagline for Suzanne Penney Lindenbaum’s busy private practice in career counseling and psychotherapy. She and husband Al enjoy traveling with their art group. Previous destinations have included Turkey, Spain, Thailand, and sites within the U.S. The couple’s daughter Lisa, who graduated from Colgate in 2001, was named director of the Winston, Wachter, & Meyer Art Gallery in NYC. She also finished in the middle of the pack in the 2002 NYC marathon. Daughter Laurie, who was married last May, is a supreme court judge in Contra Costa County, CA. Mary Anita (M.A.) Hoff Fallen had a wonderful time touring Ireland last September and Madeira, Portugal, in November. Christmas and New Year’s were spent at their North Creek vacation home in the Adirondacks. Five of their eight grandchildren were there and loved the abundance of snow at Gore Mountain Ski Area. In February M.A. and husband John escaped the snow and cold by spending seven weeks in Florida. Lynn Lamont Beckmann’s daughter and son-in-law, who live in Schenectady, NY, had their first child last summer. Lynn and husband Bob grew tired of driving back and forth to see their new grandson, so they sold their Baldwin, NY, home and bought a house near Schenectady. Dubbed “the bunker,” it is built into the side of a hill overlooking 38 wooded acres with just the south wall exposed. Lynn and Bob plan to live in the “environmentally sensitive” house from May through October and spend the remainder of the year at their home at Evergreen Country Club in Palm City, FL, where they “love the weather, golf, and friends.” Bonnie Vare Smith had a wonderful Christmas season with visits from two of her children. She has six grandchildren: five girls and a boy. Honolulu, HI, residents Jean Morrison and husband Ron are still very involved with horses and horse shows. Because her aged gelding had large amounts of skin cancer, Jean began treating him with a new form of energy healing combined with a homeopathic remedy. To her delight, his melanomas have all but disappeared. “Maybe I’ll give Shirley MacLaine a run for her money,” she quips. She and Ron are in the process of renovating their rental property on the Big Island. Last fall daughter Ronlen had a baby boy, who sports quite a moniker: James I’o Makakela Kaallakea. The Morrisons’ son, John, decided to join them in making Hawaii his home and moved there last November. Last year Lotus Lake, the day camp started by Rebecca Martin Watson’s mother in Williamstown, VT, celebrated its 50th anniversary. Becky and sister Dorothy Martin Milne ’65 are directors of the camp, along with Dorothy’s husband. Their fall/winter/spring program, Lotus Lake Discovery Center, offers cooperative learning programs in individual and group strengths, community service, and nature and the environment. Last year it served 35 schools and some 3,000 participants. “Retirement?” says Becky. “Not anytime soon!” Lee Abbott Pierson enjoys working and fishing and recently took up oil painting. She has great admiration for Toni Wolcott’s art. “She is really good,” says Lee, who is already planning for our next reunion. During a first-time trip to the Los Angeles area, Mary Winters Cooper and husband James had lunch with Sue Crosby Graves and husband Gary. Mary and Sue had kept in touch via Christmas letters, but had not seen each other in 25 years. Writes Mary, “We had fun catching up on children and grandchildren and introducing our husbands, who established an easy rapport. We all filled in the gaps and laughed together with such ease, reminding us once again that the Skidmore spirit is still strong!” ’61
In London Betsy Hodson Dare has an 18-month-old granddaughter who adds to the “gaiety of life.” Betsy owns a home in Provence, France, about 20 minutes from Tropez, and says it is available to rent. Sue Stark Match and husband sold their home on Long Island and are now residents of Vero Beach, FL, near daughter Debra, her husband, and their 8-year-old twins. The Matches also maintain a home in Salisbury, CT, where Sue spends time with Eleanor McGregor Eade ’61, who also has a place near Sue in Fort Pierce, FL. Julie Burger Pierson experienced a year full of joy and mourning. Daughter Sarah’s 2-year-old son died of a brain injury following a short and heroic life, and Julie’s dad succumbed to Alzheimer’s. In December, her daughter gave birth to a healthy boy named Harbor (as in safe). Julie’s life in Vermont is busy with sports, volunteer work, and needlework. Julie “prays for peace in the coming year.” Tiring of teaching sophomores and juniors who were not interested in world history, Judy Brown Tulchin left her job and journeyed to Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa—“a great experience.” In her new role, she loves managing an independent bookstore, although it is hard on her legs. Our prayers go out to Judy, whose brother died in November from bone-marrow cancer. Peggy Howe Soper works at the Harvard Business School Library and sings in a church choir. She is weaving again and is relieved to be a past president of the Special Library Association, Boston chapter. After 32 years in Denver, CO, Carol Joplin Elliott relocated to Portland, ME. Judy Mutti Grinnell’s daughter was married last summer at their new home in North Adams, MA. Judy Harmon Miller ’60, Sharon Brant Wharton, and Faxon Green ’62 were on hand for the happy event. Judy also sees Judy Tulchin when visiting her son and his family in Chapel Hill, NC. The latest in Kate Pond’s international sculpture series was completed in Hawaii in November (see page 42). She began the series 10 years ago with Zigzag at the Colby-Curtis Museum in Quebec, Canada. Other sculptures are located in Oslo, Norway, and Sendai, Japan. The fifth and final in the series will be constructed in New Zealand. If you have a suggestion for a location there, contact Kate through her Web site: www.vermontsculpture.com. I spent a few hours on the beach in Jupiter, FL, with Millie Noce Marron and her grandson last April. My husband, Jack, and I later had dinner with them. Jack and I attended a Skidmore alumni dinner cruise (hosted by President Jamie Studley and husband Gary Smith) out of Ft. Lauderdale; I was the only representative of our class. It was great speaking to President Studley one-on-one. ’62
Joyce Harder Nielsen is recovering from injuries sustained in a hiking accident last summer. After a few surgeries and six weeks in the hospital, she is happy to be home. With ongoing physical therapy and the companionship of her Siberian husky, she is making a gradual recovery with hopes of returning to work this spring. Nancy Smith Bushnell trekked to Ohio for a reunion with Vic’s family, and then on to Denver to greet their new grandson. In September they were in Annapolis to attend Vic’s 40th reunion at the Naval Academy. October found them in Buffalo, NY, welcoming Vic’s grandson, followed by a November jaunt to Florida to visit Vic’s mother and other family members. Unfortunately for us, Nancy has had to step down as our class president, due to family and community obligations. We thank her for her wonderful service in that role. Nancy Cutter Parker and husband Bill work at their church and enjoy visiting their granddaughters in the Northwest, where daughter Joan and her husband live. Son Greg had an adventure-filled year with Pioneers International, traveling to Hungary, Thailand, Ghana, New Guinea, Indonesia, and Australia. “I think humor is getting me through this shift into old age,” writes Massachusetts resident Lynn Pringle Anastos, who gave gifts of Moose Drool soap to lucky recipients over the holidays. Although husband Ted is semi-retired, Lynn still works at Fontbonne Academy. Daughter Meg and husband spent much of last year doing major work on their house. Son Bill and his wife live in Weymouth, MA, and both work at Milton Academy. Lynn enjoys her quilting projects and classes and is pleased that her five grandchildren live nearby. Now retired, Lollie Engle Triebold and husband Dave spent December in Australia to surprise daughter Heidi for her birthday and to celebrate somebody’s 60th! They returned via San Francisco, where daughter Carla and husband live, having relocated from London last summer. Other travels included a journey to Thailand with Carol Copeland Schmidhauser and husband Dutch. SaraKay Sherman Smullens, a psychologist/counselor who recently published Setting YourSelf Free (see “Books” in this issue of Scope), presented her research on theories of emotional abuse in March in NYC. Linda Abrams Glass shares thoughts about the late Ellen Flaum, who courageously battled ovarian cancer for more than four years before succumbing in a Chicago hospice in November. “Ellen had been a close friend with whom many good times were shared while we were at Skidmore and living in NYC. I pray she has found peace.” George and I enjoyed a superb adventure in Australia and New Zealand this past fall. Much of the trip was spent with wonderful host families through Friendship Force, a great way to really experience the local culture. We also had a bonus trip to the South Island of New Zealand, highlighted by a fabulous five-day hike on the Milford Track. ’63
Shirley Fleming Woodward and husband Jack shared grandson Quenton Convery’s first Christmas with daughter Julie and husband Matt in Eliot, ME. West Coast daughter Sarah was also there. Jane Finneman Hochman and husband Jack rang in the new year in London, where their flat has truly become a second home. They enjoyed their time there with “lots of friends and lots of theater!” Jane later treated herself and two adult daughters to “three glorious days of pampering” at an Arizona spa. Dina Schoenthal Butcher and husband Bill are “goofy” over 2-year-old grandson Owen. Both of their daughters and sons-in-law live in Fargo, ND. Dina’s position with Prairie Broadcasting takes her from hometown Bismark to Fargo often. The whole family enjoyed a long cross-country ski weekend in northern Minnesota, and then Dina and Bill went on to Winnepeg for a formal New Year’s bash. “Capt. Bill will be counting the days until the boat goes back into Lake Sakakawea, ND,” says Dina, who is delighted that “even Owen sails!” Ronnie Zolondek Bramesco spent “quality time” with Jane Snowdon Jones and Judy Pettingell in the Berkshires last fall. Ronnie pronounced the wedding of Judy’s son in Hanover, NH, “a smashing affair!” In December she got together with Ginny Nyvall Durfee and Ginny Payne Morse. “Being with my Skidmore friends is like having just seen them the day before and picking up where we left off without losing a beat—very special,” Ronnie concludes. Full-time student and Londoner Sabre Sable Gilmartin, who plans to attend Reunion, is interested in hearing from classmates coming to England. She welcomes e-mail at Sabgilmar@aol.com. Vermont resident Deborah Frankel Reese claims “a lot of doting grandmothers as clients.” Her portrait business (reeseportraits.com) is “really taking off.” She spent Christmas with a houseful of family and 16 inches of new snow. Debbie enjoyed two Christmas trees, three dogs, seven kinds of cookies, stockings for the crew, goose dinner, and many handmade gifts. By the end, she adds, “snowshoes, skis, and boots littered the mudroom, birdseed littered the decks, and toddler toys and dog toys were strewn about the floor. I hope I never get too old for it.” She is looking forward to Reunion. ’64
Husband Bill and I took a dream cruise to Buenos Aires last fall, stopping in the Caribbean, Devils Island (of Papillon fame), Brazil (four ports including Rio), and Uruguay. Buenos Aires was beautiful and fascinating. Bill, who lived there as a child, hadn’t been back in 47 years! Val Burkhardt Marier is right about grandparenting—it’s fabulous! So far, we have five. ’65
Julie sometimes sees Charlene Petnick Rosen, who delivers just the right outfits for her customers at fashion trunk shows in NYC. Charlene continues a family tradition of working in the clothing business. Lorraine Hanaka Etlinger, back on the West Coast temporarily on horse business, will relocate permanently to Saratoga Springs this spring. She finds driving across the country “fulfilling and exhilarating.” Tina Garber Olsen exhibits and sells her wilderness paintings. A music therapist at a Staten Island psychiatric center, Tina says patients are frightened about the prospect of war and “do a lot of singing about peace.” I had a huge crowd for the holidays, including my son and his wife from Australia, my daughter’s family from Chicago, and sister Carol Weisberg ’69 from the Boston area. Carol is CFO for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. ’66
For Frances Srulowitz, the best part of a two-week July tour of Tanzanian game parks was four nights camping in the Serengeti. My son Marc is a junior at Harvard, where he is captain of the rugby team. Our youngest son, Adam, has been accepted at Bentley College for fall 2003. This is a bittersweet time, since my dad passed away last June. ’67
After a year’s voluntary leave of absence without pay, Sudee Sanders returned to teaching last fall in the Cherry Hill, NJ, public schools, where she was a high-school art teacher in the morning and a preschool teacher in the afternoon. Canadian Public Radio broadcaster Judy Ritter can be heard in the U.S. on The Savvy Traveler and Marketplace on Public Radio International. Daughter Deborah, a law student at McGill University, spent last summer in New Orleans working on an international death-row defense team. She hopes to find a job doing criminal defense work (anyone need an intern?). Judy would be thrilled to see any Skidmore alumni visiting Montreal. You can reach her at Judith.ritter@mcgill.ca. ’68
Cece Jones Fraas spent a quiet holiday season with her husband and teenage children. Son Paul, 15, is 6'3" and a rower at TC Williams High School of Remember the Titans fame. Daughter Katie, 14, is a good student and athlete but, laments Cece, “is really into the alpha girl things that drive a more-than-middle-aged mother nuts.” After a stint in Clinton-era federal government service, Cece returned to work as director of the lobbying operation for the American Federation of Teachers. She enjoys staying in touch with Skidmore friends, including Penny Thoms, who moved to Ireland with husband Steve and is authoring a book on Celtic religious history. Judy Morgan DeZanger returned from a six-week Caribbean vacation with husband Andre earlier this spring. In addition to her private practice in intuition counseling, she conducts creativity workshops (creativityinstitute@juno.com) with Andre. She also does sculpting—her work is being represented by Marcel Scheiner Gallery in South Carolina and be can be seen online at risingartist.com (search for “Morgan”). Judy Minsley and husband took to the road in their Miata last year, traversing 17 states and three Canadian provinces. Son Burke is in a five-year Ph.D. program in geophysics at MIT. Although she is enjoying retirement, Susan Poch Orlando still substitute teaches regularly and supervises two student teachers at Columbia Teachers College, a task she finds rewarding. Her husband, Richard, works in human resources at Yeshiva University. Daughter Becky teaches first grade on the Upper West Side. Daughter Dara, finishing up at UC-Berkeley, is interning at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. Our sympathy goes out to Debby Mayer, who lost her partner of 24 years, Dan Zinkus, to lymphoma of the central nervous system in August. Debbie writes, “I am still adjusting to the loss, and feeling my way through life. Among the many friends who supported Dan and me during his illness were three wonderful Skidmore friends: Maggie Gross Grief, Donna Deitch Rempell, and Debbie Davis Cromwell. I hope to see them at Reunion.” Robin Baker Hammerman reports that Barbara Kennedy McCarthy’s mother died. Our condolences to Barbara. ’69
Phyllis Stone Roy’s daughter Rachel is a junior at Smith College, majoring in theater. Last May Mary Ann Giddings Eldred attended the graduation of daughter Sarah ’02. “It was nice to still be part of Skidmore on a different level,” observes Mary Ann. “The town is different in so many ways since our era, yet still echoes the time we were there.” Judy Kapp Winder is renovating again! This time, it’s a “1922 beauty in the Old West End of Toledo.” When not working with hammer and nails, she is finishing a master’s in vocational special ed. |
|
© 2003 Skidmore College |