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1959

Carolyn Brown Straker
Momstraker@aol.com

In November Doris von Conta toured Germany, Austria, and Italy, visiting family, exploring museums, and researching family history in city libraries. She is delighted by her grandsons, ages 7 and 4, and enjoys spending time with the rest of her family. Visiting Skidmore friends, she adds, is a special treat.

Mary Heep Van Riper spent November in New Zealand, traveling with her daughter and family. In March Mary and her husband went to Colorado to give their son and daughter-in-law a break from caring for their children, ages 6 months and 2 years. Finally, the couple took a trip to the Caribbean—“just for us.”

Judy Nedell Marks lives in Boca Raton, FL, seven months out of the year. Thanks to the 45th reunion classmate directory she received, she was able to make contact with former roommate and Florida neighbor Judy Miller Marx, who lives in Boynton Beach.

Sue Clark Jorgensen relocated to Saratoga Springs to be closer to her daughter for the rest of the year and says, “I really love living here—there is so much going on in the area.” Sue attended a holiday party at Skidmore’s Surrey Williamson Inn with Bobbi Young Shafer. She encourages classmates traveling or living in the area to look her up. Sue reports that husband Clark, who was bested in round-robin tennis by my husband, Norm, during Reunion in June, still refers to him as the “Champ.” Norm loves it!

Snowbird Gail Lanctot Hamlett lives with her sister in Fort Myers, FL. She teaches computer skills to senior citizens, does needlework, and volunteers for her church gift shop. Gail spends her summers swimming and gardening with her children and grandkids near Buffalo, NY.

Reunion chair Evy Zoda Shippee and husband Bob joined Sylvia Smalley Chapman and husband John on a Rhine River cruise through five European countries last fall. The Shippees later spent three days visiting Beth Oliver Linguri and husband Edward in Switzerland.

Syl Chapman spent Christmas in Boston, MA, with her daughter—and eight inches of snow. A resident of Florida for eight years, Syl described her white Christmas as “a thing of beauty.”

In February Sue Gosch Martineau participated in a ladies member-vs.-guest golf tournament where spouses were able to place bets on the winner during a cocktail party held after the ladies’ practice session. Sue’s husband, Bob, joined in the fun.

Class president Bev Sanders Payne, one of the only classmates who doesn’t desert colder climates for Florida, spent a week skiing with her family in Steamboat Springs, CO, in February. Bev spends most of her time in New Hampshire while husband David continues working part-time in Connecticut. Her beautiful year-old retriever, Buddy, keeps her busy but is great company.

Phyllis Kaufman Brociner and husband Steve celebrated their wedding anniversary at Steve’s University of Miami reunion with Beryl Swire Novitch and husband Howard, who was Steve’s roommate there. Phyllis and Steve met at the Novitches’ wedding. Notes Phyllis, “It was a real nostalgia fest.” Phyllis takes museum excursions with Ellen Rubinson Zamore, with whom she attended a performance of the opera Candide as part of a NYC Alumni Club event held in March.

Sally Gray Perry and husband Jim get together at least once a month with Sally Rogers Falcone. Both alumnae have daughters named Lisa.

Ann Hovell Dew’s book Emotional Transformation is available online at www.xulonpress.com.

Maryann Bruno McCrea is chair for her 50th high-school reunion this fall (and hopes classmates Barb Brownell, Janet Rosencrans, and Roz Sutton Oesterle will also attend). Maryann is trying to schedule hip replacement surgery this spring so she can dance at her daughter’s wedding, which she is also in charge of planning.

Helen Halpern Lerner returned from a “wonderful” trip to India with “a much better understanding of my Indian students.” She still teaches nursing students at Lehman College in the Bronx, NY.

Bette Bostwick Campbell lives in Houston, TX, and owns a condo in Vail, CO, where she and her family spend at least one long weekend a month—skiing in the winter and enjoying outdoor concerts and golf during the summer. “It’s the best thing we ever did for the family,” she notes.

My husband, Norm, and I feel the same way about the home we purchased in the Hamptons back in 1977. Last year we doubled the size of the house, hoping that our family will grow to fill the rooms there.