class notes

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1940s

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1949

Edith Armend Holtermann
holterglas@aol.com

Dan Conron, husband of the late Margery VanSteeden Conron ’49 and father of Dale Conron Ahearn ’75, sent a note to “all of my favorite Skidmore gals” to inform them that he attended the dedication of the Ahearn Training Room at Skidmore’s Sports and Recreation Center. He was joined by Dale, son-in-law Dick, and grandson Matthew ’02. “I was so proud to be a part of the Ahearn/Conron/VanSteeden legacy, which also includes Dan’s sister-in-law, Juliana VanSteeden Alasso ’61, also a nursing major. Skidmore has made such a difference in our family’s lives, and we are lucky to be able to give back.”

Dolores Plumb Petersen visited with Elizabeth Williams at Dolores’s Flagler Beach, FL, home. She encourages classmates in the area to look her up.
Joan Hull cruised around the Pacific for nine weeks, visiting Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Bangkok, and Singapore. (Back home in California, husband Dale drew up plans for enlarging their master bedroom.) Her whole family had a reunion at Stinson Beach last spring. Joan is still golfing and volunteer-teaching fourth-grade English. In November she cruised the Mexican Riviera and Puerto Vallarta before driving to Rincon de Guayabitos to visit old friends.

Helen Buch Thorpe is still mired in red tape, trying to build her house in Ocean Grove, NJ. She hopes to move this summer. Son Phil and daughter-in-law Kari presented her with a granddaughter in Boulder, CO. Daughters Anne and Carol have been doing the legwork back home in Wall, NJ, where she lives with Anne until she can move into her own house. In January, Helen cruised the Caribbean with family and friends.

Trying to correct my notes, Phyllis Dye Turner explains that last year she and former roommate Pat McCleod met in Indiana for a week at Phyl’s. The Turner clan met in July for an 80th birthday party for Ned, including Chris and Bill from Reston, VA, and Julie and Jim from California. Ned and Jeannette arrived from Denver, CO, and Marjorie and Bob from Albuquerque, NM. Julie shows her thoroughbred in California and does well.

Betti Detrick Williams enjoys the notes she gets from all of us at Christmas. She and Don are doing well. Her greatest news is the birth of a great-granddaughter, daughter of Raymond and Amy. The Williamses’ son, Daniel, finished college and is working. Daughter Donna is still making pottery. Daughter Laura, now divorced, is managing an art gallery in New Hampshire. Betti is teaching art, painting, and drawing six hours a day, three days a week at a private art school. She spent February in Naples, FL.

Our newlyweds, Mary Lou Woodruff Street and Bud, spent March 2005 in Florida. In June Mary Lou accompanied Bud to his 60th Dartmouth reunion and then flew west to Oregon for her niece’s wedding. The couple toured Mt. Hood, Portland, Mt. Ranier, and Mt. Saint Helens before going on to Seattle. They put Bud’s Lincoln home on the market, and Mary Lou celebrated her 60th high-school reunion. Daughter Alison is in her second year of a doctoral program.

Dorothy Schaap Adler and Herb vacationed in Florida this winter, hoping to get in some golf and R&R.

Phyllis Harder Reiniger and husband Dick spent last Christmas at son Rick and daughter-in-law Linda’s cabin stocked with Reiniger wine. Rick crashed his bike in May and broke his femur. Later, he went backward on his lawn tractor and fell over his neighbor’s wall, breaking four ribs. Phyllis and Dick and some of their children went to visit Colgate and Skidmore friends in Florida. Chuck and Tracy moved into their new winery. Their merlot was named one of the top ten in Wine Spectator magazine. Grandson Fred was hired as a senior VP of First Mutual Bank. Granddaughter Rebecca graduated from the University of Arizona and obtained a license to sell real estate. In September the Reinigers toured the Chihuly Glass School. In October they celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary and later spent time at a condo in Kauai, Hawaii, a trip they won at a church auction.

Leah Cunningham Wood and Chuck are back in their life-care condo in Boca Raton, FL. Leah tells me Doris Higgons Popenoe was in the hospital for two weeks with pneumonia but has recovered.

Beulah Schwarcz Edwards and Arthur have been cruising the Caribbean and went on the Queen Mary II around South America, ending in New York. They’ve also visited grandchildren and friends.

My son Billy and his children are coping with the loss of his wife, Erin. Grandchildren Eva and Matthew are on the honor roll in their schools; Julia, 4, seems to be adjusting well. I got through my church luncheon, which I run, and the Christmas in Richmondtown event by the Staten Island Historical Society, of which I am president. I also ran their card party in January before taking off for two Elderhostels in California. I visit daughter Penny on the weekends and keep up my bridge, which I’ve been doing for 50 years.