class notes

1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s

UWW | In Memoriam | People & projects

1960s

1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969

1961

Sandy Weisman Sheppard
j.sheppard@comcast.net

This will be my last report as secretary of the Class of 1961. I have really enjoyed being the bearer of mostly good news over the past few years, but it is time to pass the torch to Gig Smiley Read. A year ago Gig lost husband Alan, who was also her best friend; the healing process has been helped by many good friends and family. Gig’s first granddaughter lives just a few minutes from her.

Pam White Leighton announces the birth of granddaughter Laura, who joins brother Matthew, 4, in Desert Mountain, ME. Pam continues to give lectures on her trip to Antarctica in November 2006 aboard the National Geographic Endeavor (one of the rescue ships at the sinking of the Little Red Ship, the Explorer, a year later).

Micky Mannion Baruzzi’s husband, Peter, has rebounded after a serious illness last spring. The Baruzzis spent the winter in Sanibel Island, FL, where Peter prepared for his March and April art show at the Captiva Civic Center.

Betsy Hodson Dare has decided to stay in London, her home of 41 years where her three adorable granddaughters live. This past year Betsy traveled to the Baltic cities and to South America for a month. She sold one house in the south of France and bought another, in historic Grimaud Village near St. Tropez, which is available for classmates to rent—always in July, when the weather is hot, and at other times during the year.

Joan Horowitz Behr and Dick had a short visit to the Florida Panhandle to attend a son-in-law’s promotion to Lt. Col. in the Air Force. In addition to their volunteer work, Joan’s editing and art, and Spanish classes for Dick, plus a great summer in Cape May, NJ, they also enjoyed trips to Malta and Sicily in May and the Baltics and St. Petersburg (where they met in 1975) in September. The Behrs attended Judy Brown Tulchin’s daughter’s wedding in Boulder, CO, last summer. They also spent a day with Cookie Rapoport Thier and friend Ken, who took them on a customized tour of the town and mountains: “Terrific views shared with terrific people,” comments Joan. The Behrs continue to have decent health, nearby family and friends, and time to enjoy all.

Cookie Rapaport Thier and Ken van der Laan went to China on a tennis cultural exchange, where they were hosted by local tennis clubs and played against and with them for a month. That, in addition to her frequent work travel, keeps Cookie on her toes, fulfilled, and able to touch down to see kids and grandkids. She stays close to roommate Frances Young Tang’s daughter Kristin Tang ’92, who has added three children to Cookie’s biological and extended family.

Judy Mutti Grinnell had a great time at Sharon Brant Wharton’s son’s wedding in June. She sees Faxon Green ’62 at least twice a year—either in Boston or North Adams, MA. Judy also connects with Hulda Hardman Jowett at northern Berkshire events. And she loves spending time in revitalized Saratoga Springs.

Helen Illingworth Challenger and husband Dave were on the road for 100 days this year. The pair started off visiting friends and relatives in Florida, took a riverboat cruise through Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and finished up with a barge trip through Provence, France. The Challengers also traveled north for a 50th high-school reunion, and stopped in Saratoga Springs, where Helen’s former dorm, Ross House, has been converted to condos.

Highlights of Judy Brown Tulchin’s year included her daughter’s wedding in Boulder, CO, and the birth of a second grandchild. Judy spent 2006–07 in NYC as a leave replacement teacher, making it easy to bond with her grandchildren. In March she spent two weeks in China, teaching English with Global Volunteers.

Virginia Crowe Stauch lives in Barrington, RI. She and husband Fred sold their boat and are now traveling. Son Chris and his wife live in Greenwich, CT, so Ginny hopes to see more of Linda Speer Diez, who lives nearby.

Janice Curren Moffitt loves living on the coast of North Carolina. While visiting her sister on Cape Cod, Janice gets to see Liz Crombie Martin, who lives in Osterville. Janice plays tennis and has taken bike trips to the Canadian Rockies, Tuscany, and Provence. This year she is biking in Oregon.

Peggy MacCarthy Reagan and her husband live in Virginia Beach, VA. Peggy has retired from nursing after 31 years.

Joan Royter Walsh is enjoying retirement in Santa Barbara, CA. She met a wonderful man, Mel, and is the grandmother of two. Joannie is waiting for her other two unmarried children to “take the leap.”

Widowed since 1994, Evelyn Berk Kahn has lived in New Jersey for the last 10 years to help care for her parents and ailing mother-in-law. She recently made one of the biggest decisions of her life and moved to South Carolina, where two of her three children and five grandchildren reside. In addition to spending time with family, she enjoys classes, a book club, and concerts.

Southern Florida has been home for Joan Magid Quittner and husband for the past 17 years. Joan is a certified reverse-mortgage advisor and also a pet-portrait artist with many commissioned works in private collections. In her spare time, she enjoys golf and cultural events.

Marian Renken Hjortsberg has been working on her cabin in Pine Creek, MT, getting ready for visitors.

Zelda Jacobson Schwartz and husband were blessed with a fifth granddaughter this year. After running her seventh marathon in Phoenix, AZ, in January, Zelda is hoping to race in Cincinnati, OH, Virginia Beach, VA, the Women’s Nike Challenge in October, and another race in San Francisco, CA. She is raising money for the National Fund of the Children’s Tumor Foundation, created and organized by Jerye-Ann Seder Robbins, who has been honored for her many efforts on the organization’s behalf. Zelda hopes that classmates will consider sponsoring her.

Alice Chase Kaufman will be delivering a lecture on Navajo blankets and rugs at the Japan American Women’s Club in Tokyo this year. She is co-author of The Navajo Weaving Tradition and a partner in High Desert Concepts, a group that makes cashmere blankets, capes, cotton quilts, and silk scarves inspired by 19th-century Navajo blanket designs.

Joan Beckwith Braffet and husband Mickey live in the Villages, FL, and are very active with golf, bridge, mah jongg, and other pastimes. Daughter Kim lives in Prague, in the Czech Republic, with her 2-year-old son. Joan and hubby visited them over Thanksgiving. The Braffets then headed off to Austin, TX, for Christmas with their other daughter and three grandchildren. In March, Joan and Mickey traveled to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

My husband, Jack, was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure last spring. After being taken off three different heart pills by his nephrologists, he experienced dramatic improvement in his kidney function, which his doctor calls a miracle. We now appreciate every healthy, happy day we have. I will miss being class secretary, but am confident that Gig will keep us connected; please send her lots of news.