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1968

Jeanne Shipp Waldinger
Jwaldinger@skidmore.alumni.edu

Several classmates who live and work in Boston met for wine and cheese at my office one evening: Susan Campbell Scott, Anne Roth Meyers, Judy Schapiro Yogman, Judy Reed Smith, and Sharon FitzGerald Carey ’67. All of us are involved in the nonprofit world as volunteers, board members, and employees and enjoyed learning about how the others are making a difference.

Anne Roth Meyers is president of Boston’s Downtown Crossing Association, whose services contributed to the positive experience visitors had in Boston this past summer, including the 35,000 people in town for the Democratic National Convention. Anne works closely with the mayor’s office, the Boston Redevelopment Association, and many others. DCA brought the Jazz in July lunchtime concert series to the area, and a major event was this fall’s reopening of the renovated Opera House. Anne invites everyone to “visit downtown Boston to see the beautiful window displays, do some shopping, have dinner, and watch the interesting people.”

Judy Schapiro Yogman is a staff attorney for the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, helping judges draft opinions. She also gives tours of the Federal Court House and refers us to www.discoveringjustice.org. Judy is a board member for People Making a Difference, which provides volunteer opportunities at nonprofits. A breast cancer survivor, Judy has “practical advice” for anyone going through diagnosis and treatment; she adds, “I would also be willing to just listen and sympathize.”

Lynne Marcus Johnson couldn’t join us in Boston, as her stationery and invitation business on Newbury Street was “swamped with weddings.” Lynne and Don moved to a “fabulous” condo in Chestnut Hill, just 15 minutes from her store, where she now sees clients “by appointment only.” Although she misses the peace and seclusion of Dover, Lynne has adjusted “amazingly well to a new chapter in our lives.”

Although she is still consulting (e.g., she helped a large international company set up a charitable giving program this past fall), Penny Peters spends most of her free time doing board work—especially for the Theater Development Fund, which helps hearing-impaired audiences enjoy Broadway performances. “It is remarkable to watch a ‘sign-interpreted’ performance with three actors playing and signing all the parts of a full Broadway musical, and to see the audience carried away by it.” Penny traveled to Belize with a group of women business leaders, including Sharon Pflau Whiteley ’69, whose book The Old Girls Network she highly recommends.

Susan Chern Lomastro and husband Joe continue to enjoy their retirement in Naples, FL. They have been involved with FEMA’s Community Emergency Response Team, a training program for first responders that she describes as a “rewarding endeavor.” Last year Susan celebrated 10 years of having survived breast cancer. She says, “I have lost dear friends to this terrible disease and am grateful to be able to enjoy each day with my family and friends.” Daughter Megan is an oncology pharmaceutical sales specialist in Boston, with a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson.

Meryl Nadel Spigelman is an associate professor in the social-work department at Iona College. Son Matthew (Haverford ’02) started a graduate program in anthropology-archaeology in September. Daughter Leah (Vassar ’04) spent several months in Cyprus studying conflict resolution before returning to NYC to job-hunt. Meryl’s husband, Mel, works for the TB Alliance, seeking more effective treatments for tuberculosis, particularly in third-world countries. Meryl and her family live in a house overlooking the Hudson River in the Bronx. She suggests that classmates consider attending Skidmore’s Summer Exploration program; last summer’s offering included the mini-course “1968 in History and Memory.” Anyone interested in joining her in Saratoga this August?

Niki Holbrook Sabbath completed a master’s in instructional technology at George Mason University in December. Niki, whose classmates there were “kids who have grown up with technology,” observes that their style of learning is “quicker and more superficial” than their elders’. Daughter Jessica, who earned a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University, is a reporter covering local government for the Winchester (VA) Star. Stephanie, a sophomore at the University of Richmond, is interested in international relations.

Sherry Brooker Stewart teaches C++, Visual Basic.NET, and applications such as Word, Excel, and Access at Howard Community College in Columbia, MD, where she also advises computer-science and information-systems majors and serves on the college’s judicial committee. In June she spent three weeks at a two-year technical school in southern Turkey, just 30 miles from Syria, on a faculty exchange. Sherry and colleagues enjoyed sightseeing in Cappadocia, Ankara, and Istanbul. At home she plays duplicate bridge, participates in a book club, and attends the Washington Ballet and Washington and Baltimore Operas.

Ann Stewart Reder spent a few terrific days in Boston with Susan Campbell Scott and Marsha Petersen Kenny in May. They went to an art show, wandered Susan’s neighborhood, and drank tea around Susan’s kitchen table. Ann reports that Susan, recovering from cancer treatments, was tired and in pain, but her wit and intelligence were in evidence throughout, and she appreciates the cards and e-mails she has received. Observes Ann, “Susan is back to her own feisty self, complaining about George Bush and bemused at her wavy gray-brown hair.”

Ann Reder and husband Barry spend a lot of time at their Sonoma, CA, house—“a little piece of heaven, complete with meadow and vegetable garden.” Their “center of gravity” remains San Francisco, where Ann worked for John Kerry and had a chance to meet him. She wrote letters to women in swing states and drove folks to the polls on Election Day.

Marsha Kenny and husband Steve enjoy trips to Hamilton College to visit youngest daughter Bevin. Marsha reports that Steve, a ’69 Hamilton alumnus, is beside himself with pride and has a built-in excuse to attend football games and swim meets. Last winter they accompanied daughter Bryn (Middlebury ’01) to a Middlebury-Hamilton swim meet in Vermont, where Bryn reunited with teammates. Last fall Marsha and Susan Scott traveled to San Francisco to celebrate Ann Reder’s birthday, compliments of Ann’s husband, Barry. The classmates enjoyed a spa afternoon and lunched with Anne Roth Meyers, who was in town for a conference.

Class president Carrie Van Kloberg studies exercise science at Skidmore, teaches water-exercise classes as part of the Skidmore wellness program, and serves on the alumni board’s awards committee. At the fall weekend for volunteers, Carrie and I spoke with Anne Palamountain, who had just had hip-replacement surgery and attributed her rapid recovery to those water exercises that Carrie taught her! Anne sends her fond regards to the entire class.

Jane Fowler Grau’s son, Jonathan, was transferred to Salt Lake City, UT, where wife Elizabeth has started law school, making Jane the new nanny to granddaughters Audrey and Eva. Longtime art critic for the Charlotte Observer, Jane is contemplating going to work for the Salt Lake Tribune. She would love to hear from old friends at jlfgrau@aol.com.

My wonderful roommate and maid of honor Michele McGann Steege died in August from breast cancer. Attending the Philadelphia memorial service with me in October were Lynn Anderson Grant Major, Rin Marshall Babson, Wendy Cassidy Dorfman, Dana Kaufman Varnum, Elizabeth Maiden Newell, Trish Wall Wynkoop, Anne Medaglia Haugh, Stefanie Newton Matteson, and Letty Derman Thall, who worked with Michele in Philadelphia. Michele’s Skidmore roommates considered her a very special friend, but there were scores of people who, because of the way Michele lived her life, also recognized the significant contributions she made to their lives. Letty and Bruce Thall and daughter Courtney welcomed us all for Sunday brunch in their beautiful 1800s house a few blocks from the Philadelphia Art Museum.