class notes

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In Memoriam | People & projects

1950s

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1959

Carolyn Brown Straker
Momstraker@aol.com

Joey Haufler Rosenthal writes, “I am getting very excited about Reunion, as are Skidmore friends who I see and with whom I trade e-mail. We had a lovely Berkshire weekend with Pam Bartholomew Armstrong and husband and Sue Collard Fanning.” Joey’s son Todd, who won the Tony award for his set design of the Broadway hit August Osage County, is now up for tenure as a professor at Northwestern University. When Joey and husband Eric visited Saratoga a few months back, they attended a superb performance of the NYC Ballet and had dinner with some people from Skidmore.

Nurse Nancy Rae Scully’s family has returned from Egypt, and she is loving having them here in NYC. Nancy says, “I hope all the nursing majors are coming to our big reunion! It would be so wonderful to see everyone once again.”

Anne-Marie Phillippe DeTourbet and husband welcomed their sixth grandchild into the world. Anne Marie’s correct phone number is 33 1 34514109 (33 is France, and 1 is Paris); it was printed incorrectly in the directory. She loves for classmates to call when in Paris.

Syl Smalley Chapman sees Evy Zoda Shippee quite often in Florida in the winter months. Syl was in Palm Springs, CA, to visit her brother and spend a week in San Diego. She is looking forward to our reunion.

Sally Freund Saltzstein writes, “Still married, still teaching, and grateful for family, friends, and the many opportunities we’ve had.”

Barbara Huge Homeier enjoyed a summer trip to Maine along with all the charm of New England. She is still trying to play golf, which she finds a challenge. She is looking forward to Reunion.

Linda Eisenberg Hardy celebrated her 50th anniversary this year and is retiring from 39 years of teaching at her Montessori preschool. She was happy to attend her granddaughter’s college graduation in June. Linda, who lives in Seattle, WA, commutes to and from a vacation home in Las Vegas.

Anne Henszey Pyle is off to Japan, where husband Ken is being given an award for his contributions to Japanese studies.They will have a private audience at the palace with the Emperor and Empress. Anne is still leading a weekly Bible-study class for international students.

Helen Halpern Lerner is a docent at the Bronx Zoo, where she reports some new additions, including lemurs and crocodiles. She also still teaches at a health center.

I had a telephone conversation with Pat O’Rourke Murrell, who sadly informed me that her beloved husband of eight years died after a brief illness. She wanted me to share with all of you how very much Michael enjoyed meeting all the classmates at our 45th reunion.

Nonnye Landers Wheeler lost her husband to Alzheimer’s disease a year ago and says work for her is wonderful. Nonnye has been traveling a lot: to the Tuscany area of Italy, the Dordogne Valley in France, and India. Lots of grandchildren keep her involved with “the younger set.”

Roselee Schainman Halper cruised with husband Chuck from Santiago, Chile, to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Roe, an artist, described glaciers as looking like “huge sculptures with a radiant blue shining through the ice.” She came home and painted them and made two sculptures, then traveled to Israel to visit family. She completed six large canvases this past summer and is now back to teaching privately in her studio. She says, “See you at Reunion.”

Barbara Foote Tallman has two children and five grandchildren, while husband Bob has three children and five grandchildren. Barb, retired as a Montessori school teacher in Pennsylvania, now travels a great deal, and they spend a lot of time at their beach house in Bethany Beach, DE. “It’s a great life,” she says.

Marlene Nicholas writes, “I enjoyed a terrific trip to Italy this past September and spent time in Sienna, Florence, Cortona, and Assisi. Wonderful food, gorgeous art, and lovely weather.” She adds, “I am looking forward to Reunion in May.”

Gail Lichtenstein Edelman lives in Sarasota, FL, not too far from her son and two grandsons, ages 3 and a few weeks. She is still a geriatric case manager and does a lot of counseling through Medi­care.

Gail, Jane Haddad Evans, Joan Cangelosi Kicska, and I are planning another Florida reunion sometime in February or March.

In October Norm and I were in Berlin and Prague for eight days. We very much enjoy being grandparents to Chloe, 14 months, and Zachary, 6 months; both kids and the grandchildren visited us for Labor Day weekend. I no longer buy furniture for our house; I am now into cribs, high chairs, and outdoor swing sets, which is much more fun! I am looking forward to Reunion, as is my husband. In September we visited former professor Henry Galant on our way up to Montreal (for Norm’s high-school reunion). His short-term memory is not good, but he certainly has great long-term memory. We had lots of laughs, and he talked about Eleanor and how lucky he has been to have led such a wonderful life. Anyone who wants to write to him can e-mail me and I will give you his address.