class notes

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1960s

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1963

Deborah Frankel Reese
bybynj@aol.com

When flooding destroyed the University of Iowa arts complex last year, artist and lecturer Laura Young set up shop in a renovated hardware store in Iowa City. Fortunately, most of the works of art were moved to Chicago before the river crested, and the museum will be rebuilt on higher ground. Laura, who has two sons, recently became a grandmother for the fifth time—all grandsons.

I am saddened to report that Virginia Payne Morse died in October. She had been battling MS for 33 years. Ginny had written to me shortly before her death to say she was happily settled in a condominium suited for skilled-nursing care, after spending four years at Clark House Nursing Home. She was so grateful for the many classmates who visited her regularly there, including former roommate Ginny Nyvall Durfee, Judy Parsons ’62, Ronnie Zolondek Bramesco, Bonnie Bell Potter, and Beth Angier Holden. Ginny had recently spent time with Ginger Clark Keare ’59, who belongs to a gym in her apartment building.

Jane Finneman Hochman held an informal mini-reunion at her Princeton, NJ, home to welcome Sabre Gilmartin Lynda Sable, who traveled to New York City on holiday from her home in the midlands of England with her traveling companion Rodney. On hand were Jane’s husband, Jack; Judy Grebin; and Carolyn Caesar Ingraham, husband Mark, and their daughter Lora. Not one to rest on her laurels, Jane hosted another mini-
reunion in August with Susan Loukedis Ida Blum and husband Gus, Judy Grebin, and Phyllis Steinberg Marchand and husband Sy. Jane notes, “It is fun to hear everyone’s stories of Skidmore in the 1960s, and we find that this sort of informal entertaining at home is a good way to do it.”

For those of you who did not attend Reunion and receive our class history, When the ’50s Met the ’60s, it is still available for purchase. It is a marvelous history of us, our years at Skidmore, and our era in general. To order, please e-mail dpalmate@skidmore.edu.

Liz Flescher Palay lives in Madison, WI. She and her relatively new husband, Ed, are well. “Each time you send a notice of one of us passing I am reminded once again how each day is so precious,” says Liz. She and Ed had a great trip to Chile and Argentina last winter.

Ronnie Zolondek Bramesco spent last spring recovering from a double knee replacement. It was far easier for her to recuperate in Tucson in 80-degree weather than in the Northeast! She seemed fine at Reunion, and is now well recovered. She and husband Art Suekoff will not return to the East Coast until spring. As usual, she was able to spend some quality time with Patty Foreman and Arthur Balbirer, who live in Bethlehem, CT.

In 2004 Beverly Crickard Steele retired after 30 years with the City of Alexandria, VA. She started as an aide to one of the first two women ever elected to city council, giving her an education in how city government works. In 1977 she accepted a job with the Community Development Block Grant office, which later became the Office of Housing. She became director in 1986. She served as deputy city manager from 1991 to 2000, retiring as director of special projects in 2004. She now spends her days enjoying travel, gardening, and reading. As she was one of the CGA “big four” at Skidmore, it should come as no surprise that Bev had an outstanding career in public service.

Another retiree, Willa Zens Marten, keeps up a low-key art-show schedule and “will work for airfare!” The rest of the time she manages three properties and enjoys a Pacific Rim lifestyle in Marin County and Hawaii. Her last show Natural Connections: Monoprints and Montage was held at the Dolphin Gallery in Gualala, CA, in August.

Karen Levin Coburn sent news that her first grandson was born in October (she has two other grandkids, both girls). Daughter Alison, son-in-law Ben, and baby were all doing well—“all of us blissfully happy.” Karen is adjusting to retirement from her longtime, highly demanding administrative duties at Washington University. They have given her office space at the school, where she is working on the fifth rewrite and update of her book Letting Go, which has become the “bible” for parents of college-bound kids.

Gerry Emerson MacCartee told me the sad news that Marilyn Filbrick Kelly died in September. Gerry had received a phone call from Bob Disney, who said that he and Marilyn had been on a Danube cruise when she became ill. She had had liver problems for many years. She died in Prague, with Bob at her side. Gerry says, “Theirs was one of those terrific relationships that occur sometimes late in life—they had dated in college when he was at Hamilton, then both went on to marry someone else.” Years later Marilyn and Bob found each other again and, last year, moved together to Colorado. Gerry is happy they had come out to visit her and had dinner together about six months ago. Marilyn and Gerry were roommates freshman and sophomore years; they remained close. Gerry adds, “She was an amazing artist, and a lovely human being.”

I had a great summer, highlighted by trips to Nantucket and to Long Beach Island with kids and grandkids. My husband and I hosted fundraising parties for Barack Obama and Vermont gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington. As always, we had a busy fall, as everyone wants to come leaf-peeping in our neck of the woods. The market for art is drying up because of the economy, and two of my galleries have closed; another closed for the winter to save fuel. I did get some work in a small gallery in Nantucket: East End Gallery on North Wharf. One lesson learned this past year: 67 is too old to get a new puppy! But our little white puli is very adorable.