class notes

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1960s

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1960

Gail Bendix Jaffe
gailbjaffe@mac.com

Joyce Jacobs Grand was upset to read of Marcia Todd Mattson’s passing. She remembered fondly the lovely cocktail party Marcia hosted at our last reunion. On July 4 Joyce hosted a mini-reunion at her home; classmates watched the fireworks over a community lake. Joy Holtzman Adler, Debbie Miller Wager, and their husbands, and Peggy Campbell Boeker joined the Grands on their party barge. Peggy had just driven cross-country from Del Mar, CA, to take up residence in Virginia. Everyone was thrilled to have her back East. Joyce and husband Bernie enjoyed 10 days in Moscow and St. Petersburg in May; prior to their departure an art historian presented an in-depth view of museums in Russia.

Donna Case Peck hopes to make it to Reunion. She retired a few months ago from her private counseling practice, which she misses a bit. Now divorced, she lives in Castle Rock, CO, and is “feeling very good and eagerly planning some travel.” She would like to connect with anyone interested in traveling the route of the Orient Express or visiting Poland’s primeval forest. Donna has decided to discontinue her longtime hobby of breeding and showing Devon Rex cats, who she says are “very engaging, intelligent curly felines and nonallergenic to boot.” Her three children and seven grandchildren all live in the Denver metro area, which she is happy about. She hopes to persuade one of them to consider attending Skidmore.

Sue Smith and husband Bill Wilkes are back in Tucson, AZ, after spending the summer in rainy New Jersey. She had great fun writing a chapter book with her grandchildren and their cousins, who helped with the illustrations. Sue attended a Skidmore mini-reunion at the home of Bobbi Albright Gille in Spring Lake, NJ, and also traveled to Saratoga for a planning session for our 50th. On the sad side, she attended two memorial services of dear Summit friends. Sue spends lots of time with her kids and grandkids. Bobbi says she and husband Alan were “delighted to welcome Sue and Bill back to Tucson and return to our weekly soup-and-salad dinners and a movie.”

Sue Laird Robinson appreciates all the efforts of class officers to get us going for Reunion. She is staffing a college fair for Skidmore. Sue enjoys seeing classmates who return to Florida for the winter.

Suzanne Elsesser is delighted to be in touch with Barbara Meisel Greenbaum and Nancy Hilker. Sue has been e-mailing about organizing a reunion of Vail Deane School’s class of 1956; she was able to locate all but two of the 18 members. Sue and Betty Garman Robinson visited for a few days this past summer at Sue’s house in Larchmont, NY. Among their adventures was a historic tour of New York’s Governors Island.

Mary Hoff Fallon hosted a Cape Cod Skidmore club luncheon in August at the Devon Yacht Club. The small group, including Rosemary Bourne, had fun. MA hopes to see everyone in June.
Bonnie Smith is excited about the 50th!

Hadley Sillick Robertson enjoyed a lively mini-reunion in Philadelphia with Lee Abbott Pierson, Nancy Coxon Olson, Marilee Karins Pellegrini, Mary Kelchner Lindner, Paula Netzky Spiegel, Marge Shaffer Weaver, Carol Siccardi Roberts, Ruby Puryear Hearn, Bobbi Albright Gille, and Kathey Adair. Hadley says there was nonstop conversation bouncing all over the place—a small hint of what Reunion will be like!

Cindy Goss Triplett is recuperating from a broken fibula after falling down stairs in the Adirondacks. She is deciding whether to go back to work. Cindy is looking forward to Reunion and glad to assist in whatever ways she can.

Suzanne Denby Pelton and I frequently correspond by e-mail. She moved from Vermont to a condo in Framingham, MA, to be close to her two daughters and their families. She takes care of her youngest grandchild one day a week and participates in lots of activities with all the grands.

In April, Alan and I had the pleasure of joining Anya Hubbard Murray and friend John Jones for lunch and lively conversation here in Tucson. The time just flew as Anya and I caught up and Alan and John discussed photography. Anya and John had been on an extensive road trip to hike and take photos. Later Anya spent a week in Colorado. They had expected to kayak, but were thwarted by snow and mud; they continued on to the Trappers Lakes area, climbed to the sunny top of Rifle Falls, and finished at the Colorado Monument. Anya also traveled to Boston to celebrate brother Jack’s 75th birthday. Jack underwent quadruple bypass surgery last year, and Anya was glad she could spend the day with him.

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the March death of Lenore Cleminshaw Lekki after a 20-year battle with cancer. Her husband of 48 years, Walt, very thoughtfully wanted the class to know. We extend our heartfelt condolences to him and the whole family.

Prudy Georgia sent an update on her battle with leukemia, which started a year ago. She received a stem-cell transplant at Roswell Park Center Institute in Buffalo in June. Her brother Steve was the donor. She has spoken with Pam Crossley Faulkner, Elaine Perlman Cohen, and Rosemary Bourne, who are all holding a vision of being together at Reunion in June. Anyone who would like to check on Prudy’s condition or send greetings can visit caringbridge.org/visit/pruga.