1951 Class Notes for 2015

More than ever I’ve received phone calls from many of you, making our relationships more personal. Each year a theme weaves its way throughout many of your letters and this year it’s about moving to smaller, more convenient living spaces, often with great amenities.

My own, uneducated opinion is that at 85, all of you are very active and involved in all aspects of living, but have experienced limitations in athletic endeavors.

Still faithful to the discipline of jazzercise class three times per week is Zilpha Bosone. The pottery pieces that she makes are sold by a women’s group during the holiday season so others are able to enjoy her work.

Like several others Zilpha is faced with the question of moving and for her it’s leaving the D.C. area to either Denver where her son lives or to Georgia where her daughter and granddaughter live.

I am always fascinated by the different positions in the world of arts that Doris Michels Edwards has held since living in Florida. “Imagine being 84 and having two jobs.” After her husband died in March, she returned to the costume shop at the Hippodrome State Theater and a sewing job at the Ballet Company. “Fortunately the ability to sew and the pleasure of being creative does not diminish with age.”

Despite an injured right hand, Kathleen Donoghue Woodland made the effort to write. She questioned me not asking for class donations. I think it’s really up to you to send any donation to the alumnae office and designated for class of ’51.

Highlights for Jean Carey O’Neill were a bonding visit to Hawaii with four daughters, a surprise visit from Libby Fissell Griffin and a grandson’s wedding on the beach in front of her home. She has 5 great grandchildren. I’m very flattered that as a highlight she mentioned coming to my home for lunch with Mary Alice Neylan, Nancy Dolle Busch and Barbara Pahls Thompson. Missing from our luncheon was Frayne McGauley McGuinn who died after an illness of a few years. Nothing stopped Frayne, even with compromised health she went to Europe. Frayne was always upbeat, saw the good, the joy in all situations. Her death is a loss to so many: those of us here and to many of you with whom she kept in close contact.

Looking forward to our 65th class reunion is Mary Anne Bogley Corr. She continues her active support with Parish groups: Vocation Club, Secular Franciscans and the Christ Child Society. Choosing a military career is her grandson David, and his sister Katie in the fall will enter Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, MD.

Nancy O’Connell Giffin has moved to a new condo and is completely renovating. Her description of moving is perfect. “I had to get rid of half of my worldly goods, but it was a very cleansing experience and also my family is the ship that keeps me afloat. Faith and family. What else is there?” Nancy, despite all her remodeling commitments has been in Kennebunkport, Washington, D.C., Sitka, Alaska and Boston. Through phone calls I have gotten to know her daughter Linda in the Boston area.

Anne Bell Gerras has moved to a retirement center where cleaning or cooking and many activities are available, if wanted. Her son, a graduate of West Point is a Colonel and a teacher. She has five grandchildren and I am not sure if they live nearby.

Nancy Sloan Sarkisian says even though college days are long, in the past she still benefits each day from the experience. She has three children and four wonderful grandsons. Nancy still teaches swimming three days a week to children and loves doing this. She is “happy, proud and blissfully busy with work, family and friends.”

Candy Cane’s response was my first. She has recently joined Connections, part of a nationwide movement called the Villages. It helps people stay in their homes with a way to meet new people and become involved in new activities. At the same time Candy is fortunate to have three children within walking distance. She spent two weeks in Puerto Rico last winter with her brother and his wife. No plans for this spring except for Cape Cod.

While I’m writing Mary Alice Neylan is enjoying a two week cruise through the Panama Canal. Just before leaving, her daughter Nancy ’81 came with their son Kipling from San Miguel for an extended visit. Ever continuing her education, Mary Alice will be taking two courses at Northwestern: Middle East Culture and O’Henry Short Stories. In the fall she will be on a 30 day cruise, but I can’t recall the itinerary.

Lola Blank Sullivan and her husband, having become permanent sea siders, have seen their lives slow down. Recently they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and Lola says the island sank a few feet because so many of the family were there. Even though their daughter Lola, who has been ill for so many years, is a living suffering saint and is unable to communicate, she is able to participate in celebrations by her presence. Recently one of her sons was married. Lola’s third great grandchild was born recently.

“I think we would all agree that life has been very good to us and that we have had all that is worth having in this life,” are words of wisdom from Bunny Casey Murphy. That so many of us, including Bunny, have seen our children’s children’s children is truly a blessing. Bunny’s sister Mary ’48 died six weeks ago.

Through the years Gloria Goggin has written the most picturesque, detailed letters about her travels, particularly those with her brother and his wife. No detail was too small and she really took notice of all that was around her. From Muffi Ford Bowler I learned of Gloria’s death this past summer. She will be missed by many and I especially will miss her lengthy letters.

Aruba has always been such an important part of Adwina Honchar Arends life, and she is still working for the Aruba Tourism Authority. Her middle son John is returning there to live on a permanent basis. Her daughter’s girls having gone to Aruba since baby days said they wanted to be married there. On January tenth a wish was granted for one. Eddie’s elder son and family live in Louisiana and her daughter is in New Jersey. Seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren are in her family. Unfortunately Eddie experienced two bad falls in ’14. Both involved broken cement, pointed shoes, and being in a hurry.

Libby Fissell Griffin’s granddaughter, Emily Skaggs, has made her Broadway debut in the musical, “Funtime.” The saying “may you live in interesting times” is certainly true today, Timmie Harrington Jensen says. She attended a luncheon at Trinity and heard Sr. Mary Johnson SND speak about her book concerning Catholic sisters in current times, and it was intellectually stimulating. Timmie drives back and forth from her apartment on Capitol Hill to her house at Cobb Island on the Potomac.

From Kathy Brennan Saffian comes word that her husband George died in September. I had a long visit with him at the Cape. He was so friendly and made me feel as if we’d been friends for a long time. After reading his eulogy I felt one of his many gifts was just knowing you. Kathy has many grandchildren and her first great grandchild. She and George developed a fledgling campground and transformed over 13 acres of grass into a forest of pine trees. She and George were very active in serving the church especially on the weekends, visiting nursing homes, bringing the blessed sacrament and rosaries. She uses a beautiful term: “joyfully sad.”

Nancy Dolle Busch and I live a few minutes from each other and it has been such a gift of friendship all these years. Her husband Bill is wheelchair-bound and she with help is his primary care giver. She still manages to juggle many activities: three book clubs, bible study group, duplicate bridge, Art Institute of Chicago lectures including trips to Montreal and Quebec and still finding time for painting and poetry writing; 20 grandchildren and five great grandchildren enrich their lives. Like so many, Nancy is grateful for being sustained by her faith.

Grateful for having moved a number of years ago while her husband was living, Joan Lauck Conroy is very happy on an inland waterway where she enjoys an abundance of wildlife. Her life continues at a slower pace. A recent compression fracture has been very painful and has interfered with some activities. She sees Pat Carroll Dunsmore who frequently brings the blessed sacrament. She hears from Janet Baker Robbins. So dedicated to Head Start, it was difficult for Joan to give up painting and reading for them, but has continued to play duets and give recitals. Joan and Judy Schweinler Moser speak twice a week and are enjoying Thomas Aquinas’ treatise on angels in the Summa. During this past year Joan’s son who lives in Vero Beach was married to a fellow law student after they both graduated from law school.

Mary O’Neill Dorger, who has two grandsons at Miami University, gave me the opportunity to share a three-hour very special visit with her two daughters at her lovely home. It was like going home, being with Mary.
From several I received accounts of happy luncheon get-togethers at the Cape arranged by Paula Hanrahan Connolly. She refers to this season as a “stay at home winter,” and she recommends for reading Pope Francis, the Great Reformer and Monuments Men, the story of recovering the artworks hidden by Hitler.

A big Trinity event for Lyn McCarthy Heider in Saratoga was the 86th birthday celebration for Janet Baker Robbins. Janet’s daughter Nancy and Judy’s daughter came from Vermont. Contact with Jean Carey O’Neill and Ed McGrath in Florida, and visits with Terry in Connecticut. have brought Trinity in close contact. Fred is planning a reunion for all 26 of the family for Lyn’s 85th birthday in June at Nemacolin Resort, PA. With gratitude for being able to enjoy each of their three homes they feel the church is both their spiritual and social center. On a humorous note Lyn says because of their three locations they are probably the only couple with five sets of church envelopes.

Muffi reminds me of Paula’s organization for campus on the Cape. For those of you who can attend, it really is a great time to get together in an intimate way. Muffi’sfour children all live nearby and like most of our children, they are very solicitous. Because of his close proximity, one of Muffi’s sons, Ted, has been of great help and support since her
husband’s illness and death. Prayers are asked for daughter Katie’s husband Juan who is ill. Steadfast for years to her bible study groups, these have been a source of strength for Muffi. For reading she recommends Deep Dawn Dark by Hector Tobar.

So many of you have thanked me for being your scribe. I really enjoy hearing from you and this year talking to several of you was very meaningful. Send me your email addresses next year and any change of addresses so Trinity can update their records.

Like many of you, my life is rich with blessings. 27 grandchildren and soon to be 10 great-grandchildren are at the top of the list, followed by all the forever happenings in a large family. There is still time for me, and my own interests. I
have to keep in step with all the many younger ones in the family – so I guess I’m forever young.

To each of you,
My love
Lorraine Rosedale Wolfe