1953 Class Notes for 2019

Blue Class of 1953

 

Dear Friends from TC 1953-

 

Once again it has been my pleasure to hear from so many of you with news of you and your families.

 

Before I start sharing this year’s news, I want to mention the passing of Pat Shannon McDonough, which happened just as last year’s letter went to press.  Pat and her delightful husband Edwin (who died in 2016) had a wonderful, if too short, marriage. They both loved to travel and did so very frequently.  Pat Schmitt and I, and our daughters, attended Pat’s very beautiful funeral Mass in Newton, MA.

 

Mary Gies Commins writes that she is happy to be able to stay in the house she and Bill lived in for so many years.  Five of her children live in the area and her youngest is in Charlotte. Mary’s 14 grandchildren range from some college graduates to a sixth grade grandson who knows everything about dinosaurs, prehistoric creatures and all the birds in the backyard! Mary has developed a group of young female college students who live with her for a semester to a full school year at a time.  This has worked out wonderfully for all concerned.  Mary sends out an email every morning to check in with her children and keeps busy with her new cat, Mon Cheri, and researching and writing family genealogy books – three to date!

 

Betty Harkins Creamer sent a great note, much of it about Pat Furlong Smith.  Betty had just spoken to Pat and said she sounded wonderful over the phone but that she had lost both Ken and her sister last year and this has prompted a move to be closer to her son. She is still active playing bridge at the Master’s level and she also recently enjoyed an extensive cruise with a close friend.  Betty says she and her friends are immersed in the national news as well as their local news and she takes comfort in good health and close family and friends.  She hopes we all can do the same!

 

Isabel Roedel Bull wrote from Peoria where she and George continue to live.  They are still relatively healthy and were looking forward to their yearly visit to Wyoming where they visit sisters, brothers and cousins.

 

Marie Noonan Sabin’s letter began with the sad news of Pat Carr Bruckman’s death in early February. Pat had been very ill for the last two years and had kept putting off a visit from Marie until she was feeling better- their last conversation was in November. Marie remembered how she and Pat would travel to Trinity together on the sleeper from Boston. They would board at 9pm and ask to be awakened the next morning in Baltimore just in time to get ready for debarkation at Union Station.  I’m sure we all have similar travel memories!  Marie had more sad news, though, with the death of her oldest brother, John.  Marie was grateful that some amazing grace brought her near John in California for the last two years of his life. Marie’s good news was that her third book, Evolving Humanity and Biblical Wisdom, was published last April.  Marie has developed a retreat based on her book called Everyday Mysticism that she would gladly offer anywhere she is asked!

 

Joan Maloney struggles with the computer (you’re not alone!) but says all is well with her, although she had a miserable summer last year.  She was attacked by a stray dog and lost most of her thumb!  She most definitely agrees with Darwin who thought that thumbs were what made us superior to monkeys!  Joan is back to “writing” articles of historical research, using her surgically rebuilt digit.

 

Claartje Rathgens Bertaut always writes her letter on the back of her family’s yearly New Year epistle, so I feel quite up-to-date with all the family news. With renewed energy following heart valve surgery, Claartje mixes weekly Tai Chi, Yoga, and senior exercise classes with long walks in the neighborhood. She continues to read and research the events of WWII from a non-Nazi perspective and enjoys lunches and dinners with family and friends.  And she welcomed her first great-grandchild, Walter, in February and hopes to travel to San Francisco to meet him soon.

 

An exceptionally lovely letter arrived from Diane Ryan Kunkler’s daughter, Katrina, telling us that Diane passed away last November.  Diane’s husband, Bill, had died last year as well. Diane left seven children, their spouses, 22 grandchildren and her sister, Katherine Calnan.

 

Mary Catherine Elward Halvorsen writes that she had to be rescued by her son from a “once every 25 year” snow storm this winter.  She is still in her house and still drives but no longer cuts her own grass!  MC continues to fight the local radical environmentalists who spend their days proposing dangerous plans such as putting picnic tables in the middle of a tug and barge operation at the end of a street where 40 freight trucks a day pass by.  All is well with her family and she hopes the same is true of all her classmates.

 

Martha McGill Thornley shares that she has had to cut back on travelling somewhat, but keeps in touch with Marie Sabin, Shonnie Hall Finnegan, Libby Kilbourn Birdsall, Betsy Statt Romson and Kathy Claydon Lightfoot.  She still manages an occasional concert and was looking forward to taking a class offered by her local center for lifetime study.  Her husband, Bill, uses a walker to get around but their children are faithful and attentive.

 

Betsy Romson sent a short but newsy note from Phoenix telling us that last year she was recovering from spinal surgery to correct lower back pain. The procedure worked well until last October when the pain returned.  She is now back to PT and aqua-therapy and says prayers will be gratefully received.  She and Jim are planning to return to Rochester and look for a smaller condo. Betsy keeps in touch with Martha McGill, who was about to celebrate a wedding anniversary. She also told us of the death of Lore Carlisle Sheedy (TC ’55) last year.

 

Joanne McGuire Hafner and Jack are doing remarkably well, although, Jack had a trans aortic valve replacement two years ago. They are planning a trip to their former home, the Sea Ranch, to see old friends and the beautiful winter ocean that they enjoy so much.

 

Mary Conboy Rossiter and John moved back to Massachusetts in 2015 and John fell the following year and has never fully recovered.  Four of the five Rossiter children live nearby and they help Mary and John in so many ways.  They lead a quiet life but feel so blessed to have their health. Mary closed by saying she treasures beautiful memories of our days at Trinity – how fortunate we all are to be able to recall those wonderful days!

 

Ann Marie Cronin Scheelar tells us that she has retired after 32 years of teaching second grade in a Catholic school (which she loved!). Her husband, Earl (GU ’53), passed away last April but Ann Marie has eight grandchildren who manage to keep her busy and occupied. She still does a bit of tutoring and counseling, but not so much that it interferes with lunch or dinner with friends.

 

Jane Dunning Ford writes that she had been having problems with old bones and a lumbar disc and Bill needs a walker to get around but they are bumbling through and their children are very helpful. They will miss their annual family vacation to the Outer Banks and had hoped to make Reunion but just couldn’t make that happen.

 

Shonnie Finnegan also wrote about the passing of our classmate Pat Bruckman.  She attached an impressive tribute of Pat from a Toronto newspaper and believes that Pat’s notable career as a literary scholar and citizen of the world reflects well on the College. Before Shonnie had a chance to send her note, she had a fall in her home and needed a partial hip replacement and a vacation in a rehab facility!  She is much better now.

 

Corinne O’Neil Wood’s husband, Henry, passed away in January.  Their son, Michael, Michael’s wife Emily and their son-in-law Rich Quitadamo all preceded him in death.  Corinne and Henry raised their three young grandchildren, always providing them with love, affection and devotion. This summer all three will marry and surely Henry will be looking down on them all with love and pride.

 

Adelene Cowhig Quigley joined the bionic club receiving a new hip last summer.  She is really amazing! She happily lives in a retirement community, Kimball Farms, in Lenox, MA, the town of her birth.  She would love to see classmates who might come by and she would love to conduct tours of her lovely town.  Adelene is spending time this winter in FL and hopes to see Pat O’Neal Schmitt.  Pat arrived in FL and immediately caught a severe cold and also an infection in her leg but she was able to report real improvement on all fronts after two weeks of FL sun.  Pat hosted a lovely luncheon last summer in Marion with Corrine and Henry Wood, Adelene and myself as well as many of our daughters.  It was a delight to be with the entire group.

 

Diddy Dreyfus Fleming with her dog in Aiken, SC

A last-minute letter and grand photos just arrived from Diddy Dreyfus Fleming, who has moved from busy Annandale, VA to her daughter’s farm in Aiken, SC. Diddy’s little house is filled with southern sunshine and has a big variety of large, lovable animals nearby to keep her on her toes.

 

Jan Dempsey Largay, Pat Glunz Spencer, Nancy McCormack O’Connell, and Pat O’Neal Schmitt at Big Sand Lake, WI

As for me, the past year has been good, except for our annual family vacation at the Cape when six of the seven of us came down with a flu bug. An experience we all would have rather missed!  Kerry (TC ’80) and I live in a comfortable little house in Worcester, not far from where Larry and I started out together so many years ago.  In September, though, Pat Schmitt joined me and my daughter, Kerry for a visit to Jan Dempsey Largay’s summer home in northern (very northern!) Wisconsin.  Pat Glunz Spencer also joined for part of the week and we had a wonderful time!  One highlight was when the Largay’s Portuguese Water Dog, Henry, enjoyed a ride in their new golf cart – alone! He had accidentally stepped on the gas pedal and then just sat back and enjoyed his ride until Jan’s daughter, Julie, stopped him just short of the lake!

 

It was absolutely a delight to receive so many letters this year!  It always is but as time goes by the news in each letter becomes more important and personal.  So many sent their love and were treasuring beautiful friends and memories of our days at Trinity.  I will close by sending my wishes and prayers for a happy and healthy year to come for us all!

 

 

Nancy McCormack O’Connell

8 Bayberry Lane

Worcester, MA 01602

508-757-8159

Kerryoc1@gmail.com