1955 Class Notes for 2014
My goodness, what a tiny little world we live in. Sr. Pat McCarthy, still the Pastoral Associate at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Richmond, VA, recently had a visit from Sherry Houghton of Williamsburg, whose husband, David, in town for rehabilitation, wished to become Catholic. Sherry mentioned David’s first wife, now deceased, as Gaynor. And yes, David had been married to our Gaynor Burtis Houghton. “I am so happy that I have had this opportunity to reconnect with Gaynor, and I know that she is watching over and praying for all of us.” Pat hopes that when David is received into the Catholic Church she will have the opportunity to meet David and Gaynor’s children.
In other exciting news, Dorothy Dannemiller Rogers was to marry her gentleman friend, Shirl Abbey, on July 24 on Bald Head Island, NC, with 27 family members in attendance. Best wishes, Dorothy! Other celebrations include an 80th birthday three-day extravaganza for Mary King Kayser held in Carmel, CA. Almost all of her children and in-law children were in attendance. Mary and Don will be in Lake Oswego, OR, for the next six months. Call them if you are in the area. When Eloise Johnston Sanchez turned 80 in March, her children hosted a big party for her. Eloise also hosted a small party when her granddaughter made her First Holy Communion. Last December Eloise fell and hit her head on the bed frame, which resulted in bleeding in the brain. She was medevaced to Sacramento to see a specialist, but is now fine. In January she was able to fly to Maui to attend her great-grandson’s birthday celebration. One son flew with her and another came from Guam, so they had a reunion with the daughter who lives in Maui and other family members.
News from Kathryn “Kit” Geraghty Tubman is of a year-long tussle with a partial tear of the Achilles tendon in the right ankle. “I’m apparently too old for surgery, so it’s been rounds of wearing a big boot, Bro driving me places, therapy and lots of sitting around. Outlook is iffy.” Kate’s family spent several days in DC over spring break. “The grandgirls were spoiled rotten at the Hay Adams Hotel and enjoyed Ford’s Theatre, the usual monuments, and seeing the Star Spangled Banner and the First Ladies’ dresses at the Smithsonian.”
December was a difficult month for Josephine “Joie” Lamb Krossa. She fell, breaking her hip, which led to surgery and a week’s hospital stay. After months of intense physical therapy Joie is through with her wheelchair and walker, hoping to eliminate her cane soon. Highlights of the year include a drive up the West Coast to Seattle for oldest grandchild, Cody’s, high school graduation and a week whitewater rafting and fly fishing on Idaho’s River of No Returns with most of the family. “Daughter Sharon and daughters-in-law Nancy and Cheryl decided even catered camping wasn’t for them!” The most momentous event of the year was Sharon’s marriage to Rob Black on May 4. Sharon and Rob met on the Internet 20 years ago when both were in graduate school n Great Britain.
Another wedding was reported by Pat “Mac” McFadden Schwarz. In Atlanta, grandson Nicholas married Amanda on Memorial Day weekend. Mac reported several trips. She and Ken bought a “fat fanny” car and drove all over the south and southwest last winter to avoid the snow and ice. “We saw lots of people, but I had a couple of episodes of congestive heart failure and that cut into the party time.” They are still gardening, but on a much smaller scale. They managed to attend the chrysanthemum show at Longwood Gardens and found it “worth the mileage and motel.” John is still flying Delta jets all over Asia. Ken, Jr. was looking forward to the opening of the Anderson Armory at Colonial Williamsburg. His daughter Juliet graduated from James Madison U in April with a degree in social work. Maria’s Brandon just finished his freshman year at KS State U, majoring in milling science.
Family gatherings in CA, Chicago, NY and Philadelphia for birthdays, sports, graduations, weddings and baptisms kept Anita “Neats” Casani Haffey busy. “All six Haffeys are married and have provided me with 17 grandchildren and six great-grands.” Peripheral neuropathy has slowed her down but she still volunteers with Crossroads for Kids Camp and the Duxbury Beach Reservation. Neats enjoys hearing from Peggy Mahorner Foster and Lore Carlisle Sheedy. Peggy and Donna Demann Neville had visited Lore. Donna still plays tennis and spent eight days in Indian Wells attending the Pariba tennis tournament. Two more of her grandchildren have graduated from high school and will be off to college in the fall.
Knitting is still Marcella Seymour Lilly’s passion. She made nine sweaters and 50 hats for the parish Christmas giving tree this past year. She is also knitting hats for premature babies at the local hospital. She was again planning a July visit with Muffet ’81 at her RI beach house and looked forward to her annual lunch with Dick and Anne Von Boetticher Duer. Marce also sees Marion Glennon ’58 at the first Friday gatherings of the Convent of the Sacred Heart and their art lectures. Marce has now had seven complete joint replacements and is enjoying her pain-free life.
An August vacation in ME is still on the annual agenda for Jim and Mary Lou Crane Keenan. They had not planned other trips, but had hoped to drive over to Ipswich for some of the world’s best fried clams. Mary Lou still sells real estate in the Lowell area. Mary Ellen Forbes McMillen loves San Francisco. She and Frances made another trip to see Matthew in Portland, OR, then rented a car, drove to Crater Lake and on to San Francisco. They had a drink at the Top of the Mark, enjoying the view of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge. In May Christian was asked to participate in commencement ceremonies at UVA. His first graduate student was also receiving a degree. Christian has been asked to write a third book by Oxford U Press.
Last summer Mary Anne Smith Villeneuve and family traveled to Israel where their grandson, who is being raised in the Jewish tradition, made his bar mitzvah. Shortly before she wrote, the family went to St. Louis where grandson Greg graduated from Washington U. Mary Anne keeps up with Joie Krossa, Mary King, Barbara “Beezie” Burns Weidenbruch and Jeanne Zoli Danaher. Beezie writes that she and Peter are enjoying his retirement, gracefully growing old together. Jeanne writes that she is “immensely proud of our two sons and their achievements and adore their children.” A proud grandmother, Barbara Zamierowski Martucci, writes that their oldest grandson just graduated summa cum laude from Fordham “and even got a job in his field.” Barbara has had a few health problems but is still volunteering at church and in their community.
The Palo Alto Auxiliary has claimed much of Luisa Crotti Pliska’s energy for the last 13 years. The group raises money for the Lucile Packard Children’s hospital at Stanford. For the past six years Luisa has been on the board and for the last three years she has been president. Daughter Laura is program director of OBGYN residents at UCSF School of Medicine. Son John is director of admissions at San Franscico State and “an excellent cook, struggling writer and tennis aficionado.” Tom lives in NY, working for Kenneth Cole. He also freelances as a designer photographer and print manager. Greg is also in NY. He is a film and TV composer, orchestrator, arranger and music director. He was named best musical director when War Horse won best play of the year award.
Ron and Katharine “Kate” Loftus Boucher have also moved to a retirement community. They miss their home on the Severn River and all the water activities, but it is good to have fewer responsibilities. They enjoy their fifth floor apartment at Charleston in Catonsville where there is much to do. There are classes, concerts and card games as well as a fully equipped fitness center. They are both Eucharistic Ministers and lectors. Five of their six children live in the area so they see them often. They have made several trips to CO to see Tim and his family. A large gathering at Bethany Beach will allow them to see more family members. Kate still supervises a few therapists, which keeps her reading and learning. She and Carolyn Hendershott Martin had enjoyed lunch together. Carolyn’s cheery note mentioned a Memorial Day celebration at their pool with a special acknowledgement of all the veterans who live in their community. Carolyn’s daughter Mary has opened a gift shop on Main Street in Sykesville. If you are in that part of MD, be sure to stop in and say hello.Two of our classmates mentioned the impact of Hurricane Sandy. Pat Queenan Sheehan reports that her town was without power for nine days. “I spent the weekend at my daughter’s in New Brunswick so didn’t witness the ocean surge that moved the lake into my basement.” The furnace survived, but she has a new water heater, washer, dryer and dehumidifiers. The status of the air conditioning compressor is uncertain. Pat reported that the only classmate she has seen is Lenore Lyons Clark. She and Don are doing well. Pat had cataract surgery on one eye and was about to have the other done. Barbara Coppeto lost her front porch to Hurricane Sandy. Her new porch is almost completed. She came home from FL early this year, but while she was there, she had talked to Dauris Falcone Murphy and spent time at the beach with Rudy and Pat Ricker Yeatman. Eileen Kirk Clew usually spends a little time with Pat Sheehan when she visits NJ. She remembers Trinity fondly. Several of the girls she taught are now Trinity grads. Three years ago Eileen moved to a retirement community, which she enjoys. The residents have much in common, having moved from larger houses after disposing of many possessions.
The spring days were filled with First Holy Communions, confirmations and graduations for Noreen Casey Emerson. At home, Noreen has been cleaning out the basement. “It is amazing what 14 Emersons have accumulated (hoarded?) in 55 years!”
Our condolences to Mary Ruth Garvey Buchness on the death of her husband, Fred; to Wilma Kelly Kennedy on the death of her husband, Bill; to Catherine Monaghan Kilduff on the death of her younger sister Mary; to Joan Keller Tibbetts on the death of her sister; and, to Pat Lang Fitzgerald on the death of her special needs granddaughter, Liana (22). Pat and Liana were very close, having spent many afternoons together. Cathy reminded me that Mary spent her freshman year at Trinity before transferring to Drexel Institute in Philadelphia and graduating in 1957. Cathy enjoys seeing her grandchildren grow. Alice (13) is a fine student. Bonnie (9) shows artistic talent and Nicholas (6) is a typical boy full of promise and mischief. Cathy enjoys parish activities, a book club and a knitting group. Joan and Benton are no longer married. They both chose to remain in Saddlebrook, so have maintained a cordial relationship. Joan has been to Philadelphia for her sister’s memorial service and continued on to Chicago. She had also traveled to South Africa and enjoyed a Danube River boat trip, which featured classical music. Joan’s children and grandchildren are happy and healthy. Paul is still in Santa Barbara with his wife and two children. Lisa and her husband are happy in Portland, OR. Brian and his family have moved to Cairns, Australia. Joan plans a cruise to New Zealand and Sydney in November, so she will fly to Cairns to visit him, his wife and three children.
For 13 months, Suzanne Duross Kelly trained a dog which will eventually become a guide dog for a blind or disabled person. She still loves her prison ministry. Sue does “a touch” of private practice but is glad to be slowing down her activities a bit. She still rides her horse. Last summer she saw Dotty Ann Goff Bauer.
The inimitable Mary Elizabeth Pyne Beins sent a newspaper article on hackling, which has to do with growing flax and weaving linen. And no, Mary Elizabeth, I have never hackled. Marie Pace Quinn sent a check and the world’s shortest note. Pat Ricker Yeatman sent a lovely photograph of herself, her daughter Theresa Yeatman Gerlach (our class baby) and granddaughter Anne Elizabeth Gerlach, celebrating Mother’s Day. Pat reports that son Tim is now director and president of the Gibbs Cancer Center and Research Institute in Spartanburg, SC. He also directs the Center for Advancement of Science in Space.
Lunch plans were reported by Joan Murphy Vayo. Clara McGuire Haser had called and suggested a get-together when Clara was to be in town for her son’s graduation from CU. Joan’s granddaughter was salutatorian at her high school graduation in Wilmington, NC. She stands second in math in the state and will attend Columbia in the fall. Margie Kruse Wallenberger also reported having lunch with Clara. Margie has also had visits from her children and their families as well as from her brother, Ted. Son Paul, interested in flying and physics, lives in Pittsburgh. Margie belongs to a Trinity book club. They had just finished reading My Happy Place by Sonja Sotomayor.
Lore Carlisle Sheedy called me at the end of May. A bad fall had landed her in a skilled nursing unit. Finally at home she was trying to be patient during the long recovery time. Home is now an apartment. I also had a phone call from Sr. Maureen Griffin. We had a great talk about families, the olden days and Trinity. She is still teaching in Notre Dame Virtual School. I also talk occasionally to Dauris Murphy. My cousin, Brenda Bennett Scannell ’63 was in town in May to attend her 50th Trinity Reunion. We had a happy afternoon together. I still attend my doll group and a fiber arts gathering as well as a weekly sewing group. Mary Ellen and her family are well. Alice (12) still likes dancing and playing the violin. She is also learning to dive. I, like Noreen and so many other classmates, am trying to sort out (discard) the accumulation of many years. Sometimes it seems like an archaeological dig, as I uncover a layer and find mysterious items from long ago. Thank you for your newsy letters. I love hearing from you and learning about the twists and turns your lives had taken.
Virginia Bennett Burch