1955 Class Notes for 2019

Gold Class of 1955               

 

Dear ’55 Golden Girls,

Mary Elizabeth Pyne Beins, DC, sent an immediate reply.  Her six children live within a 45-minute drive of her home, which means six pairs of helping hands.  She has 18 grandchildren and there are five other pairs of grandparents.  She is expecting her first great-grandchild in April.  For her 85th birthday, one of the grands flew in from Hawaii (a West Point grad and an Army pilot) and took M.E. for a flight in a small plane.  She said she remained calm except when landing, when she stressed and curled her toes inside her shoes!  She reads and does Sudoku.  “I watch the old game-shows, re-runs, and I hear every word!  We had such good diction then!”

Pat Queenan Sheehan, Avon by the Sea, NJ, says she is on “the right side of the grass” according to an Irish Pub witticism that she has adopted as her own.  As far as ailments go, Pat is annoyed by the loss of multi-tasking skills and time management.  Everything takes longer to accomplish (if at all.)  A special joy is a great-granddaughter who is now six and a first-grader.  Pat is still getting used to the fact that this makes her daughter a grandmother!  She gets to chat with Marlene Springman Berger and hopes to meet up with Carolyn Hendershott Martin for lunch in Union Station.  “I truly count my blessings and try to concentrate on a glass half-full, not half-empty!”

Joan Murphy Vayo, Alexandria, VA, closed her note with “See you next year.”  Yes…Our 65th!   I plan to go, do you all?  The Vayos are pros at reunions.  Joan and her husband went to his 70th Yale Reunion in 2013.  This was the first 70th Reunion in Yale history!  They had 39 classmates, wives, widows, all in their 90s, and talking about the 75th.  Joan is still working part-time at George Washington University.  She describes herself as a certified couch potato.  She sent a booklist of 10 favorites…could be our 2019 Reading List!  One that we concur on is Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See.  Due to space constraints, I cannot include Joan’s booklist, but I will email it upon request.

Mary Lou Crane Keenan, Lowell, MA, was especially sorry to learn of the death of Virginia Bennett Burch, December 20, 2018.  When Jim and she moved to St. Paul in 1969, they discovered that Virginia and Frank lived on the same street about four blocks away.  Virginia helped them settle into the neighborhood and with school decisions, etc.  A year later, Virginia and Frank were off to DC and the Library of Congress. We were two TC women from Massachusetts (Holden and Ipswich) who landed in the upper Midwest for some time in our lives.” Mary Lou retired from selling real estate in 2015 at age 82. She does miss it sometimes, “but not so much the evenings and weekends”.  She has been active on some non-profit boards for many years so is still very much involved in the Lowell community.  She says her health is good though she has had two pulmonary embolisms in the past two years, but none for a year. She walks daily with two walking partners, but not in winter. “It gets us out every morning to exercise and settle all sorts of political business.” Jim and she have two great-granddaughters (5 and 18 months) in Dayton that they visit. “They are a joy!”

Eloise Johnston Sanchez, Atwater, CA, writes that she will be 86 in March.  She has some health issues but they are under control.  She walks with a walker, “but I still manage to go out to lunch with friends.  I am blessed to have five wonderful sons” and she lives with the youngest and his family in Atwater, south of San Francisco.  The other sons and families live in Guam and LA.  Sadly, Eloise’s only daughter, Noreen, died suddenly in Maui, in 2015. “We are coping with the loss as best we can”. She loves the visits of her granddaughter and great-grandson from Hawaii.

Donna Demann Neville, Dover, MA, writes: “My boys are making noises that perhaps Mom should move, but I must have enjoyed a very happy childhood because I brought much of it from Ohio, now resting in Dover!”  She plays some bridge, reads, and hits tennis balls with a pro for fun and exercise.  Donna will spend March in Palm Desert for sunshine and the Parabas tournament at Indian Wells.  Son Peter and Cindy will come.  She visits Geoff’s family, her other son, when they vacation on Nantucket in July. “Fond memories and warmest wishes to all of ’55”.

Peggy Mahorner Foster, Destin, FL, called me.  She has nine children, 21 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren!  Five of Peggy’s children live in Atlanta, where she spends a great deal of time. We reminisced about Eisenhower’s Parade and Inaugural Ball in 1952.  Elbow-length white kid gloves and all. She went with John Foster, her future husband.  Peggy kept extensive diaries at the time and she read them to me!  Apparently, we were up until 3am!  That had to be a Presidential Permission! Peggy has to make a decision as to whether to repair extensive home hurricane damage, especially to the dock.  And a possible move? She attends Mass daily.

Wilma Kelly Kennedy, Falmouth, Maine, “I live in a retirement community.  My children are minutes away so we get together often.  Ocean View takes advantage of our proximity to Portland where we attend the symphony, theater, and a myriad of cultural events.  I’ve been playing duplicate bridge for many years, and enjoy the friendship of many Mainers, most of whom are, like me, from “away”. Do you remember Dr. Ross?  Leafing through a book belonging to my husband, Catholic Converts-British Intellectuals Turn to Rome, I came upon a tribute to Dr. Ross. She was one of the first Catholic laywomen to become an academic professional. At the time, women were not considered fit for that position.  She converted to Catholicism and after emigrating from England to the US, she received her Doctorate from Yale and taught in various women’s colleges, including TC. She wrote extensively on sociology, anthropology, and economics. I am never without a book to read.  I thoroughly enjoyed biographies of Abigail Adams and Dolly Madison.  I prefer personal memoirs and have found many fascinating stories by Middle Eastern women who have escaped to the US. Adjusting to old age is challenging to say the least…a time to reflect on all the good years we’ve enjoyed!”

Barbara Zamierowski Martucci, New Fairfield, CT. Barbara writes that she and her husband, Ernie, had been living in Arizona, enjoyably, for almost 20 years, when Ernie began to have health problems.  And then Barbara contracted macular degeneration which destroyed her central up-close vision.  She could no longer drive, read without huge magnification, nor play the piano because she could not read the music.  Their daughter and husband were building a house in New Fairfield, CT and offered to add an apartment attached to the house for them.  They welcomed the idea and moved to New Fairfield in 2016. Their daughter has been wonderful getting them to doctor appointments, doing errands, and having them for meals.  Another son lives close-by and is able to visit often. “During this time Ernie’s health declined dramatically, and he quietly slipped away, dying on January 12 of this year. Our four children were with me at his side when he died.  All four with their spouses and all of our nine grandchildren attended the funeral, which was a big comfort to me. We were married for 57 years. Now I’m trying to make the best of things.”

Ludmila and Harald

 

Ludmila Nemec Wiedemann, Ketchum, ID. Ludmila writes: “We are all well, my husband, Harald, me, my children, Jano and Alexander, and my grandchildren, Oliver and Alec.  We no longer go hiking, but go for little walks and like to go swimming in a warm swimming pool in Sun Valley.  On our two acres, we see deer, elk, rabbit, fox and sometimes the rare mountain lion.” She sent several photos of the animals, a lovely photo of the two of them and a beautiful family photo.  “My problem is hearing and I must wear hearing aids.” Harald added:  “Hi!  And a moose too!  xxoo  Harald

 

 

Barbara Burns Weidenbruch “Beezie”, Rockville, MD.  Beezie writes: “2016 was a very difficult year for me and my family.  Peter died on January 31 and our son, Bill, age 56, died April 20.  Both were good men.  Peter taught at Georgetown Law for 45 years and Bill worked at the Giant grocery store for 39 years.  Peter and I were married over 60 years, lots of kids and grandkids but no “greats”.  Love to all of ’55.  You can’t make old friends!  Fondly, Beezie”.

Carolyn Hendershott Martin, Woodstock, MD.  Carolyn writes:  “I was able to go to Virginia’s viewing and Funeral Mass at Charlestown Retirement’s beautiful Chapel last December and met her lovely daughter, Mary Ellen, her husband and family.” Kate Loftus Boucher and husband, Ron, live close-by so Kate and Carolyn often lunch together.  Pat McCarthy and Margie Kruse Wallenberger are in touch with Carolyn.  My life changed completely in 1980 when my husband, Don, died of colon cancer.” Carolyn managed to become a very successful computer analyst and retired in 1996. She raised five children. They and eleven grandchildren live fairly close-by.  She has travelled extensively in Europe, the US and Canada.  Health issues: a heart attack in 1995, a stroke in 2008, broke her right femur in 2018, and yet she reports:  “Right now, all is well with me.  I use a walker and cane, walk 30 minutes a day, and do my physical therapy exercises.”

Joan Keller Tibbetts, Tucson, AZ, “I still live in the beautiful “active retirement” community of Saddlebrooke outside of Tucson and I hope to remain in my home forever!  Fortunately, my health continues to be excellent which means I am still able to travel with ease.”  Joan loves cruise trips. She spends part of every year in Australia visiting a delightful widowed Aussie whom she met on a New Zealand cruise.  Her three children and six grandchildren, ages 5-22, continue to bring her joy.  She was able to cruise from Sydney to Tokyo last spring and take the “bullet train” to Fukuoka to visit her son, Brian, and family.  Brian is principal of the International School there.  Her grandchildren are bi-lingual. They raise Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs which they breed! “I continue to sing with a ladies three-part harmony group and we provide entertainment for the many assisted-living homes in the area.  Singing continues to be an important part of my life and I’m thankful my voice has held up over the years.  Our college has certainly changed over the past years but the then the world is changing and we must try to fit in, difficult as that may be at times.”

Noreen Casey Emerson, Bethesda, MD “It was good to read that Virginia Bennett Burch is enjoying her Eternal Reward for 63 years of faithfully collecting the news of our class.  My life is full with 12 children, eight spouses and 19 grandchildren to keep me out of mischief.  There are many happy occasions to celebrate: holidays, birthdays, First Communions, Confirmations, graduations, anniversaries.  Each gathering is a blessing to share.

Mary Anne Smith Villeneuve, Los Angeles. Mary Anne writes that her husband, Fritz, died almost 2 years ago, 1 1/2 months short of 60 years of marriage.  Lots of celebrations:  high school and college graduations, granddaughter’s wedding, even an International Ultimate Frisbee Tournament in Toronto that her grandson played in and the US won!  She still lives in LA and is blessed with her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and long-time friends. Also her neighbors, P.E.O group, and fellow parishioners.  Mary Anne walks most every day, enjoys Bible Studies, Lector and Eucharistic Minister duties, Mystery Book Club, and Jewish Book Club.

Margie Kruse Wallenberger, Pittsburgh, PA “My husband, Frederick, died bravely in 2017.  I am still trying to find out who I am without him.  I had a warm phone conversation with Carolyn Hendershott Martin, who called to tell me about Virginia’s passing.  Virginia was a close friend.  I remember her high intelligence and her wonderful sense of humor.  I’ve recently re-read The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder.  It is, to me, a Kruse family heirloom–heart-breaking, then heart-healing.  It has the most beautiful closing lines of any book I have ever read:  There is a land of the living and a land of the dead and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning.  Greetings to all my classmates. I love you all.” 

Joie and Ken watching the Eclipse

Joie Lamb Krossa, Cayucos, CA   Joie writes that 2018 was a particularly grief-filled year.  Their eldest son Jim’s wife, Cheryl, lost her battle with cancer in January. Ken’s brother, Lester, 90, died in April, followed in September by Ann-Marie Lamb Holland, Trinity ’52, Joie’s sister and life-long friend, confidante, and mentor.  “Ken and I continue to enjoy life in Cayucos and travels near and far, but the “getting old” part is definitely a nuisance.  Ken commented recently that my problem is having the mind of a 26-year-old in an 85-year-old-body.  Nice thought from my husband of 58 1/2 years!”  A degenerating spine caused Joie to use a three-wheel walker which she says is super-maneuverable, and a handicapped parking card came with it!  Ken and she are still in their dream house, next door to their son’s family.  Three other children are near enough to see often.  Bragging rights are in order for her grandchildren: Graduation Honors, 3rd in Arizona 2018 Ironman Triathlon, Varsity Crew Team, four years, Varsity Cross Country and Volleyball, and Junior Varsity Basketball. The empty nest comes in three years. They have done many trips in the US in the past two years.  In 2016 they did a family trip, a spectacular African Safari including Cape Town and three tented safari camps. “We really welcome houseguests, especially from Trinity!”

 

 

Carmel Fama Cervoni, Scarsdale, NY  Carmel writes that she has not been in touch mostly because her beloved Dom was suffering from Parkinson’s and passed away two years ago.  She is fortunate to have her six children, their spouses and ten grandchildren. Carmel says things have slowed down lately, mostly due to arthritis and a lack of car keys. However, being a ’55 Golden Girl and having her Catholic faith, she counts her blessings.  Carmel is keeping positive about Reunion next year.  “We’ll see.  Best wishes and love.”

Dorothy Abbey-Rogers and her cat, Nibsy

Dorothy Dannemiller Rogers-Abbey, Santa Fe, NM  It has been delightful to hear from so many of you.  I’m impressed that we are “carrying on”!

My 10 grandchildren (of five children) range in age from 14 to 32.  And finally one is marrying on October 5 in Durham, NC.  Gus is marrying Elizabeth who is completing her Doctorate in Geriatric Medicine at UNC.  Now how’s that for in-house care?!  I was blessed at Thanksgiving to have 13 family members visit, and at Christmas, 12! I really miss Shirl Abbey, my late-life husband of nine years who passed away in 2014.  We met on Match.com a few weeks after our 50th Reunion!  We lived three blocks from each other.  What a blessing for which I am forever grateful. Amazingly, we made the New York Times, a full-page: Vows August 11, 2013.  Santa Fe has a wonderful Adult Education Program, Renesan, so I am matriculating once again.  One of my courses is James Joyce, The Dubliners.  I read Sarah Addison Allen’s Garden Spells, and ended up reading all her books.  My favorite cartoons, by the way, are Peanuts, Zits, Baby Blues, Without Reservations, and Pickles.  My dear buddy, Nibsy, a tortoise cat, sits on a pillow on my lap when I read!  I enjoy tutoring English to Hispanics (beginners) once a week and also volunteer weekly as a discussion facilitator for a NAMI group (National Assn. for the Mentally Ill)   As a result of a left knee replacement in 2014, I have atrophy in my lower legs and partially, my feet.  Balance is definitely an issue. Tai chi, swimming, and physical therapy exercises seem to help.  Peggy Foster reported exactly the same procedure and results.  I would caution against this replacement after 80 unless it’s absolutely necessary, substituting braces, etc. The huge grief in my life has been the mental illness of my daughter, Dede.  She burned our Connecticut house down in 1980.  After some psychiatric hospitals, she has been more or less homeless for years and just turned 60.  President Reagan closed all of our mental hospitals in the early 1980s saying that the private sector could handle it.  He created our homeless.  Psychiatric hospitals are exorbitantly expensive and out of reach of most Americans.  It is my dream one day that our jails would, for the most part, flip into mental health facilities.  I stay in touch with Dede and she with me.  She receives SSDI disability support, survival amounts.  Thank God our government supports this.  She prefers the outdoors to a shelter. She is at least wise to live in southern California.

Thank you all for your responses.  Let’s try to make our 65th!  Love and God bless you all and our country!

Dorothy Dannemiller Rogers- Abbey
dorothyrogersabbey@gmail.com
505-955-1984

Incredibly, Dede, 60, was struck by a car and killed immediately, crossing a street in CA on March 9.  I am grief-stricken but healing slowly.

 

I have saved the sad news ’til last.  I am enclosing a list of those classmates who passed away in 2016, 17, and 18.  Family members follow.

 

“May the Love of the Holy Spirit renew and quicken you”

“May their memories be forever a blessing.”

Georgianna McFadden Goebel     7/11/2016

Barbara A. Coppeto    1/5/2017

Rita Horbett Burns     1/20/2017

Marcella Seymour Lilly    9/30/2017

Catherine Monahan Kilduff    5/3/2018

Judith Finn Walsh     8/8/2018

Dauris Falcone Murphy    9/8/2018

Lore Carlisle Sheedy    10/28/2018

Virginia Bennett Burch     12/20/201

 

Deceased family members:

Daughter, Noreen, of Eloise Johnston Sanchez  2015

Husband, Ernie, of Barbara Zamierowski Martucci  2019

Husband, Peter, and son, Bill, of Barbara ‘Beezie’ Burns  2016

Husband, Don, of Carolyn Hendershott Martin  1980