1960 Class Notes for 2021
Those of us who graduated in ’60 received our vaccinations early which is an advantage to being our age. But we missed our 60th reunion, no one could travel, and even funerals were virtual, without hugs.
As Sheila O’Neill O’Connor said, it was an annus horribilis. Sheila’s husband Richard died in September and her oldest son underwent treatment for colon cancer. Some of us shared Richard’s funeral, which was videotaped. She’s planning family trips to Connecticut and Colorado. Ann Davidge Smith thanked us for our prayers and sympathy at the time of the extended hospitalization and death in May of her daughter Debbie.
Angela Imhof and her granddaughter, Emily
Barbara Glennon Miles started February 2020 on a cruise to SE Asia. The ship was denied docking privileges for 1O days and they were quarantined for two weeks when they got home …to Texas. After the storm there this past February they had rolling blackouts and had to boil their water. When Angela Musetto Imhof got back from a trip to Bermuda in March she just had time for a 50th birthday party for her son. When the world shut down she headed to Maine where she could visit her three granddaughters and the rest of the family. She sends care packages to Betty Dooley in rehab, but her in person Parkinson’s group had to shut down for the first time in 40 years.
As for things that brought us joy this year, Fran Sprague Laughlin, is grateful that her three daughters and husband Malcolm are well, the girls have good jobs, and he makes her laugh. Margot Glantz Caulfield sees her kids and grandchildren on weekends. She’s delighted that museums in California are reopening and hopes for a trip to DC in July. She’s been writing a family history and has been playing golf. Marie Lalor Rozan has learned to play chess and is a member of two book groups. She met Kathleen Lobo McGill and Rosemary Murphy Dinnhaupt for lunch at Rosemary Romano Goodman’s house in March. Rosemary informs us that she’s been doing puzzles and cooking.
As usual, Molly Scanlan Kelly was an early responder. She says, and I agree, that ’60 ‘s Red Class is the best class ever. She has 20 “grand treasures,” two of whom live in Vietnam with her son Kevin, who teaches there.
Kathleen Mulhern Tattan plans to spend Easter in Washington state, visiting a son she and Bill haven’t seen in a year. Several members of their family have recovered from COVID-19. They’ve seen their east coast families, but only behind masks. Kathy talks frequently with Sandee Richmond Adams who moved be near her daughter to the independent living section of a retirement community before Frank got sick. He died in October of 2019.
Gloria Hicks Garvin spent time on Long Island in March taking care of a daughter’s very old dog. She’ll be in Nantucket in July with a son and his family. She knitted everyone in the family Christmas presents but apparently one of the dogs abducted a mitten. She perfected her bread-making skills and had to resort to Zoom gym classes to lose the resulting weight.
While Gloria knits, Marie Meng Caffrey crochets. She also reads and FaceTimes with friends and family. She’s been staying out of stores, but has friends who shop for her. Margit Glantz Caulfield is warm in CA, so she plays golf. She also is writing her family history. She’s delighted that the museums are finally reopening and is hoping for a trip to DC in July.
Denise Maloney O’Hearn went to FL in October, because of COVID-19. Two of her three daughters live nearby. She’s looking forward to a summer in Southampton.
One recurrent theme was zoom calls. Regina Ryan and Jennifer Seymour Whitaker, and Mary McMahon Shannon Zoom regularly with Rose Mary Murphy Dinnhaupt. Nancy Phelan Wallace has been able to handle isolation by taking classes, attending meetings, and talking to friends and family using Zoom. She’s been downsizing to move into a continuous care facility. Nancy took a class on writing her memoirs. She has broken both wrist and foot playing tennis. In her next life she intends to have long legs and curly hair.
Mary Ann Torok Neiger has been touch with Gloria Garvin and Nancy Wallace regularly this last year. She’s hoping for a future reunion, which Mary Shannon says will be writ large on her refrigerator.
Another theme was replacement parts. Mary Shannon has had both knees replaced. Margit Caulfield has new heart valves and suggests prizes at the next reunion for the most new parts. Barbara Weber Budde has a new kidney. She’s awaiting her fourth great grandchild, who will arrive in September. Noel Burke Cosby had her left knee replaced on March 3rd just before everything shut down.
When Mary Clare Parkin Auger was getting ready to downsize and move into a retirement home she fell and fractured her right wrist. Her family took over and got her house of 50 years ready to sell. It sold at the asking price the first weekend, as is, with no contingencies. Mary Anne Violett Schoeb’s husband suggested that they prevent COVID boredom by designing a new home. Their house sold in ten days and they’ve moved into a cottage while the new house is being built.
Judy Murphy Leheny’s family decided that what she needed for Christmas was more technology, so they bought her an Apple 6 Watch. One of her daughters likes to talk to her on the walkie-talkie function. Another calls her on her cell phone, which rings on the watch. She finds herself talking into her wrist like Dick Tracy. It bosses her around, telling her to breathe and relax, when to stand and walk around. She says it’s like having a nanny.
Adele Jones Calcavecchio is recovering from the death on July 4 of her younger brother Brian. She’s hoping for the opening of theaters and looking forward to traveling to see friends and family across the U.S.
Rosemary Romano Goodman writes that like everyone else—this was not a year that very much happened—–she spent most of her days reading, doing puzzles and as her chubby body can prove a lot of time cooking. Fortunately she was blessed and her family stayed healthy-several grandchildren had mild cases of COVID but nothing serious. She will be getting her second vaccine shot February 24 so hopefully her life will begin to go back to some sense of normal. She missed her volunteer commitments and Pilates—but looks forward to resuming some of her activities after mid March. She wishes all the the best to her classmates and sorry that we had to miss our reunion—hard to believe how many years have passed since our graduation. Love to all—-stay well and stay safe.
The young women who study at Trinity often bring their children to the library while they are in class. I had two children’s books by Kamala Harris that my son Charlie and I took to Trinity. He took a cell phone video of the school which Judy forwarded to the class. This was as close to a reunion as we had this year.
I may as well have a nanny…l actually have three. My son Charlie, the widow of a friend, and her daughter live with me. I don’t drive anymore and they do all the shopping, cleaning. laundry, and take me to appointments. They fix my computer, too.
Hoping for real reunion…soon.
Betty Cole Mullen
Sympathies:
Ann Davidge Smith on the death of her daughter Debbie Czymcyk
Sheila O’Neill O’Connor on the death of her husband Richard
Sandee Richmond Adams on the death of her husband Frank
Judy Murphy Leheny on the death of her husband Vince
Brenda Daley Carr on the death of her husband Bernie
Natalie Thall Ganley on the death of her husband Fred
Kathleen Cogan Kovach on the death of her husband Ed
Adele Jones Calcavecchio on the death of her brother Brian
Jean Hogan Rend on the death of her husband Chuck
I hadn’t had a chance to write to my roommate Kate Finigan Simpson about the death of her husband Bob before we learned about her death. Her children wrote a wonderful tribute.