1962 Class Notes for 2019
Green Class of 1962
’62 Ladies at Marge Marge Matson’s House: Front: Aileen Christatos Bailey, Sally McMonagle Duffy, Marge Pinter Matson; Back row: Sue Farren Kovatch, Sue Micone McGorty, Ginger Viens Ryan, Carol Murray Hogan, Joan Friday Ewing, Ann O’Hearn
Goodbye to winter! I think all of you ladies that go South during that time have the right idea. Marge Pinter Matson has, by the time of this reading, hosted the annual ’62 Reunion Luncheon in Naples for all those in the area: Ginger Viens Ryan, Sally McMonagle Duffy, Sue Farren Kovatch, Aileen Christatos Bailey, Joan Friday Ewing, Sue Micone McGorty, Carol Murray Hogan, and Ann O’Hearn. Ann spends a lot of time with her son, his wife, and the grandchildren, now eight and six. Her Book Club, visits to the Gym, a trip to visit friends and family relatives in New England where she enjoyed a lovely visit with Sue Farren Kovatch. Sue sadly lost her husband, George, in 2018 and Ann hopes to see Sue again in March when she makes her annual trip to Florida.
Marge had been in touch with Mia Schofield McAloon. They are taking a cruise to Alaska in June after Marge’s daughter Jennifer’s wedding in Seattle. She also connected with Pat McKeon Casey who sold her home in Cheshire, CT last year and is living in a condo nearby. Pat, by the way, is very active with volunteer work for the church and the elderly. Marge still plays tennis and duplicate bridge several times a week, attends lectures, concerts, and the theater, and does volunteer work for some of the local arts programs. Just last July she sailed on the Queen Mary from NYC to Southampton and toured Northern Italy and the lakes region in September.
Carol has written that all is well with the Hogans. It’s the busy season on their beautiful little barrier island, Manasota Key. Their son, Sean, had a business commitment at a conference in Orlando mid-February and arranged for his wife and three teenage children to join him and visit their parents for a few days following the Conference; Brian Jr and Nancy have said they’ll surprise Carol and Brian with a weekend visit. It is great to share in their lives and she and Brian are grateful that they include us in their free time.
Cathy Chabot Fredericks and Tom and Joan Selke Sallee
Last year, you may recall, Cathy Chabot Fredericks mentioned being in the heart of Washington wine country and invited anyone who was visiting to let her know…she would be happy to show them around. She was contacted by Joan Selke Sallee and her husband Tom and the three spent an enjoyable day together visiting some of the local wineries in and near Richland then enjoyed a lovely dinner together. Cathy thought the Sallees were very knowledgeable about wines and seemed to enjoy the Washington wines. She is looking forward to a trip to THE MASTERS golf tournament in April in Augusta, GA followed by the May Miami U. graduation of her eldest granddaughter which will bring her to Cincinnati, OH. She is hoping to touch base with Flo Connelly Koetters and Susan Smyth Tew while there. Then Cathy’s family will gather on the Oregon coast for a celebration of family milestones over the 4th of July.
Bette Sullivan O’Malley’s first grandchild, a granddaughter, was married this past June. Sadly, however, in July her husband, Pat, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and passed away in September just two days after their 55th anniversary. Only a few weeks later Bette was with her roommate, Judy Bourtin, to be with her for her husband’s funeral. Understandably it was a sad year for both ladies. Bette is fortunate to have her four children nearby…the farthest away is a son in Columbus, OH, and the oldest daughter in Chicago…and Judy, of her four children has two close by, the other two in Texas and in France.
Patty Stumph Zachwiega last year wrote that she was planning a move to Virginia Beach to be near her youngest daughter and had even started packing. Unfortunately Hurricane Florence got in the way! There was a mandatory evacuation two days ahead of the storm and reluctantly Patty decided to leave. When she saw the extensive TV coverage of flooding in New Bern she was still not worried as the town had flooded in storms before and the community was always safe except for homes located directly on the water. However, when she was able to return to New Bern the shock set in. The entire house had been flooded to a depth of 18 inches, and the garage wallowed in five and a half feet of water. She lost the house, the car, and most of the furniture, along with many irreplaceable mementoes! Kind friends took her in, housed and fed her as she struggled with the trauma of the loss. Fortunately, she had flood insurance, and FEMA was very active in helping the community. Patty is now in Virginia Beach in a new home near her daughter. A happy ending indeed!
Last September, Sister Anne O’Donnell traveled with a friend and colleague Elizabeth McCutcheon, Emerita, University of Hawaii from Washington DC to Paris for a conference on “Thomas More and History.” They met at the Dominican House of Studies, near the former Benedictine convent (1651-1789) founded by Thomas More’s great-great-granddaughter Bridget More. Sr. Anne gave her paper on five key words in a German translation of the Latin Bible (1483) and compared them with Luther’s German translation of the Greek New Testament (1522). Thomas More studied those same five words in William Tyndale’s English translation of the Greek New Testament (1526). Sr. Anne and Elizabeth did a little sight-seeing and saw Manet’s “Luncheon on the Grass” at the Musée d’Orsay, eight of Monet’s “Water Lilies” at the Museé de L’Orangerie, and Notre Dame Cathedral. It was truly a meeting of friendship, scholarship, and culture.
All is well at the MP Lee Retirement community says Kate Tarbell Powers. She’s a Field Consultant for a local student at the Center for Guided Montessori Studies, and having a wonderful time spending time with a group of infant/toddlers and their parents. Kate also enjoys doing a “Fun with Music” Program with folks in their Memory Loss wings. Her husband, Jim, is still creating history classes for the Internet. Her best news is that her granddaughter, Emily, is getting married this summer.
Meg Acosta Martin has been on Grand Jury Duty for a month and burning the candle at both ends. She stills works full time at the Tax Law firm. Many less books these days and more computer Reference tools! Her eldest granddaughter, Elisa Nolasco Martin, whom many of us met at our 2017 Reunion, is graduating from NYU on May 21. She will continue with her program through graduate school. Her second granddaughter, Emma Nolasco Martin, will graduate high school from the American School in Madrid on June 8th. So Meg is off to Madrid again! She and her daughter Victoria hope to take a weekend in Prague and then she will be traveling by Europass for a month with friends all over Europe. Emma will be coming to NY to study at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in the fall, so Grandma’s “Dormitory” will be over crowded!
The highlight of the year for Margy Leahy Gerber was seeing 17-year-old granddaughter Eloise Richardson in November. She was in NYC with the drama group from her school in Winnetka, IL. Of course they met at The Plaza for a quick visit to the portrait of “the other Eloise,” a regular pilgrimage when she is in New York. Just recently Sheilah Wilson Kenedy and Reid celebrated their grandson Elliot’s destination wedding in Cancun. Reid could not have been more complimented when Elliot asked him to officiate at his wedding. Reid is a Universal Life Church Minister but he still connected with his local priest to make sure it was okay. And so the proud grandfather wearing, of all things, his 1966 Beatles ‘Good Day Sunshine’ neck tie, married his grandson Elliot to his bride Tess!
Wonderful news from Marianne Nelson O’Donoghue! She received the Gold Medal Award from the Chicago Dermatological Society for outstanding service and academic excellence. The award had only been given to seven members in its 117 year history of this prestigious society! Congratulations Marianne!
And here is a ‘short’ note from Lynn Terreri Blackstone. She is alive and well in New York City!
This past summer Carol Mitchell Curran Mull took her two youngest grandsons to Barcelona. Then later in the fall she and Jim took a cruise to Canada. Unfortunately, the temperatures were below freezing and the waves hit 60 feet!
Classmates with their classmate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after the MSNBC Town Hall at
Jeanne Becker Lynch writes the past year consisted primarily of a trip to Paris with her two daughters in October and attendance at the swearing- in ceremony for Nancy D’Alesandro Pelosi and the interview of Nancy at O’Connor Auditorium in January. Both were very exciting and edifying. Other than those events, life continues in stride, doing a lot of pro bono legal work to keep busy, and enjoying her grands as they grow up around her. Patty May Halpin says three of her children are educators and one son works for the NFL in strategic planning and international business. Nine Grandchildren ages 4-23 are all fun and thriving! Tom is still working, still teaching, and still skiing 35 days on his age-related free ski pass! She and Tom head to Sanibel in April. They owe Sally McGonagle Duffy and Jim a dinner all because they lost the bet on the Celtics loss to the Cavaliers. Patty echoes Jeanne’s comments on celebrating Nancy’s swearing-in-ceremony. She loved celebrating with friends and is amazed with Nancy’s incredible resilience, steadfast devotion to her principles and courage. Not to forget to do it all standing and walking in heels! I think all of us that were there would concur.
Ann Wigglesworth Barbieri is still painting away at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in old town Alexandria. Bill is still playing indoor tennis in winter months, softball in summer and singing in the Reston Chorale. He also helps Ann with the two art shows she does annually. Ann is reminded by friends as to how lucky she and Bill are to have all their children and grandchildren in the area. They continue to mourn the loss of their daughter-in-law, Natalia, who died a little over a year ago. It brings joy to see the support given to Ken and his daughters by his brothers and sisters. Her biggest excitement this year was going to Trinity for Nancy Pelosi’s interview with MSNBC the day after her swearing in. Nancy was fabulous!
It’s been a trying year for Mary Anne Browne Lyons. The grandchildren, Benjamin (11) and Phoebe (8), joined Mary Anne at her house in East Hampton for their summer vacation. Benjamin was becoming a sailing enthusiast and Phoebe loved playing tennis. It was so much fun! But then came the death of their mother, Yun, Mary Anne’s son’s wife on August 26. The family had known Yun had cancer and had the best treatment possible at Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital but the treatment and all the prayers were not enough. The family is doing its best to help each other for the sake of the children and Mary Anne is doing her best to think about all the good times she has had with Yun. She was a wonderful wife and a loving, terrific mother.
Elaine Zablotny Madison
News from Hawaii! Elaine Zablotny Madison has just announced the publication of her first book: Can These Bones Dance. It’s a spiritual memoir, and she feels it’s a continuation of many late night conversations at Trinity. The most difficult part was writing a statement for the back cover describing the book and herself as author: A tree struck by lightning awakens the author at seven to a vision of the natural world as spiraling energy continuously creating itself. Can she connect with that energy and become fully alive? She learns to meditate and finds the bones of her Catholic tradition dancing with mystical wisdom as she follows the path of St. Francis and his Sufi friends. Earthy and enchanting, this is the memoir of a woman who learns that the Creator who sends the lightning yearns to heal her like a tender mother and, like an encouraging father, challenges her to play her part in the world.
Elaine has chosen Leilani Madison as her Penn name but she is still “Elaine” when she visits family and friends on the mainland. She has used the name Leilani for many years as she loves the indigenous culture of Hawaii. And, Hula is such a gentle dance and you can do it at any age!
Susan Watson Madigosky and Walt continue with their love of singing and just last summer they sang at Fatima (Teams of Our Lady pilgrimage), then saw their daughter, Ana, in Madrid. Her husband, Manolo, recently crossed Antarctica by wind-sled (previously did the Arctic on sled, ski and kayak). The eldest grandson, Cory, will marry this summer. In the meantime Walt and daughter Wendy will sing Holy Week in Denver.
Anita Hincliffe Weiss and Bob you will remember from last year downsized to a condo in Lancaster, PA and are loving it! They have five children and sixteen grands: Rosemary in Pittsburgh has six; Julie in Lancaster, PA has three; Ann in Rocky River, OH has two; Christine in North Eastham, MA has three; and Bob Jr. in Duxbury, MA has two. The grandchildren are moving along, some in university and some already working. This summer is Bob’s 80th and the family will celebrate together in VT. Then it’s the annual fishing trip to Canada in the fall! In between Anita and Bob will be doing the usual – birthdays, graduations, and holidays from MA to Cleveland with stopovers in NJ with old friends. At home Bob and Anita go to auctions and pick up furniture for their daughter Julie’s business “Spruced”. A fun senior activity! It’s great to find that at this age we’re not as old as we thought we’d be!
Eniko Molnar Basa received the Hungarian Knights Cross from the Hungarian government for her work in Hungarian studies and with Hungarian scholars and students in the US and the DC area. The prize was established for those who have accomplished distinguished work in any area of Hungary and studies as Hungrians outside of Hungary, or who have achieved significant success in their fields. Her prize reflects her work in Hungarian literature (books, essays, papers at conferences, etc.) and notably the establishment of the American Hungarian Educators Association, a scholarly association of college and university faculty, independent researchers, librarians and scholars in Hungarian studies.
All is good on my end. I too enjoyed being at the swearing-in ceremony for Nancy and the Town Hall Meeting the following day at Trinity. I commend Pat McGuire for hosting this event. It was obvious that a lot of time and energy went in to making it such a special day. My seven grands, and the great grand, are all doing well. Fortunately I get up to Toronto a few times a year for family visits and also to DC for the Hereditary Society meetings. Come June I will be taking a 15 day cruise from Oslo up the Norwegian Coast to the Arctic Circle then down the Norwegian Sea to the Shetland and Orkney Islands, Edinburgh, with the final stop in London. Life is good!
Thank you all for your contributions to our newsletter. With all good wishes for a wonderful year, and much love,
Joan Littley Clark
2605 Banner Drive
Bethlehem, PA 18017-7713
joanclark62@gmail.com