1967 Class Notes for 2019
Gold Class of 1967
Greetings, Golds of ’67!
This year’s themes seem to be anniversaries, travel, grandkids and health progress. Without further ado, here is the news shared by our classmates. Trish McGarraghy Bowman (VA), who says “all is well and good,” is awaiting the arrival of two new grandsons this spring, bringing her total to six boys and three girls, aged 0 to 19!
Martha Smith Butler (AZ), whose children are well and whose grandkids are the “delight of my life,” is dedicating this summer to decluttering. She survived a flood in part of her house, but notes that, even with the frustration and ensuing paperwork, what was lost was just stuff.
Muggsy Ernst Mason, snowbound in VT, (for a hilarious recount of Muggs’s Christmas return home, email me and I will send), has given up the gym to face all the shoveling. She is volunteering for a long list of organizations, and has even been taken on by Habitat for Humanity as a carpenter! She is planning her trip to visit Kate Clair Freeland and husband Ted in CA, where she can restore her faith in spring and see “green growing things.” Ted and Kate traveled to Belize to snorkel, Zambia on safari and Sun Valley for a writers conference, plus seven trips to DC to visit the daughters and Annie the Perfect Baby, with whom they are besotted. Kate has cut work down to part time, as if all those travels leave any time for work!
Martha Knight is still working and has some other companies interested in her instruments which have relevance to the cannabis industry! Ah, Martha, give peace a chance!
Trish Clark Seifert went to a meeting in New Orleans, among other adventures and travels. She is volunteering on local hospital research councils, helping novice writers prepare manuscripts for journals, and working with millennials to learn about the importance of connections. Trish highly recommends the Sr. Fidelma mysteries, referred to her by Maggie McAloon, which concern a 7th century Celtic nun/lawyer and her husband and son. “Talk,” says Trish, “about strong women who possessed equal rights under the Celtic church”. Maggie herself is semiretired but continues to teach medical students. She has taken several trips to Haiti on medical missions with the students, and, while enjoying the experiences, is “a bit old to sleep on a mattress on the floor and wash in cold water.” She and Maria Alvarez have Haiti in common. Maria continues her work with the school in Haiti between her travels to China, where her husband teaches. She was thrilled to spend time in her home country, the Dominican Republic, where she met up with a life-long friend. They now have a blog for those with whom they attended school!
Katherine Ivers Zatkowski is surviving 2019’s strange winter, and looking forward to a time “without parking restrictions and cancellations.”
At Ed Pendergast’s 85th birthday party are: Kater Nicholson Pendergast, Nancy Viano Brown, Lauren Cook Opie, Chris Casey Rath ’68, Pat Doherty (who taught us theology at TC) and Susan Doherty Russell celebrate.
As for Diane LeRoux Arnold, she reports that she attempted to notify TC about her doctorate from one of the College’s online forms, and, Ed.D or not, was not able to do so. Sue Doherty Russell reports in that she and Melinda have done multiple cruises, one with Ed and Kater Nicholson Pendergast. Susan also attending Campus on the Cape with Kater (and more of us) this past summer. As a volunteer at the Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen, Sue is on “a first-name basis with most of the homeless here in Delray Beach.” A different volunteer gig, this time for the Chris Evert Charity Tennis Tournament, allowed Sue to chauffeur celebs and tennis stars. As for Kater Nicholson Pendergast, she and Ed celebrated his 85th birthday with a gathering of family and friends. Several Golds and TC sisters attended and a grand time was had by all, including nine children and 20 grands. Reporting in from sunny Florida is Sue Walson Stolzer, whose five grandchildren continue “to thrive and delight me.” Sue and husband Bill will be taking two of the soon-to-be-eighth-grade grads to London, for “royalty and all things Potter. The other three grandkids will share a trip with Sue and Bill the following year. Speaking of grandkids, Mary Swift Deakyne has two new ones — two girls after being “top heavy with boys.” There are now five males and two females. Mary wants you to know that her “Trinity years were special to me and I have wonderful memories.” I, too, remember them that way. Missy Fay Hayes is enjoying time with family since all four of her sons and their families live nearby. They, and three grand dogs, will be spending a week in June in Destin, FL, to celebrate Missy’s 45th wedding anniversary. She beaches, crabs and fishes, and is a member of her community choir. You can’t keep a good song leader down!
Big news from Kathy Rockwell Lawrence! Two of her novels are being reissued on Amazon! The two are Maud Gone and The Last Room in Manhattan. She is involved in a new work, and she and Andy are approaching their 51st anniversary! Grandsons Blaise and Arden Hawk, whom she “adores,” take up some delightful time in her life. Catherine McLinden Hickman (Karen to us) just published her fourth children’s book, Milton Saves the Bakery, under the pen name of Karen M. Hickman. She and her husband toured the Baltic on a cruise in August for their 52nd anniversary. Karen is sending grandkid #1 off to Michigan University, where he “will get in the band and send his Nana off to the Rose Bowl, a bucket list event” for her. Karen teaches a Writer’s Workshop and co-directs the Northern Virginia Writing Project. Kathryn Cross writes from the Dominican Republic for her 10-day annual sojourn, facing decisions about reading, doing crosswords or napping. She is retired and living in CO, where, shortly, two of her three sons will reside nearby. The other is in NC. Kathryn thanks Susan Doherty Russell for tracking her down and urging her to attend our 50th — her first since transferring (you never stop being a Gold, Kathryn), and hopes to see us all in ’22.
Liana Fiol-Matta visiting with her grandson at U Penn Wharton
Keeping with the grandchild theme, Liana Fiol-Matta, in NYC for a panel discussion of a federal law concerning Puerto Rico’s fiscal situation, trained down to Philly to visit her grandson who is at U Penn Wharton. Snowbirds Gary and Janice Fisher Long, winter in Amelia Island, FL, and summer in Arlington, VA. As she writes, the sun is shining bright and “the ocean glistens and pelicans are dive bombing.” Send some this way, Janice! Anne Maher Teddlie spent the month of January at Amelia Island in then went on to a visit with her sister in Naples, FL. Her travels this year included a cruise from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale through the Panama Canal which she and husband Don viewed from a balcony as both had spent days confined to their cabin by norovirus. A trip to Como, Italy, went much better. Ann chats with Kathleen Brennan Kelly, but missed their yearly rendezvous in Siesta Key.
Henrietta visits the Lake District
Another southerner, Henrietta Carriere Hight (SC) cites sure signs of spring. She and Jon have been and will be doing quite a bit of traveling — Lake District of England and order area with Scotland — English Major Heaven! This fall, its Artist Heaven, as Henri takes a trip to France with a group of fellow students to visit the areas, especially the Impressionists, enjoyed. When not trotting about, Henri keeps busy taking life-long learning classes at Furman U. Intrepid travelers and happy grandparents Mary McGee and Jack Lee took in Portugal and Spain joined by Mary’s sister Anne, TC ’64. And Ann Chuhran Long, who continues her work for NASA on a half-time basis, takes continuing education classes and related day trips. For further adventures, she and her husband toured the Amalfi Coast last year, and will soon be touring southern Spain.
Laurie Casey Alkidis and daughter Kristy at Sundance
Laurie Casey Alkidis, still in Michigan, spends two months each winter in Texas with their three grandsons. Her daughter Kristy and she attended the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT, and saw five films in two-and-a-half days! At Easter, Laurie will chaperone her 15-year-old Seattle Grandson on a school trip to Madrid and Barcelona. Sharon Volovski Sullivan continues to work as a substitute teacher. She and husband Tom sing in the church choir and their ancestry searches took them to France where they stayed with new-found cousins. Like Sharon, Marie Calcara Murphy still enjoys work while those around her are retiring. Marie and Regina McGranery shared a pilgrimage this past year, and this coming summer Marie will be on panels at the International Psychoanalytic Associations in London. She and Jack are renovating a home in St John’s, FL. Marianna Law Merritt walks her “daily companion grandson” to and from school every day, and says she is fortunate that her family’s arthritis tends to show up in hands rather than knees!
Sharon Volovski Sullivan and her husband Tom at Christmas
Now to Chicago, and Joanita Gonsalves Birkmeyer! She celebrated 55 years of arrival in the US last August. After meeting us that September, I think it’s a wonder she stayed! She and husband Bob will celebrate 52 years of marriage this year. She lost her oldest sibling in February and now is the top of the sibling line. Granddaughters Vesper Belle and Winnie rate about three visits in CA each year, and are expecting a baby brother. Grandson Julian is in Chicago, checking out colleges. Often, she says, “housework goes neglected until the cobwebs and the dust and fluff force me to drag out the vacuum cleaner and duster;” she’d rather concentrate on needlework and reading in the cold months; gardening in the warm ones. We shared a delightful lunch last baseball season. Ginny Allen checks in from Costa Rica, where she is finishing a three-week eco-adventure around the country. Ginny has downsized to an apartment (landlord sold old place) and is experiencing her first time since TC not having real estate to herself. Ginny will have little time to get used to apartment living, as she is travelling to Mongolia, China, Hong Kong and Tibet in May/June, spending a month in Ireland in September/October, and after 10 days at home, will be off to Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa for a month! Ginny assures us that she does seem to have a good amount of time with family and friends, even if her travel schedule is packed, as is she!
Wow! These grandkids! Deidre Ryan Menoyo has five of them aged 10-16, each thriving. Deirdre serves on the board of The Mass Rivers Alliance, an environmental organization she founded with her late husband Eric. The new nice man in her life now is teaching and living and living in Abu Dhabi. Received greetings from our Green/Gold classmate Yolanda Piedra Ruisanchez. Helen McMahon Thomas checked in and Barbara Oliver Reynolds hit “reply” when I asked her to, so I will take that as a greeting as well. Vicky Pundsack Reynolds, no relation I assume, continues her volunteer work with DePaul Cristo Rey High School and sends heartfelt greetings to all. Gael Cavanaugh Finan, here in NJ, is awaiting golf season and volunteers for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Paula Peppler Nawn is looking forward to her father’s 99th birthday in June, and rejoicing in the fact that 66% of her children are now in Ohio!
Kathleen Courtney continues her SF activities including chairing a neighborhood organization, managing the retrofit of her 115-year-old condo building and looking forward to the 90th anniversary celebration for the local Greek Women’s Group Daughters of Penelope. She and her husband John will celebrate his 90th birthday in Peloponnesus, Greece, where his father was born. Kathleen reports that Kathleen Lavin Mague travels from Jackson, WY to SF where the Kathleens joyfully meet. Kathleen then proceeds to Boston to visit more family. Keating Vogel soon leaves for a month in Singapore to visit her daughter, son-in-law and grandson. And Jane Bailey Braunger just founded a “village” organization in Portland, OR, where she frequently visits Mary Connelly LaBarre who continues on her very slow journey with her debilitating and destructive disease.
Yvonne Godoy-Ramos is recovering from her first corneal transplant. Linda Suit Thompson “got my chest scraped yesterday. Had we only known about basking in the sun years ago!” Kathy Lamb O’Hara had an annual visit with her doc. Kathy enjoys being a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for CPS kids, making a difference in a child’s life. Genie Flahie is safely ensconced on the newly-renovated first level of her home. Her son and daughter-in-law have the upper levels. No more stairs! In the back to school vein, Ann Horstman Rafferty was, much to her shock and surprise, invited to return to the classroom and teach sophomore and senior theology at Merion Mercy Academy, where she taught 23 years ago! Two of her sons married “angels in disguise” in 2018, adding to her delight in all her family, including the grandchildren, ages 4-16.
Ann Donnelly Malinowski surprises Mary Haggerty Korey at the celebration of Mary’s 50th
Wedding anniversary
Group photo of Mary Haggerty Korey and her husband John, celebrating their 50 th Wedding
Anniversary
And now for the triple-ettes! Jane Herlihy Dee had a wonderful trip to Nantucket with here three kids, spouses, three granddaughters and sister Trish Herlihy Doyle’61. She is deeply involved in training her cocker spaniel, whom she calls a “work in progress.” Jane is looking forward to travelling to London and Sonoma this year. She delights in meeting up with TC friends, including Ann Donnelly Malinowski, who is now on her way back from a visit to Spring Training in Florida! Last year, Ann and family members took a European River Cruise, and this year, four of the five sisters are taking another. Another Ann trip was taken to CA to surprise John and Mary Haggerty Korey at their 50th wedding anniversary party. Mary reports, “What a joy and what a memory!”
Now, for a few memories. As you know, I send out a weekly message, in which I try to connect with the Golds with musings, poems (not my own) and memories from the TC days. Here are some of the responses:
About the bell that rang for classes: Susan Numrich reports that it was an electronic bell and, because she was always up and dressed by 6:30, she never heard the first warning! June O’Brien Hurtgen tells of a senior year event during which she and Corliss Sheremeta Ardussi were sleeping in, not having heard that there was to be a fire drill. “We were startled awake, threw on our trench coats and raced down the stairs. There we found life going on a usual. Everyone else knew it was a drill and had combed hair, etc.” From Ann Donnelly Malinowski, we hear that Janie Herlihy always ran upstairs and napped between the 1:50 and 2:05 bells, driving Mary Haggerty, who had enormous trouble getting to sleep under the best of circumstances, to distraction.
About snow, traying and the forbidden slacks: Martha Knight responded that she was the first to wear slacks to class. During one of the snowstorms she came by bus from “good ole Tenley” and, wearing black pants and boots, showed up in Dr. Hornig’s class. No one said anything. Maggie McAloon trayed in slacks, as, I am sure, did others. I had to get special permission to wear slacks from Alumnae to Main when rehearsing for plays. The Main-ers probably just rolled theirs up and snuck downstairs.
A good time was had by all in Cape May (Maggie, Trish Clark, Carol Moss Ryan, Barbara Hauck Crowe, Sue Russell, Muggsy, Kater, Genie Flahie, Anne Maher, Mary McGee, Mary Haggerty, Ann Donnelly, Kathy Rockwell and yours truly. Sue Numrich had to cancel at the last minute, but was there in spirit for sure! We may try for another one before our next reunion!
And now, dear reader, from me. Great Cape May. Great lunch in Chicago with Jo. Great visit with Carol Moss. Great gatherings with Ann, Janie and Gael, plus Peggy Harrington MacNeill ’66. Great visits with Muggsy (all meals included — you never knew me to miss a meal!). Great Campus on Cape Cod. Pete and I, for all our aches and pains, are well, and planning trips to the Eastern Shore and Cape Cod again. Looking for diversion? Visit beautiful Little Silver — we’d love to see you. And now, with great relief and the sincere hope that I have left nobody out and gotten at least most things correct, I remain
Yours very truly,
Boodie Christian Clark
24 Laurelwood Drive
Little Silver, NJ 07739
732-741-7091
PS — If you get a chance to see the show Come from Away, I highly recommend it.