1969 Class Notes for 2015
Dear Classmates,
Thanks for all of the news and thanks to the many of you who sent me current email addresses, even if I couldn’t squeeze news out of you. The reunion committee for our upcoming 50th is trying to establish a workable list, so any updates, any time of year, are very welcome.
The always reliable Ellen Adams Kelley has a new accomplishment: she became a Life Master in bridge. She still competes and when there are tournaments in Baltimore she often meets Jeannette Festa for dinner there, “dinner having to be 5 or 5:30ish due to more bridge in the evenings. Last summer she and Jeff went to St. Jean de Luz in the southwest corner of France–the Basque region and then they went to Sarlat in the Dordogne, and ended their trip on the North Coast of Spain in San Sebastián, the heart of the Spanish Basque region. They continue to enjoy having their only grandchild, Jasper, who is within walking distance. “His parents, our daughter, Moira and Jerome are in the process of trying to buy a home in the Adams Morgan part of town which will keep them close by. Ellen’s son Andrew married last October; his wife Roxanne has been a friend of Moira and Jerome for many years.”
Ellen shared news of other classmates:
Suzanne Fahy retired from the federal government at the end of June 2015 after 46 years. Last fall Ellen visited Suzanne at her condo in Newport, RI.
Ellen, Jeannette and Madeleine Marcouyeux Brown traveled to Philadelphia and met Maureen Dwyer at the Barnes Collection, then spent the night at the Inn at Monchain where they ate at Krazy Kats. The next day they toured Winterthur and the Downton Abbey costume exhibit. On another road trip, the trio went to the Richmond Art Center to see an exhibit on the art of flowers
Susan Hughes Hunter recently moved to a new home in Sarasota and is enjoying the laid-back lifestyle there. Her daughter Lauren in Bucks County, PA. “It was wonderful to see Julie Hunter Galdo and Manolo, as well as Julie’s son, Sean, and sister, Kathleen, at the wedding. Not only are Julie and I friends of almost 50 years, we are first cousins by marriage so family events bring us together, happily! Susan loved her first year of grandparenting even though her grandson lives in San Francisco. Facetime is a wonderful invention for all of us who don’t live near our families grandchildren.”
Peggy Connell recently retired “after a wonderful career as the Director of Disability Resources at St. Petersburg College in Florida “ and is now living in Seminole, FL. “Thanks to the class Facebook page, Mary Poole and I connected after realizing that we both had been at the college for the past ten years! Peggy says “Retirement has been good as I have had an extended visit with family and friends in PA and am volunteering at the college.” “I always have room for northerners seeking a respite from your winters…and love the company! I would also like to connect with other classmates living on the west coast of Florida.”
Susan Kraus Gallitano wrote from Key West, where she and Joe and their Siberian husky took a road trip last summer along the east coast and rented a house in Key West for the month of July. Joe is working on a novel he has been writing for years, is fly fishing every day and I have been walking, reading, cooking and taking care of the dog. We are not ready to quit our real jobs just yet but are hoping to end up down here someday. Sue had been planning on attending our 45th until son Josh announced his wedding date—the same weekend as reunion. He married Dr. Kara May, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital in Boston. The wedding was in Hyannis with a reception in Osterville. Joe continues with his law practice in Plymouth and Sue is in her 24th year as Director of Guidance at Sacred Heart High School in Kingston, MA. “We are all healthy and thankful for the many blessings of family and friends even those we don’t see very often anymore.”
Maureen Dwyer sent a brief note to tell the class that Sara Sadler Turnipseed’s daughter, Cassie, had a baby boy named Elliott Rufus Smith (Elliot is Sara’s husband Bill’s middle name, and Rufus is Sara’s father’s name). Cassie is the spitting image of Sara.”
Helen Kostecki Hannett’s youngest child, Anna, was married last year. I think Helen wins the grandchild count for certain: last year son Jimmy and wife had their third child; son Nicky and wife had their fourth child. “This makes a total now of 10 grandchildren–four girls and six boys. “We love the Nationals baseball team and hope to pass this love down to the grandchildren.”
Ann Gosier’s year has involved a number of short trips to see family and friends, including time spent with Beth Powers in NYC and with Sheila Joyce Peabody in the Berkshires. She will be transitioning off the board of a charter school where she has served as president and will be taking on new strategic planning activities there. I know that charters can be controversial in some jurisdictions but I am extremely proud of the contribution our school has made to the DC community.” Ann, the noble co-chair of our reunion committee, wants to remind classmates to check their mail for updates on reunion planning.
Alvina Murphy McHale writes that recovery from hip surgery has taken longer than expected, but one thing is certain — the absence of pain is a wonderful thing. She continues with board work with JDRF, the non-profit organization that supports Type 1 diabetes research. She enjoys each day for the laughter of grandchildren and the friendship of fine Trinity women.
Julie Hunter Galdo swears she has started to reduce her time at work with a goal to get to 60 percent, which seems like a good balance– four days off and a very short work week. She and husband Manolo spend a lot of time with their two grandchildren. Julie feels lucky to have daughter Kate and her family nearby. Julie’s son Sean and his family are now overseas, Julie and Manolo enjoy their visits.
Kathy Devoto Shuman became a grandmother for the fifth time when grandson Daniel (named after her father) arrived last year. “He is a bruiser — weighed in at 9 pounds 6 ounces. He looks like he might be a rugby player like his dad, my son Kurt. My significant other Tim has retired. “With the closure of the Corcoran Gallery of Art where I was a volunteer/docent, I became a docent gone wild. I signed up to be an Art Information Volunteer at the National Gallery of Art and in the fall became a Museum Educator at the National Portrait Gallery. Now that we are old enough to have an ‘encore career’ we get to do what we love!”
Trinity women continue to amaze and inspire with their ability to truck on and look fabulous doing it. Vanessa Sanchez-Williams should be the poster girl for “This is What 68 Looks Like.”
My yearly “Aloha:” came from Suzanne Casart, who has settled into a retirement routine of daily visits to the gym and frequent meals with friends and family. She briefly left Hawaii last year for a trip to see her twin nieces graduate from Harvard. She is happy to report that she is now “halfway through the standard 5-year period of post-cancer vigilance with no signs of any recurrence.”
Another recent retiree living in Florida is Jeanne Snover Hoffman, after 37 years as a special education teacher. “It was a rewarding career, but now it’s time to sit back and relax. I still have lots of energy and I know I will do some volunteering in my old school, but I will work it around my lunch dates, shopping, travel etc.” All seven of her grandchildren live within a four-mile radius.
A quick newsy note, on deadline, arrived from Anna Di Stefano who sold her family home in Lawrence, MA, so New England ties are only emotional now and is still teaching at Fielding, but seriously thinking/planning for a retirement. Anna’s daughters are juniors (Kaeli at Loyola Marymount and Emma in high school) and is looking forward to her upcoming work trip to the United Arab Emirates.
Sheila Joyce Peabody is a new grandmother, when “daughter Liz and her husband Doug Porter, presented her with a beautiful girl, Eleanor Brooklin Porter. Happily they live right around the corner, in Maine, and I’ve been doing most of the day care; Liz works in real estate, so her schedule is pretty flexible, as is mine. Alas, my golf clubs are in the cellar and she couldn’t be happier. Ginny Mathis Cappucci and husband Larry visited us recently, from Cape Coral FL, and we had a great time. I’ve also seen Ann Gosier and Susan Greene McGonagle, and was lucky to have dinner in DC with Julie Hunter Galdo. Amen to that, Sheila!
I continue swimming, painting and occasional appearances on Tony Kornheiser’s radio show. David and I had a great trip to Belize last year but I would like to pass on one bit of wisdom, painfully learned from snorkeling expeditions. Bring your own wetsuit, rather than borrowing one.
Please stay in touch and start planning for our 50th!
Love to all,
Jeanne McManus
mcmanusjc@msn.com