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ALUMNAE       MAGAZINE 


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Starting  Line. 

A  MESSAGE  FROM 
PRESIDENT  JO  ELLEN  PARKER 
ON  STRATEGIC  PLANNING 


In  introducing  the  current  strategic  planning  process,  I  used  the  metaphor  of  the 
"starting  line."  A  starting  line,  of  course,  suggests  that  a  race  is  about  to  begin. 
There  were  several  reasons  I  liked  the  metaphor  of  a  race  for  this  particular 
strategic  planning  process.  A  race  has  a  beginning,  a  middle  and  an  end.  It  has  a 
clear  goal  and  a  clear  pathway  toward  that  goal.  A  race  involves  an  awareness  of 
competition— even  if  only  against  one's  own  previous  best— and  success  depends 
on  training,  preparation  and  attitude.  And,  of  course,  a  race  involves  moving 
quickly! 

The  "Starting  Line  White  Paper"  (available  in  its  entirety  on  the  strategic  planning 
blog  at  strategicplan.blog.sbc.edu)  laid  out  my  charge  to  the  community;  in  a  way, 
it  charted  out  our  racecourse  for  us.  The  rest  of  this  message  summarizes  its  key 
points. 

Continued  on  page  24. . . 


FOLLOW  ALONG  ONLINE  AT: 


str  ategicplan  .blog .  sbc .  edu 


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Hank  Yochum,  Director  of  the  Margaret  Jones , 
Wyllie  '45  Engineering  Program 


SWEET    BRIAR    ALUMNAE    MAGAZINE    SUMMER    2010   VOL.    81,    NO.    1 


SWEET  BRIAR  ALUMNAE  MAGAZINE  POLICY 
One  of  (he  objectives  of  ihe  magazine  is  to 

present  interesting,  thought-provoking  material 
Publication  of  material  does  not  indicate 
endorsement  of  the  author's  viewpoint  by  the 
magazine,  the  Alumnae  Association,  or  Sweet 
Briar  College.  The  Sweet  Brior  Alumnae 
Magazine  reserves  the  right  to  edit  and,  when 
necessary,  revise  all  material  that  it  accepts  for 
publication.  Contact  us  any  time! 


Colleen  Karaffa  Murray  '06,  editor 
434  381.6317 
cmurray@sbc  edu 

Media,  Marketing  and  Communications 
PO  Box  1056,  Sweet  Briar,  VA  24595 
434.381.6262 

Boxwood  Alumnae  House 

PO  Box  1055,  Sweet  Briar,  VA  24595 

800381.6131 

alumnae@sbc.edu 

Office  of  Development 

PO  Box  1057,  Sweet  Brior,  VA  24595 

434.381.6161 

Sweet  Briar  Alumnae  Magazine  Production 
Graphic  design  by  The  Design  Group, 
Lynchburg,  VA. 

Printed  by  Progress  Printing  Company. 


INSIDE  FRONT  COVER:  Message  from  the  President  on  Strategic  Planning 

2      Engineering  Inspiration:  1945  Graduate  Endows  $3  Million  Fund  to  Support 
Engineering  Program 

4      Engineering  Inspiration:  2009  Engineering  Graduates 

8      1 01  st  Commencement  Links  Class  of  201 0  to  SBC's  1 0th  President 

10   Going  Places  in  the  Foreign  Service 

1 2  All  in  a  Life's  Work:  Elinor  Stebbins  '00  Receives  the  Congressional  Gold  Medal 

1 4  Worlds  Within  Worlds:  201 0  Senior  Art  Show 

1 8   Sweet  Briar  Celebrates  the  50th  Anniversary  of  the  Boxwood  Circle 

20  Advanced  Fiction  with  Carrie  Brown 

22   Homecoming  2010:  Go  Somewhere  You  Love  this  Fall 

24  Strategic  Planning  Continued 

25  Just  Say  Yes! 

26  Mini  Reunions  ETBRIAft 

27  Alumnae  Weddings 

28  Bulletin  Board 

29  Recent  Deaths 

30  In  Memoriam 

32  Transitions 

33  Class  Notes 

INSIDE  BACK  COVER:  In  the  Sweet  Briar  Tradition:  Anne  Walden  Dewey  Guerin  '41 


>0° 


Mixed  Sources 


Cover  Image:  Juniors  Sarah  Lightbody  (left)  and  Lauren  Perhala  work  on  one  of  the 
engineering  department's  ongoing  projects  to  design  and  build  a  low-cost,  functional 
prosthetic  hand.  The  students  are  contributing  to  the  project  through  the  Honors  Summer 
Research  Program,  which  awards  competitive  fellowships  to  work  one-on-one  with  faculty 
sponsors. 

PHOTO  BY  NANCY  BIACKWEIL  MARION  '74 


Engineering 


■  f  1                             

3R                 w/               ft        H 

1945  Graduate  Endows  $3  Million  Fund 
to  Support  Engineering  Program 

JENNIFER  MCMANAMAY,  STAFF  WRITER 

Margaret  "Peggy"  Jones  Wyllie  always  wanted  to  be 
an  engineer,  but  when  she  entered  college  in  1941 
pursuing  that  dream,  was  nearly  impossible.  In  those 
days,  universities  with  engineering  programs  rarely 
admitted  women  and  no  women's  college  in  the 
country  offered  the  degree.  So  in  1945,  Wyllie 
graduated  with  a  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  chemistry  from 
Sweet  Briar  College. 


2  •Summer  2010 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


inspiration 


Sixty-five  years  later.  Sweet  Briar  is  one  of  only  two 
U.S.  women's  colleges  to  offer  an  engineering  degree. 
The  program's  success  has  permitted  Wyllie  to  revisit 
her  childhood  dream  while  expanding  opportunities 
for  Sweet  Briar's  aspiring  engineers  of  today.  She  and 
her  husband,  Jesse  Wyllie,  have  given  $3  million  to 
Sweet  Briar  to  create  an  endowment  in  support  of  the 
program.  Shortly  after  the  gift  was  announced,  Jesse 
Wyllie  passed  away. 

In  recognition  of  the  gift,  SBC  Engineering  will 
henceforth  be  known  as  the  Margaret  Jones  Wyllie  '45 
Engineering  Program.  It  is  the  first  named  academic 
program  in  the  College's  109-year  history. 

Sweet  Briar's  engineering  curriculum  was  built 
over  several  years  beginning  in  2002,  largely  with  $1.5 
million  in  grants  from  the  National  Science  Foundation. 
The  first  class  of  degree  candidates  was  enrolled  in 
2005  and  graduated  last  year. 

The  College  offers  a  B.S.  in  engineering  science 
and  a  B.A.  in  engineering  management.  The 
curriculum  emphasizes  experiential  learning,  design 
as  a  fundamental  element  of  engineering,  and  creating 
solutions  to  human  problems.  The  engineering  science 
degree  track  is  multidisciplinary,  rooted  in  mechanical 
engineering  and  engineering  design,  with  an  emphasis 
on  electrical  and  mechanical  systems. 

The  B.A.  option  responds  to  the  high  demand 
among  today's  technical  companies  for  graduates  with 
strong  educational  backgrounds  in  both  management 
and  technology.  Fundamental  science,  math  and 
engineering  courses,  combined  with  an  emphasis  on 
developing  management  skills  and  interconnections 
between  the  disciplines,  are  the  core  of  the  program. 

The  Wyllies,  who  met  at  The  Johns  Hopkins 
University  where  Peggy  earned  her  master's  in 
chemistry,  were  early  and  generous  supporters 
of  engineering  at  Sweet  Briar.  They  contributed 
substantially  for  laboratory  renovations  and  equipment, 
computers  and  software  from  2005  to  2007. 

Earlier  this  winter.  President  Jo  Ellen  Parker  invited 
the  couple  to  campus  to  attend  a  lecture,  tour  the 
department's  labs  and  machine  shops,  and  meet  with 
students,  faculty  and  administrators. 

"Peggy  and  Jesse  Wyllie  were  impressed  by  the 
quality  of  Sweet  Briar's  engineering  students  and 
faculty,  by  the  mission  of  the  program  and  by  the 
innovative  curriculum,"  Parker  said. 

"They  appreciated  the  careful  stewardship,  which 
made  effective  and  thoughtful  use  of  their  previous 
gifts  and  of  National  Science  Foundation  grants.  But 
mostly,  I  think,  they  appreciate  the  importance  of 
Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


sending  women  engineers  into  today's  marketplace 
prepared  to  use  their  skills  responsibly,  sustainably  and 
thoughtfully." 

SBC  engineering  director  Hank  Yochum  also  noted 
that  the  Wyllie  s  gift  validates  what  the  College  has 
done  to  develop  a  high-quality  program. 

"This  endowment  speaks  to  the  success  of 
the  program  and  to  our  commitment  to  creating 
opportunities  for  women  to  become  engineers  that 
make  a  difference  in  the  world,"  Yochum  said. 

"The  gift  will  help  us  provide  even  more 
opportunities  for  our  students,  including  funds 
for  additional  state-of-the-art  lab  equipment  and 
scholarships.  It  will  also  support  community-based 
design  courses,  like  last  year's  collaboration  with 
disabled  workers  at  Lynchburg  Sheltered  Industries. 
That  project  resulted  in  a  national  workplace  innovation 
award  for  design." 

Peggy  Wyllie  lives  on  her  cattle  farm  in  Troy,  Va. 
She  and  Jesse  retired  there  in  1982  after  his  career  as 
a  research  scientist  and  executive  with  Gulf  Oil  Corp. 
They  moved  around,  living  in  the  United  Kingdom,  the 
Middle  East,  and  Texas.  California  and  Pennsylvania. 

While  her  husband,  a  Rhodes  Scholar  from  South 
Africa,  climbed  the  ranks  at  Gulf  to  serve  as  president 
and  chairman  of  the  company,  Peggy  raised  three 
children  and  pursued  her  own  interests,  including  riding 
horses.  In  a  recent  interview  with  Virginia  Business, 
Wyllie  said  she  rode  competitively  at  Sweet  Briar  and 
didn't  stop  riding  until  age  75. 

There  also  was  a  time  in  the  1950s  when  she 
satisfied  her  need  for  speed  as  a  race  car  driver  on 
the  Sports  Car  Clubs  of  America  circuit.  What  the 
somewhat  diminutive  Wyllie  lacked  in  stature  she  made 
up  in  nerve,  sometimes  pushing  the  Jaguars  she  drove 
to  1 1 0  miles  an  hour. 


The  Wyllies 

appreciate  the 

importance 

of  sending 

women 

engineers 

into  today's 

marketplace 

prepared 

to  use 

their  skills 

responsibly, 

sustainably 

and 

thoughtfully." 

—JO  ELLEN  PARKER 


Left  to  right:  President  Jo  Ellen  Parker  with  Jesse  Wyllie,  Peggie  Wyllie  '45  and  Hank 
Yochum. 

Summer  2010  •  3 


Engineering 
Inspiration        2009  Engi 

In  May  2009,  Sweet  Briar  graduated  its 
first  full  class  of  engineers  —  four  women 
who  helped  pave  the  way  for  future  engi- 
neering students.  Recently,  we  learned  that 
these  new  alumnae  have  begun  promising 
careers  or  gone  on  to  further  study.  From 
conducting  research  in  nanotechnology 
to  working  with  a  government  intelligence 
agency,  these  engineers  are  doing  work 
that  proves  the  program's  success. 

During  interviews  with  the  four  graduates,  each  was  asked  about 
her  most  memorable  experience  at  Sweet  Briar.  Three,  who 
attended  the  spring  2007  Technology  and  Society  course,  said 
the  same  thing.  As  part  of  the  class,  they  planned  and  executed 
a  trip  to  Guatemala,  where  they  helped  build  a  clean-water  sup- 
ply system  for  a  rural  boarding  school.  They  also  built  a  pump 
connected  to  the  storage  tank  that  could  be  operated  by  hand 
or  electrically.  All  three  alumnae  spoke  of  how  the  project  gave 
them  the  chance  to  help  others,  one  of  the  fundamental  goals  of 
engineering. 

The  newly  named  Margaret  Jones  Wyllie  '45  Engineering 
Program  continues  to  grow  with  20  students  enrolled  for  the 
coming  year.  The  number  of  women  in  engineering  is  steadily 
increasing  through  our  Explore  Engineering  program  for  high 
school  girls  and  through  our  engineering  scholarship  pro- 
gram, both  of  which  are  funded  through  the  National  Science 
Foundation  and  the  Wyllie  endowment. 

4*  Summer  2010 


neering  Graduates 


Sarah  Smiley  stands  in  front  of  Tuck  School  of  Business 
where  she  attends  many  of  her  classes  at  Dartmouth. 
Smiley's  intended  degree  integrates  both  engineering  sci- 
ence and  business. 

Sarah  Smiley 

Helping  others  in  practical  ways  has  always  been 
important  to  Sarah  Smiley,  and  engineering  has 
provided  her  with  the  tools  to  do  just  that.  She  chose 
Sweet  Briar's  engineering  program  for  its  focus  on 
mechanical  and  electrical  engineering,  small  class 
sizes  and  varied  course  offerings.  Having  graduated 
magna  cum  laude  and  Phi  Beta  Kappa  with  a  double 
major  in  engineering  science  and  mathematics.  Smiley 
now  attends  Dartmouth  College  where  she  is  earning 
a  master  s  degree  in  engineering  management. 

"I  believe  that  we're  blessed  to  be  a  blessing," 
Smiley  said.  "And  I  want  to  help  people.  I  want  to  be 
the  best  leader  that  I  can  be,  and  I  believe  that  one 
way  to  obtain  this  goal  is  to  challenge  myself  and  get 
the  best  education  I  am  capable  of." 

At  Sweet  Briar,  Smiley  was  involved  in  the  Falls- 
on-Nose  tap  club,  golf  club,  the  American  Society  of 
Mechanical  Engineers,  and  she  participated  in  three 
separate  internships. 

During  her  sophomore  year.  Smiley  traveled  to 
Guatemala  with  her  classmates  where  they  began 
construction  on  a  water  system  for  a  local  school.  For 
Smiley,  the  project  was  rewarding,  not  only  because 
of  the  hands-on  experience,  but  also  because  of  the 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


s  ■■■ 


HI 


Amanda  Baker  explored  parts  of  Ecuador  in  January  2009  on  a  kayaking  trip. 


connections  she  made  with  the  children  at 
the  school. 

"We  got  to  throw  a  party  with  the  kids 
there  with  a  pinata,  which  we  helped  them 
to  set  up,"  she  said.  "The  water  system 
construction  was  a  lot  of  physical  labor,  but 
we  learned  about  the  culture  while  we  were 
there.  We  practiced  our  Spanish,  drew  on 
our  history  of  Latin  America,  really  put  to 
work  our  problem-solving  techniques." 

Smiley  always  valued  the  intimate  setting 
she  encountered  at  Sweet  Briar  and  the 
confidence  that  a  women's  college  gave  her, 
especially  since  she  has  entered  a  field  in 
which  women  are  the  minority. 

Currently,  Smiley  is  working  toward 
a  Lean  Six  Sigma  Black  Belt  certificate, 
which  focuses  on  developing  best  practices 
in  manufacturing  production.  Eventually, 
she'd  like  to  work  for  a  technical  company 
in  operations.  She  is  on  the  Master 
of  Engineering  Management  Council 
and  is  co-leader  of  the  Operations  and 
Manufacturing  Professional  Club.  She  is 
a  teaching  assistant  for  the  upper-level 
mechanical  engineering  class,  machine 
design.  Overall,  Smiley  is  thriving  in  her 
new  life  at  Dartmouth,  and  fondly  cites  her 
Sweet  Briar  experience  as  the  springboard 
for  her  path. 

Amanda  Baker 

As  a  young  girl,  Amanda  Baker  was  curious 
about  mechanics.  She  took  apart  radios, 
remote  controls  and  toys  with  moving  parts, 
trying  to  figure  out  how  they  worked.  When 
she  heard  her  mother's  footsteps  coming 
down  the  hall,  she'd  quickly  attempt  to 


reconstruct  the  items  before  being  caught.  In 
high  school.  Baker  began  taking  engineering 
classes  at  a  community  college  and  felt  she'd 
found  her  niche. 

Now  she  is  a  full-time  employee  of 
Straughan  Environmental  Services  in 
Columbia,  Md.  She  spends  her  days  doing 
stream  surveys  and  assessments,  field 
work,  habitat  assessments  and  storm  water 
management  plans.  She's  also  a  part-time 
student  at  The  Johns  Hopkins  University, 
where  she's  earning  her  master's  in 
environmental  engineering  and  science  with 
a  focus  on  stream  restoration.  She's  also 
part  of  the  Johns  Hopkins  Outdoor  Pursuits 
program,  leading  kayaking,  backpacking, 
rock  climbing  and  outdoor  adventure  trips. 

Baker  chose  Sweet  Briar  to  provide 
her  with  the  necessary  link  between  her 
high  school  education  and  post-graduate 
aspirations.  A  double  major  in  engineering 
and  environmental  sciences,  Baker  was 
involved  in  clubs,  activities  and  programs 
all  over  campus,  including  the  Sweet 
Briar  Engineering  Society,  American 
Society  of  Mechanical  Engineers,  Women 
in  Engineering,  SWEBOP  (the  College's 
outdoor  program)  and  Tau  Phi. 

During  her  sophomore  year.  Baker  was 
part  of  the  Guatemala  trip  and  said  that  it 
was  an  adventure  she'll  never  forget. 

"I  helped  organize  the  logistics  of  the 
trip,"  Baker  said.  "It  was  one  of  the  most 
demanding  classes  and  at  the  same  time  one 
of  the  most  gratifying." 

The  trip  taught  Baker  that  engineering  is 
about  helping  people.  "That  should  be  our 
number  one  priority,"  she  said. 


Richmond 
Engineering 
Group  Names 

weet  Briar 
i  jrst  Recipient 

f  Award 


JENNIFER  MCMANAMAY,  STAFF  WRITER 

The  Richmond  Joint  Engineers'  Council 
has  selected  Sweet  Briar  College 
to  receive  its  20 1 0  RJEC  Award 
for  Outstanding  Achievement  in 
Advancing  the  Study  and  Practice  of 
Engineering. 

Sweet  Briar  is  the  first  recipient  of 
the  new  award.  The  RJEC  chose  the 
College  to  recognize  its  creation  of 
degreed  programs  in  engineering  and 
the  graduation  of  its  first  class  in  the 
spring  of  2009.  Sweet  Briar  is  one  of 
two  women's  colleges  in  the  country  to 
offer  degrees  in  engineering. 

Hank  Yochum,  director  of  the  engi- 
neering program  at  Sweet  Briar, 
accepted  the  honor  at  the  RJEC's 
annual  Engineers'  Week  Awards 
Banquet,  held  Feb.  1  8  at  the  Jefferson 
Hotel  in  Richmond. 

"The  award  acknowledges  the 
College's  commitment  to  increasing 
the  number  of  women  in  engineering," 
Yochum  said.  "We  are  especially 
pleased  to  earn  this  inaugural  award 
from  an  organization  with  such  state- 
wide reach  as  the  RJEC." 

Since  the  class  of  2009  graduated, 
Yochum  has  been  following  the  wom- 
en's progress  as  they  pursue  advanced 
degrees  or  begin  careers  in  the  field. 
"The  success  of  our  first  graduates,  in 
graduate  school  and  in  practice,  dem- 
onstrates the  high  quality  engineering 
education  a  small  liberal  arts  college 
can  provide,"  he  said. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Engineering; 
Inspiration 


Lauren  Guyer 

Lauren  Guyer  found  her  way  to  SBC 
engineering  along  an  indirect  route.  She 
started  with  a  strong  interest  in  architecture 
and  also  in  riding.  Searching  for  colleges 
that  offered  intensive  riding  instruction, 
she  stumbled  upon  Sweet  Briar  and  the 
engineering  program,  which  turned  out  to  be 
the  right  fit. 


2009  Engineering  Graduates 


Guyer  received  a  B.A.  in  engineering 
management  at  Sweet  Briar.  The  degree 
combines  engineering  science  and  the 
business  practices  that  are  common  in  her 
field,  which  include  production  management, 
marketing,  human  resources  and  accounting. 
Guyer  s  Sweet  Briar  experience  gave  her  the 
confidence  to  work  in  a  male-dominated  field 
and  also  the  practical  knowledge  she  needed 
to  get  a  job  and  excel  in  it. 

Like  others  in  her  major,  Guyer  was 
involved  in  the  Falls-on-Nose  tap  club  and  the 
Sweet  Briar  chapter  of  the  American  Society 
of  Mechanical  Engineers.  A  member  of  the 
riding  council,  Guyer  spent  many  hours  at 
the  barn  planning  in-house  horse  shows, 
volunteering,  riding  and  caring  for  horses. 

At  Sweet  Briar,  two  events  were 
particularly  memorable  for  Guyer,  who 
is  now  an  intelligence  specialist  with  the 
National  Ground  Intelligence  Center  in 
Charlottesville,  Va.  In  her  first  year,  she 
and  her  teammates  won  the  Cardboard  Boat 
Regatta,  paddling  to  victory  in  Sweet  Briar's 
lake  aboard  their  cardboard-and-duct  tape 
vessel. 

During  her  sophomore  year,  the 
Guatemala  project  had  a  strong  impact  on 
her  outlook  as  an  engineer.  Guyer  and  her 
team  overcame  numerous  obstacles  during 
and  before  their  trip  including  fundraising, 
bad  weather,  language  barriers  and  sickness. 
In  the  end.  the  opportunity  to  have  a  tangible 
effect  on  a  school  in  need  was  invaluable, 
said  Guyer,  who  feels  that  Sweet  Briar  helped 
her  to  become  a  confident  leader,  equipped  to 
handle  the  challenges  in  front  of  her. 


Kaelyn  Leake 

Kaelyn  Leake  is  doing  something  at  the 
University  of  California,  Santa  Cruz,  that 
most  people  have  never  heard  of.  She's 
specializing  in  nanoscale  optofluidics,  a 
research  field  that  studies  optic  and  fluidic 
components  in  the  same  microscopic 
system.  Leake  is  attempting  to  design  a 
portable,  inexpensive  device  that  will  be 
used  to  detect  dangerous  viruses  and  strands 
of  DNA,  as  well  as  many  other  processes 
that  take  extensive  amounts  of  time  and 
money  to  detect  in  a  laboratory  setting. 
These  devices  would  be  useful  to  traveling 
researchers  as  they  enter  developing 
countries  and  remote  areas  where  they  could 
identify  a  hazardous  virus  on  site. 

"Engineering  is  very  much  a 
multidisciplinary  field,"  Leake  said.  "We  use 


Engineering  Students  Recognized  Nationally 
for  Community  Outreach 

In  a  recent  regional  version  of  the  Technology  and  Society  course,  students  designed  and 
created  tools  for  physically  and  mentally  challenged  employees  at  Lynchburg  Sheltered 
Industries,  a  local  nonprofit  company.  The  new  tools  created  by  the  students  are  being 
used  at  LSI  today. 

Students  involved  in  the  project  participated  in  the  2009  NISH  National  Scholar  Award 
for  Workplace  Innovation  and  Design,  a  national  engineering  design  competition.  Sweet 
Briar  students,  including  '09  graduate  Sarah  Smiley,  earned  third  place  in  the  competi- 
tion, an  impressive  accomplishment  for  our  program. 


1 

EJ 

1 

Sarah  Smiley  '09,  left,  and  Maxine  Emerich  '10 
at  the  U.S.  Capitol  in  Washington,  D.C.,  where 
they  were  recognized  for  a  project  design. 


6 'Summer  2010 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.erJu 


physics,  chemistry,  math  and  even  biology 
daily  at  UC  Santa  Cruz.  Sweet  Briar  s 
engineering  program,  which  combines 
mechanical,  electrical  and  some  civil 
engineering,  prepared  me  for  this." 

As  an  undergraduate,  Leake  was  involved 
in  the  Engineering  and  Physics  Society, 
fencing,  American  Society  for  Mechanical 
Engineers  and  the  Falls-on-Nose  tap  club. 
She  graduated  Phi  Beta  Kappa  with  majors 
in  engineering  science  and  physics  and 
received  the  George  H.  Lenz  Excellence  in 
Physics  Award. 

One  of  Leake's  favorite  moments  at  Sweet 
Briar  took  place  on  a  late  night  in  the  Guion 
Science  Center.  In  her  first  engineering  class, 
she  was  tasked  with  creating  a  Beanie  Baby 
launcher.  The  contraption  had  to  launch  a 
Beanie  Baby  over  a  "mountain"  at  a  certain 
angle  and  height. 

"The  night  before  the  assignment  was 
due,  the  whole  class  was  in  the  engineering 
lab  trying  to  finish  the  building  for  the 
project  and  calibrating  the  catapults ... 
There  were  many  flying  Beanie  Babies, 
collisions  and  races  on  wheeled  chairs  down 
the  hall,"  Leake  said. 

When  most  of  the  catapults  did  not  meet 
the  specifications,  Leake  and  her  classmates 
realized  how  much  testing,  thought  and 
study  goes  into  completing  a  seemingly 
simple  task. 

Leake  recently  received  a  QB3 
Fellowship  for  first-year  studies  in  the  Keck 
Center  at  UC  Santa  Cruz  and  looks  forward 
to  new  discoveries  in  the  field  of  electrical 
engineering. 


ENGINEERING  FACULTY 


Honk  Yochum 

Associate  professor 
Program  director 
Ph.D.  Wake  Forest 

University 
Interests:  nanotechnology, 

optics,  engineering 

outreach 


Engineering 

°  AT  SWEET  BRIAR      c^ 

The  engineering  program  at  Sweet  Briar  now  hosts  a  week-long  summer 
course  and  two  overnight  Explore  Engineering  weekends  for  junior 
and  senior  high  school  girls.  Participants  engage  in  engineering  projects  such  as 
creating  robots  that  make  music  and  art,  designing  electronic  clothing,  making 
iPod  speakers,  building  interactive  stomp  pad  games  and  more. 
The  program  emphasizes  the  creative  nature  of  engineer- 
ing and  the  ways  that  engineers  make  the  world  a  better 
place.  Students  see  engineering  in  action  as  they 
work  with  current  SBC  students  and  faculty. 
They  also  meet  with  area  women  engi- 
neers, learn  about  Sweet  Briar's  pro- 
gram and  stay  in  the  residence  halls. 
No  prior  experience  in  engineering  <^C 

is  needed.  For  more  information  on  Explore 
Engineering,  visit:  www.engineering.sbc.edu. 


Scott  Pierce 

Assistant  professor 
Ph.D.  Georgia  Tech 
Registered  Professional 

Engineer 
Interests:  machine  design, 

low-cost  prosthetics, 

robotics 


Dorsa  Sanadgol 

Assistant  professor 

Ph.D.  University  of  Virginia 

Interests:  mechatronics, 
increasing  opportunities 
for  women  in  engineer- 
ing 


T.C.  Scott 

Associate  professor,  joint 

with  UVA 
Ph.D.  University  of 

Michigan 
Interests:  heat  transfer, 

automotive  engineering 


Scott  Hyman 

Whitney  Guion  Professor 
Ph.D.  University  of 

Maryland,  College  Park 
Interests:  radio  astronomy, 

image  processing 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine    www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Summer  2010    7 


T 


10 1st  Commencement 

Links  Class  of  2010 

to  SBC's  10th  President 


Jo  Ellen  Parker  opened  Sweet  Briar's  101st 
commencement  on  Saturday,  May  15,  ready  to  confer 
155  undergraduate  degrees  and  six  Master  of  Arts 
in  Teaching  degrees.  When  she  left  the  stage  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  ceremony,  she  had  become  an 
honorary  member  of  the  first  class  to  graduate  since 
she  became  president. 

Senior  class  president  Carlisle  "Carlie"  Adams 
announced  the  honor,  and  presented  Parker  with 
a  class  ring.  Adams  noted  that  Parker  had  faced 
challenges  during  her  first  year,  but  rose  to  meet  them. 

"I'll  say  to  my  new  classmates,  I'm  just  a  little  bit 
verklempt,"  Parker  said  in  response,  and  noted  that  as 
the  College's  10th  president  she  is  numerically  as  well 
as  emotionally  linked  to  the  Class  of  2010. 

Debra  Elkins  '93  delivered  the  commencement 
address,  which  struck  an  engineering  theme 
appropriate  to  her  background.  She  is  a  risk  analysis 
expert  serving  as  a  section  chief  with  U.S.  Homeland 
Security.  After  receiving  her  bachelor's  from  SBC  in 
mathematical  physics,  she  earned  a  master's  in  math 
and  a  doctorate  in  industrial  engineering. 

Elkins  advised  the  Class  of  2010  that  the  liberal  arts 
education  they  received  at  Sweet  Briar  has  prepared 
them  to  engineer  the  future  in  everything  from  health 
care  and  education  to  fixing  energy  shortages  and 
environmental  issues  to  ensuring  the  nation's  security. 

"You  have  the  rights  and  privileges  that  go  along 
with  being  a  Sweet  Briar  graduate,  but  you  also  have 
a  responsibility  to  use  your  education  to  help  address 
these  tough  issues,"  she  said. 

Elkins  said  each  also  has  a  responsibility  to  herself. 
"Find  whatever  it  is  that  you  love  doing  and  that  you 
do  really  well,  and  go  after  that  dream  with  all  your 
passion  and  energy.  Then  you  will  have  found  not  only 
a  job,  but  an  interesting,  fulfilling  career  path,  where 
you  have  lots  of  opportunities  to  give  back  to  your 
community  and  broader  society." 

Elkins  comes  from  good  stock  and  a  proud  Sweet 
Briar  tradition:  A  sister  and  two  cousins  also  are 
graduates  and  her  late  mother  was  professor  emerita 
and  former  chair  of  Sweet  Briar's  math  department,  for 
whom  the  family  established  the  Judith  Molinar  Elkins 
Prize.  It  recognizes  outstanding  achievements  in  math 
or  science  and  is  one  of  five  all-College  awards  that 
are  presented  during  commencement  each  year. 

Elkins  was  able  to  present  the  award  named  for 
her  mother  to  Laura  Nicole  Jett.  Jett  also  earned  the 
8  -Summer 2010 


BY  JENNIFER  MCMANAMAY 


President  Jo  Ellen  Parker  was  given  a  class  ring  by  senior  class  president  Carlie  Adams 
at  commencement.  Parker  is  now  an  honorary  member  of  the  Class  of  2010. 

honorary  title  of  Emilie  Watts  McVea  Scholar  as  the 
highest  ranking  member  of  her  class,  a  distinction  she 
shares  with  Elkins,  who  won  it  in  1993. 

As  is  customary,  dean  of  the  College  Jonathan 
Green  called  each  candidate  to  the  stage  to  receive 
her  diploma  from  President  Parker.  Other  speakers 
included  Rachel  Flynn  representing  the  board  of 
directors  and  Jennifer  Crossland  '86,  president  of  the 
Alumnae  Association. 

Three  guests  also  were  acknowledged  at 
commencement.  President  Emerita  Betsy  Muhlenfeld 
and  her  husband,  Larry  Wollan,  and  Margaret  "Peggy" 
Jones  Wyllie  '45,  who  with  her  late  husband,  Jessie 
Wyllie,  recently  endowed  a  fund  to  support  the 
College's  engineering  program. 

Visit  www.sbc.edu/news/items/9680  for  the  full 
story. 


Debra  Elkins  '93  delivers 
the  2010  commencement 
address. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Aili  McGill  '10  and  Marian  McGill    02. 


Left  to  right:  Missy  Flanigan  Clark  '77,  Barbara  Clark  McLaughlin  '77,  Kathryn  Smith 
'10,  Blair  Clark  Swoope  '83  (mother). 


Lisa  Weisbrich  '10  with  her  sister,  Petra  Weisbrich, 
who  graduated  in  December  2009  and  received 
her  diploma  at  the  2010  ceremony. 


Maribeth  Turner  '10  and  Grace  Turner 
Creasey  '01. 


L 

Malone  Roberts  '  1 0  with  her  mother, 
Martha  Roberts  '75. 


Four  turning  point  students  earned  their  bachelor's 
degrees.  Left  to  right:  Wanda  Spradley,  Deborah  Taylor, 
Donna  Kerley  and  Tina  Thompson. 


Autum  Catalon  Wade  '04 
and  Sarina  Catalon  '10. 


Sisters  Caroline  Bailey  '13  and  Elizabeth  Bailey  '10  with 
their  mother,  Susan  Parr  Bailey  '81. 


Six  students  received  their  Master  of  Arts  in  Teaching.  Graduates  from  left  to  right  are:  Sarah  Johnson,  Elizabeth  Shuford,  Lisa  Mazingo,  Tracey 
Nicely,  Jennifer  Gottfried  and  Erin  Coppersmith. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Summer  2010  •  9 


Going  Places 

in  the  Foreign  Service 


IhERJTHIRD  DAY  ON  THE  JOB,  Heather  Wright 
participated  in  a  Hindu  cremation.  Now  in  her 
second  year,  she  has  shared  tea  with  an  Afar  sultan 
and  stood  on  the  deck  of  the  USS  Cole. 

Wright  is  consular  section  chief  at  the  U.S. 
Embassy  in  Djibouti,  a  small  country  on  the  Horn  of 
Africa.  She  also  is  acting  political  chief  and  acting 
public  affairs  officer.  <. 


In  the  course  of  a  day  she  may  brief  U.S. 
military  personnel  at  Camp  Lemonnier  on 
local  customs,  visit  an  American  in  jail  or 
arrange  another's  funeral.  More  often  she 
sleuths  through  visa  applications  separating 
^fact  from  sometimes  hilarious  fiction  made 
up  by  people  trying  to  get  to  the  United 
States. 

"I  do  a  lot  of  talking  and  meeting  new 
people  in  support  of  the  U.S.  government's 
mission.  I  also  do  a  whole  lot  of  writing, 
something  that  I  can  thank  SBC  for,"  Wright 
says.  "My  work  is  very  interesting  and 
challenging,  no  day  is  ever  the  same  as  the 


0~  Summer  2)10 


Sweet  Briar  ftillfigeHltinihae^lagazine    www.akimnae.sbc .«du_  - 


day  before.  It  can  be  stressful,  but  I  love  it 
and  thrive  in  it." 

Wright,  an  international  affairs  and 
Spanish  double  major,  knew  she  wanted  to 
be  a  diplomat  when  she  applied  for  a  Thomas 
R.  Pickering  Graduate  Foreign  Affairs 
Fellowship  in  2006.  Hers  was  one  of  19 
graduate  fellowships  to  be  awarded  that  year. 

The  Pickering  paid  her  way  through  a 
master's  program  at  George  Washington 
University,  where  she  graduated  magna  cum 
laude.  It  provided  housing,  a  living  stipend, 
two  summer  internships,  including  one  as  an 
assistant  public  affairs  officer  in  Asuncion, 
Paraguay,  and  a  guaranteed  job  in  foreign 
service  after  graduation. 

In  return,  she  has  to  fulfill  all 
requirements  for  a  regular  Foreign  Service 
Officer,  including  security  and  medical 
clearances  and  passing  written  and  oral 
exams.  She  also  must  have  tenure  by  the 
end  of  her  three-year  service  obligation  in 
Djibouti. 

While  the  whole  package  was  worth  about 
$150,000,  Wright  said  the  opportunity  "to 
hob-knob  with  and  be  mentored  by  senior- 
level  personnel  in  the  U.S.  government"  has 
been  invaluable.  So  are  the  travel  and  cultural 
experiences  that  come  with  working  for  the 
State  Department. 

She  is  a  long  way  from  her  hometown  of 
Princess  Anne  on  Maryland's  Eastern  Shore, 
where  she  grew  up  with  her  mother  and  her 
grandparents. 

Djibouti  is  in  Northeast  Africa  on  the  Gulf 
of  Aden.  It  has  nearly  200  miles  of  coastline 
and  encompasses  coral  islands  off  its  shores. 
Bordered  by  Eritrea,  Ethiopia  and  Somalia, 
much  of  it  is  rugged  desert,  where  on  hikes 
Wright  said  she  has  seen  children  seem  to 
materialize  out  of  the  rocks.  Though  most 
Djiboutians  live  in  the  cities,  many  remain 
nomadic  herders,  raising  goats  and  cattle. 

Wright  lives  among  and  works  with 
the  locals,  who  are  predominantly  ethnic 
Afars  and  Somalis.  Ethiopians,  Arabs 
and  Europeans  also  make  up  part  of  the 
population.  As  a  former  French  territory  the 
culture  is  influenced  by  African,  Arab  and 
European  customs. 

Most  Djiboutians  are  devout  Muslims 
and  some  bear  the  mark  of  "sujood"  on  their 
foreheads  from  their  daily  prayers. 

"It's  a  mark  of  piety  and  people  are 
very  proud  of  it,"  Wright  said.  "People  are 
generally  open  here  and  if  you  make  an  effort 
to  learn  a  few  words  in  Somali,  it  will  get  you 
pretty  far.  I  started  out  with  just  the  words, 
'yes,'  'no,'  'thank  you,'  'please'  and  'I  don't 


i5V 


People  are  generally  open  here  and  if  you 
make  an  effort  to  learn  a  few  words  in 
Somali,  it  will  get  you  pretty  far.  I  started 
out  with  just  the  words,  'yes,'  'no,'  'thank 
you,'  'please'  and  'I  don't  have  any  money' 


have  any  money.'  The  last  phrase  normally 
gets  a  lot  of  laughs,  a  handshake  or  a  hug  or 
two  when  I'm  in  the  market." 

She  discovered  Djiboutians  love  to  party, 
too,  to  the  point  of  shaming  Americans.  "I 
went  to  an  International  Women's  Day  Event 
in  honor  of  the  first  lady.  I  got  there  at  seven 
p.m.  and  didn't  leave  until  after  two  a.m.,  and 
that  was  only  with  other  Americans.  I  later 
found  that  the  party  lasted  until  six  a.m." 

Wright's  work  hasn't  just  exposed  her  to 
people  and  places  that  most  Americans  never 
experience,  it's  allowed  her  to  see  her  own 
country  in  a  new  light. 

"Not  that  many  Americans  get  to  see  the 
good  work  that  we  do  overseas,"  she  said, 
describing  a  visit  to  a  food  pre-positioning 
warehouse.  "It's  the  jump-off  point  for  almost 
all  food  aid  going  into  Africa,  particularly 
Ethiopia.  It's  really  an  incredible  feeling  to 
see  boxes  of  food  stuffs  piled  thirty  feet  high, 
all  stamped  with  US  AID. 

"It's  also  a  great  feeling  to  visit  refugee 
camps  that  are  really  the  last  hope  for  people 
fleeing  horrendous  conflicts  and  know  that 
my  country  funds  about  twenty-five  percent 
of  their  operation." 

Even  more  gratifying,  she  said,  is  helping 
an  American  who  has  gotten  himself  stranded 
in  a  dangerous  situation  in  Somaliland  to  get 
home  or  helping  a  family  in  the  United  States 
deal  with  the  loss  or  injury  of  a  loved  one  in 
Djibouti. 

While  representing  the  U.S.  government 
makes  her  more  wary  than  she  might  be 
otherwise,  it  hasn't  hindered  her  immersion 
in  the  culture. 

"I'm  not  naive  and  I  know  that  there  are 
people  out  there  who  don't  like  Americans 
and  Djibouti  is  right  in  the  middle  of  it  — 
Somalia,  Eritrea,  Yemen,  pirates,  need  I  say 
more?"  Wright  said. 

"But  working  for  the  State  Department 
has  afforded  me  an  incredible  opportunity  to 
live  and  work  in  a  world  that  I  scarcely  think 
I  would  have  visited  on  my  own.  I'm  getting 
to  see  and  do  things  that  not  that  many  people 
can  say  they  have  seen  or  done." 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Elinor  was  everything  that  Sweet  Briar  is  about  .  .  . 
She  was  a  living  example  for  us  sitting  right  there  in 
the  classroom. 


-Emily  Pegues  '00 


SPOTLIGHT 


Elinor  Stebbins  (far  left)  poses  with  some  of  her  fellow  pilots. 


At  age  19  Elinor  Fairchild  was  among  the 
youngest  members  of  the  Women  Airforce 
Service  Pilots,  who  in  World  War  II  became 
the  first  women  to  fly  American  military 
aircraft. 

At  the  age  of  75,  Elinor  Fairchild 
Stebbins  was  the  oldest  person  ever  to 
graduate  from  Sweet  Briar  with  a  four-year 
degree. 

She  didn't  really  plan  any  of  it,  Stebbins 
said. 

Retired  and  living  in  Richmond  with  her 
husband,  Robert,  she  began  attending  classes 
because  she  admired  poet  Mary  Oliver, 
who  was  then  SBC's  Banister  Writer-in- 
Residence. 

"One  thing  led  to  another  and  I  finally 
matriculated,"  Stebbins  said,  laughing. 

In  2000  she  graduated  from  Sweet 
Briar  with  a  degree  in  English  and  creative 


writing.  The  occasion  was  most  memorable, 
she  said,  because  her  children  and 
grandchildren  were  there  to  celebrate  with 
her. 

Nearly  10  years  later,  on  March  10, 
2010,  she  was  one  of  about  200  veterans 
of  the  WASP  to  accept  a  Congressional 
Gold  Medal  during  a  ceremony  at  the  U.S. 
Capitol.  The  medal,  the  highest  civilian 
honor  bestowed  by  Congress,  was  overdue 
recognition  for  the  women's  wartime  service 
that  for  a  long  time  the  military  barely 
acknowledged,  let  alone  heralded. 

It  was  an  important  event,  and  Stebbins 
borrowed  back  her  old  dress  uniform, 
which  she  had  donated  to  the  Virginia  War 
Memorial,  for  the  occasion.  Numerous 
dignitaries  spoke,  including  House  Speaker 
Nancy  Pelosi  and  former  NBC  news  anchor 
Tom  Brokaw.  Stebbins  thought  the  ceremony 


was  well  done. 

"It  was  expeditious,"  she  said.  "Nancy 
Pelosi  was  graceful  and  brief." 

Again,  for  Stebbins  one  of  the  best  parts 
of  the  whole  experience  was  the  family 
reunion  that  went  along  with  it. 

Stebbins  decided  to  take  flying  lessons 
after  her  first  plane  ride  at  age  18.  She'd  just 
graduated  from  high  school  in  Pelham,  N.Y., 
and  moved  to  New  York  City,  where  she  was 
working  and  going  to  college  at  night.  It  was 
in  late  1943,  on  the  day  she  logged  her  35th 
hour  of  flight  time  —  the  minimum  required 
to  apply  for  the  WASP  —  that  someone 
mentioned  an  Army  agent  was  in  the  city 
recruiting  women  pilots. 

"I  went  in  and  signed  up."  Stebbins  said. 
"You  wanted  to  do  something  during  World 
War  II.  Everybody  did." 

As  a  student  at  Sweet  Briar,  her  friend 


12 -Summer 2010 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Elinor  Stebbins  was  honored  by  family  and  friends  at  a  nearby  restaurant  after  the  ceremony. 
Standing  left  to  right:  Douglas  Seay,  senior  staff  member  House  Foreign  Affairs  Committee;  Lorna 
Stebbins  Fossand,  daughter;    Rodger  Stebbins,  son;  Elinor  Fairchild  Stebbins  '00;  Paul  Stebbins, 
son;  Ben  Alexander,  nephew,  son  of  Elinor's  only  sister.  Seated,  left  to  right:  Conrad  Carter,  friend 
of  Elinor;  Elin  Stebbins  Waldal,  daughter;  John  Stebbins,  son;  and  Janelle,  John's  friend. 


and  classmate  Emily  Pegues  '00  saw  in 
Stebbins'  choices  not  an  overt  role  model 
but  someone  who  was  the  "real  thing." 

"Elinor  was  everything  that  Sweet 
Briar  is  about,"  Pegues  said.  "Yes,  lifelong 
learning,  but  responsibilities  first,  and  then 
she  went  back  and  did  what  she  needed  to 
do.  Her  priority  was  the  war,  then  her  family 
and  when  she  had  a  chance,  it  was  time  for 
her." 

As  for  women  who  go  out  and  make  a 
difference,  "She  was  a  living  example  for  us 
sitting  right  there  in  the  classroom,"  Pegues 
said. 

The  WASP  operated  in  the  United  States 
between  September  1942  and  December 
1944.  relieving  male  pilots  for  combat  duty. 
They  were  civil  servants,  although  they 
woke  to  reveille  and  marched  everywhere 
they  went,  Stebbins  said. 

They  went  through  seven  months  of 
basic,  primary  and  advanced  training, 
the  same  as  male  pilots.  According  to  the 
WASP  national  archive  at  Texas  Woman's 
University,  1,074  of  1,830  accepted  pilots 
graduated  from  training.  More  than  25,000 
applied.  The  program  was  ended  when  the 
men  began  coming  home,  despite  a  bill 
already  before  Congress  to  militarize  the 
WASP.  In  1977  they  were  finally  given 
veterans'  status  after  a  number  of  the 
WASP  pilots  successfully  lobbied  for  the 
recognition. 

The  WASP  trained  at  Avenger  Field  in 
Sweetwater,  Texas,  then  were  stationed 
at  U.S.  bases.  Missions  included  testing 
aircraft,  ferrying  planes,  and  towing  targets 
to  give  ground  and  air  gunners  practice  with 
live  ammunition. 

Stebbins  began  training  in  Texas  in 
January  1 944  and  later  was  assigned  to 
Grand  Island  Army  Air  Base,  Neb.,  where 


her  unit's  mission  was  to  prepare  personnel 
for  overseas  duty.  She  often  flew  the  C-45,  a 
twin-engine  transport,  but  her  ambition  was 
to  check  out  as  first  pilot  on  the  four-engine 
B-17  bomber.  She  did  log  one  flight  as  first 
pilot  of  the  famous  Flying  Fortress. 

For  a  pilot,  going  from  single  or  twin 
engines  to  four  engines  is  a  jump,  she 
explained.  "It's  not  a  giant  step  for  mankind 
but  it's  a  big  step." 

The  B-17  was  a  "plane  with  no  vices," 
Stebbins  said,  so  forgiving  that  her  only 
worry  when  flying  it  was  that  if  she  ever 
had  to  bail  out,  "it  would  land  peacefully  by 
itself  in  a  cornfield." 

"I  thought  it  a  distinct  possibility  that  it 
would  be  capable  of  landing  itself,"  she  said. 
"Not  so  of  other  planes.  A  '17  could  come 
in  on  a  glide.  The  B-25  had  to  be  flown 
all  the  way  to  the  ground.  I  flew  it  only  as 
co-pilot.  The  C-45  was  easy  to  fly,  but  I 
don't  picture  it  landing  itself  either." 

But  Stebbins  knows  first-hand  that  planes 
don't  land  themselves  and  bailing  out  was 
an  ever-present  danger.  In  fact,  two  of  the 
38  women  who  lost  their  lives  while  serving 
in  the  WASP  were  her  roommates  and  best 
friends  at  Sweetwater.  One  was  returning 
from  her  first  solo  in  an  AT-6  and  collided 
with  another  plane.  The  other  parachuted 
from  her  plane  as  smoke  billowed  from  the 
engine,  but  she  was  too  low  to  land  safely. 

It  fell  to  Stebbins  to  escort  their  bodies 
home.  The  Army  paid  the  train  fare  and  gave 
her  a  flag  for  the  families,  with  whom  she 
stayed  in  touch  after  the  war.  Sixty-six  years 
later,  she  put  on  the  same  uniform  she  wore 
to  her  friends'  funerals  to  accept  the  Gold 
Medal. 

Stebbins'  year  in  the  WASP  was  marked 
by  strong  relationships  with  the  people  she 
served  with,  and  not  just  the  women.  The 


Elinor  Stebbins,  March  10,  2010. 


men,  she  said,  "treated  us  with  respect  and 
kindness  and  friendship." 

When  it  ended,  she  returned  to  her  job 
at  Esso  in  New  York,  where  she  edited  the 
employee  newspaper,  the  Esso  Manhattan. 
She  later  worked  at  the  Olympia  News  in 
Washington.  In  1950  she  married  Robert  H. 
Stebbins,  a  geologist  whose  career  would 
take  them  to  a  mining  camp  in  Washington, 
and  to  posts  in  California,  New  York,  Texas, 
Utah  and  Alaska. 

Her  son  Paul  Stebbins  says  his  mother 
regards  life  as  an  adventure  and  that  when 
you  see  what  you  love,  you  go  for  it. 
Like  flying  —  and  literature  and  writing. 
Initially  she  commuted  to  Sweet  Briar  from 
Richmond,  but  lived  in  a  single  room  in 
Randolph  for  her  last  two  years.  She  went 
home  on  weekends,  but  during  the  week  ate 
meals  with  friends  and  frequently  attended 
lectures  and  events. 

Paul  Stebbins  said  it  was  like  her  to 
immerse  herself  in  the  experience.  "Why 
would  you  rob  yourself  of  the  opportunity?" 
he  said,  adding  that  his  father,  who  died 
in  2006,  didn't  mind.  "My  father  thought 
that  was  the  most  wonderful  thing  on  earth 
—  yet  another  reason  to  be  amazed  by  this 
woman  I  love." 

He  believes  his  mother  is  typical  of  her 
generation,  the  one  Tom  Brokaw  wrote 
about  in  "The  Greatest  Generation."  She'll 
never  brag  about  her  accomplishments, 
because  she  sees  no  reason  to.  It's  what  he 
finds  so  special  about  her:  The  sense  that  to 
her  everyone  can  do  something  remarkable. 

"She  would  say  we  should  not  be 
surprised  by  the  capacity  of  ordinary  people 
to  do  wonderful  things." 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Summer  2010-  13 


The  2010  senior  art  show, 
"Worlds  Within  Worlds," 
unveiled  the  depth  of 
thought,  skill  and  creativity 
of  six  graduating  seniors. 
The  collection  exhibited  a 
wide  range  of  media  and 
styles  including  photography, 
oil  paintings,  drawings  in 
charcoal,  pencil  and  pen  and 
ink,  and  mixed  media  works. 
The  seniors  coordinated 
publicity  for  the  show  and 
prepared  all  of  their  own 
works  for  hanging,  a  project 
they  worked  on  for  months 
before  their  debut.  Each 
year,  the  campus  community 
anticipates  the  opening  of 
the  senior  show,  and  this 
year's  display  provided 
an  exceptional  view  into 
the  artistic  worlds  of  these 
six  students.  View  more  of 
"Worlds  Within  Worlds"  at 
worldswithinworlds.tumblr.com. 


^ 


f** 


HB 


Meredith  Paysinger  Paradox 


14  •  Summer  2010 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


COLUMBIA,  SOUTH  CAROLINA 

I  am  inspired  by  the 
natural  beauty  of  the 
surrounding  world.  From 
an  early  age,  I  have  had 
a  strange  connection 
with  the  curious  nature 
of  animals,  which  is 
revealed  in  the  focus 
of  my  work.  I  enjoy  the 
simplicity  and  beauty  of  nature,  whether 
it  is  the  depths  of  an  ocean  or  the  top  of 
a  mountain.  When  I  create  my  work,  I 
definitely  go  somewhere  else  in  my  mind, 
as  if  I  am  in  that  particular  place  or  in  the 
animal's  mind,  feeling  its  emotions.  I  want 
people  to  look  at  my  art  and  see  what  I  see, 
which  is  the  rare  and  unbelievable  presence 
of  the  earth's  amazing  creatures  and  their 
natural  realm  of  life.  I  want  the  viewer 
to  feel  as  if  they  are  within  the  world  of 
the  painting.  I  believe  the  Earth  speaks  to 
everyone,  and  if  we  just  take  the  time  to 
listen,  we  will  hear  what  it  is  saying. 

1  am  open  to  trying  all  forms  of  art, 
though  I  gravitate  toward  oil  painting.  I  like 
blending  colors  to  find  new  ones  and  trying 
things  to  make  a  project  come  alive.  I  see 
a  dreamlike  quality  within  my  art,  which 
is  not  purposely  done,  but  it's  something 
that  takes  a  life  of  its  own.  Thinking  about 
it  now,  on  some  subconscious  level  I  may 
dream  of  living  a  life  free  of  what  being 
a  human  entails;  a  life  full  of  adventure. 
I  believe  it's  important  to  dream,  living 
each  moment  with  wonder,  curiosity  and 
amazement. 


V 


JENKS,  OKLAHOMA 

The  majority  of  my  artwork  in  this  collection  is  inspired  by  architec- 
ture. At  the  beginning  of  the  fall  semester,  I  struggled  with  creating 
artwork  that  genuinely  expressed  my  vision  as  an  artist.  I  explored 
a  variety  of  different  ideas,  techniques  and  mediums,  yet  nothing  I 
created  resonated  with  me.  That  is,  until  I  looked  to  architecture  for 
inspiration.  The  overwhelming  beauty  of  the  architectural  structures 
s   spoke  to  me,  and  I  was  able  to  find  my  voice.  I  have  especially  been 
■if'.jm-.     stimulated  by  the  architectural  design  of  old  cathedrals.  The  intricate 
details,  awe-inspiring  craftsmanship  and  grandiose  form  have  been 
the  source  of  inspiration  in  this  collection.  My  artwork  is  not  a  literal  translation  of  the 
structures  that  inspired  me,  but  instead  an  abstract  compilation  of  their  lines,  shapes  and 
forms. 

I  have  also  incorporated  my  digital  design  skills  and  graphic  design  background 
into  this  collection.  I  have  used  text  to  create  images  and  then  used  a  transfer  technique 
to  incorporate  my  computer  artwork  into  a  more  traditional  setting.  I  took  a  more 
contemporary  approach  with  these  pieces,  which  forced  me  to  loosen  my  control  over  the 
fate  of  the  work. 

My  relationship  with  Jesus  Christ  is  one  that  envelops  my  life  and  defines  me  as  a 
person.  Because  God  is  the  center  of  my  being  and  influences  all  that  I  am  and  accomplish, 
the  spiritual  —  which  so  strongly  defines  me  —  naturally  translates  into  my  artwork. 


oberls  Transcending  Presenc 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Summer  2010  •  15 


Kuczynski 


WILLIAMSPORT,  MARYLANI 


The  line  between  fantasy  and  reality  is  a  fine  one.  I  sometimes  find  it 
difficult  to  differentiate  between  the  two  worlds,  but  as  an  artist  I  find  this 
trait  helpful  most  of  the  time. 

Motorcyclists  are  such  illusive  creatures.  They  have  an  air  of  mystery, 
danger  and  an  undeniable  level  of  "cool"  that  fascinates  me. 

With  this  romanticized  perception,  I  set  out  on  my  most  recent 
photographic  journey.  However,  after  a  couple  of  months  of  shooting, 
reality  set  in.  I  had  to  deal  with  the  fact  that  these  people  were  indeed 
"real."  Weeks  of  criticism  made  me  doubt  at  times  whether  I  would  be 
able  to  express  my  fascination,  and  capture  for  my  audience  the  mystery  and  elusive  nature 
that  I  saw.  A  momentary  feeling  that  I  had  been  defeated  by  reality  forced  me  to  strike  back 
by  diving  deeper  into  fantasy. 

During  my  struggles  with  the  Biker  project,  I  set  forth  on  a  new  endeavor.  I  decided 
to  turn  my  friends  and  classmates  into  fairy  tale  characters.  My  goal  in  this  project  was 
to  re-create  scenes  from  some  of  my  favorite  stories  and  make  the  characters  seem  more 
tangible  by  turning  college  students  into  damsels  in  distress.  By  creating  these  imaginary 
worlds  and  successfully  capturing  them  with  my  camera  lens,  I  was  able  to  better  see  the 
target  I  had  been  missing  with  my  Bikers,  allowing  me  to  reach  a  turning  point  in  my  work. 
In  these  most  recent  bodies  of  work  I  have  attempted  to  show  two  different  yet  connected 
concepts.  With  my  Bikers  I  have  taken  reality  and  sculpted  it  to  match  my  fantasy, 
showing  my  viewers  the  magic  and  intrigue  I  see  when  I  look  at  my  new  friends.  In  my 
interpretations  of  classic  fairy  tales,  I  have  explored  the  world  of  fantasy  and  brought  it 
much  closer  to  reality.  Instead  of  seeing  the  impossibilities  of  these  timeless  characters,  I 
hope  my  audience  can  now  see  real  human  beings  in  the  same  fantastic  situations. 

In  my  opinion,  the  connection  between  these  two  concepts  lies  in  the  constant  struggle 
between  fact  and  fiction.  The  ability  to  jump  back  and  forth  between  the  two  with  the  use  of 
my  camera  is  what  fuels  and  inspires  me  most  as  an  aspiring  artist.  I  now  know  that  through 
my  craft  I  can  create  and  display  my  own  interpretation  of  the  world,  whether  it  is  real, 
fictitious  or  somewhere  in-between. 


Caiti  Kuczynski 
Cool  to  the  Touch 


Brvca  Brewer 


TULSA,  OKLAHOMA 

As  humans,  we  dream 
when  we  are  asleep,  but 
also  when  we  are  awake 
and  unattached  mentally 
to  anything  around  us. 
These  dreams  are  often 
bits  of  memories  coupled 
with  fantasy  and  things 
otherworldly.  The  focus 
of  my  recent  body  of  work  has  been  to 
transform  my  dreams  and  memories  into 
works  of  art. 

Making  these  fleeting  and  often  shadow- 
images  into  drawings  is  not  an  easy  task; 
the  original  idea  is  not  always  the  best  or 
most  informative.  In  moving  from  smaller 
drawings  into  larger  ones  with  some  of  my 
pieces  I  was  able  to  transform  the  drawings 
slowly  into  the  stories  I  wished  to  tell.  For 
instance.  Life  Within  Ruins  has  a  small  and 
large  version,  both  related  yet  distinct  in 
their  own  right.  From  the  smaller  to  the 
larger,  I  changed  certain  details  in  order 
to  make  my  memories  of  Rome,  as  well 
as  the  images  from  my  imagination,  stand 
out  separately,  but  also  remain  reliant  upon 
each  other  in  order  to  make  the  story  whole. 
This  piece  evokes  the  spectacular  life  of  the 
Romans  and  their  great  conquests  that  fell 
by  the  wayside,  yet  it  depicts  that  new  life 
emerged  and  flourished  among  the  ruins. 
In  pulling  from  my  personal  life  I've 
tried  to  make  my  work  more  emotional, 
connectable  and  interesting  to  myself  and 
my  viewers. 


16  •  Summer  2010 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Ashleiqh  Hawkins 


MANASSAS,  VIRGINIA 


Madeline  Davis 


NORFOLK,  VIRGINIA 


Up  until  this  year,  I  have  always  made  art  in  the  same  way:  using  the 
same  techniques,  using  the  same  materials,  and  creating  a  specific  motif 
that  can  be  recognizable  anywhere.  I  have  a  defined  style  when  I  paint 
and  when  I  draw,  both  with  charcoal  and  ink.  This  semester,  I  branched 
out  by  using  new  materials  and  mediums.  Both  aspects  of  my  art  until  this 
point  in  time  are  represented  in  this  show:  the  past  and  the  new.  Although 
I  continue  to  love  creating  traditional  works  such  as  oil  on  canvas, 
charcoal  on  paper,  and  using  pen  and  ink.  the  new  mediums  force  me  to 
experiment  and  come  up  with  new  ways  to  express  my  ideas  and  feelings. 
It  is  in  this  way  that  I  feel  freer,  more  ambitious  and  even  more  excited  about  creating  art. 
In  each  of  my  self-portraits,  I  bring  attention  to  internal  growth,  intimate  emotion  and 
the  challenge  of  overcoming  pain.  The  organic  nature  of  each  piece  shows  that  even  through 
the  most  difficult  circumstances,  the  artist  within  me  continues  to  persevere  and  grow.  Love, 
compassion  and  the  influence  of  the  natural  world  calms  even  the  most  troubled  heart. 

Questioning  who  I  am  and  why  I  am  here  lies  at  the  root  of  my  existence.  My  images 
have  a  confident  and  austere  nature  that  confronts  the  viewers  by  asking  them  if  they  know 
the  answers  to  these  very  questions  pertaining  to  themselves.  Through  colors  and  contrasts,  I 
strive  to  create  images  that  reflect  the  details  of  a  reality  that  I  am  constantly  searching  for.  I 
discover  a  small  piece  of  it  every  day. 


Light  fascinates  me  and 
I  wonder  at  its  infinite 
capabilities.  It  has  the 
capacity  to  sustain 
life,  to  change  a  mood 
dramatically,  to  alter 
people's  emotions  or 
feelings  or  to  spotlight  an 
otherwise  ordinary  object 
and  make  it  extraordinary. 

With  photography,  light  is  crucial.  The 
eye  conveys  an  image  to  the  mind.  Through 
the  magic  of  light,  photography  enables  that 
image  to  appear  on  paper.  A  single  person 
can,  from  a  mere  rectangle  of  information, 
create  something  multitudes  can  appreciate. 
Light  makes  the  seemingly  impossible, 
possible. 

In  my  photography,  light  is  the  subject. 
I  marvel  at  the  way  it  can  make  the  most 
common  objects  beautiful;  the  way  light 
makes  a  glass  on  the  table  seem  magical 
or  a  doorway  seem  like  a  portal  to  the 
beyond.  As  light  is  the  focus  of  my  series 
of  photographs  and  not  a  mere  element,  all 
other  components  of  the  photograph  are 
secondary. 

I  will  forever  be  amazed  by  light's  beauty 
and  will  strive  to  use  photography  to  depict 
light  as  I  see  it. 


Ashleigh  Howkii     It's  the  Humidity 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Summer  2010  •  17 


Sweet  Briar  Celebrates  the 

of  the 


SHEILA  ALEXANDER,  MAJOR  GIFTS  OFFICER 


Gladys  Wester  Horton  '30, 
Elizabeth  "Jackie"  Bond 
Wood  '34  and  Nancy 
Dowd  Burton  '46  were, 
individually  and  together, 
forces  to  be  reckoned 
with  in  whatever  project 
they  undertook.  Now 
deceased,  Sweet  Briar 
celebrates  the  legacy 
they  began  50  years  ago 
with  the  invention  of  the 
Boxwood  Circle  society. 


Gladys  Wester 
Horton  '30 


Elizabeth  "Jackie" 
Bond  Wood  '34 


Nancy  Dowd  Burton  '46 


In  the  1959-60  academic  year,  these  three  alumnae  wanted  to  bring  giving  to  a  new  high. 
They  pooled  their  talents  for  fundraising.  Wood  looked  at  the  impressive  circle  of  3 1 
boxwoods  in  front  of  Sweet  Briar  House  and  saw  the  inspiration  for  the  name  of  the  new 
giving  society.  Their  impressive  goal  that  year  was  to  find  3 1  alumnae  who  would  each 
contribute  $1,000  or  more  to  Sweet  Briar  College.  Possessing  such  tireless  determination 
and  enthusiasm,  perhaps  they  were  not  surprised  at  all  to  meet  such  resounding  success.  In 
2010  the  Boxwood  Circle  celebrates  50  years  of  existence. 

When  Wood  was  presented  with  the  Outstanding  Alumna  Award  in  1970,  she  said,  "...our 
role  as  alumnae  should  be  to  give  to  the  College  four  of  its  primary  needs:  interpretation, 
ideas,  students  and  money."  That  statement  sums  up  the  drive  the  three  had  for  helping 
Sweet  Briar  continue  to  provide  for  other  young  women  the  exceptional  education  that  they 
had  experienced. 

The  vision  of  these  founding  members  for  a  giving  society  exceeded  all  expectations. 
Thanks  to  the  leadership  of  Wood,  Horton  and  Burton,  and  so  many  other  dedicated  alumnae 
leaders  over  the  next  50  years,  the  Boxwood  Circle  has  grown  from  an  ambitious  goal  of 
securing  31  leadership  givers  at  $1,000  in  1960  to  securing  318  leadership  givers  in  2009. 
Giving  levels  have  risen  to  include  $5,000  and  $10,000,  now  the  Fountain  Society  and 
Column  Society  respectively,  and  gifts  at  the  Boxwood  level  are  between  $2,500  and  $5,000 
annually.  These  gifts  are  a  vital  source  of  support  for  the  College.  Those  who  gave  to  the 
Annual  Fund  last  year  at  the  Boxwood  Circle  level  or  above  raised  a  total  of  $1,885,573  in 
unrestricted  support  for  the  College.  That  is  over  80  percent  of  the  total  Annual  Fund! 

This  year's  Boxwood  Circle  is  led  by  Kimberley  McGraw  Euston  '92.  Euston  is 
enthusiastic  about  her  continuing  connection  with  Sweet  Briar. 

"The  Boxwood  Circle,  as  a  leadership  giving  program,  creates  one  of  the  strongest  ties 
you  can  have  with  Sweet  Briar  once  you  have  graduated,"  she  said.  "I  don't  know  of  anyone 
who  didn't  feel  the  tearing  of  a  beloved  bond  at  graduation,  a  sense  of  loss  because  of  the 
extraordinary  experience  we  had  as  students.  Part  of  that  loss  was  about  traditions.  It  doesn't 
have  to  be  a  loss.  Committing  to  Sweet  Briar  at  a  leadership  giving  level  keeps  you  firmly 
entwined  with  the  College  and  brings  you  incomparably  closer  with  the  greatest  Sweet 
Briar  tradition  of  all,  upon  which  this  College  was  founded  by  Indiana  Fletcher  Williams: 
philanthropy.  This  is  the  truest,  purest  tradition  at  Sweet  Briar." 

Euston,  along  with  the  Boxwood  Circle  Committee  comprising  16  alumnae  volunteers, 
has  a  goal  of  320  leadership  members  for  2010. 

The  50th  anniversary  celebration  in  April  paid  respect  to  the  founders  of  the  society,  as 
well  as  the  many  dedicated  volunteers  who  have  contributed  to  the  continued  success  of 
the  Boxwood  Circle  over  the  years.  To  honor  this  milestone,  do  your  part  through  giving 
and  volunteer  service  to  ensure  that  the  Boxwood  Circle  moves  forward  toward  another  50 
remarkable  years  of  distinguished  achievement  in  support  of  the  College. 

Wood,  Horton  and  Burton  gave  a  firm  start  to  a  giving  society  that  would  support  Sweet 
Briar  into  the  future,  long  past  their  years  of  service.  They  pass  on  an  inspiring  tradition  of 
sustaining  the  future  of  the  College  so  many  of  us  love. 


18 -Summer  2010 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbcedu 


:* 


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&  .  if 


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n 


Grounds  superintendent  Donna  Meeks  takes  Boxwood  celebration  guests  on  a  tour  of  the  President's  Garden. 


Winnie  Leigh  Hamlin  '58,  Allison  Garrison  '10  and  John 
Risher  at  the  celebration  luncheon. 


Sweet  Briar  senior  Laura  Jett  sits  with  Ann  Morrison  Reams  '42  and  Sarah  Murdock 
Moore  '59  at  the  50th  Anniversary  Boxwood  Luncheon. 


Boxwood  Circle  Giving  Chair  Kimberly  McGraw  Euston  '92 
and  her  daughter  Katherine  at  Sweet  Briar  House. 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine    www.alumnae.sbc.erJu 


Summer  2010  •  19 


•  Brown  is  the  author  of  the  novels 
Kose's  Garden,  Lamb  in  Love,  The  Hatbox 
Baby,  Confinement  and  The  Rope  Walk, 
as  well  as  the  short  story  collection  The 
House  on  Belle  Isle.  She  has  received 
the  Barnes  and  Noble  Discover  Award, 
the  Janet  Heidinger  Kafka  Prize  and 
a  National  Endowment  for  the  Arts 
fellowship.  She  has  twice  been  the 
recipient  of  the  Library  of  Virginia  Book 
of  the  Year  Award. 


Over  the  spring  semester.  Banister  Writer-in-Residence  Carrie  Brown 
taught  three  award-winning  hooks  in  her  advanced  fiction  workshop: 
Too  Much  Happiness  hy  Alice  Munro;  Olive  Kitteridge  by  Elizabeth 
Strout;  and  The  Thing  Around  Your  Neck  by  Chimamanda  Ngozi 

ichie.  Brown  chose  these  texts  not  only  for  their  powerful,  expertly 
itten  prose,  but  also  because  she  felt  a  strong  personal  connection 
with  them. 

"I've  read  all  of  Alice  Munro  s  work,"  she  said,  "and  my  admiration 
for  her  has  only  deepened  over  the  years.  Strout  s  Olive  Kitteridge 
was  given  to  me  by  a  friend  long  before  it  won  the  Pulitzer  Prize,  and 
I  fell  in  love  with  the  book.  I've  been  a  one-woman  distributorship 
for  it.  I  think  I've  given  away  about  fifty  copies  to  women  who  mean 
something  to  me.  It  s  a  perfect  book  for  female  readers  because  it's 
so  much  about  a  woman's  experience  in  the  world.  And  Adichie's 
work,  though  it  is  the  work  of  a  writer  much  younger  than  Munro  or 
Strout,  shows  intellect  and  energy  and  range  and  heart,  and  I'm  full  of 
admiration  for  those  qualities." 

Brown  also  wanled  students  to  see  how  the  sensibility  of  these 
writers  might  have  been  influenced  by  their  age  and  background, 
she  said.  In  Too  Much  Happiness.  Alice  Munro  is  writing  at  79,  with 


the  wisdom  of  her  age  and  a  wealth  of  experiences  to  include  in  this 
collection  of  stories,  many  of  which  are  dark  and  terrifying,  yet  at 
the  same  time  full  of  beauty  and  majesty.  Strout,  54,  is  writing  in 
her  prime.  Her  work  often  focuses  around  the  American  small-town 
existence,  and  Olive  Kitteridge  is  full  of  everyday  tragedies  and  joys. 
Adichie,  born  in  1977,  is  a  young  Nigerian  writer,  bringing  vitality 
and  insight  into  a  foreign  culture  many  of  us  have  not  experienced. 

Many  of  the  stories  in  the  texts  focus  on  the  lives  of  women 
and  their  particular  place  in  the  world  and  in  society.  When  Too 
Much  Happiness  won  the  Man  Booker  Prize  in  2009,  Jane  Smiley 
wrote  in  her  announcement  speech:  "Alice  Munro  understands  and 
communicates  that  a  moral  life  full  of  drama  can  be  lived  by  any 
woman,  in  fact,  must  be  lived  by  every  woman.  To  read  her  work  is 
to  see  lives  from  the  inside  that  in  another  author's  work  might  appear 
meaningless  and  unimportant  —  such  is  her  capacity  for  empathy." 
Strout  and  Adichie  take  on  a  similar  task  to  Munro 's,  writing 
characters  with  nuanced  and  realistic  experiences  who  suffer  quietly  in 
lives  full  of  drama  and  meaning. 

"I  think  all  three  of  these  books  are  towering  works,"  Brown  said. 
"That's  not  an  adjective  typically  used  to  describe  the  lives  of  women 


20 -Summer  2010 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Advanced  Fiction 
with  Carrie  Brown 


" ' "■■  '■  ■        ii i»i 


"ii ■"■  in in urn       -    - 


in  fiction.  That  kind  of  moral  majesty 

is  more  often  ascribed  to  works  by  and 

about  men.  Yet  the  complex,  moral 

dimension  of  the  work  of  all  three  of 

these  writers  is  profound;  these  are 

very  big  and  important  books  about  the  human  experience.  There's 

nothing  diminutive  or  quiet  about  them.  For  young  women  writers  to 

be  reading  the  works  of  authors  who  see  the  lives  of  women  in  this 

important  way  can't  help  but  be  an  inspiration.  I  want  students  to  feel 

that  their  own  lives,  their  own  imaginations,  are  important." 

Brown  hopes  that  her  students  will  fall  in  love  with  the  stories 
she  teaches,  that  by  reading  them,  they  will  gain  skill  in  their  own 
writing  and  appreciation  of  the  craft  in  general,  but  also  an  enlarged 
understanding  of  humanity.  It's  through  the  experience  of  reading,  she 
said,  that  students  are  connected  to  the  part  of  themselves  that  helps  to 
inspire  their  own  stories. 

"The  experience  of  empathy  one  has  as  a  reader  is  the  same  as 
the  experience  of  empathy  that  is  critical  to  the  making  of  stories," 
she  said.  "The  experience  of  being  moved  by  a  story  —  the  pure 
astonishment  and  magic  of  that  —  is  often  the  experience  that  makes 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


It's  through 
the  experience 
of  reading  that 

students  are 

connected  to  the 

part  of  themselves 

that  helps  to  inspire 

their  own  stories. 


someone  want  to  write  in  the  first  place. 
The  struggle,  again  and  again,  to  say 
the  thing  that  feels  inexpressible,  to 
find  language  for  the  complexity  of  felt 
experience,  is  thrilling  and  mysterious." 
In  any  fiction  workshop.  Brown  said,  students  learn  from  their 
own  writing  and  from  reading  the  work  of  their  peers,  but  they  also 
—  almost  unavoidably  —  learn  from  the  texts  they  read.  "Students 
will  learn  much  more  from  their  own  experience  as  readers."  she  said, 
"their  own  encounters  with  stories  —  and  all  the  dawning  amazement 
contained  in  that  encounter  —  than  they  will  learn  from  someone 
trying  to  tell  them  in  an  abstract  way  how  it's  done."  Every  story 
provides  a  model  for  original  creation,  she  said. 

"It's  a  little  bit  like  standing  under  a  wave  as  it  washes  over  you. 
You  absorb  the  complex  aspects  of  storytelling  from  these  books  and 
bring  everything  that  has  soaked  into  you  to  the  next  story  you  try  to 
write.  The  experience  is  cumulative  and  exponential.  Students  become 
more  and  more  sophisticated  as  readers  and  writers  as  they  read  and 
write." 

—COLLEEN  MURRAY,  editor 

Summer  2010*  21 


GO     SOMEWHERE     YOU     LOVE     THIS     FALL.     BE     A     PAR 


W 


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■'       I 


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Plaj 

Once  upon  a  time  you  were  a 
student  at  Sweet  Briar  without  a 
care  in  the  world.  That  may  seem 
like  a  long  time  ago,  but  a  tew 
days  on  campus  can  bring  it  all 
right  back.  Playing  all  day  without 
a  care  is  what  Homecoming  is  all 
about.  So  call  your  classmates 
and  see  who's  up  for  a  trip  back 
to  the  Patch.  Get  out  and  play. 
Play  somewhere  you  love. 


Honor 

Traditions.  They  connect  us 
and  call  us  back  to  what  is  real 
and  true.  Step  Singing,  Lantern 
Bearing  and  lifelong  friendships. 
Magic.  These  are  the  stories  we'll 
never  forget  and  the  ones  we'll 
talk  about  forever.  Founders  and 
friendships,  legends  and  leaders, 
teachers  and  teammates:  They 
are  still  here  and  will  inspire  you 
once  again.  Honor  something 
you  love. 


Connect 

It's  easy  to  get  caught  up  in  our 
hectic  schedules  and  endless 
to-do  lists.  Luckily  there  is  a  whole 
weekend  at  Sweet  Briar  dedicated 
to  connecting  you  with  a  place  you 
love.  So  this  fall,  come  back  to 
Homecoming.  Laugh,  listen,  share 
and  simply  soak  up  the  beautiful 
surroundings  of  a  campus  so 
breathtaking  and  vibrant  that  it  still 
fills  up  your  heart.  Connect  with 
somewhere  you  love. 


Learn 

Remember  when  you  were  a 
student  at  Sweet  Briar?  You 
were  a  dreamer,  an  explorer, 
a  creator,  a  researcher.  Every 
day  you  set  out  to  learn  new 
ideas,  new  languages  and 
new  cultures.  All  of  those 
discoveries  and  more  are  still 
here  at  Sweet  Briar.  Learn 
something  new  at  a 
place  you  love. 


Fireworks  •  Homecoming  Boxed 
Lunch  Picnic  at  the  Boathouse  • 
Saturday  Evening  Cocktails,  Dinner, 
and  Dancing  •  In-House  Horse  Show 
Varsity  Soccer  Game  •  Alumnae 
Tennis  Social  •  Varsity  Field  Hockey 
Alumnae  Soccer  Game  •  Alumnae 
Swim  Meet  •  Alumnae  Volleyball 
Game  •  Alumnae  Field  Hockey  Game 


The  Indiana  Fletcher  Williams 
Associates  Luncheon,  with  special 
guests  the  Keystone  Society,  Silver 
Rose  Society,  Boxwood  Circle,  and 
Bell  Tower  Society  •  Founders'  Day 
Convocation  and  walk  to  Monument 
•  Traditions  Panel  •  Athletics 
Hall  of  Fame  Reception  •  2010 
Distinguished  Alumna  Award 


Alumnae  Association  Board  Meetings 

•  Founders'  Day  Community  Picnic  • 
Alumnae  and  Student  Coffee  House 

•  Gold  Star  Volunteer  Panel  •  Post- 
game  tailgates  co-sponsored  by  the 
Parents  Steering  Committee  and 
Friends  of  Athletics  Parents 


Celebrity  Jeopardy!  •  Annual 
Giving  Volunteer  Training  • 
Seventh  Annual  Cardboard  Boat 
Regatta  •  Homecoming  Alumnae 
College:  African  American  History 
and  Slave  Graveyards  on  Campus 
•  Marker  Dedication  and  Service 
of  Remembrance  at  the  Slave 
Cemetery 


See  the  complete  schedule  and  register  onli] 


22    Summer  2010 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine    www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


3F     THE     STORY.     YOUR     STORY.     SWEET     BRIAR. 


$B 


■mhm^m^sh 


HMMHM1 


Homecoming  Registration  Form 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Association 
SEPTEMBER  24-25,  2010 


Name 

(first)  (maiden) 

Preferred  Name  (FOR  NAME  TAG) 


Class 


(last) 


Name  of  Guest 


Relation 


Guest  Preferred  Name  (FOR  NAME  TAG) . 

Phone:  (H) 

Preferred  E-mail: 

Employer: 


(C). 


Job  Title: 


We  will  post  your  name  on  the  Alumnae  Association  Web  site  as  planning  to  attend  Homecoming. 
If  you  would  prefer  that  we  not  post  your  name  on  the  Web  site,  please  initial  here . 

Please  return  this  form  by  Friday,  September  3  to: 

Boxwood  Alumnae  House,  Box  1 055,  Sweet  Briar,  VA  24595  —  or  by  fax  to  434.381 .61 32. 
Registrations  and  fees  are  also  accepted  online  at  www.sbc.edu/alumnae/homecoming.html 


Payment  Options 


The  cost  for  the  weekend  is  $75  per  person  and  includes  all  meals  and 
advertised  activities.  Overnight  accommodations  should  be  booked  and 
paid  for  separately  by  alumnae  and  guests. 

Please  indicate  the  number  of  people  attending  each  meal: 

Friday,  September  24,  2010: 

Founders'  Day  Community  Picnic 

Saturday,  September  25,  2010: 

Breakfast  at  Prothro  Dining  Hall 

Homecoming  Boxed  Lunch  Picnic  at  the  Boathouse 

Cocktails  and  Dinner  Dance 

Please  indicate  how  you  would  like  to  pay  your 
registration  fees: 

Enclosed  is  my  check  for  $ . 

Check  made  payable  to  "Sweet  Briar  Alumnae  Association" 

Please  charge  my  debit/credit  card  $ . 


MasterCard/Visa  # 


Exp  Date     3  digit  security  code 


Signature 


t  sbc .  edu/alumnae/homecoming .  html 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  vmw.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Summer  2010'  23 


strategic 
planning 


The  Values 

Throughout  the  fall  of  2009, 1  conducted  "conversation 
circles"  with  three  key  constituencies:  faculty,  first-year 
students  and  alumnae.  Several  themes  emerged  from  these 
sessions  powerfully  and  insistently.  The  faculty  spoke  of 
the  importance  of  high  standards  for 
student  achievement.  First-year  students 
expressed  a  desire  for  confidence  and 
competence.  And  many  of  you  as 
alumnae  emphasized  the  friendships 
you  forged  at  Sweet  Briar,  the  beauty 
of  the  campus  and  the  way  your 
JO  ELLEN  PARKER  education  prepared  you  for  a  lifetime  of 

PRESIDENT  unexpected  opportunities. 

The  vision  that  emerges  is  of  a  college 
where  young  women  discover  and  learn 
to  respect  their  own  abilities  and  prepare  for  a  lifetime  of 
adaptation  and  change,  through  the  high  aspirations  their 
faculty  hold  out  for  them  and  in  an  environment  of  natural 
beauty  and  enduring  friendship.  If  our  strategic  plan 
promotes  and  supports  a  culture  of  excellence,  confident 
and  resourceful  graduates,  and  an  expanded  network  of 
women  active  in  business,  academics  and  civic  life  who 
are  proud  to  say  they  are  Sweet  Briar  women,  we  will 
have  done  well. 

The  Process 

Until  quite  recently,  academic  "strategic  planning" 
meant  that  institutions  would  convene  a  large  number 
of  large  committees,  which  would  dedicate  two  years 
to  developing  a  comprehensive  five-  or  10-year  plan. 
Current  good  practice  looks  rather  different.  Now,  the 
recommended  approach  involves  an  active  planning  phase 
of  six  or  nine  months,  focused  on  specific  challenges, 
contexts  and  opportunities;  rolling  implementation  of 
programs  or  pilots  as  soon  as  circumstances  permit;  and 
an  iterative  approach  in  which  data  are  used  annually  to 
assess  progress,  revise  planned  activities,  adjust  goals  and 
redirect  efforts. 

Our  strategic  planning  process  will  therefore  move 
quickly,  focus  on  specific  questions,  be  informed  by 
data  and  metrics,  and  will  assume  rapid  implementation 
and  iterative  review.  In  the  end,  strategic  planning  must 
identify  the  results  we  hope  to  achieve.  Subsequent 
operational  planning  will  focus  on  the  activities  we  intend 
to  undertake  to  produce  those  results  and  the  ways  in 
which  we  will  measure  our  progress. 

The  Questions 

There  are  questions  that  need  to  frame  our  efforts.  They 
are  not  the  only  questions  that  could  be  asked,  but  they 
are  the  questions  that  must  take  priority  at  this  time. 

How  can  we  balance  our  facilities,  resources,  student 
body,  faculty  and  staff  to  create  a  sustainable  financial 
model  for  the  College? 

Whom  should  Sweet  Briar  aspire  to  serve  in  coming 
years?  Should  we  educate  more  women  of  non-traditional 
age?  Should  be  expand  to  serve  more  students  from 


particular  ethnic  or  religious  communities,  first  generation 
attenders,  or  students  who  identify  with  a  particular 
interest  or  activity?  Where  are  there  students  who  could 
benefit  from  a  Sweet  Briar  education,  but  who  are  not 
currently  finding  us? 

What  are  our  strongest  competitive  advantages '.'  Where 
do  our  strengths  resonate  most  strongly  with  what  today's 
students  and  their  families  care  most  about? 

Programmatically,  how  can  we  ensure  that  our  academic 
program  incorporates  the  technological  tools  and 
resources  that  represent  the  current  state  of  practice  for 
young  scholars  in  each  discipline? 

Our  answers  to  these  questions  will  allow  us  to  envision 
a  Sweet  Briar  that  is  operating  sustainably,  competing 
effectively,  engaging  new  populations  and  producing 
liberally  educated  and  digitally  sophisticated  graduates. 

Our  goal  is  to  produce,  through  both  strategic  and 
operational  planning: 

1.  A  realistic  model  for  a  Sweet  Briar  that  is  sustainable 
in  the  present  and  which  has  significant  potential  for 
growth. 

2.  A  vision  of  a  more  inclusive  student  body  and  a 
marketing  strategy  which  is  aligned  with  that  vision. 

3.  An  approach  for  distinguishing  Sweet  Briar  in  a 
highly  competitive  marketplace. 

4.  A  program  which  gives  liberally  educated  graduates 
the  technological  sophistication  they  need  for 
academic,  professional  and  civic  achievement. 

The  plan  will  be  effective  only  to  the  extent  that  it 
accurately  captures  the  aspirations  and  values  of  the 
entire  community.  Imagination,  research,  frankness  and  a 
delicate  balance  of  caution  and  ambition  will  be  required 
to  seize  this  opportunity. 

Opportunities 

We  want  you,  as  alumnae,  to  be  involved.  Every  one  of 
you,  no  matter  when  you  attended  Sweet  Briar,  what  you 
have  done  since  you  left  campus,  and  how  involved  you 
have  or  have  not  been  in  the  past.  We've  set  up  a  survey 
so  that  your  ideas  and  feedback  can  be  incorporated  into 
our  planning.  The  survey  is  online,  easily  accessible,  and 
will  take  no  longer  than  20  minutes  for  you  to  complete.  If 
you  are  unable  to  participate  online,  please  simply  contact 
the  alumnae  office  at  434.381.6131.  We  will  immediately 
send  a  copy  of  the  survey  to  you  through  the  mail. 

Also,  we  have  dedicated  an  area  online  to  keep  you  up-to- 
date  on  our  planning.  We  invite  you  to  visit  strategicplan. 
blog.sbc.edu,  where  you  can  follow  along  with  each  of  the 
study  groups  that  is  under  way. 

Finally,  I  would  like  to  say  that  the  energy,  intelligence 
and  dedication  that  the  campus  community  has  brought 
to  this  process  is  inspiring.  In  the  months  since  the  study 
groups  were  convened  the  campus  has  been  buzzing  with 
interesting  ideas,  provocative  questions,  new  data  and 
optimism.  There  is  no  question  that  this  race  is  off  to  a  very 
solid  start,  and  that  we  have  a  winning  team  on  the  track. 


24 'Summer 2010 


strategicplan  .blog .  sbc .  edu 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine    www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


It  is  the  beginning  of  Sweet  Briar's  fiscal  year  and  the  timing  could  not  be  more 
perfect  for  you  to  re-engage  with  Sweet  Briar!  Here's  how  you  can  become 
more  active  with  the  College.  .  . 


VolUIlteer.    Stay  engaged  with  the 
College  through  volunteering.  Share  your  career 
knowledge  with  students  interested  in  your  field 
through  work  with  career  services.  Reconnect  with 
your  classmates  by  serving  as  a  member  of  your 
class  giving  committee  in  Reunion  or  host  a  young 
alumnae  phonathon.  Serve  as  a  member  of  the 
Parent  Steering  Committee.  English  Griffith  Koontz  '95, 
Annual  Giving  chair  says,  "I  enjoy  volunteering  for 
Sweet  Briar.  For  me,  it  is  an  opportunity  to  give 
back  a  little  to  the  institution  that  gave  so  very  much 
to  me.  Additionally,  it  is  a  delight  to  meet  and  get  to 
know  students,  alumnae  and  friends  of  the  College 
— and  to  get  back  to  campus  for  visits!" 

VjrlVe.  Make  your  best  gift  to  the  Annual  Fund 
every  year.  The  Annual  Fund  comprises  unrestricted 
gifts  that  impact  each  facet  of  the  Sweet  Briar 
College  experience.  Unrestricted  gifts  are  crucial 
to  the  success  of  the  College  and  provide  essential 
necessities  such  as  student  scholarships,  faculty 
and  staff  salaries,  academic  programs,  and  other 
less  exciting  but  equally  important  needs.  So  when 
you  hear  the  phone  ring  and  see  Sweet  Briar  or  a 
classmate's  name  on  the  caller  I.D.  this  fall,  please 
answer  the  phone.  Now  more  than  ever,  your  gift  to 
the  Annual  Fund  makes  a  difference! 

UOII16    D81C.K.  Return  to  campus  for 
Homecoming,  Reunion  or  Families  weekends.  Each 
weekend  is  action-packed  and  provides  a  wonderful 
opportunity  for  you  to  see  old  friends,  make  new 
ones,  and  take  a  tour  of  campus  to  see  what  has 
changed  and  what  has  remained  the  same.  Or,  visit 
whenever!  There  is  always  something  going  on  and 
we  would  love  to  see  you.  The  gates  are  always 
open! 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Just  as  the  value  of  a 
Sweet  Briar  degree 
is  always  related 
to  the  most  recent 
graduating  class, 
their  opportunity  to 
succeed  is  directly 
related  to  you  and 
your  commitment  to 
the  College.  So  this 
year  commit  to  saying 
"yes!"  to  volunteering, 
to  giving,  to  coming 
back  and  to  Sweet 
Briar! 


"Til  the 
Cows 
Come 
Home.  .  . 

The  cows  all  came  home  during  the  SBC  Annual 
Fund's  Third  Annual  Philanthropy  Week, 

March  1-5,  2010.  Both  local  and  Sweet  Briar 
artists  were  invited  to  participate  in  Philanthropy 
Week  by  painting  "art  cows,"  which  consisted  of 
two-dimensional  plywood  cow  cutouts.  These  art  cows 
were  the  Annual  Fund's  tribute  to  the  Sweet  Briar 
College  Dairy  that  was  in  operation  for  over  40  years. 
The  herd  of  more  than  30  cows  went  on  parade  and 
moo-ved  from  place  to  place  during  the  week. 

On  Thursday,  March  4,  the  SBC  Art  Cows 
moo-ved  to  greener  pastures  when  they  were  put  on 
the  auction  block  during  the  live  Art  Cow  Auction. 
For  those  who  attended  the  auction,  a  wonderful  time 
was  had  by  all!  Bidding  was  fierce  with  the  most 
sought  after  cow,  a  mini  moo  by  SBC  art  professor 
Laura  Pharis,  selling  for  more  than  $350!  The  Art 
Cow  Auction  was  just  one  event  out  of  a  wonderful 
week  of  activities  highlighting  supporters  of  Sweet 
Briar  and  the  power  of  philanthropy. 

To  check  out  other  highlights  and  to  view  more 
photos  from  this  year's  Philanthropy  Week,  visit 
www.annualfund.sbc.edu/PhilanthropyWeek! 


Summer  2010  -  25 


««^  REUNIONS 


Alumnoe  celebrated  the  wedding  of  Susan  Snodgrass  Wynne's  son  on  Amelia  Island,  Fla.,  on  May  9,  2009.  Left  to 
right:  Lisa  Nelson  Robertson  '76,  Sally  Old  Kitchin  '76,  Greyson  Shuff  Tucker  '72,  Kathy  Upchurch  Takvorian  '72, 
Margaret  Hayes  Brunstad  '72,  Susan  Snodgrass  Wynne  '72,  Rhonda  Griffith  Durham  '72  and  Ginger  Upchurch 
Collier '72. 


Left  to  right;  Sarah  Kingsley  Foley  '99,  Molly  Reeb 
Nissman  '77  and  Jane  Reeb  Short  '74  met  at  the  Norfolk 
area  YMCA  luncheon. 


A  group  of  alumnae  attended  Barbara  Perry's  speech  at  the  U 
Professor  of  Government  at  Sweet  Briar. 


Perry  is  the  Carter 


Cindy  McKay  '78,  left,  met  Barbara  Paulson  Goodbarn 
'83,  right,  at  the  NCAA  Division  III  Regional  Cross 
Country  Race  where  Cindy's  son,  Kevin  Frick,  and  Barb's 
daughter,  Biz  Goodbarn,  were  running. 


fiB    *• 


Sweet  Briar  students  accompanied  financial  aid  officer  Wanda  Spradley  to  the  General  Assembly  in  Richmond  to 
lobby  for  the  Virginia  Tuition  Assistance  Grant  and  met  with  Senator  Patsy  Smith  Ticer  '55.  Left  to  right:  Wanda 
Spradley  '10,  Whitney  Waller  '13,  Patsy  Smith  Ticer  '55,  Michelle  Messier  '12  and  Emily  Masiello  '11. 


Jane  Lauderdale  Armstrong  '78,  center,  and  her  husband 
Mike,  left,  reunited  unexpectedly  with  Cindy  McKay  '78 
Jane  and  Cindy  were  roommates  at  Sweet  Briar. 


26  •  Summer  2010 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Tori  Hankins  '06  married  Doug  LaBrosse  (HSC  '06}  on  Nov.  21, 
2009,  in  Charlotte,  N.C.  Several  members  of  the  Class  of  2006 
attended  the  celebration,  including  (left  to  right)  Henslee  Evans, 
Olivia  Ungerer,  Hollylane  Riley,  Sara  Coffey  and  Shanthi  Ramesh. 


Christopher  Chamblin  (HSC  '97)  and  Lyndsay  Wray  Welsh  '05  were  married  on  Aug.  9,  2008,  at  St. 
James  Episcopal  Church  in  Leesburg,  Va. 

Left  to  right:  Kelli  Bergmann  Thomasson  '04,  Meredith  Shaw  Hansen  '04,  Katie  A.  Niemeier  '05, 
Courtney  Pfaff  Kimble  '03,  Lyndsay  Welsh  Chamblin  '05,  Angela  Grisby  '03,  Krystal  Dean  Tucker  '05, 
Ashley  Forehand  '05,  Laura  Pearson  '04,  Laura  Wolf  '11. 


Maggie  Saylor  '07  married 
Martin  Patrick  on  Aug.  29, 
2009. 


Jessica  Mercier  '06  and  Mike 
Andryshak  were  married  on 
Aug.  1,  2009  at  Mountain 
Meadows  Lodge  in  Killington, 

Vt. 


Gwen  Oiler  Bombay  '89  mar- 
ried Greg  Hess  on  May  5, 
2009,  After  a  honeymoon  to 
Disney  World,  they're  making 
their  home  in  Stone  Ridge,  Va. 


I 

Erin  M.  Dennehy  '06  married 
Jason  M.  Kopczyk  on  May 
17,  2008,  at  Waldenwoods 
in  Hartland,  Mich,,  where  they 
celebrated  the  day  with  close 
family  and  friends. 


Victoria  Chappell  '06  was  wed 
on  April  4,  2009,  to  David 
Harvey  HI  in  Normandy,  France. 
The  service  took  place  in  a 
historic  chapel  and  the  recep- 
tion was  held  on  the  grounds  of 
Victoria's  family  home,  where 
they  were  surrounded  by  close 
family  and  friends. 


On  September  12,  2009,  Sarah  Belanger  '01  married  David  Levinson  (W&L  '00).    Natasha  Nickodem  Stevens  '01  was  the  matron  of  honor; 
Christine  Rangel  '01  and  Casey  Perlow  '02  were  bridesmaids.  Also  in  attendance  were  Misa  Sarmento  '02,  Allison  Funkhouser  '03,  Maria 
Kitchin  '04,  Vicki  Zok  Rosenthal  '00,  Grace  Turner  Creasey  '01,  Whitney  Bryant  '02  and  Heather  Brown  Evans  '86. 

(Left  to  right)  Misa  Sarmento,  Allison  Funkhouser,  Maria  Kitchin,  Natasha  Nickodem  Stevens,  Sarah  Belanger  Levinson,  Vicki  Zak  Rosenthal, 
Grace  Turner  Creasey,  Casey  Perlow,  Whitney  Bryant,  Christine  Rangel. 


Nancy  Kleinhans  '06  and 
Christopher  Carr  married  at 
Snow  Shoe  Ski  Resort  in  W.Va. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Summer  2010*  27 


ILtUv  BOARD 


PLEASE  SAVE  THE  DATE! 

Sweet  Briar  College 

Families 
Weekend 

October  15-17,2010 

For  more  details  call  434.381 .6205 
or  visit  the  Web  page: 
www.ccl.sbc.edu/general/families_ 
weekend.html 


NEW  LOOK: 

In  the  fall  of  2010,  your  alumnae 
magazine  will  become  the  Sweet 
Briar  Magazine  and  will  have  a 
completely  new  look!  Watch  for 
changes  to  feature  articles,  photo- 
graphs and  design. 


CORRECTION: 

In  the  Winter  2009/2010  issue, 

Eage  3,  Judith  Shapiro  should 
e  listed  as  former  president  of 
Barnard  College,  not  Bryn  Mawr. 


6i  dcMii 


GRADS:  TAKE  CHARGE  of  Your  First 
Year  After  College!  Kathryn  Marion  '84, 
QwikSmarts  Publishing,  an  imprint  of  Real 
Solutions  Press,  LLC,  2009.  During  college, 
Cliffs  Notes  helped  you  survive  your  exams, 
but  where  are  they  when  you  really  need 
them  ...  in  real  life?  Grads:  Take  Charge  is 
like  getting  summaries  of  all  the  best  advice 
from  over  a  dozen  other  books  for  new 
young  professionals.  It  covers  more  than  140 

JH 

sa_aa____ 


topics  from  careers  to  credit  to  cooking  and 
everything  in  between  to  make  navigating  the 
real  world  of  work  and  independent  living 
less  stressful  and  more  successful.  And  it's  all 
presented  in  fast-reading,  bulleted  action-item 
lists,  which  are  perfect  for  the  sound-bite 
generation.  Grads:  Take  Charge  won  finalist 
honors  in  the  National  Best  Books  2009 
Awards  in  two  categories. 

The  Lipstick  Nomad,  Jenne  Lauren  '01, 
Eloquent  Books  2010.  The  Lipstick  Nomad 
invites  you  to  live  your  own  Designer  Life 
—  one  where  wisdom,  righteousness  and  the 
narrow  path  of  love  lead  to  finding  your  true 
self —  and  in  doing  so,  inspire  others  to  do 
the  same. 

Lauren's  book  is  a  delight  for  all 
your  senses  as  she  incorporates  virtual 
soundtracks,  films,  books  and  recipes; 
beautiful  fabrics;  scintillating  fragrances;  a 
map  of  notorious  and  colorful  places;  and 
a  workbook  for  creating 
your  own  Designer  Life. 
Written  with  fire,  love 
and  the  unquenchable 
desire  for  adventure,  The 
Lipstick  Nomad  will  paint 
a  tapestry  of  true  beauty 
within  your  heart. 

V«  i  [     Ti«  ifT" 


Pnncipl»»,  tvuom  m  St>al»g<» 


Differentiation  at  Work,  K-5,  Principles, 
Lessons,  and  Strategies,  Kay  Brimijoin, 
associate  professor 
Differentiation     of  education,  and 

Lane  Narvez,  Corwin 
Press  2010.  Based 
on  research  and  the 
authors'  experiences 
at  one  remarkable 
elementary  school, 
this  book  describes 
what  schoolwide 
differentiation  looks  like  in  practice.  The 
authors  show  school  administrators  and 
teachers  how  differentiated  curriculum  and 
instruction  can  be  successfully  implemented 
schoolwide.  They  share  data  that  shows 
significant  gains  in  school  achievement  as  a 
result  of  the  emphasis  on  staff  development 
focused  on  differentiation.  Included  in  the 
book  are  nine  lesson  plans  from  a  range 
of  grade  levels  and  disciplines,  reflective 
dialogues  with  teachers  about  refining  their 
design  of  curriculum  and  instruction,  and 
examples  of  how  coaching  teachers  on 
differentiation  improves  their  abilities  to 
meet  a  range  of  learning  needs  in  today's 
classrooms. 

Plato's  Ghost,  Spiritualism  in  the  American 
Renaissance,  Cathy  Gutierrez,  associate 
professor  of  religion,  Oxford  University  Press 
2009.  Plato's  Ghost  examines  the  Spiritualist 
movement  as  the  legacy  of  European 

esoteric  speculation, 
particularly  Platonic 
ideals,  transformed  on 
a  new  continent.  The 
movement,  Gutierrez  says, 
was  a  "renaissance  of  the 
Renaissance,"  a  culture  in 
love  with  history  as  much 
as  it  trumpeted  progress 
and  the  future,  and  an 
expression  of  what  constituted  religious 
hope  amidst  burgeoning  technology  and 
colonialism. 

Gutierrez  analyzes  Spiritualist  conceptions 
of  memory,  marriage,  medicine  and  finally 
nascent  psychology.  In  each  she  finds  echoes 
of  Plato,  pulling  time  backward  even  as  it 
marched  toward  a  brighter  future. 


28  'Summer  2010 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


eee^U/ 


Choices,  A.  C.  White  (Anna 
"Chips"  Ohio  Pai  '57). 
Dorrance  Publishing  Co,  Inc. 
2009.  A  team  of  scientists  have 
isolated  an  enzyme  that  allows 
them  to 
clone 
anything 
or 

anybody 
that  was 
once  alive, 
as  long 
as  they 
have  the 
complete 
set  of  DNA.  This  means  being 
able  to  clone  and  bring  to  life 
any  individual  who  is  dead  or 
an  extinct  species  if  there  is  a 
source  of  their  DNA.  Scientists 
could  clone  Abraham  Lincoln 
from  the  blood  on  his  shirt 
when  he  was  assassinated,  or 
Jesus  Christ  from  the  blood 
gathered  during  his  crucifixion 
—  which  a  church  in  Italy 
claims  to  possess.  But  what 
would  be  the  consequences 
of  such  technology?  Choices 
explores,  through  the  eyes  of 
Dr.  Ellen  Chen,  the  head  of 
the  team,  what  the  potential 
of  such  genetic  cloning 
would  mean  to  society.  The 
book  also  depicts  the  politics 
of  academia  at  the  highest 
levels,  and  the  pressures  on 
scientists  to  be  productive  and 
to  publicize  discoveries  before 
competing  laboratories  can 
do  so.  The  pressures  can  be 
extreme,  sometimes  resulting 
in  catastrophic  effects  on  the 
young  scientists  involved. 


1933 

Elizabeth  Moore 

Miss  Elizabeth  V.  Moore 

January  1,  2010 

1935 

Marion  Walker 
Dr.  Marion  Walker 

Alcaro 
December  13,  2009 

Sarah  Turpin 
Mrs.  Al  Senecal 
October  24,  2009 

1938 

Josephine  Happ 

Mrs.  Spain  Willingham 

April  15,  2010 

1939 

Elizabeth  Barnes 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  B.  Bird 
February  1  1 ,  20 1  0 

Mary  Buchanan 
Mrs.  George  H. 

Flowers,  Jr. 
March  16,  2010 

1940 

Margaret  Woods 
Mrs.  M.  W.  Gillette 
November  8,  2008 

H.  S.  (Stuart)  Hensley 
Mrs.  Gilbert  H. 
Woodward 
December  29,  2009 

1941 

Carolyn  Spivey 
Mrs.  Carolyn  Spivey 

Wilson 
October  22,  2009 

1942 

Ruth  Hensley 
Mrs.  Joshua  F.  B. 

Camblos 
December  3 1 ,  2009 

Mary  Ellen  Thompson 
Mrs.  Mary  Ellen  Beach 

Ela 
October  8,  2009 

Frances  Meek 
Mrs.  John  E.  Rowe 
November  18,  2009 

Joanne  Oberkirch 
Ms.  Joanne  Willis 
October  25,  2009 

Barbara  Freking 
Miss  Barbara  Freking 
August  25,  2008 


1943 

Nancy  Pingree 

Mrs.  Emerson  H.  Drake 

October  22,  2009 

Fayette  McDowell 
Mrs.  W.  Roscoe  Willett, 

Jr. 
June  5, 


2009 


1944 

Dorothy  Beuttell 
Mrs.  E.  Chatfield 

Blakeman 
December  18,  2009 

1945 

Martha  Holton 

Mrs.  Donald  G.  Glesser 

May  26,  2009 

Joanne  "Jodie"  Morgan 
Mrs.  James  R.  Hartman 
March  18,  2010 

Alice  Nicolson 
Mrs.  Alice  Mcllvaine 
September  9,  2009 

1946 

Mary  Vinton 
Mrs.  Douglas  K. 

Fleming 
February  16,  2010 

Evaline  Rife 

Mrs.  Leland  Thompson,  Jr. 

January  7,  2010 

Virginia  Wynn 

Ms.  Virginia  Q.  Wynn 

February  5,  2010 

1947 

Anne  Webb 

Mrs.  George  H.  Moses 

February  26,  2009 

Marie  Holman 
Mrs.  Douglas  A. 

Swayze 
November  30,  2009 

Jean  Old 
Jean  C.  Old 
March  1  1,  2010 

1948 

Margaret  McCallum 
Ms.  Margaret  M. 

Anderson 
November  8,  2005 

Suzanne  Hardy 
Mrs.  Suzanne  H.  B. 

Benson 
January  19,  2010 


Effie  Jane  Gray 
Mrs.  Philip  A.  Starck 
January  3,  201  0 

1949 

Catherine  "Bunny" 

Barnett 
Mrs.  Walter  H.  Brown 
February  19,  2010 

1951 

Tsun-Hsien  (Sunshine) 

Kwan 
Mrs.  Shantilal  P.  Bhagat 
October  10,  2009 

1952 

Marjorie  Levine 

Mrs.  Leonard  S.  Abrams 

March  1  1 ,  2009 

Barbara  Hoyt 

Mrs.  John  W.  Boyer,  Jr. 

October  26,  2008 

Jane  Mattas 

Mrs.  F  Philip  Christian  II 

November  27,  2009 

Nancie  McCann 
Miss  Nancie  McCann 
March  8,  2010 

1953 

Gage  Bush 

Mrs.  Richard  Englund 

January  12,  2009 

1954 

Barbara  Wilson 
Mrs.  Wilson  Daniell 
April  1,  2010 

1955 

Diane  Hunt 

Mrs.  James  D.  Lawrence 

January  26,  2010 

1956 

Sarah  Sharp 

Mrs.  Sarah  S.  Taylor 

January  24,  2010 

Mary  Pender 

Mrs.  Bertram  Warren,  Jr. 

April  5,  2010 

Joyce  Lenz 

Mrs.  Hugh  H.  Young 

February  28,  2010 

1958 

Marian  Martin 
Mrs.  Paul  P.  Harrison 
January  3,  201 0 


1959 

Gretchen  Smith 
Mrs.  Gretchen 

Buntschuh 
February  1,  2010 

Ethel  Bruner 

Mrs.  Carl  E.  Campbell 

January  23,  2010 

1960 

Griselda  Fages 

Mrs.  Giselle  Theberge- 

Jeppson 
January  15,  2009 

1965 

Elizabeth  Grant 
Mrs.  Peyton  Peters 
February  22,  2009 

1967 

Pamela  Sullivan 
Mrs.  W.  Curtis 
Livingston  III 
March  28,  2010 

1968 

Lee  Cooper 

Mrs.  Bernard  H.  Schulte 

December  1  3,  2009 

1969 

Mary  Waterman 
Mrs.  Mary  W. 
Gildehaus 
November  29,  2009 

1973 

Deborah  Smith 
Mrs.  Deborah  S. 

Mardelli 
February  9,  2010 

Barbara  Livingston 
Ms.  Barbara  E. 

Livingston 
August  28,  2009 

1976 

Alicia  Jo  Ayotte 
Miss  Alicia  J.  Ayotte 
December  1  7,  2009 

1996 

Katherine  Campbell 
Ms.  Katherine  Campbell 

Brumley 
January  28,  2010 


If  you  wish  to  write  to  a  member  of  the  family  of  someone  recently  deceased,  please  contact  the 
Alumnae  Office  for  the  name  and  address. 


Sweel  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  wwwalumnae.sbc.edu 


Summer  2010  •  29 


e^^CrtA^Z^vx/ 


Walter  Brown  and  Catherine  "Bunny"  Barnett  Brown  '49. 


Catherine  "Bunny" 
Barnett  Brown  '49 

The  College  is  saddened  to  report  the  death 
of  devoted  alumna  and  former  board  member 
Catherine  "Bunny"  Barnett  Brown.  Brown 
died  on  the  morning  of  Feb.  19,  2010,  at 
Indian  River  Medical  Center,  Vero  Beach. 
For  32  years,  she  was  active  in  both  the 
Vero  Beach,  Fla.,  and  Convent  Station,  N.J., 
communities. 

Brown  graduated  with  a  degree  in  psy- 
chology from  Sweet  Briar  in  1949.  As  a 
student  she  was  involved  in  the  Bum  Chums, 
Paint  'n'  Patches  and  Chung  Mung  tap  clubs. 
After  college,  she  went  on  to  become  a 
reporter,  working  for  several  newspapers  and 
Time  Life. 

Brown  was  an  interested  and  caring 
alumna  who  worked  tirelessly  for  Sweet 
Briar.  Long  before  there  was  an  Alumnae 
Admissions  Representative  program,  she 
recruited  students  for  Sweet  Briar.  She 
served  as  a  member  of  the  Boxwood 
Circle  Committee,  her  class's  Reunion 
Gift  Committee,  a  Leadership  Donor,  the 
Campaign  Leadership  Committee  and  the 
Development  Leadership  Council.  She 
organized  alumnae  events  in  both  her  New 


Jersey  and  Florida  homes  and  assisted  with 
Recognition  Weekends  and  FOCUS  events. 
From  1981  to  1985  she  served  as  a  member 
of  the  Alumnae  Association  board  as  edi- 
tor of  the  Sweet  Briar  Alumnae  Magazine. 
Afterward,  she  served  as  the  1949  class  sec- 
retary, faithfully  recording  and  submitting  the 
class  news. 

A  member  of  the  Keystone  Society, 
Silver  Rose  Society  and  the  Indiana  Fletcher 
Williams  Associates,  Brown  made  Sweet 
Briar  a  philanthropic  priority.  In  recognition 
of  enduring  commitment  and  devotion  to  the 
College  she  was  presented  with  Sweet  Briars 
Outstanding  Alumna  Award  in  1992.  Brown 
also  influenced  others  to  work  for  Sweet 
Briar,  most  notably  her  husband  Walter  H. 
Brown,  who  served  on  the  College's  board  of 
directors  beginning  in  1986  and  as  chairman 
of  the  board  from  1987  to  1995. 

Brown  is  survived  by  her  husband  of  59 
years,  Walter  H.  Brown;  sons,  Walter  H. 
Brown  Jr.  and  Harold  G.  Brown;  daugh- 
ters, Catherine  G.  Erickson  and  Rebecca  K. 
Holmes;  sister,  Jean  Ketcherside;  12  grand- 
children and  two  great-grandchildren. 

A  memorial  service  was  held  at  Sweet 
Briar  College's  Memorial  Chapel  on  Sat., 
June  19,  followed  by  a  reception  at  Sweet 
Briar  House. 


Notes  of  condolence  may  be  sent  to:  Mr. 
Walter  H.  Brown,  1 19  Silver  Moss  Drive, 
Vero  Beach,  FL  32963. 

Katherine  "Kay"  Macdonald 

ARTICLE  COURTESY  OF  LYNCHBURG  NEWS 
&  ADVANCE 

Katherine  "Kay"  Macdonald,  87,  died  March 
4,  2010,  in  Yarmouth,  Maine.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Arthur  Souls  and  Katherine 
Cameron  Macdonald  of  Putnam,  Conn. 
Professor  Macdonald  received  her  B.S. 
degree  from  The  Bouve-Boston  School  of 
Physical  Education,  Tufts  University  (now 
Northeastern  University).  After  teaching 
at  Abbot  Academy  in  Andover,  Mass.,  she 
went  on  to  complete  a  master's  degree  at 
the  State  University  of  Iowa.  Macdonald 
then  began  a  lifelong  career  as  a  teacher, 
coach  and  administrator  in  Virginia  at  Sweet 
Briar  College,  retiring  in  1983  as  professor 
emerita.  During  these  years,  she  took  many 
homesick,  troubled  and  disabled  students 
under  her  wing,  befriending  them  until  they 
could  fly  with  their  classmates. 

Kay  played  a  significant  role  in  the 
development  of  interscholastic  field  hockey 
in  Virginia.  For  many  years,  she  held 
workshops  for  area  high  schools,  delivered 
USFHA  loan  kits  of  equipment  and  hosted 
international  teams  and  regional  tourna- 
ments. Leading  by  example,  Macdonald 
played  club  hockey  for  more  than  20  years 
on  the  Blue  Ridge  Campus  Characters  team. 
As  the  College's  tennis  coach,  she  was 
instrumental  in  bringing  top  tennis  coaches 
to  Sweet  Briar  for  summer  tennis  camps. 
In  2006,  Kay  was  inducted  into  the  Charter 
Class  of  the  Sweet  Briar  Athletics  Hall  of 


Katherine  "Kay"  Macdonald 


30'  Summer  2010 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnaesbc.edu 


Fame  in  honor  of  her  devotion  to  Sweet 
Briar  and  its  athletic  success. 

After  retirement,  Macdonald  contin- 
ued her  interest  in  education  by  taking 
undergraduate  poetry  courses,  conducting 
aerobic  classes  for  the  faculty  and  assisting 
the  College  in  fundraising.  She  was  active 
in  local  Audubon  activities,  the  Humane 
Society  and  Amherst  County  Library. 
Macdonald  promoted  outdoor  activities  on 
campus  and  received  the  Golden  Shovel 
Award  from  the  Appalachian  Trail  Club  for 
her  service  clearing  trails.  If  there  were  a 
blue  ribbon  for  a  feline  devotee,  she  would 
have  earned  it  for  her  many  years  of  cater- 
ing to  an  assortment  of  beloved  feline 
companions. 

Macdonald's  travels  covered  a  good  part 
of  the  globe,  with  considerable  time  in  the 
British  Isles.  Always  a  champion  of  the 
underdog,  her  worldwide  view  led  to  many 
years  of  active  involvement  on  behalf  of 
Amnesty  International,  USA. 

For  some  time  after  retirement, 
Macdonald  lived  in  Fayetteville,  Pa.,  then 
moved  to  The  Highlands  in  Topsham,  Maine. 
As  her  health  failed,  she  resided  for  the  past 
five  years  at  Brentwood  R  &  N  Center  in 
Yarmouth,  Maine. 

Macdonald  is  survived  by  two  cousins, 
Sarah  Wright,  of  Sugar  Land,  Texas,  and 
Joan  Roberts,  of  Baddeck,  Nova  Scotia;  and 
by  many  devoted  friends,  who  will  miss  her 
easy  companionship,  many  talents,  strong 
code  of  justice  and  whimsical  sense  of 
humor. 

The  Rev.  Susan  Lehman  conducted  a 
memorial  service  in  Memorial  Chapel  at 
Sweet  Briar  College. 

Macdonald  requested  that  memorial 
contributions  be  designated  for  the  Nenah 
Elinor  Fry  Presidential  Scholarship  Fund  c/o 
Sweet  Briar  College,  Box  1057,  Sweet  Briar. 
VA  24595. 

Robert  Marshall 

The  Sweet  Briar  community  was  saddened 
to  learn  of  the  death  on  March  30,  2010,  of 
Robert  Marshall,  the  former  director  of  the 
College's  Junior  Year  in  France  program. 

Marshall  served  from  1972  to  1984  as 
the  third  director  of  JYF,  which  was  founded 
in  1948.  He  dedicated  his  career  at  Sweet 
Briar  College  to  improving  and  perfecting 
the  program,  said  Margaret  Scouten,  JYF's 
current  director. 

He  also  organized  a  number  of  events  in 
observance  of  the  program's  25th  anniver- 
sary, including  the  establishment  of  a  25th 


Anniversary  Scholarship  Fund,  a  festival  on 
campus  and  completion  of  a  short  history  of 
JYF's  first  quarter-century.  In  addition,  he 
arranged  for  a  group  of  alumni  to  visit  the 
Elysee  Palace  in  Paris  at  the  special  invita- 
tion of  Claude  Jacqueline  Pompidou,  wife  of 
France's  then-president  Georges  Pompidou. 
Those  wishing  to  remember  Marshall  are 
asked  to  consider  a  memorial  to  the  Robert 
G.  Marshall  Scholarship  Fund,  Junior  Year 
in  France,  Sweet  Briar  College,  Sweet  Briar, 
VA  24595,  or  Christ  Church,  P.O.  Box  S,  St. 
Michaels,  MD  21663. 

Sweet  Briar  Remembers 
Beloved  Professor, 
Eleanor  Salotto 

The  College  community  mourns  the  loss 
of  Eleanor  Salotto,  associate  professor  of 
English,  who  died  this  past  winter.  Salotto 
began  teaching  at  Sweet  Briar  in  1998  and 
is  remembered  with  fondness  by  her  friends, 
colleagues,  students  and 
alumnae. 

Salotto  received  a  BA. 
in  English  and  French  and 
an  M.A.  in  English,  both 
from  Temple  University, 
and  a  Ph.  D.  in  English 
from  Bryn  Mawr  College. 
She  taught  1 9th-century 
British  literature  and  film 
studies  at  Sweet  Briar. 

Among  Salotto's  stron- 
gest interests  were  women's 
narratives  and  identity,  film 
noir,  film  theory  and  liter- 
ary theory. 

Her  accomplish- 
ments include  her  book,  "Gothic  Returns 
in  Collins,  Dickens,  Zola  and  Hitchcock," 
published  by  Palgrave  in  2006;  an  intro- 
duction for  the  Barnes  and  Noble  Classic 
Series  edition  of  Emile  Zola's  "The  Ladies' 
Paradise;"  and  articles  on  that  novel  as 
well  as  on  "Frankenstein,"  "Bleak  House" 
and  "Villette."  She  had  been  working  on  a 
book  project  linking  Darwinian  thought  and 
Victorian  multi-plot  novels. 

Lee  Piepho,  professor  of  English  emeri- 
tus, knew  Salotto  from  the  very  first  days  of 
her  career  at  the  College  and  recognized  her 
remarkable  life  as  a  professor  and  scholar. 
Early  in  her  career,  she  took  on  the  task  of 
teaching  a  combination  of  18th-  and  19th- 
century  literature  as  well  as  heading  the  film 
studies  program,  a  growing  topic  of  interest 
among  the  student  body. 


Eleanor  Salotto 


Piepho  remembers  when  the  English 
department  was  searching  for  a  film  studies 
candidate.  It  was  clear  that  Salotto  was  the 
right  person,  yet,  at  that  point  in  her  career, 
she  needed  additional  professional  develop- 
ment before  beginning  to  teach  in  the  field. 
She  was  given  a  two-year  assistant  profes- 
sorship on  a  trial  basis. 

"In  the  summer,  she  went  off  and  took 
classes  at  New  York  University,"  he  said. 
"It  was  remarkable  the  way  she  grew.  Her 
accomplishment  in  the  field  was  quite 
extraordinary.  The  permanent  results  are  her 
book  and,  of  course,  the  students  who  stud- 
ied under  her." 

On  March  23,  an  informal  gathering  to 
reflect  on  her  memory  was  held  at  Memorial 
Chapel  for  the  immediate  community. 
President  Jo  Ellen  Parker  noted  Salotto's 
devotion  to  her  students,  academic  interests 
and  love  of  the  College.  Close  friends  and 
colleagues  spoke  of  her  unconventional  and 
vibrant  personality.  They  shared  unforget- 
table stories  of  their  friend, 
saying  in  various  ways  that 
"Eleanor  was  Eleanor" 
—  a  person  of  brilliant 
intellect,  deep  feeling  and 
mystery. 

Parker  also  recalled 
the  first  time  she'd  met 
Salotto,  20  years  ago.  "I 
had  the  good  fortune  to 
know  Eleanor  long  ago, 
before  we  had  any  idea 
that  we  might  reconnect 
again  at  Sweet  Briar. 
Eleanor  was  a  graduate 
student  at  Bryn  Mawr  dur- 
ing my  days  on  the  faculty 
and  in  the  dean's  office  there.  We  shared  a 
passionate  interest  in  19th-century  literature 
and  in  teaching. 

"When  I  realized  she  was  on  the  fac- 
ulty at  Sweet  Briar,  it  was  a  joy  to  think 
we  would  once  again  be  colleagues.  She 
approached  me  after  my  first  faculty  inter- 
view with  her  usual  grace  and  generosity  of 
spirit,  offering  words  of  support  and  encour- 
agement to  a  nervous  job  candidate. 

"I  know  many  of  you  have  similar  memo- 
ries of  the  thoughtful  kindness  of  our  friend 
and  colleague.  We  will  miss  her  sorely;  how 
lucky  we  were  to  know  her!" 
Notes  of  condolence  may  be  sent  to  Salotto's 
sister:  Carol  Watkins,  603  Belvoir  Road, 
Plymouth  Meeting,  PA  19462. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  ■  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Summer  2010  •  31 


t/LCZ4su!ufajjVi/y 


Zach  Kincaid 

Media,  marketing  and  communications 

Zach  Kincaid's  first  day  as  the  new  director  of  media,  marketing  and 
communications  was  March  29.  He  and  his  family  moved  from  Milledgeville,  Ga., 
where  he  served  as  director  of  marketing  and  publications  and  taught  history  at 
Georgia  College  &  State  University. 

Kincaid  has  15  years  of  experience  in  marketing,  communications,  strategic 
planning,  branding,  Web  site  effectiveness  and  copy  writing.  His  experience 
includes  10  years  in  higher  education  and  several  at  a  promotions  and  events 
agency  where  he  served  as  a  marketing  coordinator. 

In  2008,  he  managed  a  campaign  that  placed  eighth  in  University  Business's 
"50  Best  Branding  Ideas."  He  has  won  several  CASE  Awards  for  design  and 
advertising  projects  and  has  served  as  a  marketing  and  Web  site  consultant  for  the 
film  industry. 

Kincaid  will  be  responsible  for  creating  and  leading  a  comprehensive 
communications  and  integrated  marketing  program  that  emphasizes  Sweet  Briar's 
brand  and  enhances  the  visibility  of  the  College. 

As  a  senior  staff  member,  he  will  counsel  the  president  and  senior  staff  on 
communications  and  messaging  work.  He  will  work  collaboratively  across  campus 
to  integrate  and  improve  institutional  media,  marketing  and  communication 
initiatives,  and  to  support  advancement  and  recruitment  goals. 

Kincaid  holds  a  bachelor's  in  English  from  Washington  University  in  St.  Louis 
and  a  Master  of  Arts  in  history  from  Trinity  International  University.  He  and  his 
wife,  Heather,  and  sons  Micah,  Caleb  and  Benjamin  reside  on  campus. 


32 -Summer 2010 


Bob  Chase  Retires  to  Life  of 
Some  Work,  Some  Play 

Mathematics  professor  Bob  Chase  is  retiring  after  teaching  physics  and  computer 
science  courses  at  the  College  for  more  than  three  decades. 

Chase  and  his  wife,  Kathy  Earnhardt  Chase  '67,  plan  to  remain  in  Amherst, 
where  they  reside.  As  a  part  owner  and  now  vice  president,  secretary  and  treasurer 
of  Rebec  Vineyards,  he  will  spend  much  of  his  time  working  in  the  winery 
business. 

He'll  also  get  to  do  more  fishing,  he  said.  Over  the  past  few  years  he  has 
trekked  to  the  Bob  Marshall  Wilderness  in  Montana  for  eight-day  horseback 
and  float-fishing  trips,  and  he  spent  nine  days  in  Alberta  and  British  Columbia, 
Canada.  He  hopes  to  take  at  least  one  trip  per  year  in  the  Missoula-Bozeman  area 
of  Montana. 

This  summer  the  Chases  plan  to  travel  to  Poland,  Hungary  and  the  Czech 
Republic,  and  they're  already  anticipating  next  summer's  trip  to  Ireland. 
Chase  said  he  also  will  continue  spending  as  much  time  as  possible  with  his  grand- 
son, Holden,  who  turned  10  in  May. 

A  reception  was  held  in  Chase's  honor  on  April  29  at  Sweet  Briar  House. 

Sweel  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


1935 


Juliet  Halliburton  Davis 
4100  Well  Spring  Dr.,  No.  2305 
Greensboro,  NC  27410 

1938 

Frances  Bailey  Brooke 
405  Jackson  Ave. 
Lexington,  VA  24450 


ma 


im 


Ann  Morrison  Reams 
771  Bon  Air  Cr. 
Lynchburg,  VA  24503 
amrsbc@verizon.net 

What  an  unbelievable  winter  we  experi- 
enced this  year!  At  Sweet  Briar  classes 
were  held  most  of  the  time,  but  with 
some  off-campus  faculty  not  able  to 
get  there.  However,  the  students  had  a 
fine  time  with  great  gatherings  and  fun 
things  planned.  Schools  were  closed  in 
this  area  for  7  days  during  that  3-wk. 
period.  Happily,  spring  is  on  the  way,  and 
I  hope  this  issue  finds  all  of  you  warm 
and  in  good  spirits. 

I  look  forward  each  year  to  Bobby 
Engh  Croft's  Thanksgiving  letter.  She's 
keeping  busy  following  Crosswell's 
death  last  Mar.  She  still  spends  winters 
in  Tucson,  but  planned  a  trip  through 
the  Panama  Canal  in  Jan.  and  one  to 
AK  in  Jul.  How  wonderful  to  hear  from 
Edie  Brainard  Walter  in  D  C,  who 
is  enjoying  her  usual  activities.  Her 
daughter,  Anne,  and  husband  Michael 
are  in  India.  They  both  have  Fulbright 
grants  to  teach  at  Madras  Christian  Coll. 
Betty  Childs  and  Mackall  (Annapolis) 
sent  a  beautiful  card  designed  by  their 
son-in-law,  Sanford  Murck,  an  artist 
married  to  their  daughter  Dryden  (Class 
of  '65).  It  won  an  award  from  the  Land- 
lover  organization  in  Savannah.  I  also 
received  my  annual  cherished  card  from 
Ann  Hauslein  Potterfield  and  Tom. 
From  AR,  Alice  King  Harrison  sent  a 
clipping  trom  the  Chattanooga  paper 
highlighting  our  alumna,  Mollie  Johnson 
Nelson  '64,  who  was  the  recipient  of  the 
Outstanding  Alumna  Award  at  Reunion 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


t^Xft&y 


2009.  Arkie  writes  that  even  though  she 
uses  a  walker,  she  enjoys  bridge,  Mah 
Jong,  church  work  and  grandchildren. 
Shirley  Hausman  Nordham  is  glad  to 
have  moved  to  Leawood,  KS,  to  be  near 
her  daughter  especially  since  Al  died 
soon  after.  They  enjoyed  20  good  retire- 
ment yrs.  in  Savannah.  It's  great  that 
Margaret  Leonard  Proctor  still  enjoys 
keeping  up  with  us  even  though  she  was 
only  at  SBC  for  a  short  time.  She  lives  in 
a  retirement  community  in  Baltimore. 

We  continue  to  lose  many  of  our 
beloved  classmates,  but  then  aren't 
we  grateful  to  have  lived  this  long  at 
such  a  wonderful  time?  Those  who  died 
since  my  last  letter  are  Mary  Alice 
Bennett  Baumberger  in  AZ  (5/3/09), 
Patty  Rose  Early  Trippet  in  Waco, 
TX,  (6/17/09),  Mary  Ellen  Thompson 
Beach  Ela  in  Madison,  Wl,  (10/8/09); 
Joanne  Oberkirch  Willis  in  St. 
Petersburg,  FL,  (10/25/09);  Frances 
Meek  Rowe  in  Fort  Lauderdale,  FL, 
(11/18/09);  and  Ruth  Hensley  Camb- 
los  in  Ashville  (12/31/09).  Ruth's  sister, 
Stuart  Hensley  Woodward  '40  died  2 
days  before  her.  To  all  of  these  families 
we  send  our  love  and  sympathy 

Stay  well,  stay  happy  and  send 
news.  Much  love  to  each  of  you. 


Alice  Lancaster  Buck 

21085  Cardinal  Pond  Ter.,  Apt.  106 

Ashburn.VA  20147 

Pbbuck1@verizon.net 


m5 


Dale  Sayler  Morgan 
486A  Beaulieu  Ave. 
Savannah,  GA  31406 
dalemorgan@comcast.net 

Julia  Mills  Jacobsen 
ljamj@erols.com 

Mary  Haskins  King 
501  Kimberly  Dr. 
Greensboro,  NC  27408 

Holly  Zweigler  Schroeter  wrote  in  to 
the  alumnae  office:  I  write  to  say  that 
I  won't  be  able  to  attend  our  45th.  I'm 
waist-high  in  boxes  still,  but  loving  every 


HOW  TO  GET  YOUR  NEWS  IN  CLASS  NOTES 


Send  your  news  to  the  class  secretary  listed  with  o 

your  class,  If  your  class  has  no  class  secretary  listed,  please  send 

news  to  Colleen  Murray  at  cmurray@sbc.edu  or  PO  Box  1 056,  Sweet  Briar, 

VA  24595.  Classmates  want  to  hear  from  you! 

Secretaries  may  submit  notes  for  every  issue  of  the  magazine.  Please  see 
that  your  class  secretary  receives  your  news  before  the  deadlines  below: 


Issue 

Deadline 

Fall '10 

August  1,2010 

Spring  '11 

February  1 ,  201 1 

Class  secretaries  are  volunteers  elected  by  their  class  and  are  responsible 
for  the  accuracy  of  the  class  notes. 

Make  sure  the  Alumnae  Office  has  your  correct  e-mail  address! 
Please  send  e-mail  addresses  to:  alumnae@sbc.edu 


moment  in  my  new  Tucson  apt.  I  can 
now  walk  out  onto  my  terrace  and  have 
a  beautiful  view  of  the  Santa  Catalina 
Mt.  range.  I  hadn't  planned  to  miss  the 
reunion;  I  was  there  in  1990  for  our 
25th,  along  with  my  2nd  husband.  My 
son  Eric  (40)  and  his  wife  Katja  live 
in  Falls  Church,  while  my  daughter 
(39)  lives  in  Prague.  In  2002, 1  briefly 
stayed  in  Somerset,  VA,  at  one  of  their 
father's  homes,  and  my  daughter  saw 
to  it  that  we  all  traveled  to  Sweet  Briar 
for  a  visit.  It  was  late  Dec,  so  no  one 
was  on  campus.  We  sat  next  to  the  new 
Prothro  Center  to  eat  our  homemade 
lunch.  Then,  we  drove  to  the  former 
dairy,  only  to  discover  that  the  milk  pro- 
cessing building  was  now  an  Art  Center. 
The  old  Refectory  where  I  had  served  as 
a  waitress  was  now  an  Art  Gallery  dedi- 
cated to  former  President  Pannell. 

I  have  two  grandsons,  Jakub  and 
Nikolas,  ages  9  and  7.  They're  enrolled 
in  Haycock  Elementary  School  in  Falls 
Church,  and  are  bi-lingual.  Their  mother 
is  Slovak.  She  owns  and  runs  an  art 
restoration  company  in  McLean;  my  son 
works  for  the  Washington  Post  in  Arling- 
ton. I  am  now  retired.  Best  wishes  to 
everyone  attending. 


facebook 

Does  your  class  have  a  page  on 
Facebook,  Linkedln,  or  other  web 
community?  Please  let  us  know!  The 
Alumnae  Office  is  compiling  a  list 
of  class  pages  for  our  updated  Web 
site.  Send  an  email  to  Colleen  Kamffa 
Murray  '06,  editor  of  the  Alumnae 
Magazine,  at  cmurray@sbc.edu  with 
the  link  to  your  class  page. 


ms 


me 


Mary  Vandeventer  Saunders 
955  Harpersville  Rd. 
Newport  News,  VA  23601 


im 


Linda  McKoy  Stewart 
18  Osprey  Lane 
Rumson,  NJ  07760 
lmckstewart@verizon.net 


Maddin  Lupton  McCallie 

1508  Edge  wood  Cir. 
Chattanooga,  TN  37405 

As  201 0  gets  underway  your  class 
scribe  of  these  last  few  decades  has 
decided  she  is  too  far  advanced  in  yrs. 
(I  turn  84  this  1  st  weekend  in  Apr.),  and 
I'm  not  able  to  write  another  column. 
After  all,  I  walk  with  a  cane  or  walker 
or  a  rolling  chair,  have  hearing  aids, 
a  mouth  full  of  partial  plates,  droopy 
eyelids,  an  occasional  heart  flurry,  too 
many  pounds,  no  driver's  license,  no 
get  up  and  go — I  just  can't  do  it!  Then 
comes  a  warm,  friendly  voice  and  it's 
Wayne  Stokes  Goodall  on  the  phone 
from  Pittsboro,  NC,  my  friend  since 
camp  days  in  the  1930s  who  is  always 
interested  in  what's  going  on,  and  she 
suggests  that  maybe  I  could  get  some 
help  from  computer  whiz  classmate 
Liz  Barbour  McCrea  to  communicate 
with  classmates  for  news.  This  great 
idea  creates  conversations  with  Liz  in 
Alexandria,  VA,  so  we  join  together  to 
write  a  newsletter.  She  had  a  brief  note 

Summer  2010  •  33 


from  TX  from  Polly  Rollins  Sowell 

saying  she  "plays  bridge  and  jitterbugs 
by  herself  since  her  favorite  partner  Liz 
is  in  VA,  and  she's  in  TX."  A  call  from 
Peggy  Sheffield  Martin  in  Atlanta  tells 
me  she  has  lost  her  precious  daugh- 
ter Lisa  Tunnell  who  has  had  lupus 
for  a  long  time.  She  died  in  late  Feb. 
and  some  300  attended  her  service. 
Martha  Davis  Barnes  didn't  answer 
a  call  since  she  probably  was  on  one 
of  her  many  trips,  but  we  did  learn  that 
she  has  a  granddaughter  who  chose 
to  head  to  Hollywood  to  make  a  career. 
Her  name  is  Ellen  Woglan  and  she's 
active  in  movies  and  appears  in  weekly 
TV  series,  Bold  Case.  Another  piece  of 
sad  news  is  that  my  SBC  roommate 
Suzanne  Hardy  Benson  died  in  late 
Jan.  and  her  memorial  service  was  in 
an  old  Episcopal  church  in  downtown 
Augusta,  GA.  We  recall  when  8  of  her 
Briarite  classmates  gathered  there  a  few 
yrs.  ago  for  her  marriage  to  Cameron 
Benson.  Conversations  with  classmates 
Felicia  Jackson  Burns  in  Gainesville 
and  Diane  King  Nelson  in  Homer,  LA, 
brought  back  to  my  memory  the  con- 
nection Suzanne's  daughters,  Zan  and 
Bon,  had  with  ballet  in  Augusta.  We  also 
remembered  that  the  Burns'  daughter 
Susan  has  4  teenage  children  and  3 
of  them  are  triplets!  Interesting  news 
from  the  Alexandria  area  reports  that 
the  Kelly  Foundation,  which  was  set  up 
by  our  Nancy  Vaughn  Kelly  and  Dan, 
has  been  recognized  for  10  yrs.  of  ser- 
vice with  native  Americans  in  Montana 
encouraging  them  to  better  themselves 
and  improve  their  standard  of  living.  We 
heard  that  some  of  them  put  on  feath- 
ers and  danced  in  D.C.  although  they 
mostly  are  getting  educated  to  lead  use- 
ful and  productive  lives.  I  learned  from 
a  conversation  with  Audrey  Lahman 
Rosselot  about  living  in  the  Alexandria 
area  with  SBC  classmates  the  Kellys, 
McCreas,  Virginia  Wurzbach  Vardy 
all  living  in  the  same  complex.  Mary 
Jo  Armstrong  Berryman  reportedly 
visited  in  D.C.  from  TX. 

Since  this  class  letter  doesn't  have 
lots  of  names  and  news  your  scribe 
is  going  to  take  the  liberty  of  quoting 
from  Closey  Faulkner  Dickey  and 
her  unsolicited  letter  which  arrived  a 
month  ago.  This  is  to  welcome  spring- 
time, do  away  with  winter  blahs  and 
cause  you  to  sit  back  in  amazement 
at  our  classmate's  life.  "Our  greatest 
joy  in  the  last  5  yrs.  has  been  our  new 
summer  home  in  Quarry  Cove,  ME. 
The  kids  and  grandkids  share  a  big 
modular  home  designed  by  Whit  and 
the  waterfront  activities  include  our 
kayak,  a  canoe,  2  sailing  dinghies  and 
our  boat  Wendelen.  A  quick  rundown 
on  their  progeny  begins  herewith:  Whit 
Jr.  is  drumming  and  composing  in  NYC, 
playing  mostly  with  the  Matthew  Shipp 
Trio  (sometimes  in  Europe).  They  are 

34  •  Summer  2010 


sometimes  written  up  in  the  NY  Times 
Art  Section.  Spoon  and  Renee  love  liv- 
ing in  beautiful  Seattle.  He's  a  financial 
consultant,  does  lots  of  volunteering, 
cooks  for  family  and  good  causes  and 
plays  guitar  in  bistros  around  town. 
Renee  is  head  of  Perfusion  at  Children's 
Hospital,  rides  a  Vespa  to  work  and 
they  all  ski!  Don  lives  near  his  parents, 
works  for  state  of  VT  in  health  care 
and  is  getting  a  MA  from  the  Woodbury 
School  of  Mediation  in  Montpelier.  His 
children  do  well  in  high  schools  and  col- 
leges nearby.  John  and  Julie  live  near 
in  South  Hamilton,  MA,  where  he  has 
his  own  business  franchise,  Express 
Employment  Professionals,  matching 
employers  with  employees.  Julie  works 
with  him  and  their  4  children  participate 
in  various  sports  as  well.  They  all  ski  at 
Mad  River  Glen.  Colt  and  Lynn  live  in 
San  Rafael,  CA,  where  they  enjoy  amaz- 
ing bird  watching.  Clo  and  Bruce  live  in 
Anchorage,  AK,  and  are  kept  busy  with 
2  young  sons.  Bruce  is  an  expert  on 
measuring  glacier  melt  and  undertakes 
other  environmental  endeavors  for  the 
National  Park  Service.  Closey  adds  that 
the  Dickeys  still  live  in  the  winter  in  the 
house  they  built  30  yrs.  ago  on  Hardy 
Hill  in  the  midst  of  a  wildlife  sanctuary. 
She  plays  duplicate  bridge  twice  a  wk. 
and  has  recovered  from  a  broken  neck 
caused  by  adjusting  a  high  Venetian 
blind.  They  are  active  in  the  community 
of  Lebanon,  NH.  Personal  to  my  class- 
mates...SBC  1948.... I'm  wearing  my 
tee  shirt  with  the  roses  on  it  from  an 
almost  forgotten  reunion  to  inspire  me 
to  get  this  done,  and  at  the  age  of  84  it 
has  been  difficult.  My  dear  David  at  age 
88  has  remained  patient,  good  humored 
and  very  helpful.  This  has  been  a  fun 
thing  to  do  over  the  decades  because 
I  have  gotten  to  know  so  many  of  you 
better  than  when  we  were  at  The  Patch 
back  in  the  1940  era.  Thank  you  for 
sharing. 


m? 


Catherine  Cox  Reynolds 
20  Loeffler  Rd.  T-408 
Bloomf ield,  CT  06002 
reynolds@duncasteremail.com 

I  must  start  these  notes  with  the  sad 
news  that  Bunny  Barnett  Brown  died  of 
pancreatic  cancer  on  2/1 9/1 0.  Bunny 
kept  us  together  as  Class  Secretary, 
writing  notes  on  our  activities  as  well 
as  updates  on  the  Coll.  She  worked 
tirelessly  for  Sweet  Briar  and  was 
presented  with  the  Outstanding  Alumna 
Award  in  1 992.  I'll  try  to  follow  in  her 
footsteps  with  your  help.  Thanks  to  all 
who  sent  me  news.  Some  of  the  news 
may  be  old  hat  by  the  time  you  read 
this,  because 
I'm  writing  on  3/14  on  a  dark  rainy  late 


winter  day.  If  you  have  e-mail,  you  may 
receive  more  recent  news  from  time 
to  time.  Those  of  you  who  decide  to 
join  the  2lst  century  and  acquire  email 
should  let  me  know  your  address. 

Most  of  us  have  been  involved  with 
family  and  travel  over  the  last  year. 
However,  Dot  Rouse-Bottom's 
activities  may  have  a  wider  impact. 
She's  celebrating  Hampton,  VA's  400th 
birthday  this  year  on  7/9/10.  Hampton 
is  the  1st  continuously  operating  English 
speaking  community  in  the  U.  S.  I  had 
thought  that  honor  went  to  Jamestown, 
but  that  settlement  didn't  last,  and  Saint 
Augustine  and  Santa  Fe  were  Spanish 
speaking  communities.  So  Dot  is  quite 
right  that  Hampton's  400th  birthday  is  a 
big  deal.  Hampton  came  into  being  on 
7/9  of  1610  when  fully  armed  English- 
men came  ashore,  attacked  the  Indians 
and  established  a  maritime  community, 
which  has  grown  and  prospered  to 
this  day.  By  the  time  you  read  this, 
the  celebration  of  Hampton's  400th 
anniversary  will  have  culminated  with 
spectacular  fireworks  and  significant 
historical  events  (conferences  and 
publications)  thanks  to  Dot. 

As  for  travel,  perhaps  the  award  for 
the  most  miles  covered  should  go  to 
Peggy  Cromwell  Taliaferro  She 
visited  her  sister  in  the  Swiss  Alps  last 
summer  and  journeyed  to  the  Galapagos 
Islands,  600  mi.  off  the  coast  of  Ecua- 
dor, in  Feb.  There  she  saw  blue-footed 
boobies  and  the  rarer  breed,  red-footed 
boobies.  (I  noticed  that  SBC  was  running 
a  trip  to  the 

Galapagos  this  winter.  Maybe  some  of 
you  went?)  Alice  Trout  Hagan  and 
Patsy  Davin  Robinson  are  perhaps  the 
most  inveterate  participants  in  Sweet 
Briar  trips,  but  Alice  tells  me  that 
although  they're  both  fine,  they've  given 
up  long  trips. 

Phil  and  I  went  to  Morocco  last 
winter.  That  may  be  our  last  overseas 
trip,  but  we're  planning  a  cruise  on  the 
Erie  Canal,  Lake  Ontario  and  the  St. 
Lawrence  Seaway  in  Sept.  Domestic 
travel  without  long  airtrips  is  more  ap- 
pealing these  days. 

Caroline  Casey  Lindemann  may 
surpass  Peggy  Cromwell's  travel 
record  by  the  time  she  completes  her 
trips  for  2010.  She'll  be  going  to 
Norway  and,  on  a  separate  trip  with  the 
Richmond  Museum,  to  the  Italian  Lake 
District.  Caroline  will  also  be  coming 
north  to  Cambridge  to  see  her  oldest 
grandchild  graduate  from  Harvard  Law 
School.  (I  hope  she'll  stop  in  Hartford 
en  route).  Caroline's  adventures  are 
planned  by  her  daughter  who  lives  in 
Richmond  and  is  a  travel  agent.  Her  2nd 
son,  Stephen  McGehee,  is  in  his  1st 
yr.  at  VA  Theological  Seminary  having 
retired  from  a  30-yr.  banking  career  in 
Atlanta.  Caroline  lives  in  Westminister 
Canterbury,  a  retirement  community  in 


Richmond.  Libby  Trueheart  Harris. 
Margaret  Towers  Talman  and  Kitty 

Hart  Belew  also  live  there. 

There  seems  to  be  a  trend  among 
49s  toward  retirement  home  living.  We 
like  to  be  relieved  of  cooking,  cleaning, 
snow  shoveling  and  have  the  security 
of  onsite  medical  care.  Carolyn  Can- 
naday  Evans  needed  such  care  this 
year.  She  broke  2  ribs  camping  trip  with 
her  son  last  fall,  developed  shingles  and 
fell  on  the  ice  and  broke  her  wrist  this 
winter.  However,  she  has  recovered  from 
all  those  ailments  and  is  now  looking  for 
a  job  as  a  court  advocate  for  children 
in  foster  care  in  Ashburn,  VA,  similar 
to  what  she  was  doing  when  she  lived 
in  Reston.  Carolyn  sees  Flip  Eustis 
Weiner,  who  now  lives  in  a  retirement 
community  in  Silver  Spring,  MD. 

Jean  Taylor  is  still  in  her  Washing- 
ton apt.  She  has  a  severe  back  problem, 
but  is  able  to  get  out  and  about  with  the 
help  of  a  back  brace. 

June  Eager  Finney  has  been  busy 
preparing  an  art  exhibit  for  a  good  friend 
in  Baltimore.  June  says  she  doesn't 
draw  anything,  but  is  able  to  create  her 
images/scenes  using  an  ordinary  pair 
of  scissors.  She  sees  something  in  her 
head  as  she  flips  through  magazines, 
catalogues,  newspapers,  etc.  that  she 
can  turn  into  an  object  to  be  mounted  on 
whatever  paper  she  has  around.  Good 
recycling. 

Pat  Brown  Boyer  had  a  chilly 
winter  in  FL,  but  was  expecting  to  see 
Judy  Easley  Mak  and  Dayton  who 
were  stopping  for  a  visit  in  Winter  Park 
on  their  way  south.  Dayton  is  working  on 
an  oral  history  of  the  State  Department 
and  Judy  is  still  selling  real  estate  in 
Washington,  30  yrs.  and  still  going 
strong. 

I  hope  it  warmed  up  in  New  Smyrna 
Beach,  FL  for  Sue  Corning  Mann's  visit 
at  Hank's  daughter's  house.  They  have  a 
grandson  in  Argentina.  Maybe  that's 
the  place  to  go  these  days. 

Phil  and  I  enjoyed  seeing  Ann  Hen- 
derson Bannard  and  Yorke  last  Sept. 
when  they  were  here  on  a  great  circle 
tour  of  the  Northeast.  They're  just  fine 
and  had  seen  Kay  Veasey  and  Dave 
Goodwin,  who  are  also  fine. 

My  dear  roomies,  Preston  Hodges 
Hill  and  Larry  Lawrence  Simmons 
are  both 

widows  now,  but  are  keeping  busy  with 
good  works  and  family  visits.  Larry  deliv- 
ers food  for  Meals  on  Wheels  and  reads 
weekly  to  third  graders.  Her  daughter 
Dede  has  published  a  mystery  called 
Silent  Screams  under  the  pen  name  C.E. 
Lawrence.  It's  a  real  page  turner. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


mo 


to  stay  in  touch.  Make  sure  to  keep 
our  new  class  secretary  au  courant 
even  though  you  may  think  no  one  is 
interested.  We  are! 


It's  always  great  to  hear  from 
classmates  who  left  us  midstream. 
Mary  Ellen  Davis  Gettel,  who  earned 
a  B.A.  from  U.  IN  and  an  M.A.  from 
Stanford,  wrote  "as  I  look  back  I  realize 
how  much  help  SBC  has  been  and  what 
friendships  it  has  brought  about." 

Pat  Owens  Purvis  and  family 
spent  spring  break  traveling  to  Wash- 
ington D.C.,  VA,  and  NC  looking  over 
schools  for  her  granddaughter.  Then 
she  visited  a  grandson  at  Wake  Forest 
U.  He'll  study  next  spring  in  London. 
Her  other  grandson  at  the  U.  AL  went  to 
Cambridge  (England)  for  the  May  Dance 
in  Jun.l  Pat  herself  plans  to  travel  to 
Aspen,  CO,  and  then  to  England  this 
summer. 

Edith  Brooke  Robertson  attended 
her  grandson's  graduation  from  U.  Ml 
and  then  was  off  to  CO  to  visit  her  son 
and  family. 

Ann  Preston  Vick  has  moved  to  St. 
Augustine;  Anne  McNeer  Blanken  to 
Lexington,  VA,  to  be  near  her  daughter 
and  husband,  both  graduates  of  W&L; 
and  Mary  Waller  Berkley  Ferguson 
and  husband  are  living  at  Westminister 
Canterbury  in  Richmond. 

Nancy  Drake  Maggard  sent  a 
photo  of  her  family  of  8  children,  17 
grandchildren  and  1  great-grandchild. 
Can  anyone  top  that? 

Betty,  B.G.,  Elmore  Gilleland  and 
Guy  are  still  traveling.  Last  year  they 
took  a  trip  to  the  Baltic  and  Scandina- 
vian countries.  In  Nov.,  B.G.  attended  a 
Colonial  Dames  meeting  in  Jacksonville 
and  saw  Margaret  Murchison  Corse 
who  is  living  in  Jacksonville  again.  B.G. 
keeps  in  touch  with  Diana  Dent,  Nell 
Greening  Keen  and  Nancy  Storey 
White,  all  of  whom  are  happy  in  their 
respective  retirement  homes.  She  and 
Guy  venture  into  the  deep  freeze  in  Ml 
every  Christmas  to  visit  their  daughter 
and  family. 

Jean  Probeck  Wiant  was  unable 
to  attend  Reunion  as  she  went  to  her 
granddaughter's  graduation  from  the 
Manhattan  School  of  Music  and  then 
on  to  her  grandson's  h.  s.  graduation  in 
Katonah,  NY.  She  has  moved  to  a  new 
retirement  center  east  of  Cleveland,  but 
is  still  active  on  the  Women's  Board  of 
the  Cleveland  Institute  of  Music  and  the 
board  of  a  baroque  music  group.  She 
also  works  with  a  mission  group  involv- 
ing transitional  activities  for  the  jobless 
and  homeless. 

Sally  Bianchi  Foster  has  another 
2  grandchildren  off  to  coll.  (Earlham  & 
Lafayette)  and  I  have  1 ,  but  no  telling 
where  at  this  writing,  as  he  applied  to 
13  coll.! 

This  is  my  last  report.  I've  enjoyed 
hearing  from  all  over  the  yrs.  and  hope 


mi 


Patty  Lynas  Ford 
2165  W.  Dry  Creek  Road 
Healdsburg,  CA  95448 

patella2@sonic.net 

Thank  you  to  all  who  have  contributed  to 
our  class  notes. 

Sunshine  (Tsun-Hsien  Kwan) 

died  on  1 0/1 0/09  at  age  81 .  Her  hus- 
band, Shantilal  Bhagat  called  to  let  us 
know.  She'd  have  been  82  on  1 1/6/09. 
In  1/09,  because  of  an  irregular  heart 
beat,  she  had  open  heart  surgery  as  2 
valves  were  leaking.  She  chose  to  have 
them  repaired  rather  than  replaced. 
The  surgery  stopped  the  leaking  for  a 
while,  but  only  temporarily.  Hypertension 
ensued  and  the  causes  of  death  were 
congestive  heart  failure  and  septice- 
mia. She  had  had  a  hysterectomy  yrs 
.ago,  but  had  adhesions  that  had  to  be 
repaired  off  and  on  so  she  was  opened 
up  4  times,  resulting  in  staph  infections. 
After  SBC  she  went  to  Cornell  to  get  her 
M.A  in  nutrition.  There  she  met  Shantilal 
who  was  getting  a  degree  in  agronomy. 
They  were  married  there;  then  went  to 
India  for  1 6  yrs.  There  are  2  daughters 
in  San  Diego  and  a  son  in  Kansas  City. 
They  had  been  married  57  J£  yrs.  Isolde 
Baisch  Werhahn  '53  was  a  close  friend. 
Shantilal  said  that  his  son  tried  unsuc- 
cessfully to  contact  her  in  Stuttgart  re- 
cently. A  service  was  held  on  1 2/6/09  at 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  La  Verne, 
CA.  His  number  is  909-392-4078. 
Joanne  Williams  Ray:  (Words 
from  her  faithful  and  caring  son,  Max.) 
Nothing  significant  this  yr.  other  than 
her  getting  a  cold  1 2/1 8  and  was  so 
weak  she  couldn't  get  out  of  her  chair, 
and  we  feared  the  worst.  She's  doing 
OK,  but  we're  still  fearful  of  this  turning 
into  pneumonia.  She  spends  all  day 
to  and  from  the  bed  into  the  kitchen 
to  eat,  a  slow,  but  steady  decline.  She 
doesn't  know  us,  much  less  other 
family  and  friends,  I'm  sad  to  report. 
She  was  dropped  from  the  Alzheimer's 
study  02/06/09,  as  she  went  from  a 
23  to  between  0-3  in  a  1 2-mo.  period 
on  the  mini-mental  exam,  and  we're 
told  to  expect  to  have  to  call  in  hospice 
between  6-1 8  mos.  out.  So  we  bide 
our  time  and  try  to  keep  her  happy,  fed 
and  comfortable.  (Note  to  PLF:  As  you 
may  have  noted,  I'm  pretty  good  about 
information  retention.  It's  my  job  as  a 
financial  advisor  and  it  doesn't  suit  badly 
as  mother's  social  secretary  either! 
Mother  is  still  going  pretty  well,  consid- 
ering. We  endeavor  to  take  good  care  of 
her.  She  still  maintains  a  constant  laugh, 
says  thank  you  when  you  do  what  she 


wants.  I've  also  heard  from  Joan  Davis 
Warren  and  am  now  friends  with  her  on 
Facebook,  as  well  as  Samuel  B.  Hellier, 
Jean  Stapleton  Hellier's  husband  who 
was  a  Phi  Psi  and  one  of  my  father's  fra- 
ternity brothers  (and  mine  as  well  now!) 
It  seems  the  more  consistent  I  get  about 
sending  out  Mama's  Christmas  cards, 
the  more  folks  I'm  hearing  from.  Max 
T,  Ray,  AEP,  CLU,  FBS,  Family  Business 
Associates,  2766  Smyer  Circle,  Vestavia 
Hills,  AL  3521 6-1 025 

Mary  Pease  Fleming  Trying  to 
free  my  desk  of  2009,  which  includes 
messages  from  '51  classmates.  Ann 
Petesch  Hazzard  writes  that  her  dear 
husband,  Rutledge,  passed  away  in 
2009.  She  and  Rutledge  had  moved 
some  yrs.  ago  to  4800  Fillmore  Ave. 
#551 ,  Alexandria,  VA,  2231 1 .  (As  you 
know  Ann  and  Rutledge  had  retired  from 
a  lifetime  career  in  the  Army.  At  the  time 
of  his  retirement  he  was  a  Brig.  Gen.) 
Many  of  their  neighbors  on  Fillmore  Ave. 
are  also  retired  Army  friends.  Ann  says 
that  she's  grateful  to  be  living  "in  this 
wonderful  place  with  wonderful  people," 
now  that  Rutledge  has  passed  away.  I 
also  heard  from  Eugenia  Ellis  Mason 
in  Petersburg,  VA,  and  Jean  Duerson 
Bade  in  Louisville,  KY.  Both  are  widows 
now,  Jean  electing  to  stay  in  her  big 
house.  Jean  frequently  sees  Diane 
Richmond  Simpson,  her  friend  of 
many  yrs.  Diane  is  in  a  wheelchair  from 
an  arthritic  condition  and  unfortunately 
cannot  continue  to  swim  with  Jean  as 
she  has  done  for  a  long  time  Jean  still 
does  her  laps  in  the  pool  "when  I  can"! 
Also  heard  from  Joan  Davis  Warren  in 
Philadelphia,  but  not  from  Barbara  Birt 
Dow,  who  also  lives  there.  Rives  and 
Joan  celebrated  the  holiday  season  with 
Rives's  shoulder  in  a  sling  from  rotator 
cuff  surgery  on  1 2/9.  He's  doing  well 
and  together  they're  looking  forward 
to  the  summer  wedding  of  our  oldest 
grandchild.  They  see  Ann  Sheldon 
Taylor  Campbell  often.  She  and  Bill 
Campbell  travel  some,  but  mostly 
hang  out  at  their  apt.  at  Westminster 
Canterbury. 

Sue  Lockley  Glad  I  have  zero 
news!  Ned  and  I  spent  the  winter  quietly, 
recovering  from  our  lousy  summer  of 
surgery.  However,  we're  both  on  the 
road  to  mending  completely  and  hope  to 
get  to  OR  this  summer.  There  will  be  a 
constant  parade  of  children  and  grand- 
children (accompanied  by  their  dogs) 
and  that  will  be  fun,  if  chaotic.  However, 
I  think  I'll  retire  from  the  competition  on 
the  tennis  court  and  golf  course,  maybe 
stick  to  croquet.  We  should  all  aim  to 
be  healthy  and  prepared  for  our  60th 
reunion  in  201 1 .  Good  grief!  Best  to  all. 

Mona  Wilson  Beard:  May  and 
sunshine  seem  a  long  way  off  just  now! 
Thank  you  for  the  reunion  dates.  At  least 
it  won't  be  snowing  30  in.  60  yrs.  is 
a  pretty  long  time!  No  real  news  here. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


I'm  gradually  establishing  a  pattern  and 
getting  acquainted  with  the  folks  and 
activities  here. 

Betty  Browder  Nibley:  I  spent 
most  of  the  yr.  getting  my  house  ship- 
shape and  downsizing  (ugh)  by  throwing 
out,  shredding,  and  otherwise  dumping 
30  yrs.  of  stuff  I'd  accumulated  in  that 
big  house.  I've  moved  to  a  beautiful  apt. 
at  Knollwood,  a  retirement  community 
for  military  widows  and  spouses.  It's 
located  in  Washington  D.C.  and  there 
are  many  friendly  and  gracious  people 
here.  I'm  attending  exercise  classes  and 
a  multitude  of  events  and  trips.  Sold  my 
house  to  a  nice  couple  (she  went  to  SBC 
class  of  '93!)  I'd  love  to  hear  from  and/ 
or  see  classmates. 

Ruth  Oddy  Meyer:  I  look  forward  to 
any  issue  that  has  news  of  the  Class  of 
'51 .  It  seems  like  a  lifetime  ago,  but  one 
that  I  remember  with  much  pleasure.  I 
have  4  granddaughters,  but  have  been 
unable  to  persuade  the  2  eldest  to 
consider  SBC.  They  want  to  go  where 
the  boys  are.  I'll  keep  the  pressure  on 
the  other  2.  We're  going  to  London  in 
Jun.  for  the  graduation  of  the  2nd  eldest 
from  the  American  School.  After  5  yrs. 
of  England's  weather,  she  only  looked 
at  colleges  in  warm  climates  and  will  be 
going  to  the  U.  Miami,  FL,  next  yr.  After 
graduation  the  whole  family  will  be 
going  to  St.  Petersburg,  Russia  for  a  few 
days.  Aside  from  wild  plans,  Ed  and  I 
continue  our  hospital  volunteering  (ER 
for  24  yrs.)  and  in  our  spare  time,  bridge 
is  his  hobby  and  painting  is  mine.  Mona 
Wilson  Beard  and  I  keep  in  touch 
by  email,  and  I  hope  to  persuade  Sis 
Hayden  D'Wolf  to  join  in  this  yr. 

Ann  "Ben"  Benet  Yellott:  Still 
helping  out  with  the  local  therapeutic 
riding  program  and  the  nature  center. 
Love  hearing  about  classmates.  Really 
sorry  to  hear  about  Sunshine  (Tsun- 
Hsien  Kwan).  I  waited  tables  with 
her.  She  was  a  special  person.  I  heard 
from  Ruth  Oddy  Meyer  at  Christmas. 
The  puppy  is  fine;  we're  busy  now  with 
agility,  which  is  a  blast!  Trouble  is,  I  can't 
keep  up  with  him! 

Jean  Graham  "Randie"  Ran- 
dolph Bruns:  I  avoided  a  dreadful  siege 
of  winter  weather  in  postponing  my 
return  home  (from  FL)  until  a  lot  of  melt- 
ing goes  on.  Julie  Micou  Eastwood  is 
planning  to  come  "back  east"  to  see  her 
brother  who  isn't  well.  And  I  hope  she'll 
have  a  few  days  in  Warm  Springs. 

Lynne  McCollough  Gush:  I  have 
no  real  news  for  SBC,  since  dog,  ballet 
and  teaching  go  along  as  usual.  Not 
enough  teaching,  due  to  the  economy,  to 
warrant  a  trip  to  reunion,  but  sufficient 
for  customary  adventures.  Nancy  and  I 
are  working  on  the  Liszt  B  minor  sonata 
arranged  for  2  pianos  by  Saint-Sans. 
The  garden  needs  doing.  We  didn't 
need  a  hard  freeze  of  2  days  after  the 
drought,  the  hurricane,  and  the  flood. 

Summer  201 0  •  35 


The  greenhouse  habitants  are  lovely, 
but  everything  I  failed  to  bring  in  is  thor- 
oughly Gothic.  The  Alumnae  Magazine 
is  glamorous.  So,  in  fact,  is  the  campus 
these  days, 

Patty  Lynas  Ford:  While  visiting 
our  daughter  and  family  in  Leesburg, 
VA,  in  Sept.,  we  were  fortunate  to  be 
able  to  go  to  SBC  for  the  Inauguration 
of  our  new  president,  Jo  Ellen  Parker, 
a  most  impressive  person  inaugurated 
in  a  stirring  event.  We  are  fortunate 
to  have  her,  a  fine  successor  to  Betsy 
Muhlenfeld.  The  Upchurch  Field  House 
has  to  be  seen  to  be  believed!  It's 
enormous  and  very  adaptable  for  dif- 
ferent functions.  I  was  able  to  audit  the 
Intermediate  Greek  class,  exactly  60  yrs. 
after  my  time  in  2nd-yr.  Greek.  Also,  I 
was  able  to  have  some  time  with  Dr.  Eric 
Casey,  the  excellent  classics  professor, 
to  read  selections  from  Oaphnis  and 
Chlo .  Greek  was  my  dearest  love  at 
SBC  so  I  was  able,  thanks  to  Dr.  Casey's 
kindness,  to  be  a  part  of  his  class. 
Afterwards,  we  had  lunch  with  him  and 
his  wife  who  teaches  religion.  All  meals 
are  served  cafeteria-style  now,  no  more 
student  waitresses  on  the  scene.  And 
the  dress  code  has  become  extremely 
relaxed.  But  that  doesn't  detract  from 
the  spirit  of  the  girls.  We  visited  the  new 
student  house  called  "The  Green  Vil- 
lage," which  are  very  much  in  demand. 
Recently,  we  had  lunch  with  Julie 
Micou  Eastwood  and  Dick  in  the  Napa 
Valley.  She's  planning  to  go  east  later  in 
the  spring  to  see  her  brother  and  plans 
to  go  down  to  VA  to  visit  Jean  Graham 
"Randie"  Randolph  Bruns  Last  week 
we  had  lunch  in  Santa  Rosa  with  Anne 
Sinsheimer  who  was  in  the  area  to 
visit  friends  and  relatives.  She  had  had 
a  splendid  trip  to  Africa  last  yr.  Her  life  is 
busy  with  community  activities,  her  dog 
and  knitting  (she  was  wearing  one  of  her 
gorgeous  sweaters  when  we  saw  her). 
Lynne  McCoullough  Gush  sent  youth- 
ful pictures  of  herself  and  her  fun-loving 
Kensington  Weimaraner.  Our  local 
daughter,  Elizabeth,  is  awaiting  delivery 
of  the  harpsichord  she  commissioned 
last  yr.  She  painted  the  soundboard  last 
summer  and  has  put  some  finishing 
touches  on  it.  She's  active  in  the  Early 
Music  scene  in  the  Bay  Area.  I've  been 
at  the  Animal  Shelter  for  1 3  yrs.  now, 
3  mornings  a  wk.,  training  and  walking 
dogs  and  cuddling  cats.  Gardening  gives 
Dick  and  me  great  pleasure,  and  as  I 
write  this,  the  many  camellias,  daffodils, 
daphne  and  other  shrubs  and  flowers 
are  in  bloom.  It's  good  to  hear  from  you 
and  to  find  connections  with  some  of 
you  that  we  didn't  know  existed.  I  invite 
others  to  write.  It's  hard  to  believe  that 
in  14  mos.  (May  201 1)  we'll  have  our 
60th  reunion!  Thanks  again. 


36  •  Summer  2010 


ma 


Patricia  Layne  Winks 
312  Arguello  Blvd.,  Apt.  3 
San  Francisco,  CA  94118 
plwinks@earthlink.net 

Christmas  2009  brought  the  gift  of 
many  messages  from  our  class.  To  all  of 
you,  thank  you  so  much! 

It  was  good  to  hear  that  a  number 
of  you  reunited,  sometimes  after  many 
years.  Janis  Thomas  Zeanah  lunched 
with  Freddie  Collins  Brister  when  she 
was  in  Richmond  —  the  first  time  they 
had  seen  each  other  in  more  than  40 
yrs.  As  Janis  noted,  "The  really  good 
news:  we  recognized  each  other."  Ellen 
Galey  Sher  drove  up  from  Asheville, 
NC,  to  visit  with  Laura  Radford  Goley 
and  celebrate  the  inauguration  of 
President  Parker. 

Joanne  Holbrook  Patton  wel- 
comed Edie  Marsh  Fonda  and  Jane 
Russo  Sheehan  to  her  annual  alum- 
nae picnic  at  Green  Meadows  Farm. 
And  most  recently,  at  the  Vero  Beach 
reception  honoring  Dr.  Parker,  Anne 
Hoagland  Kelsey  reunited  with  3 
classmates:  Frances  Street  Smith, 
Kitchie  Roseberry  Tolleson,  and 
Mary  John  Ford  Gilchrist 

Many  of  us  continue  to  travel  far 
and  wide.  Anne  Hoagland  Kelsey 
probably  racks  up  the  most  frequent 
flyer  mileage,  what  with  residences 
in  FL,  Cape  Cod  and  NJ,  as  well  as 
children  and  grandchildren  around  the 
country.  Between  travels  she  remains 
involved  in,  among  many  activities, 
Childcare  Resources,  an  organization 
providing  early  childhood  and  family 
support  for  working  parents. 

Trudy  Kelly  Morron  observes 
that  with  all  the  airport  security,  delays, 
and  general  lack  of  amenities,  "getting 
there  is  not  even  half  the  fun,"  but  she 
did  get  to  London  and  Cornwall  all  the 
same.  Others  anticipate  journeys  in 
201 0  Mary  Barcus  Hunter  plans  a 
trip  to  the  Italian  Lake  District  with  her 
sons,  Bare  and  Tom.  Florence  Fitch 
Patton  will  go  on  a  cruise  of  the  Orient, 
visiting  all  the  capitals  of  countries  from 
Japan  down  to  Singapore.  In  late  sum- 
mer 2010  she'll  see  the  once-a-decade 
Passion  Play  at  Oberammergau.  Leila 
Booth  Morris  is  looking  forward  to  a 
trip  to  Tuscany,  as  well  as  a  visit  to  West 
Point  in  May  for  what  would  have  been 
her  late  husband  Jim's  65th  reunion. 

When  I  asked  you  for  one  specific 
thing  you'd  like  to  accomplish  in  2010, 
many  of  you  echoed  my  own  determina- 
tion (perhaps  the  word  "hope"  is  more 
accurate)  to  get  papers,  files,  and  gen- 
eral collections  of  junk/treasure  in  order, 
as  Laura  Radford  Goley  put  it,  "so  the 
kids  won't  have  to."  Joanne  Holbrook 
Patton  has  enlisted  the  help  of  Gordon 


Coll.  archivist  and  student  interns  to 
prepare  a  database  of  the  historic  Patton 
home  and  its  contents,  in  order  to  deter- 
mine their  future  use.  Another  classmate 
dealing  with  the  challenging  prospect  of 
downsizing  is  Nancy  Morrow  Lovell, 
who  is  first  trying  to  organize  her  vast 
files  of  genealogy  research  materi- 
als, before  ultimately  moving  from  her 
large  home  on  5  acres.  As  she  notes, 
"One  of  the  best  features  of  this  home 
is  its  fabulous  storage  space.  One  of 
the  worst  features  of  the  home  (at  this 
point  in  my  life)  is  the  fabulous  stor- 
age space."  Mary  Barcus  Hunter  has 
maintained  her  late  husband's  oil  and 
gas  business  over  the  past  10  yrs.  Now 
she's  clearing  out  files  in  anticipation 
of  turning  over  the  business  to  her 
sons  Florence  Fitch  Patton  is  looking 
forward  to  the  last  year  of  her  three- 
year  term  as  National  Corresponding 
Secretary  General  of  the  Daughters  of 
the  Revolution,  though  she'll  continue 
activities  and  responsibilities  at  the  local 
level  Martha  Yost  Ridenour  is  ahead 
of  the  rest  of  us:  she  already  cleared 
out  a  treasure  trove  from  her  basement 
and  uncovered,  among  other  things, 
lamps  from  family  steamboats,  dueling 
pistols,  Bowie  knives  from  the  Spanish- 
Amiercan  War,  panning  equipment  from 
the  Gold  Rush.  (She'll  leave  the  attic  for 
relatives  to  deal  with!) 

Leila  Booth  Morris  is  grateful 
for  her  continued  health  and  mobil- 
ity. Martha  Yost  Ridenour  hopes  to 
continue  in  good  health  and  able  to  care 
for  herself.  Nell  Dumas  Herff  plans  to 
enjoy  life. 

I'm  impressed  by  the  wide  range  of 
activities  Peggy  Nelson  Harding  bikes 
and  kayaks.  Ann  Whittingham  Smith 
plays  badminton  and  has  rediscovered 
playing  the  piano — even  duets!  Janis 
Thomas  Zeanah  has  regular  exercise 
as  a  goal  in  2010. 

Like  many  of  you,  I  hope  to  continue 
to  travel.  I  was  especially  pleased  to 
hear  that  both  Josie  Sibold  and  Mary 
Lois  Miller  Carroll  may  include  San 
Francisco  on  their  2010  itineraries. 
Mary  Lois  and  husband  Hugh  rejoice 
in  his  clean  bill  of  health  after  a  chal- 
lenging course  of  radiation  and  che- 
motherapy. Helen  Graves  Stahmann, 
who  lives  in  Queensland,  writes  that 
she  hopes  to  clear  her  coastal  property 
of  lantana  (Australia's  equivalent  of 
kudzu?)  and  to  travel  to  the  U.  S.  I  hope 
she  stops  off  in  San  Francisco,  too. 

Not  all  our  news  is  happy  news. 
Several  of  you  are  bravely  coping  with 
the  care  of  seriously  impaired  spouses. 
Our  thoughts  and  prayers  go  out  to  you. 
We  lost  three  members  of  our  class: 
Barbara  Hoyt  Boyer,  Marjorie  Levine 
Abrams,  and  Jane  Mattas  Christian 
We  are  grateful  for  their  presence  in  our 
lives,  and  now  in  our  memories. 

Again,  thanks  so  much  to  all  of  you 


who  wrote  and  enabled  me  to  pass 
along  some  news.  I  realize  I've  left  out 
news  of  our  baby-boomer  children  and 
Generation  X  grandchildren,  but  this 
time  I  wanted  to  be  sure  you  heard 
about  each  other.  More  about  our  fami- 
lies next  time!  Please  keep  me  up  to 
date,  so  that  I  may  share  the  news. 


m3 


Florence  "Flo"  Pie  Apy 
67  Rivers  Edge  Dr. 
Little  Silver,  NJ  07739 
732-747-4155 
floapy@verizon.net 

A  big  thank  you  to  those  who  sent  news 
at  Christmas:  Kirk  Tucker  Clarkson 
and  Jack  began  2009  with  a  "fabulous 
trip  to  Southern  Chile  where  we  found 
the  glaciers  and  fjords  breathtaking." 
The  remainder  of  the  winter  was  spent 
at  their  home  in  Ponte  Verda,  FL,  near 
their  family.  There,  she  enjoys  seeing 
Eleanor  Johnson  Ashby  and  Garnett. 
The  3  Clarkson  grandsons  are  all  in 
coll.,  and  their  granddaughter  is  a  suc- 
cessful caterer  in  Telluride,  CO.  Kirk  had 
a  total  knee  replacement  in  May  and 
a  thyroidectomy  in  Aug.  She's  playing 
tennis  again  and  ready  to  travel.  Jack  is 
substituting  in  the  courts  (judicial,  not 
tennis)  in  Norfolk.  Kirk  often  sees  Katty 
Turner  Mears  at  Chesapeake  Bay 
Foundation  meetings. 

Sug  Cantey  Patton  and  Pat  spent 
a  delightful  4  days  at  Cashiers,  NC, 
with  Anne  Elliot  Caskie  and  Challen 
and  Edie  Norman  Wombwell  and 
George,  all  enjoying  the  great  weather 
and  mountain  scenery.  The  Pattons  are 
expecting  a  great-grandson  in  Mar.  via 
oldest  grandson,  Tim  and  wife  Brooke. 

Great  news  for  Jeanne  Duff  and 
me — Parti  Tighe  Walden  is  returning 
to  NJ  after  living  for  several  yrs.  in  Las 
Vegas.  Parti's  son-in-law  has  been 
transferred  back  to  Tishman's  NY  of- 
fice. She  and  the  rest  of  the  family  will 
return  at  the  end  of  the  school  yr.  Now 
Jeanne,  Patti  and  I  can  resume  our 
luncheon  get-togethers.  Jeanne  and  I 
have  continued  our  meetings,  but  have 
missed  Patti.  If  any  of  you  live  within 
driving  distance  of  Princeton,  NJ,  we'd 
be  happy  to  have  you  join  us. 

A  Christmas  card  from  Anne 
Joyce  Wyman  and  Joseph  pictured 
their  beautiful  family — a  handsome 
son-in-law,  a  beautiful  daughter  and  two 
good-looking  blond  grandsons,  but  no 
comments. 

From  my  roommate.  Kay  Amden 
Mary  Lou  underwent  total  knee  replace- 
ment (there  seems  to  be  an  epidemic 
of  that).  The  knee  having  been  deemed 
"better  than  over,"  she  and  Kay  are 
taking  their  show  "Sisters  by  Heart"  on 
the  road  to  senior  centers,  retirement 
communities,  and  women's  clubs,  Kay 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


mastered  the  art  of  Power  Point  presen- 
tation to  illustrate  the  program. 

Sally  Gale  Beck  and  Doug  enjoy 
life  in  Merida,  Mexico.  Sally  reports  that 
her  knees  are  no  longer  what  they  once 
were,  so  she  has  curtailed  climbing  the 
Maya  ruins.  She  now  has  more  time  for 
reading  and  research. 

From  the  Apy  household:  In  Oct., 
Chet  and  I  cruised  the  Mediterranean 
in  celebration  of  our  55th  wedding 
anniv.  We  toured  Rome  for  3.5  days 
before  boarding  the  Grand  Princess. 
The  ship  took  us  to  Naples  (Pompeii), 
Athens,  Istanbul,  Ephesus,  the  Greek 
island  of  Mykonos,  Cairo  (the  Sphinx  and 
Pyramids),  Alexandria  and  then  back  to 
Rome  and  home.  I'm  sure  that  this  will 
bring  back  memories  of  your  own  travels 
and  perhaps  encourage  some  of  you  to 
see  more  of  the  world. 

Just  before  we  left,  Chet  and  I  got 
the  news  that  we  will  be  welcoming 
our  9th  grandchild  (a  boy,  as  we  later 
learned)  in  Apr.  Six  of  the  grandchildren, 
all  the  young  ones,  live  in  CA — in  2 
households,  400  mi.  apart — so  we're 
commuting  grandparents.  As  of  Apr., 
they'll  range  from  age  0-30.  Not  exactly 
a  one-size-fits-all  group. 

As  I  was  completing  this  column,  I 
was  notified  by  the  Sweet  Briar  alumnae 
office  that  Gage  Bush  Englund  died 
over  a  year  ago  on  Jan.  1 2,  2009.  A 
long  and  interesting  obituary  appeared 
in  the  Jan.  1 5  edition  of  the  NY  Times, 
a  copy  of  which  can  be  found  if  you 
Google  her  name  on  the  Internet. 

My  inbox  is  now  empty,  so  please 
send  me  your  news  for  our  next  column. 


mi 


Bruce  Watts  Krucke 
7352  Toogoodoo  Rd. 
Yonges  Island,  SC  29449 
b.krucke@hughes.net 

1955 

Kathryn  Beard 
1074  Zanzibar  Ln. 
Minneapolis,  MN  55447 
kbeard3283@aol.com 


Well,  Ladies,  here  I  am  again!  I  did 
hear  from  several  of  you,  but  most  of 
us  seem  to  be  living  quietly  these  days. 
Quoting  Gail  Davidson  Bazzarre 
wrote  to  let  you  know  nothing  is  hap- 
pening here!"  That's  just  fine,  as  it's 
enough  for  me  to  know  that  "we  are 
still  here!"  Gail  still  volunteers  at  their 
church,  and  she  and  John  enjoy  their 
"darling"  great-granddaughter  (2).  Most 
of  you  echoed  Pam  Compton  Ware  s 
sentiment:  "Family  continues  to  bring 
great  joy."  For  Christmas  Marty  Hede- 
man  Buckingham's  2  children  brought 
their  families  to  GA  to  celebrate.  She 


spent  the  summer  on  Cape  Cod  so  she 
was  near  both  families.  Bexy  Faxon 
Knowles  and  Bob  may  hold  the  record 
with  16  grands  and  twin  greats.  Now 
that  they're  boatless,  they  take  a  cruise 
or  2  every  yr.  With  a  grandchild  count 
of  1 5,  Betty  Byrne  Gill  Ware  and 
Hudnall  are  a  close  2nd.  I  love  that  she 
sends  photos — her  daughter  looks  like 
her  twin!  Emily  Hunter  Slingluffs 
children  both  live  within  an  easy  drive 
so  she  can  see  them  frequently.  Her 
2  granddaughters  are  in  school  at 
Princeton  and  UVA.  Patty  McClay 
Boggs  and  Flip  will  head  north  in  May 
to  attend  the  h.  s.  graduation  of  one  of 
their  grandchildren.  The  biggest  event 
in  Ruth  Campbell  VanDerpoel's  yr. 
was  the  marriage  of  son  Jim  last  Sept. 
to  a  lovely  girl  he  met  at  his  cycling 
club.  Ann  Jeffers  Hogarty  writes 
that  although  she  very  much  misses 
Dick,  her  family  is  with  her  often  so  she 
feels  very  blessed.  Last  summer  Sue 
Bernard  Odense  and  Larry  spent  4 
days  with  all  the  granddaughters — 2  of 
them  home  from  coll.  Lots  of  fun,  but 
it  took  her  a  wk.  to  recuperate!  In  the 
fall  they  went  on  their  1st  cruise,  from 
Boston  to  Nova  Scotia,  with  2  couples 
they've  known  for  50  yrs.  Many  of  us 
spent  time  on  the  road — no  one  more 
than  Joan  Kelts  Cook  and  Duncan. 
Their  family  is  scattered  across  the  west 
in  CA,  OR  and  MT.  They  also  spent  time 
in  the  east  visiting  friends,  cruising  the 
islands  and  exploring  Disney  World,  and 
that  doesn't  even  count  the  2  wks.  at 
their  time-share  in  Mazatlan,  Mex.  last 
winter  Honey  Addington  Passano  and 
Bill  were  finally  able  to  fly  out  of  snowy 
Baltimore  in  mid-Feb.  and  headed  to  the 
Bahamas  for  7  wks.  in  the  sun.  Honey 
wrote  of  Sue  Starkey  Ragland's 
death  last  fall.  Sue  was  her  freshman 
roommate,  and  they  had  stayed  in  touch 
through  the  yrs. 

By  now,  most  of  us  are  retired, 
but  we're  still  volunteering.  Diane 
Johnson  DeCamp  is  less  active  in 
her  Garden  Club  but  still  participates  in 
their  events.  She  also  volunteers  at  her 
church  as  do  Gail  Bazzarre  and  Betty 
Sanford  Molster.  Even  I  put  in  my 
one  morning  a  wk.  at  the  County  Adult 
Corrections  Facility!  Others  are  enjoying 
more  comfortable  climates  for  their 
retirement.  Gay  Reddig  Mayl  and  Jack 
love  sunny  FL.  In  CA,  Barbara  Plamp 
Hunt  and  George  enjoy  their  retirement 
community. 

I  am  frequently  in  contact  with  Didi 
Stoddard  Fritz  Merriman  Naylor, 
Ginger  Chamblin  Greene  and  Manda 
McThenia  lodice.  Didi  and  her  partner, 
Jess  Tobin,  have  a  handsome  new 
grandson  who  they're  silly  about.  Fritz 
is  still  teaching  and  shows  no  sign  of 
slowing  down,  so  I  assume  she  enjoys 
it.  Ginger  is  still  getting  used  to  hot  and 
cold  running  water  after  her  time  in 


rural  Africa.  Manda  and  Don  are  enjoy 
having  their  older  son  with  them  for  an 
extended  visit. 

That's  all  I  have.  I  echo  Gail's  senti- 
ment: "There's  nothing  happening  here!" 


me 


Meredith  Smythe  Grider 
1307  Killiney  PI. 

Louisville,  KY  40207 
mgrider761@aol.com 

Martha  Anne  Clay  Nichols 
3928  Old  Brownsboro  Rd. 
Louisville,  KY  40207 
macnich@bellsouth.net 

In  the  last  issue  of  this  magazine, 
our  class  notes,  written  by  Meredith, 
was  cut  short,  leaving  an  incomplete 
sentence  and  omission  of  news  from 
classmates — so  much  for  technology! 
So  the  missed  news  will  be  included 
with  all  the  latest. 

It  is  with  great  sadness  that  we  note 
the  following  deaths:  Betsy  Meade 
Hastings  Carolyn  Dickinson  Tynes, 
Joyce  Lenz  Young  Ann  Irvin,  Sarah 
Sharp  Taylor.  Helen  Wolfe  Evans. 
Jane  Slack's  son  Ethan  Engl,  Nancy 
St.  Clair  Talley's  husband  Lilburn, 
Nancie  Howe  Entenmann  s  husband 
Dick,  and  Frances  Shannonhouse 
Clardy's  husband  Jim.  To  each  family 
we  send  our  condolences  in  their  loss 
and  our  loving  support. 

From  Sarasota,  Bunny  Burwell 
Nesbit  resides  in  The  Glenridge,  a 
continuing  care  retirement  community, 
and  enjoys  life  there.  She's  at  the  top 
as  dean  of  a  new  community  school, 
chairman  of  the  cruise  committee,  social 
committee,  liaison  to  performing  arts 
committee,  opera  guild  and  is  active  at 
the  Church  of  the  Redeemer.  What  a 
resume!  Daughter,  Katherine,  married  at 
50,  lives  in  Charlottesville,  works  for  the 
Federal  Reserve  and  welcomes  Bunny 
for  long  summer  visits.  Let  her  know 
when  in  Sarasota — she'd  love  a  visit. 

Ruth  Phillips  Hollowed  continues 
her  career  in  advertising,  but  mostly 
"does  everything"  for  her  9-yr.-old 
granddaughter  who  lives  with  her  and 
son/father,  Chad. 

Rose  Montgomery  Johnston 
travels  to  visit  her  4  daughters  when 
her  profession  in  psychotherapy  allows. 
Holland  and  Croatia  have  been  recent 
destinations  as  well  as  a  drive  through 
SBC,  which  inspired  her  with  the  beauty 
of  the  campus  and  with  gratitude  for  her 
years  there. 

Barbara  Brown  McFarland  in 
OR  still  enjoys  her  work  and  will  have  a 
granddaughter/graduate  this  spring. 

Kay  Smith  Schauer  and  Bob 
(battling  cancer)  keep  a  non-stop  travel 
schedule — Antartica,  Central  America, 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


hiking  and  to  DE  for  a  Smith  family 
reunion.  Their  volunteer  lists  includes  tax 
preparation  for  AARP,  Stanford's  Arizona 
Cactus  Garden,  Unity  Church.  Add  a 
meditation  group,  45-yr.-old  book  club, 
Palo  Alto  tree  advocacy  and  you  know 
why  they  lead  "a  wonderful  life"  and 
send  blessings  to  us  sisters  in  the  Class 
of  1956. 

Karen  Steinhardt  Kirkbride  and 
Dick  focus  their  travel  on  beaches — DE, 
FL,  HI  and  St.  Maarten.  Apr.  takes  them 
to  NYC  for  son  Trevor's  wedding  pre- 
ceded by  parties  "from  Fort  Lauderdale 
to  Tokyo." 

Nancy  Greer  Howe  Entenmann 
recommends  the  book  When  Husbands 
Die,  which  had  a  strong  impact  on  her 
when  she  read  it.  She  also  says  that 
she's  impressed  with  the  SBC  senior 
class. 

Barbara  Darnall  Clinton  and  Dean 
have  attended  assorted  engineering 
conferences  in  Puerto  Rico  and  Kuwait. 
They  attended  grandson's  graduation  in 
Ghana  where  daughter,  Mary  Kay  and 
husband  serve  as  Methodist  missionar- 
ies; other  grandson  is  in  10th  grade. 
Daughter  Laura  has  active  teenagers — 
Shannon  and  Connor — travels  interna- 
tionally for  AEI  Energy.  Son  Charles  has 
made  the  Colonels  List  for  the  Air  Force. 
Barbara  continues  singing  with  her  choir, 
especially  at  Easter. 

Nancy  Ettinger  Minor  has  earned 
bridge  Life  Master,  but  volunteers  with 
elementary  students  in  neediest  Savan- 
nah schools,  too.  The  Savannah  Music 
Festival  is  a  highlight  on  her  Apr.  calen- 
dar. She  finds  time  to  play  golf  in  spite 
of  a  bum  knee.  Meredith  and  Macie  can 
sympathize  as  they  each  have  2  new 
ones — anyone  else? 

Joan  Broman  Wright  and  Jim 
survived  the  blizzards  of  2010,  which 
assaulted  Charlottesville.  So,  off  to  FL 
for  recovery  and  visits  with  family  and 
friends  up  and  down  the  coast.  She  and 
Mary  Ann  Hicklin  Willingham  are 
planning  our  55th  in  2011 — put  May 
20,21 ,  22  on  your  calendar  now  and 
await  more  details.  They  won't  accept 
any  excuses  for  not  attending! 

Jane  Slack  Sigloh  has  authored 
a  book,  "Like  Trees  Walking,"  which 
Meredith  reports  is  wonderful  and  avail- 
able from  Amazon.  Our  class  Scholar- 
ship Fund  has  a  value  of  $1 1 ,739  and  is 
helping  a  student  in  the  class  of  201 3. 
Additions  to  the  fund  may  be  made 
through  annual  giving  and  memorials. 

Martha  Clay  Nichols  is  complet- 
ing a  2-yr.  term  as  President  of  the 
Colonial  Dames  in  KY.  where  2  museum 
houses  in  Frankfort,  which  offer  them 
lots  of  volunteer  challenges  in  addition 
to  the  normal  Dame  activities,  She  and 
Robert  travel  to  Providence  to  Martha's 
family,  Barcelona  for  Rob's  and  spent 
2  wks  in  Egypt  last  month — did  it  a//! 
Dr.  Martha  is  teaching  French  at  Brown, 

Summer  2010 -37 


juggles  an  amazing  schedule;  Rob  is  in 
international  real  estate  after  1 3  yrs.  in 
Spain.  Robert  is  retired,  but  busy  and 
she's  hanging  on  in  the  wonderful  world 
of  real  estate. 

Meredith  Smythe  Grider  spends 
summer  plus  in  her  Ml  retreat  as  a 
shopkeeper  and  hostess  to  many  family 
and  friends.  For  a  winter  break,  Sanibel 
for  a  few  weeks  is  the  balance.  Her  3 
girls  and  families  are  all  right  here  in 
Louisville  and  spend  time  with  her — 
wherever  she  is! 

Now,  if  you  aren't  mentioned  in  this 
tome,  it's  because  nothing  came  to  us  or 
SBC — please  take  a  moment  to  share 
some  news  for  the  next  issue.  And  many 
thanks  to  those  who  sent  news — we 
can't  do  this  without  you!  Keep  in  touch. 


9957 


Carol  McMurtry  Fowler 
10  WoodstoneSq. 
Austin,  TX  78703 
carol@curnon.net 


1956 


Jane  Shipman  Kuntz 
4015  Orchard  View  PL,  No.  1 
Powell,  OH  43065 
Jsk0536@att.net 

Greetings  from  Buckeye  Land!  In  case 
you  hadn't  heard,  Eddie  and  I  have 
moved  to  suburban  Columbus;  more 
about  that  later.  Our  notes  are  a  little 
sparse,  but  I'm  grateful  to  the  few 
people  who  did  get  in  touch. 

Adele  Scott  Caruthers  has 
retired  again  from  her  profession  as  an 
occupational  hand  therapist.  To  help  fill 
her  time,  Adele  volunteers  helping  2nd- 
graders  learn  to  read.  She's  also  taking 
a  continuing  education  class  using  New 
Yorker  articles  as  a  textbook.  She's 
pleased  to  have  extra  time  to  paint  and 
is  writing  her  memoirs.  Adele  will  have 
her  2nd  hip  replacement  in  May;  she 
had  the  1  st  one  7  yrs.  ago  and  coded 
on  the  anesthesia,  so  she  has  a  differ- 
ent doctor  and  procedure.  Adele  serves 
on  the  hospitality  committee  of  her 
Episcopal  Church  in  Albuquerque  and 
has  recently  moved. 

Elizabeth  Gallo  Skladal  was 
selected  as  Alumna  of  the  Year  for 
the  U.  of  AK,  Anchorage.  The  awards 
luncheon  was  held  at  the  Gorsuch 
Commons  in  Anchorage.  Elizabeth  said: 
"This  award  is  personally  shared  with 
Sweet  Briar  as  I  feel  my  education  there 
prepared  me  for  the  role  as  leader 
in  community  endeavors.  Thank  you, 
Sweet  Briar!" 

Joan  Nelson  Bargamin  and 
husband  Paul  had  attended  the  early 
curling  contests  at  the  Olympics  after 
a  visit  to  Fort  Worth  to  try  bull  riding! 

38  'Summer 2010 


Among  her  many  accomplishments  is 
practicing  law  for  1 0  yrs.  after  gradu- 
ation; she  only  substitutes  now.  Joan 
also  has  had  an  antique  business. 
She  keeps  in  touch  with  many  SBC 
alumnae;  Californian  Polly  Barnes 
Hester,  a  near  professional  golfer;  Ann 
Watkins  Custer  of  NY,  due  for  a  visit, 
with  her  husband  David;  and  Carol 
McClave  Duncan  owner  of  a  beautiful 
dairy  farm  in  PA  near  the  Land-O'Lakes, 
a  frequent  visitor  with  her  husband 
Don.  In  Richmond  Joan  sees  Mary  Ann 
Vandevoort  Large  '57  and  Bob;  Molly 
Haskell  '61  when  she  visits  her  SBC 
roommate  Barbara  Fowler;  and  Pearl 
Adamson  '60  and  Louise  Dunham 
Williams  and  husband  Harold  are 
neighbors  as  well  as  Weezie  Laughlin 
'57.  Joan  also  sees  a  lot  of  Betty 
Waddell  Henson  who  lives  in  Roanoke. 
Joan  has  fascinating  family  history: 
her  father,  a  professor  at  W&L,  was 
British  and  still  has  many  relatives 
there;  her  mother  was  French  and  a 
Cordon  Bleu  graduate  as  well  as  a 
member  of  Howard  Carter's  team  when 
he  excavated  King  Tut's  tomb  in  1922. 
As  a  result  of  all  these  connections, 
Joan  and  Paul  visit  England,  France 
and  Egypt  regularly.  Joan's  tales  of  her 
youth  are  fascinating:  she  says  she  lived 
in  NYC,  where  she  was  a  Rockette  and 
later  moved  to  Chicago  and  FL;  when 
her  father  joined  the  faculty  at  W&L 
the  Nelsons  moved  to  Lexington  where 
Joan  met  her  husband  Paul  while  he 
was  in  law  school  and  she  was  a  pool 
life  guard;  after  a  few  years  in  SC  they 
moved  to  Richmond  where  they  raised 
their  2  sons.  Joan  has  also  appeared  on 
"All  My  Children,"  courtesy  of  her  god- 
child Eden  Riegel.  I  would  be  remiss  not 
to  send  sympathy  for  the  death  of  one 
of  her  sons  not  long  ago. 

Thank  goodness  for  holiday  let- 
ters; Judy  Graham  Lewis  and  Jim, 
Charleston,  WVA,  sent  a  delightful 
Valentine  note.  The  Lewises  celebrated 
their  51  st  anniv.  on  6/1 4/09.  Judy 
spends  her  time  at  their  church  where 
she's  a  bellringer  and  sings  in  the 
choir,  and  serves  food  for  Manna  Meals, 
a  breakfast,  lunch  and  dinner  served  to 
as  many  as  400  people  a  day.  She  also 
serves  on  the  Gay  &  Straight  Alliance 
committee  and  tends  to  the  church  gar- 
den. Judy  had  a  hip  replacement  2  yrs. 
ago  so  she  "walks  vigorously"  and  starts 
her  day  in  a  water  aerobics  class  at  the 
YWCA.  Jim  has  retired  from  the  active 
Episcopal  ministry,  but  just  finished 
work  as  an  interim  "supply"  minister  for 
4  parishes  that  combined  into  one.  The 
Lewis  offspring  are  equally  as  active 
as  their  parents'  oldest  son  Stephen 
has  moved  back  home  with  his  parents 
and  is  exploring  new  business  oppor- 
tunities to  support  his  3  children  who 
live  with  their  mother  in  MD.  "Having 
Stephen  back  home  has  been  one  of 


life's  unexpected  gifts,"  his  parents  say. 
Daughter  Elizabeth  and  husband  Mac 
live  in  Durham,  NC;  their  daughter  is  at 
UNC-Asheville  and  son  Lewis  is  decid- 
ing where  he  wants  to  go  to  college. 
Because  Mac  had  serious  surgery  on 
his  foot,  Beth  and  he  have  made  the  "in 
sickness  and  in  health"  journey  together. 
Daughter  Katherine  and  husband  Bill 
are  both  Episcopal  priests.  They're  serv- 
ing in  a  parish  in  Minnetonka,  MN;  they 
and  their  children  Eva  and  Jesse  love 
MN.  Deborah,  Katherine's  twin  sister, 
in  Concord,  NH,  is  in  her  2nd  yr,  as  a 
nurse  in  a  cardiac  care  unit  in  a  local 
hospital.  Her  daughter  Sarah  is  in  high 
school;  besides  being  a  good  student, 
she  competes  in  crew,  track  and  cross- 
country running.  Son  Alex  is  the  owner 
of  a  local  paintball  facility.  Deborah  will 
be  remarried  in  Oct. 

First,  I  want  to  apologize  to  all  of 
you  for  not  getting  the  summary  of  our 
fabulous  50th  reunion  in  the  Alumna 
Magazine.  I  raced  home  and  wrote  a 
comprehensive  recap;  the  only  problem 
was  that  my  e-mail  didn't  reach  the 
editor  and  I  didn't  realize  it  until  the 
magazine  came  out.  For  some  strange 
reason,  I  had  no  hard  copy,  my  usual 
practice,  so  that  column  is  still  float- 
ing around  cyberspace  somewhere! 
Fall  2008  and  winter  2009  turned  out 
to  be  difficult  because  I  developed  a 
low  grade  infection  that  just  hung  on 
and  on;  I  was  also  diagnosed  with 
polymyalgia  rheumatica,  an  unpleas- 
ant but  treatable  condition.  The  final 
straw  was  cracking  my  ankle  from  a 
fall  while  walking  our  dog.  Then,  due 
to  the  influence  of  our  daughters,  we 
moved  to  Powell,  OH,  in  order  to  be 
near  Anne  who  started  working  for 
the  Zusman  Hospice  in  1/09;  they  felt 
that,  due  to  our  "advancing  yrs.,"  we 
should  be  near  one  of  them.  We've 
settled  into  a  lovely  patio  condo,  but  I'd 
forgotten  what  a  nightmare  moving  was. 
Martha  Schneck,  Don  and  children, 
moved  back  to  their  home  in  Ashburn, 
VA,  after  4  yrs.  in  Pretoria,  South  Africa. 
Don  is  now  advising  on  security  mea- 
sures at  new  and  remodeled  embassies 
and  consulates  around  the  world  for 
the  State  Department;  he  just  returned 
from  consulting  in  China.  Martha  is 
the  aquatic  director  at  the  Pavilion,  the 
local  community  activities  center.  Katie 
is  a  jr.  at  Mary  Washington  U.  majoring 
in  fine  arts  with  an  emphasis  on  pho- 
tography; Lauren  graduated  from  the 
American  Int'l  School  of  Johannesburg 
last  Jun.  and  is  in  a  post  graduate 
year  in  VA  and  is  taking  flute  lessons; 
Cole  is  in  the  8th  grade  and  is  an  alto 
sax  player.  This  yr.'s  snows  were  hard 
on  them  after  their  sojourn  in  Africa. 
Lee  and  Steve  Caira,  Clarksville,  TN, 
have  a  busy  household  with  Steve's  2 
children  Ryan  (19)  and  Ashley  (16)  liv- 
ing at  home.  Steve  is  a  distributor  with 


Hostess  products  and  Lee  continues 
as  the  victim-witness  coordinator  for 
the  local  attorney  general.  Anne  loves 
her  job  as  community  coordinator  at 
Zusman.  She  lives  with  her  "significant 
other"  Rick  Farley,  a  funeral  director, 
and  daughter  Lindsey  (16).  Eddie  and 
I  are  delighted  being  so  close  to  them 
and  they've  been  great  helpers  with 
our  move. 

Since  my  postcards  were  not  a  suc- 
cess, I'll  just  ask  you  all  to  write  your 
news  before  the  next  magazine,  due 
out  in  the  fall;  that  means  getting  your 
news  to  me  as  soon  as  possible,  either 
by  e-mail  or  snail  mail.  Both  addresses 
are  with  this  article.  Our  reunion  just 
confirmed  my  opinion  that  our  class- 
mates are  remarkable;  they  are  attrac- 
tive, bright  and  highly  motivated,  fine 
ambassadors  for  Sweet  Briar.  Keep  the 
news  coming. 


1959 


Ali  Wood  Thompson 
89  Pukolu  Way 
Wailea,  HI  96753 
808-874-8028 
travisnali@hawaii.rr.com 

One  of  our  sad  moments  in  Feb.,  was 
the  passing  of  our  wonderful  Gretchen 
Smith  Buntschuh.  All  of  us  who  went 
to  the  50th  Reunion  in  Sept.  remember 
the  delightful  time  we  had  with  her  and 
have  fond  memories  of  her. 

I  want  to  thank  all  of  you  for  such  a 
wonderful  response  to  this  2nd  newslet- 
ter! For  those  that  don't  have  email  (for 
the  next  edition  of  the  SBC  Alumnae 
magazine),  please  send  me  your  news 
as  soon  as  possible  so  that  I  can  include 
you  in  the  next  letter. 

Liz  Chambers  Burgess:  I'm 
still  reeling  from  Gretchen  Smith 
Buntschuh  s  death.  It  was  so  very 
wonderful  to  renew  that  friendship  at 
Reunion.  Have  started  volunteer  work  in 
the  Archives/Special  Collections  section 
of  the  Old  Dominion  U.  library.  Also, 
I've  agreed  to  be  treasurer  for  my  DAR 
chapter  for  the  next  3  yrs.  May  be  over 
estimating  my  energy  level,  but  it  keeps 
me  out  of  trouble!  Chuck  and  I  just  got 
back  from  Atlanta,  where  we  stayed  with 
our  daughter  and  her  family  for  a  few 
days.  Our  one  grandchild,  a  5-yr-old 
girl  who  is  beautiful  and  brilliant  as  are 
all  grandchildren  everywhere,  is  quite  a 
drawing  card  for  Atlanta  visits.  We  visit 
our  son  and  his  wife  in  NY  regularly. 
Otherwise,  my  main  hobby  is  digging 
into  family  history,  which  I  do  on  the  in- 
ternet with  occasional  trips  to  NC  where 
many  of  my  ancestors  were.  Chuck  is 
still  teaching  part  time  at  Old  Dominion 
U.,  although  he's  technically  retired. 
He  loves  it,  and  I  love  the  fact  that  he's 
happy  with  what  he  does. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Betsy  Colwill  Weigers:  I'm  off  to 

the  Caribbean  tomorrow  after  having 
spent  a  few  days  in  NYC  where  the 
weather  was  the  pits  and  coming  home 
to  Vail  where  the  weather  was  also 
the  pits.  Whatever  does  one  expect  in 
Feb.?  We  sold  our  place  in  Mexico  and 
are  now  looking  for  other  venues.  Have 
reconnected  with  Claire  Devener  (in 
Anguilla),  and  I  hope  to  see  her  while 
we're  in  St,  Barts.  I've  also  reconnected 
with  Jackie  Hekma  Stone  and  Alice 
Carey  Farmer  Brown  Along  with  Di 
Doscher  I  hope  to  have  a  mini  reunion 
this  spring  in  NYC. 

Tricia  Coxe  Ware:  I'm  looking  for- 
ward to  spring.  Richmond  had  30  in.  of 
snow  this  winter!  At  least  my  grandchil- 
dren, Mac  and  Riley,  enjoyed  it. 

Caroline  Blake  Whitney:  I'm  a  first 
time  writer  of  news.  I've  been  reflecting 
or  reviewing  the  past  many  yrs.  since 
departure  from  our  alma  mater.  From 
the  tranquil  east  coast  of  the  Northeast 
to  the  "Old  Country"  after  marrying,  we 
lived  in  Switzerland  for  a  couple  of  yrs. 
and  even  considered  settling  in  England. 
However,  the  call  from  my  husband's 
father  to  come  home  to  Argentina  was 
too  irresistible.  I  had  never  been  there, 
so  it  was  a  great  adventure,  never  to 
be  regretted.  My  4  children  call  it  their 
country,  having  grown  up  surrounded 
by  family.  My  Mother-in-Law  came  from 
a  large  Scottish  clan  who  settled  in  the 
deep  south  of  Argentina,  near  the  Straits 
of  Magellan.  Those  were  amazing,  excit- 
ing and  vibrant  yrs.  before  everything 
began  to  crumble.  The  government  was 
never  good,  became  enmeshed  in  ram- 
pant terrorism,  friends  disappearing,  and 
our  lives  had  to  change  from  a  steady 
rhythm  to  an  irregular,  inconsistent  life 
style.  I  guess  it  affected  our  marriage 
more  than  I  wanted  it  to  do  so.  Sadly, 
I  had  to  accept  that  this  part  of  my  life 
was  over,  and  due  to  continued  strife  in 
Argentina,  it  seemed  best  to  return  to 
Boston.  Shortly  thereafter  my  husband 
died,  thus  I  call  myself  a  divorced 
widow.  I  had  been  away  from  the  USA 
for  over  25  yrs.  It  was  similar  to  starting 
all  over  again,  in  a  new  country.  Much 
had  changed  and  seemed  strange, 
even  connecting  with  old  friends.  Their 
lives  had  moved  on,  just  as  mine  had, 
there  were  gaps  in  the  connections — 
unknown  children,  different  friends,  the 
changes  wrought  by  the  60s  and  early 
70s,  which  were  not  in  my  experiences. 
Today  seems  like  yesterday  in  that  once 
again  I  have  lived  just  2  yrs.  short  of 
my  other  life  in  Argentina,  back  here  in 
Boston.  Thus,  reminiscing,  it  seems  as 
though  there  have  been  3  volumes  of 
my  life.  What  will  the  4th  contain?  I'm 
looking  forward  to  a  productive  one! 

Mary  Harrison  "Cookie"  Cooke 
Carle:  I've  decided  to  sell  my  house 
in  Wynnewood.  I  expect  to  move  to  a 
2-bedroom,  2-bath  condo  in  Havertord  4 


mi.  away.  If  the  entire  class  of  '59  could 
please  come  here  on  my  moving  day, 
carry  an  armload  and  enjoy  a  nice  4-mi. 
walk  together,  it  could  be  a  wonderful 
experience  for  all.  Besides  I  could  save 
on  a  moving  van.  You  all  would  need  to 
make  a  few  round  trips,  so  plan  to  bring 
your  most  comfortable  booties!  As  for 
me,  I  hyperventilate  at  the  thought  of 
climbing  one  flight  of  stairs  to  my  cur- 
rent bedroom,  so  I'd  have  to  follow  the 
group  in  my  Prius.  (Snowdon,  you  can 
ride  in  the  car  with  me!)  If  I  live  through 
this,  it'll  be  a  miracle.  I've  been  here  38 
yrs.  I  have  enough  stuff  to  fill  ole  Daisy's 
gym  and  Babcock  too.  I'm  clearly  a  bona 
fide  'keepaholic.' 

Deborah  Dunning:  Primarily,  I'm 
very  busy  working  to  insure  that  our 
children  and  the  children  of  our  children 
and  future  generations  have  health  and 
quality  of  life.  The  NGO I  founded  and 
serve  as  president,  The  Green  Standard, 
is  hosting  a  forum  in  Washington  in  late 
Apr.  to  help  manufacturers  learn  how  to 
"go  green"  and  expand  their  exports  and 
sales.  It's  an  adventure  and,  if  any  of  you 
are  interested,  you  can  learn  about  it 
atwww.TheGreenStandard.org.  I'd  love 
to  see  a  bunch  of  you  there  and  look 
forward  to  catching  up  wherever. 

Alice  Cary  Farmer  Brown:  We're 
trying  not  to  feel  ancient  as  our  oldest 
child  turns  50  this  yr.  and  our  oldest 
grandchild  just  turned  20  and  6  other 
grandchildren  are  teenagers.  One  little 
guy  is  still  just  1 1 .  We  managed  to 
drive  up  to  The  Pomfret  School  in  a  wild 
blizzard  recently  to  see  a  granddaughter 
dance  as  a  Flapper  Girl  in  the  school's 
musical  revival  of  "Thoroughly  Modern 
Millie."  A  week  earlier  we  had  driven  up 
to  Deerfield  Academy  to  see  a  grandson 
come  in  2nd  in  a  ski  race  of  over  200 
skiers  from  10  boarding  schools.  We're 
off  to  FL  to  visit  my  mother-in-law  (99) 
who  wants  to  go  out  every  night!  We 
plan  to  spend,  as  usual,  all  of  May  and 
Jun.  at  our  place  in  Vienna.  We  were 
there,  also  as  usual,  all  of  Oct.  and  Nov. 
We  returned  in  time  for  a  big  family 
Christmas  in  Telluride,  CO,  with  our 
youngest  son  and  his  family.  I  share 
our  class's  enormous  sadness  over 
the  untimely  deaths  of  Ethel  Bruner 
and  Gretchen  Smith.  Both  were  truly 
special  young  women.  I  feel  fortunate  to 
have  known  them. 

Penny  Fisher  Duncklee:  Jan. 
took  me  to  CA  to  visit  Clint  and  Dave 
and  their  families.  Of  course,  it  was  fun 
visiting,  going  to  the  San  Diego  Zoo  and 
Ventura  beach.  The  train  ride  to  Ventura 
from  Oceanside  was  wonderful.  We 
should  all  get  back  to  taking  trains. 

John  is  writing  some  neat  books 
(www.johnduncklee.com),  and  I'm  paint- 
ing when  I'm  not  "pottywashing"  (doing 
all  the  other  stuff  instead  of  what  you  say 
you  are  going  to  do  that  day).  I've  taught 
one  of  John's  writing  students  how  to  use 


a  computer.  Yesterday  I  had  a  pleasant 
moment  when  I  won  an  award  for  this 
fun  watercolor  painting.  I've  been  a  little 
discouraged  lately  because  it's  seemed 
that  only  scribbles  and  splashes  were 
deemed  "good  art."  "Why  bother  to  learn 
to  draw  or  use  paint?"  I  asked.  Getting  a 
little  prize  shut  me  up  nicely. 

This  Jun.,  we're  taking  our  camper 
to  Knoxville,  TN,  for  John's  annual  West- 
ern Writers  of  America  Convention.  We'll 
zigzag  our  way  out  and  back  so  we  can 
explore  and  I  can  paint  some  of  the  neat 
places  along  the  way.  We're  happy  and 
healthy  and  enjoying  life.  My  Web  site  is: 
www.pennyduncklee.com. 

(Ali's  note:  Did  anyone  want  to  know 
what  "potty  washing  was?... I  wrote 
Penny  and  she  answered:  "Pottywashing 
goes  like  this:  I  get  up  from  the  break- 
fast table  and  head  to  my  studio.  On  the 
way  I  see  that  the  iron  is  still  out  on  the 
counter  from  cooling  off  after  ironing 
clothes  yesterday.  I  stop  and  put  the 
iron  away,  As  the  cabinet  door  is  open 
I  see  the  plant  fertilizer  and  remember 
that  I  was  going  to  feed  the  plants  in  the 
front  hall  last  week.  I  get  the  fertilizer 
out,  dilute  some  of  it  and  go  water  and 
feed  the  plants.  Then  I  notice  that  the 
window  in  the  front  hall  is  dirty.  So  I 
wash  the  window  and  the  ones  in  the 
dining  room  and  living  room.  By  then  an 
hour  has  gone  by,  and  it's  time  for  a  cup 
of  coffee.  And,  I  haven't  done  my  email 
yet.  Suddenly  it's  1 1 :30  and  nearly  time 
for  lunch,  and  I  haven't  touched  a  brush 
or  wet  the  paints,  or,  even  thought  about 
the  painting.  THAT  is  pottywashing. 

Jackie  Hekma  Stone:  Synopsis 
of  My  Life  So  Far.  After  I  graduated, 
I  worked  as  a  media  buyer  for  Young 
and  Rubicam  until  I  got  married  in  '63 
to  Charles  Lanier  Stone.  We  moved 
to  Greenwich  where  we  have  lived  in 
the  same  house  for  47  yrs.  We  had  2 
daughters  and  now  have  5  grandchil- 
dren (2-13),  which  we  enjoy  spending 
time  with.  After  various  volunteer  jobs, 
I  realized  I  love  to  teach  and  learn.  I  got 
my  masters  in  elem.  education  from 
Manhattanville  Coll.  In  74  and  taught 
middle  school  at  Greenwich  Academy 
for  1 0  yrs.  before  becoming  the  Head 
of  Middle  School  in  1982. 1  loved  that 
job,  but  decided  to  move  on  in  '89  to  a 
degree  in  landscape  architecture.  Just 
at  the  time  I  decided  this  was  not  for 
me,  I  was  asked  to  be  a  consultant  to 
the  School  of  the  Holy  Child,  which  was 
forming  a  middle  school.  I  was  the  1st 
dir.  of  the  Middle  School  of  the  Holy 
Child  in  Rye,  NY  for  6  yrs.  During  that 
time,  I  pursued  my  Ph.D.  in  education 
from  Fordham  U.,  which  I  finally  earned 
in  '02.  Next  I  was  a  Clinical  Assistant 
Professor  at  Fordham  teaching  and 
running  their  Secondary  Initial  Teacher 
Program  full  time  for  3  yrs.  Since  retir- 
ing, I  occasionally  teach  as  an  adjunct 
professor  at  local  universities.  I'm  look- 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


ing  forward  to  getting  more  involved  in 
local  education  programs  as  a  volunteer. 
I'm  involved  in  tennis  and  boating;  I  oc- 
casionally ski  and  play  golf.  My  current 
passion  is  playing  duplicate  bridge. 

Meriwether  Hagerty  Rumrill:  I'm 
so  lucky  to  have  the  1st  (Charles  Rumrill 
called  Chip)  of  my  6  grandkids  living 
close  by  in  Alexandria  and  have  the  joy 
of  watching  him  change  weekly.  The 
mighty  snows  that  hit  VA  were  also  a  joy 
this  winter  since  I  could  just  walk  out  the 
front  door,  put  on  my  cross  country  skis 
and  get  on  a  trail  through  the  woods  and 
around  my  lake.  Clients  are  beginning  to 
call  and  I  am  eager  to  get  back  to  work 
(that's  from  someone  who  loves  her 
work).  I  still  feel  the  loss  of  Gretchen 
Smith  whom  I  was  getting  to  know  as 
we  shared  our  joy  of  dancing. 

We  were  hoping  to  meet  in  DC  so 
we  could  enjoy  together  the  best  dance 
venue  in  the  country.  Great  love  of 
family,  friends,  fun  and  work,  and  good 
health.  I  feel  very  blessed. 

Gay  Hart  Gaines:  Sadly,  Stanley 
and  I  suffered  the  loss  of  our  eldest 
son  last  Jun.  18,  to  the  ravages  and 
complications  from  his  lifelong  Juvenile 
Diabetes.  (Type  1)  He  was  only  48,  and 
it  was  the  worst  blow  we  have  ever 
had.  One  has  to  keep  on  going  for  the 
sake  of  all  our  family.  You  never  get 
over  it.  Really.  You  somehow  get  around 
it.  We  celebrated  our  50th  wedding 
anniv.  with  all  of  our  children  and  1 0  of 
the  1 1  grandchildren  and  it  was  bitter 
sweet,  but  wonderful.  We  took  the  whole 
family  to  Williamsburg  for  a  wonderful 
dose  of  history  as  well  as  sports  and 
wonderful  food.  It  was  a  big  success. 
I  still  represent  FL  on  Mount  Vernon's 
board  and  am  totally  committed  to  my 
favorite  hero,  George  Washington.  I 
was  elected  chairman  of  the  Capital 
Campaign  to  raise  $80  million  to  build 
a  library  honoring  our  1st  and  greatest 
President  and  am  very  excited  about 
it.  I'm  also  working  for  some  exciting 
political  candidates,  Marco  Rubio  for  the 
FL  Senate,  a  thrilling  young  man,  John 
Kasich  for  Gov.  of  OH  and  think  he's  just 
what  OH  needs  and  Lt.  Col.  Allen  West 
for  our  Congressman,  here  in  FL.  We 
finally  moved  into  our  wonderful  new 
home  on  the  ocean  in  time  for  Thanks- 
giving and  Christmas,  and  we  adore  it. 
We  named  it  "Lalaland"  because  all  of 
Palm  Beach  is  really  Lalaland! 

Trudie  Jackson  Smither:  I've 
been  working  on  my  h,  s,  55th  reunion 
in  Sept.  We  have  a  very  active  and  in- 
terested class  and  hope  for  even  more, 
perhaps,  than  for  our  50th,  In  May,  I'm 
going  out  of  the  country  for  the  1  st  time 
in  yrs.  to  Prague,  where  I'll  be  one  of  a 
tour  of  17  people  who  will  be  sponsored 
and  led  by  the  cultural  leaders  of  the 
Czech  Republic  in  the  US.  It's  7  days, 
staying  in  Prague.  I'm  really  looking 
forward  to  it. 

Summer  2010  •  39 


Jame  Jamison  Messer  At  the 

moment  I'm  melanoma  free.  I  see  my 
oncologist  every  3  mos.  at  the  cancer 
center  in  IN.  We  spent  Christmas  at  Dis- 
ney with  3  of  my  children  and  6  of  my 
grandchildren.  I  had  the  wonderful  thrill 
of  swimming  with  the  dolphins  and  5  of 
my  grandchildren.  A  survivor  indeed,  I'm 
leaving  tomorrow  to  go  to  Grand  Rapids, 
Ml,  to  celebrate  my  granddaughter's 
birthday.  I've  made  a  snowboard  cake! 
We'll  go  north  for  the  weekend  where 
we  spend  part  of  our  summers  on  beau- 
tiful Torch  Lake  near  Traverse  City. 

Jini  Jones  Vail:  I'm  waiting  for 
good  news  on  my  book.  Hope  it  will 
come  this  week.  It's  being  read  by  a  new 
publisher  in  Yardley,  PA. 

Elizabeth  Johnson  Lipscomb 
I  continue  to  treasure  opportunities  to 
take  advantage  of  SBC  events.  Lloyd  and 
I  enjoyed  a  wonderful  performance  of 
Dylan  Thomas's  radio  play,  Under  Milk- 
wood,  transformed  into  a  lively  drama 
by  Professor  William  Kershner.  He's  the 
chair  of  the  dept.  of  theatre  and  dance, 
and  his  outstanding  cast  of  SB  students 
and  neighbors.  Dean  Jonathan  Green 
composed  music  for  the  production.  The 
program  noted  that  this  yr.  marks  the 
100th  anniv.  of  Paint  and  Patches!  I'll  be 
back  on  campus  in  Apr.  for  the  spring 
meeting  of  the  Friends  of  the  Library. 

Isa  Mary  Lowe  Zieglar  Though 
it's  not  a  competition,  I'd  love  to  know 
if  I'm  the  oldest  1  st-time  grandparent 
in  the  class.  Our  1st  just  celebrated  his 
2nd  birthday. 

Sorrel  Mackall  Mcelroy:  All  is 
great  with  us.  We're  still  in  the  country 
outside  of  Richmond  enjoying  good 
health  and  our  1 3  grand  children.  We 
just  returned  from  a  week  of  sailing 
with  one  of  the  families  in  the  BVIs.  It's 
such  a  treat.  I  love  being  part  of  the  SBC 
book  club,  We  talk  a  lot,  but  do  read  the 
books! 

Virginia  MacKethan  Kitchen: 
Here  I  am  faux  belting  out  a  song  at  the 
Sun  Studio,  where  Elvis  recorded.  Corky 
and  I  were  in  Memphis  for  a  wk.  in  Feb. 
to  visit  our  3rd  son,  Cameron  and  his 
wife  and  2  young  boys.  Our  2nd  son 
Alexander,  who  lives  in  Charlottesville, 
was  also  there  with  his  daughter  and 
son.  Cameron  is  director  of  the  Brooks 
Art  Museum  in  Memphis.  For  our  50th 
wedding  anniv.  celebration  Corky  and 
I  took  a  Tauck  Tour  trip  last  fall  to  St. 
Petersburg  and  Moscow  and  then  rented 
an  apt.  for  a  wk.  in  Paris. 

Vicki  Meeks  Blair-Smith:  I've 
been  up  to  my  ears  with  a  60th  grade 
school  reunion,  would  you  believe,  and 
then  away  at  the  CAN-AM  Crown  sled 
dog  races.  (Caroline  did  206  mi.  of  the 
250-mi.  race.)  Since  I  had  to  do  some 
bio  thing  for  the  60th  in  May,  I  gave  it 
a  SBC  touch  for  you.  Ages  ago,  I  went 
back  to  one  reunion  and  enjoyed  it, 
especially  since  I  was  able  to  ride  even 

40  •  Summer  2010 


though  I  hadn't  ridden  for  many  years. 
Here's  a  brief  bio  of  my  life:  At  SBC 
'til  end  of  soph,  yr.,  I  transferred  to  St. 
John's,  Annapolis  to  be  with  Jon  Sweet.  I 
did  yr.  1  of  the  4-yr.  program  as  student; 
Jon  &  I  married  in  '58;  held  a  variety  of 
non-jobs  while  Jon  finished  senior  yr. 
Then  we  moved  to  Denver  where  Jon's 
started  law  school.  Another  variety  of 
non-jobs  ended  as  sec.  receptionist  for 
Denver  Country  Day  (now  Kent  Denver) 
where  I  stayed  for  6  yrs.,  going  to  DU  at 
night.  Unfortunately  the  marriage  didn't 
succeed.  In  '65  I  earned  a  B.A.  with  a 
major  in  history  and  a  minor  in  history. 
of  art.  My  parents  died  relatively  young 
in  '65  and  '66  causing  me  to  move  back 
to  CT.  I  went  to  SBC  in  part  because 
my  aunt  Marjorie  E.  Silvester  was  '34; 
she  rode  for  Miss  Rogers  (probably  why 
I  "won"  the  Freshman  Horsemanship 
Cup  &  majored  in  philosophy  under 
"Lucifer."  While  I  had  many  friends  at 
SBC,  my  best  friends  left  when  I  did;  as 
a  Northerner  then,  it  became  tiresome 
to  deal  with  the  Mexican  &  Civil  Wars. 
My  manners  were  not  "Southern;"  I  was 
called  into  D.  Jester's  office  regularly  for 
being  "rude" — e.g.  forgetting  to  punctu- 
ate sentences  with  "M'am."  In  New 
Haven,  we  used  "Sir"  -surname  for  male 
teachers  but  Miss  or  Mrs.  +  surname  for 
woman;  even  Hey,  Sir  was  OK!  In  1967, 
I  moved  to  Cambridge  to  work  on  a  Ted 
Sizer  project  at  H'vard's  Ed.  School, 
A  Study  of  the  American  Independent 
School.  I  met  Hugh  a.k.a.  Bear  sailing; 
he  was  an  engineer  at  MIT/Draper  Lab 
on  the  Apollo  space  project;  we  married 
in  '68  and  have  2  children  who  were 
"Lifers"  at  BB&N  in  Cambridge:  Rob, 
a  graduate  of  Lake  Forest,  is  married 
and  works  as  an  engineer  for  Cbeyond. 
They  live  in  Downers  Grove,  IL  and 
have  2  children:  Amelia  (1 1 )  and  Adam 
(8).  Caroline,  a  graduate  of  Bowdoin,  is 
Program  Director  for  Outward  Bound, 
ME.  She  and  her  Brit  husband  Andy 
live  nr.  Bethel;  they  have  1 5  sled  dogs 
with  whom  they  run  tours  and  race.  See 
my  Grand  Puppies  at:  www.sledpets. 
com.  While  the  children  were  young,  I 
volunteered  in  their  various  school  librar- 
ies and  earned  a  Simmons  MLS  in  1 991 
leading  to  work  in  Technical  Services 
(mostly  cataloguing)  in  the  h.  s.  library, 
a  special  library  in  Boston  (NEHGS),  and 
a  Public  Library  on  Cape  until  I  retired 
in  2009,  primarily  to  spend  more  time 
in  genealogical  research.  A  dog  owner 
since  age  15,  I've  had  2  Dais,  a  string 
of  5  Goldens,  and  now  a  string  of  retired 
Alaskan  Huskies  from  Caroline's  sled 
dog  colleagues  in  ME.  I  moved  to  the 
Cape  about  a  decade  ago  between  jobs 
to  be  more  at  hand  for  Hugh's  mother 
who  lived  into  her  90s  on  the  B-S  family 
property  in  Dennis;  Hugh  followed  about 
2005  when  he  retired.  Avid  sailors, 
we  cruised  in  ME  with  the  kids  for  yrs. 
and  now  keep  the  same  Vindo  sloop 


in  Marion  on  Buzzards  Bay.  I  gave  up 
sailing  for  kayaking  over  a  decade  ago 
with  a  new  interest  in  wildlife,  ecology  & 
geology,  and  go  out  regularly  with  AMC. 
Hugh  works  for  the  local  U.S.  Power 
Squadron  and  gets  his  "crew"  thru  them. 
I  also  lap  swim,  enjoy  "woodsing"  on  our 
property  and  am  relearning  recreational 
reading.  We  travel  some.  Our  favorite 
home  away  from  home  being  the  Aigas 
Field  Centre,  nr.  Inverness,  Scotland, 

Lizora  Miller  Yonce:  We  still  live  in 
Greenwich,  but  winter  in  Boca  Grande, 
FL,  and  spend  part  of  the  summer  in 
Fishers  Island,  NY.  Mary  Blair,  Tabb  & 
Mary  Ballou  came  to  BG  in  Jan.,  and 
we  had  fun  in  the  cold  weather.  I  have 
4  grandkids.  Sam  (14),  Isabelle  &  Caro- 
line)! 0),  and  Miller  (3). 

Jane  "Puss"  Moore  Banks: 
The  best  thing  that  has  happened  for 
me  was  a  trip  with  my  daughter  to  Ecua- 
dor and  the  Galapagos  Islands  last  Jun. 
It  was  a  learning  and  bonding  experi- 
ence. I  work  with  my  daughter  every  day, 
but  there  were  so  many  things  I  learned 
from  her,  about  her,  and  with  her.  I'm 
fortunate  to  have  my  2  older  children  in 
the  business  with  me.  My  daughter,  the 
RN,  is  dir,  of  nursing  services  and  my 
son  is  business  manager  and  will  take 
over  when  I  retire.  I'm  not  planning  on 
that  real  soon!  Tennis,  paddle  tennis, 
and  three  hrs.  with  a  trainer  each  week 
keep  me  in  shape.  I'm  lovin'  life. 

Fleming  Parker  Rutledge:  Dick 
and  I  renewed  our  vows  on  our  50th 
anniv.  at  the  National  Cathedral  in  Nov. 
with  family  and  a  few  friends  including 
Susan  Taylor  Montague.  The  main 
news,  I  suppose,  is  that  I  will  be  a  visit- 
ing scholar  at  the  American  Academy 
in  Rome  in  Apr.  Our  granddaughter 
Dabney  will  be  studying  the  history  of  art 
in  Rome  for  a  term,  I'm  getting  a  book 
of  Old  Testament  sermons  ready  for 
publication  early  next  yr. 

Ann  Pegram  Howington  reports 
her  excitement  with  the  SBC's  Living 
Room  Learning.  She  comments  that 
Richmond  has  just  caught  on  to  some- 
thing that  has  been  happening  in  Atlanta 
for  40  yrs.  The  SBC  alumnae  group  of 
20  or  so  get  together  weekly  during 
the  2  winter  mos.  to  listen  to  lectures. 
The  basic  approach  is  to  meet  in  a 
member's  home.  They  were  fortunate  to 
have  an  outstanding  professor  (Patrick 
Allitt)  from  Emory  U.  lecture  on  Victorian 
England.  The  series  is  so  popular  that 
there  is  a  long  waiting  list.  The  group 
also  went  to  Symphony  Hall  for  an  eve- 
ning of  entertainment,  including  dining. 
The  result  was  an  elegant  evening  for 
Ladies  of  a  Certain  Age,  plus  friends  and 
a  spouse  or  2. 

Virginia  Ramsey  Crawford: 
returned  from  St.  John's  in  the  Virgin 
Islands.  It  was  beautiful  and  we  got 
in  lots  of  swimming.  My  2  married 
girls  are  well.  Wynne  works  for  H  & 


R  Block;  she's  very  busy.  Her  oldest 
son  was  married  last  Jun.  to  a  fellow 
Cornell  graduate.  My  grandchildren  are 
very  adventurous.  One  of  them  spent 
a  semester  in  Italy,  taking  courses  in 
Italian.  Another  girl  spent  several  mos. 
in  Senegal.  In  all  I  have  6  grandchildren: 
3  boys  and  3  girls.  I'm  living  in  a  CCRC, 
like  it  very  much. 

Judy  Welton  Sargent:  I'm  in  high 
gear  trying  to  declutter  and  get  my 
house  ready  to  put  on  the  market  by 
4/1 .  After  28  yrs.  of  being  a  pack  rat, 
sifting  through  the  accumulated  papers, 
clothes  of  every  size,  and  miscellaneous 
junk,  I'm  somewhat  overwhelmed.  The 
good  thing  is  that  I've  made  some  prog- 
ress. My  2  daughters,  son-in-law  and 
precious  grandson  (2)  moved  to  Austin 
last  fall,  and  I'm  trying  to  catch  up  with 
them.  Enjoy  the  spring! 

Mary  Blair  Scott  Valentine:  We 
continue  to  have  our  59  Book  Club. 
Everyone  is  going  to  hear  Molly  Haskell 
SBC  '61  (I  think)  talk  at  Randolph  Macon 
Coll.  in  Ashland,  VA.  The  topic  is  her 
book  Frankly  My  Dear,  a  critique  of 
GWTW.  Joe  Knox,  husband  of  late  Ella 
Prince,  came  to  talk  to  us  about  The 
Foreign  Student.  He  had  a  SBC  book 
bag!  My  daughter,  who  was  living  in 
Richmond,  moved  to  Kiawah  Island,  SC, 
loves  it.  So,  Stukie  and  I  continue  living 
in  this  cold.  Bah!  Off  to  Anguilla  next 
wk.  to  thaw  out.  Hope  to  see  Claire 
Devener.  (Ali's  Note:  just  got  in  another 
email  from  M.B.  who  says,  "Spent  a 
lovely  evening  with  Claire  Devener  in 
Anguilla,  where  we  are  now.  Sweet  Briar 
girls  can  find  each  other  everywhere.") 

Anne  Smith  Heist:  John  and  I 
are  celebrating  50  happy  yrs.  We  have 
1  daughter  and  4  grandchildren  who 
live  in  Weston,  MA.  After  being  in  the 
clothing  business  for  30  yrs.,  I've  been 
active  as  a  floral  design  judge  with  both 
the  NGC  and  GCA.  We  still  live  on  the 
ocean  in  Ormond  Beach,  FL,  and  travel 
as  much  as  time  allows,  mostly  by  ship 
to  Europe  and  car  and  house  rentals 
there.  I  was  diagnosed  with  a  rare  lung 
condition  1 1  yrs.  ago  and  have  been 
on  oxygen  that  long.  Don't  let  it  get  me 
down  and  all  it  does  is  complicate  our 
travel  a  bit  more  as  flying  isn't  possible. 
It  makes  John  more  creative.  I  see  Ann 
Pegram  Howington  at  flower  shows 
and  she  hasn't  changed  a  bit.  Love  to 
read  about  all  the  other  classmates,  but 
long  to  see  Sue  Pohl,  Barbara  Kelly, 
Anne  Wimbish  Kasanin  and  Cath- 
erine Brownlee  Smeltzer  one  day. 

Judy  Sorley  Simpson  Not  my 
best  yr.:  my  precious  husband,  Kep 
Simpson,  died  in  England  of  mesothe- 
lioma last  summer,  from  exposure  to 
asbestos  51  yrs.  earlier  in  the  Royal 
Navy!  I  now  parent  our  7  grown  children 
and  20  grandchildren  on  both  sides  of 
the  Atlantic,  yo-yoing  back  and  forth, 
and  spending  every  Jan.,  May  and 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Sept.  in  our  cottage  in  Little  Missenden 
in  the  UK.  (If  anyone  is  interested  ,  it 
is  available  for  rent  most  of  the  year. 
2  bedrooms  in  a  delicious  converted 
barn  in  one  of  the  most  charming  15th 
century  villages  in  Buckinghamshire.  50 
min.  from  London  by  train.)  Had  just  re- 
turned to  NJ  in  early  Feb.  and  fell  flat  on 
black  ice  in  our  driveway,  smashed  my 
forehead,  elbow,  and  knees,  3  wks.  in 
hospital  and  now  about  to  go  home,  No 
more  snow  for  me.  It  has  haunted  me 
from  NJ  to  Atlanta  to  the  UK,  and  it  is 
still  snowing,  28"  in  the  last  24  hours, 
and  it's  nearly  Mar.! 

Rew  Price  Came:  A  friend  of 
mine  plus  me,  my  brother  and  his  wife 
and  a  friend  of  theirs  took  a  cruise  to 
the  southern  Caribbean  in  Nov.  We 
visited  6  islands,  a  wonderful  time.  I 
had  cataract  surgery  in  Feb.  and  that  is 
such  a  fantastic  thing.  Now  I'm  thinking 
about  fixing  a  bunion  problem.  Such  fun 
getting  all  these  parts  corrected. 

Polly  Space  Dunn:  Winter  has  been 
unusually  cold;  I  painted  a  lot.  We  skied 
one  week  with  the  grandkids,  but  did  no 
socializing  in  that  I  was  recovering  from 
a  face  accident  and  couldn't  talk  too 
well.  I'm  minus  my  front  tooth  for  now. 
Then,  I  fell  again  on  Sat.  and  busted 
open  my  lip!  They're  trying  to  figure 
what  caused  the  falls  in  that  everything 
checked  out  great,  and  I'm  in  "perfect 
health"!  No  one  seems  too  worried,  but 
for  now,  I'm  very  uncomfy.  I  don't  like 
to  talk  ailments  but  honestly,  that's  all 
that's  been  happening!  I'm  looking  for- 
ward to  a  summer  in  the  NC  mountains 
and  to  playing  lots  of  golf.  Other  than 
that,  Mrs.  Lincoln!  Still  remembering 
Reunion  with  lots  of  smiles! 

Val  Stoddard  Loring:  I  returned 
with  my  sister  from  9  days  at  Caneel 
Bay  on  St.  John  to  find  that  spring  has 
arrived  in  MA.  There  are  buds  on  my 
SBC  rose!  Steve  and  I  will  return  to  the 
island  in  late  Mar.  with  8  grandchildren 
and  their  parents.  Where  have  others 
of  you  taken  successful  family  trips?  I'd 
love  to  hear  from  you. 

Susan  Taylor  Montague:  I  took 
a  3-wk.  cruise  from  Buenos  Aires  to 
Santiago  in  Jan.  They're  beautiful  cities 
(or  should  I  say,  were,  before  the  earth- 
quake). Montevideo  and  Valparaiso  are 
beautiful  as  well.  I  returned  just  in  time 
for  the  2  blizzards  we  had  in  Feb.  We're 
finally  rid  of  all  the  snow,  but,  sadly,  all 
the  boxwoods,  and  holly  and  Magnolia 
trees  in  my  yard  are  ruined.  I'm  so  ready 
for  spring, 

Tabb  Thornton  Farinholt:  Really 
have  nothing  to  report  that's  "news," 
just  surviving  a  brutal  winter!  We  went 
to  see  Molly  Haskell  '61  speak  at 
Randolph-Macon  College  (in  Ashland, 
VA).  Her  book,  Frankly,  My  Dear,  on  the 
making  of  Gone  With  the  Wind,  we've 
read  and  loved,  and  I've  heard  her 
speak  before.  Can't  get  enough  of  her! 


She's  articulate,  witty,  informative,  and 
delightful.  We  were  fascinated  by  her 
incisive  analysis  of  many  aspects  of 
the  movie's  making,  and  its  place  (as 
well  as  the  novel's)  in  our  culture.  Molly 
Haskell,  a  renowned  movie  critic,  is  as 
impressive  and  effective  on  her  feet  as 
she  is  in  print,  and  we  were  so  proud  to 
claim  her  and  bask  in  all  that  reflected 
enlightenment. 

Kathy  Tyler  Sheldon:  I  was 
shocked  and  surprised  to  hear  of 
Gretchen's  death.  I  can  see  her  so 
well  in  my  mind's  eye  at  Reunion.  My 
sympathy  goes  out  to  the  family.  We're 
snowed  under  this  wk.  after  having 
a  mild  Christmas.  John  and  I  visited 
our  daughter  in  Vancouver  in  Oct.  and 
stopped  off  to  see  our  eldest  grandson 
who  is  playing  ice  hockey  at  the  Ontario 
Hockey  Academy.  He's  off  this  wk.  to 
play  in  Pittsburgh,  but  we  don't  know 
what  all  of  this  will  lead  to! 

Ali  Thompson:  I  just  came  up 
from  the  beach  (5  min.  walk)  where  I've 
been  taking  a  water  aerobics  class  with 
a  Styrofoam  noodle — for  an  hour.  We 
call  ourselves  the  "Noodle  Soup  Gang." 
And,  being  it  is  humpback  whale  season 
here;  we  see  a  lot  of  whales  and  their 
calves  cavorting  around  in  the  ocean 
while  exercising.  My  "Plunkers"  Band 
is  still  plunking  along  with  16  members 
and  my  oldest  member  just  turned 
90  in  Feb.  and  she's  still  dancing  the 
hula!  We'll  be  taking  off  for  Turkey  in 
latter  part  of  Apr.,  so  that  should  be  an 
interesting  trip. 


mo 


Carol  Barnard  Ottenberg 
1420  41  st  Ave.  E 
Seattle,  WA  981 12 
ottenbergc@aol.com 


mt 


Jean  Hutchins  Sharland 
1724  Aberdeen  Cir. 
Crofton.MD  21114 
thefroghall@verizon.net 

ma 

Parry  Ellice  Adam 
33  Pleasant  Run  Rd. 
Flemington,  NJ  08822 
peaba@comcast.net 
908-782-3754 

Addie  Kamke  Cook  is  busy  teaching 
English  at  a  local  coll.  She  paints  as 
well,  having  done  several  murals,  wa- 
tercolors,  and  also  some  sculpture.  They 
live  in  the  middle  of  the  Finger  Lakes 
Region  of  NY,  home  of  267  wineries! 
They  sold  their  lake  house,  but  still  have 
2  guest  rooms  and  a  boat.  Fishing  and 
swimming  are  good.  Addie  has  a  son 


who  is  moving  from  Virginia  Beach  to 
College  Station,  TX.  He's  a  veterinarian 
dermatologist;  his  wife  is  working  on  a 
pathology  degree.  They  have  2  children. 
Addie's  daughter  lives  nearby  in  Canan- 
daigua,  NY,  with  her  2  children. 

Cute  message  from  Bettye  Thom- 
as Chambers:  "If  everyone  has  as  little 
news  as  I  do,  you  have  a  thankless  job 
indeed.  No  children,  no  grandchildren, 
no  nobel  prizes,  no  American  Idol  or 
lottery  winnings," 

Ann  Ritchey  Baruch  is  spending 
8  mos.  of  the  yr.  on  Spring  Island,  SC,  a 
beautiful  marshland  community  focused 
on  preserving  native  habitats  with  35 
mi.  of  hiking  trails  and  200+  species  of 
birds.  Ginger  Cates  Mitchell  is  also 
there.  Gardening  is  Ann's  passion.  She 
has  started  a  native  plant  propagation 
and  rescue  group  and  has  joined  the 
Board  of  the  SC  Nature  Conservancy. 
She's  still  on  the  Board  of  NC  Outward 
Bound  School,  running  a  scholarship 
program  that  sends  20-25  inner-city 
young  Philadelphians  on  2-3  wk. 
courses.  Her  son,  David,  will  be  married 
on  May  15. 


1963 


Jane  Goodridge 
31-CArchdaleSt. 
Charleston,  SC  29401 
jane_goodridge@att.net 

After  the  long,  cold  winter  everyone  who 
responded  to  me  was  longing  for  spring! 
Betsey  Beale  was  struggling  through 
back-to-back  snowstorms  at  her  farm 
and  reported  that  even  her  Great  Pyr- 
enees dogs  had  trouble  walking!  Lynn 
Carol  Blau  reported  that  CT  has  had 
more  rain  than  snow  and  that  a  visit  to 
FL  kept  them  in  winter  coats.  She  and 
Jeffrey  were  planning  a  trip  to  Honolulu 
at  the  end  of  Mar.  as  well  as  a  musical 
summer  atTanglewood  and  Aspen.  CT 
is  still  their  base;  Jeffrey  is  still  work- 
ing and  Lynn  has  been  active  on  the 
Hartford  Art  School  and  New  Britain  Art 
Museum  Boards  Randy  Kendig  Young 
had  an  unusually  cold  winter  in  FL; 
she  stays  busy  with  Garden  Club  and 
golf.  Her  granddaughter  was  sailing  in 
the  Bahamas  for  51/2  wks.  of  sea  turtle 
tagging — yes,  learning  can  be  fun! 

Ann  Funkhouser  Strite-Kurz's 
recent  travels  have  been  to  visit  the 
grandkids — 3  boys  (ages  10, 7,  and  4) 
on  the  West  Coast  and  twin  boys  (3)  on 
the  East  Coast.  They  spent  the  holidays 
at  Rehoboth  Beach  and  were  marooned 
at  son  Jeff's  house  in  Alexandria  for  2 
days  beforehand  thanks  to  the  1  st  big 
blizzard  that  paralyzed  Washington.  They 
had  2  ft.  of  snow  at  the  family  farm  in 
WV  and  the  horses  loved  it!  Her  new 
book,  Potpourri  of  Pattern  Encore  is  on 
track  for  a  Jun.  release.  Anyone  interest- 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


ed  in  seeing  Ann's  needlework  can  find 
her  teaching  portfolio  and  commercial 
designs  on  www.needleartworks.com. 

Laura  Lee  Brown  was  in  FL  where 
her  husband  Steve  was  training  for 
coaching;  after  some  back-and-forth 
she  explained  that  he  was  driving  car- 
riages or  carts.  In  Sept.,  Ginger  Cates 
Mitchell,  Prue  Gay  Stuhr,  Mary  Gro- 
etzinger  Heard,  Sue  Jones  Cansler, 
Judy  Gutches  Needham,  and  Cinnie 
Hooten  Magowan  joined  her  in  Louis- 
ville for  the  Idea  Festival.  They  stayed  in 
Hotel  21c  within  walking  distance  of  the 
lectures  and  had  a  splendid  time.  Laura 
Lee  and  Steve  are  off  to  Stockholm  for 
an  art  opening  of  an  exhibit  that  features 
American  pieces  from  their  collection. 

In  her  note  Prue  Gay  Stuhr 
mentioned  an  earlier  posting  from 
Lea  Osbourne  Angell  about  a  joint 
replacement  prior  to  our  45th  reunion; 
Prue  now  belongs  to  that  small  club 
as  she  had  the  final  hip  replaced  in 
1 2/09  and  is  recovering  well  thanks  to 
the  medical  people  and  her  husband 
Ed.  She  mentioned  the  50th  anniv.  of 
the  Greensboro  (NC)  Four  who  sat  in  at 
Woolworth's  and  was  reminded  of  the 
brave  women  at  SBC  who  sat  in  the 
Lynchburg  Woolworth's.  She  hopes  that 
the  history  will  be  recorded  by  a  profes- 
sor and  student  collaboration.  It's  been  a 
while  since  we've  heard  from  Barbara 
Sullivan  Wanamaker,  but  she's  still 
in  Huntington  (NY)  on  Long  Island  and 
selling  real  estate.  She  opened  her  own 
real  estate  company  2  yrs.  ago  after 
leaving  Coldwell  Banker.  She  said  that 
she  figured  she  "would  give  it  a  shot 
at  this  stage  of  my  life"  with  a  young 
builder;  now  they  have  3  offices,  70 
agents,  and  24/7  days!  It's  been  very 
successful  so  far  and  they  hope  to  keep 
growing!  For  more  information  see  www. 
sphhomes.com.  Barbara  spends  any 
free  time  with  daughter  Amy,  married 
to  Joe,  and  3  grandsons  who  live  near 
her.  Her  other  daughter  Laura  is  married 
to  Sebastien,  a  French  chef;  they  have 
a  son  Alexandre  and  plan  to  open  their 
1  st  restaurant  named  Le  Coimtre  in  the 
Williamsburg  section  of  Brooklyn  in  May 
and  will  welcome  any  SBC  people.  Her 
son  Dave  lives  in  Manhattan  and  sells 
real  estate  there  so  at  least  one  followed 
her  into  the  business! 

Ginger  Cates  Mitchell  and  Mitch 
are  spending  a  lot  of  time  at  their  home 
in  Spring  Island  (SC)  and  traveling  as 
much  as  possible  while  they  can.  They 
had  wonderful  trips  last  year  to  Peru  and 
a  cruise  on  the  Baltic;  they're  looking 
forward  to  another  trip  to  Italy  in  May. 
They  are  also  on  the  road  a  good  bit 
trying  to  keep  up  with  a  fast-growing 
passel  of  grandchildren  spread  from  NY 
to  Mexico. 

Pat  Calkins  Wilder  is  still  photo- 
graphing as  full  time  as  she  can.  Pat 
plans  to  travel  in  the  fall  with  a  long 

Summer  2010  -41 


photo  journey  in  the  southwest.  She  and 
Mike  finished  a  long,  messy  construc- 
tion project  for  which  she  packed  away 
everything  to  keep  it  out  of  drywall 
dust,  and  they  hope  to  have  things 
back  together  before  the  winter  snows 
melt.  Their  kids  are  fine  and  liking  what 
they  do;  there's  one  grandchild  in  each 
family:  Ben  (11)  and  Clara  (2).  They're  in 
Seattle  and  England. 

Sallie  Yon  Williams  wrote  that 
she  spends  her  time  bouncing  back  and 
forth  from  Virginia  Beach  to  NY  to  see 
son  Whit  and  his  daughter  Allegra  (7) 
and  to  Istanbul  where  son  Courtney  lives 
with  his  wife  Nazli  and  Emyr  (2).  They 
compromised  at  Christmas  and  met  in 
Paris  for  a  wk.  together.  By  the  time  they 
got  organized  the  only  tree  available 
looked  remarkably  like  Charlie  Brown's, 
but  it  had  lights  and  a  few  ornaments 
with  a  paper  star  made  by  Allegra,  so 
the  children  were  pleased.  Santa  found 
them,  stockings  and  all;  it  was  one  of 
those  last  minute  decisions  that  became 
an  unforgettable  experience. 

My  sincere  thanks  to  everyone  who 
sent  me  updates  and  all  the  best  to 
everyone  in  our  class! 


1%4 


Ginny  deBuys 
H16  Shirley  Lane 
Lawrenceville,  NJ  08648 
gdebuys@comcast.net 

If  you  haven't  signed  up  to  receive  Presi- 
dent Parker's  blog  postings,  I  encourage 
you  to  do  so.  Some  day's  it's  a  light  note 
about  an  event  on  campus  and  on 
others  it's  a  serious  reflection  on  the 
academic  program,  the  College's  future 
or  her  experiences  with  the  students.  It's 
a  great  way  to  keep  in  touch  when  you 
are  far  away  (http://blog.president.sbc. 
edu).  Thanks  to  Grace  Mary  Garry 
Oates  and  Dona  Van  Arsdale  Jones 
who  helped  me  gather  news.  Before 
your  next  trip,  get  a  class  list  and  see 
where  your  classmates  are.  Almost 
everyone  who  responds  says  to  visit  or 
call  if  you're  in  their  area.  If  you  need 
more  details,  just  ask  me.  Then 
remember  to  look  at  the  list!  I  just 
missed  seeing  Lynn  Youngs  Esmay  in 
Naples  because  I  didn't  check  my  list 
early  enough  Sheila  Carroll  Cooprider 
writes  that  she  "retired  on  5/1/09  from 
the  active  Episcopal  priesthood.  Have 
you  ever  known  a  passive  priest? 
Retiring  meant  resigning  from  the 
perfect  job  and  then  moving  on  to  the 
Denver  area  (Bloomfield,  CO)  where 
Chuck's  mother  lives,  and  our  daughter 
LeaAnn,  husband  Geoff  and  son  Logan 
(3)  and  6-mo.-old  Maya  live  also.  With 
more  time  now,  we  can  also  be  with 
our  Illinois  (St.  Louis  area)  daugh- 
ter Kathryn  and  her  men,  Roger  and 

42  •  Summer  2010 


Aidan  (9),  Evan  (6)  and  Kellan  (1).  Chuck 
has  pretty  well  finished  with  his  course 
on  retirement,  but  I'm  only  beginning  to 
learn  'Retirement.'  I'm  trying  to  practice 
my  new  findings,  but  with  faltering 
steps.  I'm  certain  someday  the  picture 
will  clear.  Come  see  us!  Tuck  Mattern 
Harvey  visited  and  had  a  great  reunion 
with  Sheila.  "Ralph  and  I  are  enjoying 
retirement.  I  play  duplicate  bridge  and 
we  travel.  I  met  Edi  Lasher  Birch  last 
Jun.  and  spent  the  evening  catching  up. 
Last  Fall  I  visited  with  Pam  Hellmuth 
Wiegandt  and  Ebbie  Evans  Edwards 
and  found  them  both  well."  In  Mar., 
Stephanie  Stokes  was  "in  Villefranche 
for  a  mo.  studying  French,  seeing  the 
museums  of  the  Cote  d'Azur,  going  to 
Opera  Galas  in  Monaco  and  Nice,  and 
seeing  great  friends.  Will  go  on  to 
Maastricht  for  the  fair  before  returning." 
Sounds  like  fun!  Stephanie  now  works 
from  home  (when  she's  home!)  Mary 
Duer  Colen  is  a  grandmother  for  the 
6th  time.  "We're  building  an  addition  to 
our  farm  in  MD,  so  that  we'll  have  more 
space  to  share  with  them  all."  Mimi 
Couch  Teschner  "has  recently  retired 
after  years  as  director  of  develop- 
ment for  the  Aspen  Music  Festival  and 
School,  one  of  the  country's  pre- 
mier learning  and  presenting  institu- 
tions in  classical  music  and  opera  where 
every  summer  artists  from  Yo-Yo  Ma  to 
Renee  Fleming  perform  and  work  with 
students  and  faculty  members  from  all 
over  the  world.  I  plans  to  continue  active 
community  volunteer  service,  while 
looking  forward  to  exploration 
of  new  pursuits ."  Nancy  Lynah  Hood  is 
on  the  go.  "Roger  has  been  busy  with 
the  Death  Penalty  Project  group,  with 
conferences  in  China  twice,  and  Taipei  in 
Taiwan.  He  did  his  stint  at  UVa  in  Apr, 
and  I  joined  him  for  a  spell  in  Charlot- 
tesville and  visiting  Washington.  We  had 
brilliant  trips  to  Turkey  in  May  and  to 
Tunisia  in  Sept.  Taipei  houses  the  Chaing 
Kai  Chek  collection  of  Chinese 
antiquities  taken  from  the  Forbidden  City 
in  a  huge  Palace  Museum,  so  that  kept 
me  busy  "  Vera  LeCraw  Carvaillo 
enjoys  her  family  and  granddaughter 
Julie  who  is  2  and  totally  bilingual.  After 
a  wonderful  family  Christmas  near 
Geneva,  they  rented  "a  32-ft.  sailboat 
and  sailed  between  Marseilles  and 
Cassis  on  the  Riviera  for  4  days, 
mooring  in  quaint  little  ports  each  night. 
It  was  our  present  to  Philippe  for  his 
70th  birthday!  We've  also  purchased  a 
new  boat  to  keep  on  Lake  Geneva  near 
daughter  Patricia.  We  still  haven't 
retired!  We  continue  looking  for  a 
solution  to  avoid  closing  down  the 
company  and  abandoning  employees 
and  clients.  It  hasn't  been  easy,  but 
miracle  after  miracle  has  kept  us  going. 
We're  thankful  for  the  health  to  go  on 
working  and  also  to  enjoy  our 
blessings   Marsh  Metcalf  Seymour  is 


now  bi-coastal,  racking  up  airline  miles 
between  VA  and  CA.  "My  mother  passed 
away  in  Jan.  just  after  her  96th  birthday. 
I'm  clearing  out  centuries  of  family 
artifacts  and  art  works!  Anyone  wishing 
to  visit  on  either  coast  should  contact 
me  1  st  to  determine  where  I  am!  We 
traveled  twice  with  the  Friends  of  the 
Freer  and  Sackler  Galleries,  to  L.A.,  and 
then  Cambodia.  Both  were  excellent 
curator-led  trips.  Dona  Van  Arsdale 
Jones  had  a  wonderful  chat  with  Mary 
Daes  Boykin  who  is  busy  and  happy. 
Nina  Sledge  Burke  is  enjoying  her 
children  and  grandchildren  and  is  still 
active  as  Master  of  Fox  Hounds  for  the 
Low  Country  Hunt  in  SC.  Tria  Pell  Dove 
writes:  "I  moved  to  Geneseo,  NY,  to  be 
near  my  sister  with  my  dog,  2  cats  and 
a  horse.  Still  living  in  horse  country.  My 
oldest  granddaughter  is  a  senior  at  St. 
George's  School  in  Newport,  Rl,  and 
starting  to  look  at  colleges.  My  youngest 
grandchild  was  born  5/09,  quite  a 
spread!  I  have  5  all  together."  Carrie 
Peyton  Walker  says:  Why  retire?  "I  like 
what  I  do.  I'm  doing  one-on-one 
language  coaching  at  Gilead  Sciences 
with  fascinating  people,  people  with 
really  interesting  personalities  and 
unusual  life  stories.  In  other  news,  we're 
still  travel  nuts.  Venice  (walking  and 
vaporetti)  and  the  Slovenian  mountains 
by  car  last  summer.  A  friend  of  many 
years  went  with  us,  which  led  to  some 
humorous  comments  when  we  rented  a 
room  together  to  save  money.  And  who 
in  the  world  goes  to  England  and 
Scotland  in  the  middle  of  winter?  We  do. 
Academics  get  early  Jan.  and  Jul.  as 
travel  time.  It  was  a  winter  wonderland 
this  year — the  most  snow  in  1 00  yrs. 
and  very  cold.  But  who  cares?  A  roaring 
fire  and  falling  snow  are  perfect 
together  Missie  Reeder  Crosbie:  We 
spend  a  great  deal  of  time  in  FL  during 
the  winter.  I  married  a  Canadian,  we  live 
in  Toronto,  but  I  finally  got  so  tired  of  the 
cold  winters  that  we  bought  a  little 
house  in  Boca  Grande  on  the  Gulf  Coast. 
Allan  and  I  live  in  the  heart  of  this 
wonderful  city,  Toronto,  and  have  raised 
3  boys  here.  The  youngest  2  are 
married:  one  couple  in  Manhattan  and 
the  other  in  Dubai.  The  eldest  is  with 
Doctors  Without  Borders  in  operations 
and  management  and  considers  his 
home  base  to  be  Cologne,  Germany 
where  his  girlfriend  practices  medicine. 
These  years  have  been  very  busy  with 
various  volunteer  involvements, 
particularly  with  the  boys'  schools  and 
with  the  visual  arts  at  the  Art  Gallery  of 
Ontario.  1 0  yrs.  ago  a  friend  and  I 
co-founded  an  advocacy  group  to 
support  the  visual  arts  in  Toronto  and 
we're  so  pleased  with  the  financial 
contributions  it  has  made  to  individual 
artists  and  to  artistic  projects  here.  I've 
also  had  the  great  privilege  to  serve  on 
the  board  of  the  National  Ballet  of 


Canada  and  be  involved  on  the  board  of 
the  Bata  Shoe  Museum,  a  small, 
delightful  museum  with  a  fabulous 
collection  of  shoes  from  early  Egyptian,  to 
Chinese  to  Christian  Louboutin.  I  talked 
to  Judy  Dunn  Spangenberg  She  and 
her  brother  continue  to  manage  her 
mother's  photography  collection.  You  can 
see  the  pictures  at  www.pheobedunn. 
com  Grace  Mary  Gary  Oates:  I'm 
taking  my  3rd  semester  of  Italian  at  the 
Univ,  of  Maryland.  It's  a  tor  of  work,  but 
I'm  happily  surprised  that  I  can  still  learn 
a  few  new  tricks  in  spite  of  being  such  an 
old  dog;  and  I've  thoroughly  enjoyed  all 
my  new  20-yr.-old  friends.  Who  knew  I'd 
fall  in  love  with  Italy?  As  you  know,  we've 
been  spending  time  in  Rome  every  fall 
for  the  past  7  or  8  years,  thanks  to  a  nice 
association  Wally  has  with  the  U.  of 
Rome,  La  Sapienza.  I  adore  Rome  and 
still  cannot  believe  my  incredible  good 
fortune.  This  past  Sept.  we  tested  our 
stamina  by  going  to  Heidelberg  for  a 
conference  (preceded  by  5  lovely  days  in 
Paris),  then  came  back  here  for  the  U. 
convocation  recognizing  Wally  as  a 
Distinguished  U.  Professor  (something  we 
really  couldn't  miss!),  then  back  the  next 
week  to  Rome.  Lesson:  we  are  way  too 
old  ever  to  try  such  nonsense  again!  As 
for  other  classmates,  I  talk  with  Nancy 
Gillies,  who  is  delightful  and  funny  and 
never  fails  to  cheer  me  up.  I've  had 
several  delightful  telephone  visits  with 
Elizabeth  Matheson  this  past  spring 
We  discovered  that  we're  both  besotted 
with  Italy  so  had  many  notes  to  compare. 
Elizabeth  lives  in  Hillsborough,  NC,  where 
she  grew  up,  and,  as  many  of  you  know, 
is  a  splendid  photographer.  Those  of  us 
who  saw  her  wondertul  photographs  of 
Italy  displayed  in  the  Pannell  Center 
during  Reunion  can  attest  to  her  talent.  It 
was  wonderful  to  see  everyone  at 
Reunion  last  May,  and  I  was  especially 
pleased  to  see  some  classmates  for 
whom  this  was  a  1st  reunion  (Mary 
Fitzhugh  and  Anne  Litle,  for  example) 
and  other  dear  old  friends  like  Linda  Lee 
McAndrew  whom  I  hadn't  seen  forever 
and  ever.  I  hope  more  people  will  decide 
to  come  to  the  50th,  even  if  they've  never 
been  before."  Ginny  concurs  and  says 
she  couldn't  have  said  it  better.  As  for 
Ginny's  news,  I  think  retirement  is  really 
fun!  A  year  ago  I  met  a  guy,  a  widower, 
while  ushering  at  concerts  at  a  Princeton 
University  facility.  We're  both  retired  and 
free  to  play.  This  chilly  Feb.,  we  rented  a 
condo  in  Sarasota,  FL,  for  a  mo.  and 
then,  since  the  Northeast  was  still  snow 
covered,  drove  to  the  Keys  (Key  Largo  to 
Key  West)  and  then  up  to  Cocoa  Beach 
and  the  Kennedy  Space  Center  and  then 
home  by  autotrain.  It  was  a  great  time.  I 
tutor  a  very  kind  and  interesting 
Palestinian  woman  as  a  literacy 
volunteer.  Till  next  time,  be  well  and  keep 
in  touch. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


1965 


1967 


1968 


Sally  McCrady  Hubbard 
52  Sherwood  Trail 
Sewanee,  TN  37375 
sally@hubbard.net 

Eugenia  Dickey  Caldwell  says  she's 
in  a  flap  trying  to  get  ready  to  go  to 
Guangzhou  and  Beijing  in  late  Mar. 
to  teach  a  class.  Peter  will  join  her  in 
Beijing  and  they'll  be  tourists  for  6  days. 
She's  looking  forward  to  seeing  us  girls 
at  Reunion. 

Jane  Merkle  Borden,  after  38 
yrs.  in  Denver,  decided  it  was  time  for 
her  (widowed  8  yrs.)  to  return  to  the 
East  Coast  where  both  her  sons  live  in 
CT  with  their  families.  She's  so  happy. 
Great  fun  to  be  a  hands-on  grand- 
mother. No  regrets. 

Sally  McCrady  Hubbard  s  feared 
retirement  lasted  all  of  9  mos.  and 
then  she  took  an  unexpected  10-mo. 
temporary  job  as  office  manager  of 
the  Sewanee  Summer  Music  Festival. 
Her  father  founded  the  festival  54  yrs. 
ago,  and  she  was  a  piano  student  in 
its  1  st  2  summers — what  goes  around 
comes  around.  They  hope  for  180  stu- 
dents, age  1 2  and  up,  and  plan  4  wks. 
of  intense  study  with  ensemble  and 
orchestra  performances  every  weekend. 
A  great  time  to  visit  Sewanee:  week- 
ends between  June  19  and  July  18. 

A  favorite  local  h.  s.  art  teacher, 
Christi  Teasley,  approached  Sally  at  a 
concert  to  say  that  her  mother,  Merrily 
Austin  Teasley,  had  mentioned  getting 
SBC  mail  from  her.  Remember  Merrily 
from  our  freshman  class?  She  trans- 
ferred and  went  on  to  run  historic  inns 
in  interesting  parts  of  TN  and  NC.  Hope 
we  hear  more  from  her. 

Brooke  Patterson  Koehler  and 
Dan  love  to  travel,  but  their  style  has 
become  seriously  cramped  by  their 
golden  doodle  puppy,  Max.  Brooke  lost 
her  head  at  Christmas  and  bought  said 
puppy  for  Dan.  They  should  have  got- 
ten a  pound  dog — they  support  their 
local  Humane  Society  in  honor  of  their 
beloved  stepdog  who's  no  longer  with 
them.  But  Brooke  secretly  wanted  the 
non-shedding  golden  doodle. 

Last  year  they  took  4  awesome 
trips:  a  cruise  around  Vietnam,  sailing 
from  Hong  Kong  where  they  celebrated 
New  Year's  Eve  amid  unbelievable 
fireworks,  and  ending  in  Singapore;  a 
round-the-world  wildlife  trip  by  private 
jet;  an  African  safari  with  their  son  and 
daughter-in-law;  and  finally  a  cruise  to 
Antarctica  in  Nov. 

Congratulations  to  Elvira  who  has 
worked  tirelessly  and  sometimes  thank- 
lessly; no  one  deserved  it  more!  Brooke 
wishes  she  could  be  with  us  at  Reunion, 
but  this  year  it  won't  work;  maybe  the 
50th. 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Laura  Haskell  Phinizy  has  been 
busy  this  winter  helping  daughter  Laura 
get  ready  to  sell  her  D.C.  home,  with 
real  estate,  and  with  beginning  the 
process  of  settling  her  mother's  estate. 
She  had  Laura,  Keith,  and  the  twins, 
and  Marion's  Wesley  in  Augusta  over 
the  Christmas  holidays,  which  was  dear 
and  helpful,  as  her  mother  died  12/30 
at  home.  The  family  and  business  are 
perking  up  this  spring,  though  com- 
pared to  D.C,  the  real  estate  market  is 
slow  and  low. 


1972 


Randi  Miles  Long 
19  Hidden  Valley  Rd. 
Lafayette,  CA  94549 
randipi@aol.com 

Makanah  Dunham  Morriss 
1317  Rocky  Mountain  Rd. 
Forest,  VA  24551 
revs2uu@aol.com 


Diane  Dalton 

1014  N  Astor  St.,  Apt.  43 
Milwaukee,  Wl  53202 
dbdalton@milwaukeerep.com 


Lynne  Gardner  Detmer 
125  Wareham's  Point 
Williamsburg,  VA  23185 
lgdetmer@aol.com 


1969 


Nancy  Crawford  Bent 
14  Dopping  Brook  Rd. 
Sherborn,  MA  01770 
Ascb61 4@comcast.net 


1970 


Susan  Davenport  Simrill 
4945  Dupont  Ave.  S 
Minneapolis,  MN  55419 
stuart.simrill@gmail.com 


1971 


Lynne  Manov  Sprinsky 
The  Old  Smithy 
2218Rt.87Hwy. 
Montoursville,  PA  17754 
lsprinsky@gmail.com 


Jill  Johnson 

2012  Wolftrap  Oaks  Ct. 

Vienna,  VA  22182 

jilljohnson@isisllc.us 

Ladies,  here  we  are  again.  Lately, 
whenever  someone  says,  "It's  nice  to 
see  you,"  I  have  begun  saying,  "It's  nice 
to  be  seen."  That  is,  until  I  look  in  the 
mirror  and  try  to  figure  out  who  the 
heck  that  fat  old  woman  is  looking  back 
at  me.  All  information  on  new  rejuvenat- 
ing procedures,  surgeon  references,  and 
miracle  cosmetics  are  welcome  and  will 
be  shared. 

In  the  interest  of  our  class  and 
adopting  new  avenues  to  connect,  I've 
started  a  Group  on  Facebook — Sweet 
Briar  Class  72.  Just  so  you  know,  as 
the  admin,  I'm  not  letting  anyone  in 
except  us  girls.  That's  so  we  can  post 
pics,  tell  stories,  and  make  comments 
that  only  we  will  see.  There  are  quite 
a  few  of  our  class  now  on  Facebook 
who  we  don't  hear  from  often,  and  I'll 
be  trying  to  "friend"  and  get  them  to 
join  the  group.  I'm  not  saying  who,  but 
there's  someone  in  fabulous  sunglasses 
in  some  chic  cafe  in  San  Salvador,  then 
there's  someone  doing  the  "Hot  Cha 
Cha"  and  looking  like  a  contestant  on 
Dancing  with  the  Stars,  then  there's 
someone  in  a  pool  doing  some  kind 
of  solo  water  therapy,  and  then  there 
are  a  few  holding  the  most  gorgeous 
grandchildren.  Enough!  Just  consider 
joining,  OK? 

Ann  Barton  Brown  reports  that 
over  the  past  winter  she  enjoyed  a 
great  wk.  on  the  coast  in  rural  Jamaica 
eating  fresh  fruit  and  reading  novels.  A 
perfect  escape  from  the  snows  of  PA! 
She  still  loves  consulting  with  nonprofits 
and  finds  the  challenges  facing  non- 
profits during  this  economic  downturn 
a  wonderful  opportunity  to  help  organi- 
zations completely  rethink  all  aspects 
of  operations  in  order  to  survive  and 
better  serve  their  constituencies.  Ann  is 
welcoming  a  new  cardigan  corgi  puppy 
into  her  home  in  Apr.  and  offers  free 
bedroom  space  to  any  SBC  class  of  72 
members  visiting  Philly.  She  also  has  a 
funky  cottage  in  Cape  May  that  is  avail- 
able for  a  modest  rental  fee  for  those 
seeking  a  beach  getaway. 

Cutler  Bellows  Crockard  and 
Doug  enjoyed  a  wonderful  fall  '09  trip 
to  the  Amalfi  coast,  Rome,  Venice,  Lake 
Como  and  Paris.  After  the  ordeal  of  set- 
tling estates,  the  economic  meltdown 
and  the  aftermath  of  hurricane  Ike, 
it  was  nice  to  get  away  and  think  of 
nothing  but  the  four  major  food  groups: 
pizza,  pasta,  beer  and  wine.  One  of 
the  highlights  of  the  yr.  so  far  has 
been  reconnecting  with  The  Reverend 
Patricia  Reardon  Riggins  Patricia 


was  ordained  in  Jan.  not  far  from  San 
Antonio  and  so  met  Cutler  and  Doug  for 
lunch  after  their  grandson's  1st  birthday 
in  Mar.  It  was  great  to  see  her  and 
they  look  forward  to  many  more  visits 
to  come.  (See  Patricia's  details  below!) 
Cutler  was  also  lucky  enough  to  see 
Susan  Waller  Nading  at  Liz  Clegg 
Woodard  and  Woody's  daughter's 
wedding  in  Dec.  Happy  60th  birthday 
everyone! 

After  25  yrs.  of  working  in  health- 
care admin  Patricia  Reardon  Riggins 
entered  the  Seminary  of  the  Southwest 
in  Austin,  TX.  She  was  ordained  as  an 
Episcopal  priest  in  1/10  and  is  serving 
as  the  Assistant  Rector  at  St.  Francis 
by  the  Lake  in  Canyon  Lake,  TX.  Her 
husband  Mike  is  an  engineer,  work- 
ing for  Sandia  National  Laboratory  in 
Albuquerque,  NM  and  teaching  atTX 
Lutheran  U.  Their  daughter  Gloria  and 
husband  live  in  Rio  Rancho,  NM. 

Vivian  Finlay  has  moved  to  Homer 
by  the  ocean  in  South  Central  AK,  300 
mi.  south  of  where  she  had  lived  for  the 
last  26  yrs.  She  hopes  to  find  part-time 
work  doing  psychotherapy  or  teaching 
counseling/psychology  at  the  U.  of  AK 
campus  in  Homer.  She  was  fortunate  to 
enjoy  a  brief  winter  break  at  her  condo 
in  Mexico. 

According  to  Lexington,  VA,  resident 
Margaret  Lyle  Samdahl  Jennifer 
Linsley  Alphin  also  has  a  house  in 
that  lovely  pastoral  place.  It's  to  be  her 
retirement  home!  Jennifer  contacted 
Margaret  with  the  news,  and  they  hope 
to  meet  soon  when  Jennifer  and  hus- 
band Tom  next  come  to  visit. 

Cleveland  Hall  reports  in  for 
the  1st  time  in  a  long  time,  "forever 
humbled  by  her  classmates'  high 
performance  and  grand  accomplish- 
ments." She  lives  with  her  partner  Lafe 
of  35  yrs.  in  the  woods  on  Whidbey 
Island,  WA,  in  a  small  log  house  of 
their  dreams,  built  by  their  hands  from 
Douglas  firs  on  their  land  that  took 
about  18  yrs.  to  not  quite  finish.  (All 
in  the  journey,  not  the  destination.) 
Cleveland  works  as  a  bookkeeper  for 
small  local  firms,  and  keeps  the  neigh- 
borhood water  system  going,  but  her 
passion  is  native  plants,  volunteering 
with  Native  Plant  Stewards  to  propagate 
natives  for  the  local  land  trust  and  state 
parks,  salvaging  natives  for  restora- 
tion projects  and  monitoring  rare  plant 
populations.  Did  you  know  there  are 
prairies  (vanishing  ecosystems)  here  in 
the  Northwest?  Favorite  activities  are 
hiking,  camping,  botanizing  and  getting 
lost  in  the  woods.  Maybe  some  of  that 
beautiful  territory  at  SBC  had  a  subtle 
effect  after  all... 

Rhonda  Griffith  Durham  enjoys 
her  work  in  independent  school 
accreditation  as  executive  dir.  of  the 
Independent  Schools  Association  of  the 
Southwest.  The  only  not  great  thing 

Summer2010«43 


about  a  fulfilling  career  is  that  it  makes 
keeping  up  with  friends  so  challenging! 
She  goes  to  Houston  every  now  and 
then  and  always  wants  to  see  Nathalie 
"Bobo"  Ryan  Hoyt.  Since  Bobo  is  a 
full-time  educator  and  Rhonda  is  always 
on  a  mission,  it  rarely  happens.  Rhonda 
and  husband  Lynn  had  dinner  with 
Bobo  and  Mont  on  a  recent  trip.  Rhonda 
reports  that  Bobo  looked  fabulous  and  is 
as  thin  as  she  was  when  she  could  eat 
what  she  wanted  in  the  "Pit."  Susan 
Snodgrass  Wynne  and  Rhonda  keep 
in  close  touch.  Susan,  ever  thoughtful 
and  "queen  of  making  happy  memories" 
for  friends,  sends  fun  messages  and 
keeps  on  the  go.  Susan  keeps  a  sched- 
ule that  rivals  that  of  Michelle  Obama! 
They  both  serve  on  their  alma  mater 
Norfolk  Academy's  Board  of  Trustees. 
So,  that's  an  automatic  quarterly  visit. 
Rhonda's  daughter  Caitlin  is  getting 
married  this  fall  and  hopes  that  a  few 
SBC  friends  who  know  Caitlin  well  might 
make  it  out  to  Midland.  With  a  travel- 
ing job,  a  son  in  Salt  Lake  City,  a  son 
and  daughter-in-law  in  Manhattan,  and 
daughter  in  L.A.,  it's  no  surprise  that 
Rhonda  related  well  to  "Up  in  the  Air" — 
well  /us?  the  tricks  of  going  through 
security  fast  and  getting  perks!  She  and 
Lynn  are  still  blissfully  married. 

Marion  Walker  has  been  ever  so 
busy  since  5/09  when  2  of  the  4  law- 
yers in  the  Ford  &  Harrison  Birmingham 
office  left  with  one  day's  notice.  She 
and  her  remaining  partner  managed  to 
save  a  big  case,  but  she  has  worked 
practically  non-stop  until  a  big  trial 
ended  2/1 2.  With  a  bit  of  a  breather  she 
took  a  trip  with  Nan  LaGow  71  to  visit 
Palmer  Graham,  Nan's  SBC  roommate 
the  1st  2  yrs.,  in  Ochos  Rios,  Jamaica. 
The  weather  was  wonderful  and  the 
rum  drinks  at  11  a.m.  on  the  beach 
were  just  the  thing  to  wash  away  all  too 
serious  thoughts  of  "the  law."  Marion 
only  bought  one  present  and  that  was 
for  her  new  grandniece  (!)  Mary  Knox 
Walker,  who  was  born  10/22/09— the 
day  Marion  headed  off  for  Charlottesville 
for  a  mini-reunion  with  some  SBC 
buds.  Marion  sees  Margaret  Hayes 
Brunstad  frequently  and  attended  her 
2nd  daughter's  wedding  last  Nov,  It  was 
gorgeous!  Leaving  the  legal  workload 
for  a  spell  this  summer,  Marion  will  be 
going  to  Barcelona  for  a  conference 
and  then  to  France  to  spend  a  wk.  with 
a  friend  who  purchased  a  house  there. 
C 'est  la  vie,  Bonnes  Amies. 

Nonna  Rosie  Leparulo  sends 
greetings  from  Tallahassee!  William  and 
Rosie  enjoyed  their  granddaughter's  2nd 
birthday  in  late  winter.  Gracie  is  their  1st 
granddaughter,  from  son  #2  Robert  and 
his  lovely  wife  Kristy.  They  expect  their 
1st  grandson  in  early  Jun.  Firstborn 
Willy  is  still  playing  the  field.  Fortunately, 
both  sons  live  nearby  in  Tallahassee. 
William  is  still  at  FSU  after  what  seems 

44  •  Summer  2010 


like  a  hundred  years,  and  Rosie  has 
been  commuting  to  teach  at  North  FL 
Community  Coll.  in  Madison,  FL,  for  the 
past  23  yrs.  Can  retirement  be  too  far 
off?  FL  has  the  Deferred  Retirement 
Option  Plan  (DROP).  When  people  ask 
Rosie  if  she's  on  the  DROP  program  she 
tells  them  she's  been  working  so  long, 
she  thinks  of  it  more  as  the  DROP  DEAD 
program.  Can't  wait  to  be  playing  Nonna 
full  time! 

By  the  way,  Rosie  stays  in  touch 
with  Cindy  Miles  Martinez,  who  is 
a  single  grandmother  of  many — 5  or 
6.  Cindy  lives  and  works  in  Louisville, 
KY,  and  has  3  of  her  4  children  close 
by.  Also,  Kathy  Leibell  Pasternak 
and  Rosie  have  never  lost  touch  since 
the  10th  grade!  Kathy  is  happy  to  have 
her  3  kids  out  of  coll.  and  on  their  own 
in  the  NYC  area.  Son  DJ  married  last 
summer  and  "the  girls"  are  just  starting 
careers.  Kathy  and  husband  Dana  live  in 
New  Canaan,  CT 

"Busy  year  as  the  economy 
improves  and  wine  business  pick- 
ing up,"  wrote  Deidre  Conley.  She 
missed  Julia  Woodard's  wedding  in 
Dec.  in  Houston  due  to  a  conflict  with 
her  company's  national  sales  meet- 
ing. Last  summer  Deidre  and  husband 
Gerard  had  a  fabulous  trip  to  Austria 
and  Budapest.  A  mission  to  see  the 
original  "Kiss"  from  Klimt  was  a  suc- 
cess, while  they  also  enjoyed  the  music 
in  all  the  churches  and  squares  in 
Vienna  and  the  original  architecture 
of  Hundertwasser  that  they  had  never 
seen  before.  Spent  a  day  in  Budapest 
as  Liz  had  always  said  it  was  one  of  her 
favorite  places  and  rising  up  on  both 
sides  of  the  Danube,  it's  spectacular.  A 
boat  ride  on  the  not  so  Blue  Danube 
to  the  wine  country  "the  Wacau,"  west 
of  Vienna,  and  a  visit  to  MELK  abbey 
were  a  highlight.  Drank  delicious 
Gruner  Veltliner  wines,  the  specialty  of 
Austria.  Also  loved  Salzburg,  the  Alps, 
a  trip  over  to  "Eagles  Nest"  in  Germany 
for  a  never  forget  history  lesson  and 
a  round  trip  through  Graz — a  World 
Heritage  Site,  worth  a  visit,  Here's  to 
a  great  201 0!  (Check  out  a  couple  of 
her  fun  photos  on  the  Facebook  Group 
page.  ~JJ) 

In  Feb  Jeannette  Pillsbury 
received  word  that  she  was  granted 
tenure  and  a  promotion  to  associate 
professor  at  Luther  Coll.!  She's  most 
relieved  and  grateful.  She  promises 
even  bigger  news  in  the  next  Magazine 
edition  so  please  tune  in  again.  (I  know 
what  it  is  but  am  sworn.) 

Peggy  Hoy  McFadden  reports 
that  husband  John  joined  the  ranks  of 
the  unemployed  when  he  was  laid  off 
1  wk.  after  the  company  he  worked 
for  was  sold,  A  mo.  later  he  became  a 
self-employed  contract  worker  when 
he  found  employment  with  another 
company.  They're  still  taking  care  of  his 


mother  using  the  PACE  program  avail- 
able in  Lynchburg.  During  spring  break 
they  are  taking  their  (SBC!)  daughter 
and  her  roommate  to  Disney  for  a  much 
needed  break  after  all  of  the  snow  dur- 
ing the  winter. 

Peggy  Morrison  Outon  celebrated 
her  60th  in  Turkey,  consulting  with  the 
goddesses  about  this  growing  older 
business!  She  reports  that  son  Ross 
was  named  the  winner  of  the  Season 
I  PBS  show  "The  Winemakers"!  Ross 
created  his  own  wine  from  Paso 
Robles,  CA,  which  was  then  sold  to  a 
national  market,  courtesy  of  the  show's 
nationwide  audience.  Her  daughter 
Katie  also  lives  in  Austin  and  paints, 
cooks  and  lives  with  gusto.  Peggy  and 
Paul  continue  to  live  in  their  beloved 
Victorian  house  on  the  hill,  although  it's 
somewhat  the  worse  for  wear  after  the 
snowiest  winter  mo.  in  Pittsburgh's 
history. 

Having  lived  22  yrs.  in  Clifton,  VA, 
Kitty  Howell  Riordan  is  retired  from 
middle  management  in  a  retirement 
home  and  is  planning  on  looking  for 
part-time  employment  soon.  Getting 
her  mother's  estate  settled  has  been 
a  big  job,  and  continuing  to  support 
family  and  deal  with  older  brother's 
roller-coaster  leukemia  recovery  keeps 
her  very  busy.  Kitty  and  Dave  celebrated 
oldest  son's  30th  birthday  and  look 
forward  to  his  move  to  local  N.  VA  area 
in  summer.  Youngest  son  is  off  to  med 
school  in  Aug.,  not  sure  which  yet.  Kitty 
and  Dave  have  a  planned  transatlantic 
cruise  to  W.  Europe  (Azores  to  London) 
in  Apr.  and  look  forward  to  some  relax- 
ing, pampering,  and  stimulating  times 
at  6  ports,  ending  in  3-day  stay  in 
London.  10  step-grandchildren,  10-16 
yrs.,  keep  up  the  grandparenting  activ- 
ity, especially  cheering  on  sports.  Kitty 
stays  active  with  community  peacemak- 
ing activities  and  Pastoral  Care  Team 
leadership  at  church.  She  stops  into  the 
SBC  campus  periodically  when  on  route 
to  Lynchburg  for  grandparenting  duties. 
Nice  memories  of  days  gone  by. 

Ellen  Apperson  Brown  moved 
back  to  Roanoke  in  Oct.  (after  spend- 
ing the  past  1 5  yrs.  in  Asheville, 
Blacksburg,  Stuart,  and  Radford),  and 
is  hoping  to  develop  a  new  career  as  a 
freelance  writer/historian.  Although  this 
is  probably  the  worst  time  to  be  looking 
for  work  in  the  field  of  public  history, 
Ellen  keeps  knocking  on  every  door 
and  has  completed  a  50-page  history 
for  the  Roanoke  Kiwanis  Club's  90th 
anniv.  celebration.  Her  latest  bold  idea 
involves  creating  a  website  to  teach 
history,  especially  of  Southwest  VA,  and 
also  provide  assistance  to  genealogists, 
teachers,  and  people  worldwide  who 
are  trying  to  learn  more  about  their 
ancestors  in  1 8th  and  1 9th  century 
VA.  In  addition  to  several  other  books 
in  progress,  she's  thinking  about  put- 


ting together  a  book  about  our  class. 
She  thinks  it  would  be  fun  to  collect 
our  various  perspectives  about  our 
Sweet  Briar  experience  and  compile  a 
social  history  about  a  women's  coll.  in 
the  late  '60s  and  early  70s.  Perhaps 
some  current  students  could  help  col- 
lect interviews  from  us  at  a  reunion, 
or  over  the  phone?  She'd  love  to  hear 
from  you  if  you  have  any  suggestions  or 
would  like  to  help.  You  can  reach  Ellen 
at  mynewestchapter@verizon.net. 

Trish  Neale  Van  Clief  and 
husband  Dg  are  moving  back  to  the 
Charlottesville,  VA,  to  be  near  son 
Danny  (32)  and  awesome  Aussie 
daughter-in-law,  Anna,  and  2  of  their  3 
grandchildren:  Daniel  (3)  and  George  (7 
mos.)  Daughter  Helen  (31)  and  husband 
Chase  (also  an  awesome  architect, 
musician,  and  artist)  are  parents  of 
Ginny  (1 8  mos.)  and  are  expecting  a 
2nd  baby  in  Aug.  They  live  in  Austin, 
TX,  where  Trish  and  Dg  manage 
many  visits  now  that  they  are  retired. 
Trish  was  happy  to  have  seen  several 
friends  from  SBC  this  year,  from  71 : 
Cami  Crocker  Wodehouse,  Nan  Glazer 
LaGow  and  Michela  English  and  from 
our  class:  Barbara  Tessin  Derry  Gail 
Garner  Resch,  Lee  Essrig  Marion 
Walker.  Marcia  Wittenbrook,  Louise 
Martin  Creason  and  Char  Sturbitts 
Everyone  discussed  her  favorite  books 
(See  our  Facebook  Group  for  details! 
-JJ)  and  focused  at  length  on  wrinkles, 
lard,  thinning  hair,  exercise,  aching 
joints,  knees  and  rotator  cuffs,  suddenly 
and  profoundly  becoming  grandmothers, 
fears  of  job  loss,  the  cost  of  insurance, 
needing  glasses  and  recalling  all  our  old 
Sweet  Briar  times.  All  72ers  pledged 
to  return  to  SBC  for  reunion  in  2012! 
Trish  sends  best  wishes  to  everyone — 
these  are  tough,  challenging  times  for 
ourselves  and  our  families — and  urges 
everyone  to  pick  up  the  phone  or  email 
to  stay  in  touch  with  their  beloved 
Sweet  Briar  friends.  (Couldn't  have  said 
it  better,  Trish.  Thanks  for  the  nudge. 
You  need  an  old  friend's  email?  Contact 
me!  ~JJ) 

Hers  may  be  redundant  news,  but 
since  Elise  Webb  Neeland  turned  60, 
repetition  isn't  an  unusual  occurrence! 
Older  daughter,  Leslie  Harvey,  and  her 
husband,  Thomas,  had  a  baby  girl  with 
red  hair  in  4/09.  The  baby  is  named 
Virginia,  since  both  Leslie  and  Thomas 
went  to  UVA  law  school  and  VA  was 
their  1st  home.  They  now  live  in  San 
Francisco  in  Alameda  (a  little  too  far  for 
grandparents,  but  frequent  travel  helps), 
and  both  have  practices  in  intellectual 
property.  2nd  daughter,  Elizabeth,  was 
married  in  2/09,  and  she  and  husband 
Dave  live  in  Charlotte,  NC,  where  Liz 
does  PR  and  marketing  for  a  large  group 
of  lawyers.  Liz  and  Dave  moved  from 
Atlanta  to  Charlotte  just  2  mos.  after 
they  were  married,  so  they  have  had  a 


Sweel  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.erJu 


busy  1st  yr.  Elise's  husband  David  is  still 
trying  to  slow  down  in  his  practice  and 
maybe  will  be  able  to  retire  in  less  than 

2  yrs!  Elise  and  David  hope  it'll  work  out 
so  they'll  have  more  time  to  travel  to  see 
family  and  friends. 

Last  year  was  busy  for  Carol  Cody 
Herder's  family.  Son  Charles  graduated 
from  MIT  with  2  degrees,  one  in  electri- 
cal engineering  and  one  in  physics,  got 
engaged,  and  then  completed  his  M.A. 
in  electrical  engineering  at  MIT.  Since 
his  fiance  Tina  is  also  an  MIT  grad, 
they  decided  to  get  married  on  a  binary 
date:  01-10-10!  Carol's  daughter  Sarah 
and  son-in-law  Marc  Nathan  just  bought 
their  1st  home.  Sarah  is  busy  with  busi- 
ness travel  while  Marc  is  returning  to  the 
U.  of  TX  to  pursue  an  M.A.  in  mechanical 
engineering.  Carol  and  husband  Charlie 
have  decided  it's  time  to  downsize  to  a 
townhome. 

Pam  Drake  McCormick  reports 
that  all  is  well  in  Wenham,  MA.  She  and 
Gardner  are  adjusting  to  the  "empty 
nest,"  All  3  children  have  migrated  to 
CO.  Tucker  and  Tim  are  in  Boulder  and 
Molly  is  in  Denver,  Pam  stays  busy 
doing  part  time  work  for  her  town's  local 
Education  Fund.  Sadly,  her  mom,  "Ping" 
(Nancy  Pingree  Drake  '43)  passed  away 
suddenly,  but  peacefully  in  Oct.  She 
thanks  all  her  SBC  friends  for  all  their 
support. 

Needless  to  say,  Pam  sees  sister-in- 
law,  Kathy  Walsh  Drake,  on  a  regular 
basis.  Pam  is  reporting  for  Kathy  who's 
on  the  road  south  for  2nd  daughter 
Hadley  Nixon's  opening  of  a  fashion 
boutigue  in  Chapel  Hill,  N.C.  called 
"Hadley  Emerson."  (Check  it  out  on  the 
Internet,  or  better  yet,  stop  by!)  Kathy 
and  David  still  live  in  ME  and  their  other 

3  daughters  are  scattered,  Elizabeth  is 
an  auditor  at  Price,  Waterhouse,  Coo- 
pers in  Boston;  Courtney  is  employed 
at  Thompson  Financial  in  Boston  and 
Virginia  (Jen)  is  applying  to  nursing 
school.  Pam  reports  that  Kathy's  golf 
game  continues  to  "shine." 

Marty  Neill  Boney  writes  that  her 
biggest  news  is  daughter  Kristen's  mar- 
riage to  Doug  McBride  out  in  northern 
CA  in  9/09.  Wedding  excitement  hit  a 
fevered  pitch  when  word  came  that  Kris- 
ten  had  to  have  emergency  abdominal 
surgery  2  wks,  before  the  wedding.  As 
Marty  and  Bill  landed  on  the  runway 
for  the  wedding  weekend,  son  Andrew 
called  to  say  that  Kristen  was  headed 
back  into  the  hospital  for  an  infection. 
After  an  overnight  stay,  Kristen  some- 
how managed  to  rally  in  time  to  make 
it  down  the  aisle.  Love  once  again  con- 
quered all!  The  newlyweds  Kristen  and 
Doug  are  thrilled  to  be  in  the  process  of 
buying  a  house  in  Berkeley.  Meanwhile, 
son  Andrew  still  loves  hangin'  in  D.C.  at 
his  editor's  job  at  CQ  Press. 

Marty  reports  great  success  in  her 
annual  Christmas  Extravaganza  shop- 


ping trip  in  Raleigh  with  Carter  Frack- 
elton  last  fall.  Santa  managed  to  stuff 
every  stocking  on  Carter's  list  before  the 
weekend  was  over.  Carter  then  surprised 
Marty  and  Bill  this  winter  on  one  of  their 
world-wind  stays  in  Fredericksburg  with 
special  appearances  from  Dale  Shelly 
Graham,  Jill  Johnson,  and  Ginnie 
B.  Payne  Sasser.  (Yes,  photos  on 
Facebook  Page!  ~JJ) 

Carter  had  her  7s/  ever  Christmas 
away  from  home  in  '09  and  packed 
a  lot  in  a  short  period  of  time.  She 
went  to  visit  Marty  and  Bill  Boney  in 
Wilmington,  NC,  to  celebrate  the  Sept. 
marriage  of  their  daughter,  Kristen  to 
Doug  McBride  at  a  lovely  "East  Coast" 
reception  on  12/23.  It  was  a  beautiful 
occasion,  she  loved  being  with  them  all 
for  such  a  happy  time.  On  Christmas 
Eve,  Carter  flew  to  Cincinnati  to  join  her 
brother  and  sister-in-law  and  her  father 
(who  drove  from  Richmond)  in  sharing 
the  holidays  with  her  niece  Sara,  her 
husband  Evan  and  his  family  who  also 
live  there.  The  Feast  of  the  Seven  Fishes 
was  a  memorable  holiday  meal  that  just 
kept  on  coming!  She  then  flew  back  to 
Charlottesville  to  make  the  tail  end  of  a 
holiday  family  dinner  there, 

Carter  has  learned  to  knit.  Working 
with  a  group  of  friends,  she  has  accom- 
plished a  couple  of  scarves,  a  hat  and 
a  baby  blanket  and  cap  which  she 
will  be  proudly  delivering  to  nephew 
Robbie  and  wife  Christine  at  a  baby 
shower.  Their  new  baby  boy  is  expected 
to  arrive  mid  Apr.  Meanwhile,  Carter 
stays  busy  with  volunteer  activities  in 
addition  to  carrying  out  the  duties  of  the 
family  manufacturing  business,  which 
is  experiencing  the  same  difficulties  of 
these  tough  economic  times  as  most 
businesses  are,  particularly  those  in  the 
building  related  industries. 

Dale  Shelly  Graham  says  she 
really  doesn't  have  much  to  report 
since  she  and  James  lead  a  pretty  dull 
life.  She's  still  following  daughter  Lily's 
lacrosse  games  up  and  down  the  east 
coast  as  she  plays  for  her  3rd  yr.  at 
Davidson  Coll.  Their  son  Fielding  lives  in 
Dallas  and  works  for  Morgan  Stanley,  in 
case  any  of  you  Texans  need  some  help 
with  financial  investments.  In  between, 
Dale  tries  to  keep  in  touch  with  local 
SBCers  as  they  celebrate  birthdays  and 
catch  rays  together  at  the  beach. 

Well,  Ladies.  That  just  about  covers 
it,  with  the  exception  of  a  wonderful 
2-day  weekend  celebration  of  Mary 
Heller's  big  birthday!  Postponed  in 
Dec,  it  was  finally  wedged  in  between 
Jan.  snowmageddons  and  a  wild  time 
was  had  by  all.  Janet  Nelson  Gibson, 
Carter  Frackelton,  and  Ginnie  B. 
Sasser  drove  up  from  Fredericksburg. 
Karen  Medford  arrived  from  Annapolis. 
Dale  Shelley  Graham  hosted  the 
guests,  and  I  drove  in  from  Vienna,  VA, 
both  days.  Mary  wore  one  of  my  special 


Tiara  creations.  (Photos  on  Facebook 
Group.  ~JJ)  Hopefully,  we'll  meet  again, 
courtesy  of  Karen's  ever-generous  offer 
of  summer  entertainment  at  her  lovely 
Rehoboth  beach  house,  (Hopefully,  we'll 
see  pictures  from  Karen  and  Eileen 
Gebrian's  trip  last  fall  to  Vietnam!)  Tina 
Hall  Baugher,  who  also  has  a  beautiful 
beach  home  right  around  the  corner, 
promises  to  join  us  for  cocktails  and 
laughter. 

I  appreciate  all  the  news  reporters 
who  responded  to  my  pleas.  May  the 
rest  of  you  feel  a  twinge  of  nostalgia/ 
obligation  and  contact  me  at  your 
earliest.  Email  or  USPS,  either/both  are 
welcome. 

And,  please  keep  me  up  to  date 
with  any  email  address  changes!  If  you 
aren't  getting  my  rare  emails,  I  do  not 
have  your  email  address.  Again,  not 
that  I'm  a  rabid  social  media  fan,  but 
do  check  in,  look,  laugh,  and  contribute 
whatever  to  the  Facebook  group,  Sweet 
Briar  Class  72  Big  Thanks  to  all. 

r?z3 

Evelyn  Carter  Cowles 

PO  Box  278 

Free  Union,  VA  22940 

ecc52@earthlink.net 

I  have  sad  news  to  begin. .  .Barbara 
Livingston  died  the  end  of  Aug.  after  a 
long  illness.  Barbara  had  lived  in  Auburn, 
NY,  for  nearly  15  yrs.  She'd  been 
employed  by  Wells  Coll.  in  Aurora,  NY, 
for  several  yrs.  and  recently  was  an  ad- 
ministrative employee  with  the  Cayuga- 
Onondaga  County  BOCES  in  Auburn. 
She  was  an  active  volunteer  in  a  number 
of  organizations,  from  the  SPCA  to  those 
involving  the  performing  arts,  and  the 
Willard  Chapel.  Sara  Meyerdierks 
Hillgrove  attended  the  memorial 
service  for  Barbara  Livingston  in  Oct., 
where,  along  with  her  brother  from  D.C. 
and  sister  from  CA,  she  recalled  happy 
SBC  memories  for  the  guests.  "The 
theater  ones  were  the  best,  as  Barbara 
and  I  were  the  2  theater  majors  in  our 
class  and  were  both  very  dramatic,  then 
and  in  life!  She  was  a  good  friend  to  me 
in  spite  of  being  completely  whacky.  I'll 
miss  her." 

I'm  also  sad  to  report  the  death  of  a 
former  classmate,  Deborah  Smith- 
Mardelli,  in  Feb.  2010  of  lung  cancer. 
After  leaving  SBC,  she  graduated  from 
George  Mason  U.  Until  recently  she 
had  worked  as  a  technical  writer  for  a 
company  contracted  to  do  work  for  the 
Justice  Dept,  She  spent  her  younger  yrs. 
in  Germany  with  her  parents,  then  lived 
the  rest  of  her  life  in  Northern  VA.  In 
addition  to  being  a  past  president  of  the 
Northern  VA  Republican  Women's  Club, 
Deb  was  involved  with  a  welcome  home 
program  for  returning  veterans  at  Ft. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Belvoir  and  also  was  active  in  a  program 
that  escorted  Iraqi  War  veterans  around 
the  sights  of  Washington  while  they  re- 
cuperated at  Walter  Reed  Hospital.  She 
is  survived  by  her  mother  of  Annapolis, 
her  former  husband  and  her  2  sons. 

Thank  goodness  spring  is  just 
around  the  corner,  at  least  we  hope 
since  snow  was  the  big  news  this  win- 
ter. Glenys  Church  had  just  finished 
shoveling  the  snow  from  last  weekend 
and  this  wk,  off  the  deck,  only  to  have 
to  start  again!  Renee  Sterling  even 
had  blizzard-like  conditions  Christmas 
Eve  in  Dallas!  Cindy  Bekins  Anderson 
wrote  "I  don't  have  any  news  to  report 
this  time,  but  I  hope  your  snow  is  as 
pretty  as  ours  was.  We  had  about 
20  in.  in  2  separate  storms,  one 
on  Christmas  eve  and  the  other  just 
in  time  for  the  kids  to  return  to  school 
(worth  3  snow  days!)  It  still  hasn't 
melted,  and  we  got  another  5  in.  last 
night!" 

Diane  Dale  Reiling  has  been 
watching  the  winter  weather  in  VA 
with  disbelief!  "Susan  Bundy  has 
posted  some  photos  and  even  said  they 
couldn't  get  out  the  front  door  and  had 
to  climb  out  a  1st  floor  window  in  order 
to  get  out  to  shovel.  Not  much  to  report: 
good  weather,  no  snow  and  a  slowly 
improving  economy  and  real  estate 
market.  I  was  admittedly  relieved  to  not 
have  to  travel  to  SBC  for  board  meet- 
ings this  winter  in  light  of  the  record 
snowfalls  (plural)  in  VA.  "I  enjoy  keeping 
in  touch  on  Facebook  with  so  many 
73ers  from  around  the  country.  I  see 
Facebook  as  a  great  tool  to  use  both 
to  keep  in  touch  and  to  plan  our  40th 
reunion  (gulp). 

Trish  Gilhooly  O'Neill  writes  "I'm 
in  Phnom  Penh  at  the  moment,  I  come 
here  every  yr.  as  I'm  honorary  trustee 
of  a  wonderful  orphanage  just  outside 
of  the  city.  I  just  returned  from  taking  a 
bus  from  Phnom  Penh  to  Ho  Chi  Minh 
City.  It's  a  6-7  hr.  bus  ride.  What  was 
I  thinking?  Interesting  however  to  see 
the  countryside.  I'm  off  to  Bangkok  for  a 
few  days,  then  to  the  U.S.  before  return- 
ing to  the  Cotswalds  where  we  still  live 
part  time. 

Robin  O'Neil  was  jealous  of  our 
snow!  "We  have  only  the  cold  weather 
with  none  of  the  fun.  Although  we 
do  get  to  continue  to  foxhunt,  very 
important!  Hunting  with  The  Camden 
Hunt  has  been  cold  but  good.  I've  been 
busy  with  family,  both  happy  and  sad. 
My  nanny  who,  at  18,  came  to  live 
with  us  when  I  was  born  is  in  a  nurs- 
ing home  and  has  started  receiving 
hospice.  I  haven't  had  experience  with 
this,  but  think  it  is  really  wonderful  and 
am  so  grateful  for  it.  The  extra  atten- 
tion is  most  appreciated.  My  continued 
fundraising  in  the  community  for  the 
non-profits  I  support  is  really  tough.  I 
just  remind  others  that  the  world  would 

Summer  2010  •  45 


be  an  awful  place  in  which  to  live  if  it 
weren't  for  the  non-profits." 

Joan  May  Harden  writes  the  only 
new  thing  in  her  life  is  a  60  lb.,  yr.-old 
pit  bull  puppy  they  adopted  from  a  shel- 
ter in  Dec.  "It's  turned  my  life  upside 
down  (in  a  good  way)  and  given  our 
beagle  a  very  large  friend.  The  snow 
you've  had  this  yr.  has  kept  us  in  NJ 
more  than  we  like!  I  think  we'll  probably 
be  in  Lexington  full-time  by  this  sum- 
mer...here's  hoping!" 

Susan  Craig  reports  "Our  oldest 
son,  Bennett,  graduated  last  May  from 
Davidson,  and  after  working  in  WY  into 
the  fall,  is  now  in  the  job  search  like  so 
many  others  his  age!  Having  a  23-yr.- 
old  at  home  has  been  an  adjustment, 
but  also  wonderful.  Our  younger  son 
Edward  is  a  senior  at  Coll.  of  Charleston 
and  plans  to  graduate  in  the  spring,  I 
continue  to  work  at  my  design  and  com- 
munication business,  trying  to  keep  up 
with  technology  and  learning  a  lot,  even 
with  my  aging  brain.  Wayne  has  joined 
a  commercial  real  estate  company  after 
being  on  his  own  for  most  of  30  years. 
It's  been  good  support  in  this  economy. 
We're  both  working  hard  and  enjoying 
life's  simpler  pleasures,  not  a  bad  thing!" 

Peggy  Garner  and  John  are  mov- 
ing back  to  the  Seattle  area  to  be  close 
to  John's  oncology  doctors  and  their 
dear  friends  and  family.  We  send  all  our 
best  wishes  to  John. 

Laurie  Norris  Coccio  writes 
"Having  retired  as  an  elem.  school 
principal,  I'm  now  dir.  of  our  town 
library.  I  love  it,  and  not  just  because 
the  schedule  is  flexible!  It's  allowed  us 
to  continue  traveling,  just  recently  surf- 
ing in  Sayulita,  MX,  and  skiing  in  Grand 
Targhee,  WY.  Nevertheless,  my  husband 
and  I  are  looking  to  retire  "again"  and 
will  enjoy  our  next  chapter  when  (if?) 
our  house  sells.  We're  having  fun  con- 
sidering the  possibilities." 

Susan  Dern  Plank  and  Joan  May 
Harden  attended  the  Inauguration 
of  President  Jo  Ellen  Parker  and 
Homecoming  on  a  soggy  Sat.  in  Sept. 
"But  the  rain  couldn't  dampen  anyone's 
spirits  at  such  a  wonderful  celebration 
of  the  coll.  I  urge  all  of  you  to  visit  cam- 
pus now;  don't  wait  till  Homecoming  or 
Reunion!  The  new  athletics  center,  with 
its  Houston  Bistro  and  the  Upchurch 
Field  House,  is  fabulous  and  the  new 
"green"  apartments  are  nicely-designed, 
spacious  and  eco-friendly.  It  was  heart- 
warming to  see  and  hear  the  students 
break  into  spontaneous  applause  as 
their  professors  processed  into  the  inau- 
guration ceremony.  The  reception  that 
evening  was  a  special  time  with  good 
food,  music  and  conversation.  Steve  and 
Kathleen  Cochrane  Schutze  joined  us 
at  dinner  and  we  met  their  lovely  family: 
daughter  Emily,  who  is  a  member  of  the 
SBC  Class  of '  1 1 ,  and  her  elder  and 
younger  brothers.  I'm  looking  forward  to 

46  •  Summer  2010 


spring  daffodils  blooming  and  hope  it's 
sooner  rather  than  later." 

Anne  McDougall  writes  "During 
the  past  yr.  I've  been  taking  some 
courses  in  Christian  counseling  and 
am  working  toward  certification.  The 
process  is  slow  since  I  haven't  been  in 
school  for  many  yrs.  but  I'm  enjoying 
the  idea  of  embarking  on  a  new  career 
at  this  (great)  age.  Husband  Ed  has  a 
new  job  working  with  our  Central  FL 
Presbytery.  Daughter  Maggie  and  her 
husband  Jonathan  (UVA  alum)  and 
daughters  Annie  and  Lily  (my  grandchil- 
dren!) are  planning  a  move  to  India  later 
this  yr.  They've  signed  on  for  at  least  4 
yrs.  of  missionary  work  there.  We'll  miss 
them  immensely,  but  look  forward  to 
travelling  to  places  we  hadn't  planned 
to  visit!  Son  Jim  got  married  last  sum- 
mer and  he  and  Rachel  will  settle  in  the 
central  FL  area.  Ed  and  I  are  thankful  to 
be  healthy  and  involved  in  our  careers, 
church  and  community.  Blessings  to  all 
in  class  of  1973!" 

Christine  Eng  Leventhal  is  still 
teaching  science  at  Darien  H,  S.  "Peter 
is  teaching  Tai  Chi,  doing  nutritional 
counseling,  and  running  his  natural 
food  store  in  Wilton;  Amy,  our  eldest,  is 
a  certified  personal  fitness  consultant 
in  Montpelier  VT,  and  is  celebrating  her 
30th  birthday  (can't  believe  I  have  a 
30-yr.-old  daughter!)  with  a  3-wk.  trip 
to  Costa  Rica;  Nick  (26)  is  working  on  a 
house  reconstruction  in  Darien,  and  Jon 
(22)  is  living  in  Boulder  CO.  We  visited 
my  sister  and  her  husband  in  Phoenix 
last  winter;  went  to  my  niece's  wedding 
in  MN  last  spring,  and  went  to  Block 
Island  in  Jul.  Just  returned  from  Boulder 
last  weekend  and  planning  another 
Block  Island  visit  in  Jul. 

Debbie  Pollock  Arce  writes  "I 
haven't  written  news  in  a  long  time,  so 
here  goes: 

First,  I  connected  with  Diane  & 
Chuck  this  weekend.  They  were  down 
in  OR  for  a  mini-vacation,  and  we 
met  for  Sun.  brunch  &  caught  up.  We 
traded  what  we  knew  about  other 
classmates  and  promised  to  see  each 
other  more  often  when  she  is  in  OR  or 
I'm  in  Seattle.  I'm  the  CFO  of  a  soft- 
ware company  in  the  greater  Portland, 
OR  area.  I  was  recruited  away  from  a 
similar  position  at  another  software 
company  a  yr.  ago,  and  this  one  is  a 
little  closer  to  home.  I'm  experiencing 
the  empty  nest  as  well.  After  getting 
amicably  divorced  3  yrs.  ago,  I  still  had 
my  youngest  son,  Reed,  at  home,  but 
he's  now  a  freshman  at  OR  State.  My 
older  son,  Ross,  is  a  senior  at  U.  of  OR, 
majoring  in  English.  My  oldest  child,  and 
only  daughter,  Cory,  is  a  graduate  of  U. 
of  WA.  She  lives  near  Seattle,  and  is  a 
manager  for  a  wind  energy  company 
there.  She  and  her  boyfriend  travel  the 
world  for  fun,  heading  off  to  Iceland  this 
month  for  6  days,  and  Japan,  Korea, 


Thailand  and  Singapore  for  3  wks.  this 
summer.  I  travel  a  fair  amount  in  my 
job,  and  am  heading  to  the  UK  on  busi- 
ness in  mid-Mar.  For  fun,  I  run/walk  half 
marathons.  I  did  4  last  yr.  and  hope  to 
do  a  few  this  yr.  as  well.  My  job  keeps 
me  busy,  but  I'm  so  looking  forward  to 
the  day  when  all  the  college  tuition  is 
paid,  and  I  can  "retire"  to  something 
way  less  demanding  to  return  the  bal- 
ance to  my  life!" 

Weezie  Blakeslee  Gilpin  I  don't 
have  much  to  report  other  than  the 
hair  being  a  little  grayer  and  2  children 
mysteriously  managing  to  be  in  their 
30s,  the  other  about  to  turn  28.  To  fight 
the  perils  of  gravity,  I've  been  taking  a 
PE  class  at  Bishop's  called  strength  and 
conditioning  which  is  loads  of  weight 
lifting  and  other  exercises  designed  to 
make  you  stronger  and  fitter.  I've  dis- 
covered I  love  bench  pressing  and  do  it 
with  gusto.  One  of  my  9th  grade  "class- 
mates" told  his  mother  that  he  called 
class  "weightlifting  with  Weezie."  Bob 
shows  no  signs  of  slowing  down  doing 
college  counseling  and  gap  yr,  counsel- 
ing and  loves  southern  CA  as  much  as 
I  do.  No  grandchildren  yet,  much  to  our 
dismay.  I'm  trying  not  to  be  an  obnox- 
ious mother  and  mother-in-law.  Alexa 
is  a  student  advisor  at  an  on-line  uni- 
versity and  lives  in  the  new  snowbelt, 
MD.  Blake  has  been  at  UNC  Chapel  Hill 
as  a  scholar-in-residence  and  is  looking 
for  a  coll.  teaching  job  and  doing  so  at 
the  worst  possible  time.  Christopher 
and  Allison  are  taking  a  yr.  off  from 
teaching  and  live  in  Australia  for  a  yr.  as 
she  has  dual  citizenship.  So,  life  is  full 
and  it's  easy  to  stay  healthy  while  living 
in  the  best  climate  in  the  country  (La 
Jolla).  Much  love  to  all." 

Lisa  Marshall  Chalmers  reports 
her  latest:  "Our  son,  Marshall,  gradu- 
ated from  Harvard  Law  and  is  working 
for  the  British  firm,  Freshfields,  in 
London.  Our  daughter,  Elizabeth,  got 
married  on  12/19/09  to  Chris  McGanity. 
They're  living  in  Nashville  where  he 
attends  Vanderbilt  Law  and  she  works 
for  Gaylord-Opryland  as  a  marketing 
coordinator.  David  and  I  are  great  and 
I'm  still  painting  portraits. 

Reynolds  and  I  too  survived  the 
snow  living  down  a  little  dirt  road  in  our 
new  place.  We  are  off  this  week  to  the 
DR  for  my  nephew's  wedding  and  up 
to  Boston  this  summer  for  my  brother's 
wedding.  All  the  kids  and  grandkids 
(some  of  whom  we  have  to  look  up  to 
now!)  are  all  doing  well.  Reynolds  is 
still  treating  horses,  foxhunting,  fishing 
and  bird  hunting.  I'm  still  painting,  fish- 
ing, hiking  and  hope  to  get  back  in  the 
saddle  with  better  weather.  We  plan  to 
spend  time  in  MT  this  summer  and  fall. 
I,  like  Weezie,  am  attempting  to  fight 
gravity  by  an  exercise  class  called  "boot 
camp,"  the  name  says  it  all!  On  that 
note,  great  to  hear  from  you  all! 


im 


Rosalind  Ray  Spell 
2710  Orchard  Knob  SE 
Atlanta,  GA  30339 
rossiespell@yahoo.com 

Meredith  Thompson  Sullivan 
PO  Box  1283 
Livingston,  MT  59047 
gigiinmt@aol.com 

What  a  class!  You  came  through  in 
spades  via  e-mail,  and  we  thank  you  for 
your  updates!  Many  of  you  traveled  to 
SBC  for  our  35th  Reunion  last  May,  and 
some  of  you  wrote  your  impressions  of 
the  weekend: 

Sandra  Taylor  continues  to  be 
an  active  SBC  alumna.  She  attended 
Reunion,  and  said  she  realized  her 
"dream"  of  staying  in  Randolph.  She 
thanks  her  classmates  for  helping  reach 
our  (financial)  goal!  She  also  attended 
the  inauguration  of  President  Jo  Ellen 
Parker.  Her  sister,  Marsha  Taylor  Horton 
'76,  sang  at  the  event,  and  reports 
the  new  Field  House  on  campus  is 
spectacular. 

On  a  recent  trip  to  Atlanta,  she  met 
Rossie  Ray  Spell  and  Mary  Bush 
Norwood  for  breakfast,  and  they  talked 
about  Mary's  recent  bid  for  mayor  of  At- 
lanta. Unfortunately,  it  was  a  close  race, 
and  she  lost  by  less  than  1 ,000  votes. 

Sandra  sees  Mary  Witt,  Con- 
stance Scott,  and  Terry  Starke  Tosh 
'75,  several  times  a  yr.  in  Richmond,  VA. 
Sandra  continues  working  at  SunTrust 
Mortgage  as  a  Project  Manager. 

Rossie  Spell  had  a  wonderful  time 
at  Reunion,  and  enjoyed  spending  time 
during  and  after  the  event  with  Daun 
Thomas  Frankland,  Tricia  Barnett 
Greenberg.  Beth  Franke  Lynn  and 
Meredith  Thompson  Sullivan 

Mary  Witt,  who  also  made  it  to 
the  reunion,  had  a  pre-reunion  visit 
with  several  classmates  in  Richmond, 
VA  before  driving  down  to  Sweet  Briar. 
She  and  husband  Fritz  are  doing  well. 
Mary  still  works  at  Anthem  Blue  Cross 
and  Blue  Shield,  but  has  recently  been 
named  medical  director  for  care  man- 
agement. In  her  new  position,  she  works 
closely  with  nurses  and  physicians  to 
provide  the  best  care  for  patients  with 
complex  medical  conditions.  She  will 
also  be  the  first  woman  to  hold  the  post 
of  president  of  the  University  of  Virginia 
Medical  Alumni  Association. 

Paula  Hollingsworth  Thomas: 
All  is  well  in  Lewisburg,  TN.  Steve  is  the 
minister  at  Belfast  Presbyterian  and  we 
love  our  little  church.  Charles  and  wife 
Julie  live  nearby  in  Franklin,  TN.  Elyse 
is  finishing  coll.  at  Belmont  Univ.  in 
Nashville.  We  hear  from  Barbara,  Ellie 
and  some  other  Boxwoodites.  Sorry  to 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.erJu 


have  missed  Reunion.  I'm  sure  that  it 
was  wonderful. 

Debbie  Hooker  Sauers  said  it 
was  hard  for  her  to  get  back  to  the  real 
world  after  being  a  coll.  girl  again  over 
Reunion  weekend.  Debbie  and  Drea 
Peacock  Bender  Maureen  Hynes 
Binder  and  Pam  Cogghill  Graham 
helped  Sue  Castle  Rolewick  celebrate 
the  wedding  of  her  daughter,  Katie. 
According  to  Debbie,  the  wedding  was 
beautiful,  and  all  the  SBC  girls  were 
there  in  style! 

The  week  after  Reunion,  Jane  Piper 
Gleason  and  Joe  moved  from  their 
suburban  house  in  Webster  Groves, 
MO,  into  a  roomier  urban  condominium. 
From  their  home  on  the  23rd  floor,  they 
have  a  fabulous  view  of  downtown  St. 
Louis  and  the  Arch. 

"The  fireworks  around  the  metro- 
politan area  on  the  4th  of  July  were 
wonderful,"  Gleason  added.  She  also 
said  it  was  great  seeing  everyone  and 
that  "we  haven't  changed  a  bit." 

Also  the  week  after  Reunion, 
Marcia  Brandenburg  Martinson  s 
oldest  son,  Andrew,  was  married,  so  she 
was  unable  to  attend.  (The  best  excuse 
yet!)  She  still  lives  in  South  Weymouth, 
MA,  and  works  at  her  h.  s.  as  director  of 
alumni  relations.  She  has  fun  follow- 
ing some  of  her  SBC  classmates  on 
Facebook. 

Jane  Renne  Steffen  teaches  at 
Art  Institute  of  Pittsburgh  Online  Divi- 
sion. Her  specialty  is  textiles  for  interior 
designers.  I  teach  quilting  in  southern 
CA.  I  just  bought  a  new  1 8"  long  arm 
quilting  machine  and  it's  computerized. 
She  enjoyed  the  35th  reunion  and  saw 
many  friends  and  made  some  new 
ones.  She  wishes  we  could've  had  a 
week  together.  Afterward  she  and  her 
husband  vacationed  in  D.C.  and  went  to 
dinner  with  Nancy  Mortenson  Piper 
and  Chris. 

M.  Tracy  James  wrote,  "I  always 
have  fond  memories  of  that  gorgeous 
campus,  beautiful  rolling  hills  and  area 
communities  and  the  many  wonderful 
people  I  met  there  on  campus,  while 
hiking  and  motorcycling."  Tracy  went  on 
to  graduate  from  CO  Coll.  on  the  "Block 
Plan"  where  students  study  one  course 
at  a  time.  She  worked  on  design  exhibits 
at  the  Children's  Museum  in  Denver,  and 
community  arts  programs.  She  complet- 
ed law  school  in  1981  and  is  working  as 
a  mediator  in  the  court  system.  She  has 
been  married  for  37  yrs.,  has  2  boys  (1 7 
and  20)  and  lives  on  what  she  describes 
as  a  "semi-rural"  farm  in  CO.  She  gave 
up  horseback  riding  a  few  years  ago, 
but  continues  to  hike,  ski,  and  garden. 
She  also  enjoys  "good  food,  wine  and 
conversation!" 

Nancy  Mortensen  Piper  attended 
the  SBC  Homecoming  where  she  met 
new  president,  Jo  Ellen  Parker.  She  later 
gave  a  brunch  for  Parker  in  Washington, 


D.C,  where  she  saw  Sally  Rebentish 

Randolph  and  her  sister  who  was  in  the 
class  of  70.  She  also  had  a  chance  to 
see  Terry's  sister,  Dorothy  Lear  Mooney 
78,  at  the  Saturday  brunch  "at  Clyde's." 
Nancy's  daughter,  Kate,  is  graduating 
from  Gorgetown  U.  in  May.  Daughter 
Liz  is  7th  grade,  plays  basketball,  and 
could  be  a  Sweet  Briar  candidate  since 
she  loves  horseback  riding.  Nancy  works 
part-time  at  Talbot's  and  sees  Sandra 
and  Maria  Vonetes  75  at  the  store  of- 
ten. Sharon  Mangus  had  a  Christmas 
dinner  at  her  house  in  Dec.  where  she 
saw  Cindy  Conroy,  Lisa  Walker  75, 
and  Jody  Anderson  75.  She  reports 
that  Sharon  is  an  EMT  in  Alexandria, 
VA;  Cindy  is  retired  and  splits  her  time 
between  Alexandria  and  Cape  Cod;  Lisa 
recently  moved  to  Georgia;  and  Jody  is 
working  at  the  SBA  in  Washington,  D.C. 
(I  hope  I  got  all  that  straight!) 

Nancy  Blackwell  Marion  is  the 
owner  of  The  Design  Group,  a  graphic 
and  Web  design  firm  in  Lynchburg,  VA, 
which  has  been  designing  this  magazine 
for  the  last  25  yrs.  She  has  also  started 
a  publishing  company,  Blackwell  Press, 
and  so  far  is  publishing  local  histories, 
historic  prints  and  a  magazine,  Lynch's 
Ferry.  She  taught  a  graphic  design 
class  at  Sweet  Briar  for  8  yrs.,  but 
resigned  last  year  to  concentrate  on 
her  businesses.  Now  that  her  3  children 
are  grown  and  all  but  one  out  of  coll., 
she  and  Dave  are  traveling  quite  a  bit, 
thanks  to  their  son's  perks  as  a  Conti- 
nental Airline  pilot. 

Val  Gordon-Johnson  wrote:  We 
did  one  Broadway  play  in  2009  (Neil 
LaBute's  "Reasons  to  be  Pretty"), 
which  was  critical  and  popular  hit,  but 
closed  too  early.  We  spent  summertime 
between  NYC,  WY  and  Toronto,  and 
winter  in  HI. 

Andria  Frances  has  been  develop- 
ing educational  assessments  at  CTB/ 
McGraw-Hill  where  she  has  been  for 
the  past  24  yrs.  Daughter  Ashleigh  (24) 
has  a  master's  degree  in  archaeology. 
She's  been  living  in  London  for  the  past 
several  yrs.  and  has  participated  in  2 
archaeological  digs  in  Kazakhstan  with 
SBC  Professor  of  Anthropology  Claudia 
Chang.  In  the  past  couple  of  years,  Andria 
has  traveled  to  China,  cruised  down  the 
Yangtze  River,  walked  along  the  Great 
Wall,  seen  the  Terracotta  Warriors  in  Xian 
and  enjoyed  a  foot  massage  in  Shanghai, 
all  of  which  were  on  her  "1 00  Things  to 
Do  Before  I  Die"  list.  She  also  went  on  an 
African  safari  where  she  saw  up-close 
the  elephants,  giraffes,  flamingos  and 
lions  in  several  state  parks.  She's  on 
the  board  of  directors  for  "Baby  Love,"  a 
nonprofit  organization  that  participates  in 
"rocking  the  babies"  in  a  hospital's  neo- 
natal intensive  care  unit.  She  continues 
her  volunteer  work  at  the  Animal  Services 
where  she  plays  with  cats  and  kittens  and 
helps  with  adoptions. 


Many  of  our  classmates  are  traveling 
to  interesting  places  around  the  world. 

Julie  Shuer  is  still  living  in  southern 
CA,  but  with  2  children  in  coll.  and  one 
in  a  h.  s.  semester  program  in  Israel, 
she  traveled  to  Tel  Aviv  for  3  mos.  to 
continue  her  Hebrew  studies.  Her 
husband  took  off  3  wks.  from  his  law 
practice  and  joined  her.  After  that,  they 
all  met  up  again  in  Washington,  D.C,  to 
attend  their  son's  graduation,  summa 
cum-laude,  from  George  Washington  U. 
Afterwards,  she  took  her  2  oldest  on  a 
road  trip  to  Sweet  Briar  and  Lynchburg 
where  they  visited  friends.  The  graduate, 
Benji  Davis,  is  now  living  in  Tel  Aviv;  their 
daughter,  Gabrielle,  is  in  her  2nd  year 
of  coll.  in  Los  Angeles;  and  Sofia,  their 
youngest,  is  a  junior  in  high.  Julie  enjoys 
swimming,  cooking,  walking  the  dog  and 
a  "great  25-yr.  marriage." 

Bonnie  Chronowski  writes  that 
she's  facilitating  a  course  for  46  regis- 
trants on  church  history.  Son  Christo- 
pher will  graduate  from  the  U.  of  VA's 
Darden  School  of  Business  in  May,  after 
which  he'll  work  for  Heinz  in  Pittsburgh. 
PA.  Daughter  Meghan  lives  in  NYC  and 
is  a  public  relations  coordinator  for  J. 
Mendel,  the  5th  generation  furrier  and 
designer  of  ready-to-wear  clothing.  Bon- 
nie is  looking  forward  to  a  vacation  on 
St.  Barth's  in  a  couple  of  wks.  with  hus- 
band Jim.  They're  also  planning  a  trip  to 
Oberammergau,  Germany,  in  Jul.  to  see 
The  Passion  play,  which  is  performed 
every  10  yrs.,  and  will  be  spending  the 
rest  of  the  summer  in  Nantucket,  MA. 

Debbie  Pelham  Bigum  is  living  in 
Orlando,  FL,  with  husband  Randy  who  is 
now  working  for  Lockheed  Martin  after 
retiring  from  the  Air  Force.  Daughter 
Lindsay  graduated  from  U.  of  VA  and 
married  Dan  Huttman,  also  a  UVA  gradu- 
ate. She  holds  a  master's  degree  and 
continues  to  work  at  Lockheed  Martin  in 
Human  Resources.  Daughter  Courtney 
will  be  graduating  from  FL  State  U. 
with  a  degree  in  recreation  and  leisure. 
Debbie  said  she  and  her  husband  are 
traveling  quite  a  bit,  their  most  recent 
excursion  to  Costa  Rica  in  Jan.  Both  are 
now  looking  forward  to  a  trip  to  Tuscany 
in  Apr.,  Atlantis  in  Jun.,  and  a  family 
fly  fishing  trip  in  Sept.  to  Steamboat 
Springs,  CO.  Last  Sept.,  Debbie  had 
lunch  with  her  SBC  roommate,  Mary 
Fantone  Davies  in  Norfolk,  VA. 

Meredith  Sullivan  and  John  trav- 
eled to  Botswana  this  past  fall  to  photo- 
graph the  "Big  Five,"  including  a  viewing 
of  "ol'  Silver  Eye,"  an  aging  lion,  known 
far  and  wide  for  his  opaque  cataract  eye 
and  bad  disposition.  We  saw  Rossie 
Spell  and  her  children  in  Atlanta  on  the 
way  to  catching  our  flight  to  Johannes- 
burg, South  Africa.  We  ended  in  Cape 
Town  at  the  Cape  Grace  for  a  much 
needed  rest  before  chugging  north  on 
the  Rovos  Rail  to  Johannesburg  for 
our  trip  back  to  MI  Meredith  also  had 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  »  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


dinner  with  Jo  Ellen  Lenoir  Blunk  75  in 
Houston  over  the  Christmas  holidays. 

Victoria  Bates  continues  to  work 
as  a  family  practitioner  for  an  HMO 
in  Tallahassee,  FL.,  and  has  started 
a  part-time  Osteopathic  Manipulative 
Treatment  Clinic  for  back  and  neck 
within  her  practice.  This  yr.  she'll  take  a 
3-mo.  sabbatical  to  better  understand 
osteopathy.  3  yrs.  ago,  she  moved  her 
mother,  Carolyn  Bates,  to  an  assisted  liv- 
ing facility  near  her  home.  She  and  her 
husband  took  a  quick  trip  to  Copenha- 
gen, Denmark  in  Nov. 

Joan  Buckley  Saunders  said, 
"I've  never  been  in  Class  Notes,  so  here 
goes."  She's  married  to  an  Englishman 
(Robert),  has  been  living  in  Andover,  MA 
for  the  past  26  yrs.,  and  they  have  3 
children:  Nicholas  (24),  Amanda  (22), 
and  Peter  (19).  She  has  her  own  design 
business,  and  works  mainly  with  fabric 
when  she  and  her  husband  are  not  on 
the  golf  course.  (You  did  a  good  job, 
and  we'll  look  forward  to  your  next 
installment.) 

Marion  Van  Horn  Eagan  cel- 
ebrated Mardi  Gras  and  the  Super  Bowl 
victory  in  her  city  of  New  Orleans.  She 
and  Ann  Pritchett  Van  Horn  were 
looking  forward  to  a  visit  from  Robin 
Christian  Ryan  and  Ruthie  Lentz  in 
Mar.  over  spring  break. 

Elizabeth  Watts  reports  that  she 
and  husband  Bobby  are  in  their  18th 
yr.  at  Episcopal  H.  S.  where  he  teaches 
history  and  coaches  track,  and  she  still 
works  for  the  development  and  commu- 
nications offices.  She's  also  the  school's 
photographer.  They're  thrilled  to  be 
grandparents  of  Robert  C  Watts  (Chip), 
born  in  6/09.  He  and  his  parents,  Rob 
and  Alden,  are  now  living  in  Japan. 
Daughter  Betsy  and  husband  David 
are  living  in  Atlanta  for  a  yr.  before  they 
return  to  Washington,  D.C  in  the  fall. 

Laurie  Epstein  Dearlove  says  she 
enjoys  being  "Nana"  to  her  1st  grand- 
child, Quincy,  born  7/8/09.  He  lives  in 
Denver  with  his  parents,  Jenni  and  Jim, 
but  "there  are  numerous  visits."  Her 
husband  continues  to  create  new  busi- 
ness enterprises  in  the  field  of  health 
and  wellness.  Stepdaughter  Jessica  is 
back  from  a  3-yr.  mission  to  Kenya  to 
provide  AIDS  testing  and  information  to 
the  Maasai  as  well  as  spreading  God's 
Word.  She's  now  going  for  her  master's 
in  psychology.  The  other  stepdaughter, 
Brady,  will  enter  coll.  in  fall,  and  stepson 
John  is  a  junior  at  Glenbrook  South  H. 
S.  She  also  keeps  active  in  her  Pilates 
reformer  sessions  and  practices  her 
program  of  "Sheanetics,"  a  combination 
of  yoga,  tai  chi,  ballet  and  Pilates. 

Betsy  Hellmuth  was  sympathetic 
to  our  plight  as  class  secretaries  since 
she  herself  compiles  Class  Notes  for 
her  h.  s.  graduation  class  and  is  now 
planning  its  40th  reunion  with  Sarah 
Johnston  Knobluach  hosting  one  of 

Summer  2010 -47 


the  parties.  She  and  husband  Ted  will 
be  grandparents  at  the  end  of  May,  in 
fact,  the  baby  is  due  on  Janie  Reeb 
Short's  birthday!  Daughter  Katie  and 
husband  live  in  Beacon,  NY,  after  8  yrs. 
on  the  upper  west  side  of  Manhattan. 
Son  TJ  owns  a  RED  movie  camera  and 
travels  on  assignments  as  they  come 
up.  He  and  his  wife  live  in  Columbus 
where  she'll  be  teaching  dance.  Their 
youngest,  Kimberly,  is  in  Chicago,  where 
she  is  studying  to  become  a  certified 
paralegal.  She  still  sells  Doncaster 
clothing  while  her  husband  works  as  an 
investment  advisor,  concentrating  on 
corporate  bonds. 

Francesca  "Checka"  Delle  is 
still  a  kindergarten  teacher  at  PS  7  in 
Cypress  Hills,  Brooklyn.  Her  daughter 
is  following  the  footsteps  of  her  father, 
Paul,  and  is  in  her  2nd  yr.  of  Hofstra 
Law  School.  Her  son  is  a  paramedic  in 
the  city.  She  hasn't  seen  anyone  from 
SBC  since  her  parents  moved  from 
Washington  D.C.  to  the  eastern  shore 
and  unfortunately,  was  not  able  to  make 
Reunion.  Checka  plans  to  take  a  group 
of  4th  graders  to  a  dairy  farm  in  VT  for 
a  wk.  in  the  summer.  She  did  it  last  yr. 
and  it  was  a  blast.  It  exposes  city  kids 
to  a  whole  different  environment  and 
they  learn  so  much  from  it,  she  says. 
She  and  her  husband  are  planning  to 
go  to  Saratoga  Springs,  NY  for  a  few 
days  this  summer.  "Other  than  that  I'm 
trying  to  fight  the  battle  of  the  bulge  by 
running,  biking,  swimming,  going  to  the 
gym  and  kayaking.  I'm  also  involved  in 
my  church  as  a  eucharistic  minister  and 
catechist.  Hope  you  are  well." 

Sally  Rebentisch  Randolph 
who  will  become  a  grandma  for  the 
2nd  time,  reports,  "This  grandmother 
thing  is  great!"  She's  still  teaching  3rd 
grade  and  will  be  retiring  in  about  5  yrs. 
Sally  also  saw  Ceci  "Kirby"  Wraase, 
Sally  Clary.  Jane  Frierson,  and  Karla 
"Kline"  Bradshaw  recently  when  they 
all  met  for  "tea."  (Tea?  Riiiiiiggggghhh- 
hhttttttt . . .) 

Alethea  Lee  is  making  the  rounds, 
1st  spending  Thanksgiving  with  her 
family  in  Rl,  and  later  visiting  her  mother 
and  other  family  members  over  the 
Christmas  holidays  in  ME.  She  also 
reported,  "As  I  was  coming  home  I  had 
a  really  bad  auto  accident  on  95 — high 
speed,  hit  and  run,  3  cars.  I  got  a  broken 
hand  and  had  to  have  an  operation.  My 
car  is  gone,  but  I'm  alive!"  Fortunately, 
she  is  in  physical  therapy  and  back  to 
knitting  again. 

Please  send  more  news  for  our  next 
Class  Notes,  and  we'll  "get  it  out  there" 
as  they  say  on  CNN! 


1975 


Sarah  Preston  Clement 
5028  Domain  PI. 
Alexandria,  VA  22311 
scjr@comcast.net 

Johna  Pierce  Stephens 
1703  Beard's  Creek  Ct. 
Davidsonville,  MD  21035 
johna_pierce@yahoo.com 


me 


Ann  Kiley  Crenshaw 
1216  Cedar  Point  Dr. 
Virginia  Beach,  VA  23541 
akcrenshaw@cox.net 


im 


Sally  Bonham  Mohle 
5039  Lewisetta  Dr. 
Glen  Allen,  VA  23060 
SallyBonhamSBC77@aol.com 

Hi,  classmates!  We  now  have  a 
Facebook  group,  so  if  you're  on  Fb  and 
haven't  joined  yet,  please  do!  It's  a  great 
place  to  reconnect. 

Our  deepest  condolences  to  Jo  Ella 
Schneider  Samp  and  Rich  on  the  un- 
expected loss  of  their  son  Peter  in  2/09, 
which  I  just  learned  about  recently. 

Becky  Mayer  Gutierrez:  My  3 
sons  and  3  grandsons  are  well.  George 
and  his  wife  bought  a  house;  their  son 
was  1  on  3/1 4/1 0.  Anthony  and  his  girl- 
friend are  very  close  and  visit  often  with 
Gavin  (3)  and  Gauge  (2)  on  3/15/10.  Mi- 
chael is  in  Heidelberg,  Germany  working 
as  an  MP  in  the  Army;  he  is  doing  well. 
I  hope  to  visit  him  during  the  summer 
of  201 1 . 1  continue  to  teach  5th  grade,  I 
love  teaching  and  the  students,  I  hate  all 
the  paperwork  and  stress  from  the  state 
standardized  test.  I  also  work  weekends 
baking  at  a  coffee  shop,  enjoy  the 
variety.  My  family  has  rented  a  house  in 
York  Beach,  ME,  for  a  week  in  Jul.,  can't 
wait.  We  are  truly  blessed. 

Debbie  Koss  McCarthy:  Our 
1st  grandchild,  Anna  Grace  Ramey, 
was  born  1/25  to  our  daughter  Courtney 
and  husband  John.  But  Atlanta  is  too  far 
away  from  Chapel  Hill!  I'm  taking  a  sab- 
batical in  the  spring  and  will  spend  lots 
of  time  there.  Alex  still  enjoys  work  and 
play  in  Manhattan.  David  and  I  are  fine. 

Barb  Bernick  Peyronnet:  I'm  busy 
with  Annie  (15)  and  Maggie  (20).  Mag- 
gie attends  William  and  Mary  and  Annie 
is  a  freshman  in  h.  s.  I  continue  to  play 
golf  and  serve  on  the  9-holers  board. 
We've  had  a  great  season  snow  skiing 
at  Wintergreen,  VA,  with  terrific  condi- 
tions! Doug  &  I  stay  busy  with  church, 
kids  and  elder  care.  I'm  walking  in  the 
annual  1 0K  and  am  raising  money  for 


Massey  Cancer  Center  as  I  celebrate  6 
yrs.  in  May  as  a  cancer  survivor. 

Angela  M.  Scully:  I'm  enjoying 
serving  as  Exec.  Dir.  of  the  Darlington 
Arts  Center  in  PA.  Daughter  Clara  gradu- 
ated from  Kenyon  and  is  working  in 
theatre  in  Philadelphia  and  son  Matthew 
is  a  Jr.  atClarksonU. 

Molly  Reeb  Nissman:  My  kids  are 
growing  fast!  Nancy  (29)  works  at  the 
national  office  of  the  American  Diabetes 
Assoc,  in  Washington,  D.C.  Andrew 
(1 7)  and  Matt  (1 3)  are  both  at  Norfolk 
Acad.  I'm  busy  with  my  job  at  UBS  as 
a  Financial  Advisor  in  Norfolk.  I  have 
3  partners  at  UBS,  one  of  whom  is  my 
sister,  Jane  Reeb  Short  74.  We  have 
fun  working  together!  I  continue  to  play 
tennis;  it's  a  great  physical  and  mental 
outlet.  Last  year,  my  4.5  USTA  team 
went  to  Nationals  and  we  came  in  4th! 
I'm  renovating  my  house;  there's  always 
a  project  to  do! 

Ellen  Sellers  McDowell:  My 
youngest  child  Kate  graduates  from  high 
school  in  May.  We  had  a  nice  visit  to 
SBC  last  fall  but  she  has  decided  to  go 
somewhere  else.  I  thought  the  campus 
looked  great  and  the  food  was  wonder- 
ful. I  would  love  to  be  going  back.  Kate 
and  I  are  going  on  a  fun  spring  break 
trip  together,  1st  to  England  to  plan  a 
summer  mission  trip  for  our  church 
youth  group  and  then  to  Paris  where  we 
will  meet  my  sister  Susan  Sellers  Ewing 
71 . 1  hope  I  remember  enough  of  my 
French  to  get  around.  Rex  is  working 
in  AL  every  week  so  he's  commuting 
between  Dallas  and  Montgomery.  Our 
oldest  daughter  Emily  (24)  is  finish- 
ing a  master's  degree  in  Geology  from 
U.  TX  in  Austin  and  will  be  moving  to 
Houston  this  summer  to  work  for  Hess 
Petroleum.  Ginny  (22)  finished  atTCU 
last  year  and  is  working  in  Dallas  for  a 
small  communications  company.  Mary 
Susan  (20)  is  a  sophomore  at  TCU  and 
is  studying  engineering.  I'm  volunteering 
at  Kate's  school,  Parish  Episcopal,  as  a 
Senior  Mom  planning  fun  lunches  for  the 
senior  class  (I  still  love  to  plan  parties!) 
and  at  our  church  with  the  youth  group 
and  with  Altar  Guild. 

Stephanie  Maxson  Kenyon:  All  is 
well  in  the  Maxson-Kenyon  household. 
We're  gearing  up  for  the  h.  s.  baseball 
season.  Jay's  the  starting  Varsity  catcher 
this  year,  so  we  get  to  sit  in  the  bleach- 
ers and  sweat  every  pitch.  Next  it's  col- 
lege tours.  I'm  still  teaching  6th  grade. 
My  husband  has  retired,  but  substitutes 
most  days. 

Fran  Scott:  I've  begun  a  2nd 
decade  with  Scott  Gardner  Group,  my 
marketing/branding  consultancy.  Son 
Zach  turns  21  this  yr.  and  still  hopes  to 
make  his  fame  and  fortune  writing  and 
producing  in  the  music  industry  (as  does 
everyone  else  in  Nashville). 

Christine  Boulware:  Last  year,  my 
youngest  child,  my  daughter,  finished 


law  school  and  is  now  a  practic- 
ing attorney  in  Houston,  TX!  My  son 
continues  his  career  as  a  mid-level 
financial  executive  with  his  multinational 
corporation  and  is  now  weighing  options 
regarding  an  overseas  assignment — 
fun!  I  continue  weathering  the  economic 
storm  as  an  executive  recruiter,  but  have 
now  begun  the  final  stages  of  launching 
our  internet  business,  lndiefilmz.com. 

Kathy  Roantree  Renken  What  a 
year!  We've  moved  from  MN  to  TX.  It 
all  happened  very  quickly,  but  now  the 
family  is  together.  Jeff  no  longer  has 
to  commute  as  he's  now  a  full-time 
employee  of  Lockheed  Martin.  Children 
have  had  lots  of  changes  also.  Doug 
(23)  graduated  from  SD  School  of  Mines 
and  also  started  working  for  Lockheed 
Martin,  but  in  Marietta,  GA.  Emily  (20) 
graduates  this  yr.  from  Evangel  U.  and 
is  planning  a  3-mo.  missions/internship 
trip  to  Nairobi.  Then  she'll  be  in  the  job 
market  for  a  job  in  public  relations.  Tim 
(1 7)  is  a  homeschooled  h.  s.  junior;  so  I 
have  only  one  more  year  of  teaching  at 
home.  With  the  move  everything  is  very 
new  and  starting  over  seems  daunting. 
SBC'ers  in  Fort  Worth,  give  me  a  call! 

Libby  White  Drbal:  Life  keeps 
cooking  with  Drew  loving  his  sophomore 
yr.  at  Elon  in  NC  and  the  fraternity  life 
there.  He  hopes  to  study  in  Dublin  fall 
semester  next  year,  which  would  be 
very  exciting.  He'd  check  in  on  my 
Amsterdam  family  from  junior  semester 
abroad.  I'm  still  in  touch  with  them.  Tyler 
(1 7)  a  junior,  is  in  the  throes  of  trying  to 
complete  his  Eagle  Scout  project  and 
focusing  on  where  he  wants  to  go  to 
college.  Doug  has  a  challenging  new 
job  as  director  of  marketing  in  a  small 
veterinary  pharmaceutical  company 
based  in  northern  NJ.  He  loves  the 
challenge  of  bringing  in  more  business, 
which  he's  doing,  but  not  without  losing 
a  few  more  hairs.  I  worked  for  a  small 
saddlery  shop  last  year,  which  was  fun, 
but  unfortunately  it  didn't  survive  the 
small  business  crunch  and  right  before 
Christmas  had  to  close  its  doors.  I'm 
interviewing,  trying  to  get  back  into 
veterinary  pharmaceutical  marketing 
communications,  part-time.  Like  all  of 
us,  Doug  and  I  continue  to  monitor  our 
aging  parents'  health  and  home  issues. 
We're  fortunate  to  still  have  all  four  of 
them  with  us,  but  as  you  all  know,  aging 
is  not  for  sissies.  (Ain't  that  the  truth! 
These  birthdays  are  getting  ridiculous 
for  us  77ers!) 

Roxane  Clement:  I've  been  whip- 
ping myself  into  shape  going  to  Bikram 
Yoga  with  Gregor  Lee  (class  of  2000). 
I'll  soon  be  travelling  back  and  forth 
between  Asheville  and  MT  for  a  decorat- 
ing job.  I've  enjoyed  being  able  to  touch 
base  with  more  SBC  classmates  through 
Facebook. 

Nina  Baker  Neal:  Got  remarried  3 
yrs.  ago  to  a  wonderful  man  and  moved 


48  •  Summer  2010 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.erJu 


to  Ellicott  City,  MD.  My  daughter,  Natalie, 
is  a  sophomore  at  U.  of  St.  Andrews  in 
Scotland  and  really  enjoys  it.  She  has 
always  been  a  rider,  but  is  now  into 
playing  polo!  I  stick  to  riding  bikes  with 
my  husband. 

Missy  Flanigan  Clark:  Life  in  VA  is 
going  well.  David  and  I  have  our  grown 
kids,  Lauren  is  married  and  graduating 
from  UVA  with  her  masters  and  will  be 
a  Pediatric  Nurse  Practitioner,  Patrick 
finished  NC  State  a  couple  of  years  ago 
and  Philip  is  at  ECU  playing  baseball 
for  the  Pirates  in  the  spring  and  the 
Outer  Banks  Daredevils  in  the  summer 
months.  I  love  my  work  at  Saint  Patrick 
Catholic  School  as  the  Minister  of 
Spiritual  Formation,  and  I  never  have  a 
dull  moment  as  the  lower  school  religion 
teacher. 

And  I,  Sally  Bonham  Mohle,  am  en- 
joying being  near  our  new  great-nephew 
Alec  Brown,  born  1/18.  He  joins  his 
brother  Jack  (6)  also  nearby.  We  count 
them  as  our  "virtual  grandchildren,"  along 
with  their  cousins  Zach  (1)  and  Bella  Can- 
non (4)  in  NH.  I'm  also  enjoying  living  in 
Richmond.  Pete  and  I  celebrated  32  yrs. 
of  marriage  in  Feb. 


W8 


Suzanne  Stryker  Ullrich 
820  Waverly  Rd. 
Kennett  Square,  PA  19348 
suzullrich@aol.com 


W9 


Mary  Robbie  McBride  Bingham 
7624  Coors  Blvd.  SW 
Albuquerque,  NM  87121 
Sweetbriarl  979@gmail.com 

Saralee  Cowels  Boetler  writes: 
I'm  still  busy  as  senior  partner  with 
Fleishman-Hillard  International  Commu- 
nications; serving  on  a  National  Trust  for 
Historic  Preservation  advisory  board  for 
Historic  Woodlawn  (George  Washington 
gave  it  to  his  step-granddaughter,  Nelly 
Custis)  and  Frank  Lloyd  Wright's  Pope- 
Leighey  House  (only  FLW  building  in  VA 
open  to  the  public)  and  spending  time 
with  George  and  dog,  Angus  at  our  WV 
cabin.  I'm  starting  to  ride  again  (baby 
steps!)  and  spending  as  much  time  as  I 
can  with  my  2  nephews,  both  of  whom 
had  small  roles  in  Academy-Award  win- 
ning film,  "The  Blind  Side"  with  Sandra 
Bullock. 

Aimee  Brett  Kass:  I  work  at  Vort  & 
Morgen,  LLC,  a  law  firm  that  concen- 
trates on  civil  litigation  with  a  focus  on 
DYFS  and  public  education.  I'm  also  the 
producer  of  a  popular  radio  talk  show 
in  the  NY  metropolitan  region,  The  Sam 
Greenfield  Show  on  WVNJ.  (The  show 
can  be  heard  online.)  We're  not  right  or 
left,  just  rational  and  entertaining.  We 


had  SBC  alumna  Molly  Haskell  '61  as  a 
guest  last  summer.  I  manage  a  comedy 
troupe  called  Full  Metal  Mamas  in  NYC 
with  edgy  humor.  The  leader  is  Sam's 
wife,  Barbara  Singer.  And  finally,  I'm 
busy  with  the  Ethical  Culture  Society 
of  Bergen  County  as  Pledge  Chair  and 
organizer  of  fund  raisers. 

Betsy  Byrne  Utterback:  Jim  and 
I  moved  to  Tampa  in  Dec.  where  he's 
working  for  Moffitt  Cancer  Center. 
I've  been  lucky  enough  to  visit  Laura 
Evans  and  Graham  in  Palm  Beach  and 
Sally  Ann  in  Key  Largo.  I'm  looking  into 
continuing  interior  design  in  Tampa 
once  I  get  comfortable.  Our  children  are 
out  of  the  house:  James  (28)  is  in  grad 
school  (architecture)  at  Syracuse,  Chris 
is  working  in  Phila  in  clinical  research 
consulting  and  Jenny  (23)  is  in  NYC  at 
SonyMusic  working  at  Epic  Records. 
Looking  forward  to  the  summer  in  NH.  I 
had  lunch  with  Louise  about  6  mos.  ago 
and  she's  busy  with  her  2  girls  who  are 
wonderful  swimmers! 

Susan  Andrews  Cress:  Leigh's 
job,  SVP  Energy  Marketing  &  Inter- 
national at  Enbridge,  had  its  ups  and 
downs.  Travel  mercifully  slowed  down 
a  bit  with  the  sale  in  Apr.  of  Enbridge's 
stake  in  a  crude  oil  pipeline  in  Colombia. 
Sadly,  that  means  no  business  reasons 
for  now  to  visit  a  country  that  Leigh 
and  Susan  have  come  to  love,  but  the 
May  closing  party  in  Bogota,  preceded 
by  a  few  days  in  Cartagena,  was  a 
memorable  farewell.  Susan  is  in  her  2nd 
year  as  president  of  the  Junior  League 
of  Calgary,  her  full-time  unpaid  job.  Her 
term  has  been  eventful  but  rewarding, 
highlighted  by  steady  growth  in  mem- 
bership and  preparation  for  a  celebra- 
tion of  the  League's  60-year  history  in 
Calgary.  Her  term  ends  in  Jun.  201 0  and 
Susan  will  take  some  time  to  relax  and 
decide  what  she  wants  to  do  next.  Jim  is 
a  1st  yr.  law  student  at  the  U.  of  British 
Columbia.  Andrew  is  a  3rd-yr.  student  at 
U.  of  Alberta. 

Deborah  Parker  Gibbs  is  still 
practicing  law  in  Baton  Rouge,  LA;  saw 
Carol  Williamson  in  Boston  in  Oct.  She 
stays  there  often  to  visit  her  son  at  St. 
Paul's.  Margaret  Hixon  arrived  to  visit 
her  just  as  I  was  leaving,  unfortunately. 
I  had  a  good  telephone  visit  with  Mikki 
Farley  Canning,  who  has  a  new  farm 
in  KY  where  she'll  be  spending  time 
soon,  nearer  her  sons  at  Vanderbilt 
and  Fort  Benning,  GA.  In  the  small 
world  department,  youngest  daughter 
Martha,  a  freshman  at  Sewanee,  has 
befriended  Sumner  Dalrymple,  Liz  Day's 
(78)  daughter.  I  had  a  wonderful  time 
parent's  weekend  seeing  Liz  and  her 
husband  Chris.  I  think  often  and  fondly 
of  the  peaceful  days  at  Sweet  Briar  and 
look  forward  to  hearing  news  of  our 
class. 

Lauren  MacMannis  Huyett:  I'm 
in  Concord,  MA,  and  down  to  1  child 


at  home,  Susan,  (16)  a  sophomore  at 
Concord-Carlisle  H.  S.  Kate  is  26  and 
working  at  Goldman-Sachs  in  NYC, 
Phillip  (24)  is  at  Tufts  Medical  School 
in  Boston;  Peter  (21)  is  a  senior  at 
Gettysburg  Coll.,  Chip  (20)  is  a  fresh- 
man at  Miami  U.  in  OH.  I  have  my  own 
residential  interior  decorating  company, 
a  lot  of  fun.  In  Jan.,  I  hosted  the  Boston 
Alumnae  SBC  Club  luncheon.  Many 
ages  came  (60  plus  people),  a  lot  of  fun! 
My  mother  Lois  Gene  Patton  '44  and 
her  friend  Paulett  Taggart  '44  sang  the 
Senior  Steps  song  that  my  Mom  wrote 
while  at  SBC! 

And  I,  Mary  Robbie  McBride 
Bingham,  have  a  wonderful  job  working 
at  Helen  Cordero  Elem.  in  Albuquerque, 
working  with  the  gifted  and  talented 
students  and  the  lower  archiving  kin- 
dergarteners. We  have  a  promising 
3-yr.-old  at  the  racetrack  and  hope  he 
does  well  this  spring.  Please  email  me 
at:  sweetbriar1979@gmall.com.  I  have 
tried  to  email  everyone,  but  got  a  lot  of 
returns!  Also,  please  do  not  feel  that  the 
only  thing  you  can  write  in  about  is  your 
family.  We'd  all  love  to  hear  about  what 
makes  you  happy  and  your  hobbies, 
passions,  etc.  Thank  you! 


mo 


Frances  McClung  Ferguson 
1917  Maylin  Dr. 
Salem,  VA  24153 
franferguson@comcast.net 

Phyllis  Watt  Wilson 
3939  Livingston  St.  NW 
Washington,  D.C.  20015 
phylliswjordan@hotmail.com 


mi 


Claire  McDonnell  Purnell 
Four  Thompson  St. 
Annapolis,  MD  21401 
cpgd@verizon.net 

Hello  Classmates!  A  number  of  you 
sent  your  news.  Thank  you  all.  Naomi 
Weyand  Smith  and  husband  Scott  live 
in  Atlanta  where  Scott  is  the  General 
Counsel  of  Genuine  Parts  Company. 
Naomi  is  an  employment  discrimination 
attorney  at  Fisher  Broyles.  She  writes, 
"I'm  also  on  the  Board  of  Directors  of 
the  Center  for  Family  Resources,  which 
helps  homeless  families  with  hous- 
ing, food,  and  job  training.  Our  son, 
Harrison  (21),  is  a  junior  at  Presbyterian 
Coll.  in  SC  and  thinking  about  law 
school.  Our  daughter,  Emily  (18)  is  a 
h.  s.  senior,  and  is  considering  SBC. 
We  recently  moved  to  an  old  house  in 
Druid  Hills  in  Atlanta,  which  we'll  have 
to  renovate.  We  also  bought  a  house  in 
Nantucket  and  saw  Roberta  Perillo  '82 
in  Nantucket  last  summer.  I  had  ankle 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae, sbc.edu 


replacement  surgery  at  Duke  in  Jan. 
and  am  still  recovering  from  that  and 
hoping  for  good  results." 

Elaine  Arozarena  is  a  global 
Advisor  in  Human  Capital  Solutions  with 
partners  in  Europe  and  headquarters 
in  Vienna,  Austria.  "The  brand  name 
is  Neumann  Partners,  and  my  brand 
in  Iberia  and  the  Americas  is  Global 
Human  Capital  Solutions."  She  adds, 
"My  husband  Carlos  Montero  de  Alba 
and  I  have  no  children  but  split  our 
time  between  Madrid,  Spain,  and  NYC.  I 
also  head  a  nonprofit  foundation  called 
SABORES  AUTENTICOS  DE  MEXICO 
where  we  will  start  qualifying  Mexican 
restaurants  by  their  authenticity  with 
ONE,  TWO  or  THREE  EAGLES...the  idea 
is  to  differentiate  us  from  Tex-Mex, 
which  is  the  food  you  eat  in  the  U.S." 

Helen  "Sam"  Masters  Durham 
is  still  in  Rochester,  MN,  working  as  dir. 
of  marketing  for  the  Mayo  Civic  Center 
with  Buck  (HSC  '80)  at  the  Mayo  Clinic. 
Rob  (20),  the  youngest,  is  in  his  2nd  yr. 
at  Hampden-Sydney.  Arch  (27)  is  in  NYC 
and  Ann  Husted  (23)  is  in  NC.  Helen 
saw  Mary  Ware  Gibson,  Lea  Sparks 
Bennett  and  Mason  Bennett  Rummel 
'83  last  mo.  Helen  writes  "Sadly  I  lost 
my  mom  right  before  Christmas  and  the 
most  touching  text  came  from  Mary 
Ware  Gibson  when  she  told  me  she'd 
be  driving  up  for  the  funeral,  'SBC  girl 
needs  a  hug,  I'll  be  there.'  It  just  goes 
to  show  you  that  the  lifelong  friends 
you  make  at  SBC  carry  you  through  the 
toughest  times." 

Boo  Major  is  in  her  1 2th  yr.  as 
head  coach  for  the  U.  of  SC  Equestrian 
team.  She  keeps  up  with  Lisa  Kean  '80 
who  has  built  a  beautiful  vacation  home 
on  the  outskirts  of  Asheville,  NC.  Boo 
says,  "You'd  never  know  that  Asheville 
is  5  min.  from  her  house  with  the  beau- 
tiful views  of  the  mountains  she  has." 
Boo's  son,  Mac,  is  in  the  4th  grade  and 
enjoys  hunting  and  fishing;  he  shot  2 
bucks  this  year.  Mac  also  plays  football 
and  baseball.  "He's  not  too  interested 
in  horses  which  leaves  me  relieved!  I 
couldn't  afford  it.  Of  course  I  still  have  3 
retired  horses  and  a  donkey  at  my  farm 
as  pasture  ornaments." 

Kathy  Levi  Hoover  and  Michael 
are  living  in  Richmond  and  they  have 
finally  emerged  from  2  major  renova- 
tions to  their  home.  Kathy  writes  "We 
loved  our  neighborhood  and  didn't 
want  to  move  (Anne  Little  Woolley  '83 
is  our  neighbor).  Kate  (21),  a  '3rd  year' 
at  the  Mclntire  School  of  Commerce  at 
UVa,  is  following  in  her  dad's  footsteps. 
Anna  (1 4)  attends  Collegiate  School  in 
Richmond  I  see  Terrell  Luck  Harrigan 
often,  as  we're  both  room  mothers  for 
our  daughters'  8th  grade  advisories. 
I  also  see  Daughty  Hagan  Godfrey 
when  our  daughters'  sports  teams  play 
each  other.  Michael  is  president  of 
Caprin  Asset  Management.  I  keep  busy 

Summer  2010  •  49 


with  family,  friends,  and  volunteer  work. 
I  enjoy  planning  our  vacations.  Our 
favorites  so  far  have  been  Yellowstone 
and  San  Francisco.  I  love  to  hear  from 
and  see  all  my  SBC  classmates!" 

Stephanie  Rinaldi  Charlip  is 
living  in  Weston,  MA,  and  she  writes, 
"This  year  my  husband,  Steve,  (UVA 
class  of  '81 ,  UVA  Law  class  of  '87) 
started  his  own  commercial  real  estate 
law  practice.  My  oldest  child,  Allie  (23) 
graduated  from  UVA  in  2009;  she'll 
be  applying  to  vet  school  in  the  fall.  In 
the  meantime,  she  and  I  are  going  to 
Panama  in  May  on  a  Castration  Vacation 
(a  program  called  SpayPanama,  which 
spays  and  neuters  over  5,000  feral 
cats  and  dogs  per  yr).  My  middle  child, 
Annie  (21),  is  a  sophomore  at  the  U. 
of  Ml,  loves  it.  My  youngest,  Jeff  (1 5) 
is  a  freshman  in  h.  s.  I'm  still  training 
and  boarding  dogs  in  my  home.  I  have 
a  new  bird  dog,  an  American  Brittany 
puppy  named  Finn;  and  I  have  taken  up 
pheasant  hunting.  I  see  Anne  Sargeant 
Rosenthal  frequently,  and  talk  to 
Harriet  Bielitsky  as  often  as  I  can 

Susie  Wilson  Lyons  writes  from 
Lexington,  KY,  "I  wasn't  a  real  active 
student  at  SBC  so  many  may  not  even 
know  me!  But,  it  was  a  good  time  with 
some  super  fun  memories."  Susie's 
oldest  son,  Will  (24)  has  graduated  from 
college;  sons  Michael  (21)  and  Chris 
(20)  are  in  college  and  her  youngest, 
Sam  (16)  is  a  sophomore  in  h.  s.  Susie 
completed  2  yrs.  at  SBC  and  spent  a 
summer  taking  classes  at  the  U.  of  AZ 
then  went  to  KY  for  a  short  while,  or  so 
she  thought.  Susie  met  her  husband, 
Robbie,  and  the  rest  is  history! 

Susie  writes,  "I've  decided,  at  the 
age  of  50,  to  go  back  to  college  to  get 
my  degree.  It  was  interesting  to  say  the 
least  to  request  my  transcript  from  SBC, 
looks  like  I  was  not  too  into  studying! 
I'm  loving  it,  working  towards  a  B.S. 
in  management  and  ethics  through 
Asbury  U.  My  boys  are  constantly  ask- 
ing me  about  my  grades,  and  I  seem 
to  need  their  help  a  lot!  So  interesting 
to  be  reading  books  and  writing  papers 
again,  but  I  love  it."  Susie  and  Robbie 
own  Hartwell  Farms,  a  thoroughbred 
breeding  and  sales  company.  She  sees 
Ashton  Nesbit  Moynihan  '82  and  her  2 
wonderful  daughters.  Susie  says  hello 
to  Betsy  Simpson  Huberts  Anne 
Sargeant  Rosenthal  Stephanie 
Rinaldi  Charlip  Laurie  Coe.  Harriet 
Bielitsky,  and  Nancy  Webb  Corkery 

Allison  Roberts  Greene  has  had 
a  busy  yr.  looking  at  high  schools  for 
daughter  Mackenzie  (14).  Allison  says 
"It  looks  like  she's  headed  to  the  Grier 
School  in  PA  after  Labor  Day  and  she 
is  excited  about  her  choice.  We  just 
returned  from  a  wk.  in  Grand  Cayman 
Island.  We  had  a  wonderful  spring  break 
seeing  sea  turtles,  tropical  fish,  blue 
iguanas,  and  stingrays.  The  kids, 

50 -Summer  2010 


Mackenzie,  Andrew  (13)  and  Meredith 
(1 0)  enjoyed  swimming  every  day.  Most 
of  all,  we  enjoyed  how  friendly  the  locals 
were  to  us.  We  were  happy  to  return 
home  to  warmer  weather."  Allison  still 
works  on  the  Advisory  Board  of  Walk 
On  Equine  Assisted  Activity.  It's  been 
a  joy  for  her  to  see  the  program  grow 
to  over  50  participants.  Allison  will  be 
participating  in  3  upcoming  fundraisers. 
Meanwhile,  Carson  continues  to  volun- 
teer as  a  Life  Line  Pilot.  He  just  flew  a 
cargo  mission  for  Haiti. 

Stephanie  Stitt  Fitzpatrick  is 
"immersed  in  the  sandwich  generation, 
with  teenagers  on  one  side  and  an 
80-yr.-old  mother  on  the  other,  family 
life  is  full. Work  has  expanded,  too,  as 
I've  taken  on  clients  with  a  large  con- 
temporary art  collection.  It's  all  good, 
but  after  the  snowy  deluge  D.C.  experi- 
enced, I'll  be  glad  when  spring  arrives!" 
Stephanie's  kids,  Alex  (15)  and  Robbie 
(12),  made  "lots  of  $  for  the  Special 
Olympics,  shoveling!" 

Mary  Kate  Ferguson  is  living  in 
Baltimore  and  has  enjoyed  staying  con- 
nected with  so  many  classmates  on 
Facebook.  Mary  Kate  writes,  "I  traveled 
to  VT  several  times  this  past  winter  to 
visit  an  old  friend  and  got  hooked  on 
the  simple  clean  lifestyle  there.  Did  a  lot 
of  knitting  and  opened  a  shop  on  etsy. 
com." 

DJ  Stahnope  writes  from  the 
Middle  East,  "I  spent  the  last  couple 
of  yrs.  with  Military  Ministry,  where  I 
assisted  in  the  production  of  a  30-hr. 
DVD  training  series  for  churches, 
professionals  and  individuals  on  Christ- 
centered  healing  for  PTSD;  and  served 
as  volunteer  coordinator  in  the  Spiritual 
Resources  dept.  I  bought  my  1st  home 
ever  in  lovely  Williamsburg,  VA,  and 
visited  with  many  wonderful  SBC  pals 
who  also  now  make  VA  their  home, 
including  Betsy  Kyle  Donahue  '82  (who 
hosted  me  for  the  past  4  Thanksgivings 
at  her  house),  Jean  von  Schrader  Bryant 
'82,  and  Polk  Green  '82.  In  Feb.,  I 
rejoined  the  USO  for  which  I  had  previ- 
ously worked  overseas  and  stateside 
for  10  yrs.,  in  order  to  return  to  direct 
service  to  troops,  which  has  always 
been  my  heart.  Now  serving  as  a  duty 
manager  at  Camp  Buehring,  Kuwait, 
I  have  a  lot  less  responsibility  than  I 
had  in  senior  leadership,  but  much 
more  direct  contact.  I'm  hoping  to  be 
tapped  for  a  position  in  Afghanistan  in 
the  next  6  mos.,  bringing  to  bear  all  the 
experience  and  training  I've  had  from 
both  USO  and  Military  Ministry.  I  place 
frequent  updates  about  my  adventures 
on  Facebook  and  would  welcome  any- 
one to  'friend'  me  if  they'd  like  to  follow 
along  or  to  send  an  email  to  djstan- 
hope@gmail.com." 

Anne  Grovesenor  Evard  and 
husband  Walter  are  living  in  Versailles, 
France.  "Our  antique  shop  is  doing 


well,  and  we  had  a  visit  from  Carolyn 
Birbick  Thomason  '80  and  Tish  Longest 
Tyler  '80.  As  for  children,  Anne-Marie 
and  Helene  are  now  working  and  have 
their  own  apts.  That  still  leaves  me  4 
at  home!  Constance  and  Louis  are  in 
graduate  studies  at  universities  in  the 
Paris  suburbs,  and  Clotilde  is  study- 
ing dramatic  arts  at  the  Versailles 
Conservatory.  My  youngest,  Bertrand, 
is  a  senior  in  h.  s.,  so  we're  almost  out 
of  the  school  routine. Walter  still  works 
for  the  Germans,  in  direct  marketing. 
He  enjoys  the  shop  on  weekends,  and 
spends  all  his  free  time  searching  for 
things  to  sell."  Hope  more  SBC  alumnae 
will  stop  by  to  see  us.  We're  next  to  the 
wonderful  food  market  in  Versailles,  in 
a  pedestrian  antique  quarter,  with  about 
50  other  shops.  So  y'all  come  on  over!" 

Eve  Devine  writes  from  Baltimore 
"In  1/09, 1  left  the  hospitality  industry 
and  took  a  position  with  the  Maryland 
Zoo  in  Baltimore  as  VP  of  Human 
Resources.  I  love  my  surroundings;  I 
look  outside  my  office  window  and  see 
Giraffes,  Elephants,  Camels,  and  Lions. 
The  MD  Zoo  is  the  3rd  oldest  zoo  in  the 
U.S.  and  is  part  of  a  200-acre  park  in 
Baltimore.  The  property,  built  in  1809, 
was  once  owned  by  a  Revolutionary 
War  hero  and  is  the  main  administrative 
office  for  the  Zoo.  It  is  a  wonderful  place 
to  work.  If  you  are  visiting  Baltimore, 
come  see  us.  I  enjoy  seeing  Brendy 
Reiter  Hantzes  Mary  Kate  Ferguson 
and  Tania  Voss  Ryan  as  regularly  as 
our  schedules  permit." 

Diana  Landau  McCulloch  has  had 
an  exciting  3  yrs!  "I  went  to  my  30th 
h.  s.  reunion  and  re-met  someone  I 
dated  in  9th  grade!  Last  summer  I 
moved  my  daughter,  Pepper  (11),  the 
dogs  and  horses  to  the  Jacksonville 
area.  Pepper  is  attending  St.  Johns 
Country  Day  School  on  Doctors  Lake 
and  the  horses/dogs  enjoyed  the  mild 
(for  us!)  winter.  We're  on  the  St.  John's 
River — it's  HUGE — and  I'm  so  glad 
to  be  in  the  South  again!  I  still  have 
my  Revolutionary  farm  in  Chadds  Ford 
and  as  both  our  families  are  still  in  PA, 
we  try  to  get  up  often  to  visit.  I  have 
spoken  a  few  times  with  Stephanie 
Snead  Jurascio,  who  was  still  in  the 
Baltimore,  MD,  area  with  3  children. 
Can't  wait  to  see  what  all  have  been 
up  to!" 

Harriet  Harrison  Leavell  writes 
that  all  is  well  in  Houston  (no  hurricanes 
in  2009!).  Harriet's  son,  Walton  (21)  will 
graduate  from  Rhodes  College  in  May 
2010,  majoring  in  international  busi- 
ness. Last  summer  he  was  in  Belgium 
doing  an  international  business  program 
through  Rhodes.  Her  daughter,  Brooks 
(17),  is  a  junior  in  h.  s.  and  looking  at 
colleges.  She  plays  field  hockey,  soccer, 
and  lacrosse  and  wants  to  continue 
lacrosse  in  college.  In  between  lacrosse 
tournaments,  she  spent  a  month  study- 


ing in  Salamanca,  Spain,  last  summer. 
Harriet  writes,  "I  was  able  to  go  to  Spain 
for  the  end  of  her  trip  which  was  lots 
of  fun.  I'm  still  working  part  time  as  a 
CPA  in  a  private  company  and  I  play 
tennis  at  least  once  a  wk.  Whitney  is 
still  at  Merrill  Lynch  and  tries  to  get  to 
AK  every  yr.  or  so  for  hunting,  hiking 
and  fishing.  Walton  went  with  him  last 
summer  and  they  had  a  blast.  I  see 
Dana  Painter  Parkey  (who  is  Brooks' 
godmother)  and  Florence  Baldwin 
Langford  whose  daughter,  Annie,  plays 
field  hockey  and  lacrosse  with  Brooks. 

Florence  Baldwin  Langford  and 
Tom  have  been  in  Houston  for  3  Yi  yrs. 
and  love  it,  although  they  miss  the  fall 
of  the  northeast.  After  3  yrs.  of  living  in 
temporary  housing,  they  have  settled  in 
a  house  they  renovated.  Florence  writes, 
"Our  son,  Byron  (21)  is  now  a  junior 
at  Middlebury  and  our  daughter,  Annie 
(18),  is  a  senior  in  h.  s.  and  will  be 
going  to  Colgate  next  yr.  We're  thrilled 
they'll  be  in  the  same  general  area.  We 
will  be  empty  nesters,  so  I  plan  to  do 
more  volunteer  work  and  travel  with  my 
husband  some.  I  didn't  make  it  up  to 
SBC  for  the  dedication  of  the  new  Bistro 
in  Sept.,  but  hope  to  get  up  there  soon! 
I  see  Harriet  Harrison  Leavell  all  the 
time — our  girls  go  the  same  h.  s.  and 
play  sports  together." 

Nancy  Webb  Corkery  is  working 
part  time  for  a  jewel  store  in  Wellesley, 
MA  and  for  The  Great  American  Rain 
Barrel  Company.  She  spent  Easter  with 
Carla  Cabot  '84.  Nancy  is  having  fun 
playing  tennis,  cannot  wait  for  golf  sea- 
son to  start  up,  and  is  looking  forward 
to  racing  and  some  cruising  on  her 
new  boat  this  summer.  All  the  boys  are 
good.  David  is  still  working  hard  with 
CBRE  in  Boston.  Kevin,  a  junior  at  St. 
Lawrence  U.,  is  majoring  in  Sociology 
and  Education.  Kyle,  a  sophomore,  is 
a  business  major  at  The  College  of 
Charleston.  Nancy  is  hoping  to  get  to 
Italy  this  fall  to  see  Laura  Evans  79. 

John,  the  girls,  and  I  are  still  in 
Annapolis.  Mary  (16)  is  a  sophomore 
and  looking  at  colleges  is  on  the  hori- 
zon. Seventh  grader,  Lizzie  (13),  is  tak- 
ing a  pottery  class  and  she  loves  it. 

If  you  get  to  the  Lake  Placid  Pub 
and  Brewery,  you  will  see  the  SBC  pen- 
nant that  I  mentioned  in  my  notes  last 
time,  hanging  on  the  wall.  A  silly,  but 
fun,  pursuit  of  mine.  Thank  you  for  shar- 
ing your  news.  Take  care. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


)O0 
Consuelo  Michelle  Martinez 
7007  North  Tripp  Ave. 
Lincoln  wood,  I L  60712 
Consuelo@h2oplus.com 
consuelomichelle@yahoo.com 

Amoret  Thisell  was  the  1  st  to  write, 
wishing  her  classmates  ig  Jul  og  Godt 
NyttAr  or  New  Year's  greetings  from  NY 
where  she  was  busy  baking  additional 
Julekake  (Christmas  bread).  Daughter 
Emma  Grace  (4)  attends  "International 
Pre-School,"  with  many  United  Nations 
families.  Big  sister  Diana  (7)  is  the  mirror 
image  of  the  "girl"  from  the  original  Mod 
Squad  show — same  long  hair  and  tie- 
dyed  clothes,  (FYI  it  was  actress  Peggy 
Lipton).  While  little  sister  Dorothea  en- 
joys PS  1 16  in  Murray  Hill,  surrounded 
by  children  from  the  NY  Medical  Center 
families.  Doro,  as  she's  known,  was  very 
proud  of  her  class  project  describing  her 
family's  immigrant  story  and  how  her 
grandfather  came  to  America  from  Nor- 
way. Happy  that  builders  finally  finished 
a  new  deck  for  their  beach  house  on  the 
East  End  of  Long  Island,  she  describes 
the  three  levels,  as  all  raised,  overlook- 
ing beautiful  Moriches  Bay;  near  where 
husband  Edvard  was  born.  The  family 
will  renovate  the  1950's  bathrooms, 
kitchen,  and  finish  replacing  the  col- 
lapsed ceilings.  An  unheated  summer 
home,  they  look  forward  to  it  becoming 
as  livable  as  one  of  the  dilapidated 
beach  houses  in  the  area,  an  old  East 
End  tradition.  Amoret  extends  the  invite 
to  all  who  visit  the  East  End.  The  family 
was  busy,  last  summer,  for  the  3rd  time 
in  10  yrs.;  they  had  a  major  field  fire  at 
their  farm  in  upstate  NY.  The  fire  was 
from  power  lines  downed  during  a  storm 
and  although  the  entire  power  line  fell 
down,  the  power  stayed  on  and  the  hot 
electric  cable  burned  a  trench  into  their 
east  paddock,  turning  the  sandy  soil  into 
glass!  Thankfully  the  windstorm  brought 
rain,  naturally  controlling  the  spread  of 
the  fire.  The  electric  company  moved 
all  the  power  lines  from  the  back  of  the 
farm  out  to  the  street.  Not  only  will  it  be 
safer  for  the  family,  but  the  unsightly 
utility  lines  will  be  gone  from  the  scenic 
part  of  the  property,  she's  thrilled. 
Equally  thrilling  was  Amoret's  confronta- 
tion with  the  bats  that  invaded  the  old 
farmhouse  in  Jul.  You  may  ask  how 
one  gets  rid  of  bats?  With  a  trap,  which 
Amoret  did.  So  in  case  you  planned 
to  visit  Amoret  and  family  upstate,  do 
not  fear  the  bats,  they  were  extracted 
from  the  home  at  least  for  now.  Back 
in  the  city,  Amoret's  genealogical  work 
uncovered  that  Edvard's  American 
great-grandfather  was  an  ecclesiasti- 
cal architect  and  active  in  the  original 
congregation  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of 
the  Heavenly  Rest  in  midtown  Manhat- 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


tan.  She  therefore  joined  the  church, 
and  the  family  celebrated  Christmas  Eve 
services.  We  look  forward  to  reading 
more  of  Amoret's  unique  encounters 
with  nature  in  future  updates. 

Liz  Hoskinson  sent  a  Happy  New 
Year  "and  all  that"  As  it  is  winter;  Liz 
has  been  at  her  writing  desk  more  than 
usual,  penning  articles  for  CentralE- 
quine.com ,  TheEquestrianCorner.com 
and  the  area  newspaper  on  notable 
trees.  The  subject  was  daunting,  since 
it  dawned  on  Liz  that  she  loves  trees, 
but  "knows  zero  about  them."  It  took  a 
bit  of  scrambling  to  pull  off  a  plausible 
piece.  The  horse  business  continues  to 
do  well,  with  a  good  roster  of  students 
and  fun  horses.  Liz  continues  to  be  con- 
cerned about  the  indifference  towards 
global  warming,  especially  among  the 
"soccer  mom"  crowd  as  she  indicates, 
and  works  on  a  local  committee  to 
address  this.  We  look  forward  to  Liz 
sharing  with  us  how  we  can  each  do  our 
part  to  gain  greater  awareness,  taking 
action  in  our  own  lives. 

Speaking  of  global  warming,  Pris- 
cilla  Ream  McPheeters  wrote  from  SC 
on  a  68-degree  day  in  Feb.,  just  as  she 
was  beginning  to  think  that  the  family 
needed  to  head  farther  south  for  milder 
days.  In  addition  to  celebrating  the 
balmy  weather,  Priscilla  and  husband 
Chip  just  made  their  last  tuition  pay- 
ment this  semester  to  SBC  as  daughter 
Heather  graduates  on  May  15th.  She 
still  can't  believe  how  fast  4  yrs.  went! 
Priscilla  hopes  to  see  everyone  at  our 
30th  reunion. 

Theologian  and  horse  back  rider 
extraordinaire,  Nancy  Dougherty 
Davidson  wrote  from  VA.  Daughter 
Meredith  is  a  freshman  at  Clemson, 
enjoying  school  and  is  a  member  of  the 
rowing  team.  Daughter  Hyten,  a  junior 
in  h.  s.  runs  cross-country  and  rides  in 
her  spare  time,  while  Lydia  the  "baby", 
is  in  6th  grade,  rides  all  of  the  time  with 
mom.  Per  my  last  update,  Nancy  earned 
a  master's  degree  in  theological  studies 
at  the  VA  Theological  Seminary  and  is 
involved  in  her  church  while  pondering 
the  "valuable  things  she  can  do  with  the 
degree."  She  continues  to  teach  riding 
lessons  in  Middleburg  and  dabble  in  the 
jumper  world  with  her  horse  Mar- 
tini. Husband  Mike  a  former  West  Point 
graduate,  is  a  government  attorney. 

Never  one  to  sit  back  and  do  noth- 
ing, Frances  Ruth  Fowler  Bauerle 
is  the  consummate  pro  multi-tasker 
with  2  sons,  a  husband  and  an  organic, 
working  farm  30  mi.  outside  of  Athens, 
GA.  Her  life  has  been  consumed  with 
leading  a  grassroots  effort  in  fighting  an 
environmental  cause.  She  and  her  fellow 
citizens  of  Elbert  County,  GA,  collected 
3,520  signatures  (about  28%  of  the 
registered  voters)  in  only  1 0  days.  The 
petition  requested  the  "right  to  vote"  on 
an  amendment  on  a  solid  waste  ordi- 


nance preventing  a  garbage  incinerator 
or  landfill  in  the  county,  an  unspoiled 
area,  void  of  strip  malls  and  big  box 
retailers.  Our  "Erin  Brokovich"  shared 
that  if  a  probate  judge  validates  approx. 
2,520  signatures  there  will  be  a  referen- 
dum. We  wish  them  good  luck  and  will 
stay  tuned  for  the  verdict.  In  addition  to 
managing  3  jobs,  preparing  eldest  son 
for  Mercer  U.  where  he'll  play  tennis 
and  hopefully  "study  a  bit";  Ruth  is  also 
busy  with  son  Magill  (12)  and  supports 
husband  Jack's  busy  coaching  career  at 
the  U.  of  GA  women's  swim  team. 

"No  earth  shattering  news  to  share," 
but  we're  glad  she  wrote.  Rosemary 
Hardy  continues  her  noble  work  as 
a  behavior  specialist  within  several 
elem.  schools  of  the  Shawnee  Mission 
School  District.  Fortunately  Rosemary 
discovered  a  new  outlet  to  help  channel 
work-related  stress,  she  has  been 
volunteering  for  several  months  at  a 
no-kill  animal  shelter  and  "absolutely 
loves  it."  Rosemary  wrote  that  each  dog 
at  the  shelter  is  a  sweetheart  and  has 
something  unique  to  offer  their  potential 
family.  When  not  working  or  volunteering 
she  stays  in  contact  with  Rebecca  Cog- 
gin  Hubert  ('83)  who  will  visit  Rosemary 
in  Kansas  City  this  spring.  A  refreshing 
optimist,  she  writes  that  life  is  good,  no 
complaints. 

SBC  class  of  201 4  will  include  the 
smart,  talented  and  lovely  Mary  Whitney 
Earnhart,  daughter  of  Marie  Engel- 
Earnhart.  Congratulations  to  Mary 
Whitney  who  received  a  scholarship  to 
attend  SBC. 

Danielle  Bielenstein  visited  SBC 
after  30  yrs.  As  part  of  a  panel  on  math 
and  science  in  government,  she  noted 
that  the  turnout  was  large,  a  good  ses- 
sion. While  looking  out  at  the  attendees, 
toting  their  electronic  accoutrements, 
(laptops,  iPods,  cell  phones),  she  dryly 
informed  the  audience  that  when  she 
was  at  SBC,  the  greatest  thing  was 
to  have  a  phone  in  our  rooms!  That 
got  a  laugh,  though  the  students  were 
shocked  our  class  was  so  electronically 
deprived.  The  following  morning,  some 
students  came  to  her  table  in  the  caf- 
eteria with  more  questions;  Danielle  was 
delighted.  While  on  campus,  she  met 
with  two  professors,  Brent  Shea  and  Bob 
Chase.  They  had  a  wonderful  catch-up, 
as  it  was  great  to  be  back  on  campus, 
albeit  almost  30  yrs.  later!  Her  godsons, 
Hugh  and  Christopher  (Ande  Tenant's 
twin  boys),  will  be  turning  9  soon!  Nation 
Institute  of  Health  (NIH)  continues  to  be 
busy,  with  normal  business  as  well  as 
yr.  2  now  of  the  stimulus  money  they 
received. 

Fellow  graduate  school  alum, 
Carrie  Montague  Stanny  sent  her 
news  from  Pittsburgh,  PA,  where  she 
and  husband  Tim,  also  a  T  Bird  alum, 
live.  After  graduate  school  and  having 
son  Patrick,  Carrie  attended  U.  of 


Pittsburgh  where  she  earned  another 
master's  degree,  this  one  in  library 
and  information  science.  Carrie  is  the 
reference  librarian  in  Whitehall  (a  suburb 
of  Pittsburgh).  She  enjoys  managing  the 
reference  dept.  in  a  small  library,  where 
she  works  on  everything  from  3rd  grade 
school  projects,  to  finding  a  Swiss  bank 
with  Parisian  offices,  and  then  reading 
a  recipe  over  the  phone  to  a  patron.  Still 
with  the  trademark  global  mystique  and 
ready  to  assist  others,  Carrie  also  man- 
ages a  resettlement  project  for  refugees; 
Sudanese,  Bhutanese  and  Somali 
patrons.  She  also  assists  in  providing  job 
skills  to  unemployed  patrons  and  helped 
an  85-yr.-old  man  refresh  his  skills.  The 
gentleman  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  job, 
which  Carrie  states,  indicates  something 
about  the  U.S.  economy.  Husband  Tim 
is  retired  after  1 5  yrs.  with  Bombardier 
and  completed  putting  their  1 928  house 
"back  together."  What  originally  started 
as  just  "freshening  things  up"  turned 
into  a  major  rehab  with  everything 
replaced  except  the  family  dog.  Son  Pat, 
a  junior,  is  in  the  college  search 
process.  Like  his  parents,  he's  thinking 
about  a  career  in  international  business 
and  has  the  travel  bug.  The  family 
traveled  to  Russia  and  will  go  to  Turkey 
this  summer.  In  the  meantime,  they've 
been  shoveling  a  lot  of  snow  and  looking 
forward  to  the  spring! 

Deborah  Price  Bowman  looks 
forward  to  returning  to  SBC  this  May  to 
see  niece  Lauren  Miller  graduate.  The 
Bowman  family  had  a  great  summer  va- 
cation in  Basin  Harbor  in  VT  after  picking 
daughter  Katie  (1 3)  up  from  camp  in 
ME.  She'll  head  there  one  last  time  in 
Aug.  and  the  family  hopes  to  take  anoth- 
er glorious  wk.  in  New  England.  Deborah 
writes  that  Katie  enjoys  music,  tennis, 
soccer  and  Softball,  while  son  Kessler 
(8)  is  interested  in  Star  Wars,  Legos 
and  baseball.  Deborah  is  an  avid  tennis 
player,  on  the  courts  at  least  5  days  a 
wk.  Sadly,  late  last  year  her  father  who 
was  battling  kidney  cancer,  passed  away 
right  before  Thanksgiving.  Our  sincere 
condolences  to  Deborah  and  the  family. 

Hard  to  believe  that  "nothing  is 
going  on  in  San  Antonio,  TX"  according 
to  Leslie  Hertz  Firestone  The  house 
they  built  in  '05  is  on  the  market;  once 
it  sells  they'll  downsize  and  move  to 
their  "forever"  retirement  house  either 
back  home  in  Cleveland,  OH,  or  back  in 
Las  Vegas,  NV  (where  we  moved  from 
in  '05).  Husband  Bob  and  she  are  still 
weighing  between  friends  or  weather 
in  deciding  their  next  move.  In  the 
meantime,  she's  glad  that  Facebook, 
making  it  so  easy  to  keep  in  touch  with/ 
find  old  friends  from  SBC  and  W&L.  She 
claims  she  spends  way  too  much  time 
chatting  on  the  social  medium.  Their 
2  grandchildren,  Samuel  (6)  and  Olivia 
(3),  still  live  in  Vienna,  Austria,  making  it 
difficult  to  spoil  them  long  distance. 

Summer  2010-  51 


Lee  Watson  Lombardy  writes  from 
Orlando,  FL,  where  husband  Warren  was 
named  director  of  campus  services  for 
Darden  Restaurants.  He's  responsible 
for  the  new  headquarters  of  the  Fortune 
500  company  (Olive  Garden,  Red 
Lobster,  etc.),  located  in  Orlando.  The 
campus  opened  in  late  Aug./early  Sept., 
they  hope  that  once  some  of  the  kinks 
are  worked  out  of  the  building's  new- 
ness, the  family  will  see  more  of  him. 
Competitive  Irish  dancer  extraordinaire, 
Georgia,  (1 3)  enjoys  7th  grade  at  the 
Christ  School  and  took  a  brief  break 
from  her  dancing  career  due  to  knee 
problems.  Trips  to  the  orthopedist  and 
physical  therapist  helped  in  the  healing 
process  and  Georgia  is  progressing  well. 
At  57",  she  is  taller  than  Lee  and  has 
several  more  inches  to  go!  An  assistant 
city  attorney  with  the  City  of  Orlando, 
Lee  encourages  any  classmates  visiting 
the  area  to  give  her  a  call,  and  if  she 
gets  any  information  on  the  soft  launch 
of  the  Wizarding  World  of  Harry  Potter 
at  Universal  Studios,  she'll  surely  pass 
it  along! 

Lucie  Stephens  Holland  continues 
to  enjoy  working  part  time  in  press  rela- 
tions and  marketing  at  The  Potomack 
Co.  auction  gallery  in  Alexandria.  She 
works  with  3  SBC  graduates,  including 
the  owner  of  the  company,  Elizabeth 
Haynie  Wainstein  '86,  Tresy  Robinson 
Hillyer  '83  and  Martha  Loftin  '07.  Lucie 
is  happy  to  help  any  classmates  whose 
parents  are  downsizing  to  apts.  or 
assisted  living  and  is  also  busy  with  her 
14-yr.-old  son  and  husband  who  is  a 
White  House  correspondent  for  Reuters. 

Monika  Kaiser-Neheim  and 
family  are  all  doing  well.  After  spending 
elementary  and  middle  schools  at  a 
small  private  school,  son  Julius  started 
h.  s.  in  Aug.  Excelling  in  math  and 
science,  he's  also  active  in  drama  club. 
Daughter  Alexa,  a  sophomore  at  The 
Frost  School  of  Music  at  U.  of  Miami, 
will  perform  in  the  musical  "RENT"  this 
spring.  Portraying  a  German  princess 
(Annemie  von  Neuhausen),  she's  one 
of  very  few  paid  performers  at  the  local 
Renaissance  Festival.  Husband  Richard 
is  with  Pepsi  working  "unbelievable 
hours"  and  traveling  quite  a  bit.  In  his 
spare  time,  he  participates  in  charity 
races  and  is  also  on  the  committee  for 
4H  (Helping,  Hand,  Head,  and  Heart)  a 
charity  to  help  the  poor  and  disadvan- 
taged in  the  Dominican  Republic  and 
in  south  FL.  Monika  is  a  volunteer  at 
Julius'  school  tutoring  German  language 
students  and  the  drama  department. 
She  designs  posters  for  plays,  manages 
and  organizes  meetings  for  fellow  drama 
parents.  This  spring  she'll  chaperone  the 
actors  to  the  State's  Thespian  Festival, 
which  is  always  fun  and  extremely 
tiring.  In  Jun.  they'll  travel  to  Europe 
to  Richard's  parents  in  France  and  her 
family  in  Germany.  Dreading  the  actual 

52 -Summer  2010 


travel,  according  to  Monika,  taking  a 
plane  to  travel  used  to  be  the  highlight 
of  her  vacations,  however  now  with  all 
the  restrictions,  rules  and  regulations, 
traveling  is  a  nightmare.  She  fondly 
remembers  flying  from  Paris  to  NY  in 
1 990  and  having  3  seats  to  herself.  As 
always,  Monika  asks  that  if  anyone  is  in 
the  area,  please  look  her  up. 

Life  has  been  busy  for  Lele  Frenzel 
Casalini,  her  father  hasn't  been  well 
for  several  mos.,  so  she  spends  much 
of  her  time  with  him.  A  tough  and 
emotional  journey,  but  one  she  found  re- 
warding. Lele  continues  to  be  busy  with 
her  business  teaching  Pilates,  Yoga  and 
cycling.  She  enjoys  working  with  clients 
and  seeing  the  difference  it  can  make  in 
one's  life.  She  continues  with  her  own 
physical  therapy  3  days  a  wk.  for  the 
past  4  yrs.,  continuing  to  gain  strength 
back  from  her  knee  injury  when  she  was 
15  in  kickball  accident  and  a  cinderblock 
wall,  (reminding  us  that  gym  walls  are 
now  padded).  In  addition  to  a  fractured 
spine  when  she  was  35  and  fell  off  her 
horse,  a  cervical  compression  fracture 
at  age  41  (skiing)  and  finally  a  broken 
pelvis  at  45,  (pulling  too  many  G's  skiing 
Aspen  Mt).  A  sport  survivor,  she  feels 
"great"  now  and  has  kept  body,  mind 
and  spirit,  together  despite  2  children  in 
coll.  and  1  in  h.  s.  When  not  busy  with 
family,  Lele  spends  her  time  walking 
her  dogs  (7,  count  them)  and  "thanks 
God"  for  her  working  farm,  6  horses, 
and  passion  for  photography.  Son  Eli 
(22),  is  a  senior  at  Indiana  U.,  starting 
out  as  a  chemistry  major,  he  switched  to 
biology  and  studied  at  Saint  Andrew's  U. 
in  Scotland  his  junior  yr.  Lele  thinks  Eli 
majored  in  golf,  as  she  never  heard  him 
speak  about  his  classes,  only  golf  as  he 
made  the  2nd  tier  golf  team.  He  plans  to 
go  to  med  school  after  taking  next  year 
off  to  do  mission  work  and  an  internship. 
Daughter  Liza  (21)  is  a  junior  at  a  com- 
munity coll.  in  Indianapolis  studying  to 
be  a  marriage  and  family  therapist  while 
in  a  serious  relationship  with  "a  darling 
boy"  according  to  her  mother.  Daughter 
Sophie  (18)  is  a  senior  at  Brebeuf  Jesuit 
Preparatory  School,  pondering  on  where 
to  attend  coll.  next  yr.,  SBC  happens  to 
be  one  of  her  choices,  her  1  st  choice  is 
Miami  U.  of  OH,  they'll  visit  both  schools 
before  she  makes  her  decision.  Sophie 
and  Lele  traveled  to  Africa  2  yrs.  ago 
on  a  3-wk.  mission  trip,  since  then  her 
mission  has  been  to  save  the  children 
of  the  world.  She  hopes  to  study  global 
health  or  work  in  the  health  field  so  she 
can  travel  and  work  with  an  organiza- 
tion such  as  Doctors  without  Borders. 
Lele  and  the  children  enjoy  going  to 
FL  to  visit  her  mom,  SBC  '57,  in  the 
winter.  During  the  Christmas  holiday 
she  comes  to  IN,  where  they  all  pile  in 
cars,  head  "up  north"  to  northern  Ml 
for  fun  in  the  snow,  hot  toddies  by  the 
fire,  and  a  New  Year's  celebration  with 


friends.  Grams,  as  she  affectionately 
is  known  to  all,  also  opens  her  house 
during  the  summer  mos.  for  the  children 
to  have  fun  on  the  lake  with  lots  of  water 
skiing,  wake  boarding,  or  anything  else 
behind  a  boat.  Her  only  rule;  "to  turn 
the  outside  lights  off  when  you  come 
home  at  night!"  Lele  also  had  fun  with 
Jean,  (Jean  the  Dancing  Machine) 
Von  Shrader  Bryan  this  past  year  as 
they  have  visited  one  another.  Daughter 
Sophie  had  much  fun  with  dear  "Aunt 
Jean",  and  her  family.  Jean  and  Lele  are 
planning  a  mini  reunion  this  summer, 
possibly  Memorial  Day,  or  a  weekend 
in  Jun.  for  classmates  to  come  to  IN  for 
a  long  weekend  to  celebrate  our  50th 
Birthdays.  There  are  plenty  of  rooms 
on  the  farm  for  all,  arriving  on  Thurs. 
and  leaving  on  Sun.  Lisa  Blake  is 
even  planning  on  coming.  The  2  keep 
in  touch,  unfortunately  when  Lele  is  in 
Aspen,  Lisa  is  not.  She  sends  her  love  to 
all  of  her  SBC  buddies,  we  wish  Lele's 
father  all  the  best. 


r?s3 


Cary  Cathcart  Fagan 
329  Kelford  Ln. 
Charlotte,  NC  28270 
cary  1 983@bellsouth.net 

First,  I  apologize  for  my  email  problems 
in  Mar.  I  hope  to  have  all  this  sorted  out 
by  the  next  go  round.  If  anyone  wrote  in 
and  didn't  make  this  issue  it's  because  I 
didn't  get  the  email — I  sincerely  apolo- 
gize. 2010  started  out  pretty  rough. 
My  mother  went  through  some  tough 
health  issues,  but  made  a  remarkable 
recovery  and  is  healthier  than  she's 
been  in  almost  a  yr.  Sadly,  our  little  bar 
didn't  make  it  and  closed  2/28/10. 
There  were  too  many  factors  against  us: 
the  bad  economy  (which  was  especially 
hard  on  our  blue  collar  regulars),  a 
bad  partner  (who  we  finally  got  rid  of 
in  2/09),  a  liquor  licensing  glitch  that 
took  mos.  to  recover  from,  and  lastly  NC 
went  "smoke  free"  as  of  1/1/10.  Yes, 
a  state  famous  for  Tobacco  Rd.,  with 
cities  named  Winston,  Salem,  Raleigh, 
Newport  and  even  Marlboro  went  smoke 
free — go  figure.  Not  even  our  little  bar 
(which  didn't  serve  food)  was  exempt. 
Oh  well,  it's  mostly  just  sad  not  to  see 
our  friends  all  together  in  one  place. 
Enough  sad,  now  onto  HAPPY. .  .for  my 
birthday  present  this  year  my  husband 
Chris  and  I  are  going  to  Lincoln,  NE,  in 
Sept.  for  UNL's  Homecoming  Weekend. 
Finally  Chris  will  get  to  experience  the 
whole  Cornhusker  tradition  and  see  the 
team  play  in  Memorial  Stadium  with  its 
Sea  of  Red.  Considering  I  converted  him 
from  being  a  Notre  Dame  fan  almost 
1 0  yrs.  ago,  this  is  a  big  deal!  We're 
planning  on  traveling  to  SBC  in  Apr. 
to  meet  up  with  Deirdre  Piatt's  family 


and  attend  her  daughter's  senior  thesis 
play.  Since  Deirdre  lives  so  far  away  in 
South  America  SBC  reunions  aren't  a 
realistic  possibility  so  I  hope  we  had  our 
own  mini-reunion  in  Apr.  I'm  listening 
to  my  CD  Rock  of  the  80's  (V.3)  to  set 
the  mood  as  I  work  on  our  notes  so  I'll 
end  with. . .  "and  the  silicon  chip  inside 
her  head  gets  switched  to  overload, 
and  nobody's  gonna  go  to  school  today, 
she's  gonna  make  them  stay  at  home"... 
aaah  the  poetic  tones  of  Bob  Geldof 
(hey,  I  could've  quoted  99  Luftballons)! 
Away  we  go... 

Alice  Cutting  Laimbeer  says 
that  her  big  news  is  that  her  daughter 
Margot  was  accepted  early  decision 
and  is  headed  to  Elon  where  her  big 
brother  Parker  already  attends.  SBC  was 
Margot's  second  choice,  but  it  lacked 
a  football  team!  (Are  you  sure  it  wasn't 
boys  that  SBC  was  lacking?)  Last  spring 
Alice  and  family  took  a  week  long  cruise 
in  the  Caribbean,  which  Alice  said  "is 
saving  this  art  teacher's  sanity!" 

Ann  Sterling  Hart  wrote  that 
horseshow  season  was  in  full  swing 
and  she  was  working  very  hard  and 
long  hours!  Both  her  daughters  are  in 
college  now,  Steph  is  about  to  graduate 
and  Ali  is  just  beginning.  Ann's  other 
children  (her  horses)  are  doing  well  this 
yr.  health  wise  and  showing.  Ann  wanted 
to  write  more,  but  had  to  get  back  to  her 
extensive  duties  as  show  secretary. 

Deirdre  Piatt  and  husband  brought 
their  3  youngest  children  to  the  U.S.  to 
see  their  older  sister,  Tanya's,  play  at 
SBC  in  Apr.  Tanya's  play  is  about  the  life 
and  death  of  an  Ecuadorian  female  poet 
and  Deirdre  wrote  that  it  was  going  to 
be  very  elaborate.  She  was  also  hoping 
that  her  brother,  now  living  in  upstate 
NY,  would  be  able  to  join  them  at  SBC. 
He  had  traveled  to  Ecuador  earlier  this 
yr.  where  they  enjoyed  going  to  the 
beaches,  the  forest  and  horseback  rid- 
ing to  see  howler  monkeys!  Deirdre  and 
her  husband  have  been  working  on  the 
mountain  called  Cerro  Jaboncillo,  which 
is  rich  in  archaeology  and  is  covered 
in  fine  forest.  She's  doing  research 
and  setting  up  a  tourist  trail.  Deirdre 
writes  that  it  is  crucial  to  develop  low 
impact  tourism  so  as  not  to  disrupt  the 
archaeological  ruins,  the  spectacular 
vegetation,  the  views,  the  waterfall  and 
most  important  to  save  this  mountain 
from  the  quarrying,  which  is  already 
causing  destruction  on  all  sides.  She 
says  that  the  only  trouble  with  this  job, 
apart  from  the  danger  of  being  seen  as 
an  enemy  by  the  quarry  workers,  is  that 
they  have  to  commute  by  bus  3  hrs. 
from  the  little  town  on  Montecristi  (the 
center  of  Panama  hat  production)  where 
the  family  is  now  living. 

Kathy  Barrett  Baker  is  having 
so  much  fun  on  Facebook  keeping  up 
with  our  classmates!  She  says  it's  great 
looking  at  the  classmates'  offspring, 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


their  prom  photos  and  videos.  Kathy 
specifically  mentioned  Laura  Mixon 
Rodriguez's  blog  "Mixonian."  Kathy  has 
been  busy  serving  Writs  and  Detain- 
ers for  Jim's  rental  businesses.  She 
continues  to  work  on  her  manner  blog: 
www.betteretiquette.blogspot.com,  and 
is  saving  up  particularly  good  blog  posts 
for  a  future  book.  She  was  also  doing 
some  event  planning  for  FIRST  Robotics. 
Kathy  and  Jim  welcomed  their  4th 
grandchild  last  spring!  Kathy  says  that 
our  class'  physical  scrapbook  is  grow- 
ing, but  she  still  needs  more  photos:  old, 
new,  weddings,  children,  Christmas  Card 
photos,  etc.  Please  send  photos  to  Kathy 
at  sabotschool@hughes.net.  Photos  will 
be  used  in  the  scrapbook  and/or  may 
be  posted  on  FB  at  SBC  Class  of  1 983. 
Everyone  should  check  it  out  and  Kathy 
thinks  if  you  aren't  already  on  FB  you 
should  join  up! 

Kim  Howell  Franklin  said  that  she 
was  probably  the  1  person  in  D.C.  that 
footfall  the  winter  weather  this  past  yr.! 
The  3  blizzards  were  spectacular  and 
allowed  Kim  and  her  family  to  experi- 
ence the  monuments  via  cross  country 
skis!  For  spring  break  her  family  went 
to  Zion  National  Park.  Kim's  daughter, 
Isabelle,  got  her  braces  off  this  yr.  and 
looks  very  mature.  By  the  time  this 
magazine  comes  out  Kim  is  hoping  that 
the  long  time  coming  kitchen  renovation 
will  be  completed.  Kim  wrote  that's  what 
she  gets  for  marrying  an  architect  that 
insists  on  doing  everything  himself. .  .i.e. 
the  shoemaker  and  the  kids  with  no 
shoes! 

Lee  Ann  Mackenzie  Chaskes 
wrote  that  this  yr.  has  been  an  exciting 
time  in  the  life  of  her  family.  Their  eldest 
son,  Will,  graduates  from  West  Point  in 
the  spring  and  will  begin  living  his  army 
life  in  Fort  Hood,  TX.  2nd  son,  Robert, 
loved  his  1st  yr.  at  Hampden-Sydney. 
Lee  Anne's  9-year-old,  Adam,  leads 
a  busy  life  as  a  3rd  grader.  Adam's 
passions  are  kickball,  basketball  and 
football!  Lee  Ann  still  volunteers  with 
Adam's  school  and  scouting.  (She  says 
she  does  the  scouting  only  to  wear  the 
sexy  uniform.)  She  still  loves  her  job  as 
an  Area  Development  Manager  with  the 
NY  fashion  company  ETCETERA.  Rob 
and  Lee  Ann  will  be  celebrating  their 
25th  anniv.  this  Nov.  She  can't  believe 
that  he  has  put  up  with  her  for  that 
many  yrs.  We  can  believe  it  Lee  Ann, 
you're  fabulous! 

Leslie  Malone  Berger  is  in  her 
6th  yr.  working  for  Roanoke  County 
Public  Schools  as  a  Speech-Language 
Pathologist.  She  says  her  elem.  school 
is  wonderful  with  a  gorgeous  view  of  the 
mountains  as  a  bonus!  She  also  works 
with  a  few  students  at  the  middle  and 
high  school  level.  A  couple  summers  ago 
Leslie  and  her  friend  Diane,  a  fellow  SLP, 
started  a  summer  camp  for  students 
with  Asperger's  Syndrome  (as  well  as 


other  students  with  weak  pragmatic 
language  skills).  The  camp  focuses  on 
social  skill  and  role-playing  while  having 
fun  with  crafts,  music  and  animals.  Both 
Leslie  and  Diane  recruited  their  own 
children  to  participate  at  the  camp  as 
typical-peer  models.  They  are  all  looking 
forward  to  another  great  summer  expe- 
rience. Check  out  the  camp's  website  at 
www.campconnectVA.com,  I  did  and  it's 
amazing!  When  Leslie  wrote  they  were 
waiting  to  hear  where  their  son  Alex 
(18)  will  be  landing  for  college.  They 
had  a  great  celebration  for  his  Eagle 
Scout  award  and  loved  seeing  family 
and  friends.  Kiernan  (16)  is  also  working 
towards  his  Eagle,  playing  lacrosse  and 
learning  how  to  drive.  Emilie  (1 3)  keeps 
all  of  them  busy  with  her  dance  and 
music.  Earlier  this  spring  Emile  got  to 
sing  with  the  Roanoke  College  Children's 
Choir  at  NY's  Carnegie  Hall. 

Mandy  Beauchemin  Frohn  got 
a  promotion  to  CFO  of  her  cardiology 
group  (that's  why  she  had  to  work  on 
the  Sun.  she  emailed  me).  Mandy  wrote 
better  yet  she  has  turned  into  a  NASA 
space  "geek."  She's  making  it  a  point 
to  see  Atlantis,  Endeavor  and  Discovery 
all  launch  before  they  retire  the  shuttle 
program.  One  of  the  benefits  of  living 
in  FL  is  that  she  is  able  to  see  the 
launches  from  her  front  yard!  Mandy's 
even  been  traveling  to  Titusville  to  get 
the  "up  close"  experience  which  she 
says  is  truly  awesome.  Mandy  wrote  that 
as  a  biology  major  at  SBC,  the  science 
experiments  being  done  up  on  the  in- 
ternational space  station  have  intrigued 
her,  so  she's  made  it  her  latest  hobby  to 
follow  the  last  few  missions  to  the  space 
station.  Good  luck  Mandy! 

Mary  Brown  Watt  Messer  can't 
fathom  where  the  time  has  gone.  She 
writes  that  it  seems  like  only  yesterday 
she  was  putting  her  oldest  on  the  bus 
to  kindergarten  and  now  he's  making  a 
college  decision!  Mary  vividly  remem- 
bers arriving  at  SBC  in  the  fall  of  79. 
She's  back  to  work  after  1 5  yrs.  of  being 
a  stay-at-home  mom.  She's  working 
part-time  at  BB&T  Bank,  and  loving  it! 
Now  Mary  has  to  start  saving  for  college 
tuition! 

Mary  Pope  Hutson  wrote  in  to 
share  a  great  story.  She  continues  to 
travel  a  lot  for  the  Land  Trust  Alliance 
and  earlier  this  spring  she  was  on  her 
way  to  a  North  American  Wetlands 
Council  Meeting  in  Louisiana  and  as 
she  was  walking  through  the  Houston 
airport  Mary  Pope  saw  a  lovely  lady  in  a 
Lilly  dress  and  remarked  out  loud  to  her 
traveling  colleagues  "What  an  adorable 
lady."  The  next  thing  she  heard  was  her 
name  being  called.  Sure  enough  it  was 
Jane  Dure  '82,  with  her  mother  headed 
to  Mexico  on  Jane's  birthday.  When 
she  went  to  speak  to  Mrs.  Dure,  Mrs. 
Dure  said  "I  just  love  you  Sweet  Briar 
girls!"  Mary  Pope  wrote  that  this  is  her 


highlight  this  year! 

Mason  Bennett  Rummel  and  Rick 
are  working  and  traveling  a  lot.  In  just  3 
mos.  she  was  off  to  D.C,  Denver,  Pitts- 
burgh, Atlanta,  Colorado  Springs,  Kansas 
City,  San  Juan  and  Napa  Valley,  wow! 
Mason  is  about  1/3  of  the  way  through 
her  master's  degree.  This  spring  her 
son  Bennett  (the  oldest)  was  accepted 
into  graduate  school  as  well.  Now  the 
race  is  on,  but  Bennett  will  probably  get 
his  1st  since  he  can  attend  full  time. 
Mason's  family  has  2  graduations  this 
spring  within  about  1 5  hrs.  of  each  other 
and  300  mi.  apart:  Emma  from  high 
school  and  Bennett  from  Case  Western 
Reserve  in  Cleveland.  Annie  is  Vi  way 
through  Business  School  at  the  U.  of 
Louisville.  So  with  these  graduations 
Mason  and  Rick  are  just  mos.  away  from 
being  empty  nesters.  Of  course  they'll 
miss  the  kids,  but  she's  actually  looking 
forward  to  her  and  Rick  having  some 
fun!  Mason  saw  Mary  Ware  Gibson 
and  Lea  Sparks  Bennett  in  Roanoke 
and  commented  how  nice  it  is  to  pick  up 
where  you  left  off  25+  yrs.  ago.  The  bot- 
tom line  is  things  are  great  with  Mason, 
but  she  needed  to  take  a  nap. 

Melissa  Byrne  Partington  wrote 
me  the  nicest  email  thanking  me  for 
the  job  I've  been  doing  with  the  notes. 
You're  very  kind  Melissa,  but  I  say  hats 
off  to  you  for  carrying  the  torch  for  so 
many  many  years!  Both  Melissa  and  I 
send  a  shout-out  to  Cathy  "Cate"  Mc- 
Nider  where  are  you?  Your  old  friends 
would  love  to  hear  from  you! 

Miriam  Baker  Morris  and  husband 
Clay  will  be  celebrating  their  25th  anniv. 
this  summer!  They  celebrated  it  early  by 
taking  a  trip  in  the  spring.  This  past  New 
Year's  weekend  Miriam  hosted  Virginia 
Claus  Buyck  and  family,  and  Elizabeth 
Cahill  Sharman'84  and  family  at  their 
lake  house.  SC  was  playing  in  the  Papa 
John's  Bowl  in  Birmingham.  Miriam  also 
hopes  everyone  is  doing  well!! 

Ruth  Lewin  and  the  firm  she  works 
for,  Summerfield's  Interior  Design  had  a 
special  visitor,  Bunny  Williams,  a  loved 
NY  interior  designer.  She  was  there 
to  do  a  book  signing  and  Ruth  wrote 
that  they  sold  over  1 00  books  in  2  hrs! 
Bunny  also  did  a  lecture  at  a  Port  Royal 
Club  luncheon;  this  is  the  initial  event 
of  the  Naples  Art  and  Antique  Show.  All 
proceeds  collected  from  the  event  and 
the  book  signing  went  to  Collier  County 
charities.  This  is  a  highlight  for  not  only 
the  firm,  but  for  Ruth!  Ruth  wrote  that 
there  has  been  an  influx  of  tourism  in  FL 
over  the  winter  mos.  This  is  good  news 
for  FL.  Husband  Marc  is  still  playing 
piano  gigs.  Ruth  writes  that  he's  lucky 
because  it's  pretty  cut  throat  out  there  in 
the  music  biz.  They  don't  have  any  set 
plans  for  the  summer,  but  will  probably 
at  least  get  to  the  east  coast  and  see 
old  friends. 

Wendy  Chapin  Albert  finds  it 


hard  to  believe  her  oldest,  Annie  (1 8) 
is  graduating  from  high  school.  They 
had  already  heard  from  4  colleges  and 
were  waiting  on  2  more.  Eleanor  (14) 
is  psyched  to  be  entering  the  upper 
school  next  yr.  Husband  Tolly  is  still  a 
stockbroker  with  the  firm  Chapin  Davis. 
The  firm  that  Wendy's  father  started  52 
yrs  ago.  And  even  though  he  passed 
away  in  2001  Wendy  loves  that  Tolly  is 
there  and  writes  that  she  can  still  feel 
her  father's  spirit  when  she's  at  the 
office.  Obviously,  the  family  are  animal 
people — they  have  race  horses,  2 
ponies,  3  mares  (who  were  due  to  foal 
in  the  spring),  a  standard  poodle  and 
a  large  cat!  Wendy  adores  living  in  her 
childhood  home!  She's  a  Realtor  with 
O'Conor  and  Mooney.  She  still  loves  gar- 
dening and  is  looking  forward  to  planting 
a  fabulous  vegetable  garden  in  May.  For 
spring  break  they  spent  a  wk.  at  a  very 
special  place,  Rancho  de  los  Caballeros 
in  Wickenburg,  AZ.  Wendy  writes  "Hey, 
Sarah,  Meg,  and  Blair  would  you  believe 
this  year  is  my  25th  anniv.!"  If  anyone  is 
passing  through  Baltimore  give  Wendy  a 
call  so  you  can  get  together! 

Wylie  Jameson  Smalls  children's 
book  The  Great  Prune  Caperfinally  be- 
came available  for  purchase  earlier  this 
year  on  Amazon.  The  book  is  targeted 
to  those  who  enjoy  the  "Captain  Under- 
pants" genre  (mainly  2nd-4th  graders). 
Wylie  started  working  on  the  sequel 
tentatively  entitled  There's  Something 
Strange  about  the  New  Kid  (hint:  he's  a 
vampire).  She  got  her  1st  royalty  check 
in  Mar.,  which  was  enough  for  2  mochas 
at  Starbucks,  yahoo!  Wylie  writes  "aside 
from  setting  the  literary  world  aflame" 
she's  gearing  up  for  golf  season,  plan- 
ning a  family  reunion  trip  to  VT  in  Aug. 
and  teaching  Rudy  (16)  how  to  drive. 
Sorry  Chris  and  I  didn't  make  the  Lilac 
Festival  in  Rochester  this  year,  maybe 
next?  Hi  to  Stuart. 


rm 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Debbie  Jones 
4416  Bromley  Ln. 
Richmond,  VA  23221 
elliesam@aol.com 

Peg  Twohy  DeVan  writes  that  all  is 
well  out  west  in  beautiful  Aspen,  CO. 
Peg  still  works  for  the  Aspen  Ski  Co. 
in  winter,  running  Powder  Pandas  at 
Buttermilk.  In  the  summer,  she  is  play- 
ing USTA  tennis  for  the  Snowmass  Club 
ladies  and  mixed  doubles.  Also,  going 
to  horseshows  every  weekend  with 
her  daughter  Carolyn  (14)  and  husband 
Bob  throughout  the  warm  mos.  in  CO. 
They'll  be  back  in  VA  showing  this  sum- 
mer for  2  1/2  mos.  with  their  ponies  and 
Carolyn's  new  horse  Crown  Royal.  Come 
visit  anytime! 

Louise  Jones  Geddes's  children 

Summer  2010-  53 


are  approaching  college  age!  Watching 
the  hurdles  they're  jumping  through 
makes  her  glad  that  she's  not  trying  to 
get  into  coll.  now!  Was  sorry  to  miss 
Reunion,  but  happy  to  hear  the  reports 
of  fun.  Hopefully  will  make  it  next  time! 

Elizabeth  Rogers  Boyd  writes  that 
Tommy  is  now  a  senior  and  trying  to 
decide  where  he  wants  to  go  to  coll.  He 
wants  to  play  football  and  has  received 
acceptances  from  several  of  the  MN 
Division  Three  colleges.  He's  being 
recruited  by  one  of  the  last  all  men's 
universities  in  the  U.S.,  Saint  Johns 
U.  in  Collegeville,  WIN,  so  he's  kind  of 
following  in  Liz's  footsteps.  No  Boyd 
Boy  will  be  going  to  SBC!  Tommy  plays 
football,  baseball  and  basketball.  Louie 
is  a  sophomore  and  just  finished  hockey 
season.  Only  2  broken  bones  this  year, 
not  bad!  He  also  plays  football  and  is 
going  to  give  the  shot-put  and  discus 
a  try  this  spring.  Tom  is  in  his  20th  yr. 
of  private  practice  and  enjoys  what  he 
does.  Liz  is  now  dir.  of  individual  and 
planned  giving  for  The  Friends  of  the  St. 
Paul  Public  Library  (a  real  mouthful!) ... 
from  a  lawyer  to  a  fundraiser.  Some  day 
Liz  wants  to  do  something  so  people 
will  be  happy  to  see  her  coming  rather 
than  want  to  run  away! 

Sharon  Ingham  Brown  writes  that 
her  family  is  divided  between  Tampa 
and  LA,  as  her  husband  and  son  Davis 
(15)  are  temporarily  living  in  LA  to 
pursue  Davis'  acting  career.  It's  been 
wild,  but  Caroline  (12)  and  Sharon  love 
spending  quality  time  together!  She's 
working  on  a  fiction  book  based  on  the 
story  of  her  husband's  injury.  We  wish 
her  luck! 

Ann  Alleva  Taylor  says  that  Carter 
and  the  girls  (Cabot  8,  Caroline  6,  and 
Charlotte  5)  keep  her  busy.  Soccer, 
ballet,  gymnastics,  you  know  the  drill. 
They  continue  to  juggle  living  in  Atlanta 
and  Vera  Beach.  One  day  they'll  have 
to  decide  where  to  stay  for  at  least  9 
mos.  of  the  yr.  It  was  fun  to  hear  about 
everyone  during  the  reunion  planning, 
Ann  wishes  she  had  been  able  to  join! 
She's  been  excited  to  re-connect  with 
friends  from  other  classes.  Facebook  is 
amazing! 

Kathryn  Marion  is  lovin'  life  in 
gorgeous  CO!  Kids,  biz,  and  travel 
keep  her  busy.  Her  beautiful  Chinese 
daughters  are  now  1 4, 1 2, 1 0,  and 
10.  They're  growing  up  fast;  they  can 
practically  manage  the  entire  household 
themselves!  Kathryn's  book,  GRADS: 
TAKE  CHARGE  of  Your  First  Year  After 
College!  was  released  last  fall,  and 
earned  Finalist  Honors  in  2  catego- 
ries of  the  National  Best  Books  2009 
Awards.  Hubby,  Mark,  and  Kathryn 
celebrate  their  20th  anniv.  this  yr.  with 
3  wks.  on  their  2  favorite  Hawaiian 
islands.  The  girls  and  she  are  looking 
forward  to  several  wks.  in  their  big 
new  motor  home — this  year's  road  trip 

54  •  Summer  2010 


theme  is  American  history,  including 
several  presidential  museums  as  well 
as  Colonial  Williamsburg,  Mt.  Vernon, 
etc.  (and  a  stop  at  the  alma  mater,  of 
course!) 

Beth  Bossong  Russell  can't 
believe  it's  been  almost  28  yrs.!  Beth 
transferred  after  her  sophomore  yr.  to 
UNC-CH.  She  graduated  from  there, 
married  a  fellow  econ  student  (Ward 
Russell)  who  was  also  her  brother's 
roommate  and  they  now  have  3  children 
(ages  19, 17, 14)  and  live  in  Asheboro, 
NC.  Beth  is  a  homemaker,  but  active  in 
the  community — loves  to  cook,  travel, 
and  take  care  of  their  old  home.  The 
kids  are  at  NC  State  and  Greensboro 
Day  School  and  her  husband  works 
from  Greensboro.  Beth  has  joined 
Facebook  and  looks  forward  to  using  it 
to  reconnect! 

Margy  Kramer  Kircher  lives  in 
Massapequa,  NY,  with  her  husband  of 
24  yrs.,  Steve,  and  their  2  kids,  Sable 
(12)  and  Cullen  (10).  She's  with  the 
same  Wall  Street  firm  for  almost  her 
entire  career,  presently  as  a  Senior  Vice 
President  and  Principal  of  Wellington 
Shields  &  Co.  She  does  the  working 
mother  juggle  between  her  office  and 
volleyball  and  baseball  games.  Margy 
keeps  herself  sane  by  running  almost 
every  morning,  skiing  in  winter,  and 
spending  summers  at  a  beach  club  on 
the  southern  coast  of  Long  Island.  The 
pace  can  be  frantic,  but  it's  all  good; 
she's  aware  of  how  blessed  she  is. 

Virginia  Spigener  Teel's  children, 
Annie  Starr  and  Virginia  Frances  are 
1 5  and  1 0,  respectively,  and  love  all 
that  life  offers.  Her  retail  business,  The 
Wrinkled  Egg,  celebrates  20  yrs.  this 
summer. 

Helen  Pruitt  Butler  doesn't  have 
much  to  report  since  reunion  last  May. 
Spring  is  in  the  air  here  and  the  weather 
is  delightful.  Real  Estate  is  trying  to  pick 
up  a  little  bit.  Her  daughter,  Frances  is 
finishing  up  her  jr.  yr.  and  getting  ready 
to  start  the  coll.  search. 

Mary  Earle  McElroy  Wright  is 
busy  with  5  teenagers.  She  has  2  boys, 
and  her  husband  Bill  has  3  girls!  She's 
a  distributor  with  Monavie,  an  antioxi- 
dant juice  company  and  loves  what  she 
does! 

Nancy  O'Brien  Albus  continues 
her  work  treating  eating  disorders  and 
is  currently  running  a  residential  treat- 
ment program  in  St.  Louis  that  treats 
anorexia,  bulimia  and  binge  eating  dis- 
order. They're  in  the  process  of  expand- 
ing and  in  the  next  6  mos.  will  have  2 
sites  in  St.  Louis  and  one  in  CA.  Tom  is 
still  working  hard  and  they've  adjusted 
well  to  their  kids  being  gone.  Jenny 
graduates  in  May  from  Notre  Dame  and 
will  be  going  to  medical  school  next  yr. 
She's  in  the  process  of  deciding,  but 
more  than  likely  will  be  back  in  St.  Louis 
at  St.  Louis  U.  Chelsea  is  a  sophomore 


at  Wake  Forest,  loves  life.  Apart  from 
her  mom  being  sick,  Nancy  says  things 
are  really  good. 

Shannon  Young  Ray  says  201 0 
promises  to  be  a  yr.  of  changes  for  her 
and  husband,  Breck.  Their  senior  at 
St.  Louis  U,  Breck  Jr.,  will  graduate  in 
May  with  a  degree  in  finance  and  has 
a  job  in  St.  Louis  as  well!  Their  senior 
in  h.  s.,  Peter,  will  also  graduate  in  May 
and  is  anxiously  waiting  to  see  where 
he'll  land  for  coll.  Their  triplets  are 
freshmen  in  h.  s.  and  have  completed 
driver's  ed.  They're  now  being  chauf- 
feured  on  a  daily  basis.  Shannon  contin- 
ues to  work  for  her  family's  oil  and  gas 
co.,  and  has  stayed  active  on  several 
local  boards.  Breck  and  Shannon  look 
forward  to  a  busy  summer  of  getting 
everyone  settled  in  apts.,  jobs,  and  coll., 
with  some  family  travel  planned  as  well. 
Best  to  all  and  call  her  if  you  visit  Fort 
Worth! 

Elizabeth  Sprague  Brandt  and 
husband  and  are  empty  nesters  and 
have  determined  that  it's  not  so  bad 
(probably  because  their  daughter,  Betsy, 
is  thriving  as  a  freshman  at  Vanderbilt). 
They've  enjoyed  a  lovely  weekend  in 
Nashville  catching  up  with  Elizabeth 
Harley  Willett  and  Marian  Wahlgren 
in  Feb.  and  are  looking  forward  to  an 
action-packed  summer  when  their 
daughter  returns  from  school  and  joins 
them  on  a  trip  to  Spain.  She's  loved 
reconnecting  with  SBC  friends  on 
Facebook. 

Ginger  Reynolds  Davis  writes  that 
Carter  will  graduate  h.  s.  and  will  attend 
Presbyterian  Coll.  this  fall. 

Erika  Dorr  Marshall  has  been 
enjoying  another  season  of  foxhunt- 
ing with  Lowcountry  Hunt  where  Nina 
Sledge  Burke  '64  hosted  the  opening 
meet.  Erika  usually  sees  Elizabeth  Sher 
'85  too.  Wiley  is  in  her  freshman  year 
at  Coll.  of  Charleston  and  Helen  Butler 
is  assisting  in  finding  an  apt.  Foster 
is  a  jr.  and  Elise  is  in  8th  grade/home 
schooled.  Foster  and  Elise  hunt  with 
Erika  and  Elise  has  joined  Storybook 
Farm's  IEA  middle  school  team.  She 
qualified  to  go  to  Zones!  Bobby  enjoys 
his  job  at  the  National  Wild  Turkey 
Federation 

Holly  Pflug  Allport  thanks  all  who 
were  able  to  make  it  to  our  25th  and 
remembers  what  a  wonderful  time  we 
had.  She  encourages  everyone  to  plan 
on  coming  to  our  30th — the  more  the 
merrier.  All  is  good  in  Winter  Park,  FL. 
Peter  is  1 5,  Sarah  is  1 4,  Kate  is  1 2  and 
Julia  is  9.  In  2006,  Pete  and  several 
others  left  Wachovia  to  start  FL  Capital 
Bank.  They're  so  grateful  the  bank  con- 
tinues to  do  well  and  grow.  Fall  of  2009 
brought  them  Kinsley,  her  friend's  infant 
whom  Holly  takes  care  of  while  her 
mom  is  at  work.  Unfortunately  for  her 
ego,  people  assume  she's  her  grand- 
mother. Kinsley  has  been  such  a  lovely 


blessing  and  addition  to  the  Allport 
household.  Miss  Holly's  Swim  School 
opens  again  March  15,  and  she  can't 
wait  to  get  back  in  the  water  with  the 
little  ones  and  make  them  safe.  Warm 
wishes  to  all. 

Kirsten  Void  Larsen  writes  that 
after  20  +  yrs.  in  the  Chicago  area 
she'll  be  relocating  with  her  family  to 
Darien,  CT,  at  the  end  of  Mar.  for  her 
husband's  job  in  NYC.  Kirsten  has  her 
own  design  and  drapery  workroom 
on  the  North  Shore  and  hopes  to  set 
up  shop  when  they  get  settled  in  CT. 
They're  excited  about  the  move!  Kirsten 
has  2  children:  Lars  (11)  and  Eleanor 
(13).  Both  kids  play  travel  hockey. 
Although  they'll  miss  the  Chicago 
Blackhawks  they're  looking  forward  to 
attending  some  Rangers  games  before 
the  season  ends. 

Lee  Hubbard  aka  Sr.  Mary  Leanne, 
SND  is  coming  to  the  end  of  her  2nd 
yr.  as  director  of  pastoral  formation  and 
field  education  at  St.  John's  Seminary 
outside  of  Los  Angeles  preparing  Roman 
Catholic  priests  and  lay  ecclesial  min- 
isters for  ministry  in  the  most  diverse 
diocese  in  the  country.  She  loves 
teaching  on  the  graduate  level,  and  is 
pursuing  the  Doctor  of  Ministry  degree 
as  she's  working.  It's  satisfying  work 
where  she  can  really  make  a  difference 
as  a  woman  in  the  Catholic  Church.  A 
long  way  from  her  days  as  the  Chair  of 
the  Church  and  Chapel  Committee  with 
Chaplain  Mike  Bloy,  but  it  was  a  start. 

As  for  myself,  Debbie  Jones,  I 
had  the  opportunity  and  joy  to  present 
at  SBC's  1st  annual  CIELA  confer- 
ence in  early  Mar,  talking  about 
entrepreneurship  in  business.  CIELA 
is  the  Conference  on  Innovation, 
Entrepreneurship  and  the  Liberal  Arts. 
I  shared  my  experience  as  co-founder 
in  my  sister's  company,  Square  One 
Organic  Spirits,  LLC.  There  were  many 
great  speakers,  and  I  found  the  stu- 
dents engaged  and  a  fantastic  business 
faculty  as  well!  Business  is  now  a  major 
at  SBC!  The  campus  wasn't  the  same 
as  the  great  fun  we  had  at  our  25th,  but 
it  was  great  to  be  back  again  so  soon. 
I  continue  with  my  day  job  as  well,  in 
the  mortgage  industry,  which  is  nothing 
short  of  a  challenge  with  the  residual 
effects  of  the  economy,  but  I'm  grateful 
for  the  employment  while  also  fortunate 
to  see  the  vodka  business  surviving  as 
well.  I  appreciate  everyone's  support  in 
that  venture  and  have  a  blast  staying 
connected  on  Facebook. 


7965 


Ellen  Carver  Burlingame 
1315  Boiling  Ave. 
Norfolk,  VA  23508 
ellenreed8@yahoo.com 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


m6 


Mary  Jo  Biscardi  Brown 
29  Willowgreene  Dr. 
Churchville,  PA  18966 
Fbmb91 695@yahoo.com 

Mary  Jo  Biscardi  Brown  and  Lynn 
Mather  Charette  are  planning  on  see- 
ing everyone  for  our  25th  reunion  next 
spring  201 1 !  Mark  your  calendars!  We 
had  a  great  time  and  a  great  crowd  at 
our  20th.  Don't  miss  our  next  one! 

Lynn  Mather  Charette  and  hus- 
band John  still  live  in  CT  with  their 
3  children,  Ben  (16),  Tucker  (14), 
and  Elizabeth  (11).  They  spend  lots  of 
time  going  to  sporting  events,  on  their 
boat  and  at  the  beach  with  family,  Lynn 
hopes  to  see  you  all  in  201 1 ! 

On  June  30,  2010,  Jennifer 
Crossland  will  end  her  tenure  as 
president  of  the  Alumnae  Association, 
though  she  will  serve  1  more  yr.  on  the 
board.  She  has  thoroughly  enjoyed  all  of 
her  service  to  Sweet  Briar,  having  been 
on  the  board  since  '98.  She  considers 
herself  privileged  and  lucky  to  have 
served  with  so  many  of  our  classmates 
that  the  board  in  general  got  sick  of 
hearing  about  the  class  of  '86!  "Our 
class  always  has  been  such  an  involved 
class,  no  matter  what  the  task,  as  long 
as  the  task  has  served  Sweet  Briar 
College;  for  that  I  thank  you,"  she  said. 
Jennifer  adds,  "for  those  of  you  who  still 
desire  to  contribute  your  time,  talents 
or  your  financial  support  to  SBC,  please 
do.  There  are  many  opportunities.  I  can't 
wait  to  see  you  all  at  our  25th  (can  you 
believe  it!)  reunion  next  spring!" 

Elizabeth  Eisinger  Mackes 
graduated  from  St.  Louis  U.  School  of 
Law  in  '91 .  She  moved  back  to  MD  and 
married  Joe  Mackes  in  '94  and  subse- 
quently had  3  children,  James,  Stephen 
and  Claire.  For  the  last  7  yrs.  she  has 
taught  pre-K  and  is  working  on  her 
practicum  for  the  Orton  Gillingham 
Academy  (teaching  dyslexics  to  read). 

Rushton  Haskell  Callaghan  ran 
2  marathons  (12/09)  and  (3/10)  and 
qualified  for  Boston  Marathon  201 1 ! 
Rushton's  children,  Hampton  (12)  and 
Farley  (10),  keep  her  busy  with  their 
sports;  Rushton  volunteers  at  their 
school  as  well  as  serves  on  The  Jax 
Zoo  Board,  Girls  on  the  Run  Board,  and 
Episcopal  H.  S.  Alumni  Board.  She's 
looking  forward  to  Reunion  201 1 . 

For  the  past  4  yrs.,  Leigh  Ann 
White  has  been  living  in  Boston  with 
her  2  crazy  kitties  and  the  love  of  her 
life,  Brian.  She  works  at  a  consulting 
firm  conducting  health  economic 
studies  for  the  pharmaceutical  and 
biotechnology  industry.  Happily,  she  has 
reconnected  with  her  fellow  alumnae 
online  and  hopes  to  see  many  of  them 
soon! 


Mary  Beth  Miller  Orson  is  still 
living  in  Scottsdale,  AZ,  with  husband 
Carl  and  children,  Caroline  (11)  and  Eric 
(7).  She  spends  her  time  juggling  fam- 
ily, work  and  children's  activities.  Mary 
Beth  also  organizes  the  occasional  SBC 
Phoenix  Alumnae  Club  event! 

Harriet  McNair  Alexander  and  her 
family  have  been  living  in  Houston  for 
over  8  yrs.  now  and  simply  can't  believe 
they  like  it  so  much.  One  very  bright 
spot  for  Harriet  is  seeing  the  marvel- 
ous Bella  Viguere  Gsell  every  once  in 
awhile.  Harriet's  3  daughters  keep  her 
and  her  husband  very  happy  and  busy 
and  insane  (2  are  teenagers).  Harriet 
hopes  she  survives  to  see  this  in  print! 

Lisa  Leigh  Ringler  Bennett  and 
Bob  spent  3  amazing  wks.  in  Costa  Rica 
in  Feb.  She  and  Bob  are  getting  ready 
for  things  to  start  up  on  the  farm.  Lisa  is 
working  in  PR  for  the  grower's  industry. 
Daughter  Sydney  (14)  may  not  know  it 
yet,  but  they  plan  to  put  her  to  work  this 
summer! 

Louanne  Woody  continues  to 
sell  homes  on  the  Outer  Banks  of  NC, 
though  is  not  as  busy  as  she  was  a  few 
yrs.  ago.  She  has  returned  to  utilizing 
her  degree  in  mathematics  by  tutoring 
h.  s.  math  students.  She  enjoys  the 
one-on-one  interaction  both  with  real 
estate  clients  and  students.  Louanne's 
flexible  schedule  allows  her  time  to 
work  on  projects  with  fellow  church 
members  at  Mighty  Wind  UMC,  includ- 
ing health  kits  for  Haiti,  doing  local  food 
pantry  collections,  and  working  on  a 
new  project  called  "Jesus  Loves  You 
Cradles."  Additionally,  Louanne  attended 
the  John  C.  Campbell  folk  school  to 
take  a  course  in  creative  writing  and  is 
looking  forward  to  visiting  friends  this 
spring  in  NM. 

Catherine  McNease  Stevens 
lives  in  southern  VA  with  husband 
Nelson  and  son  Henry  (10).  She  works 
as  a  research  &  data  specialist  for  the 
Southern  VA  Higher  Education  Center 
in  South  Boston  and  teaches  hunt  seat 
lessons  in  the  afternoons.  Henry  is 
foxhunting  with  his  parents  now,  which 
delights  them  to  no  end!  Catherine  is 
enjoying  catching  up  with  SBC  class- 
mates and  friends  on  Facebook. 

Karen  Fennessy-Ketola  and 
Barry  continue  to  live  in  Freeland,  Ml 
and  are  doing  very  well.  Karen  has 
just  hit  her  22-year  mark  with  Dow 
Chemical  Company.  Barry  is  in  the  Solar 
Systems  Group  at  Dow  Corning.  Karen 
reports  that  Mid-Michigan  is  becoming 
a  beacon  for  Alternative  Energy  and 
Technologies.  Daughter  Morgan  (12) 
is  a  competitive  gymnast,  is  in  Poms, 
and  loves  math  and  science.  Karen  and 
Barry  are  having  a  lot  of  fun  traveling  to 
her  competitive  meets  in  places  such 
as  Chicago,  Orlando,  Columbus,  etc. 
The  Ketola  family  traveled  to  Spain  for 
spring  break  this  year;  Karen's  first  time 


back  to  Seville  since  her  Sweet  Briar 
Junior  Year  Abroad  so  many  years  ago. 

In  Jan.,  Laura  Hand  Glover  visited 
daughter  Amber  (SBC  '03)  and  her 
husband,  who  have  settled  back  in 
Houston  and  are  happy  to  be  "home." 
Laura  reports  that  Amber  is  scheduled 
to  be  in  South  Africa  this  summer  as  a 
fellow  at  a  research  institute  studying 
great  white  shark  behavior,  her  passion. 
Understandably,  Laura  is  so  proud  of 
her,  just  as  she  is  of  son  Patrick,  who  is 
steeped  in  music  with  his  sax:  march- 
ing, concert  and  jazz  bands  in  addition 
to  the  church  ensemble.  Patrick  is  also 
in  JROTC  and  is  in  both  rifle  and  drill 
teams.  Laura  continues  to  work  at  SBC 
and  counts  her  blessings  daily  that  she 
can  enjoy  time  on  the  campus  every  day 
among  such  fascinating  and  promising 
young  women  and  an  amazing  faculty 
and  staff.  Every  semester  she  wishes 
she  could  take  half  of  the  courses 
offered!  She's  greatly  looking  forward 
to  working  with  our  class  for  our  25th 
Reunion  and  invites  anyone  venturing 
back  to  the  Briar  in  the  meantime  to 
contact  her  as  she  would  love  to  see 
you  and  reconnect. 

Susan  Swagler  Cowles  and 
husband  Robby  celebrated  their  1 8th 
wedding  anniversary.  Daughter  Elli  (1 7) 
is  a  junior  and  is  starting  to  "shop" 
colleges;  son  Jake  (14)  is  starting  h.  s. 
next  yr.  Susan  works  at  The  U.  of  AL  in 
Tuscaloosa  managing  the  Career  Center 
for  the  Coll.  of  Commerce  and  loves 
working  with  students!  Time  flies,  but 
Susan  relays  that  it's  been  great  recon- 
necting with  SBC  friends  on  Facebook! 

Suzanne  Craft  Bailey  and  hus 
band  Drew  have  been  married  1 9  yrs. 
and  live  in  Birmingham,  AL.  After  23  yrs. 
in  corporate  banking,  Drew  opened  his 
own  company,  ECA  Risk  Management, 
working  with  small  to  mid-size  banks 
developing  their  environmental  policies. 
Son  Chris  (15)  continues  to  inspire 
everyone  as  he  learns  to  live  with  Type 
1  Diabetes.  In  fall,  he  was  featured  on 
The  Rick  and  Bubba  Show,  and  raised 
over  $3,500  for  JDRF  in  the  Walk  to 
Cure.  Two  recent  opportunities  Chris 
had  to  raise  awareness  about  juvenile 
diabetes  included  his  being  featured 
on  Matters  of  Faith  on  ABC  3340  in  AL 
and  having  co-written  a  song  titled  "A 
Crooked  Road"  with  Dove  Award  winner, 
Nashville  singer  songwriter,  Steve  Siler. 
Check  it  out  at  http://www.facebook. 
com/l/20600;www.musicforthesoul.org. 
Currently  we're  raising  funds  to  pro- 
duce a  full  recording  of  the  song,  and 
eventually  turn  it  into  a  project  and  full 
length  CD.  (Steve  records  the  symphony 
music  in  Prague).  If  anyone  would  like 
to  donate  towards  the  project,  they  can 
contact  me  at  nascarfunbOwindstream. 
net.  Chris  was  also  cast  as  the  lead 
character  Frederick  in  his  h.  s.'s  pro- 
duction of  "The  Sound  of  Music"  this 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


year.  Suzanne's  daughter  Elizabeth  (10) 
is  an  avid  horseback  rider;  she's  jump- 
ing and  looking  forward  to  her  1  st  show. 
She  participated  in  Holiday  Show  Offs 
and  Summer  Show  Offs  in  Birmingham 
and  Entertainment  Night.  She  had  solos 
in  each  of  these  song  and  dance  stage 
productions.  Suzanne  continues  to  work 
with  JDRF  and  all  efforts  on  Juvenile 
Diabetes  research  to  find  a  cure.  She  is 
also  writing  a  Christian  Fantasy  Trilogy, 
working  with  a  fantastic  editor  in  the 
industry.  Her  goal  is  to  finish  her  current 
manuscript  for  editing  by  this  summer, 
In  addition,  Suzanne  has  been  asked 
by  Christy  Award  winning  author  Shelly 
Beach  to  be  a  member  of  her  prayer 
team,  which  is  an  honor  and  a  privilege, 
and  has  also  been  asked  to  be  a  core 
leader  for  Community  Bible  Study  in 
Birmingham. 

Sue  Finn  Adams  is  "living  the 
dream"  in  Williamsburg,  VA!  With  her 
kids  now  in  elem.,  middle  and  h.  s„ 
life  is  full.  Daughter  Elizabeth  (16)  is 
starting  to  think  about  the  future  that 
is  all-too-soon  approaching.  Sons  Ben 
(1 3)  and  Thomas  (1 1 )  aren't  too  far 
behind — time  is  flying  by.  Sue  continues 
to  work  from  home  for  a  book  publisher 
in  new  project  development.  She  enjoys 
the  flexibility  and  being  available  to 
her  children  when  they  get  home  from 
school  as  well  as  taking  time  off  when 
she  feels  like  it.  Sue  loves  keeping  up 
with  so  many  Vixens  on  Facebook.  It's 
amazing  to  hear  what  everyone  is  up  to 
on  a  regular  basis — a  little  bit  like  living 
in  the  dorm  again! 

I  thank  everyone  for  their  contribu- 
tions to  this  and  every  other  edition  of 
our  notes.  I  hope  to  hear  from  you  in  the 
future.  If  you  aren't  receiving  reminder 
notices  from  me  for  each  publication  I 
apologize,  as  I  must  not  have  a  current 
e-mail  address  for  you.  Kindly  contact 
me  at  Fbmb91695@yahoo.com  with 
your  e-mail  address.  On  behalf  of  all  of 
us  Class  of  86'ers  on  Facebook,  I  invite 
you  to  join  us.  Please  remember  that 
Reunion  201 1  is  just  around  the  corner. 
We're  anticipating  a  great  turnout  and 
hope  to  see  you  there! 

1W 

Jean  Guergai 
3641  Elderberry  PI. 
Fairfax,  VA  22033 
guergai@aol.com 

1968 

Maia  Free  Jalenak 
605  Camelia  Ave. 
Baton  Rouge,  LA  70806 
MaiaJay@cox.net 

Our  class  is  involved  in  so  many  inter- 
esting endeavors  and  in  such  amazing 

Summer  2010*  55 


places  around  the  world.  Facebook  has 
been  a  wonderful  tool  for  reconnecting 
and  keeping  up  with  old  friends.  I  was 
delighted  to  hear  from  my  freshman 
and  sophomore  yr.  roommate  Alyson 
Springer  who  transferred  to  William 
and  Mary  during  our  jr.  yr.  Alyson  got 
a  master's  degree  in  social  work  from 
the  U.  of  GA  and  bought  a  beautiful 
horse  farm  in  Martinsburg,  WV  (near 
Shepherdstown,  WV,  and  Hagerstown, 
MD)  called  Whiting's  Neck  Equestrian 
Center.  It's  a  full-service  boarding  and 
training  facility  with  indoor  and  out- 
door arenas,  miles  of  trails  along  the 
Potomac  River,  and  programs  for  all 
ages  and  levels  of  experience. 

Susan  Detweiler  writes  that  she 
didn't  go  to  Antarctica  this  past  winter 
because  she  needed  to  take  care  of  her 
climbing  partner  who  was  hurt  in  an 
accident  initiated  by  a  mountain  goat 
knocking  off  a  big  rock.  Instead,  she 
took  a  job  teaching  Nordic  skiing  and 
guiding  ski/snowshoe  tours  in  Grand 
Teton  National  Park.  After  a  spring 
desert  rock  climbing  trip,  she  plans 
to  guide  climbers  again  in  the  Tetons 
this  summer  and  will  probably  return 
to  Antarctica  (the  science  support  job) 
again  this  fall.  She  enjoys  keeping  track 
of  SBCers  on  Facebook. 

In  2009,  Jeanne  Rovics  Mexic 
and  family  went  on  an  amazing  trip 
to  Jordan,  Israel,  and  Dubai,  and 
they're  getting  ready  to  go  on  another 
adventure  in  201 0  to  New  Zealand 
and  Australia.  She  continues  to  work 
for  Hilton  Worldwide's  International 
Team  and  in  the  past  few  months  has 
traveled  to:  Venice,  Barcelona,  London, 
Prague,  Beijing,  Shanghai,  Hong  Kong 
and  Singapore.  She  notes:  "I'm  VERY 
lucky  that  I'm  able  to  call  this  work,  and 
I've  gotten  used  to  sitting  in  small  seats 
for  long  distances  (and  am  thankful 
I'm  not  5'1 1 ").  I  see  Kristen  Petersen 
Randolph  regularly,  and  she  makes 
me  do  at  least  2  workouts  a  day,  so  it's 
a  little  like  boot  camp,  but  I  keep  going 
back  and  LOVE  it  every  time.  Kristen  got 
me  hooked  on  Hot  Yoga." 

Kristen  Petersen  Randolph  writes 
that  she  keeps  in  touch  with  Jeanne 
Rovics  Mexic,  Nici  Fraley  Pechman 
and  Laura  Schumacher  Kasprzak 
She  and  husband  Ran  keep  busy  with 
their  3  boys  and  all  of  their  activities. 
Ran  still  works  with  the  same  law  firm 
where  he  worked  when  they  1  st  met; 
Kristen  does  some  real  estate  work 
and  a  bit  of  personal  training.  On  a  sad 
note,  Kristen's  sister  Reilly's  husband, 
Mark  was  diagnosed  with  non-smokers 
lung  cancer  about  a  mo.  ago  after  a 
long  bout  with  what  was  thought  to  be 
pneumonia.  The  cancer  is  advanced  and 
he's  taking  chemotherapy  treatments. 
Reilly  and  Mark  are  inspiring  with  how 
they're  handling  this  heartbreaking  time. 
Kristen  says  they're  hoping  for  the  best 

56  •  Summer  2010 


and  appreciate  everyone's  prayers  and 
good  thoughts. 

Paige  Shiller  Okun  writes  "we're 
in  our  7th  yr.  in  Singapore  and  still  love 
living  in  southeast  Asia.  My  work  with 
Caring  for  Cambodia  building  schools 
is  amazing.  We  support  7  schools  (pre- 
school to  h.  s.)  with  a  total  of  5,400 
students!  I'd  love  to  talk  to  anyone  who 
is  interested  in  getting  their  community 
or  school  involved  in  a  service  project 
overseas,  (www.caringforcambodia.org). 
My  boys  are  now  7  and  9,  and  very 
involved  in  sports — soccer,  baseball, 
swimming  and  tennis.  Because  of  the 
tropical  weather,  everything  runs  year- 
round!  If  anyone  is  in  Singapore,  please 
look  me  up." 

Eden  Brown  works  full-time  as  an 
independent  writer-director.  She  finds 
this  new  job  amazing.  She  never  imag- 
ined making  this  career  transition  or 
that  she'd  enjoy  it  so  much.  She's  busily 
working  on  a  short  film  that  she'll  direct, 
a  feature  film  and  a  documentary  on  the 
Korean  War  Veterans  Memorial.  She  and 
husband  Bill  will  celebrate  their  17th 
anniv.  in  Jun. 

Stacey  Sickels  Heckel  reports  that 
sons  Kent  (14)  and  Leland  (11),  are  do- 
ing great  and  are  involved  in  sports,  arts 
and  friends.  "I  pinch  myself  that  I'm  the 
mother  to  a  rising  middle  schooler  and 
high  schooler!  Every  age  with  them  gets 
more  fun.  I'm  still  enjoying  working  as 
the  exec.  dir.  for  the  foundation  for  our 
local  community  coll.,  Anne  Arundel.  My 
synchronized  figure  skating  team,  DC 
EDGE,  won  the  Eastern  Championships 
and  then  went  on  to  get  the  silver  medal 
at  the  National  Synchronized  Skating 
Championships  in  Minneapolis.  I  recently 
caught  up  with  Kate  Cole  Kite  who  also 
lives  in  Severna  Park.  She  reports  that 
her  children  are  doing  great.  I  had  a  nice 
visit  with  Leslie  Corrado  Stillwagon  in 
her  beautiful  home  in  Chestnut  Hill.  Her 
3  boys  are  precious.  My  sister,  Susan 
Sickels  Dyer  '91 ,  is  living  in  Seattle  and 
recently  went  to  the  Olympics.  Her  boys 
are  into  hockey  and  she  keeps  busy  with 
their  schedules  and  volunteering  at  their 
school." 

Leslie  Corrado  Stillwagon  and 
husband  David  moved  from  Australia 
and  are  now  living  in  Chestnut  Hill  in 
PA.  She  says  it's  wonderful  being  back 
on  the  east  coast  after  being  away 
for  over  20  yrs.  Leslie  loves  being  a 
stay-at-home  mom  raising  her  3  boys 
(16-mo.-old  twins  and  a  5-mo.-old, 
Holden,  Porter  &  Ridgeway).  She  says 
it's  hectic  having  had  3  boys  in  1 1 
mos.,  but  so  fun!  Leslie  has  enjoyed 
seeing  Katie  Keogh  Weidner,  Kathryn 
Ingham  Reese  and  Stacey  Sickels 
Heckel  and  would  love  to  hear  from 
any  SB  girls  in  the  area! 

Kate  Cole  Hite  and  husband  Tucker 
celebrated  their  20th  anniv.  in  Oct.  and 
commemorated  the  occasion  by  running 


the  Marine  Corps  Marathon.  She  notes, 
"Yes,  I  did  say  marathon,  and  no,  I've 
never  done  that  before  (nor  will  I  ever 
do  that  again!)  The  day  was  wonderful, 
and  the  2  of  us  ran  it  side  by  side.  I'm 
so  thankful  to  Beth  Bennett  Haga  and 
Katie  Keogh  Weidner  for  their  sup- 
port and  encouragement  along  the  6 
mos.  of  training.  Since  they've  both  run 
marathons,  they  gave  me  a  lot  of  good 
advice!" 

Kate  Cole  Hite.  Kathryn  Ingham 
Reese,  Mary  Halliday  Shaw, 
Beth  Bennett  Haga  Paige  Apple 
Montinaro,  and  Whitney  Bolt  Lewis 
had  a  blast  at  their  annual  get-together 
weekend,  this  yr.  in  New  Orleans.  I 
drove  down  to  New  Orleans  and  had 
a  fun  visit  with  them  Mary  Halliday 
Shaw  and  husband  Brad  have  a  big 
milestone  this  yr.  with  the  graduation  of 
their  twins  (Jack  and  Mike)  who  will  be 
heading  off  to  coll.  in  the  northeast  in 
the  fall.  Their  youngest,  Kevin  will  start 
h.  s.  in  the  fall. 

Kelly  Meredith  lacobelli  has  a 
new  job  as  VP  of  marketing  for  BidAlert. 
com  which  is  a  construction  leads  sys- 
tem. It's  the  1st  time  she's  worked  for  a 
small  company  and  says  it  can  be  excit- 
ing and  challenging.  She's  still  on  the 
alumnae  board  and  is  looking  forward 
to  going  to  Reunion  to  see  friends  in 
classes  a  little  older  and  a  little  younger 
than  ours. 

Tracy  Tigerman  Shannon  says 
things  are  pretty  much  the  same.  She's 
still  teaching  3rd  grade  and  getting 
used  to  her  son  being  in  h.  s.  on  the  JV 
baseball  team.  She's  also  gearing  up 
for  her  2nd  grader  to  come  to  her  class 
next  yr.  for  reading  and  math.  She  notes 
that  it  should  be  a  challenge  (more  for 
her  daughter  than  herself). 

Dena  Driver  lives  in  Brooklyn,  NY. 
She  and  husband  Greg  Morcroft  (who 
graduated  from  W  &  L)  have  2  children: 
Emma  (14)  and  Liam  (9).  They've  been 
married  for  1 7  yrs.  She  works  as  a 
property  manager,  which  allows  her  to 
find  time  to  study  yoga. 

Brenda  Childress  Payne  is  happy 
to  announce  a  new  addition  to  her 
family.  Her  beautiful  granddaughter, 
Zoe  Rae  Elizabeth  Payne  was  born  on 
Thurs.,  9/24/09  in  Orange  County  CA. 
She  weighed  8  lbs.  5oz.  and  was  20  Vi 
in.  Brenda  enjoyed  traveling  to  CA  to 
visit  with  the  new  baby  and  her  family. 

Anne  Powell  is  still  tax  manager 
at  Henry  Schein  in  Southwest  VA. 
She  traveled  to  London  and  Salisbury, 
England,  where  she  got  to  play  on  the 
famous  Father  Willis  pipe  organ  at 
Salisbury  Cathedral.  Another  highlight  of 
the  trip  was  taking  the  Eurostar  to  Paris 
for  a  short  holiday. 

Vida  Fonseca  writes  from  New 
Orleans  that  she  received  a  promotion 
with  the  Census  OOS-QA/C,  which  she 
notes  "rhymes  with  moose  back."  She 


writes  that  the  promotion  came  at  the 
same  time  that  she  was  voted  senior 
warden  at  her  church.  She  adds,  "Now 
if  I  could  just  find  a  full-time,  long-term 
job  with  benefits  before  I  reach  retire- 
ment age!" 

Kathryn  Deriso-Schwartz  and 
Mary  Nelson  Densmore  Notaro 
are  planning  a  22.5  yr.  reunion  for 
anyone  in  our  class  who'd  like  to  get 
together  for  a  girls'  weekend.  It  will 
take  place  the  1st  weekend  in  11/1010 
in  Jacksonville,  FL,  at  a  house  that 
belongs  to  Kathryn's  family  that  used 
to  be  a  bed  and  breakfast.  Anyone  in 
our  class  who'd  like  to  go  can  contact 
Kathryn  at  (786)  877-3754  or  e-mail 
her  at  akkbwc@aol.com 

I've  been  busy  doing  some  free- 
lance museum  projects  in  Baton  Rouge 
along  with  working  on  an  exhibition 
with  the  Dixon  Gallery  and  Gardens  in 
Memphis.  They're  holding  an  exhibi- 
tion of  the  work  of  Helen  Maria  Turner, 
the  artist  who  was  the  subject  of  my 
master's  thesis.  One  of  the  paintings  in 
the  exhibition  is  coming  from  the  Sweet 
Briar  collection.  My  son,  Jack  will  be 
starting  his  senior  yr.  in  the  fall  and  my 
daughter,  Nina  will  be  in  the  6th  grade. 
I'm  excited  that  they'll  be  at  the  same 
school  this  yr,  even  if  it's  just  for  1  yr. 
I'm  looking  forward  to  coming  to  VA 
this  summer  for  a  family  reunion  near 
Charlottesville  and  hoping  to  make  a 
side  trip  to  Sweet  Briar.  Best  to  all! 


r?s? 


Miss  Emmy  S.  Leung 
7102  Wynne  wood  Ct. 
Richmond,  VA  23235 
Fan-han@prodigy.net 
emmy@wakousa.com 


mo 


Kelly  Wood  Erickson 
104SWinterberryCt. 
Smithfield,  VA  23430 
skjs2@charter.net 


mi 


Victoria  Campo  Byrd 
2800  NE  22nd  St. 
Fort  Lauderdale,  FL  33305 
garnettandvickie@att.net 

Mamie  Farmer  Farley 
5302  Bewdley  Rd. 
Richmond,  VA  23226 
mamiefarley@comcast.net 


Tricia  Pheil  Johnson 
10359  Church  Hill  Rd. 
Myersville,  MO  21773 
tricia.johnson@strollerfit.com 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.srjc.edu 


1993 


Stacey  McClain 
2219BelotePI. 
Jacksonville,  FL  32207 
staceydmcclaJn@hotmail.com 

Ellen  Ober  Pitera  loves  life  with  Charlie 
(2)  and  is  waiting  patiently  for  the  arrival 
of  their  2nd  baby  from  Korea.  She  hopes 
travel  to  get  him/her  in  winter  201 0. 
Mimi  Davies  Wroten  and  husband  Neil 
welcomed  baby  Connor  in  1 2/09! 

Beth  Gilkeson  King  gave  birth 
to  twins,  Sarah  Colby  and  Alexander 
Gilkeson  on  1/11/10!  She  plans  to  be 
home  with  them  until  early  May  and 
return  to  work.  Tracy  Camden  Wilburn 
visited  the  babies  and  her,  and  Tracy 
enjoyed  a  lovely  day  together  with  her 
husband,  Adam.  Beth  is  in  touch  with 
K.L.  Polevitzky  who  is  deploying  to 
Afghanistan  in  Apr.  Jennifer  Jarvis 
Ballard  has  been  busy  as  a  stay-at- 
home  mom  and  helping  in  girl  scouts 
and  cub  scouts.  She  and  daughter 
Jessica  (8)  have  been  active  in  a  brand 
new  brownie  troop.  Jennifer  says  that 
"it's  great  fun  to  work  with  these  future 
leaders.  Maybe  we'll  get  a  Sweet  Briar 
girl  or  2  from  these  girls." 

Laura  Warren  Underwood, 
husband  George,  and  girls  Christine 
(9),  Katherine  (5),  and  Charlotte  (2) 
have  made  another  trip  to  the  Magic 
Kingdom!  Laura  reports  they're  pretty 
much  experts  now.  Pictures  are  posted 
on  their  website  for  all  to  see:  friend  T. 
George  Underwood  on  Facebook  and  go 
to  the  links.  Laura  et.  al  write,  "We  miss 
our  friends  from  SBC." 

Tracy  Stuart  has  moved  to  Mar- 
tha's Vineyard  and  is  working  part-time 
as  a  freelance  writer.  She  loves  life  by 
the  ocean  surrounded  by  friends  and  her 
boyfriend. 

Maria  Bergh  and  her  husband 
welcomed  a  2nd  daughter  in  12/08  and 
now  live  in  Madrid,  Spain.  She  is  well 
and  keeps  in  touch  with  lots  of  Vixens. 

201 0  started  with  a  bang  for  Nalini 
Mani.  New  job,  but  same  career!  After  a 
yr.'s  hiatus  of  not  seeing  the  inside  of  a 
plane,  she's  back  doing  what  she  loves 
most:  travelling,  albeit  now  it's  primarily 
during  the  wk.  within  the  U.S.  Nalini 
plans  a  trip  to  Rome  during  Memorial 
Day  weekend  and  hopes  to  meet  up  with 
Amy  Davis  '94  if  she  makes  it  over  the 
pond  from  UK.  She's  also  planning  a  2 
wk.  trip  to  Tibet  in  fall  and  is  determined 
to  make  it  up  to  First  Base  Camp  Ever- 
est. She  hopes  to  see  Prerana  Thapa 
'92  in  Nepal  on  her  way  there.  Nalini 
plans  to  celebrate  the  big  4-OH  (shhhh!) 
on  Dec.  31  in  Rio — come  one  come  all 
if  you  want  to  enjoy  Caipirinha's  on  the 
Tropic  of  Capricorn  (perfect  for  my  sun 
sign!) 

Julie  Skilinski  Brooks  is  walking 

Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


in  the  local  National  Multiple  Sclerosis 
Society's  Walk  on  05/02/1 0.  She's 
been  busy  hitting  up  friends,  family,  and 
alumnae  online  to  donate.  She  has  also 
learned  to  love  the  Wii  and  has  danced 
and  boxed  her  way  to  a  20+  lb  weight 
loss!  Julie  reports  that  Laurie  Palmer 
just  bought  an  1 1  -yr.-old  thoroughbred, 
and  she'll  be  up  and  riding  him  ASAP. 
Laurie  is  excited  about  the  purchase. 
Julie  occasionally  gets  to  chat  with 
Gretchen  Petrus  and  Nalini  Mani.  She 
likes  to  talk  about  her  gelato-eating  ex- 
ploits on  Facebook.  Sally  Estes  Vigezzi 
learned  how  to  fish  last  yr.  and  spent  the 
whole  summer  at  the  lake  with  her  kids. 
The  family  has  even  bought  a  fishing 
boat  and  is  excited  to  spend  another 
summer  at  the  lake  fishing!  Sally  is  also 
planning  a  trip  to  VA  this  summer  with 
a  few  days  in  VA  Beach  to  see  Colleen 
Losey  Daughtry  who  she  hasn't  seen 
since  graduation!  Their  kids  are  all  about 
the  same  age,  so  both  are  excited  about 
the  visit.  Sally  hopes  to  make  it  to  SBC 
for  a  day. 

Debra  Elkins  has  just  moved  back 
to  D.C.  and  is  now  working  for  the  U.S. 
Dept.  of  Homeland  Security  building 
strategic  risk  models.  Good  to  know  we 
have  Debra  on  our  side!  She  writes  that 
it's  great  being  back  in  VA. 

Holly  Witt  Aitken  is  still  having  a 
great  time  in  Hong  Kong.  She  and  the 
family  are  headed  to  the  Great  Barrier 
Reef  and  Ayers  Rock,  Australia,  on 
03/10  and  planning  trips  to  Shanghai  for 
the  World  Expo,  Angkor  Wat,  and  a  trip 
back  to  the  U.S.  before  the  end  of  2010. 

Patty  Friend  Douglass  is  expect- 
ing her  3rd  girl  in  a  few  wks.  She  and 
Melissa  Cranmer  McManus  are  still 
great  friends  have  seen  each  other  a  lot 
this  yr.  Melissa's  3  children  are  Jack, 
Olivia,  and  Finnegan,  and  Patty's  kids 
are  Parker,  Sarah  Grace,  and  Georgia 
(on  her  way.)  Patty  is  still  married  in  NY 
and  training  horses,  and  she  reports  that 
Melissa  in  Mclean  VA,  is  married  and  a 
very  hard  working  momma. 

Norma  Bulls  Valentine  is  still 
doing  real  estate  in  Aiken,  SC,  and  Wel- 
lington, FL.  Sister  Nancy  Bulls  is  also 
doing  real  estate  in  FL  and  busy  taking 
care  of  the  1 2  horses  on  our  farm . 

Annalisha  "Lily"  Anderson 
McGinley  and  family  are  still  in  Panama 
City  Beach,  FL,  and  looking  to  staying 
there  for  the  foreseeable  future.  She's 
working  part  time  at  her  church,  but 
most  of  her  time  is  taken  up  being 
a  mommy  and  running  a  large  local 
playgroup  for  pre-schoolers.  Son  Cash 
(3)  will  be  getting  a  baby  sister  the  1  st 
wk.  of  Jun.! 

Kimberly  Cutting  Winter  writes 
that  twins  Evy  and  Lolly  (4)  make  their 
parents  laugh  every  day  with  some  of 
the  humdingers  that  come  out  of  their 
mouths!  Hayden  (7)  is  enjoying  school 
and  tae  kwan  do.  Kimberly  has  started  a 


bakery  from  home  and  been  pleasantly 
surprised  by  its  success!  Her  goal  is  to 
open  a  storefront  once  the  girls  get  into 
school  full  time  in  a  few  yrs.  Kimberly 
had  lunch  with  Susan  Messikomer 
Horenkamp  in  Maui,  HI,  in  02/10;  they 
were  both  there  for  their  husband's  win- 
ners circle  trip  with  the  company  SAP. 
It  was  great  to  catch  up  and  have  some 
time  together  sans  children! 

Tracie  Allen  Webber  and  Lee  just 
got  back  from  a  trip  to  the  Bahamas 
with  Kelly  "Pepper"  Coggshall  '95  and 
Jim.  The  group  had  lots  of  fun  diving, 
although  weather  was  a  little  cool. 
Tracie  reports  that  the  kids  are  getting 
big:  George  (1 0),  Porter  (6)  and  Anna- 
Margaret  (5).  "Life  is  good!" 

Dianne  Hayes  Doss  has  been 
promoted  to  a  Software  Development 
Manager  position  at  Cox  Communica- 
tions, where  she's  been  working  for 
the  last  4  yrs.  It's  exciting  and  daunting 
at  the  same  time.  Husband  Bill  has 
resigned  from  HP  and  will  be  starting 
a  new  job  with  TitleMax,  working  on 
their  consumer-facing  website(s),  which 
will  be  new  for  him.  Dianne  and  family 
have  adopted  a  puppy,  a  female,  black 
lab-mix  named  Sophie.  Kids  Dan  and 
Jenny  are  doing  very  well  at  school 
and  are  participating  in  the  GA  State  U. 
Sat.  School  program  again  this  spring. 
They're  planning  a  trip  to  Tampa  for 
a  week  in  Jul.,  and  otherwise  will  be 
adventuring  as  kids,  puppy,  and  energy 
allow. 

Sabryna  McClung  Roberson 
reports  that  she's  thoroughly  enjoying 
being  a  foster  parent  to  2  siblings,  a 
boy  (6)  and  his  little  sister  (2).  She  and 
hubby  Greg  are  hoping  to  move  toward 
adopting  them  late  this  summer!  Sa- 
bryna has  started  the  countdown  to  our 
spring  break  trip  'back  home'  to  Islamo- 
rada,  FL!  The  kids  have  never  been  to 
the  Keys  and  are  excited  to  finally  meet 
her  side  of  the  family.  (They  met  31 
members  of  Greg's  family  in  AZ  during 
a  holiday  wedding  in  12/09.)  She  and 
Greg  look  forward  to  volunteering  again 
at  the  201 0  U.S.  Open  at  Pebble  Beach! 
Sabryna  (as  always)  hopes  to  visit  with 
anyone  headed  to  Northern  CA! 

As  for  me,  Stacey  McClain,  I'm  re- 
covering from  a  back  injury  and  ready  to 
be  better  so  I  can  get  out  in  the  garden 
among  other  things!  My  daughter  Ever 
(5)  is  enjoying  PK  at  Bolles  and  will  be 
attending  Theatre  Camp  at  the  Jewish 
Community  Alliance  this  summer.  She's 
a  reading,  writing,  and  a  budding  artist 
and  performer  and  she  never  forgets  a 
thing!  Husband  Bob  Folwell  is  enjoying 
work  with  Interline  Brands  as  well  as 
the  view  from  the  14th  floor  of  their  new 
digs.  We  are  planning  on  a  trip  (or  3) 
to  Disney  this  year  and  hopefully  some 
time  in  VA  to  see  family/friends/visit 
SBC  and  a  trip  CA  to  visit  Sabryna's  new 
clan.  Yes,  it  is  true,  our  20th  reunion  is 


approaching!  Keep  in  touch  and  plan  to 
celebrate  our  20th  on  campus  and  in 
person! 


im 


Molly  Morris 
1411  S  6th  St. 
Columbus,  OH  43207 
molly.morris@gmail.com 

Thanks  to  all  of  you  who  attended 
reunion  last  spring.  It  was  great  to  see  a 
few  faces  of  people  who  hadn't  attended 
before,  and  a  few  of  whom  we  can  now 
call  "regulars."  It  was  wonderful  to  catch 
up,  and  we  made  some  new  memories. 
Amy  Loux,  challenging  some  of  the 
guys  to  a  bike  race  on  the  pink  bikes 
that  the  College  has  placed  around 
campus  -  and  that  took  place  at  what? 
One  in  the  morning?  Some  habits  are 
hard  to  break  when  we  get  back  on 
campus,  I  think. 

The  class  of  1994  is  busy!  Nicole 
Streeter-Hokes  and  her  husband  Tyson 
welcomed  a  daughter,  Nahla  Nicole 
Hokes  in  April  2009.  LaQuinta  Donatto 
'92  hosted  her  baby  shower. 

Caitlin  Sundby  Russell  finishing 
her  last  year  of  classes  to  get  her  M.A. 
in  Nutrition.  She  has  to  complete  a 
9-mo.  internship  in  201 1 ,  and  then  sit 
for  the  Registered  Dietician  Exam.  She's 
thankful  for  her  supportive  family,  es- 
pecially her  husband,  Scott.  Eva  turns  5 
this  yr.  and  will  start  Kindergarten  in  fall. 
Julia,  hot  on  her  older  sister's  trail,  turns 
2.  She  enjoys  keeping  up  with  her  SBC 
classmates  on  Facebook,  and  wonders 
what  we  did  without  it. 

Wendy  Wall  Nace  is  living  in 
Birmingham  and  working  as  a  Licensed 
Professional  Counselor.  She'll  celebrate 
her  13th  wedding  anniv.  in  7/2010,  and 
is  planning  a  mini-reunion  in  Atlanta  in 
4/2010  (and  is  very  excited.)  She  wishes 
everyone  well! 

Heather  Bayfield  Weidle  and  her 
boys  are  doing  great.  Michael  (5)  and 
Matthew  (2)  are  going  to  a  Montessori 
school  that  they  enjoy.  Her  business,  Life 
Management  Advisors  is  going  well,  and 
was  a  finalist  for  Best  Overall  Company 
and  Best  Entrepreneur  categories  for  the 
Stevie  Awards  for  Women  in  Business — 
an  international  award  given  each  year 
in  NYC.  No  win  this  year,  but  they're 
keeping  their  fingers  crossed  for  next  yr. 
They're  franchising  with  a  concentration 
in  FL.  Check  out  their  website  at  www. 
lifemanagementadvisors.com.  Misses 
seeing  Katherine  Lindsay  Auchter 
since  she  moved  to  ME. 

Elizabeth  Thigpen  Landry  is  living 
in  Pinehurst,  NC  with  Aaron,  Emma  Gen- 
try (9),  Caroline  (8)  and  Marshall,  who'll 
be  starting  Kindergarten  in  fall.  They  got 
together  a  few  times  with  Courtney 
O'Dea  Plaisted  and  her  kids  over  the 

Summer  2010*  57 


summer  and  had  lunch  with  Allison 
Vollmer  Douglass  in  NYC  while  on  a 
trip  with  Aaron. 

Mtesa  Cottemond  Wright  and  her 

husband  Tony  gave  birth  to  a  baby  girl 
on  1 0/1 5/09.  She  was  a  healthy  7  lbs, 
13  oz,  and  19  in. 

Liz  Gilgan  has  made  the  pro- 
nouncement that  she'll  notbe  pregnant 
this  summer.  Nicholas  is  18  mos.,  and 
running  all  over  the  place  and  Liz  had  a 
daughter  8/27/09  -  Isabella  Muirin.14 
months  apart,  not  quite  Irish  twins.  She 
saw  Ashley  Henderson  Swigart  in 
early  Dec.  She  came  to  Boston  with  her 
son  Preston.  She  saw  Adria  Lande  '96 
in  Feb.  for  a  short  visit.  She  talks  to  Lia 
Colbert  Amelia  Johnson,  Corinne 
Gaillard  and  Robyn  Barto  often  and 
they're  all  doing  well. 

Nellie  Kan  was  happy  to  report  that 
she  and  Al  got  engaged  on  Valentine's 
Day.  They're  planning  a  small  private 
wedding  in  a  secret  location.  Best 
wishes!  There  will  be  a  lot  of  traveling 
for  the  2  of  them  in  the  next  year! 

Katie  Blaik- James  is  celebrating 
Elizabeth's  18-mo.  mark.  Conner  is  10 
and  Jackson  is  8.  She  and  John  are 
celebrating  their  5-yr.  anniversary  in 
Jun.  She's  on  indefinite  maternity  leave 
and  loving  it. 

Amelia  McDaniel  Johnson  reports 
that  Wyly  and  Jed  are  growing  like 
weeds.  They  have  2  yellow  labs,  Ruth 
and  Earl.  Jed  would  like  to  grow  up  to 
be  a  "hunter"  and  Wyly  is  going  to  save 
the  world  by  recycling.  (Sounds  like  her 
mom!)  Amelia  is  teaching,  and  Wooten  is 
working  hard. 

Allison  Vollmer  Douglass  and 
William  welcomed  Will  on  1 2/4/08, 
joining  Kate  and  Abby.  They're  in  NY. 
Allison  is  doing  art  appraisals  part  time 
with  her  dad  and  William  is  at  CIT.  She 
loves  keeping  up  with  the  SBC  girls  on 
Facebook! 

Amy  E.  Loux  wants  to  thank  the 
SBC  staff  and  alumnae  office  for  a 
fabulous  reunion.  It  was  her  1st  visit  to 
campus  since  graduation,  and  she  was 
so  happy  that  so  many  others  attended. 
She  caught  up  with  Katherine  Cook, 
Molly  Phemister  Sarah  Underhill, 
Nellie  Kan.  Mtesa  Wright,  and  was 
thrilled  to  see  other  alumnae  that  had 
made  the  trek:  Rebecca  Carle  '93, 
Laurel  Knaup  '95  and  Mary  "Cookie" 
Carle  '59.  She  enjoyed  visiting  with  Lisa 
Johnston  and  getting  an  update  on  the 
great  work  the  library  is  doing.  "Big  love 
to  all  my  SBC  Sisters!" 

Andrea  Buck  got  engaged  to 
Christopher  Bingham  on  8/2/09  with 
a  wedding  planned  in  later  2010.  She 
hopes  that  some  of  her  SBC  classmates 
will  be  able  to  visit  Somerset  to  attend 
the  celebration.  2009  was  a  whirlwind 
yr.  for  her.  She  finished  working  for  the 
Financial  Times  and  completed  her 
Masters  studies  at  Oxford  U.  She  hopes 

58 'Summer  2010 


she'll  be  able  to  have  some  time  to 
enjoy  being  engaged! 

Susan-Margaret  Barrett  and  hus- 
band Scott  welcomed  Lillian  Margaret 
Johnson  into  the  world  on  7/1 0/09.  She 
is  joined  by  Charlie  (4)  and  Benjamin  (2). 
Susan  Margaret  and  Scott  are  staying 
true  to  their  passions  for  photography 
and  music,  but  are  also  very  busy  with 
their  growing  family.  Susan  Margaret's 
stunning  photographs  were  part  of  the 
alumnae  art  exhibition  at  Reunion. 

Amy  Ross, living  and  teaching  in 
the  Bay  area,  reconnected  with  an  old 
friend  and  rediscovered  her  city  over  the 
summer — as  a  tourist.  She  visited  New 
Orleans  with  some  friends  from  Mem- 
phis and  spent  time  with  Corinne  Gail- 
lard. She  took  her  boys  camping  in  the 
Sequoia  National  Forest  for  a  wk.  (She 
is  proof  that  Ms.  High-Maintenance  can 
indeed  go  camping.)  She  also  travelled 
to  Costa  Rica  for  1 0  days,  loved  it. 

Tysha  Calhoun  Stroka  enjoys  life 
in  central  TX.  She's  working  for  SSA, 
and  is  involved  with  and  on  the  Board  of 
Dir.  of  the  Gaslight  Baker  Theatre.  The 
latest  addition  to  their  furry  family,  Roux, 
just  turned  1  and  is  over  1 0Olbs.  Tysha 
still  has  a  clean  bill  of  health,  but  wants 
to  encourage  all  her  SBC  sisters  to  get 
checked  out  annually  to  make  sure 
everything  is  working  properly. 

Betsy  Lanard  married  Kevin  Mc- 
Cafferty  in  3/09  and  on  2/23/1 0  gave 
birth  to  Brook  Elizabeth.  Marley  is  now  5. 
Betsy  is  still  teaching  music  for  the  Phila- 
delphia School  District  and  Alvernia  U. 

I'm  the  wine  buyer/general  manager 
for  a  wine  shop  and  bistro  in  Columbus, 
and  I'm  also  an  active  member  of  an 
independent  restaurant  group  in  town.  I 
seek  out  new  member  restaurants  and 
give  them  the  "tough  sell."  I'm  also  busy 
planning  a  January  201 1  wedding  to 
Chuck  Flasche.  He  proposed  on  a  trip 
to  Rome  just  after  the  holidays,  and 
we're  hoping  to  honeymoon  in  Australia. 
(He  was  the  tall  guy  at  Reunion,  and 
yes,  you'll  be  seeing  him  there  again  in 
2014.  Possibly  with  something  to  make 
those  dorm  beds  appropriate  for  a  guy 
who's  6'4".) 


rw 


Beverley  Stone  Dale 
2006  Ashcrest  Ct. 
Richmond,  VA  23238 
bsdale@comcast.net 


rm 


Mrs.  Amy  Daugherty  Michel 
8185  E.  Smooth  Sumac  Ln. 
Tucson,  AZ  85710 
amy@themichels.net 

Julie  Baer  Diter  lives  and  teaches  h. 
s.  English  and  French  in  Grosse  Pointe 


Ml.  She's  married  to  Gregory,  whom  she 
met  on  her  junior  yr,  abroad  in  France. 
She  has  3  children  Alexandra  (11), 
Justin  (10),  and  Guillaume  (11)  mos. 
She's  looking  forward  to  warm  weather 
and  travel.  Julie  sends  a  warm  hello  to 
all  old  friends  from  class  of  '96. 

April  Collins  Potterfield  says  her 
big  news  is  they  will  be  moving  to  China 
in  Jun.  Russell  is  starting  business 
ventures  there  and  still  functioning 
as  the  CEO  of  Battenfeld  Technolo- 
gies. Benjamin  will  be  going  to  Shekou 
International  School,  as  will  Oliver  and 
Nathaniel  (our  20-mo.-old  twin  boys).  "I 
was  just  recommended  for  Tenure  and 
Promotion  at  Westminster  Coll.  by  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  however,  I'll  be  leav- 
ing the  biology  dept.  in  May.  It's  hard  to 
be  an  Associate  Professor  from  across 
the  world.  I  intend  to  get  the  kids  settled 
into  their  schools,  and  their  Mandarin 
training,  and  then  I  might  take  some 
courses  at  Shenzhen  U.  myself  in  order 
to  take  advantage  of  all  that  China  has 
to  offer." 

Susan  T.  Cash  writes:  "I  live  in  Elon, 
VA,  with  my  husband  Jeff.  I'm  Dir.  of  Day 
Support  Services  at  The  Arc  of  Central 
VA  in  Lynchburg.  I  have  3  children  in 
college  and  2  adorable  grandsons,  Seth 
and  Alexander,  and  2  granddaughters, 
Trinity  and  Faith.  When  not  working,  Jeff 
and  I  love  to  go  to  Nags  Head  and  fish, 
and  be  with  the  kids  and  grandkids. 

Amy  Daugherty  Michel  &  Sam 
welcomed  2nd  son  Owen  Laine  Michel 
on  1/28/1 0.Xander  was  thrilled  to  final- 
ly meet  his  baby  brother,  and  has  been 
excellent  with  him!  Things  were  a  little 
crazy  in  the  beginning,  as  Owen  was 
born  2.5  wks.  early  and  then  contracted 
RSV  and  bronciolitis  at  1 1  days  old.  He 
had  to  be  hospitalized  for  a  wk.,  though 
he  has  made  a  full  recovery.  Xander 
turned  3  on  3/09/10,  and  continues  to 
be  a  smart,  funny  and  joyful  child.  All  of 
the  Michels  are  looking  forward  to  a  visit 
from  Paige  Vaught  Campion  in  Apr., 
and  eagerly  await  the  news  of  Imogen 
Slade  Rex's  new  baby  boy  in  early 
Apr.  Amy  continues  to  enjoy  keeping  in 
touch  with  classmates  and  their  families 
through  facebook,  and  especially  loves 
everyone's  pictures! 

Christie  Cardon  writes  in  6/09: 
"I  was  delighted  to  be  a  bridesmaid 
in  Ann  Kay's  wedding  in  MA  and  had 
fun  seeing  other  SBC  friends.  Then,  on 
1 0/9/09,  Darryl  and  I  welcomed  our  1  st 
child,  Alexander  Leathers  Anderson.  He 
was  a  full  month  early,  but  healthy  and 
happy.  I'm  now  back  at  work  with  King 
&  Spalding.  In  spring,  we  hope  to  travel 
to  Northern  VA  to  introduce  Alexander  to 
our  SBC  friends  in  the  area. 

Leah  Jorgensen  is  living  in 
Portland,  OR,  and  is  enrolled  in  the 
winemaking  degree  program  at 
the  Northwest  Viticulture  Center  at 
Chemeketa  Coll.  in  Salem.  She's  also 


consulting  northwest  wineries  and  wine 
businesses  with  marketing  and  com- 
munications strategies.  She  freelance 
writes  about  wine  and  gluten  free 
living.  She  plans  to  see  Meg  Magistro 
Arcadia  Cindy  Rakow  Readyhough, 
Eileen  MacMurtrie  and  Ardas  Kaur 
Khalsa  (Alex  Hiribarne)  this  summer, 

Cindy  Rakow  Readyhough  and 
husband  Patrick  live  in  Charlotte,  NC. 
They  have  a  little  boy,  Sam  (2)  and 
recently  had  their  2nd  child,  Katelynn, 
who's  5  mos.  Cindy  will  be  going  back 
to  work  soon  with  Ernst  &  Young  and 
her  husband  still  works  for  himself 
in  the  building/construction  industry. 
She  keeps  in  touch  with  Meg  Magistro 
Arcadia.  Eileen  MacMurtrie.  Leah 
Jorgensen  and  Alex  Hiribarne 

Jennifer  Smith  reports  all  is  well  in 
Richmond  VA.  "I'm  in  my  6th  yr.  as  Dir. 
of  School  Counseling  at  Varina  H.  S.  in 
Richmond,  VA,  and  am  back  in  school 
pursuing  my  post  masters  certification  in 
Educational  Leadership.  I'll  be  graduat- 
ing in  Dec!  At  work  I  get  very  excited 
speaking  to  my  students  about  SBC.  I 
hope  to  get  more  there!  I  stay  in  touch 
with  Lynn  Davis  Saunders,  Reneca 
Rose  Atkinson  '97  and  Andie  Thomas 
Young  '95.  We're  hoping  to  find  time  to 
get  together  soon!  Life  is  great!" 

Linday  Mactavish  Vogt  was  mar- 
ried on  3/21/10  in  San  Pedro,  Belize. 
Her  husband,  Brian,  is  from  Hibbing, 
MN,  and  they're  currently  living  in 
Harrisburg,  PA.  Lindsay  stays  busy  with 
work,  trail  running,  mountain  biking,  and 
adventure  racing. 

Abby  Phillips  Hinga  and  Sean  wel- 
comed James  Phillips  Hinga  on  2/5  (his 
due  date!)  He  weighed  9lbs  and  was  22 
in.  long.  He's  a  healthy,  happy  baby  who 
is  letting  his  parents  get  lots  of  sleep, 
for  which  they  are  very  grateful.  The 
family  is  loving  life  in  Denver  and  having 
Janeen  Sharma  and  Laura  Powell 
Gatling  close  enough  to  see  often! 

As  for  me,  life  is  treating  me  kindly. 
I've  had  a  great  time  getting  to  know 
James  Hinga  in  his  1st  few  wks.  and  re- 
cently had  a  wonderful  visit  with  Annie 
Pankoski  Sherman.  Annie  is  happily 
living  in  the  Bay  Area  with  her  husband, 
Peter,  and  their  beautiful  children  Max 
(4)  and  Elsa  (15  mos).  After  5  yrs.,  I 
still  love  living  in  Boulder,  CO.  Last  yr.,  I 
finished  my  master's  in  psychology  and 
keep  busy  enjoying  the  Rockies  and 
working  as  a  Human  Factors  Engineer. 
My  best  to  the  class  of  '96. 


1997 


Kerri  Rawlings  Burtner 
601  N  Rosina  Ave. 
Somerset,  PA  15501 
kerri.burtner@gmail.com 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.erJu 


rm 


Cynthia  Bumgardner  Puckett 

7123  High  St. 

Floyds  Knobs,  IN  47119 

cpuckett@sbc.edu 

Cady  Thomas 
2330  Byrd  Street 
Raleigh,  NC  27608 
CadyLou1@gmail.com 

Alicia  Foster  Wilbun  says  the  Wilbun 
family  is  doing  great!  She  has  learned 
how  to  do  Bunka  (Japenese  embroi- 
dery), and  it  makes  gorgeous  pictures 
and  is  tons  of  fun!  It's  nice  to  get  out 
once  a  wk.  for  adult  time.  Brianna  (4)  is 
reading  3  letter  words.  It  was  exciting  to 
watch  and  listen  as  she  read  her  1st 
word.  She  has  also  started  gymnastics 
and  is  doing  really  well — a  natural. 
Estelle  (1)  is  running  now  (started  walk- 
ing at  10  mos.)  and  having  a  good  time 
playing  with  Brianna.  Alicia  had  a  great 
visit  with  Fionna  Matheson  in  Jan. 
Fionna  saw  the  girls  and  they  went  out 
to  dinner;  it  was  nice  to  laugh  like  they 
did  in  coll.!  Alicia's  family  took  a  road 
trip  to  Ml  last  May  to  see  Krista 
Wigginton  Gravatt  '99.  They  talk  often 
and  hope  to  see  her  again  this  summer 
so  Alicia  can  meet  Grace!  Alicia  keeps 
in  touch  with  Betsy  Wilbun  Ranson  '99 
and  sees  her  when  they  visit 
Appomattox.  Alicia  talks  with  Chantel 
Bartlett  often  and  hopes  to  see  her 
soon!  Brigette  Laib  Mattox  married 
Mark  Mattox  in  The  Woodlands,  TX, 
1 1/28/09.  Anna  Meres  Wade  was  a 
bridesmaid  Cynthia  Bumgardner 
Puckett  was  absent  due  to  the 
impending  arrival  of  her  new  baby  girl! 
Brigette  and  Mark  are  now  living  in 
Montgomery,  TX,  and  loving  married  life! 
Brigette  is  looking  for  a  career  change 
from  chemical  sales  to  possible  cos- 
metic sales.  Cynthia  Bumgardner 
Puckett  gave  birth  to  Eliza  Joy  Puckett 
on  New  Year's  Eve  2009!  Cynthia  and 
Darrin  are  enjoying  the  roller  coaster 
ride  of  parenting  3.  Although  busy  with 
children,  hearing  from  friends  is  a  wel- 
come respite  during  the  day.  Stephanie 
Belk  Loter  and  Tom  are  expecting  their 
2nd  child,  a  boy,  on  5/19.  Stephanie 
says,  "Pregnancy  is  going  well;  we're 
enjoying  preparing  the  house,  dogs,  and 
big  sister  for  the  new  arrival."  Abilene 
(1 1/29/07)  is  growing  like  a  weed  and 
exploring  the  world  around  her.  She 
amazes  them  with  new  words,  songs, 
activities.  Stephanie  works  in 
Greensboro  at  Novartis  Animal  Health 
part-time  and  lives  in  Wake  Forest.  She 
keeps  in  touch  with  Cady  Thomas  and 
Susan  Barney  Astrid  Liverman  has 
moved  to  CO  for  a  new  job.  She  and 
Taylor  bought  a  house  in  Evergreen,  a 


chalet  on  the  side  of  a  mountain,  which 
they  love  and  will  make  their  own  in  the 
spring  when  it  gets  a  bit  warmer.  They 
have  a  puppy  named  Quoia  (for 
Sequoia,  as  she'll  be  huge)  and  Piki,  a 
feral  kitten.  This  past  weekend  she  had 
a  surprise  visit  from  Cari  Petrulli  Class 
of  '99  and  her  husband  Scott  and  baby 
King.  She  was  her  freshman  year  room- 
mate, but  left  SBC  after.  Carolyn  Leddy 
reports  that  with  the  situation  looking 
bleak  for  Republicans  in  Washington, 
D.C.,  she  decamped  to  Tokyo  this  past 
fall  for  a  yr.  Her  husband  remains  in  D.C, 
to  advocate  the  misguided  policies  of 
the  Obama  administration.  But  Carolyn 
remains  hopeful  that  he  at  least  has  the 
good  sense  to  keep  the  house  clean 
while  she's  gone!  Carolyn  is  spending 
the  yr.  on  a  Council  on  Foreign  Relations 
fellowship  at  the  National  Institute  for 
Defense  Studies  in  Japan  and  is  explor- 
ing issues  related  to  nuclear  deterrence 
in  East  Asia.  She  loves  living  in  Tokyo, 
drinking  sake  and  traveling  around 
Japan  and  looks  forward  to  her  husband 
joining  for  a  trip  to  Vietnam  in  spring. 
Carolyn  will  return  to  D.C.  this  summer 
to  join  the  Republican  resurgence! 
Cyndi  Hague  Hineline  is  excited  that 
winter  finally  seems  to  be  ending  in  OH! 
She  and  Shawn  are  well,  and  it's  been 
fun  watching  Alex  grow  (he  never 
stops!)  and  learn  everything  he  can. 
Cyndi  performed  in  a  production  of 
Sweeney  Todd  last  summer  and  is  help- 
ing to  develop  a  summer  children's  the- 
atre program  at  her  community  theatre. 
Last  May,  she  met  Katherine  Carr  in 
Louisville  for  a  long  weekend,  and  they 
visited  with  Cynthia  Bumgardner 
Puckett.  They  had  a  great  time,  even 
though  Cyndi  managed  to  get  them  lost 
a  couple  of  times!  She  chats  with 
Heather  Thomas  Armbruster  via  the 
internet  quite  a  bit,  and  it's  been  fun 
"reliving"  the  many  late  night  discus- 
sions they  had  in  coll.,  although  the 
subject  matter  is  a  bit  different!  Leslie 
Farinas  Padron  met  with  Samantha 
Brodlieb  Platner  during  Christmas  in 
NYC  while  she  was  home  visiting  family. 
They  met  up  for  coffee  and  cake  at  the 
Plaza  Hotel.  Leslie  lives  in  Zaragoza, 
Spain,  has  been  married  for  3  yrs. 
Samantha  Platner  reports  that  she 
always  looks  forward  to  their  annual 
Christmas  reunion  in  NYC.  She  and 
Mary  Friberg  collaborated  during  Feb. 
201 0  New  York  Fashion  Week  on  the  La 
Perla  Fall  2010  show.  Hourglass 
Cosmetics  sponsored  the  makeup  for 
the  La  Perla  show  that  Sam  was  pro- 
ducing as  PR  Manager,  La  Perla  North 
America.  Mary  was  appointed  PR 
Director  for  Hourglass.  It  was  fun  work- 
ing together!  MaryLea  Martin  Harris 
is  having  fun  making  artsy  messes  with 
her  2  daughters  Emma  (7)  and  Claire 
(3).  She  blogs  about  their  arts  and  crafts 
adventures  on  her  blog  Pink  and  Green 


Mama  (www.pinkandgreenmama.blog- 
spot.com)  It's  been  fun  catching  up  with 
SBC  friends  who  read  the  blog  and  try 
out  her  ideas  with  their  kids.  Amanda 
Diamond  Ring  made  the  ribbon  bar- 
rettes  for  her  daughter  and  achieved 
rock  star  mom  status.  Also  check  out 
MaryLea's  Peep  Diorama  "Goodnight 
Peep"  (based  on  the  children's  book 
Goodnight  Moon)  as  one  of  5  finalists  in 
this  year's  Washington  Post's  Peeps 
Diorama  Contest.  A  few  months  ago, 
MaryLea  received  news  from  Anne- 
Claire  Wackenhut  when  she 
announced  her  engagement  to  Scott! 
She  still  sees  Courtney  Totushek  Brown 
'97  for  play  dates  with  their  kids. 
Amanda  Diamond  Ring  and  Kevin 
celebrated  a  decade  of  marriage  in  Oct. 
and  keep  active  with  Karleigh  (who 
loves  school  and  is  perfecting  her 
Hebrew  and  correcting  her  mom 
already!)  and  Asher  (3)  who  is  starting 
preschool  this  fall.  Karleigh  takes  ballet 
with  Gregor  Lee  '00.  Amanda  had  a 
great  time  at  Homecoming  with  more 
friends  than  she  can  name,  but 
Scarlett  Swain,  Gretchen  Tucker, 
Charlotte  Rognmoe  Gilbar.  Kimberly 
Osborne  Jerger.  Jenny  Hogan 
Koehn,  Lisa  Hall  Flynn,  and  Gregor  to 
name  a  few.  She  saw  Robin  Bettger 
Fishburne  '96  when  she  rode  her  horse 
at  the  Biltmore  Estate.  Amanda  and  her 
family  /cveAsheville  and  requests  all 
SBC  ladies  give  her  a  shout  when  in  the 
area.  Nichi  Benson  Knox  quit  her 
teaching  job  this  past  summer  to  stay 
home  with  her  2  boys.  Robert  David  (3 
1/2)  and  Elijah  (1 5  mos.)  are  full  of 
energy  and  are  keeping  her  busy! 
Erikka  Sund  Neal  and  her  husband 
welcomed  baby  #2,  Samuel  Garrison 
Neal,  on  5/27/09.  He  and  Frances  are 
1 6  mos.  Apart.  Erikka  is  in  her  7th  yr. 
teaching  3rd  grade  and  now  teaches  at 
the  same  school  that  she  went  to  as  a 
child.  Erikka  spent  a  girl's  weekend  in 
New  Orleans  with  Erin  Wortley 
Valliere  and  Joanne  Hopkins  in  Apr. 
Erin  Wortley  Valliere  says  the  Valliere 
family  is  great  and  life  feels  so  much 
more  manageable  with  the  baby  turning 
2  this  spring.  She's  working  for  the 
Marine  Corps  as  a  government  civilian 
in  Fire  Support,  loves  it.  Erin  is  running 
quite  a  lot  and  signed  up  for  a  trail  half 
marathon  Mar.  and  the  Marine  Corps 
historic  half  in  May.  She  misses  every- 
one. Erin  is  hoping  to  see  folks  at  her 
daughter's  First  Communion  in  May. 
Laura  Fitton  Pieper  has  been  out  of 
work  for  over  a  year  now,  after  being 
laid  off  from  her  last  journalism  job. 
She's  trying  to  make  do  with  freelance 
writing  and  temp  jobs.  If  any  alumnae 
out  there  work  for  publications  that 
need  freelance  writers,  give  her  a  call! 
Laura  had  an  amazing  experience  in 
Los  Angeles  last  spring  as  a  fellow  in 
the  National  Endowment  for  the  Arts' 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  wwwalumnae.sbc.edu 


Journalism  Fellowship  in  Theater.  She's 
considering  going  back  to  school  to  pur- 
sue an  MFA  in  creative  writing.  Nathane 
and  Laura  will  be  married  12  yrs.  in 
6/1 0!  Jessica  Pavia  Tra  changed  jobs 
and  now  works  as  a  special  education 
administrator  in  Prince  William  County 
Schools.  Her  job  requires  her  to  support 
the  teachers  and  school  administrators, 
so  the  day  is  never  the  same  twice. 
Jessica  is  working  on  a  dissertation 
proposal  for  her  Ed.D.  in  Educational 
Leadership.  She  hopes  to  submit  her 
proposal  in  the  next  mo.  Her  boys, 
Kenny  (7)  and  Donovan  (5),  are  getting 
big.  Ken  and  Jessica  have  been  married 
for  10  yrs.  Cady  Thomas  keeps  in 
touch  with  Katie  Martin,  Bronwyn 
Beard,  Lindsay  Culp,  Susan  Barney 
and  lots  of  other  SBC  Ladies  thanks  to 
facebook  and  email.  She's  planning  a 
trip  with  Susan  and  Lindsay  this  sum- 
mer. Cady  and  her  family  spent 
Christmas  with  Serena  Putegnat  and 
Tara  Putegnat  '00  in  Brownsville,  TX, 
and  looks  forward  to  seeing  them  again 
this  summer.  Chantel  Bartlett  and 
Kim  Izquierdo  returned  from  a  long 
weekend  where  they  were  reunited  after 
nearly  7  yrs.  They  spent  the  weekend  in 
Sonoma,  CA,  barrel  tasting.  Kim 
Izquierdo  is  celebrating  9  yrs.  with 
Phizer.  She  travels  both  personally  and 
for  work.  She  soon  jets  off  for  a  week  of 
fun  in  Tokyo.  Chantel  continues  to  work 
with  foreign  exchange  students.  In  a  few 
weeks,  she'll  be  turning  in  her  2  months 
notice  without  a  new  job  lined  up! 
Rather  difficult  to  find  a  new  job  when 
you  won't  be  able  to  start  for  2  mos! 
Chantel  thinks  that  she'll  return  to  work 
as  an  executive  assistant  for  a  while, 
take  a  break  from  high-stress  jobs  and 
focus  on  her  new  passion  of  becoming 
a  Zumba  instructor.  She'll  achieve  that 
in  May  and  is  considering  going  to  the 
Zumba  convention  in  Orlando  come 
Aug.  She's  hoping  to  have  more  time  to 
visit  friends  around  the  U.S.  like  Fionna, 
Candice,  Alicia  and  many  more  once 
work-life  isn't  so  crazy.  She  keeps  in 
touch  with  Candice  Broughton 
Maillard.  Candice  and  family  are  doing 
well,  just  always  on  the  go  with  home- 
schooling,  swimming  lessons  and  enjoy- 
ing the  great  outdoors. 

We  want  to  encourage  you  to  give 
to  the  Annual  Fund!  Our  goal  for  the 
Pink  Rose  Society  is  underway,  and 
we're  aiming  at  a  1 00%  participation 
rate  for  our  class  and  want  to  challenge 
everyone  to  give  $5.  As  of  today,  37 
of  us  have  pledged  and  given  $3,865. 
We'd  love  to  give  a  grand  total  of 
$10,000  with  100%  participation  by 
6/30/10.  Contact  Cynthia  or  Cady  for 
further  information.  Keep  in  touch  with 
us  via  e-mail  or  Facebook.  We  want 
to  be  the  support  network  that  uplifts, 
encourages,  and  provides  a  haven  for 
each  of  us  when  we  need  it. 

Summer  2010  •  59 


rm 


Lindsey  Neef  Kelly 
15012  Ashby  Way  East 
Carrollton,  VA  23314 
lindseyckelly@verizon.net 

Christy  Carl  Allison  is  a  SAHM  of  little 
Laurel  Elizabeth,  born  8/21/09.  Laurel 
is  happy,  healthy  and,  just  like  Mommy, 
loves  to  sing.  Christy  continues  to  pet 
sit  and  do  some  online  freelance  writing 
on  occasion.  She  was  excited  to  see 
Kathryn  Alfisi  Marisha  Bourgeois 
and  Sara  Skoglund  at  a  snow  party 
she  held  this  past  Jan.! 

Kim  Bolz-Andolshek  is  keep- 
ing busy  with  her  3  children,  Kate  (7), 
Leo  (5),  and  Gus  (2).  Kim  and  husband 
Justin  are  looking  at  some  new  models 
for  their  grocery  store  this  spring  as  they 
have  a  new  competitor  building  .5  mi. 
from  them.  Kim  was  elected  to  serve 
as  chair  for  the  3rd  yr.  in  a  row  on  the 
Pequot  Lakes  School  Board. 

Marisha  Bourgeois  is  working  on 
her  M.S.  in  speech  language  pathology. 
She's  the  proud  recipient  of  the  Dept. 
of  Education  Grant  that  provides  free 
tuition  with  a  monthly  stipend.  In  addi- 
tion to  her  new  love  of  science,  Marisha 
spends  the  rest  of  her  time  in  the  D.C. 
dance  world:  performing,  teaching,  and 
choreographing.  Lately  she's  been  cho- 
reographing couples'  wedding  dances. 
Her  1  st  couple's  dance  was  for  Sarah 
Dean  in  '08.  She's  also  working  on  a 
children's  dance  book,  which  her  sister 
is  illustrating.  She  speaks  to  Jennifer 
Crutcher  daily  and  swears  they're  the  2 
old  guys  from  the  muppets. 

Rachel  Bratlie  and  Chris  are  well  in 
Northern  CA.  Rachel  continues  to  work 
as  an  inpatient  psychiatrist  at  a  county 
hospital  in  Martinez,  CA.  She's  now 
board-certified!  Chris  is  working  part- 
time  in  civil  engineering.  They've  made 
several  trips  to  Phoenix  and  D.C.  to  visit 
with  family.  They're  planning  a  2-wk.  trip 
to  Italy  this  May  and  can't  wait! 

Kristine  Bria  Brown  and  Andrew 
are  celebrating  2  yrs.  of  marriage  this 
Mar.  and  look  forward  to  starting  a 
family  soon.  Kristine  is  excited  about 
her  new  business  she  just  started.  While 
still  doing  social  work,  Kristine  has  just 
accepted  an  offer  as  a  wardrobe  con- 
sultant for  the  Doncaster  Clothing  col- 
lection. Kristine  is  responsible  for  styling 
the  Trunk  Shows  as  well  as  marketing 
this  fabulous  upscale  clothing  line  that 
is  developed  in  the  same  clothing  mills 
as  Prada,  Lanvin,  and  Chanel.  Kristine 
is  looking  forward  to  this  new  adventure 
and  encourages  all  SBC  alumnae  to 
check  out  her  website  at  http://www. 
facebook.com/l/f4bd7:www.doncaster. 
com/kbrown  and  please  contact  her  if 
you're  interested  in  purchasing  any  of 
the  items  available.  Kristine  keeps  in 

60  •  Summer  2010 


touch  with  Sarah  Dean  Annie  Orten- 
gren,  Zakiya  Norris  and  many  others 
via  facebook. 

Brenda  Elze  still  lives  in  Panama 
City,  FL,  where  she's  taking  classes 
"for  fun"  thanks  to  the  Gl  Bill!  She  had 
a  fabulous  time  at  Class  of  '04  Ginny 
Wood-Susi's  wedding  in  Orlando  in  Feb., 
where  she  caught  up  with  some  alum- 
nae she  met  at  last  yr.'s  reunion.  She 
keeps  in  (almost)  daily  contact  with  Jen 
Schmidt  Major  and  enjoys  monthly 
conversations  with  Alex  Sienkiewicz 
Auer  Jill  Stromberg  Abby  Schmidt 
Casey  Herman  and  Sarah  Lester 

Sarah  Kingsley  Foley  moved  into 
her  own  apt.  in  Sept.  She  started  work- 
ing for  the  Hampton  Roads  Chamber 
of  Commerce  running  their  young 
professionals  division,  Sync757,  in  Jul., 
loves  her  job.  Sarah  recently  added  ad- 
ditional duties,  coordinating  the  events 
in  Chesapeake,  Suffolk  and  Portsmouth. 
Her  son  Cole  (4)  is  doing  great  through 
his  parents'  separation  and  is  a  social 
butterfly  at  his  preschool.  Sarah  has 
started  auditioning  again  and  per- 
formed in  a  "cliff  notes"  version  of  The 
Nutcracker  and  also  sings  the  National 
Anthem  at  large  regional  events. 

Natasha  White  Gamboa  has  been 
busy  chasing  after  son  Sebastian  (2) 
and  is  anticipating  the  arrival  of  another 
baby  boy  on  3/11/10.  She's  still  living 
in  Northern  CA  with  husband  Juan 
and  became  a  stay-at-home-mom  last 
yr.  after  a  full-time  career  as  a  tennis 
professional.  She  still  dabbles  in  the  ten- 
nis world  as  a  part-time  retail  buyer  at  a 
tennis  pro  shop,  which  has  been  fun! 

Kelly  Turney  Gatzke  and  husband 
Ben  have  been  enjoying  Monterey,  CA 
for  the  past  yr.  while  Ben  attends  gradu- 
ate school.  They'll  be  moving  to  West 
Point,  NY,  in  Jun.  where  he'll  be  teaching 
in  the  math  dept.  for  about  3  yrs.  Future 
SBC  Vixen,  Amelia,  just  turned  3  and 
is  excited  for  her  brother,  Cameron,  to 
make  his  arrival. 

Krista  Wigginton  Gravatt  was 
busy  in  '09  getting  ready  for  the  arrival 
of  daughter  Alexis  "Grace,"  born  9/16. 
She  was  excited  after  2  boys  to  finally 
decorate  a  room  in  pink  and  green! 
Husband  Latham  completed  his  MBA  in 
Dec,  and  they're  now  looking  at  relocat- 
ing to  the  Southeast,  if  possible.  Krista 
enjoys  keeping  in  touch  with  her  SBC 
friends  on  Facebook. 

Sarah  Elkins  Ince  is  still  living  in 
the  Charlotte  area  and  recently  returned 
to  work  after  giving  birth  to  her  1  st 
child  Asa  David  Ince  on  1 2/8.  (Baby 
pictures  on  Facebook.)  Sarah  is  excited 
to  report  that  2  of  her  students  have 
applied  to  been  accepted  to  SB  (though 
they  haven't  made  the  final  decision  to 
enroll  yet).  She  also  has  several  juniors 
considering  SBC.  Sarah  had  a  great  time 
at  the  Charlotte  SB  Day  event  and  looks 
forward  to  returning  to  SBC  soon  for 


baby  showers  for  Kristin  Dane  Ewing 
(assistant  dir.  of  career  services)  and 
Robyn  Sanderson  (dir.  of  student  activi- 
ties). 

Mamie  Jackson  lives  in  Atlanta, 
GA,  and  has  a  new  position  as  assoc. 
vice  president  of  development  at 
Spelman  Coll.  On  11/1 3/1 0,  Mamie  will 
marry  Robert  Williams  in  Huntsville,  AL. 

Sean  and  Lindsey  Neef  Kelly, 
along  with  daughters  Catherine  and  Ra- 
chel, welcomed  Alice  Marian  (7  lbs)  on 
1 1/30/09.  Lindsey  is  pleased  to  report 
it  was  the  most  painless,  uneventful, 
and  boring  childbirth  one  could  possibly 
imagine.  Alice  was  also  the  healthiest 
newborn  of  the  family,  until  Christmas, 
when  she  went  into  respiratory  arrest  in 
the  ER.  She  was  diagnosed  with  non- 
RSV  bronchiolitis  and  spent  1 0  days  at 
the  children's  hospital,  but  emerged  as 
good  as  new.  The  girls  are  thrilled  with 
their  new  sister,  and  surprisingly  helpful, 
for  toddlers.  Lindsey's  now  back  at  work 
at  Glasser  and  Glasser,  looking  forward 
to  summertime  trips  to  Busch  Gardens 
with  Sean  and  the  girls,  and  working  on 
launching  a  blog,  details  on  Facebook. 

Valerie  Roche  Kite  and  Derek  wel- 
comed Shealyn  Marianna  on  12/30/09, 
weighing  in  at  7lbs.,  14  oz. 

Meghan  Pollard  Leypoldt  has  had 
a  great  time  reconnecting  with  Vixens 
over  the  past  few  mos.  In  Oct.,  Meghan 
returned  to  SBC  with  Sarah  Kingsley 
for  a  graduate  school  recruiting  event. 
It  was  a  blast  to  be  back  on  campus, 
see  all  the  changes,  connect  with  cur- 
rent Chung  Mungs  and  sip  wine  in  the 
Bistro  with  Sarah  like  old  times.  In  Dec, 
Meghan  had  dinner  in  Durham  with  Jill 
Triana  Sarah  Dorminey  Megan  Butt 
Glover  and  Elizabeth  Melvin — talk 
about  trouble!  In  Jan.,  Meghan  and 
Brandi  Whitley  Hilder  drove  to  MD  for 
Leslie  Hager  Holman  s  baby  shower 
where  they  were  also  able  to  visit  with  a 
very  pregnant  Joce  Wiherle  Greimel 
(her  due  date  was  the  next  day).  During 
their  time  together,  they  had  lovely 
dinner  with  Anne  Jones  Manning 
in  D.C.  and  got  to  meet  her  husband 
too.  The  weekend  afterward,  Meghan 
and  her  daughter,  Piper,  celebrated 
Brandi's  daughter,  Amelia's  2nd  birthday 
in  Chapel  Hill.  Meghan  continues  to 
enjoy  family  life  with  Piper  and  husband 
Steve.  Piper  is  growing  like  a  weed  and 
enjoys  saying  words  like  "chicken"  and 
"naked."  Meghan  fully  indoctrinated 
Piper  into  the  world  of  football  with  the 
culmination  of  the  Saints'  victory  of  the 
Superbowl  GEAUX  SAINTS!  Hope  every- 
one is  having  a  wonderful  new  yr.  and 
do  visit  when  you  are  in  the  area! 

Jen  Schmidt  Major  and  Michael 
welcomed  Ryan  Michael  on  8/1 1/09, 
much  to  Brenda  Elze's  delight  since  he 
was  born  on  her  birthday. 

Heather  McLeod  and  TJ  Griffin 
welcomed  daughter  Hazel  Belle  on 


1 0/6/09,  a  week  after  big  brother  Ea- 
mon  turned  2.  Still  enjoying  Austin,  not 
that  we  get  out  much,  she  says. 

Emily  Sartor  Patterson  and  hus- 
band Brad  are  expecting  their  2nd  child 
in  7/2010:  big  sister  Claire  is  excited 
about  the  arrival  of  the  new  baby! 

Kathryn  Taylor  Paine  and  husband 
Jonathan  welcomed  Amelia  Rose  Paine 
at  1 1 :42  a.m.  on  9/10/09  in  Houston, 
TX.  Amelia's  favorite  activities  are  drink- 
ing milk,  eating  rice  cereal,  and  staring 
at  the  family  dog.  After  enjoying  3  mos. 
of  maternity  leave,  Kathryn  returned  to 
work  as  the  dir.  of  volunteer  services  at 
the  Ronald  McDonald  House  of  Houston. 
In  her  "spare"  time,  Kathryn  volunteers 
at  the  patient  and  family  library  at  TX 
Children's  Hospital. 

Laura  Walters  Price  can't  believe 
that  her  daughter  Olivia  just  turned  5 
this  past  Jan.  and  that  she  and  Jeff  will 
be  married  1 0  yrs.  on  4/29 — time  flies! 
Jackson  (3)  is  so  talkative  and  such  a 
boy!  Laura  has  gone  back  to  Lynchburg 
Coll.  to  get  her  endorsement  in  early 
childhood  special  education  so  that 
she  can  teach  preschool  handicapped 
or  work  in  a  home  setting  as  an  early 
intervention  specialist. 

Tina  Hansel  Snover  is  enjoying  life 
with  her  husband  and  2  daughters  (3  and 
1)  and  working  part  time.  She's  a  resume 
consultant  with  Pathway  Resumes  and 
still  lives  in  Lynchburg.  She  also  stays 
busy  with  her  MOPS  group  and  is  the 
leader  of  the  women's  ministry  at  her 
church.  Tina,  Melissa  Henning  Hill  Kris 
Harris  and  Susan  Hurley  Upshaw  all 
attended  Meredith  Tillery  McNamara  s 
wedding  last  fall  in  TN. 

Leslie  Stokes  completed  her  MDiv 
from  Emory  U.  in  5/08.  Currently,  she's 
in  her  2nd  yr.  of  supervisory  training 
for  Clinical  Pastoral  Education  through 
HealthCare  Chaplaincy  in  Manhattan 
and  serves  as  a  staff  chaplain  at  Memo- 
rial Sloan-Kettering  Cancer  Center.  She 
moved  from  Brooklyn  to  Queens  this  fall. 
In  addition  to  working  toward  certifica- 
tion as  a  supervisor,  board  certification 
as  a  chaplain,  and  ordination  in  the 
United  Church  of  Christ,  Leslie  is  having 
fun  planning  her  wedding  to  Rachel 
Small  this  coming  Labor  Day  weekend. 
They  plan  to  have  a  religious  ceremony 
in  Louisville,  KY.  where  Leslie's  fam- 
ily lives  and  a  legal  ceremony  in  the 
Northeast. 

Lindsay  Hicks  Watrous  and  hus 
band  Tim  welcomed  a  baby  boy  named 
Owen  on  Dec.  21 .  Lindsay  recovered 
well  and  Owen  is  healthy  and  chunky, 
just  like  his  brother  Drew  (2).  Lindsay  is 
finding  it  challenging  to  divide  her  atten- 
tion between  them,  but  is  managing  to 
keep  sane  on  most  days.  She  keeps  in 
touch  with  Anna  Carmichael  Redding. 
Shannon  Weisenberger  Habenicht 
and  Jera  Niewoehner,  as  well  as  a 
number  of  Facebook-sawy  Vixens. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


3,000 


Marilen  Sarian 
760  Kings  Ridge  Dr. 
Newport  News,  VA  23608 
artinspired@loveandmojo.com 


3001 


Amanda  Campbell  Wright 
19304  Anna  Kate  Ct. 
Pflugerville,  TX  78660-2972 

Swi m  VixenOI  @yahoo.com 
campbell01@sbc.edu 

It  seems  that  '01  ers  have  been  up  to 
many  exciting  things  and  have  a  busy 
2010  in  front  of  us!  Congratulations  to 
everyone  on  your  accomplishments  and 
can't  wait  to  hear  what's  in  store  for  you 
next!  Remember  that  our  10-yr.  (Can 
you  believe  it?)  Reunion  is  next  May! 
Holla  Holla! 

Jennifer  Stringfellow  was 
engaged  to  Paul  Lamanna  (UVA  '02)  this 
past  Sept.  when  they  were  vacation- 
ing in  Napa  Valley,  CA.  She  and  Paul 
are  having  a  blast  planning  their  Dec. 
wedding,  which  will  be  in  Alexandria, 
VA.  Sonya  Truman  '02  will  be  her  maid 
of  honor.  Jenn  enjoyed  seeing  Megan 
Thomas  Rowe  and  Angela  Rodriguez 
Newman  last  Sept  at  Kate  Talaber 
Butler's  wedding.  Jenn  is  extremely 
excited  to  have  become  an  aunt  in  Jan. 
Her  older  brother,  Charlie  Stringfellow 
(HSC  '96)  and  his  fiance  had  a  little  girl, 
Chloe,  a  future  SBC  grad,  perhaps?!  In 
May,  Jenn  will  celebrate  her  9th  anniv. 
with  her  company,  Jeremy  Squire  & 
Associates. 

Sarah  Machinist  still  works  in 
sales  for  Kraft  Foods  and  is  in  the 
process  of  moving  from  Greenville,  SC, 
to  Myrtle  Beach,  SC.  She  hopes  to  meet 
new  friends  and  new  horses  once  she 
is  settled. 

Amy  Whitney  Rippey  says  hello  to 
all  her  fellow  Vixens!  She  and  husband 
Brian  are  living  in  Westminster,  MD.  She 
works  for  Arnold  Palmer  Golf  Manage- 
ment as  a  dir.  of  sales.  She's  looking 
forward  to  the  next  reunion. 

Natasha  Nickodem  Stevens 
and  husband  Matt  bought  a  house  in 
Chicago's  Mayfair  neighborhood  and  are 
looking  forward  to  visits  from  Stepha- 
nie Sherrard  and  Sarah  Belanger 
Levinson  this  summer. 

Last  fall,  Marian  Spivey-Estrada 
joined  Sarah  Riggs  Stapleton  and 
Erin  McKinley  Wiley  for  a  mini-reunion 
at  the  home  of  Elizabeth  Puckett 
Haworth  in  Sedona ,  AZ.  Erin  continues 
to  work  as  a  speech  therapist  in  Seattle 
and  welcomed  her  1st  child,  Holiday 
Joan  in  Nov.  Sarah  left  her  position  as 
an  environmental  science  teacher  in 
the  Bay  area  and  is  now  living  in  Japan 
while  her  husband  Jim  completes  a 


post-doc.  Elizabeth  continues  to  work 
for  the  nonprofit  organization  Harvest, 
for  which  she  traveled  to  Haiti,  the 
Dominican  Republic  and  Honduras  last 
summer.  Elizabeth  and  Peter  recently 
welcomed  Lord  Finley  Nelson,  a  beauti- 
ful English  bulldog,  into  their  home! 
Finally,  Marian  remains  in  Washington, 
D.C.,  working  for  the  American  Red 
Cross.  Most  recently,  she  was  sup- 
porting the  Haiti  earthquake  response, 
before  going  on  maternity  leave  with 
her  2nd  child  Benjamin.  Big  brother 
Othoncito  (2)  eagerly  welcomed  the  new 
arrival. 

Amy  Tabb  and  husband  Dave  are 
expecting  their  1  st  child  in  late  Apr. 
They  bought  a  house  last  summer  in 
West  Lafayette,  IN,  and  are  happy  there 
while  Amy  finishes  her  Ph.D.  (expected 
sometime  in  2010)  and  Dave  teaches  h. 
s.  nearby. 

Leah  Brooks  Waldrip  and  husband 
Adam  welcomed  their  2nd  child,  Sabrina 
Ann  Waldrip  on  3/8/10.  Lucy  Brooks 
Thomas  '00,  and  her  new  daughter, 
Norah,  came  to  visit  their  new  niece 
and  cousin.  Leah  is  excited  to  introduce 
Sabrina  to  SBC. 

Sarah  Houston  Kenning  and  hus- 
band Tyler  welcomed  Jackson  Alexander 
Kenning  on  7/12/09.  He  only  weighed  4 
lbs  3oz,  but  has  quadrupled  his  weight 
over  the  past  9  mos.  He  was  lucky  to 
visit  his  friend,  Charlie  Stawasz,  son  of 
Meghan  Frier  Stawasz,  for  a  weekend 
in  Cape  Cod.  Sarah  and  Tyler  have  1 
more  yr.  in  Albany  before  they  move  to 
Philadelphia  for  Tyler's  fellowship.  She's 
begun  working  3  days  a  wk.  at  a  reha- 
bilitation hospital  as  a  speech  language 
pathologist  and  hopes  to  visit  Katie 
Wood  Rae  and  her  family  in  Charlot- 
tesville in  May.  Sarah  is  excited  that  her 
term  as  president  for  the  Junior  League 
of  Albany  is  winding  down  and  hopes  to 
travel  more  to  see  her  SBC  friends. 

Mariana  Souza  is  happy  in  Rio  and 
moving  to  a  bigger  house  with  husband 
Humberto  and  Beatriz  (1).  Still  practicing 
law,  loving  it.  Has  been  in  touch  with 
Rocio  Guerrero.  Leslie  Farinas.  An- 
drea Hidalgo  and  Olive  Eiley  through 
Facebook. 

Erin  Harrison  and  Phill  are 
expecting  their  1st  baby  boy  in  7/2010. 
They're  excited  to  expand  their  family. 
Erin  still  loves  teaching  Jr.  high  and  Phill 
is  still  in  the  credit  union  business. 

Gwen  Wray-Samans  and  husband 
Jamie  are  expecting  their  1st  child  this 
Jun.,  and  best  of  all:  it's  a  girl!  Hello, 
Class  of  2028!  The  parents-to-be  are 
moving  to  Alexandria  in  May.  Gwen  is 
also  expecting  her  M.Ed,  in  secondary 
education  in  English  from  the  George 
Washington  U.  this  Jun. 

Rami  Achterberg  Heers  and 
husband  Jesse  are  expecting  their  2nd 
child  in  Oct. 


Nia  Fonow  Ravenstahl  and 

husband  Matt,  and  step  sons  Maris  and 
Seth  were  delighted  to  welcome  home 
their  newly  adopted  daughter  Cassidy 
Ellen  Owings  Ravenstahl,  born  on  9/17 
in  Port  Charlotte,  FL.  The  Ravenstahls 
are  enjoying  being  a  family  of  5  in 
Northern  VA  and  will  be  spending  the 
summer  in  Durham,  UK  where  Matt  is 
working  towards  his  Ed.D.  Nia  looks 
forward  to  catching  up  with  Jessica 
McClosky  who  lives  nearby  in  New- 
castle while  the  family  is  there. 

Meredith  Taylor  Eads  and  hus- 
band Micah  (HSC  '96)  welcomed  their 
1st  baby,  Isabella  Grace,  on  8/6/09! 
Everyone  is  doing  well,  and  the  new 
parents  are  enjoying  every  second. 
Meredith  wants  to  thank  Tia  Trout  Perez 
'02  for  a  fabulous  baby  shower!  She's 
wondering  how  early  is  too  early  to 
send  in  Isabella's  reservation  fee  for  her 
spot  in  SBC's  class  of  2031  ?  Meredith 
also  went  back  to  graduate  school  this 
fall  and  is  working  toward  her  Ph.D.  in 
special  education;  she  says  it's  been  a 
crazy  few  months  and  wishes  maternity 
leave  had  been  longer. 


3003 


Margaret  Brooks  Tucker  Buck 
4436  Yoruk  Forest  Ln. 
Charlotte,  NC  28211 
buckybrook@gmail.com 

Lori  Smith  Nilan 
14600  Windjammer  Dr. 
Midlothian,  VA  23112 
lorinilan@fwesco.com 

It's  been  a  busy  yr.  for  the  class  of 
2002.  There  are  many  new  moms  to 
congratulate! 

Amanda  Davis  Stevens  and  husband 
Isaac  are  expecting  their  1  st  child  this 
summer,  due  8/21/10.  They've  been 
busy  preparing  for  the  baby's  arrival, 
and  what's  sure  to  be  a  long,  hot  sum- 
mer. Amanda  saw  Jennifer  Taylor 
Catano  and  her  husband  Dave  while 
they  were  in  CA  on  their  "babymoon," 
and  plans  on  attending  her  shower  at 
the  end  of  Apr.  Jennifer's  sweet  pea 
is  due  6/2/2010.  She's  keeping  the 
gender  a  surprise,  which  has  been 
exciting.  She's  been  getting  great  advice 
from  other  SBC  moms  on  Facebook, 
including  Rebecca  Waite  Del  Piano 
and  Laura  Reither  Marcotte  Mary 
Tassone  Dunlevy  and  husband  Dale 
will  welcome  their  1st  child  into  the 
world  in  Apr. — a  little  girl  and  named 
Ariana  Elaine  Dunlevy.  Mary  writes, 
"She's  already  outfitted  with  Sweet 
Briar  goodies,  and  we  expect  her  to  be 
a  future  alumna."  Rachel  Roth  Allred 
and  husband  Toby  are  expecting  their 
1  st  child,  a  baby  girl,  due  in  Apr.  Rachel 
was  able  to  spend  time  with  Mary 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Tassone  Dunlevy.  Kathleen  Fowler 

and  Amy  Waller  '04  in  Feb.  at  Mary's 
baby  shower  (Mary  is  due  5  days  before 
Rachel),  and  is  looking  forward  to  seeing 
Kathy  and  Amy  again  in  Mar.  along  with 
Stacey  Armentrout  Fallah  and  Angel 
Milone  '03  at  her  baby  shower.  Rachel 
is  also  looking  forward  to  serving  as 
a  bridesmaid  at  Angel's  wedding  in 
2/1 1 .  She  and  Toby  will  celebrate  their 
4th  anniv.  in  Aug.  Liz  Waring  Mc- 
Cracken  and  husband  Chris  welcomed 
a  baby  girl  on  1 0/26/09.  Her  name  is 
Isadora  Anne. 

There  have  also  been  exciting 
professional  moves  for  our  class.  Emily 
Yerby  is  enjoying  her  new  career  at  The 
Greater  Boston  Food  Bank,  she  writes, 
"Aquiring  food  to  feed  the  hungry  is 
truly  a  rewarding  career."  She  and  her 
partner,  Gretchen,  are  enjoying  life  in  the 
Boston  suburbs  and  are  looking  forward 
to  traveling  this  summer!  Ruth  Huff- 
man is  running  a  landscaping  business 
in  Lexington,  VA,  and  is  also  writing 
for  a  local  newspaper  and  playing 
upright  bass  fiddle  in  a  bluegrass  band 
with  husband  Rooster  Ruley.  Meghan 
Gregory  is  finishing  off  her  last  semes- 
ter and  will  be  graduating  in  08/10  with 
a  MBA  from  Pfeiffer  U.  Sonya  Truman 
accepted  a  new  job  in  Oct.  and  is  now 
the  assistant  general  counsel  in  charge 
of  litigation  at  Entaire  Global  Companies, 
Inc.  She  just  bought  a  house  in  Atlanta 
and  is  scheduled  to  close  on  3/1 7/1 0! 
She's  anxious  about  the  renovations, 
but  excited  to  move  and  to  finally  have  a 
huge  yard  that  her  golden  retriever  can 
run  in.  Juliana  DeSantis  married  Tyler 
Perkins  in  the  midst  of  a  snowstorm 
at  her  parents'  farm  in  Culpepper,  VA. 
They  said  their  vows  in  a  greenhouse 
surrounded  by  their  friends  and  family. 
They  took  a  wedding  trip  to  CO  where 
they  did  lots  of  snowboarding.  Kathleen 
Fowler  is  still  teaching  Latin  in  Fauquier 
Cry,  VA,  and  loving  every  minute  (except 
for  those  pesky  snow  days).  In  summer 
'09,  Kathy  (along  with  fellow  FL  teach- 
ers) took  a  group  of  students  to  Ireland 
and  the  UK  for  2  wks.  to  explore  their 
Roman  and  Celtic  roots,  and  then  stayed 
for  a  few  extra  days  to  visit  Cardiff, 
Wales,  and  had  a  blast!  She  writes,  "In 
Sept.,  Amy  Waller  '04  and  I  bought  our 
1  st  home.  We're  happy  to  be  able  to 
paint  the  walls!" 

I've  seen  several  of  our  classmates 
recently:  Mary  Tassone  Dunlevy  for 
her  baby  shower,  Rachel  Roth  Allred 
for  her  baby  shower,  and  Stacey 
Armentrout  Fallah  for  her  son's  2nd 
birthday.  I  also  took  my  1  st  trip  to  the 
West  Coast,  to  visit  my  parents  in  their 
new  home  in  Portland,  OR,  over  the 
Christmas  holidays."  In  the  last  edition  of 
the  notes,  I  incorrectly  stated  that  Kim 
Martin  and  her  horse  were  featured  in 
Sidelines  Magazine.  The  article  actually 
was  about  Kim's  good  friend  Megan 

Summer  2010  '61 


Beley  Withrow  '01 . 1  apologize  for  the 
mistake.  I  look  forward  to  seeing  Mar- 
garet "Brook"  Tucker  Buck  Denise 
McDonald  Gentry,  Maria  Thacker 

and  Ashley  Johnson  McGee  '03  in  Apr. 
for  a  girl's  weekend,  where  they'll  cheer 
on  myself  and  Kelly  Monical  while  we 
run  the  Charlottesville  Half  Marathon. 
Brook  and  I  hope  201 0  brings  much 
happiness  and  great  health  to  you  all! 


2003 


Courtney  Amort  Silverthorn 
501  Palmtree  Dr.,  No.  4 
Gaithersburg,  MD  20878 
courtney.silverthorn@gmail.com 

I  hope  everyone  is  enjoying  the  East 
Coast  thaw  after  that  crazy  winter!  I, 
Courtney  Arnott  Silverthorn,  actually 
spent  my  last  week  of  "work"  at  the  NCI 
at  home  under  47  in.  of  snow  (and  paid, 
at  least)  before  taking  a  new  position 
as  an  Intellectual  Property  Specialist 
with  SAIC-Frederick  on  2/16/10.  Before 
I  left  the  NCI,  I  prepared  a  nomination 
package  for  the  Federal  Laboratory 
Consortium's  Excellence  in  Technology 
Transfer  Award  on  behalf  of  an  NCI 
scientist,  which  won  at  both  the  regional 
and  national  levels!  I  will  be  traveling  to 
Albuquerque,  NM  in  04/10  to  attend  the 
FLC's  national  meeting  and  awards  cer- 
emony. Matt  and  I  attended  2  VT  games 
over  the  winter  (1  football,  1  basketball) 
and  are  looking  forward  to  a  Caribbean 
cruise  for  Matt's  30th  birthday  in  10/10. 

Lindy  Guill  Cash  and  husband 
Jonathan  announce  the  birth  of  their  1st 
son,  Benjamin  Jeffrey  Cash  on  2/17/10, 
weighing  9lbs  21  oz.  They're  all  doing 
great  and  happy  to  have  him  home! 
Christine  Nail  announces  that  she  and 
her  husband  had  their  2nd  son,  Jaxson 
Daniel  Beisker,  on  2/03/10. 

Heather  Cole  Kraft  and  Kathryn 
Kraft  are  meeting  up  with  Caroline 
"Cookie"  Williams  and  her  girlfriend 
for  a  week-long  trip  Honduras,  Belize 
and  Mexico!  They  are  also  expecting 
their  1st  child  in  08/10. 

Allison  Albanis  Strohmeyer 
married  Dax  Strohmeyer  on  05/09/09 
at  The  Breakers  in  Palm  Beach,  FL. 
Blair  Baigent  served  as  maid  of  honor 
and  Meg  Foley,  Carolyn  Eney,  Eliza 
Chenault  Hamnett  '02,  Brianna  Meighan 
de  Hanna  '05,  and  Megan  Meighan 
'06  all  flew  in  for  the  weekend.  Allison 
also  reports  that  Carolyn  Eney  is 
engaged  to  Matthew  Miller,  and  they're 
getting  married  5/10  in  Seabrook  Island, 
SCI 

Angelique  Milone  got  engaged  to 
William  Lee  Dodson  in  Richmond,  VA,  on 
1 2/1 2/09.  They  are  planning  a  2/26/1 1 
wedding  in  Richmond,  VA.  Her  maid  of 
honor  will  be  Katie  Morse  '01 ,  and  her 
bridesmaids  will  be  Rachel  Allred  '02, 

62  -Summer 2010 


Stacey  Fallah  '02,  Mary  Dunlevy  '02, 
and  Amanda  Schwink 

Amanda  Crighton  Trefzger 

started  a  new  position  as  the  enrollment 
benefits  director  with  EBC,  Inc.  in  Cincin- 
nati, OH.  She  recently  obtained  her  OH 
insurance  license  and  graduated  from 
Hondros  Coll.  She  and  husband  Joe  are 
enjoying  married  life  and  are  planning  a 
few  trips  for  this  summer  to  Chicago  to 
visit  with  Anna  Yankee;  Virginia  Beach 
to  see  Lana  Davis  Booth  and  husband, 
James;  and  to  Canada.  She  keeps  up 
with  other  SBC  friends  regularly  through 
Facebook,  including  Courtney  Finklea 
and  Meghan  Koury. 

Shirley  Pinson  Hendricks  is 
rounding  out  her  4th  yr.  of  teaching;  she 
and  her  husband  are  doing  fantastic, 
and  they  visited  SBC  (his  1st  trip)  in 
5/09  for  Betsy's  farewell  dinner.  He  was 
impressed  with  the  campus  and  said 
he  could  see  how  she  fell  in  love  with  it! 
They  hope  to  visit  campus  once  more 
prior  to  their  move  north  this  summer! 

Julia  Schmitz  was  accepted  into 
SPIRE  (Seeding  Postdoctoral  Innovators 
in  Research  and  Education),  a  post- 
doctoral fellowship  at  UNC  Chapel  Hill 
that  combines  a  research  experience  with 
a  teaching  experience.  She  spent  2/10 
interviewing  at  the  partner  institutions 
across  NC  and  will  soon  find  out  where 
she'll  be  teaching  for  the  spring  '1 1 
semester.  She  recently  went  on  a  surprise 
trip  to  visit  Katy  Kummer  in  NYC. 

Nicole  Crowder  is  loving  her  2nd 
yr.  of  teaching  at  the  U.  of  Mary  Wash- 
ington. Her  husband  Mike  finally  got  a 
job  in  VA  working  for  the  DoD,  and  they 
decided  to  buy  their  1  st  house. 

Lisa  Renfrow  moved  back  to  CA 
from  FL  in  07/09.  She'd  been  working  at 
Peju  Winery  in  the  Napa  Valley,  but  just 
accepted  a  position  as  the  consumer 
direct  sales  and  wine  club  manager  at 
Mariposa  Wine  Company  in  Madera,  CA, 
and  is  moving  3/1 0. 

2004 

Virginia  Wood  Susi 
7975  Dunstable  Cir. 
Orlando,  FL  32817 
ginnysusi@gmail.com 

Brienna  McLaughlin  Pruce  is  a  free 
lance  artist  in  Cambridge,  England.  She 
and  her  husband  are  traveling  the  world 
and  loving  Europe.  She  started  an  art 
store  on  her  website:  brienna.net. 

Ginny  Wood  Susi  got  married  on 
2/6/10.  Her  bridesmaids  were  Erin 
Coleman  and  Jozanne  Summerville 
In  attendance  at  her  wedding  were 
Kirkland  Wohlrab,  Stephanie 
Gleason  Peppier,  Brenda  Elze 
'99,  and  Emily  Suchta.  Ginny  and 
husband  Phill  live  in  Orlando  with  their 
2  dogs. 


Meredith  Shaw  Hansen  has 

been  working  at  Wintergreen  Resort 
since  8/09.  Her  son  Carter  (4)  is  grow- 
ing like  a  weed  and  has  loved  all  the 
snow.  Christina  Chubb  and  Meredith 
met  in  Richmond  for  a  girls  lunch  in 
1/10. 

Stacey  Maddox  is  in  her  1st  yr. 
of  medical  school  at  WVSOM.  She's 
enjoying  the  Problem  Based  Learning 
Program,  which  is  a  self-study,  small- 
group  program.  She  also  enjoys  living 
in  Lewisburg,  WV,  and  the  great  outdoor 
activities  in  the  area. 

Sarah  Barrett  is  happy  to 
announce  that  she  and  Ivar  Aass  were 
married  in  a  private  ceremony  on 
12/1 1/09  in  NYC,  where  they  reside. 
Sarah  is  retaining  her  maiden  name. 

Andrea  Staton  Koplowitz  mar- 
ried Dale  Koplowitz  in  5/09  in  Crozet, 
VA.  Katharina  Fritzler  '05  and  Shelly 
Kellogg  '02  attended.  Andrea  is  still 
employed  at  UVA  Medical  Center  in 
Charlottesville,  VA,  and  works  in  the  tox- 
icology laboratory.  She  volunteered  as 
an  arts  calendar  manager  for  Piedmont 
Council  of  the  Arts  in  7/08  and  enjoyed 
providing  art  events  in  the  community. 
She  continues  to  work  on  art  in  what 
spare  time  she  can  find. 

Diana  Marshall  had  surgery 
on  10/23/09  at  UVA  hospital  to  help 
her  Crohns  disease.  She  coded,  and 
lost  half  her  blood  due  to  internal 
bleeding  in  recovery,  and  required 
an  emergency  trauma  surgery.  Many 
SBC  alumnae  helped  her  through  that 
tough  time,  Breanne  Leibering,  Leah 
Philhower,  Kathryn  Davis  '05,  Andrea 
Hidalgo  '01 ,  and  Sarah  Parson  Breeden 
05.  Courtney  Pfaff  Kimble  took  Dee 
in  post-surgery  and  used  her  nurs- 
ing skills  to  help  with  proper  recovery. 
Diana's  boyfriend,  Erick  Clepper,  gave 
her  a  promise  ring  for  a  pre-engage- 
ment  soon  after  surgery.  Additionally, 
during  Diana's  hospital  stay,  the  1st 
annual  Brownie  Science  Try  It  Day, 
modeled  after  Prof.  Jill  Granger's  event, 
occurred.  The  event  was  organized  and 
planned  with  Girl  Scouts  Virginia  Skyline 
Council  and  Northrop  Grumman  Sperry 
Marine,  Charlottesville,  Women  Initiative 
for  Networking  and  Success  Group. 
Diana  spent  Thanksgiving  with  Sara 
Lopez  Dawson  '02. 

Kristin  Trayer  Barclay  and  hus- 
band Matt  are  still  living  just  outside 
Charlotte,  NC.  Kristin  is  a  church  sec- 
retary and  teaches  piano  lessons  out 
of  her  home.  In  2/10  Matt  and  Kristin 
adopted  an  Australian  Shepherd  mix 
puppy  named  Jack.  Jamie  Jensen  '05, 
residing  in  Charlottesville,  VA,  visited 
Kristin  in  3/10.  The  old  roomies  had  a 
great  time  catching  up  and  taking  Jack 
on  long  walks! 

Sascha  Rogers  is  working  as 
a  pediatric  occupational  therapist  in 
Northern  VA,  She  speaks  with  fellow 


SBC  alumnae  CM  Burroughs,  Karen 
Story  Mckenzie,  and  Jozanne 

Summerville  often.  When  she's  not 
going  to  the  movies  and  to  dinner  par- 
ties with  friends,  she's  busy  planning 
her  next  vacation  abroad. 

Kirkland  Wohlrab  is  the  exec, 
assistant  for  the  Sigma  Nu  Educational 
Foundation  in  Lexington,  VA.  She's  get- 
ting ready  to  make  the  big  move  from 
Buena  Vista  to  Lexington,  a  whopping 
6  mi.,  in  Mar.  She  enjoyed  seeing  all 
of  her  classmates  and  meeting  the 
Class  of  1999  girls  at  Reunion  last  May. 
Kirkland  talks  with  Stephanie  Gleason 
Peppier  almost  everyday  and  the  2 
recently  enjoyed  a  road  trip  to  sunny  FL 
for  Ginny  Wood  Susi's  wedding! 

2005 

Melinda  Wolfrom 
105  State  St.,  Apt.  1 
Newburyport,  MA  01950 
mindywolfrom@gmail.com 

Can  you  believe  that  our  5-yr.  Reunion 
is  just  around  the  corner?!  Neither  can 
I!  I  hope  you're  all  planning  to  attend 
(May  21st-23rd).  I  would  like  to  say 
congratulations  to  all  of  you  who  have 
had  recent  additions  to  your  families, 
and  who  have  gotten  engaged  and/or 
married  within  these  past  couple  mos. 
Hope  you  all  are  doing  well! 

Liz  Eager  Marvel  lives  in 
Indianapolis,  IN,  with  her  husband. 
She  loves  her  job  as  events  coordina- 
tor at  Coll.  Park  Church.  Her  husband 
is  in  medical  school,  and  this  fall  he's 
going  to  Tsiko,  Togo,  in  West  Africa  to 
work  in  a  missionary  hospital  for  a  mo. 
Last  Jun.  Liz  spent  a  wk.  in  Nicaragua 
with  her  family,  a  great  trip.  This  past 
Sept.,  she  was  a  bridesmaid  in  Karen 
Dennehy  Godsey's  wedding  along 
with  Lauren  Wade  Kerry  Martin 
Spruill,  Erin  Gibbs,  and  Virginia  Fowler 
'04.  Also  in  attendance  were  Dana 
Ripperton  Maggie  Murray  Kathryn 
Strong,  and  Julia  Geyer.  They'll  be 
getting  together  again  this  summer  for 
Maggie  Murray's  wedding  in  CA.  She 
also  went  to  Milwaukee  to  visit  Casey 
Knapp  Fleming  last  fall  and  had  a 
great  time. 

Mindy  Wolfrom  completed  her  2nd 
master's  in  classics  at  Boston  Coll.  in 
May  '09,  and  moved  to  Newburyport, 
MA,  to  begin  her  new  adventure  as 
an  h.  s.  teacher!  She's  teaching  Latin, 
Greek,  and  philosophy  at  Haverhill 
Public  H.  S.  She  had  a  very  busy  yet 
wonderful  summer:  travels  with  parents 
up  to  ME,  with  friends  to  the  Cape, 
and  with  Sweet  Briar  alumnae  Nell 
Champoux  and  Natalie  Pye  '07  to  Eric 
Casey  and  Cathy  Gutierrez's  house  for 
a  visit  of  fromage,  crepes,  dachshund 
kisses,  and  Moccamaster  coffee. 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


Mindy  also  visited  Molly  Mitchell  in 

Minneapolis,  MN,  last  Apr.,  where  she 
presented  her  1st  academic  paper  at 
a  classics  regional  conference.  She's 
also  enjoyed  the  recent  emergence 
of  the  Sweet  Briar  Alumnae  Club  of 
Boston,  where  she  has  been  able  to  see 
alumnae  Denva  Jackson  and  Michelle 
Badger  '06  regularly! 

Diane  Lotz  Warren  and  Michael 
got  married  on  1 2/1 9'1 0  despite  the 
blizzard  that  struck  the  D.C./VA  area. 

Tamara  Himelright  Helton  and 
Brian  just  bought  a  house  in  Palmyra, 
VA,  outside  of  Charlottesville.  They 
recently  became  proud  parents  of  a 
little  girl,  Chloe  Jane  Helton  who  was 
born  on  2/1/10.  Tamara  plans  to  return 
to  work  mid-Apr.  at  UVA  Healthsouth 
Rehab  Hosptial. 

Sheena  Belcher  Hubbard  and 
Matthew  are  happy  to  announce  the 
birth  of  their  1st  child,  Aubrey  Hubbard, 
on  1/7/10.  The  family  is  doing  well,  and 
mom  and  dad  are  adjusting  to  the  lack 
of  sleep. 


3006 


Victoria  Chappell  Harvey 
PSC  76  Box  7851 
APO.AP  96319-0057 
chappell.victoria@gmaii.com 

Abby  Adams  bought  her  first  home  in 
Ellicott  City,  MD,  this  past  Sept.!  She's 
been  doing  a  bunch  of  renovations 
and  has  been  living  in  the  house  for 
a  bit  with  her  dog,  2  cats,  roommate, 
and  roommate's  dog.  She's  still  work- 
ing in  the  newborn  nursery  at  Greater 
Baltimore  Medical  Center  in  Towson, 
MD,  loves  it!  At  Homecoming  she  saw 
some  ladies  and  she  has  been  staying 
in  touch  with  Jenn  Wiley,  Lindsey 
Cline  Joanna  Meade,  and  Jodie 
Weber.  Abby  will  be  attending  Jenn 
Wiley's  wedding  in  Vegas  in  Jul.!  Abby 
also  tries  to  go  riding  whenever  she 
can. 

Joelle  Andrews  is  still  living  in 
Durham,  NC,  with  her  dog  Lindy  Lou. 
She  loves  to  dance  blues  and  lindy 
hop,  and  frequently  travels  around  the 
country  for  events.  Joelle  is  still  work- 
ing in  Duke  U.'s  development  office, 
but  not  for  long!  In  Sept.,  she's  moving 
to  Sevilla,  Spain,  to  work  as  an  English 
teaching  assistant  with  a  JYS  sponsored 
program.  Maybe  when  she  is  there 
Joelle  will  get  to  visit  Jenny  Jones 
Collins  who  is  moving  to  Germany  with 
her  husband  Tommy.  But  before  the  big 
move,  Joelle  can't  wait  to  see  Jenny 
Jones  Collins  Alexandra  Blair. 
Jessica  Mercier  Andryshak  and 
Charis  Lease-Trevathan  Chase  at 
Nicole  Bergeron  s  wedding! 

Michelle  Clark  Bowe  and  her 
husband  Thomas  made  daughter  Lillian 


a  big  sister  with  the  birth  of  their  2nd 
daughter,  Madeline  "Maddie"  Laurenza 
Bowe,  on  1/20! 

Jenniter  Jones  Collins  is  finishing 
up  her  4th  year  teaching  8th  grade 
science  in  Clarksville,  TN.  However, 
this  Jun.,  Jennifer  will  be  moving  to 
Heidelberg,  Germany  with  her  husband 
who  is  being  stationed  there  with  the 
Army!  They're  so  excited  to  have  the 
opportunity  to  explore  Europe!  Life  is 
getting  very  hectic  preparing  for  the 
move!  Jennifer  was  lucky  enough  to 
be  maid  of  honor  in  Jessica  Mercier 
Andryshak's  wedding  in  Aug.!  It  was 
a  beautiful  VT  wedding  and  she  got  to 
catch  up  with  Charis  Lease-Trevathan 
Chase  Nicole  Bergeron  and  Alexan- 
dra Blair 

Leigh  Darrell  was  sworn  in  to 
the  MD  Bar  in  Dec,  and  is  enjoying 
her  judicial  clerkship  on  MD's  Eastern 
Shore.  She  took  trips  to  visit  Laura 
Pierce  in  KY  and  Kate  Dobie  in  NY 
during  the  1st  few  months  of  2010. 

Ivey  Tabor  Godfrey  welcomed  son 
Gabriel  Martin  on  Mar.  5  and  had  a  little 
bit  of  a  bumpy  road  in  the  beginning  as 
he  spent  his  first  8  days  in  the  newborn 
intensive  care  unit  due  to  breathing  dif- 
ficulties as  he  was  3  wks.  premature. 
He's  home  now  and  growing  stronger 
everyday  and  Caroline  likes  giving  her 
little  brother  kisses.  They're  still  living  in 
Wake  Forest  and  Ivey  is  a  graphic  art- 
ist and  her  husband,  Ryan,  works  as  a 
youth  director  at  their  church. 

Tori  Hankins  married  Doug 
LaBrosse(HSC'06)on11/21  in 
Charlotte,  NC.  Several  members  of  the 
Class  of  2006  attended  the  celebra- 
tion, including  Henslee  Evans  Olivia 
Ungerer  Hollylane  Riley  Sara 
Coffey  and  Shanthi  Ramesh 

Victoria  Chappell  Harvey  is  lov- 
ing life  in  Japan!  Besides  exploring 
she  has  kept  very  busy  with  volunteer- 
ing on  base  along  with  her  job.  She 
looks  forward  to  future  visitors  as  she 
definitely  suggests  anyone  to  visit  this 
awesome  country!  This  spring  she's  so 
excited  to  be  going  back  to  the  U.S.  for 
a  short  visit  to  see  family  and  friends. 
While  she's  there,  she'll  have  the 
honor  of  being  a  bridesmaid  in  Allison 
Martell's  wedding  along  with  Lea 
Pyne,  Charlotte  Speilman,  and  Becky 
Teachy  '07.  Kassie  Caola  '07  will  also 
be  in  attendance. 

Charis  Lease-Trevathan  Chase 
graduated  from  Savannah  State  U.  in 
May  with  a  masters  in  social  work. 

Sarah  Liston  is  still  working  for 
an  IT  company  in  Columbus,  OH,  as  a 
project  coordinator.  She'll  be  competing 
in  her  1st  triathlon  in  Jul.  She  became 
engaged  to  Jason  Mitchell  (RIT  '06),  an 
electrical  engineer,  on  3/6  and  they're 
to  be  married  in  Mar.  '12!  She's  so 
excited! 

Jenny  Lynn  is  living  in  Richmond, 


VA,  and  working  at  Henricus  Historical 
Park  in  Chester,  VA,  where  she's  the 
Domestic  Skills  historical  interpreter. 
Henricus  is  the  2nd  settlement  in  colo- 
nial VA,  founded  in  1 61 1 ,  and  the  recre- 
ated park  is  starling  to  ready  for  the 
400th  commemoration.  Jenny  regularly 
interprets  the  "Maids  for  Brides"  sent 
over  in  1621 ,  domestic  servants,  and 
Alice  Proctor,  one  of  the  few  women 
from  a  nearby  plantation  who  defended 
her  homestead  during  the  1622 
Massacre.  (If  you  stop  by  Henricus  this 
summer,  you  might  get  to  watch  Jenny 
give  a  musket  demonstration  with  a 
reproduction  1 7th  century  matchlock 
musket!)  Jenny  is  also  performing 
regularly  with  the  Crossroads  Irish 
Dance  Troupe  in  Richmond  and,  during 
her  time  off,  has  been  attending  18th 
and  1 9th  century  reenactments  up  and 
down  the  East  Coast. 

Lauren  Martin  is  set  to  graduate 
with  her  Doctorate  of  Physical  Therapy 
in  May  from  the  Medical  Coll.  of  GA 
after  3  long  challenging  yrs.  This  past 
fall  she  was  able  to  visit  with  Cara 
Cherry  when  she  came  to  Atlanta  to 
intern  at  the  CDC.  If  all  goes  according 
to  plan,  they'll  room  together  in  Atlanta 
following  both  of  their  respective  gradu- 
ations. She  stays  in  touch  with  Kassie 
Caola  07,  Tabitha  Dixon  Ward,  Nicki 
Brandt,  and  various  other  SBC  alumnae 
through  the  wonders  of  free  long- 
distance and  Facebook.  If  anyone  is 
ever  traveling  through  Atlanta,  feel  free 
to  look  her  up! 

Stephanie  Scherer  McCallister 
has  had  a  lot  of  entertainment  since  the 
Jan.  addition  of  her  second  boarder  col- 
lie, Max.  This  past  Mar.  also  marked  her 
first  year  as  a  home  owner! 

Colleen  Karaffa  Murray  is  still 
at  Sweet  Briar  enjoying  the  beautiful 
campus  with  her  growing  family.  She 
and  Brandon  are  expecting  their  2nd 
child  in  Nov.! 


3,007 


Emily  Nicole  Olson 
382  E.  Scripps  Rd. 
Lake  Orion,  Ml  48360 
emilynicoleolson@gmail.com 

Thanks  to  everyone  who  sent  in  notes! 
As  usual,  '07  is  up  to  some  amazing 
things. 

Danielle  Dionne  is  in  her  2nd  yr.  of 
teaching  1st  grade  at  Countryside  Elem. 
in  Northern  VA,  loves  it.  She's  also  in  the 
process  of  purchasing  her  1st  home. 

Megen  Blaesing  recently 
graduated  from  V.C.U.  with  a  M.A.  in 
Occupational  Therapy.  She's  working  as 
a  pediatric  OT  in  Lynchburg,  VA,  where 
she  lives  with  her  fiance,  Chris  and 
their  pets,  Socks  and  Sophie.  They're 
planning  for  their  Aug.  wedding  as  well 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


as  building  a  house  and  a  barn  for  her  3 
horses  on  70  acres  in  Campbell  Co. 

Morgan  Roach  continues  to 
work  at  The  Heritage  Foundation  as 
a  research  assistant  on  transatlantic 
relations,  public  diplomacy,  Africa  and 
Latin  America.  She's  a  member  of 
American  U.'s  WeLEAD  Program,  a 
series  of  seminars  dedicated  to  further- 
ing women's  leadership  in  politics  and 
government.  She's  also  a  member  of  the 
Young  Professionals  in  Foreign  Policy 
Discussion  Group  on  Europe.  This  spring 
Morgan  will  be  playing  in  D.C.'s  tennis 
and  soccer  leagues.  She  continues  to 
live  in  Washington,  D.C. 

Danielle  Briggs-Hansen  works 
for  Systems  Planning  and  Analysis  in 
finance,  since  5/11/09. 

Carlina  Muglia  continues  to  live 
in  Athens,  GA,  working  at  a  law  firm. 
She  recently  moved  to  a  new  place 
that  is  next  door  to  Cole  Shanholtz  '06. 
"We  still  spend  a  lot  of  time  with  each 
other  riding  and  playing  with  our  dogs," 
she  says.  Carlina  just  finished  taking  a 
trapeze  class,  is  doing  dog  rescue  and 
Crossfit.  This  summer  she'll  be  moving 
to  Austin,  TX,  and  will  be  visiting  in  early 
May.  She  writes,  "I  look  forward  to  the 
move  and  networking  with  any  SBC  girls 
in  the  area." 

Natalie  Pye  is  in  her  2nd  semester 
of  law  school  at  Washington  Coll.  of  Law 
at  A.U.  in  D.C,  and  just  made  the  Mock 
Trial  team.  She  writes,  "School  keeps  me 
pretty  busy,  but  I  hope  to  make  it  back  to 
SBC  for  homecoming  in  the  fall!" 

Laura  Schaefer  is  still  loving  OR 
and  finishing  up  her  AmeriCorps  service 
term  with  the  Beaverton  School  District, 
which  ends  in  Aug.  She  writes,  "We  re- 
cently received  funding  to  upgrade  most 
of  the  lighting  in  our  school  gyms  and 
cafeterias  with  more  efficient  fixtures; 
the  retrofits  will  be  complete  before  the 
end  of  Jun.  and  will  be  saving  enough 
electricity  each  yr.  to  power  57  homes 
(700,000  kWh  per  yr,  almost  $70,000!) 
We've  had  such  a  successful  yr.,  and 
I'm  looking  forward  to  learning  more 
about  energy  efficiency  and  starting  my 
career  on  the  west  coast.  I  had  a  short 
and  snowy  visit  back  to  D.C.  to  celebrate 
the  holidays  with  Margaret  Loebe  '06 
and  Angelica  Shea  '06  before  heading 
up  to  PA  to  see  my  family." 

Maggie  Saylor  Patrick  started  a 
new  job  working  as  the  assistant  dir.  of 
the  Annual  Fund  at  Macalester  Coll.  in 
St.  Paul,  MN.  She  says,  "I  keep  dream- 
ing of  moving  back  to  VA,  but  so  far  it 
just  doesn't  seem  to  be  happening." 
Husband  Martin  will  be  finishing  up  his 
master's  thesis  in  Apr.,  and  they  plan  on 
staying  put  another  yr.  or  2  before  mov- 
ing on.  She  writes,  "I  had  the  chance  to 
visit  with  Rachel  Reynolds  when  I  was 
down  for  the  Feb.  board  meeting,  but  I 
miss  getting  to  see  everyone  regularly. 
Campus  looks  great  every  time  I  visit, 

Summer  2010  •  63 


and  I'm  so  proud  of  the  new  Green  Vil- 
lage and  the  FAC!" 

Sarah  Kindschuh  spent  last 
summer  and  fall  working  in  NM  at  the 
Valles  Caldera  National  Preserve  and 
recently  spent  the  mo.  of  Jan.  working 
with  baboons  in  a  National  Park  near 
Cape  Town,  South  Africa,  then  spent 
Feb.  touring  around  the  area.  She  has 
lots  of  amazing  pictures  posted  on 
Facebook.  I  wish  I  could  remember  more 
of  the  specifics,  but  as  I  write  this  she's 
moving  back  to  NM  to  work  in  the  same 
place  again  for  the  spring  through  fall 
and  she  has  no  cell  phone  reception. 
You'll  just  have  to  believe  me  that  it  was 
really  cool. 

Heidi  Trude  continues  to  teach 
French  at  Skyline  H.S.  in  Front  Royal,  VA. 
She  was  the  head  coach  for  the  Aca- 
demic Team  (quiz  bowl)  this  winter.  Heidi 
had  a  blast  coaching  the  team  and  was 
so  proud  that  they  came  in  3rd  place 
in  the  district  tournament.  This  summer 
Heidi  will  be  taking  a  group  of  students 
from  Skyline  to  Ireland,  England,  and 
France.  Heidi  had  a  fantastic  time  at 
Homecoming  and  President  Parker's 
inauguration.  She's  planning  on  return- 
ing to  SBC  for  graduation  in  May. 

Caitlin  Ashley  wrote  in  for  herself 
and  for  Betty  Skeen.  She  writes  of  Bet- 
ty, "She's  been  studying  at  the  U.  of  MD 
since  graduation  and  will  be  graduating 
with  her  MFA  in  dance  this  yr.  Her  thesis 
concert,  entitled  Geminuspace,  was 
the  1  st  weekend  in  Mar.  and  from  what 
I  hear  was  well  received.  In  addition 
to  being  a  phenomenal  dancer,  she's 
dating  a  wonderful  guy,  Hunter."  Cat  also 
says  Betty  may  be  looking  at  moving  to 
NYC  after  graduating  and  says,  "so  any 
SBC  alumnae  in  the  NYC  area  make 
sure  to  let  her  know  you're  there! " 

As  for  herself,  Caitlin  is  going  on 
her  3rd  yr.  as  an  international  trade 
representative  with  the  WV  Development 
Office.  She  says,  "I  assist  WV  business 
with  exporting.  I  organize  international 
trade  missions  or  booths  at  international 
trade  shows  and  give  WV  businesses 
the  opportunity  to  sell  their  products 
overseas."  Since  starting  there,  she  has 
participated  in  the  Governor's  2007  Mis- 
sion to  China  and  led  3  trade  missions 
with  WV  businesses,  2  to  China  and  1  to 
Canada.  This  yr.,  she's  leading  missions 
to  Australia  and  India.  Also,  she  decided 
to  go  back  to  school,  and  is  getting  an 
EMBA  from  the  U.  of  Charleston  and  will 
graduate  this  Dec.  (hopefully,  she  says). 
She  writes,  "The  business  program  has 
scheduled  an  International  Practicum  to 
Paris  and  Amsterdam  for  about  2  wks. 
this  summer,  so  if  there  are  any  SBC 
girls  in  the  area,  let  me  know!  I  have 
an  apartment  in  Charleston  (would  love 
SBC  visitors)  and  am  looking  for  a  house 
since  I'm  not  leaving  my  job  anytime 
soon.  My  parents  are  nearby,  so  it's  nice 
to  have  family  around,  although,  l  defi- 

64  •  Summer  2010 


nitely  miss  my  SBC  family.  I  do  talk  to 
Betty  Skeen  and  Rosanna  Hawkins 
Winner  regularly,  and  am  planning  trips 
to  see  them  this  spring/summer." 

Kim  Wadelton  is  currently  in  grad. 
school  at  Georgia  Tech  for  a  dual  M.A.  in 
architecture  and  city  and  regional  plan- 
ning. This  summer  she'll  be  in  Bandung, 
Indonesia  working  at  an  urban  planning 
firm.  After  that,  she'll  be  going  to  Borneo 
to  do  some  volunteer  work  helping  to 
build  a  hospital  which  she  and  some 
other  tech  students  have  been  designing 
for  the  past  yr.  She  writes,  "I'll  be  there 
to  help  them  break  ground  and  pour 
the  foundations.  It  should  be  awesome. 
I'd  like  to  stay  there  longer  to  continue 
overseeing  the  construction,  but  I'm 
waiting  to  see  if  I  get  funding,  and  I'll 
have  to  take  a  little  time  off  school.  But 
no  rush  to  graduate,  right?" 

Eleanor  O'Connor  is  still  in  London 
working  on  her  M.A.  in  Publishing  at  U. 
Coll.  of  London.  She  says,  "I'm  having 
lots  of  fun  exploring  the  city  and  taking 
day  trips  away.  I  start  my  placement  next 
mo.  and  am  looking  forward  to  attending 
the  London  Book  Fair!  If  anyone  is  going 
to  be  in  London  this  summer,  let  me 
know.  I'd  love  to  meet  up!" 

Stephanie  Norris  is  teaching  4th 
grade  in  Richmond,  VA,  and  working  on 
her  M.Ed,  in  curriculum  and  instruction 
at  the  U.  of  Richmond  which  she  will 
finish  in  5/1 1 . 

Ferrell  Lyles  writes,  "Things  are 
well  here  in  NC!  Since  my  fiance, 
Andrew  Smith  (VMI  '06),  returned  from 
Iraq  in  1 1/09  we  have  been  enjoying  our 
house  in  NC  with  our  cat  Isobel  and  her 
arch-nemesis:  our  Czech/DDR  German 
Shepherd  puppy,  Baron.  I'm  still  working 
for  Booz  Allen  Hamilton  as  a  senior 
consultant.  I  started  my  M.A.  degree 
in  diplomacy  with  Norwich  U.  in  12/09 
and  will  graduate  in  6/1 1 .  In  other 
news,  by  the  time  you  read  this,  Andrew 
and  I  will  be  married!  We're  having  a 
small  wedding  with  close  family  that 
will  take  place  on  5/30/10  overlooking 
Frenchman  Bay  in  Bar  Harbor,  ME.  Katie 
Vaughan  '06  and  Lynnsey  Brown  '07 
are  bridesmaids.  Also  in  attendance  will 
be  Andrew's  sister  Lydia  Smith  (who 
attended  SBC  in  fall  '07)  and  Andrew's 
cousin,  Amanda  Ankerman  '00.  After 
serious  consideration  of  many  options 
and  the  deliberation  of  a  few,  we  finally 
decided  to  take  our  honeymoon  in  the 
British  Virgin  Islands!  I  hope  that  every- 
one is  doing  well!  I  miss  you  ladies!" 

Caitlin  Cashin  is  halfway  through 
her  M.A.  in  music  and  cultural  history 
at  U.  Coll.  Cork  in  Ireland  and  having  a 
wonderful  time. 

Irene  Maslanik  will  be  graduating 
in  May  from  Stetson  U.  Coll.  of  Law  in 
Gulfport,  FL.  She  writes,  "In  the  last  yr. 
of  law  school,  I've  had  the  opportunity  to 
try  several  cases  and  it's  been  amazing 
experience.  Upon  graduation,  I  hope  to 


work  as  a  public  defender  in  Clearwater, 
FL.  Nothing  too  exciting — ask  me  in 
a  couple  a  mos.,  and  I  should  have 
passed  the  bar,  gotten  a  job,  and  should 
be  a  real  grown  up!  Keep  your  fingers 
crossed!" 

Emily  Fitzpatrick  is  in  her  2nd  yr. 
of  coaching  lacrosse  at  Oberlin  Coll.  She 
writes,  "As  the  recruiting  coordinator  for 
the  women's  lacrosse  program,  I  suc- 
cessfully recruited  the  largest  incoming 
class  in  recent  history  of  1 2  student- 
athletes."  She's  planning  on  moving 
to  MA  for  a  grad.  program  in  exercise 
science  and  sports  physiology.  She's 
waiting  to  hear  back  from  Smith  Coll., 
but  was  already  accepted  to  Spring- 
field. She  says,  "I'm  excited  to  move 
to  western  MA  and  looking  forward  to 
more  coaching." 

Kelsey  Jeffers  is  living  in  Falls 
Church,  VA,  and  keeping  busy.  She 
writes,  "I  spend  my  mornings  working  as 
a  laboratory  technician  for  the  Vitreous 
State  Laboratory  at  Catholic  U.  of  Amer- 
ica in  D.C.  Our  research  is  in  nuclear 
environmental  protection  through  the 
vitrification  of  nuclear  wastes.  I  spend 
my  afternoons  at  the  Madeira  School 
in  McLean,  VA,  as  the  assistant  aquatic 
director  where  I  coach  swimming  and 
teach  lifeguarding  to  h.  s.  girls." 

Hollie  Jennings  Payne  and 
husband  Johnny  are  expecting  their 
1  st  baby,  a  daughter  they  plan  to  name 
KadenceFaye,  in  Jul.! 

Mary  Petrie  graduated  from 
Shenandoah  U.  with  her  M.S.  in  Oc- 
cupational Therapy  in  1 2/09.  She  was 
honored  to  be  elected  the  class  speaker 
for  her  wonderful  occupational  therapy 
class.  As  of  1/10,  Mary  is  working  for  a 
small  private  outpatient  rehab  clinic  in 
Lynchburg.  Currently,  she  is  performing 
contract  services  for  this  company  in 
the  Buckingham  County  School  district. 
Mary  loves  her  new  career  and  is  look- 
ing forward  to  trying  many  new  things 
in  2010! 

Allison  Shaw  Camper  is  living 
in  VA  and  teaching  9th  grade  earth 
science.  She's  working  on  her  M.A.  in 
education. 

Rosanna  Hawkins  Winner  is 
working  at  a  school  for  children  who 
have  autism  and  really  enjoys  the  work. 
She  says,  "While  it  can  be  extremely 
taxing,  it's  rewarding  in  its  own  ways. 
She  and  husband  Rob  are  busy  fixing  up 
their  house,  trying  to  get  things  finished. 
She  says  they  have  been  successful  in 
some  areas,  "Our  basement  no  longer 
floods!" 

Kim  Battad  still  lives  in  the  Bay 
area,  working  as  a  music  teacher  at 
Noteworthy  Music  School,  teaching 
keyboarding  for  children  and  adults.  She 
misses  SBC  and  her  classmates  and 
hope  all  is  well  with  them! 

Jennifer  Dick  is  enjoying  her  1st  yr. 
of  graduate  school  at  Eastern  Mennonite 


U.  where  she  plans  to  earn  her  M.A.  in 
counseling.  Studying  keeps  her  busy,  but 
she'd  love  to  visit  SBC  to  see  all  of  the 
wonderful  new  changes! 

As  for  me,  I  continue  to  live  in  Ml 
with  my  wild  and  crazy  family.  In  Oct.,  I 
started  teaching  musical  theatre  classes 
for  kids  at  a  dance  studio  and  in  Jan.  I 
started  working  as  the  costume  designer 
for  the  local  h.s.'s  spring  production, 
Annie  Get  Your  Gun,  which  will  go  up  in 
Apr.  I'm  enjoying  both  jobs,  and  looking 
forward  to  new  adventures  this  sum- 
mer. On  the  weekends  I  volunteer  at  a 
Family  History  Library  and  teach  Sunday 
school  to  some  rambunctious  7-  and 
8-year-olds.  In  8/09 1  was  able  to  visit 
Kim  Battad  in  San  Jose,  CA,  which  was 
a  lot  of  fun.  I  didn't  get  to  see  Sarah 
Kindschuh  in  NM  last  yr.  as  I  planned, 
but  plans  are  in  the  works  for  the  com- 
ing mos.  I'd  love  to  get  to  London  to 
visit  Eleanor  O'Connor,  but  so  far  my 
funding  will  only  allow  floating  across 
the  Atlantic  in  a  barrel  and  that  doesn't 
seem  like  the  wisest  plan,  I  keep  in 
touch  with  many  SBC  friends  and  I  love 
being  able  to  catch  up  with  a  lot  more  of 
you  twice  a  yr.  for  class  notes!  I'm  really 
hoping  to  make  it  to  SBC  for  Homecom- 
ing this  year,  so  hopefully  I'll  see  all  of 
you  there!  In  the  meantime,  if  anyone 
wants  to  visit  Ml,  let  me  know! 


2008 


Kathryn  Mills 
4310  Bromley  Ln. 
Richmond,  VA  23221 
kpmills@affiniongroup.com 


200? 


Julia  McClung 
14957  Santa  Lucia  Dr. 
Charlotte,  NC  28277 
Julia.McClung1@gmail.com 

0,010 

Alaina  McKee 
9653  Wexford  Cr. 
Granite  Bay,  CA  95746 
amblues87@comcast.net 


Sweet  Briar  College  Alumnae  Magazine  •  www.alumnae.sbc.edu 


IN  THE  SWEET  BRIAR 


Anne  Walden  Dewey  Guerin  '41 


Anne  Walden  Dewey  Guerin  '41 

SHEILA  ALEXANDER,  development  grants  officer 

Anne  Walden  Dewey  Guerin,  Class  of  1941,  loved 
her  years  at  Sweet  Briar,  where  she  majored  in 
English. 

When  she  passed  away,  her  brother,  John  Peyton 
'Pete'  Dewey,  made  a  commitment  to  Sweet  Briar 
in  memory  of  those  happy  years  his  sister  spent  at 
the  College  and  in  honor  of  his  mother,  Anne  Henry, 
who  was  a  native  Virginian  raised  in  Rappahannock 
County. 

"My  mother  loved  Virginia.  She  attended  Mary 
Washington,  but  encouraged  my  sister,  Anne,  to 
attend  Sweet  Briar,  which  she  did,"  Dewey  said.  "After  my  sister  passed  away  I 
read  an  article  in  your  alumnae  magazine,  and  I  thought  that  a  gift  to  Sweet  Briar 
would  be  a  great  way  to  honor  both  of  them  and  make  a  lasting  contribution.  I 
know  they  would  be  pleased." 

Dewey  created  a  bequest  to  the  College,  making  him  an  Indiana  Fletcher 
Williams  Associate,  a  donor  who  makes  a  planned  gift  to  Sweet  Briar.  He  also 
gave  a  generous  endowment  gift  to  the  Elisabeth  Showalter  Muhlenfeld  Fund  for 
Historic  Preservation.  This  gift  will  help  bring  Sweet  Briar  closer  to  rebuilding 
historic  Tusculum  on  the  College  campus.  This  beautiful  home  was  the  birthplace 
of  Maria  Crawford,  mother  of  Indiana  Fletcher  Williams,  who  founded  Sweet  Briar 
College. 

When  funds  are  available,  Tusculum  will  be  reconstructed  near  antebellum 
Sweet  Briar  House,  home  to  College  presidents  and  originally  a  sister  plantation  to 
Tusculum  and  Mount  Saint  Angelo,  which  is  also  a  College  property  and  currently 
home  to  the  Virginia  Center  for  the  Creative  Arts. 

"It  is  important  for  friends  of  Sweet  Briar  to  understand  that  we  work  to  ensure 
that  a  donor's  giving  plan  is  satisfactory  in  every  way  to  the  donor's  current  and 
future  needs,"  said  Garry  Buttner,  director  of  major  and  planned  gifts  for  Sweet 
Briar.  "There  are  many  creative  ways  to  plan  a  gift  that  contributes  to  the  future  of 
the  College  while  creating  a  legacy  in  memory  of  someone  special." 


S 


Ann  Dewey  Guerin  at  the  site  of  a  restored  ruin  on  an  American 
Indian  reservation  in  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  during  her  junior  year  at 
Sweet  Briar. 


"My  mother  loved  Virginia.  She 
attended  Mary  Washing-ton,  but 
encouraged  my  sister,  Anne, 
to  attend  Sweet  Briar,  which 
she  did.  After  my  sister  passed 
away  I  read  an  article  in  your 
alumnae  magazine,  and  I 
thought  that  a  gift  to  Sweet 
Briar  would  be  a  great  way  to 
honor  both  of  them  and  make 
a  lasting  contribution.  I  know 
they  would  be  pleased." 

— John  Peyton  'Pete'  Dewey 


G  0     S  0:ME.W  B  E  RE     YOU     LOVE     THIS     FALL 


YOUR    INVITATION    STARTS    ON    PAGE    22 


Sweet  Briar  College 

Box  1056 

Sweet  Briar,  VA  24595 


CHANGE  SERVICE  REQUESTED 


Non-Profit  Org. 
U.S.  Postage 

PAID 

PPCO 


Liz  Kent 
Library 


SWEET    BRIAR    COLLEGE    ALUMNAE    ASSOCIATION 


SPRING 
Israel 

February  26-March  7,  201 1 


SUMMER 

Chianti  &  the  Italian 
Riviera 

May  8-17,  2011 

A  President's  Trip: 
Discovering  Eastern 
Europe 

June  7-23,  2011 


FALL 
China 

October  18-31,2011 


For  more  information,  contact 
Melissa  Coffey  '98,  tour  coordinator, 
at  800.381.6131  or  mcoffey@sbc.edu. 

Dates,  destinations,  prices  and 
itineraries  are  subject  to  change. 


te-r:: 


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