Class Notes

CLASS NOTES

2021-2022

Class Notes are submitted June 2021 through May 2022.

OXFORD 1951

Class Correspondent: Sallie Barr Palmer

Since the last KO Magazine issue, where I reported that Barbie Gowdy Tongue had died, we have lost two more class members.

Gara Van Schaack died on Oct. 9, 2021. Following retirement from her career as a medical assistant, she turned her talents to volunteerism, becoming a long-time volunteer at Hartford Hospital. She was also a member of the Junior League for 67 years and referred to as a “Super Souper” in recognition of her dedication to feeding the hungry in the local community. In 2020 she received the League’s Shero award for her work in this cause.

When I heard that Gara had died, I called Dinny Duffield Whiting, who was shocked at the news. She and Gara had been friends even before their Oxford days and exchanged birthday cards every year. Little did I know that Dinny would be our next loss.

It came as a tremendous shock when I learned that she passed away on Jan. 9, 2022, from a massive heart attack. Along with several other classmates, I had been in recent touch with her, and she seemed to be fine, having emerged from Covid isolation and had been able to resume many of her usual activities. She was active on the library committee of her retirement community and had been asked to serve on the finance committee. She was an enthusiastic gardener and planted a large vegetable garden last summer.

Memories of her Oxford days include the bike trip to Bradley Field and the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire Day. In our Oxford class yearbook, the quotation under her name reads “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” That sums Dinny up perfectly.

Pam Kingan Lillquist was able to represent the class at Dinny’s memorial service in Williamsburg. She and Dinny had been friends since before their Oxford days, and she was especially hard hit by the news. Pam writes that her life is quiet. Husband Rich has unfortunately developed Alzheimer’s, but she reports that he is currently holding his own.

Vivian Hathaway Crouse has moved to a small independent-living apartment in Vermont, near two of her children, Tim and Mark, and their families. Granddaughter Alex and Craig’s two granddaughters are all getting married during the summer, which should keep Viv busy. Her new address is: 16 Harbor View Rd., South Burlington, Vt. 05403. Telephone and email remain the same.

Frannie Steane Baldwin attended the wedding of three grandsons during the past year. Frannie now has five great-grandchildren who she says “are all adorable.”

Beth Cook Gabel reported she was wearing a cast on her right wrist. She and husband, Virgil, returned from their winter sojourn in Florida to be over-enthusiastically greeted by their 90-lb. dog, who literally bowled Beth over. Beth’s had a busy year. She attended her grandson’s graduation from Princeton and last October traveled to Colorado for her oldest granddaughter’s wedding. She’s anxious to get the cast off her wrist so she can get back on the golf course. Meanwhile Virgil shot his ninth hole-in-one the day after he turned 90! Don’t know where the Gabels are getting all their energy – whatever their secret, they should patent it.

Beth suggested I include addresses for our remaining classmates. I’m listing email addresses at the end of this entry.

Sallie Barr Palmer and husband Peter enjoyed a visit from two sons and their wives plus one daughter – three from England and two from Oregon. We hadn’t seen any of them in almost three years. During their visit, we ate out more often than we had in the past three years! Meanwhile, Peter has a new knee. After relying on injections for a few years, he finally had to go for a replacement. Complete success, and now, not quite two months since his surgery, he has discarded both his walker and his cane. He’s still having therapy. We’re hoping to be able to start traveling again next fall.

ADDRESSES:

Frannie Baldwin: francesbaldwin@gmail.com Vivian Crouse: vivianhcrouse@gmail.com Beth Gabel: virgilgabel@gmail.com Cookie Johnson: jpjrsj752a@aol.com Pam Lillquist: pamlillquist@gmail.com Anne Carter Peck: acmahaffey@gmail.com Sallie Palmer: sandppalmer@verizon.net Pem Schultz: pemscc33@comcast.net Phyllis French: 5 Laurel Lane, Bloomfield Ct. 06002-8203 Ellie Smith: 100 Breezy Hill Road, Collinsville, Ct. 06022-1628

OXFORD 1956

Class Correspondent: Sandy Martin McDonough

Sally David Ardrey writes, “I am working 40 hours a week taking care of two people with dementia. Glad that both live within walking distance here in the city. Challenging but great to be working. I did some art work one afternoon in late March but haven’t had time to do more. Heading to the Matisse Red Studio exhibit this afternoon at MOMA. Fortunately, my children & grandchildren are all well & thriving.”

Edie Wilcock Patrick writes, “My big and sad news is that my sister, Susie (Susan Wilcock Patrick ’59), died peacefully and unexpectedly at home in Johnson City, Tn., on Jan. 28, 2022. She and I shared the same last name because she married my late husband’s younger brother. Susie had one daughter, two granddaughters, and six great grandchildren. She attended RISD, but left to get married. Then, in her early fifties she returned and earned her degree in painting.

We (Sandy Darrach ’56, and I) have now been together for four years. Covid has prevented us from traveling, although tomorrow Sandy heads for Mystic, Ct., to work on the boat he is restoring. I’m staying in Johnson City to finish getting my house ready to sell. I recently sent 19 pairs of socks I knitted to my son and his family in Wellington, NZ, where winter is coming. I hope I will be able to visit NZ again this winter. Since Jan. 2020, I’ve seen Martin, his three daughters and their mother only on WhatsApp. Martin’s second collection of critical essays, The Performing Observer: Essays on Contemporary Art. Performance, and Photography is to be published in January in the UK by Intellect Ltd., and distributed in this country by the University of Chicago Press.”

Alice Butler Mendell writes, “When we woke Friday morning June 3rd at the Residence Inn in Avon, Seth and Phyllis and I wondered where to go for lunch. Guess what? We went to the Rockledge Country Club. Ate on the outside deck overlooking the lovely green golf course and we raised a glass to the class of Oxford ’56. We then had a most enjoyable Alumni Weekend at AOF seeing old friends on Seth’s 70th reunion as a student and 62nd reunion as a teacher and an administrator.

We’ve made the decision to drive north to Mattapoisett, Ma. (after a two and a half year Covid hiatus) leaving here July 5th and taking our time. We plan to arrive on July 9th for about a month. Then we’ll go on to our niece, Betsey, on Deer Isle, Maine for ten days to be with her, Phyllis, Margaret, their husbands and our wonderful 16-year old granddaughter, Kelsea. We realize it is this summer or never because of our age and we want to see our family, our friends and our town.”

Cynnie Kohn Hobart writes, “I’m still in mid-Missouri – Rolla, a great place to live. It has the Missouri University of Science and Technology with a theater which, besides student productions, imports many others, such as the St. Louis Symphony

1956 Sally David Ardrey

CLASS NOTES

(when there isn’t a pandemic). There are many state parks nearby for outdoor enjoyment. Generally, except for singing in the choir, I’ve retired from the many church and other organizations’ activities I did.

My son, Robert, runs Eclipse Books & Comics – selling science fiction and fantasy and having role-playing games every weekend. The nearby Fort Leonard Wood asked him to open a store there, which is doing very well. I enjoy spending time regularly with his and Rebecca’s daughter, Kathryn, now 10.”

Sandy Travis Zieky writes that she lost her companion of many years most recently. We all send our love and sympathy.

Mary Ellen Blumenfeld Doyle writes, “I am still in Oakland, Ca. and painting my view in watercolor. My paintings can be seen on my website: medoylepainter.com.”

Note: There are many artists in our class. Mary Ellen, the late Jane Andrews, Nancy Reed, and Cynnie Hobart.

Jane Cady Fitchen writes, “For the last two years, my life has been down to basics, focused on health issues including two surgeries. I’m still at home alone with a cat, but outside activities have been limited by slow recoveries and the threat of the Covid. Last October I took up pickle ball for exercise in lieu of my addiction to tennis for social life and exercise when I retired in 1998. It keeps me laughing. Other than that, I garden, play my piano, read, fumble with technology, cringe at the world and local news, and enjoy the accomplishments of my children and grandchildren. A great granddaughter was born a year ago. One grandchild just graduated from law school, another is in Italy in an art restoration program, another is in Ph.D. program at University of Minnesota, another is interning this summer at the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco, and another, an RN, is studying to be a nurse practitioner. All in this bizarre period of Covid. I pray I will be able to travel to see everyone in September.”

Nancy Austin Reed writes that she is very busy with all the activities at Seabury. It’s an incredibly busy facility and keeps its residents very happy.

Sandy Martin McDonough writes, “For the past two plus years, I have been a hermit to avoid Covid. Successful so far. Since I last wrote, there have been two more litters of Samoyed puppies, all of whom are ambassadors of happiness. And I am still working. I plan to retire after a two-year project is concluded in 2023. I’d like to be lazy for a while. Granddaughter Caroline has moved to Montana where she spent last summer. She loves the hospitality world. Toby and his wife have struggled to stay above the curse of Covid – and they seem to be surviving quite well. Daughter Lora is still with NY’s Office of People with Disabilities serving individuals with special needs. She recently rewrote the curriculum for the entire division, yielding a wonderful promotion. She survived kidney cancer and is rehabbing in her new 18-pound canoe – a new plastic weighing nothing!”

OXFORD 1958

Class Correspondent: Sue Mather Dabanian

Greetings Classmates! I hope that you are all doing well and have avoided the dreaded Covid. I really appreciated the response from several of you, but I always want MORE. Maybe next time?

As I was having a skin cancer removed from my chin the other day, I thought about something that the surgeon said – these things are often brewing in your teens and reflect how you take care of your skin. Remember when we covered two pieces of cardboard with aluminum foil, made it into a reflector, and baked in the sun during lunchtime? If I had only known how it would come back to haunt me. Well, at least wearing a mask is still the norm.

Betty Lang Leon reported that all was well but that she was moving more slowly these days. I can definitely relate! Betsy Swinehart Riel was able to avoid Covid, despite being exposed twice by her grandsons; she had to quarantine and order groceries online. She has been reducing her bad cholesterol by walking and eating fiber and walnuts. Betsy’s grandson Hans will be a freshman at Cal Poly and granddaughter Quinn will be a sophomore at UC San Diego.

Penny Hoffman McConnel reported that she is doing pretty well, all things considered. She returned to California for 10 weeks in the winter again and loved it. They sold the bookstore last year and found the perfect new owners after a three-year search. She misses it but keeps busy gardening, reading and planning a trip to Brittany in September with her son, who lives in France. Her other sons, daughterin-law and granddaughter visited them while they were in California. Many time zones and many FaceTime visits.

Anne Van Winkle-Denne said that she is beginning to have a few shoulder and eye problems but she is “still playing tennis, jogging, eating what

I want and having one drink a day and staying home a lot very happily in a cozy house with two adorable cats.” Her daughter and grandkids live nearby and are doing beautifully. Anne studies Spanish for three hours in the morning, which is very practical here in California. She remarked, as did Penny, that the world is a scary place right now.

Blair Smyth Lang reported that daughter Ingrid is teaching third grade, grandson Garrett is at Florida State University, and Brooke is a high school sophomore and into swimming.

Linda Barnett Beizer recently celebrated her 60th wedding anniversary to Kingswood grad, David ’56. They have three married sons and eight grandchildren, the last of whom will go to the University of Michigan in the fall. They live in Avon and have spent the last 17 years in Sarasota for the winter (Siesta Key, Linda?). They own a house on Block Island, which the grandchildren have been usurping. Linda runs five miles, plays tennis and golf, and bikes, but her biggest problem is trying to find an effective hearing aid.

Sarah Duffield reported that daughter Emily is now an EMT with the New York City Fire Department. She was the oldest in her class and one of very few women. The physical endurance exam was tougher than for the men (lugging equipment up and downstairs, etc). She is stationed in the Bronx. Granddaughter Audrey finished her first year at NYU Business School, Julian is looking at colleges, and 4-year-old Aine is a delight. Daughter Caitlin is still working for CARE, and Henrietta is thriving in her life in the Catskills. Sadly, her older sister Dinny ’51 died in January. She was pretty active up until the last few months of her life. Pat Waring is in her cozy home on the Vineyard with two cats but dealing with a “complicated” ankle issue, which keeps her pretty much at home. Daughter Diana is nearby with her family, which includes Hazel, 8, and Leo 2 1/2. Pat spends time with them very often and even gave Hazel piano lessons. Pat lost her main freelance writing job because of Covid but hopes to find more writing work soon. She still has a strong connection with Grace Episcopal Church through Zoom and is heartbroken at the state of the world. Get in touch, classmates, if you have plans for the Vineyard!

Liz Sexton Sgro reported that all was well and no Covid. The kids are in NYC and Milan. Everyone made it to the house in Calabria last year and plan to do the same this year.

As for your secretary, our travel plans have slowed down partly because of Covid and ALSO OUR AGE. We did spend a relaxing two weeks in Florida in April visiting son Bruce and his wife, enjoying the beach and indulging in too much food. Granddaughter Rachel decided to become a “travel nurse” for a year. Her first assignment was close to the Oregon border with future plans for Connecticut or St. Thomas! Her sister, Nicole, will be getting married next May at an old inn in the wine country; grandson Joey bought his first condo; and Marisa is nearing the end of college. After reading about some of your health problems, I must admit that my hearing and eyesight are excellent. As for the rest of my body, I’m trying to keep it together and roll with the punches. Until next time… Love to you all, Smather/Sue

OXFORD 1959

Class Correspondent: Zélie Calvocoressi Tourais

Sadly, during the past year, three of our classmates have passed away.

Julie Peck writes a tribute to Nelie/ Nelia Reynolds Farmer: “I have fond and funny memories of Nelia. A true friend – sincere, compassionate, and warm. She had a cheerful, upbeat attitude toward life, and I always found being with her great fun. She seemed to see the best in everyone, while upholding positive ideals about the way the world should be. I don’t recall her saying an unkind word about anyone. She took an active interest in important issues of the day and was a member and officer of the Service Club and the Foreign Policy Club at Oxford. I remember her firm stance against the use of the death penalty. After college and graduate school she became a psychologist and practiced in Farmington, Maine, where she lived with her husband.”

Janice Cianci Castillo mourns the loss of “two more of our classmates, Sue Wilcock Patrick and Gail Appell Nickowitz, both of whom were my best friends at Oxford. They continue to

1959 Sue Wilcock Patrick and Janice

Cianci Castillo

CLASS NOTES

walk beside me every day, unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed. I was lucky to maintain our friendships over the years, especially with Sue. I used to spend a week in October with her when I could enjoy the fall colors, always driving up to Blowing Rock, N.C., shopping all the way. Years back Sue was involved with a group that had established a sister city relationship with Rybinsk, Russia, and I got to meet some of the Russians who stayed with her when I visited. I even got to travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg with her and her group as well as entertain some Russians in our home in Florida for a long weekend. So disheartening to see what’s happened recently with our relationship with Russia.”

Janice continues, “One never knows what’s waiting around the corner for us as we navigate through our lives. As I rounded into 2022, husband Richard found out that he has B-cell lymphoma. He went to the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa for a second opinion and was luckily assigned a doctor renowned for his work with lymphoma who made arrangements for him to receive a new leading drug locally through Richard’s oncologist. It’s been an incredibly timeconsuming experience. He’s had two chemo infusions so far and is doing very well. Thankfully he’s always in good humor and easy to care for. Since I needed to be here for him, I went ahead and canceled my trip to Iceland in July. Other than that, I try to maintain some normalcy by playing lots of tennis, some jogging, hanging with family and friends, etc. I’m looking forward to my daughter’s and granddaughter’s visit from California in June and more Zoom meetings with our class.”

Gail was an active tennis player, lettering at UPenn and once winning the Easton Racquet Club Ladies’ Singles Championship. She also played golf and sailed their boat with her husband, Arlen. She was an accomplished musician and played the piano, trumpet, and violin. She composed cheers and choral amens. She was known among her friends for her sense of humor and dedicated use of social media posts.

Debbie Mahoney Swenson writes, “Living in Chatham with my life partner Larry Capodilupo and Havanese Gunnar, where we are active as trustees on several nonprofit boards, our church, platform/ paddle tennis, golf, biking and gardening. Winters spent in Vero Beach, again biking and golf, and new this year, pickleball. Travel as often as possible: Jackson Hole, Alaska this June, West Coast visit to family this fall. So grateful for our wonderful families and good health.”

Judy Weinstein Wheeler reports, “I am pretty well recovered from both shoulder surgeries. Still doing PT, but I am playing golf (badly), but with no pain. Two books about my husband Bim’s father, General Earle Wheeler, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have recently been published and are available on Amazon and Kindle. The first is called Determined To Persist about his role in the Vietnam War, and the other is a biography titled General and Mrs. Wheeler. Both are written by Col. Mark Viney, a friend of ours. Other than that, we are aging along with two old dogs on our farm in West Virginia.”

Linda Perry Thorne and husband, Jack, are moving to Philadelphia. Two of their sons and their families, with grandchildren, live there.

Last summer our children celebrated our 50th anniversary with an elegant catered dinner. In October I visited Martha Yost Newcomer ’57, my oldest friend, who is living outside of St. Louis, where our children also live.

1959 Zélie Calvocoressi Tourais and family

OXFORD 1960

Class Correspondent: Jane Anderson Innerd

Jennifer Ripple Akridge is now living permanently in Washington State. She says that she really doesn’t miss Arizona, especially the traveling and packing back and forth as well as keeping track of both homes. However, she does miss her church and her many friends there. Jenny finally began attending her church in Washington just before Easter and says it is much better to worship in a church rather than on Zoom, although that was better than nothing for quite a while. She is still using Zoom to attend her weekly Bible study in Arizona. Jenny says that the weather in Washington has been crazy. In mid-April they woke up to snow, which broke an 87-year record. When she wrote in May, they were having April showers. Last year in June the temperature reached 117° F on their patio for several days. Jenny and Ed stick pretty close to home and have no plans to travel. They are the very proud great grandparents of their second great grandson, Henrick, who was born on March 8. Henrick’s brother, Ryker, is also very proud.

The second to turn 80 in our class was Scotty Dwyer Benson. She celebrated with friends on several occasions, which made it really a lot of fun and “eased the reality of 80.” The big event in her life was the decision to work only part time. She really enjoys working Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then starting a long weekend. To date Scotty hasn’t yet put a small dent into what she is planning to do with her extra time! Her son, Jim moved to Bethlehem in July to be closer to Kelli, and all is well. Jim is planning to be with Scotty for Mother’s Day. As for 2022, Scott says that she has nothing special planned, except for doing projects to maintain the house because she is planning to stay in it as long as possible. However, she now finds that she has to hire people to do the work she used to be able to do herself. She writes, “That is the big downside to my turning 80!”

Prilla Smith Brackett says that she is very fortunate to be living in her safe, comfortable home, with overall good health and close, loving, local families and friendships. Her husband, George, was moved to the floor for residents with more advanced dementia, where he is comfortable. He still reads, knows Prilla, and enjoys the treats she brings when she visits. Her 2022 vacation with both her sons and their families this year was their annual February week at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vt., which this year included cross country skiing with her grandkids (ages 9 to 15) and the four adults. Prilla really values the time with her sister, Leigh. She still prioritizes connections with others, but hasn’t been very active in her studio until recently. Prilla is worried about climate change, the increasing polarization in the country, and the rise of extremism and domestic terrorism. She worked quite hard in Boston’s mayoral campaign for the primary last year, and did a Zoom hour of social justice phoning and emailing weekly on local issues with others in her Unitarian Universalist church. She notes that these are “drops in the bucket,” yet are something. Her involvement with the Cambridge Insight and Meditation Center has increased. She participates in the weekday Daily Dharma Zoom meditation sessions and has taken various workshops. Especially good have been Aging, Awareness, and Awakening and Grief and Compassion. She finds that accepting the inevitability of impermanence and change on a deep emotional level is hard to sustain and definitely a work in progress. She is grateful to be developing this spiritual practice.

“It seems that my children think 80 is a really big deal,” writes Nan Sunderland Brown. On her big birthday in February, they managed to surprise her by putting out strobe lights, tinsel curtains in doorways, garlands, etc., and everyone donned wigs and crazy costumes for a blowout “Mama Mia” party with the ABBA music they had all danced to together when the children were growing up. Sounds wonderful. Her oldest son is general counsel for a government contract firm. She is fascinated about his work, so he has to remind her that, if he tells her what he does, he will have to kill her! He lives in Virginia with her two youngest grandchildren (teenaged boys). Her second son is a doctor in Los Angeles and has two boys and a girl. Lori, her daughter and youngest, led the way by getting married first, and thus she has the oldest grandchildren, three daughters, the oldest of whom was married in December. Nan is in the process of designing an engagement ring for Lori’s middle daughter, who is at Tufts Medical School. So that accounts for four boys and four girls. They all managed to get together even during the Plague. Her husband, Pete, is still an avid golfer and tennis player. Nan’s “playing” is mostly the piano, and she is blessed with having had a wonderful teacher for the past 12 years. Nan has some sight loss from a stroke four years ago so had to give up tennis. Nan hopes that everyone has found some means of

CLASS NOTES

1960 Finally after three years of no visits, Jane and Ed Herzig were able to travel to Windsor, Ontario, to at last have a wonderful, heartwarming rendezvous with Jane and Wilfred Innerd. After much giggling and several tries, Jane and Jane managed to get this selfie.

surviving these times! She says that what she learned in the classroom and through personal relationships at Oxford has been the biggest influence on her life.

Barbara Ruud Chatfield lives on Cone Street right down from Oxford where she walks through almost daily with her dog, Jazz, on her way to or from Elizabeth Park. Her oldest grandchild, Zoe, graduated from her alma mater, Smith, and has been working in Hartford and living with Barbara, although she spends most of her time with her significant other. Barbara notes that it is still wonderful having her granddaughter around. Her other children and grandchildren are well. Barbara is a trustee at Watkinson School, where she and Jack both taught in the 1970s. She went to a reunion there recently and saw many former students who are now in their 60s! Barbara makes frequent visits to Vermont, where she has a house her mother-in-law built in the 1950s, and also visits her timeshare on Block Island. Book groups and other activities keep her busy. Barbara is one of the younger members of our class and has just turned 79 (in May). She is grateful for family, friends, and good health.

So far Carolyn Goodrich says she has escaped Covid. She had a triple bypass in March, 2020, and came out of the hospital to a Covid world. Most of her family has had Covid at some point, and all are now healthy. She has two kids not far from where she lives, and they, along with three grandchildren, help her clean up her woods. Carolyn is now busy as president of a non-profit board which runs a weaving center in Wakefield, R.I. This keeps her busy, and she also still has a small private therapy practice. Ever the athlete, Carolyn still plays tennis and paddle tennis and even skied a couple of times this winter, but she thinks these days are coming to an end. Covid has curtailed her travel, but her two oldest kids took her to Portugal for her 80th birthday at the beginning of April. It was a wonderful trip. For her age, Caroline is doing really well, so she is told.

We are happy to say that our family is well, reports Jane Keller Herzig. Her eldest grandchild, Viola, participated in two graduation ceremonies the weekend of May 20–22. On May 20, she received her MAT from Johns Hopkins University. She earned the degree remotely while teaching kindergarten in Prince George’s County, Md. On the 22nd, Viola and her Kenyon College classmates finally convened on campus in cap and gown for their graduation ceremony. They had had a remote graduation and received their diplomas off-campus in 2020. Jane and Ed traveled to Ohio to be with Viola and her mother, Carolyne, for this heartwarming occasion. Another milestone was achieved by Jane’s granddaughter, Rebecca, who had her bat mitzvah in March. Soon, most likely in November, Jane and Ed will be making their way to Stone Mountain, Ga., to settle in the community of Park Springs. Jane’s daughter, Carolyn, lives in Atlanta, about 16 miles from Park Springs. Jane and Ed look forward to being near her. They will live in an apartment. However, the community has the amenities of assisted living as well as memory care, if needed. Jane says that her children and grandchildren are a source of satisfaction and support as together they plan for this next step.

Mary Lew Stearns Kelly reports that she and Bill have been pretty much isolated for the last year. They have had so many family members contract Covid that they are staying put at home trying to stay safe and healthy. Emmy says that they are very blessed to live where they can be outside enjoying nature and their beautiful gardens. Her feeders keep both the beautiful birds and Emmy happy, and her awesome mini Aussie keeps her slightly active. Emmy hopes that all our classmates are well.

Sue Matorin reports that it has been another terribly challenging year without her husband. However, with vaccines and boosters in place, she can now travel to Los Angeles to visit her son and his family. There is little she can write about grief that has not already been expressed by others with eloquence, she says, but each person experiences these losses in such a unique way. Sue and her son are planning an event in June in New York to honor Richard. Being with family and long-term friends will be emotionally tough but, she hopes, in a good way. Obsessing about the details has been therapeutic for her. Sue is very busy

professionally, and her work has been a lifesaver. The capacity to be helpful, focused with patients, and holding herself to a high standard of practice has meant a lot to Sue. She has had difficulty tolerating classical music without her husband, but she did push herself to reengage. She attended Porgy and Bess at the Met and a Ukrainian fundraiser at Carnegie. Sue is distraught about the state of violence in our country and the attack on women’s rights to healthcare. However, she says she is blessed with the energy to keep fighting these assaults on our nation’s soul.

Ed ’58 and Dotty Mooney McAlenney are both happy and healthy. For many years they have been living in Jupiter, Fla., at Jonathan’s Landing. Dotty has three sons, who are all KO alumni, and seven grandchildren, three boys and four girls. Their son John’s older son, Charlie, has been admitted to KO for Upper Prep this year, and they are thrilled that he will be carrying on the legacy of the third generation of McAlenneys as a Wyvern. He is happy about his new school. Dotty sends her best to us all.

Last summer Christina Wilcox McIntyre and her husband, Jerry, began to travel again. Her daughter, son-in-law and three granddaughters moved in with Tina and Jerry for three months after they sold their house. It was fun, she reports. They had credit from Jet Blue from two canceled trips, so they visited Costa Rica, which was beautiful. The rain forest with birds, monkeys, and crocodiles was interesting, and the people were very friendly. In October they visited Greece. Tina had been to Greece when young, but Jerry had never been. They stayed in Athens, then Crete and Santorini. It was beautiful and very different from what she remembered from her first trip. Now the country thrives on tourists, but, when they were there, most tourists had vacated. Tina keeps busy with paddle tennis and outdoor tennis, often with Carolyn. She also does volunteer work at a thrift shop in her church.

A short message from Ann Faude Newbury says that she feels fortunate every day to be as healthy, involved and active as she is.

And a short message from Cindy Baird Roberts says that her grandson Porter graduated from Middlebury College in February and her grand-daughter Eliza attends Johns Hopkins University.

Susan Lowe Redfield belongs to The College Club of Hartford along with Ann Faude Newbury, where they have enjoyed multiple in-person meetings this year. While attendance has been spotty, it is a start. Both of them serve on the board and love that its mission is education and philanthropy. Grace Academy and Hartford Neighborhood Centers are among their recipients, as well as scholarship assistance for new high school graduates. Volunteering again feels good, she reports. Sue ventured to North Carolina twice at the end of 2021, once for her grandson’s beautiful wedding in October and again at Christmas. Sue doesn’t think airline travel will ever again be a pleasant adventure, but if she wants to see her children and grandchildren, she will have to go to North Carolina, Australia and now Poland! Her daughter Beth and son-in-law Todd continue to love Charlotte, N.C., and her grandson Zach, who also works for Allstate, and his lovely bride live only 10 minutes away. Her granddaughter Megan began her fourth year in Sydney, Australia. She is working on her master’s degree in behavioral analysis while working with autistic young adults. She has a handsome Aussie “best friend,” so Sue does not expect her back soon! Sue’s son Danny loves his job as director of planning for special ops for the U.S. Marines at Camp Lejeune. He has been retired from the army for 10 years. Maggie, another granddaughter, graduated from West Point in 2020, is a first lieutenant and, sadly, is stationed in Poland. Grandson Trey is a rising senior at the Newhouse School of Broadcasting at Syracuse. Sue hopes to see him on ESPN one day. While Sue is incredibly grateful to have dodged the Covid mess so far, she says that she will never relax until the monsters who perpetrated it are punished. She asks if we remember how naïve and innocent we were in June 1960, and she ends by wishing us all a happy 80th birthday.

At the New Year, Prilla talked with Pitircik Acar Uler. Prilla reports that Pitircik and her husband, Yildrim, are doing well. They are still living with their daughter, Asli, near Geneva. Asli has two houses, next to each other, on the outskirts of Geneva, though their address is in France! Apparently, Asli won’t let them leave until Covid is gone, so they have been with her for over a year and a half. Pitircik and Yildrim have an apartment in Kadikoy, a vacation spot on a small island near Istanbul and an apartment in Girme, North Cyprus (Turkish Cyprus). They have been living and working in Girne, but they hope to relocate to Turkey because Yildirim has recently retired.

CLASS NOTES

In August of 2021 Gay Willcox Squire and Roger chartered their nephew’s 57-foot sailing yacht (with captain) and took their grandchildren and their father (their older son) on a week’s sailing adventure from Newport, R.I., to Block Island, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard. They rented scooters for the day on Block Island (Gay remembers that in her youth it was bicycles only) and had a terrific time circumnavigating the island. Everywhere they went people were feeling recently released from Covid captivity. Restaurants had been fully booked since May, they were told, and on Nantucket they ended up eating take-out pizza on a park bench, which was probably more fun, she thinks, than sitting in a restaurant. Roger received a new left hip in January, and Gay says he is a happy man. Surgery was at 7:30 a.m., and he was back at their house by 4 p.m. Discomfort was minimal, physical therapy was demanding but crucial, and now he is thinking of replacing his right hip next year. Their business life continues to thrive. They were very busy with guests this spring and next fall’s foliage season is pretty much filled up. However, since new cases of Covid are popping up every day, Gay has gone back to masking whenever she’s in a public place, which she finds very disheartening. For Gay, what is happening in this country, both socially and politically, is so horrible that she can not even write about it. Gay thinks that we are headed for very dark times.

Wilf and I had the pleasure of a visit from Jane Keller Herzig and Ed recently. They had no trouble crossing the border. It was delightful to have an in-person visit, although Zoom and Skype are wonderful ways to stay in touch. Here in Ontario we are emerging from lockdown more slowly than you all in “the States.” Like Gay, I mask in the grocery store and in a crowd of people, although I am in the minority. Wilf and I just celebrated our 56th anniversary and look forward to a busy summer. Our children are widespread, Jane Eleanor in St. Louis, Mo., Charlotte in Waterloo, Ontario, and Andrew in Nelson, British Columbia. Our grandsons in St. Louis are now 13 and 14. We enjoy visiting with them and with our children frequently on Skype. I continue to enjoy quilting and the classes I take with other enthusiastic quilters. As for all those little aches and pains that come with age, I find that laughter is indeed the best medicine. My thanks to all who responded to my call for news.

KINGSWOOD 1963

Class Correspondent: Brewster Boyd

Florida residents Jon Batterson and Don Barlow had lunch with visitor Brewster Boyd this winter in Vero with their spouses. They hope to be joined by Tom Hines and Jim Sacco next winter.

Jim reports that he and Jeannine have not been able to see much of their grandchildren (two each in England and Brazil) these last few years due to Covid.

This certainly has been a common theme for all, as the Moses family experienced when they weren’t able to get to their 1901 Lac Massawipii home for 31 months. They are on their way now, along with their granddaughter Libby, who is going on a 42-day canoe trip in the upper reaches of Canada. Nick Mason and Karen were looking forward to a fun summer with a trip on the Inland Waterway from Vancouver to Anchorage, followed by time on the Rhode Island shore.

I had a good talk with Dale Dionne. Their son, Noah, is a creator of music that helps people with cerebral palsy with their gait. I wonder if that is a first for a KO graduate, but then the school certainly encourages its students to think outside the box.

KINGSWOOD 1971

Michael Kaprove writes, “After working in mortgage banking, real estate sales management, and then almost an additional 30 years in the title insurance industry and subsequent consulting, I officially retired. Debbie and I are living on the Gulf Coast in Southwest Florida pursuing fitness, our hobbies, and enjoying our three granddaughters. Life is good!”

1974 John Masker

2002 Molly Dworkin and Brian Ferguson ’00

KO 2002

Molly Dworkin and Brian Ferguson ’00 were married in July, 2020, and were finally able to celebrate with family and friends on July 24, 2021, at the Delamar in West Hartford.

KO 1974

John Masker, who is now an associate professor emeritus at Temple University after retiring, writes, “When Robert Louis Stevenson began his walk that September day from Monastier-surGazeille to Alès (now commemorated in France as “GR-70/Le Chemin de Stevenson”), he did not have to contend with gale-force winds, snow drifts as high as his hips, and blown-down trees. Only Modestine, his uncooperative donkey, slowed his pace along the 270+ kilometer path. Not so for us when we started our (belated because of the pandemic) 30th-anniversary stroll into the face of a freak April 2022 snow storm.”

KO 1978

Kevin Griswold ’78 was inducted into the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Stewart Lindsay, his KO coach, introduced Kevin at the dinner. Also in attendance was Bob Stiehler, the longtime assistant boys’ lacrosse coach at KO. Kevin was a PG at KO who went on to play at UNC where he was an All-American player and helped UNC to two national championships.

1978 Kevin Griswold ’78 and Stewart Lindsay

CLASS NOTES

KO 2008

James Dowling-Healey recently received a master of science in biology and a graduate certificate in environmental science from the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford. James was inducted into the Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) Biology Honor Society and worked as an adjunct faculty member.

James also completed the 2021 “The Sky’s the Limit Hiking Challenge” in May, 2021. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection selected 20 state parks across Connecticut and specified points of interest in those parks for participants to find and photograph. The challenge is designed to encourage people to hike, something James enjoys and has spent much of his free time doing, especially over the last 18 months.

2011 Caroline Lange 2008 James Dowling-Healey

KO 2011

Caroline Lange recently wrote an article for Bon Appetit.

Lexy Vecchio’s business startup, Ursa Mayhem Media, won the $15,000 grand prize in the UConn Innovation Quest (iQ) entrepreneurship competition. Lexy is creating a video game called “Here There Be Bears” to help humanize the experience of PTSD. She and eight other top entrepreneurs have begun the invitation-only iQ Summer InQbator, which will help to further develop their startups.

KO 2014

John Stepensky, Fordham ’18, Brooklyn Law ’21, was hired as an assistant district attorney for Staten Island, N.Y., in September 2021.

KO 2015

Claire Halloran ’15, NYU ’19 Tisch School of the Arts, is forging her path to success in the film industry by working on projects about subjects such as Google, Skittles, Kate Spade and the artist HER, to name a few.

2015 Claire Halloran

KO 2016

In June 2022, Isaiah Wright made the active 45-player roster for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League.

KO 2018

Ryan Goss and Will Appleton wore their KO ties at their graduation from Babson College in 2022.

Ellie Bavier was named to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) All-Sportsmanship Team for Fall, 2021. Each player is selected by the players and coaches from their respective teams for their positive contributions to sportsmanship.

2018 Ryan Goss and

Will Appleton