Class Notes Tina (Laganas) Donnelly got married in April 2019 and welcomed a sweet baby boy in December 2020. She continues to work with her brother, Nick Laganas ’01, running Carroll County Construction and building custom homes. Gus Cruz and Bianca (Brenz) Cruz ’11 got married on September 8, 2018, after a nine-year relationship that began at KUA. They had daughter Ellie Rose Cruz on December 21, 2019. They just bought their first home in July 2020 and renovated the entire house themselves. Both Gus and Bianca work for the trial court of Massachusetts—Gus is a trial court officer and Bianca is a victim services coordinator in the probation department—and she is also a realtor in Massachusetts. Sarah Palmer just got engaged to Joey DeClara. She’s finishing her M.P.H. in May, starting a Ph.D. in epidemiology this fall, and works for the World Trade Center Health Program at Northwell. Jillian Fitzgerald is “sitting here in a KUA shirt. Still reppin’ The Hill!” She’s obviously killing it. Shelby (Pillsbury) Kinshaw is still in New Hampshire. She’s married, and their first baby is due in August! She’s working as a pharmacist for PillPack/ Amazon, which has been very exciting these past five and a half years. Maggie Williamson has been teaching in South Korea for the last four years. Danny Lowenstein is currently studying microbial ocean chemistry at Palmer Station, Antarctica, from December through May. He has worked at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod since 2017 and will start a Ph.D. in chemical oceanography this fall.
2011
Bianca (Brenz) Cruz writes: “Gus ’10
and I got married on September 8, 2018, after a nine-year relationship that began at KUA. We had our daughter, Ellie Rose Cruz, on December 21, 2019. We just bought our first 50
KIMBALL UNION MAGAZINE
DI S PAT C H E S N EWS F ROM A LUM N I home in July 2020 and renovated the entire house ourselves. Both Gus and I work for the trial court of Massachusetts—Gus is a trial court officer and I am a victim services coordinator in the probation department—and I am also a realtor in Massachusetts.”
Obituaries
2012
Evan Russell has moved back to Bur-
lington, VT, and bought a puppy in April!
2013
Brandon Cole is living in Alaska and
working at the Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, specializing in the lodge’s power plant, and pursuing his passion in photography. Brandon has been recognized by Alaska Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, and National Geographic in their annual photography contests. Most recently, his Northern Lights footage could be seen in the Natural Selection Tour film spearheaded by renowned snowboarder Travis Rice. Brandon loves sharing Alaska through his lens and is always willing to give some tips to anyone looking to visit the “Last Frontier”! You can follow some of his work on his Instagram page @Alaskanadventures or brandonmcole.com.
2015
Carly Jefferson and Maya Karosas met up with Caitlyn Lowe ’14 in Vermont to
get the last few days of ski season this April. Maya is living in Boston with Caitlyn.
2017
Stephanie Pipas will be attending the
Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment for a two-year master’s program in coastal environmental management next year. She graduated from the University of Miami in May. Spencer Cline is headed to Babson College for graduate school in the fall after graduation from Saint Anselm College in May.
Former Trustee John Ralph Muller Sr. ’61, P’91 ’96
John Ralph Muller Sr. passed away on January 15, 2021, from complications due to COVID-19. Muller graduated from Kimball Union Academy in 1961 and was honored to serve on its board of trustees for two terms, from 1991 to 1996. During that time, he contributed greatly to the Academy, serving on the Senior Parent Committee, the Annual Fund Steering Committee, the Leadership Gift Committee, the Planning Giving Committee, and the Alumni-Development and Reunion committees. Muller attended the University Dr. Swadesh Jawa Mullick
of South Carolina and served in the U.S. Navy, where he was deployed on the USS Keppler destroyer. Muller was in the investment business for more than 50 years, most recently as a senior vice president of UBS. He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Dee Turley Muller; son Ralph Jr. ’91 and wife Christy; son Louis; granddaughters Meggy and Aggie; brother Ted; and nephew Rick. He was preceded in death by son Turley ’96 and parents Martha and Brick Muller.
Former Trustee Dr. Swadesh Jawa Mullick P’83, ’83 Dr. Swadesh Jawa Mullick passed away at age 83 on November 15, 2020, from a heart attack. Mullick, whose two sons attended Kimball Union Academy, served as trustee from 1981 to 1985. A first-generation American from Lucknow, India, who raised her family in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts, she embodied
