Class Notes

Class Notes do not appear in the online edition of Mills Quarterly.

Alumnae are invited to share their news with classmates in the Mills College alumnae community. To submit notes for publication in the next available Quarterly, send your update to classnotes@mills. edu. Class Notes do not appear in the online edition of the Mills Quarterly. Alumnae are invited to share their news with classmates in the Mills College Alumnae Community, alumnae.mills.edu. To submit notes for publication in the next available Quarterly, send your update to classnotes@mills.edu.

Notices of deaths received before October 2, 2020

To submit listings, please contact alumnae-relations@mills.edu or 510.430.2123

Eleanor “Ellie” Stauffer Neely ’38, July 8, 2020, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Ellie grew up performing ballet and modern dance, and continued dancing at Mills and then in New York City. Ellie had a great love of family and friends and embraced new ideas with open arms. She was a knitter of sweaters, an avid reader, a hospital volunteer, and a player of tennis court and bridge. She is survived by a brother; niece Caroline Lawton Fahlen ’69; three daughters; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Barbara Miller Glaser ’43, August 19, 2020, in Edwards, Colorado. After Mills, Barbara returned to her home state of Colorado. She worked for many civic causes, including for Rose Hospital, the Jewish Community Center, and the National Sports Center for the Disabled. The Denver Rotary Club honored her with a distinguished service award in 1987. She also loved to ski, taught the sport to the blind, and enjoyed time in Vail. She is survived by three children, six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

Emily Bourne Grigsby ’44, September 17, 2020, in Atlanta, Georgia. A true Renaissance woman, Emily was a mediator following graduation from the Woodrow Wilson College of Law while also hosting more than 30 solo shows of her own paintings. She also sang soprano with the San Francisco Opera, earned her pilot’s license, modeled for Rich’s Department Store in Atlanta, and studied interior design. She is survived by many nieces and nephews.

Murlyn “Murly” Rodger Miner, MA ’44, August 2, 2020, in Nelson, New Hampshire. Murly rehabilitated injured soldiers returning from the Pacific after World War II. After marrying her late husband, Dick, whom she met on the job, the two moved to New England, where Murly volunteered with organizations like the Wellesley Service League and the Congregational Church. She was a sophisticate who felt at home with anyone in any environment. She is survived by three children, seven grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.

Marian McCormack Wilkie ’45, September 3, 2020, in San Anselmo, California. She majored in psychology at Mills, and later retired as an instructional assistant at Redwood High School in Marin County. She is survived by two daughters, including Marianne Wilkie Gripenburg ’78.

Christine Oertel Sjogren ’45, May 6, 2020, in Corvallis, Oregon. Christine was born in Germany, and her family immigrated to Portland in 1935. After Mills, she studied at Johns Hopkins and then settled in Corvallis, where she served as professor of modern languages at Oregon State for 30 years. Her 1972 book of essays on Adalbert Stifter’s novel Der Nachsommer is still cited widely. Christine was also a concert pianist of classical music. She is survived by five children and five grandchildren.

Peggy Constance Woodruff ’58

Peggy was born in Orlando, Florida, and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She entered Mills in 1954 during a turbulent time in our nation’s history: Schools had recently been desegregated by rights movement was prominent nationwide. After graduating in 1958, Peggy continued to involve herself in social justice and civil rights issues for many years. She moved to the Haight-Ashbury district in San Francisco in the ’60s and was involved in city politics. She was even photographed by Life magazine in an article about “quaint” San Francisco life. She was the administrator for substance-abuse service contracts for the City and County of San Francisco. After the loss of her parents and sister, Peggy decided to research her family background and became a genealogist, establishing a business called Family Roots to research African American families. She traveled by train to Florida many times to research her family background. Peggy also traveled extensively in Europe and briefly lived in Mexico City. Peggy lived in Marin for a number of years, where she farmed acres of fruit trees and grew vegetables. After moving to Oakland, she was employed as director of the West Berkeley Health Center and later worked as an independent contractor and grant writer for service agencies. In later years, she was a founding member of the Mills Alumnae of Color Committee and served as its co-chair from 1999 to 2006. In 2003, Peggy secured the College’s first Smithsonian Art Exhibit, “Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers from 1840-Present.” Peggy died in Oakland on September 18, 2020. Patricia “Pat” Donovan Bugas ’47, September 21, 2020, in Portland, Oregon. Pat and her late

the Supreme Court, and the civil husband of 72 years, Ted, made their home in Astoria, where Pat was instrumental in starting Phoenix House, a home for unwed mothers. Pat was a gifted pianist and a woman of deep faith, and she invited anyone into her home for a meal despite her own big family. She is survived by a sister, Mary Donovan Bunning ’42; 10 children; 24 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.

Billie Wallace Williams ’47, May 26, 2020, in Olympia, Washington. Billie was a French major named to Phi Beta Kappa when she was a junior, and she completed advanced studies at the Sorbonne, founded her own French travel company, and received the Legion of Honour medal from the French government for furthering cultural relationships between France and the United States. She is survived by her husband, Robinson; two sons; and several grandchildren.

Helen Wood Wyatt ’49, September 7, 2020, in Jackson, Georgia. Helen was a native of Canada and grew up in Vancouver. After Mills, she worked as an occupational therapist for many years in Atlanta-area schools. She was later a homemaker who enjoyed sewing, gardening, swimming, and scrapbooking. She is survived by a sister, three children, and two grandchildren.

Isabelle Forbusch Dupzyk ’50, April 3, 2018, in Stockton, California. After receiving a degree in chemistry from Mills, she earned a master’s

Gifts in Memory of

Received June 1, 2020 – August 31, 2020 Henry Baltazar, P ’03 by Julia Almanzan ’92 Timanna Bennett ’02 by Marcia Randall ’02 Linda Nelson Branson ’77 by her spouse, James Branson Frits Brevet, P ’76, spouse of Erica Weber Brevet ’51, P ’76, by Joan Thompson Armstrong ’51, P ’95; Jeanne Thomas ’51 Alda Nye Byron ’88 by Sharon Page-Medrich ’05 Nancy Speer Cody ’44 by her son, Alan Cody Olivia de Havilland by Kathleen “Katie” Sanborn ’83 Marjorie Lesser Fasman, P ’63 by her daughter, Fay Pfaelzer Abrams ’63, P ’92 Theodora “Thea” Faust Anderson ’14 by her aunt, Rhoda Faust Mary Johnson Foraker ’55 by Harrie Cheim Kordelos ’54 Steven Givant by Yun Miao ’11 Laura Gobbi by Suzanne Alexander, Sherisse Dozier, Kelsey Lindquist ’10, Shannon Wolfe ’96 Helen Gotkowitz, P ’83 by her daughter, Carrie Gotkowitz ’83 Coleen Gragen by Natalee Bauer ’97, MA ’07 Patricia Heskins Gumbiner ’52 by Los Angeles Mills College Alumnae, Carole Joseph Silva ’54 Arnold Hendrick by his spouse, M. Georgeann Freeman Hendrick ’69 Edward “Terry” Hogan, spouse of Elizabeth Livingston Hogan ’63, by Sharon Coleman ’68 George Brown by Cynthia Facer Clark ’64, P ’91 degree in biochemistry and biophysics at Oregon State. She later worked as a chemist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. She and her late husband, Jene, bred German Shepherds and loved attending various performances in San Francisco and Livermore. Isabelle also enjoyed sewing in her spare time. Franque Mattoon Nelson ’50, May 8, 2020, in Carmichael, California. At Mills, she studied dance, and enjoyed the art in its many forms, from acrobatics to hula. She met her late husband, Maynard, when they were set up on a blind date during her time at Mills. Franque loved to volunteer, work at her shop in Old Sacramento, and spend time with her family. She is survived by her six children, 10 grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. Mary Rosenthal Hoexter ’50, September 30, 2020, in Palo Alto, California. Mary was born in San Francisco and had a life-long love of the City. She was an avid student of California Jewish history and co-authored several articles with son David on family forebears. She loved nature, the environment, hiking, and travel. She met her late husband, Hank, on a hike in 1946, and they trekked the Himalayas in the 1990s. She is survived by a son, three grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Marion Krebs Conlisk ’51, July 17, 2020, in Los Altos Hills, California. She attended Mills with her sister, Ottole, who was her best friend. The two later shared a painting studio and sold their paintings at stores in downtown Los Altos. Marion was passionate about her house and garden; she loved tending to her extensive rose collection. She served Rosario Cardona Perez by Sophia Perez ’16 Donna Hunt by Cheryl Smith Blankenship ’72 Kim Korner by Jessica Mosher ’95 James Long, P ’01 by his daughter, Courtney Long ’01 Leah Hardcastle MacNeil, MA ’51, P ’75 by Kay Miller Browne ’53, P ’83; Susan Stanton Smegal ’60 Donald Massagli, P ’96 by Shannon Wolfe ’96 Barbara Forster Mitchell ’63 by Eleanor Sims ’64 Elaine Moss ’61, TCRED ’62 by Dorotha Myers Bradley ’61 Winsome Nembhard, P ’90 by her daughter, Lois Nembhard ’90 Georgine Dunlop O’Connor ’81 by Helen Harris Margaret “Meg” Quigley ’63 by Marilyn Schuster ’65 Albert Romano, P ’79 by his daughter, Jeanette Romano DeBenedictis ’79 Marion Ross ’44 by Yuk-yin Ma ’90, Sharon Page-Medrich ’05 Vivian Stephenson by Kathleen Burke Ariel Eaton Thomas ’63, P ’92 by Patricia Wakida ’92 Carol Lotz Wenzel ’46, MA ’47 by Lucile Pedler Griffiths ’46, MA ’47, P ’75 Katherine Zelinsky Westheimer ’42 by Julia Almanzan ’92, Autumn Doerr ’96, Los Angeles Mills College Alumnae, Carole Joseph Silva ’54 Diane Ferris Whyte ’54 by Harrie Cheim Kordelos ’54 Billie Wallace Williams ’47 by Barbara Moller Lyons ’47, TCRED ’48

P=parent. For information about making a tribute gift, contact

510.430.2097 or donors@mills.edu. as a department chair for the Stanford Museum Treasure Market Fundraising Gala, and she loved celebrating Christmas with her family. She is survived by three children and four grandchildren.

Patricia Hoffman Millar ’55, May 1, 2020, in Burbank, California. At Mills, she majored in music and drama, and she later worked as a secretary for Hewlett-Packard in the company’s early days and as a social worker. She and her husband, Graham, lived all over the United States, and her vibrant wit and sense of humor were loved by all. She is survived by Graham and two children.

Helen Tucker DeMers ’55, December 2018, in Beaverton, Oregon.

Cara Bradbury ’60, September 1, 2020, in Danville, California. She studied with Darius Milhaud at Mills, then went on to teach, perform, and direct musical performances at her alma mater as well at CalArts, UCLA, UC Berkeley, the Bella Lewitzky Dance Company, and the Contra Costa Chorale. In later years, she served as lead accompanist for various churches in the Oakland Diocese. Cara is survived by her best friend and former husband, James Marcus.

Barbara Forster Mitchell ’63, June 8, 2020, in Livermore, California. She obtained MA and PhD degrees in art history from Indiana University and taught at the college level in New York and California. She then received an MBA degree from UC Berkeley in 1982 and worked in sales management and biotechnology recruiting, later founding her own company. In retirement, she was active in church-related programs helping those who experienced loss of loved ones. She is survived by her husband, Alex, and a daughter. WINTER 2021 31

Diana Russell, professor emerita of women’s studies

Diana Russell, one of the first teachers of women’s studies at Mills, died on July 28, 2020, in Oakland. Born and raised in South Africa, Russell witnessed the oppression enacted by the Afrikaner police state, which shaped her scholarship: After receiving a master’s degree in political science from the London School of Economics, she attended Harvard University for her PhD, studying sociology and the history of revolution.

It was then, in 1969, that she arrived at Mills as a sociology professor. In her first year, she was the co-instructor on the first woman-focused course at the College, which led to the formation of the women’s studies program—among the first in the US. In the 22 years she taught at Mills, she continually pushed against misogyny with actions such as helping put together the first-ever International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women in Brussels, Belgium; founding organizations such as Women Against Violence in Pornography and Media, and Feminists’ Anti-Nuclear Group; and coining and politicizing the word “femicide.” Russell documented all of this work throughout many books and articles.

She also continued protesting using bold methodology, something she learned in her home country. Russell was known to spray-paint feminist sayings on businesses known for their sexism, stage sit-ins at government offices, and destroy magazines in porn shops.

In recent years, Russell shifted her attention to writing her memoirs, which she did not finish. Read more about them on her website, dianarussell.com. She is survived by a sister and an extensive community of friends, admirers, and women who were saved by her work.

Jan Walker Killen ’63, August 11, 2020, in Irving, Texas. After Mills, she received a degree from Texas Women’s University and became a licensed interior designer. Jan had a long record of community service, including as the first president of the Irving Cultural Affairs Council and taking the lead role in the city’s Great Days of Service. Jan will be remembered for her enthusiastic dedication to building peace through service and the arts. She is survived by her husband, Byron; two daughters; three stepchildren; and five grandchildren.

Paula Benjamin Little ’64, August 9, 2020, in Tiburon, California. After Mills, she became an award-winning teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District, and then a beloved principal of Topanga Elementary School. She was honored with the Topanga Citizen of the Year award in 1986. In 2013, Paula began her personal sponsorship of the “Hanging Basket” campaign, which provides hanging baskets along Tiburon Boulevard. Paula loved tending to her beautiful garden of rose bushes and playing the piano while singing.

Margaret “Meg” Witmer Brickley ’65, September 15, 2020, in Kerrville, Texas. A military lifestyle took Meg to Denver, Las Vegas, Honolulu, and San Antonio, among other cities. She enjoyed reading, nature photography, travel, and ballet and jazz dance classes. Meg spent the last 35 years in Corpus Christi and Kerrville with husband Phil, and the two enjoyed several cross country trips in recent years. She is survived by her daughter, two stepchildren, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Diane Li-hsien Chung Price ’65, May 25, 2020, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She had three careers: elementary school art teacher, licensed real-estate agent, and painter. Her works included photorealistic portraiture and impressionist landscapes, as well as Chinese scrolls. Among her many honors is the Award for Excellence in Realism at the 2011 Oil Painters of America’s National Juried Show. She is survived by her husband, C.W.; a daughter; and three grandchildren.

Susan Clark Gillum ’66, September 22, 2020, in Los Gatos, California. After Mills, Sue earned her teaching credential at UC Berkeley. Her four-decade career made her a favorite teacher to thousands of children who would remember a fun, creative, smart, and engaging academic who nurtured the lives of many. She and her husband of 53 years, Tom, enjoyed traveling the world, exploring, hiking, fishing, and golfing. She is survived by Tom, two children, and two grandchildren.

Christine Marshall ’69, June 28, 2020, in Columbia, Missouri. After majoring in theatre and English at Mills, Chris earned a master’s degree in English from Northwestern University and then returned to her home in Columbia to pursue a doctorate in theater. She was the costume designer in the University of Missouri Department of Theatre, and taught at Stephens College for 20 years before becoming a celebrated adviser. She is survived by her husband, David; and two children.

Jennifer Arnold ’84, April 1, 2020, in New York. Jennifer was a costume dresser on Broadway, spending 32 years working on the crew at Phantom of the Opera. Hers was a unique spirit that took her to Europe and South America as a dancer before she returned to her family’s roots in New York. She once protested a threatened ban on topless women in Times Square by removing her shirt in solidarity. Later in life, she developed pulmonary fibrosis, which made her more susceptible to COVID-19. Jennifer is survived by a sister.

Diane Ring ’86, May 4, 2020, in West Hollywood, California. At Mills, she majored in history, and she later worked as a librarian at the public libraries in Denver and Beverly Hills.

Spouses and Family

Henry Baltazar, father of Myrtle Baltazar Pickering ’03, January 13, 2020, in Yorba Linda, California. Frank Blauvelt, husband of Ilah Baddley Blauvelt ’52, May 14, 2017, in Jackson, California. Stuart Bowyer, husband of Professor Emerita of Education Jane Bowyer and father of Elizabeth Bowyer ’02, September 23, 2020, in Orinda, California. Fritz Brevet, husband of the late Erica “Rita” Weber Brevet ’51, January 10, 2020, in Oakland. Richard Croul, husband of Jane Bell Croul ’52, July 29, 2019, in Corona del Mar, California. Eleanora “Nora” DeWitt, mother of Sophia DeWitt ’96, April 9, 2020, in Fresno, California. Marjorie Fasman, mother of Fay Pfaelzer Abrams ’63, July 28, 2020, in Beverly Hills, California. Maynard Nelson, husband of the late Franque Mattoon Nelson ’50, February 10, 2020, in Sacramento. Sheldon Grinnell, husband of Maureen Berman Grinnell ’62, July 7, 2019, in Napa, California.