Lifelong Connections

Betsy Blanchard Rafferty ‘79

graduated in 1979, and our class, regardless of when you arrived at RHS, has been very close. When we get together, it’s like we never left. We reminisce every chance we get. met Jeff Clark ‘79, Charlotte (Pillsbury) Wood ‘79, Anders Ekman ‘79 and Sam Dumas ‘79 when I arrived in 1970 for the 3rd grade. I attended Anders Ekman’s ( in MA), Sam Dumas’ (in RI) and Charlotte’s (in CA) weddings. Charlotte and Jeff flew from CA to RI and joined Anders, Sam and Trixie Dumas for my wedding in 1995, along with Tony Broccoli ‘79 who we met in 5th grade. To this day, Jeff (who now lives in RI), Jennifer (Young) Schnell ‘79, Elisa (Silerstein) Heath ‘79 and I get together for dinner a few times a year. Elisa and I even traveled together to South Africa for a safari trip in 2019! (BEST...TRIP...EVER!) Any time a classmate visits RI, we get together. The last few times we met up, it included Dan Bentley ‘79, Andrea Borden ‘79, Charlotte, Elisa, Sam, Trixie, Jeff, Jennifer and myself.

Rocky Hill on my special day. Front row: Cliff and Sally Blanchard (Betsy’s parents, and her mom is a former trustee), Sheri Blanchard, Me, Thom Rafferty, Emi and Al Flynn (Former Head of School), Barry and Ed Ekman (former trustee);

Middle: Carol Hazelhurst, Charlie Blanchard (Brother), Charlotte and Jeff;

Back: Tony and Sarita Broccoli, David Wood, Anders Ekman, Sam and Trixie Dumas

RockyHillCountryDay

At Trixie and Sam’s house: Front: Charlotte, Elisa, Carolyn and Dan Bentley and Jeff; Back: myself, (Jeff’s partner) Terry Abbott, Barney Heath, Trixie and Sam.

South Africa: Elisa (Silverstein) Heath and I at the Cape of Good Hope; and at an Elephant Sanctuary in KwaZulu Natal