Academic EXCELLENCE | Personal ACHIEVEMENT | WINTER 2018
A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNAE, PARENTS, AND FRIENDS
175th Anniversary Special Edition
Board of Trustees 2017-2018 Officers Gloria Taft Becker ’92HS, Chair William C. Monk Jr., Vice Chair Carter Warren Franke ’75HS ’77C, Secretary Stephen F. Later, Treasurer Members At-Large Gloria Taft Becker ’92HS (2018), Raleigh, N.C. Anna Neal Blanchard ’76HS (2018), Raleigh, N.C. Martin M. Boney (2019), Raleigh, N.C. Theodore D. Bratton (2018), Raleigh, N.C. Peter M. Bristow (2020), Raleigh, N.C. Caren Threshie Camp ’71HS (2018), Alexandria, Va. Eric W. Evans (2020), Raleigh, N.C. Lucy V. Fountain (2020), Raleigh, N.C. Carter Warren Franke ’75HS ’77C (2020), Owings Mills, Md. Palmer Peebles Garson ’75HS (2020), Raleigh, N.C. Sallie Harris Glover ’81HS ’83C (2020), Raleigh, N.C. R. Gordon Grubb (2019), Raleigh, N.C. Hubert B. Haywood III (2018), Raleigh, N.C. Mary D. Hinton ‘88HS (2019), Saint Joseph, Minn. Lynn Cowell Ives ’85HS ’87C, (2020), Rocky Mount, N.C. Burns Jones (2020), Greensboro, N.C. Stephen F. Later (2019), Southern Pines, N.C. Steven C. Lilly, (2020), Raleigh, N.C. W. Scott Mahoney, (2020), Raleigh, N.C. Jane Williamson Marley ’77HS (2020), Charlotte, N.C. William C. Monk, Jr. (2018), Greenville, N.C. Elizabeth M. Roberts (2020), Raleigh N.C. Sallie Shuping Russell ’75C (2018), Chapel Hill, N.C. Jeffrey M. Szyperski, (2020), Irvington, Va. Nancy Kerr Thomason ’73HS ’75C (2019), Dunwoody, Ga. Margaret Longley White ’79C (2018), Greensboro, N.C. Parents Association Representative to the Board Maura Moylan Sullivan ‘87HS, Parents Association President Student Representative to the Board Grace Battle Thompson ‘18, SGA President (Date in parentheses indicates expiration of present elective term.)
Mission Statement Saint Mary’s School, a community dedicated to academic excellence and personal achievement, prepares young women for college and life.
WINTER 2018 | VOLUME 103, NUMBER 1
Founded in 1842 in the Episcopal tradition, Saint Mary’s School is an independent, collegepreparatory, girls boarding and day school dedicated to academic excellence and personal achievement for grades 9-12. Saint Mary’s School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, mental or physical disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational, admission, financial aid, athletic and other policies and programs. The school does not discriminate against qualified students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, or mental or physical disability in providing the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Administration Brendan J. O’Shea, Head of School Tim Healy, Dean of Students Laura Novia, Director of Marketing and Communications Leslie Owen, Dean of Teaching and Learning Julie Ricciardi, Director of Development Kim Slade, Director of Enrollment and Financial Aid Sally Woods, Chief Financial Officer Saint Mary’s School Magazine Published twice each year by Saint Mary’s School. Please send address changes to: Alumnae Office 900 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27603-1689 919-424-4000 • www.sms.edu Editor Mary Virginia Swain ’77C Director of Public Relations and Publications mvswain@sms.edu Class News Editor Emory Rogers Church ’74C Contributors: Merritt Atkins ’99; Diane Gupton Becton ’77HS; Lauren Gerber; Heath Hilliker; Katherine Jackson; Margaret McGlohon ’81C; Laura Novia; Brendan J. O'Shea; Julie Ricciardi; Mary Virginia Swain ’77; Terry Thompson Design Heath Hilliker, Senior Marketing Coordinator Printing Metro Productions, Raleigh, N.C.
ON THE COVER
Saint Mary’s Chapel is a constant beacon of our school’s Episcopal tradition and enduring mission. Photo by Mary Virginia Swain '77C
CONTENTS The Heritage of Saint Mary’s Inspiring Adaptable Lifelong Learners
4 12
IN EVERY ISSUE Alumnae Council Message Head of School Message News Briefs Granddaughters Club Personal Achievement Academic Excellence Supporting Saint Mary’s Athletics News Admission News Calendar of Events Event Photos Milestones Class News
2 3 16 18 20 22 23, 26 24 25 28 30 38 40
MESSAGE FROM THE ALUMNAE COUNCIL Members of Saint Mary’s Alumnae Council gathered in October for their fall meeting. Pictured, front row, left to right: Michelle Oppegaard ’93HS ’95C, Diane Gupton Becton ’77HS, Stephanie Bishop Williams ’90HS, Hunter Grogan Rogers ’89HS ’91C, Hallie Sessoms Kennedy ’02; middle row, left to right: Melissa Morrisette Tillman ’88HS, Dee Williamson Marley ’77HS, Lynn Boyce Purdie-Brennan ’62C, Merritt Atkins ’99; top row, left to right: Margaret McGlohon ’81C, Marcy Everett Voelkel ’87C, Vicky McKenzie Armes ’62C, Rebecca Pace ’85HS, Elizabeth Van Dyke Johnson ’91C.
Promoting and preserving Saint Mary's It has been a busy fall on campus. All volunteer boards met, including the Alumnae Council, Board of Trustees, and Board of Visitors. It was our pleasure to represent the alumnae during the installation of our new Head of School Brendan O’Shea. He is getting to know all the students, the alumnae, the parents, and friends. His engagement is contagious, and he is sharing lessons with the girls from the book Choosing Civility during Monday assemblies. During the fall Alumnae Council meeting, Brendan shared his strategies for continued success at Saint Mary’s and encouraged our council, and all alumnae, to make sure we are sharing our story and the stories of our current students. Word of mouth is the best advertisement, and we need for others to know how proud we are of our alma mater today! The mission of the Alumnae Council is to promote and preserve the traditions and values of Saint Mary’s and to support the school in developing and preparing our future leaders. Members attend three meetings a year on campus, contribute to and promote the Annual Fund, attend and encourage alumnae to attend events on and off campus, assist the Admission Office by helping to identify potential students, and serve as Saint Mary’s ambassadors in their communities. We invite you to consider joining the Alumnae Council and help us grow our geographic and class representation. Please contact either of us with questions.
A focus of the Alumnae Council is the resurrection of regional chapters, which were strong for many years. Chapters provide an ongoing presence and awareness in areas where alumnae live. Chapters offer a robust networking environment; a steady sense of community through planned events; and an opportunity for alumnae to connect, engage, and enjoy time with each other. If you are interested in helping with this effort, please contact Margaret McGlohon ’81C, director of alumnae relations, at memcglohon@sms.edu or 919-424-4171. Don’t forget to keep the Alumnae Office informed of any life’s changes. If you have moved, changed jobs, married, had children or grandchildren, suffered a loss, received any accolades or honors, or changed your email address, let the Alumnae Office know so the school can stay in touch and share your news with others. The school is also looking for alumnae to serve as mentors and Compass Exploration Week internship providers, which are two ways to get to know our amazing students. Please contact the Alumnae Office. Thank you for all you do for our alma mater. It is truly up to the alumnae to ensure our school’s future. Check the spring events schedule published on the calendar pages of this publication, and please join us at an event in your area or on campus. Also, come by campus any time to see for yourself the great things happening at our alma mater. Merritt Atkins ’99 and Diane Gupton Becton ’77HS Alumnae Association Co-Presidents merrittatkins@yahoo.com, diane.becton@wellsfargo.com
2
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
We are Saint Mary’s: carrying the mantle of our legacy forward By Brendan J. O'Shea, Head of School
This is our final issue in a series of special 175th-anniversary magazines celebrating the illustrious and storied history of Saint Mary’s School. As a relatively new member of the Saint Mary’s community, it is both daunting and inspiring to read the stories from decades and centuries ago. Generations of remarkable people have devoted themselves to Saint Mary’s and its mission since 1842. Their passion and love for the school is illustrated by their unwavering dedication to providing the best possible education for young women – and we follow in their footsteps today. Without their vision, resolve, determination, generosity, and faith, Saint Mary’s would not have flourished for 175 years and earned a place not only in the history of Raleigh and North Carolina, but in the history of our nation. We know Saint Mary’s mission to educate young women is as relevant today as it was when the Rev. Aldert Smedes founded the school almost 200 years ago, and we are as committed as ever to ensuring this institution will endure for generations to come.
continue to move the school forward. The campus master planning process to enhance and preserve our historic campus is underway; our academic program is growing and evolving in exciting ways, (see Inspiring adaptable lifelong learners article page 13); prospective families are being wowed by all Saint Mary’s has to offer at events on and off campus; and our development team is connecting with alumnae from San Francisco to New York City, updating them on all that is new and all that remains the same at their alma mater.
In the six months I have spent on Saint Mary’s campus, I have found, through all my observations, participation, and even cheering on the sidelines, that Saint Mary’s is a strong and devoted community. Whether alumna, student, parent, or faculty, there is a common bond in our shared dedication to making a difference in the lives of girls and in the life of our school. What could be more important? And there is always work to do to ensure we are fulfilling that mission. Like any school, Saint Mary’s has its strengths and its challenges, and during my time here I have been encouraged by our progress to address both as we
Thank you and happy New Year.
As we embark on a new year and make our New Year’s resolutions, I ask you to remember that we are all Saint Mary’s School. Each one of us contributes to Saint Mary’s success. Each one of us has a role to play in Saint Mary’s future. Let us resolve together to carry the mantle of Saint Mary’s legacy forward, doing our part to ensure a bright, shiny future for the school we love and the young women it serves.
Brendan J. O’Shea Head of School
3
The Heritage of Saint Mary’s 175 Years of Educating Women • 1998-2018
1998-2018
We change, but we remain the same A new direction for Saint Mary’s
By Mary Virginia Swain ’77C, Director of Public Relations and Publications This is the fourth and final installment in a series of articles highlighting the 175-year history of women’s education at Saint Mary’s School from 1842-2017. In this article, we continue our focus on the resilience and perseverance of the school in educating young women through the changing times into a new century.
4
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
Julian Robertson and his late wife, Josie, established the Blanche Robertson Bacon Honors Scholarship program in 2001 in honor of his sister, Blanche Robertson Bacon ’53HS ’55C. Blanche and Julian are pictured here at the 175th gala celebration May 12, 2017. The official party for the installation of Theo Wilkes Coonrod as 12th head of school, Nov. 8, 2000.
A time of transition 1998-2012 Twenty years ago, in 1998, Saint Mary’s embarked on a new vision of its time-honored mission of excellence in education for girls that would position the school for success and relevance in the 21st century.
independent school administrator and award-winning educator who provided energetic new leadership to guide the school through its transition from the junior college years to a 21st century all-girls high school.
With a new direction mapped out for Saint Mary’s, the final college class graduated in May 1998. The 1998-1999 school year marked the first year of the new version of Saint Mary’s School, with an enrollment of 238 students in grades 9-12.
“Described as a In 2001, Julian and Josie Robertson of New York endowed the Blanche Robertson brand-new school Bacon ’53HS ’53C Honors Scholarship with a long history, program, with a $3 million gift to Saint in the early 2000s, Mary’s, the largest gift in school history. Saint Mary’s faced the fundamental challenge of preserving the best of the past while responding innovatively to the school’s present and future needs,” wrote former Dean of the Faculty and Academics Margaret Grissom, in the winter 2012 edition of this magazine. “In the words of one member of the Saint Mary’s family, ‘Theo Coonrod was the proverbial right person, in the right place, at the right time,’ to lead the school into the 21st century.
With a solid foundation in place at Saint Mary’s School, President Clauston Jenkins, in many ways the architect of the new plan, retired in 1999 after 13 years of distinguished leadership. While the board conducted a national search for a new leader, longtime faculty member and academic dean Jack Hume served for one year as interim head of school.
“Theo’s personal and professional qualities - her clear-sighted grasp of hard facts, and subtle realities and her ability to inspire and lead shaped her legacy at Saint Mary’s,” Grissom wrote. “The people, the programs, the processes, the policies, the campus improvements of her 12 years at Saint Mary’s all speak about Theo’s leadership.”
The Head of School Search Committee was chaired by John R. Bratton, a trustee and past board chair, and was comprised of Blanche Robertson Bacon ’53HS ’55C, James B. Black III, Linda Kerr Moore ’69C, G. William Joyner Jr., Board Chair Ralph C. Moore, and Dell Parker Paschal ’72C.
The years from 2000-2012 saw many challenges met and great progress achieved.
In March 1997, the board of trustees voted unanimously to phase out Saint Mary’s junior college program to focus all energies and resources on becoming an outstanding four-year boarding and day high school for girls. The vote came after extensive studies and a thoughtful strategic planning process that concluded that the future was not bright for junior colleges or small women’s colleges, but that an all-girls boarding and day school in this region could thrive, attracting the best and brightest students.
In February of 2000, the announcement by the committee of Theo Wilkes Coonrod as the 12th head of school brought a renewed sense of enthusiasm to the Saint Mary’s family. Coonrod, a proud Texan and graduate of the University of Texas, came to Saint Mary’s as an experienced
In 2001, Julian and Josie Robertson of New York endowed the Blanche Robertson Bacon ’53HS ’53C Honors Scholarship program, with a $3 million gift to Saint Mary’s, the largest gift in school history. The Blanche Scholarships have helped Saint Mary’s attract some of the most gifted students in the nation, raising the school’s academic profile and helping attract even more students. The scholarships continue to be awarded today.
5
Top left: The Election 2004 event inspired students to dream that they could imagine all they could be and achieve. Bottom left: The ATLAS technology program provided each student and faculty member with a one-to-one tablet computer to be used in all aspects of academic and school life. Center: Ground was broken on the front campus revitalization project which restored Smedes Hall, East Rock, and West Rock; provided a new athletic field in front of the Chapel; and built eight faculty townhomes.
In 2004, Saint Mary’s launched two innovative signature programs, the My Achievement Plan (MAP) advising and COMPASS life skills curriculum. The ATLAS technology program provided each student and faculty and staff member with a networked laptop computer. The multi-faceted Election 2004: A Woman’s Perspective Past and Present, Saint Mary’s nonpartisan celebration of women in politics throughout the history of the nation, headlined Oct. 14, 2004, by bestselling author and veteran political journalist Cokie Roberts, won firstplace regional and international awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and raised the profile of the school in the community. Banners on lampposts throughout downtown Raleigh, a billboard on Capital Boulevard, media coverage on WTVD/ ABC 11 News and in the News & Observer, heralded this grand educational and community event, which culminated with a march by the student body from Saint Mary’s to the state capitol, recreating the 1913 Washington, D.C. suffragist march. The event inspired Saint Mary’s students to “imagine” all they could be and achieve. In 2005, a task force was appointed to guide the renovation and revitalization of the front campus, to be supported by the $30 million Beyond Imagination Capital Campaign, launched in 2006. The Annual Fund surpassed $1 million for the first time. With input from all school
6
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
constituencies, the SMS 2010: Imagine That strategic plan was developed and approved to guide the school through the following five years with specific goals and strategies to improve and enhance every aspect of school life from facilities, to curriculum, to programs. In February 2006, ground was broken on the front campus revitalization project, which restored the school’s three original buildings – East Rock, West Rock, and Smedes Hall; built a new athletic practice field in front of the Chapel; constructed eight townhomes for residential faculty and staff; and completed the brick and wrought-iron fencing and security gates around the entire campus. These projects were completed on time, with Smedes Hall beautifully restored, revitalized, and reopened in August 2008 with traditional décor yet modern infrastructure and the addition of the Bobby and Kathryn Scott Long ’73HS ’75C Student Center connected to Lower Smedes, Smedes Patio (named with a gift from David and Martha Kornegay Howard ’77HS ’79C), Smedes Terrace (named with a gift from John and Mary Louise Bizzell Burress ’56C), and two new stair and elevator towers to meet modern safety standards. Boarding students moved into the upper two floors of Smedes Hall in August 2008, marking the first time in more than a decade that students resided in the hallowed halls of the historic building. The reopening of Smedes Hall as a dormitory came just in time to meet the needs of a school with a growing enrollment. Enrollment for the high school program reached an all-time high of 294 students
Top: The area surrounding Smedes Hall and the Rocks was a construction for 18 months during the 2007-2008 front campus revitalization project. Top right: The 2001 varsity soccer team, coached by Jimmy Rogers, captured the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association state championship with a victory over Greensboro Day School. Bottom right: Members of the Class of 2001 created The Echo senior washtub band to revive the college Cold Cuts tradition.
in 2007-2008 and broke that record in 2008-2009 when enrollment hit 297, before declining again during the recession years that followed. Student life developed and blossomed during the 2000s, as the high school academic curriculum, signature co-curricular programs, residential program, and athletics were expanded and strengthened for high school students. In fact, the athletics program enjoyed notable success in this new era. The 1998-1999 swim team swept the Triangle Independent Schools Athletic Conference (TISAC) and North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) championships, finishing with an undefeated 19-0 record and the state title. The swim team repeated as conference champions in 2000 and finished as NCISAA state runner-up.
Varsity field hockey won TISAC conference championships in 2007 and 2008 with Coach Kate Kusick at the helm. The golf team went undefeated in 2009, and Cameron Little ’14, now a star on the Citadel’s golf team, won the individual TISAC conference championship in 2012.
Saint Mary’s soccer teams, coached by Jimmy Rogers, captured TISAC conference championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002, and brought home the NCISAA state championship trophy in 2001.
The junior ring banquet was created in 2002 to formalize the awarding of the Saint Mary’s class rings to students as an upper-class honor during the junior year. The annual banquet, at which each girl is “ringed” by the head of school and alumnae director, has become a cherished The Echo, a senior singing group and tradition, with families washtub band, was created by members and friends in attendance of the Class of 2001 to serve as the “echo” each November in the of the college Cold Cuts and carry on that dining hall.
The 1998-1999 varsity basketball team was TISAC regular season conference co-champion. After a disappointing regular season, the “Cinderella” 2011 varsity basketball team, coached by Seth Lieberman and assistant coach and former UNC star Donald Williams, swept the TISAC conference tournament championship, upsetting top seeds Durham Academy and Cary Academy along the way. Saint Mary’s tennis continued to dominate in the 2000s as Coach Kathy Burke’s teams won TISAC conference championships in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010, and state runner-up finishes in 2001, 2007, and 2010.
While Saint Mary’s disbanded some college traditions not age-appropriate for high school students, longtime traditions continued, and new traditions began.
tradition in a new way for high school girls.
The Echo, a senior singing group and washtub band, was created by members of the Class of 2001 to serve as the “echo” of the college Cold Cuts and carry on that tradition in a new way for high school girls. The Ladies in Blue a cappella group was founded in 2007 with auditions for students in all grades.
7
Saint Mary’s 2010 Day, held in 2005, extended an open invitation to all alumnae, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends, to help in the strategic planning process to guide Saint Mary’s for the following five years. The Saint Mary’s 2010: Imagine That strategic plan was the result and led to great progress during this era.
Members of the classes of 2002 and 2003 revived the Sigma-Mu intramurals tradition at Saint Mary’s, following a 25-year hiatus after the program was cancelled in 19771978. Sigma-Mu is thriving today.
The Smedes Scholars of the Class of 2002 brought back the “Kicking Post” tradition that had been lost somewhere along the way, with the addition of a new Kicking Post in front of Pittman Auditorium. The original Kicking Post was the last white, wooden post on the walkway leaving campus to the west toward the “Little Store” on Hillsborough Street. The tradition, reported from the 1950s, held that kicking the post would bring a special letter in the mail.
Sigma-Mu dates to 1900 at Saint Mary’s, when it served as the athletics program for many years, but was disbanded during the 1977-1978 year. With a full athletics program in place today, the 21st century Sigma-Mu focuses on funfilled competitions including relays, tug-of-war, capturethe-flag, community service projects, and more.
After a 25-year hiatus, the Sigma-Mu intramural tradition was revived by members of the Class of 2002, with each student being tapped as a Sigma or Mu and competitions between the two teams held throughout the year with the goal of winning the championship shield for the year. Sigma-Mu dates to 1900 at Saint Mary’s, when it served as the athletics program for many years, but was disbanded during the 1977-
8
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
1978 year. With a full athletics program in place today, the 21st century Sigma-Mu focuses on fun-filled competitions including relays, tug-of-war, capture-the-flag, community service projects, and more. The marshals, SGA, vestry, the Beacon, the Granddaughters Club, the dropping of the handkerchief and irises at graduation, Spring Fling, and the Lighting O’ the Grove, are all traditions that have thrived and remained true to their roots through the years. With much accomplished at Saint Mary’s in its new era as a high school, Theo Coonrod announced in 2010 her plans to retire and return to her home and family in Texas at the end of the 2011-2012 school year. The board of trustees appointed a search committee to oversee the selection of the school’s 13th head of school. During Coonrod’s last year, the school received its Southern Association of Independent Schools/Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SAIS/SACS) reaccreditation, and the Beyond Imagination Capital Campaign neared its $30 million goal. Coonrod had led the school through tremendous progress that established Saint Mary’s as a premiere girls’ boarding and day high school, leaving the school on a firm foundation for the next era.
The official party for the installation of Monica Gillespie, Ph.D., as 13th head of school, October 16, 2012.
Empowering young women for life in the 21st century 2012-2017
tional, and welcoming space. The library provides areas for focused, silent study, as well as versatile, stimulating collaborative areas where Monica M. Gillespie, Ph.D., began her tenure as the 13th head of Saint students love to study together. Mary’s School, July 1, 2012. She was selected by the Head of School Search Committee led by Board Chair William Taylor and comprised New and improved lighting was added in the Grove and in the Hannah of trustees Marks Arnold, the Rev. Dr. Louis “Smokey” Oats, Lanier Smith ’12 Quad. Improvements were made to the Eure-Jones Tennis Courts Brown May ’78HS ’80C, John Nash, Trent Ragland, and Margaret spectator areas, the Ann Moore Bacon Gymnasium, Rankin Terrace, and Williams Williams ’78HS ’80C. Binder Health Center. Gillespie arrived at Saint Mary’s with her family in the summer of Exploration Days were esThe Martin Luther King Jr. 2012 to lead the school and continue its longstanding legacy of prepar- tablished as high-impact holiday was transformed from ing young women for college and life. learning experiences that tap in to local resources a day off to a “day on” in An experienced educator with B.A., M.Ed., and Ph.D. degrees from and community partners. service to the community. the University of Virginia, Gillespie had served as head of St. Paul’s School for Girls in Baltimore, Md., and at St. Luke’s Lutheran School The faculty/staff Think in Culpeper, Va. She had previously taught, coached, advised, and Tank was created as part served in the residential communities at Westover School in Connecti- of a renewed emphasis on professional development and innovation at cut and Woodberry Forest School in Virginia. the school. During Gillespie’s five-year tenure, numerous initiatives were The COMPASS program was repositioned as a dynamic leadership edlaunched, programs enhanced, and facilities improved. ucation program designed to empower girls and prepare them with the core competencies of a lifelong learner. In 2014, the Sarah Graham Kenan Library, built in 1966, was remodeled and revitalized for the 21st century with the support of the Wil- The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was transformed from a day off to a liam R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust. The project created a fresh, func- “day on” in service to the community by establishing the former school
9
More than 1,000 alumnae, parents, faculty, staff, trustees, and friends of the school gathered under a tent on the Hannah Smith ’12 Quad, May 12, 2017, for the school’s historic 175th anniversary gala, to toast and celebrate 175 years of excellence in education for young women.
holiday into a campus-wide day of service in partnership with the United Way of the Greater Triangle, both on campus and outside the gates. The annual Grandparents and Grandfriends Day was launched, as well as the Saint Mary’s Mary Lou Jones Athletics Hall of Fame, which honored its first class of inductees in April 2017 with the induction of former tennis coach, dean of students, and professor emerita Mary Lou Jones and her undefeated 1975-1976 and 1976-1977 college tennis teams. The Board of Visitors was revived and revamped to engage the broader community and create an annual venue for an exchange of ideas on the future of education in this country, specifically the education of girls and young women. Once again, Saint Mary’s earned its SAIS/SACS reaccreditation in 2016, with the accreditation team writing, “The team commends the entire Saint Mary’s community for the thoroughness of your planning efforts and your continued focus on your ambitious strategic imperatives.” In the spring of 2016, Gillespie announced her plans to leave Saint Mary’s the following year. In her last months at the school, Gillespie oversaw the celebration of Saint Mary’s 175th year of excellence in education for young women, which culminated with the 175th Gala, attended by more than 1,000 alumnae, parents, and friends of the school, May 12, 2017. Following a year of celebrating the school’s rich and successful history, Saint Mary’s looked to the future with the arrival of a new head of school and a world of opportunity on the horizon.
10
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
A world of opportunity 2017-2018 Saint Mary’s School welcomed Brendan J. O’Shea to campus in July 2017 as he began his tenure as the 14th head of school. He was officially installed as head of school in a traditional service of installation held in the Chapel October 13, followed by a reception celebration in Smedes Hall that evening. A native of Baltimore, O’Shea came to Saint Mary’s as a seasoned independent school educator and leader. He holds a B.S. in commerce from the McIntire School of Business and an M.Ed. in administration and supervision from the Curry School of Education, both from the University of Virginia. He served as the headmaster at Charleston Day School in South Carolina from 2004-2017, and served previously on the staff at Woodberry Forest School for 16 years. In his first semester at Saint Mary’s, O’Shea has immersed himself in campus life, listening to and connecting with students, alumnae, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of the school. He has quickly taken notice of the passion, pride, and love that constituents have for the school. As he continues to listen, observe, and learn about the school culture, facilities, processes, traditions, programs, people, and potential, he has pledged to “continue the work of his predecessors to further establish Saint Mary’s as the preeminent secondary school for girls.”
Smedes York, former board chair and great-great-grandson of Saint Mary’s founder, the Rev. Aldert Smedes, reads a proclamation from Governor Roy Cooper commending all North Carolina citizens to celebrate Saint Mary’s 175th birthday, May 12, 2017.
The Rt. Rev. Ann Hodges-Copple, bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, presided over the installation of Brendan J. O’Shea as Saint Mary’s 14th head of school in the Saint Mary’s Chapel, Oct. 11, 2017.
Collaborating with the board of trustees and all campus constituencies, O’Shea is already at work on plans for future improvements, including a new campus master plan and expansion of signature programs, creating partnerships for learning in the Raleigh community, and enhancing all aspects of school life, while remaining committed to the traditions and purpose of Saint Mary’s.
“There is a world of opportunity awaiting in Raleigh,” says O’Shea. “Together – students, faculty, staff, parents, alumnae, and friends – we will make it happen.” “There is a world of opportunity awaiting in Raleigh,” says O’Shea. “Together – students, faculty, staff, parents, alumnae, and friends – we will make it happen.” A school that was founded on a campus in the countryside on the outskirts of the city in 1842, now finds itself located in the very heart of a booming, modern, downtown Raleigh, an asset Saint Mary’s is thoughtfully tapping into as a unique resource. Saint Mary’s expanded its signature programs in 2017, creating a partnership with HQ Raleigh, North Carolina's largest entrepreneurial coworking community - a collaborative environment that empowers highimpact, high-growth entrepreneurs to create purpose-driven businesses
that leave the world better than they found it. The partnership is aligned with Saint Mary's vision, and affords girls access to hands-on learning experiences in the vibrant Raleigh community, which is ranked consistently at the top nationally by major magazines as one of the best cities in which to live, innovate, create, and work. This program, a model for future programs in other fields, exposes students, faculty, and staff to entrepreneurship and innovation through the resources – space and people – offered through HQ Raleigh, with headquarters just a short walk from campus in the hip warehouse district. And, while the methods and tools of teaching and learning for Saint Mary’s girls in the 21st century include cutting-edge technology, design thinking and engineering, coding, and makerspaces – the time-tested core values and traditions have continued throughout the school’s 175 years. Our thoroughly modern young women still love the Chapel; the close bond with devoted teachers; the camaraderie of the athletics teams, dance troupes, Chorale, theater casts and crews, clubs, marshals, SGA, and dorm life; singing the School Hymn arm-in-arm; commencement; Sigma-Mu; and more. Saint Mary’s has survived and thrived for 175 years by holding steadfast to its core mission, even as it has adapted to the changing times. The school is firmly positioned to fulfill a mission as relevant and important today as it was in 1842 - to provide an excellent education to young women to prepare them for their futures. To reinterpret a well-known line in the Saint Mary’s School Hymn, we change, but we remain the same.
11
12
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
Inspiring adaptable lifelong learners
By Laura J. Novia, Director of Marketing and Communications
In the report Future Work Skills 2020, from the Institute for the Future, it is noted that “To be successful in the next decade, individuals will need to demonstrate foresight in navigating a rapidly shifting landscape of organizational forms and skill requirements. They will increasingly be called upon to continually reassess the skills they need, and quickly put together the right resources to develop and update these. Workers in the future will need to be adaptable lifelong learners.” That is why Saint Mary’s School integrates what it knows about girls and how they learn, with what it knows of the changing world girls will be facing, to enhance and adapt its program to ensure girls have the education and experience they need to succeed today, tomorrow, and throughout their lives. At the center are 10 key competencies encompassing knowledge, skills, and personal attributes, which Saint Mary’s faculty have identified as necessary to educating the whole girl.
Key Competencies In order to fully understand what girls need to prepare for their futures, Saint Mary’s faculty studied the research from educational and industry leaders like the Partnership for 21st Century learning and the Institute for the Future, among others. They engaged in conversations with forward-thinking industry leaders in Raleigh, the Research Triangle, and Seattle, including Amazon, Boeing, and Microsoft, to learn what skills and attributes are being sought in the workplace. They synthesized this and identified 10 key competencies critical to setting girls on the path for successful lives of purpose and intention. They are: • • • • • • • • • •
Collaboration Communication Critical thinking Cross-cultural intelligence Growth mindset New media literacy and computational thinking Self-expression Self-directed learning Servant leadership Social-emotional intelligence
Read more about these competencies at sms.edu/competencies.
13
Some of the Compass Explorations offerings to date this year include: • BeAM@CAROLINA: Visit UNC-Chapel Hill's newest network of four, on-campus, makerspaces used in the design and making of physical objects for education, research, entrepreneurship, and recreation. After a tour of the Murray Hall makerspace, students design and create cellphone holders. • Your Clothing Has a Story: Meet young, female entrepreneurs from N.C. State who launched Reborn Clothing Company, which focuses on reducing personal contribution to textile waste and upcycling clothing. Students use an old tshirt to learn how to make it into something new and useful. Includes a trip to N.C. State's Centennial Campus for an entrepreneurial challenge at The Garage, the university’s 24/7 physical space for entrepreneurs to develop, create, and invent.
Students worked with female entrepreneurs from N.C. State University as part of the Compass Explorations program.
Compass Explorations Expressly designed to build key competencies, this year’s Compass Explorations program, which combined two of Saint Mary’s signature programs, engages girls in experiential learning with experts both at Saint Mary’s and in the greater community. And what better place to provide this hands-on education than Raleigh, N.C., ranked the No. 2 most educated city in the country by Forbes Magazine. The school’s downtown location affords easy access to universities, museums, and businesses that translates into wide-ranging experiences. “Compass Explorations offer students real-life experiences and connections outside the gates of Saint Mary's,” says Heather Ramee, instructor of world languages and Compass Explorations program co-director. “It is an intentional way for the school to effectively maximize the extraordinary urban resources surrounding our campus in Raleigh.”
"The Compass Exploration experience is also an incubator of ideas for faculty to learn how to incorporate the key competencies into the classroom and how to design for learning and collaboration." Leslie Owen, Dean of Teaching and Learning The Compass Explorations program culminates with each girl completing an online portfolio chronicling the development of key competencies and learning, as well as her personal journey for the school year. The portfolio is a tool to reinforce a girl’s investment in herself and her development, while encouraging her to reflect on her efforts, successes, and areas for growth. More about this year’s Compass Explorations can be found at sms.edu/compass
14
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
• Art in the Park: Explore the grounds at the North Carolina Museum of Art, with a focus on the iconic whirligig by artist and North Carolina native Vollis Simpson. Made from recycled metal parts, this whirligig stands tall and is powered by wind. Discover how we can use the engineering and design process to create our own kinetic sculpture for Saint Mary's campus. • Portraits and Stories: Through this interactive workshop, students learn the fundamental process of taking a strong photograph. With a special focus on portraiture, each student will be shown how shutter speed, aperture, and ISO settings can affect a final image. This is a two-part exploration that includes going taking portraits at a local non-profit. • Race: Are We So Different?: Students visit the Museum of Natural Science to explore a renowned traveling exhibit on the context of race, exploring race through the lens of history, science, and culture. This interactive exhibit allows students to reflect upon and share their personal experiences. Includes the opportunity to participate in a conversation about race, facilitated by Saint Mary's School faculty. • Miss Representation: The media is selling the idea that girls' and women's value lies in their youth, beauty, and sexuality — rather than in their capacity as leaders. Students explore gender stereotypes as they view the award-winning film Miss Representation. After viewing the film, participants enter conversations and create pieces to be used to raise awareness in the Saint Mary's community. • I've Got Your Back: Alfredo Hurtado of Black Box Dance Theatre joins Saint Mary's School Instructor of Dance Michelle Pearson for a two-part community building workshop. Hurtado, a dancer, musician, and a disabled Army combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient knows the value of a community of allies who "have your back." This workshop is about leaning in and offering support to those around you, and allowing others to support you. It is about listening to the unspoken word, and finding a voice of courage. • Spread Gratitude - Pitch Competition: How might we design spreading more gratitude around our Saint Mary's campus? Gratitude strengthens our relationships, improves our health, motivates us to achieve our goals, and boosts our feelings of satisfaction with life. Adapted from a real-world IDEO challenge, students participate in the design thinking process to create a plan of action for our campus. Each girl presents a three-minute pitch during the afternoon assembly with a chance to win $200 to make your plan a reality!
Saint Mary’s is maximizing its location in downtown Raleigh to take advantage of exciting partnerships and opportunities for students to engage in real world learning experiences.
Partnering to Learn Building on Saint Mary’s 10 key competencies is what Saint Mary’s community partnerships are all about giving girls the opportunity to innovate, collaborate, and discover. Here are some of the learning experiences our students are getting through the school’s growing relationships with Raleigh-area businesses and organizations. HQ Raleigh: A leader in social entrepreneurship and innovation, this partnership is aimed at cultivating the next generation of female entrepreneurs and nurturing the innovative spirit in Saint Mary's students. “In today's world, there is a need to build the capacity to be innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial,” says Katherine Jackson, Saint Mary’s director of student engagement. “Working with experts in the field in an authentic real-world learning experience is a unique opportunity, as students can take a deep-dive into entrepreneurship through this partnership with HQ Raleigh.” North Carolina’s largest entrepreneurial co-working community, HQ Raleigh offers a collaborative environment that empowers high-impact, high-growth entrepreneurs to create purpose-driven businesses that leave the world better than they found it. The partnership provides exposure that will shape non-traditional educational practices, impact classroom leadership, and enhance the capacity for student engagement. The HQ community is comprised of more than 150 member companies across multiple locations in Raleigh, and more than 500 companies across the state, with an HQ community in Greensboro. Following an application process, select students from grades 10 and 11 participate in a year-long design-thinking initiative with an HQ Raleigh member company. HQ Raleigh serves as the classroom where participants will meet, think, collaborate, and share in stateof-the-art, co-working spaces, located just a short walk from Saint Mary's campus. Students and faculty engage with the entrepreneurship curriculum created by Venture Lab, and work to solve a realworld issue designated by the HQ Raleigh member company. Local entrepreneurs provide guidance and serve as guest speakers.
“I have always been interested in entrepreneurship. It is a gateway into the business world, which is on my topthree list of careers right now… I heard about HQ Raleigh, and I think it's the coolest place, because it's where people with the same kind of aspirations as me get together to collaborate and learn."
Tori Seymore '19
As an extension of the Compass Explorations program, the students participating in the HQ Raleigh entrepreneurial experience also complete an online portfolio and create other deliverables as part of their intensive experience. In this year’s pilot program, 25 students participated in the optional design-thinking challenge to learn more about the program, and 33 students applied for the program. Applications were scored blindly by the faculty cohort, using a rubric, and 12 spots were awarded to: Corina Argiry ’20, Josie DeRonja ’19, Darcy Hall ’20, Mollie Horan ’20, J'Lah Johnson ’20, Izzy Kempson ’20, Isabel McGowan ’20, Tori Seymore ’19, Claire Smith ’20, Paige Stevenson ’19, Ilse-Grace Thomas ’20, and Dora Yang ’19. Faculty participants include Ann Bonner-Stewart, Alison Chernin, Ann Marie Davis, Becca Gorham, Rachel Hencher and Krista Holstein The face of education continues to change and evolve, even as Saint Mary’s commitment to prepare girls for the challenges and opportunities of their day remains the same. The integration of new essentials like the 10 key competencies, into an already rigorous, college-preparatory program, illustrates the school’s dedication to doing what is best for girls as they grow as young women of intelligence, integrity, and purpose – poised to serve and shape their world. Katherine Jackson, director of student engagement and Mary Virginia Swain ’77C, director of public relations and publications contributed to this article.
15
NEWS BRIEFS
Top: The official party of the installation of Brendan J. O’Shea as 14th head of Saint Mary’s School, Oct. 11, 2017. Left: The Rt. Rev. Ann Hodges-Copple presided over the installation of Brendan O’Shea as 14th head of school. Right: Saint Mary’s Chapel was filled with students, faculty, staff, trustees, and special guests for the installation ceremony.
Brendan O’Shea installed as 14th head of Saint Mary’s School Brendan J. O'Shea, the 14th head of Saint Mary's School, was officially installed into office, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017, at 3 p.m., in a ceremonial service in the historic Saint Mary's Chapel. The installation ceremony was attended by students, faculty, staff, members of the Board of Trustees, and special invited guests. The Rt. Rev. Ann Hodges-Copple, bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, presided, assisted by Saint Mary's Chaplain, the Rev. Ann Bonner-Stewart. Saint Mary's trustee and alumna Mary Hinton ’88HS, Ph.D., president of the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn., delivered an inspiring homily. Representatives of all school constituencies – students, faculty/staff, alumnae, and parents - presented gifts symbolic of school life. Board of Trustees Chair Gloria Taft Becker ’92HS presented keys to the school to Mr. O'Shea. Vestry officers Sophie Burkhardt ’18 and Lucy Ham '18 presented the Book of Common Prayer. SGA President Grace Battle Thompson ’18 presented a framed and signed photograph of the 2017-2018 student body. Faculty and staff members Ed Denault and Lauren Gerber presented special books to Mr. O'Shea. Parents Association President Maura Moylan Sullivan ’87HS presented a
16
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
gift from the P.A. Alumnae Association Co-Presidents Merritt Atkins ’99 and Diane Gupton Becton ’77HS presented a copy of The Heritage, the history of the school from 1842-1982, written by Professor Emerita of History Martha Stoops. The Chorale offered the anthem, Homeland. Cookies and punch were served in the Chapel garden following the service. “It is an honor and privilege to join the Saint Mary's School community as head of school," says O'Shea. “Saint Mary's is purposeful in providing a top-notch education while instilling important character traits in the girls it serves.” Nearly 300 alumnae, parents, trustees, faculty, staff, and friends of the school gathered in Smedes Hall, Wednesday evening, October 11, 2017, to celebrate the installation of Brendan O'Shea as the 14th head of school in our 176-year history. O'Shea has been serving as head of school since July 1. The installation committee members were Kim Norfleet Collie ’88C, Joan Comer Johnston ’87C, Martha Evans, Lucy Fountain, and Paige Marsh.
Saint Mary's Board of Trustees welcomes new members Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees welcomed six new members this fall. Pictured from left to right: Current parent, Steven Lilly; current parent, Liza Roberts; current parent, Lucy Fountain; alumna Dee Williamson Marley ’77HS, and former parent, Peter Bristow. Not pictured: alumna, Palmer Peebles Garson ’75HS.
Johnston, Raynor receive Bratton Award The John Bratton Jr. Volunteer Service Recognition Award was presented October 13 to alumnae Laura Norris Raynor ’69HS ’71C and Joan Comer Johnston ’87C for their extraordinary leadership of the 175th anniversary celebration and their overall support, generosity, volunteerism, and loyalty over many years to their alma mater. The award was presented at the reception for the installation of Brendan O’Shea. The John Bratton Jr. Volunteer Service Recognition Award is presented by Saint Mary’s School to honor volunteers who stand out because of their leadership, vision, creativity, and generosity of spirit. In selecting recipients, members of the selection committee look beyond typical volunteer involvements, in order to recognize volunteers who have allowed Saint Mary’s School to grow in profound ways. The award was established by John R. Bratton, Michelle Bratton Parker ’63HS ’65C, Connie Bratton Grine ’68HS, Lucy Bratton Doak ’72HS, Jane Bratton Fleming ’76HS ’78C, Theodore D. Bratton, and Samuel T. Bratton, in honor of their father, John Bratton Jr., former chair of the board of trustees and generous benefactor at Saint Mary’s School.
Joan Comer Johnston ’87C, left, and Laura Norris Raynor ’69HS ’71C, right, received the John Bratton Jr. Volunteer Service Award, presented Oct. 13 in Smedes-Emory Parlor.
17
GRANDDAUGHTERS CLUB
GRANDDAUGHTERS CLUB 2017-2018 Frances Jane Anderson ’18, daughter of Ashley Williamson Anderson ’86C Virginia Whitley Barnes ’18, granddaughter of Ann Farmer Barnes ’61HS ’63C and great- granddaughter of Rachel Ball Ditzler 1939C May Brooks Barwick ’21, daughter of Jennifer Walker Barwick ’88HS ’90C and granddaughter of Rachel Cozart Barwick ’50HS Eleanor Shelgren Becker ’21, daughter of Gloria Taft Becker ’92HS and granddaughter of Cheryl Lee Taft ’68C Anne Hunter Blake ’20, granddaughter of Gail Hunter Blake ’59C Alexa Jewell Boyer ’19, daughter of Michele Fair Boyer ’91HS Mary Ann Williamson Borden ’18, daughter of Elizabeth Rouse Borden ’83HS and granddaughter of Ann Robinson Rouse ’57C Kathryn Chandler Cahill ’18, daughter of Sallie Thorpe Cahill ’87HS ’89C and granddaughter of Harriet Dill Thorpe ’70C Eleanor Roosevelt Carroll ’19, granddaughter of Anne McMullan ’47HS ’49C and great-great-great-granddaughter of Mary Frances Skinner 1870 Lucy Ware Cheney ’21, daughter of Nina Anderson Cheney ’81HS Anna Leggett Payne Church ’21, granddaughter of Gillie Leggett Church ’63C Katherine Dare Collie ’19, daughter of Kim Norfleet Collie ’88C Elizabeth Grimes Crumpton ’18, daughter of Andrea Kramer Crumpton ’86HS, granddaughter of Charlotte Williams Bridger ’60HS ’62C, great-great-granddaughter of Charlotte Grimes Williams 1868, and great-great-great-granddaughter of Charlotte Bryan Grimes 1848 Caroline Ballard Dixon ’20, daughter of Jackson Jordan Dixon ’84C
18
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
Margaret Edmundson Dixon ’18, daughter of Elizabeth Patteson Dixon ’80HS and granddaughter of Margaret Bridgers Edmundson (1951-52) Grace Muriel Dohner ’18, great-granddaughter of Nancy Croom Murchison (1930’s) Virginia Katherine Eagles ’20, daughter of Ginny James Eagles ’89HS ’91C Elizabeth Kirkland Ellerbe ’21, granddaughter of Martha Goode Ellerbe ’56HS Amelia Sinclair Etheridge ’18, daughter of Elizabeth Byrd Etheridge ’85HS Susan Gracey Falk ’20, granddaughter of Sue Stone Lester ’55HS Margaret Burton Fountain ’18, granddaughter of Margaret Uzzle Bowen Vanderberry ’59C Ella Conger Glover ’21, granddaughter of Harriet Conger Glover ’52HS ’54C and great- granddaughter of Nellie Cooper Rose 1917C Harriet Lucile Glover ’18, granddaughter of Harriet Conger Glover ’52HS ’54C and great-granddaughter of Nellie Cooper Rose 1917C Elizabeth Bowen Gordon ’20, granddaughter of Stewart Howie Gordon ’63C and Mary Jane Johnson Tate ’49C Cameron Elizabeth Griffin ’19, daughter of Kim Goines Griffin ’89HS ’91C Jane Lewis Zollicoffer Jackson ’19, daughter of Ellen Zollicoffer Jackson ’84HS, granddaughter of Jane Lewis Zollicoffer ’46HS, greatgranddaughter of Fannie Cooper Zollicoffer 1913, and great-greatgreat-granddaughter of Ellen Wilkins Lewis 1850
Elizabeth Hewitt Johnson ’20, granddaughter of Cissie Hobgood Wellons ’66HS ’68C
Caroline Wallace Smith ’20, daughter of Ashley Langley Smith ’90HS and great-granddaughter of Mabel Freeman London 1929
Margaret Ivy Johnston ’20, daughter of Joan Comer Johnston ’87C, granddaughter of Lou Uzzle Blackman ’61C and Margaret Louise Hamilton Johnston ’57C
Elizabeth Tremont Smith ’20, granddaughter of Anne Tremont Burr Smith ’37C and great-granddaughter of Edith Lanier Clark 1913
Martha Luck Johnston ’20, daughter of Joan Comer Johnston ’87C, granddaughter of Lou Uzzle Blackman ’61C and Margaret Louise Hamilton Johnston ’57C Gwyn Katherine Jones ’20, granddaughter of Lucile Best Jones ’48HS ’50C Nancy Grace Kempson ’18, daughter of Sydney Kepley Kempson ’83HS and great-granddaughter of Jane Shaffer Holman ’1931C Isabel Pearce Kempson ’20, daughter of Sydney Kepley Kempson ’83HS and great- granddaughter of Jane Shaffer Holman ’1931C Caroline Batchelor Koonce ’21, granddaughter of Mary Grady Burnette Koonce ’54C and Frances Holton Maffitt ’60HS Kennon Chester Later ’18, great-great-granddaughter of Mary Bryan Griswold 1911-1913 May Parker Leutze ’20, daughter of Taylor Brewer Leutze ’91HS Mary Chandler Lilly ’19, great-great-granddaughter of Mary Lindsey Battle Cobb 1883 Lindsay-Anne McCall ’20, daughter of Shore Tucker McCall ’88C and great-great-great-granddaughter of Willi Julia Ruffin 1846-49 Katherine Perry Morgan ’20, daughter of Elizabeth Van Dyke Johnson ’91C, granddaughter of Perry Grimes Van Dyke ’63HS ’65C and Kathy Cannon Morgan ’64C, and great-granddaughter of Mary James Perry Grimes ’39C. Ruby Gail Orton ’18, daughter of Charlotte McCall Orton ’87C Lillian Geiger Parker ’18, daughter of Betsy Joyner Parker ’83HS, granddaughter of Georgia Cobb Joyner ’59C, great-granddaughter of Sarah Elizabeth Borden Cobb 1914, great-great-granddaughter of Sallie Smith Jones Borden and great-great-great-granddaughter of Georgia Whitfield Borden. Corinna Bailey Parker ’20, great-granddaughter of Corinna Erwin Gant ’34HS Sarah Grace Patton ’19, daughter of Susan Gattis Patton ’83HS Grey Compton Pittman ’19, daughter of Jill Sparks Pittman ’89C Mary Suiter Ragland ’18, granddaughter of Anna Wood Ragland ’41C, great-granddaughter of Alice McKenzie Ragland 1913 and the great-great-great-granddaughter of Alice Caldwell McKenzie (attended during the Civil War) Elizabeth Hayden Savery ’21, daughter of Dolly Burton Savery ’82HS Lucy Hardin Sigmon ’21, granddaughter of Martha Ann Olsen Sigmon ’47HS and Mary Hannah Finch Taft ’58C Ann Mason Smith ’20, great-great-great-granddaughter of Susan Lane Hardin 1866
Anna Carlyle Spears ’20, daughter of Mandy Johnson Spears ’84HS ’86C Lindley MacRae Spears ’18, daughter of Mandy Johnson Spears ’84HS ’86C Ava Blane Spiegel ’19, daughter of Sally Pridgen Spiegel ’89HS Katherine Porter Stallings ’18, daughter of Jennifer Jones Stallings ’90C Martha Louise Wilson Stowe ’20, great-granddaughter of Virginia Clark Jenkins ’34C and great-great-granddaughter of Martha Louise Wilson Clark 1917HS Bridget Clare Sullivan ’19, daughter of Maura Moylan Sullivan ’87HS Ilse Grace Thomas ’20, daughter of Holly Stephenson Thomas ’85HS ’87C Grace Battle Thompson ’18, daughter of Heather Moore Thompson ’88HS ’90C and granddaughter of Sue Battle Moore ’63C Elizabeth Shackelford Toms ’20, granddaughter of Margaret Shackelford Toms ’43C Sydney Stratton Vermillion ’20, great-granddaughter of Margaret Banes Gold Borden 1918C, great-great-granddaughter of Sallie Smith Jones Borden, and the great-great-great-granddaughter of Georgia Whitfield Borden 1848 Beverly Elizabeth Watson ’18, daughter of Leigh Ann Corter Watson ’85C Emma Blaine Wharton ’20, granddaughter of Beth Kemper Wharton ’54HS ’56C Emma Riley Whitford ’18, granddaughter of Jeanne Moye Whitford ‘59C Eleanor Davis Williams '20, daughter of Margaret Cheatham Williams Williams ’78HS '80C, granddaughter of Margaret Cheatham Williams '50HS '52C, great-granddaughter Belle Davis Cheatham 1911 and Elizabeth Cross Williams 1921HS, great-great-granddaughter of Charlotte Grimes Williams 1868, and the great-great-greatgranddaughter of Charlotte Bryan Grimes 1848 Frances Belle Williams '20, granddaughter of Margaret Cheatham Williams '50HS '52C, great-granddaughter of Belle Davis Cheatham 1911, Elizabeth Cross Williams 1921HS, and Frances Elizabeth Hoggard Harriss 1928C; great-great-granddaughter of Charlotte Grimes Williams 1868, and the great-great-great-granddaughter of Charlotte Bryan Grimes 1848 Blanche Robertson Williamson ’21, granddaughter of Blanche Robertson Bacon ’53HS ’55C Susan Serpell Williamson ’18, granddaughter of Blanche Robertson Bacon ’53HS ’55C Clare Maddison Wooten ’19, daughter of Sally Maddison Wooten ’85HS, granddaughter of Clare Garden Maddison ’64C and Lytle Batchelor Wooten ’51C, and great-granddaughter of Jane Purrington Maddison ’31C
19
PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT Yearbook staff win photography awards Members of the 2017 Stagecoach staff won awards in the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association Summer Institute yearbook photography contest. Juliette Ellis ’17 won first place in the feature photograph category. Caroline Melamed ’17 won honorable mention in feature photography with a photograph of Jane Brown ’17 dancing in Orchesis. Ruby Orton ’18 won first place in sports photography for her photo of Jala McCormick ’20 running the anchor leg on Saint Mary’s 4X400 meter team in a meet versus Ravenscroft School. Kate Ryan ’19 won honorable mention in theme photography for her photo of one of the Chapel’s stained glass windows. The Stagecoach won second place in the advertising division for its baby ads.
Alumnae extend warm Saint Mary’s welcome to traveling music students Saint Mary’s alumnae Marina Lynch Stevenson ’80C and Nancy Dawson Rascoe ’52C, along with Paul Stevenson, Marina’s fatherin-law and Nancy’s husband, welcomed Saint Mary’s students Mindy Yao ’20 and Christine Huang ’20 and piano instructor Terry Elizabeth Thompson for an overnight stay in October in Elizabeth City, N.C. Yao was invited to Elizabeth City to perform a piano solo on the Van Cliburn touring piano brought to the N.C. Music Teachers Association State Conference (NCMTA), held Oct. 8, at Elizabeth City State University. She was invited by virtue of her top rating won at the NCMTA 2017 Performance Festival in the spring. Stevenson attended the recital and presented Yao with two dozen roses after her performance. The gracious hosts treated the girls to their first opera performance held at Arts of the Albemarle in downtown Elizabeth City, including a pre-opera reception. On the trip back to Raleigh, the girls explored historic Edenton and learned quite a bit of North Carolina history. They especially enjoyed the Roanoke River Lighthouse and learned about Penelope Barker, who organized the Edenton Tea Party, one of the earliest organized women’s political actions in U.S. history. Thank you, to the gracious alumnae hosts, who rolled out the Saint Mary’s blue carpet for our students, making this wonderful experience possible.
20
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
Left to right: Marina Lynch Stevenson ’80C, Mindy Yao ’20, Paul Stevenson, Christine Huang ’20, and Nancy Dawson Rascoe ’52C, in Elizabeth City, N.C., in October.
Saint Mary’s seniors chosen for innovative District C program Through the HQ Raleigh partnership, Saint Mary’s School was introduced to HQ member company District C. District C’s mission is to pair the next generation of leaders into “C Squads” to work together to solve real world challenges. Local area schools are encouraged to nominate up to five juniors and seniors to attend District C’s selection day. The day is filled with collaborative work, problem solving, data analysis and an individual interview. Saint Mary’s was proud to nominate three seniors: Lottie Crouse ’18, Tra My Ha ’18, and Izzy Marroquin ’18. After completing the rigorous, all-day, selection process alongside students from local area high schools, all three Saint Mary’s students were selected to participate in the program’s fall cycle. Sorted into C Squads of four students representing different high schools, participants are assigned community mentors and are paired with local businesses to solve a real-world organizational challenge. Fleet Feet and Fit for 90 served as the business-partners for the fall cycle and provided the following challenges: • Fit for 90: Fit for 90 is developing an app called the Player Performance & Recovery App for youth athletes. The challenge is to determine how Fit for 90 can leverage social engagement features to motivate and inspire users to enter self-reports on a daily basis. • Fleet Feet: Much of Fleet Feet’s business is generated through medical referrals (doctors referring patients to Fleet Feet for shoe fittings and other specialty items). The challenge is to determine how Fleet Feet can optimize its medial referral process so the business can better identify and act on opportunities for growth. C Squads use a modified design-thinking process to guide their work. The 40-hour experience, much of which is completed through the Google Hangouts platform, spans one month and is comprised of five design stages: understand, define, ideate, focus, and prototype. The District C experience culminates in a pitch night where two C Squads present to each of the partnering businesses. District C’s engaging process provides our students opportunities to collaborate with peers and the local community in novel ways, applying their knowledge in new contexts while achieving personal growth.
Top: Saint Mary’s group at District C this fall. From left to right: Katherine Jackson, Lottie Crouse ’18, Kennon Later ’18, Ella Lewis ’18, Samantha Woolard ’18, Izzy Marroquin ’18, and Tra My Ha ’18. Below: Izzy Marroquin ’18 engages in a District C meeting at HQ Raleigh’s Cannon Room in downtown Raleigh.
Saint Mary’s students, faculty present to NCAIS educators Saint Mary's Instructor of English Virginia Boyd and juniors Monica Pan ’19 and Georgia Smith ’19 presented at the 2017 North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS) annual educators conference, Oct. 27, at the Concord Convention Center. The presentation was titled, Stories of Transformation, about how a research project for a high school English class can be designed to use technology and student choice to promote engagement and real-world learning. The students shared examples of their work and provided course feedback.
Monica Pan ’19, left, and Georgia Smith ’19, right, along with English instructor Virginia Boyd, center, presented to educators at the 2017 NCAIS conference.
21
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
“I’ve found the girls’ excitement for the material and expansion beyond the assignments to be truly refreshing. They demonstrate to me how communication and collaboration with one another really helps them learn the concepts and create functional software.”
Girls who Code
- Brandon Perkins Senior Quality Assurance Engineer Red Hat Linux
Saint Mary’s partners with Technology Education and Literacy in School (TEALS) Saint Mary’s School is proud to be an official TEALS site this year and to be offering a new introductory coding class in conjunction with this partnership. Funded by Microsoft Philanthropy, TEALS recruits, mentors, and places passionate high-tech professionals in high school classes to teach as volunteer instructors. The one-semester introductory coding course is based on the University of California-Berkeley course “The Beauty and Joy of Computing,” and is adapted specifically for Saint Mary’s School. Using Snap!, a free, blocks and browser-based educational, graphical programming language that allows students to create interactive animations, games, stories, and more, girls are introduced to computational thinking and exposed to the basics of programming: loops, variables, lists, algorithms, data structures and recursive functions. The course is designed to lower the barrier of entry to the realm of computer science and makes it easy for students to delve more deeply into the essential components of programming, such as abstraction and event-listening. Quick experimentation and testing blocks of code are encouraged, and students are quickly able to create while learning the basic building blocks of programming. Matthew Watson, instructor of mathematics at Saint Mary’s and former programmer, says “It’s great to give the girls
22
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
this experience with programming. They’re having fun and they’re good at it. It’s important each girl knows this field is a viable option for her future.” The TEALS partnership connects students with industry experts from the Raleigh area. Together with Saint Mary’s instructor Matthew Watson, Brandon Perkins, a senior quality assurance engineer at Red Hat, and Brandon Florkey, a senior software engineer at LexisNexis, co-teach the coding class. By learning from and working with professionals in the field of computer science, girls not only learn how to code, but develop key competencies as they make important connections between what they are learning and its relevance to realworld applications. “Learning code is not just useful for future computer scientists,” says Perkins, “it builds knowledge of logic, problem solving and a greater understanding of how our virtual world works.” He adds, “I’ve found the girls’ excitement for the material and expansion beyond the assignments to be truly refreshing. They demonstrate to me how communication and collaboration with one another really helps them learn the concepts and create functional software.”
SUPPORTING SMS
Members of the College Class of 1968 at their reunion in 2013.
College Class of 1968 to establish scholarship fund as 50th reunion gift The 50th class reunion marks a tremendous milestone in the lives of Saint Mary’s alumnae and provides a once in a lifetime opportunity for classmates to gather together. It is a time for some to become reacquainted with Saint Mary’s, renew friendships, and, most importantly, celebrate. This year, members of the College Class of 1968 have set an impressive goal to mark their 50th reunion by making a special commitment to raise funds for a Class of ’68C Scholarship. Over the years, many classes have stepped forward to increase their giving, set challenge grants, and provide funds for the chapel and various other areas of support during their reunion year. This, however, is the first time a class has organized to provide a scholarship
for a student for four years. We are excited to welcome all alumnae back to campus April 27-28 and are grateful for the leadership of alumnae from this special reunion year. Thank you, to the members of the Class of 1968C, for your commitment to making a significant reunion gift that celebrates the unique and meaningful Saint Mary’s experience shared by both alumnae and today’s students. Saint Mary’s also welcomes outright gifts along with other philanthropic arrangements that benefit the donor and the school. These special 50th gifts can include will provisions (bequests), life-income gifts (such as charitable remainder trusts and annuities), and other commitments.
23
ATHLETICS Abby Arens ’20 named swimmer of year by N.C. Swimming Saint Mary’s sophomore Abby Arens ’20 was named the 2017 Swimmer of the Year for girls 13-14 by North Carolina Swimming. The award recognizes the swimmer in each age group who achieves the highest national ranking for the year. Arens was ranked first nationally in the 100-meter breaststroke and second in the nation in the 200-meter breaststroke. She was ranked first in North Carolina in both categories. As a member of Saint Mary’s 2017 swim team, Arens won two individual state championships at the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) state meet and two individual conference championships at the Triangle Independent Schools Athletic Conference (TISAC) meet.
Saint Mary’s athletics joins partnership effort to give back at Christmas Saint Mary’s athletics department partnered in December with Carolina Elite AAU Basketball to bring Christmas to neighbors in need through the Share the Joy Project. The project supports two local organizations, The Caring Place, Inc., which teaches life skills to homeless, working families with children to help them achieve independent living while providing short-term housing and support services, and The Cedar Point Community, an organization that assists refugees and provides tutoring to children. The service project culminated for Saint Mary’s, December 7, when Saints student-athletes, athletics department staff, faculty and staff, and project partners gathered in Bacon Gym to wrap gifts that had been collected in the preceding weeks, write letters to the recipients, and load gifts into vehicles for delivery. The gifts were delivered to recipients Saturday, December 9. “It was an awesome project, and we helped bring Christmas to over 450 children and families,” said Saint Mary’s Athletics Director Rob Weltz. “I appreciate everyone that took part in this service opportunity. It is events like this that make me extremely proud to be a part of the Saint Mary’s community.” Each year, the Share the Joy Project partners with local charities to find families for which just a few simple gifts can be a reminder that they are loved. The project serves to share Christ’s love by taking the time to help meet a few simple needs at Christmas. Saint Mary’s swimmer Abby Arens ’20
24
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
ADMISSION
We Know Girls Mary Ashburn Mann ’17: The confidence to be the best version of yourself
In Mary Ashburn Mann’s address to the Class of 2017 during com- be setting each other up to room with a friend from home, or meeting mencement last May, the 2017 senior class speaker said, “I hope that I friends of friends in college. can speak on behalf of everyone when I say that, in one way or another, What advice would you give to girls currently attending Saint Mary’s? Saint Mary’s has provided us with the confidence to step out of our For the current girls at Saint Mary’s, I would encourage comfort zone and truly be the best version of ourselves. The friends them to savor their remaining time at Saint Mary’s. You are I am an illustration of this point – when I came to Saint surrounded by your best friends, the most caring teachers I have made Mary’s you never would have caught me on stage, speakand staff, and the best all-girls education. In a blink of an here have ing in public but now, here I am, sharing our story in front eye, you will be walking through the Grove on graduation of strangers and best friends, alike.” allowed me day, wishing for one more year at Saint Mary’s. We caught up with Mary Ashburn, now in her second se- to be myself… we have What would you tell girls thinking about attending mester at North Carolina State University’s College of Saint Mary’s? experienced a Textiles, to ask her a few questions about her Saint Mary’s bond that only It is such a great place. Saint Mary’s is not only a school, experience. Here’s what she had to say. Saint Mary’s but a community. It is a place where you can try new things, In what ways did Saint Mary’s School best prepare can provide. where you will meet your lifelong best friends, and make so you for college? many valuable connections. Saint Mary’s is the best thing I Because of Saint Mary’s I have felt very prepared for college and in ever could have asked for, and I want other girls to experience the joy some instances, I have felt ahead of my peers, socially and academi- Saint Mary’s has given me. cally. Boarding life allowed me to transition easily in a college dorm. In terms of academics, Saint Mary’s provided me with a strong structure Did Saint Mary’s influence your choice of majors? If so, how? of how to study and when to start studying. Saint Mary’s also provided I have wanted to go into fashion since I was about eight. However, through me with positive student-teacher relationships and I feel it is important the art program and with the loads of help from Ms. Assenzo, I was well to have such relationships with my professors. prepared to create my portfolio for my application. I also had to interview What do you think was the most valuable part of your Saint to get into my specific major – I am majoring in fashion and textiles design with a concentration in textiles design. With all the interviews I went Mary’s experience? through at Saint Mary’s, I felt extremely prepared for my interview. While I value my academic success at Saint Mary’s, I think the most valuable part of my time at Saint Mary’s was the friendships I made. I Do you know a girl who would benefit from the Saint Mary’s School keep up with my best friends every day whether we are right down the experience? Please let us know by contacting the Admission Office road or states away. We have all made so many connections, whether it at 919-424-4100 or admission@sms.edu. We can’t wait to meet her.
25
SUPPORTING SMS
Saint Mary’s Annual Fund makes a difference in the lives of students and graduates Young Alumnae Profile: Zoe Haynes ’17 Zoe Haynes ’17 is a recent Saint Mary's School graduate, now attending UNC-Greensboro. After reading about Zoe, we hope you will be inspired to make your pledge or gift to Saint Mary's and help us reach the $1.5 million Annual Fund goal for 2017-18. Zoe Haynes ’17 is confident with who she is as an individual because of Saint Mary’s School. “Saint Mary’s meets a girl where she is and helps her become who she wants to be,” Zoe explains. "Saint Mary's all-girl environment helped me develop the confidence I need to do the things I want to do. Because of the opportunities I’ve been given, I now have the self-assurance I need to be successful in the future. I also know that without the Saint Mary’s experience, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” When she wasn’t dancing in Pittman Auditorium or working on social justice projects with her friends, Zoe could often be found studying in Smedes-Emory Parlor, one of her favorite campus places. There, she reflected on Saint Mary’s impact and how she developed self-reliance and poise.
26
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
“I’m a very different girl today than I was when I set foot in the Grove four years ago, thanks to the opportunities I was given to become involved, develop leadership skills, and gain experience,” Zoe says. “I never danced before I came to Saint Mary’s. The first time I was here, the dance teacher met me and told my mother, ‘Your daughter should be dancing.’ So, I did. I took every dance class I could during the semester and in the summer. Later, I became Orchesis president. I also choreographed and performed a senior solo in the spring called, ‘Rise Up,’ so the audience could understand who I am and how important social justice is to me.” As co-president of Saint Mary’s Human Rights Alliance, Zoe also became deeply involved in global equity. Last year, she and other club members celebrated International Women’s Day by raising awareness on campus. “As students at an all-girls school, we decided we wanted to do something to promote the day. We raised funds, which benefited the United Nation’s Girl Up Foundation.” Zoe believes Saint Mary’s girls give back to the community — no matter what the cause — because each young woman is grateful for
what she has. “We want others to feel supported the way we’ve been supported by Saint Mary’s,” she says. “It would be selfish to only do those things that would advance our own lives when we see others struggling.” Further introspection reveals Zoe’s life inspiration from Luke 12:48: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.” “I feel I’ve been given a lot, so if I’m not doing something to help others, I don’t feel right in myself.” The Saint Mary’s community is as excited as Zoe is about what’s next in her journey. She was named a Teaching Education Fellow at UNCGreensboro. “Their program develops teachers as servant leaders. I’ll dual major in elementary and special education with a concentration in English as a Second Language. My goal is to become a global teacher and role model for other young women.” As a Saint Mary’s graduate, we know one thing for certain: Zoe Haynes ’17 is prepared for college and life, and we can’t wait to see what she does with all she’s learned.
Saint Mary’s School has been a leader in the education of young women like Zoe Hanes ’17 for 176 years. Now, more than ever, Saint Mary’s need your participation in the Annual Fund to support the highest areas of need, so that Saint Mary's may continue to provide scholarships, exceptional academics, a supportive learning environment, and improvements in our technology and campus buildings. The Saint Mary’s Annual Fund goal for 2017-18 is $1.5 million. Thank you, alumnae, parents, grandparents, and friends, for your generosity and support! You may make your gift to Saint Mary's School online at www.sms.edu/give or mail a check to Saint Mary’s School Development Office, 900 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC, 27603.
27
CALENDAR 2018 SPRING SEMESTER
April 27-28
Reunion Weekend For Classes Ending in 3 and 8
January 12
Palm Beach, Fla., alumnae and friends event January 15
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service January 15-16
Admission Overnight Visitation
Board of Trustees Meetings February 23
Granddaughters Club Luncheon March 2-3
Spring Theatre Musical, Bring It On March 6
January 30
Asheville, N.C., alumnae and friends event
Smedes Parlor Concert 8-9 p.m.
January 31
March 9
February 1
March 14
February 3
March 16-17
Special Series Event: Purchase tickets at www.ecuarts.com or at the door.
March 22
Columbia, S.C., alumnae and friends event Charleston, S.C., alumnae and friends event Four Seasons Chamber Music Concert February 8-9
Alumnae Council Winter Meeting 28
February 14-15
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
Chicago alumnae luncheon Wilson, N.C., alumnae and friends event Admission Special Invitation Weekend Greenville, N.C., alumnae and friends event
SAVE THE DATES AND JOIN US FOR THESE SPECIAL EVENTS.
Commencement for the 176th Session
May 20
April 10
April 26-27
April 12
April 27-28
April 13-14
April 28
April 18-19
May 4
Smedes Parlor Concert 8-9 p.m. Richmond, Va., alumnae and friends event Orchesis Spring Concert Board of Trustees Meetings April 19
Chorale Spring Concert April 20
Grandparents and Grandfriends Day
Alumnae Council Spring Meeting Reunion Weekend For Classes Ending in 3 and 8 Alumnae Bazaar
For a complete calendar of events throughout the school year, visit www.sms.edu/alumnae. Regional alumnae events will be added to the Alumnae web page as they are scheduled. All alumnae are welcome at all events. Print and electronic invitations will be sent. If you do not receive your invitation, please let us know. Visit the Alumnae Events web page for more information and to register online. Contact Margaret McGlohon ’81C, director of alumnae relations, at memcglohon@sms.edu or 919-424-4171 with questions. Events are subject to change due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances, and changes will be announced as soon as possible.
SUMMER 2018 ALUMNAE AND FRIENDS EVENTS Saint Mary’s staff look forward to the summer event season with gatherings in the works for Atlantic Beach, Blowing Rock, Nags Head, Wilmington/ Wrightsville Beach, and Virginia Beach. If you vacation or have a second home in these areas and would like to be added to the invitation list, contact the Alumnae Office at memcglohon@ sms.edu or 900 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC, 27603.
Admission 7th Grade Sneak Peak May 20
Commencement for the 176th Session
29
EVENTS
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. June 23, 2017
At the home of Jessie Allen Ogburn ’56HS ’58C
Left to right: Lainie Cox Johnston ’80C, Annie Gray Calhoun Lane ’58C, Haffye Sewell Cox ’53C, Cacky Williamson West ’83C
Left to right: Blair Maddison Sloan ’59C, Allene Keith Wright ’57C, Jane Bellamy Venters ’58C, Georgia Cobb Joyner ’59C
ATLANTIC BEACH, N.C.
Left to right: Paul Parker, Betsy Joyner Parker ’83HS, Robin Ballard Earp ’84HS ’86C, Lin Spears, Jeff Earp
July 14, 2017
At the home of Robbie and Jennifer Jones Stallings ’90C
Left to right: Sarah Ellen White Archie ’57HS ’59C, Pearla Ann Revelle Lowe ’56C, Lindsay Smith Newsom ’63HS Left to right: Ila Walker Bittner ’05, Mary McGranahan Moss ’74HS, Gina Ellis Minton ’82C
Left to right: Betty Bacon Bikle ’59C, Gloria Taft Becker ’92HS, Sallie Harris Glover ’81HS ’83C
30
Saint Mary’s School | www. sms.edu
Left to right: Mary Craig Timberlake Brown ’77HS ’79C, Mandy Johnson Spears ’84HS ’86C, Jennifer Jones Stallings ’90C
NAGS HEAD, N.C. July 28, 2017
At the home of Dawson and Gina Stone Rascoe ’79C
Left to right: Janie Stronach Wood ’62HS ’64C, Becky Gordon Hoggard ’51HS ’53C, Lois Perry Sawyer ’52C, Nancy Dawson Rascoe ’52C
Left to right: Verna Gillam Perry ’63C, Janie Swain Molster ’78HS, Dawson Rascoe, Gina Rascoe Stone ’79C, Dow Perry Crowder ’91HS ’93C, Lilly Crowder, Nancy Culpepper Spruill ’74C, Tra Jennette Perry ’62C, Nancy Gillam Spruill ’66HS ’68C Left to right: Dow Perry Crowder ’91HS ’93C, Lilly Crowder, Tra Jennette Perry ’62C
GREENSBORO, N.C. October 3, 2017 At HQ Greensboro
Aurelia Fulton Stafford ’48HS ’50C and Head of School Brendan O’Shea
Left to right: Britt Carl ’04, Beth Morris Gobble ’82C, Chelsea Reynolds ’09
Left to right: Laura Deane Matheson Gresham ’51HS ’53C, Marilyn Stadler Gideon ’62HS ’64C, Margaret Jackson Weatherly ’65C, Bill Weatherly
Head of School Brendan O’ Shea and Corinne Grimsley Donkle ’43C
Left to right: Suzanne Parker Bulakowski ’98HS, Neill Bulakowski, Dottie B Edwards Nutt ’76C
31
EVENTS
RECEPTION
for the installation of Brendan O’Shea as 14th Head of Saint Mary’s School
October 11, 2017
At Saint Mary's School, Smedes Hall
Head of School Brendan O’ Shea addresses the guests gathered in Smedes-Emory Parlor.
Left to right: Margaret Cheatham Williams ’57C, Cross Williams, Blanche Spencer Williamson ’76HS
Left to right: Hurley Raynor, Laura Norris Raynor ’69HS ’71C, Mike Becker, Gloria Taft Becker ’92HS
Left to right: Kim Norfleet Collie ’88C, Elizabeth Comer Dozier ’82C, Joan Comer Johnston ’87C, Josie Rawl Hall ’74C
Left to right: Mike Hoyt, Judy Rhodes Hoyt ’63C, Julie Badger Moore ’69C
32
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
BOARD OF VISITORS October 13, 2017
At Saint Mary's School, Smedes-Emory Parlor
Brooks Bell addresses the 2017 Board of Visitors meeting.
Brooks Bell, center, keynote speaker for the 2017 Board of Visitors meeting, is surrounded by Saint Mary’s students who participated in the event.
Diane Tyndall ’08 and professor emeritus Steve Esthimer, Ph.D.
ATLANTA
October 24, 2017
At the home of Frank and Susan Davis Virgin ’66HS ’68C
Left to right: Annette Kerlin McBrayer ’75HS, Janet Smaley Todd ’75HS, Melanie Hardy Hardin ’80HS ’82C, Susan Davis Virgin ’66HS ’68C, Kimbrough Mobley Gibson ’84HS ’86C, Liz Stickley Scott ’86HS ’88C
Left to right: Cathy Swain Crossett ’68C, Nancy Matthews Musarra ’68C, Cathy Walp Askey ’68C, Susan Davis Virgin ’66HS ’68C, Jo Crawford Phelps ’68C
33
EVENTS
AUGUSTA, GA. October 25, 2017
At the home of George and Susan Byers Muir ’74C Seated: Susan deCamp Conger ’73C; standing, left to right: George Muir, Susan Byers Muir ’74C, Lucy Shuler, Jane Leonard, Brendan O’Shea, Julie Ricciardi
CHARLOTTE, N.C. October 26, 2017
At the home of Russell and Sally Dalton Robinson ’51HS
Left to right: Olga McCoy Faison ’88C, Liz Norfleet Grasty ’91C, Marietta Steck Murphy ’91C, Melissa Gibson Estes ’88C
Left to right: Brendan O’Shea, Sally Dalton Robinson ’51HS, Russell Robinson
DURHAM/CHAPEL HILL, N.C. November 3, 2017
At the home of John and Caroline Detgen Hughes ’82HS Left to right: Lucy Bratton Doak ’72HS, Brendan O’Shea, Anna Finner Rives ’71HS ’73C, Jeff Rives
Left to right: Diane Tyndall ’08, Chelsea Ward ’09, Johnria Deberry Booker ’02, Diane Littlefield Rosenbluth ’63C, Carolyn Borden
34
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
Left to right: Lanier Brown May ’78HS ’80C, Melrose Whitfield Fisher ’72HS ’74C, Julie Ricciardi, Heather Smithwick Haley ’89HS ’91C
NASHVILLE, TENN. November 12, 2017 At the home of Kurt and Beth Ryan Winstead ’78C
Left to right: Julie Ricciardi, Beth Ryan Winstead ’78C, Margaret McGlohon ’81C, Mary Stuart Smart ’10
Left to right: Julie Ricciardi, Amy Woodson ’80HS ’82C, Margaret McGlohon ’81C
LEXINGTON, KY. November 13, 2017
At the home of Gay Haggin VanMeter ’81HS
Seated, left to right: Josie Forbes ’76C, Caroline Burns, Sara Bell Thompson ’40C, Margaret McGlohon ’81C; standing, left to right: Peggy Manly Graddy ’76C, Marti Broadbent Mayer ’80C, Gay Haggin VanMeter ’80HS, Julie Ricciardi, Carlisle VanMeter Mayer ’80C
35
EVENTS
NEW YORK CITY November 29, 2017
At the home of Bob, Sally, and Meredith Miller ’12
Left to right: Kathleen Kelly ’00, Betsy Crawford-Leavitt ’67C, Collie Crum Rock ’67C, Susan Hannah-Keown ’67C
Kathleen Kelly ’00, left, Adelle Johnson ’16, right
BOSTON
November 30, 2017 At Bourbon & Buttermilk
Left to right: Ranny Cho ’12, Sally Maddison Wooten ’85HS, Sally Miller, Meredith Miller ’12, Betsy Crawford Leavitt ’67C
Left to right: Ruth Ann White deRedon ’72HS, Annis Gill-Miller ’83HS ’85C, Margaret McGlohon ’81C, Lindsey Johnson ’11
36
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
Left to right: Julie Ricciadi, Jennifer Rundles, Abby Wahlstrom, Lindsey Johnson ’11, Julia Austenfeld ’11
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. December 5, 2017
At the home of Daniel and Katie Newell Leach ’01
Left to right: Katie Newell Leach ’01, Kathy Sheftal Donovan ’89HS, Michelle Washington Jennings ’84C, Keen Donovan Left to right: Julie Ricciardi, Anne Finley Kimmett ’91C, Edie Lindsey Eckman ’80C, Carrie Coleman ’12
RALEIGH: THE CARDINAL AT NORTH HILLS December 7, 2017
Meet and Greet with Saint Mary's Chamber Choir
Left to right: Melissa Jones, Dave Jones, Lucile Best Jones ’48HS’50C, Gwyn Jones ’20
Standing: Priscilla Swindell’54C; seated: Julie Ricciardi, left, Blanche Robertson Bacon ’53HS ’55C, right
Left to right: Margaret Dixon ’18, Elizabeth Patteson Dixon ’80HS, Peggy Mitchiner Marcus ’53C
37
MILESTONES Nancy Ann Wright ’49HS, October 20, 2016
Nancy Atkinson Shaffer ’58C, July 4, 2017
Jeanne Marie Acker Meigs ’50HS, October 12, 2017
Lynda Richert McConnell ’58HS, August 27, 2017
Betty Shields Bass ’50C, October 12, 2017
Emily “Em” Sue Nelson Cummings ’60C, October 28, 2017
Mary Elizabeth Bassett Morten ’41HS ’43C, August 21, 2017
Elizabeth “Lib” Suiter Robinson ’50C, July 21, 2017
Henrietta DeWitt “Dee” Tillery Hamilton ’62C, August 31, 2017
Anna Wood Ragland ’41C, November 25, 2017
Louise Wooten Talley ’52HS, September 19, 2017
Janet Price Hoggard ’64C, September 23, 2017
Mamie Burnett Willard ’41C, October 16, 2017
Della Edwards Kirkland ’52C, October 31, 2017
Evelyn “Hayden” Garges Yow ’69C, January 17, 2017
Grace Butler Adams ’42C, July 20, 2017
Sue Harrison Zauke ’52C, January 25, 2017
Fran Wilson Lineberger ’70C, July 7, 2017
Walker Dillard Kirby ’43C, November 11, 2017
Lillian Triplett McHugh ’53HS, October 26, 2017
Nancy Saint-Amand Holt ’71C, August 10, 2017
Georgia Murphy Smallman ’44HS, June 3, 2017
Lorrie Ingram Clark ’54C, July 18, 2017
Laura Beckman Rodes ’71C, August 31, 2017
Maria Legg Wortham ’44C, May 1, 2017
Mary Jordan Sutton Heald ’54C, October 3, 2017
Anne Miller Daniel ’73C, November 22, 2017
Gwyn Hughes Barnes ’45C, August 10, 2017
Martha Edwards Barringer ’55C, June 24, 2017
Dwanda Jackson Hinds ’76HS, August 15, 2107
Sidney Dunbar Jones Jackson ’45C, June 6, 2017
Betty Lou Dawson Schlatterer ’55C, April 27, 2017
Melissa Mathews Snyder ’98HS, August 9, 2017
Mary Moulton Barden ’46C, August 8, 2017
Patricia Satterfield Gentry ’56C, May 30, 2017
Margaret Rose Bass Blosser, former staff, October 31, 2017
Marguerite Bishop Paschal ’46C, November 28, 2017
Nancy Settle Taylor ’56HS ’58C, August 5, 2017
Martha Van Patten Ripley ’46C, April 17, 2017
Marion Sims Bunker ’57HS, June 24, 2017
Georgette Campbell, professor emerita of biology, September 8, 2017
Virginia Woodley Chapman ’47C, June 13, 2017
Emeline Elmore Keith ’58C, August 31, 2017
IN MEMORIAM Cathrine Noell Johnson ’34C, November 25, 2017 Elizabeth “Betty” Montgomery Oates Gage ’39HS, September 15, 2017
Lillian “Dooley” Baltzar Doeschler ’47C, November 28, 2017 Lenora Young Dempsey Mathews ’47C, July 21, 2017 Elizabeth “Libba” Roberts Wood ’47C, August 15, 2017 Ellen Rixey Barber ’49C, October 31, 2017 Margaret Judd Morris Wright ’49C, June 30, 2017 Mary Ann Robinson Clarkson ’49HS, September 19, 2017 Adelaide Curtis Snyder ’49HS ’51C, June 15, 2017
38
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
Susan House, former faculty member, August 12, 2017
Todd and Jeanne Jolly McLean ’97HS with son, James Lyon McLean, born November 24, 2017.
BIRTHS Libby Holding ’78C and Willard Ross were married in the Saint Mary’s Chapel, November 11, 2017. (Photo by Blanche Williamson ’76HS Photography)
Sally Howell Donaldson ’94C, a daughter, August 21, 2017 Jeanne Jolly McLean ’97HS, a son, November 24, 2017
MARRIAGES *Libby Holding ’78C to Willard Ross, November 11, 2017
Parke Montague ’07 to Alex Vickers, June 24, 2017
Fredanel Story ’84HS to Steve Morris, September 16, 2017
Susan Ramsay ’07 to Chad Marshall, September 3, 2017
Stella Keller ’89HS to Richard Black, June 19, 2017
Beth Walters ’08 to John Nash, September 30, 2017
Elizabeth Olson ’94HS to Fred Wise, July 8, 2017
*Caroline Fuqua ’09 to Joe Owen October 14, 2017
Vance Denning ’02 to Jeff Drew, October 14, 2017
Heather MacKenzie ’09 to Andrew Q. Eck, November 20, 2017
Melody Emerson ’05 to Matt Miller, September 9, 2017
Lacy McClure ’09 to Matt Rollins, September 9, 2017
*Alex Crimmins ’05 to Kyle Kaminski, September 23, 2017
Cameron Crawford ’10 to Chad Walton October 21, 2017
Gabrielle Bratton ’05 to Ed Hall October 21, 2017
Rachel Finney ’10 to Will O’Brien, July 15, 2017
Caroline Donaldson ’07 to Ephraim Firdyiwek Anna Smither ’10 to Kyle Semon October 14, 2017 October 20, 2017 Adrienne Fitch ’07 to Joseph Costin September 30, 2017
*Married in Saint Mary's Chapel
Lizzie Davis Elder ’01, a daughter, June 16, 2017 Liz Dodd Sherrod ’01, a son, May 10, 2017 Margaret Brooks Duke ’03, a daughter, June 7, 2017 Tatyana Sherabim-Stewart ’03, a daughter, September 14, 2017 Morgan Hollowell Vuyovich ’05, a daughter, June 11, 2017 Casey Johnston Winslow ’05, a daughter, November 14, 2017 Courtney Holmes Mann ’06, a daughter, November 3, 2017 Jessie Finch Weaver ’09, a son, August 2, 2017 Canaday Hubbard Green ’06, a daughter, September 8, 2017 Roslyn Ragsdale Manning ’08, a daughter, September 5, 2017
These milestones were compiled based on information received by the school by December 1, 2017. Every effort is made to include everyone for whom we have official confirmation by press time. If we missed you or your loved one, please send an official announcement to mvswain@sms.edu, or mail to Mary Virginia Swain ’77C, Saint Mary’s School, 900 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27603, for inclusion in the summer 2018 magazine.
39
CLASS NEWS
1938 CLASS NEWS It’s all here – the latest and greatest news from alumnae in odd-year classes. Saint Mary’s extends a special thanks to the dedicated class secretaries who compiled and crafted these class newsletters, many who have served for decades. Even-year classes will be featured in the summer 2018 magazine. Alumnae in these classes will receive information to facilitate the reporting of news to class secretaries or directly to the school.
CLASS NEWS POLICIES Due to the uncertain nature of certain types of news, Saint Mary’s does not publish news of wedding engagements or pregnancies. We publish news of marriages, births, adoptions, or deaths, based on published news reports or direct phone or email contact with the Alumnae Office from the parties or immediate families. Please remember to include Saint Mary’s in your wedding announcement in the newspaper and please send birth announcements to the Alumnae Office for inclusion in the milestones section. Saint Mary’s Class Notes are published for each class once each year. Due to the extended nature of the production schedule for the magazine, class news is meant to be a once-a-year general update of your news for the previous year. We cannot guarantee the exact timeliness of your news, so please keep our advance deadlines in mind when submitting news. Saint Mary’s School reserves the right to edit class news for content, length, and timeliness. Photographs may be submitted for consideration for the class news to mvswain@sms.edu or Mary Virginia Swain, 900 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27603. Photos must be high-quality prints or digital .jpeg photo files of at least 300 dpi. Group shots should include Saint Mary’s alumnae (and spouses and children) only and must include a detailed listing of everyone pictured, including full names and class years.
40
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL
Charlotte Ruffner Taylor ’38C is in an assisted living apartment at Trinity Oaks in Salisbury. She had three children, and two are still living. She has 10 grandchildren and one greatgrandchild.
1942
COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL
Betty Walters Reid ’42C writes from Southern Pines, “I was disappointed that no one from my class attended the 175th anniversary party at Saint Mary’s. My former roommates are deceased, but surely some more of my class is still active. I stay busy with several community projects.”
1944
COLLEGE
Mary Lynn Lewis DeLany Dear Fellow Ninety Year Olds, Here I am again and hope to entertain you a bit with very sparse news of our classmates. All must be busy, as I have news of only three classmates. Maybe Mary Virginia can fill in some more, I hope so. Granted our years are a factor, but we have so many good memories – some you could share on these pages. Some of us are still going places, whether to foreign shores or only next door. The trick is – GO, MOVE – if you just sit there you might take root! We can’t have that. Look at Brent Woodson Elmore, our poster-girl for moving about – Then we have Ruth Glass Moore in Whiteville, who lives next door to her church, where she still contributes her time and interest. Talk about staying close to home! Charlotte Crawford Arrendell is still living in her church community in Black Mountain, Highland Farms, for many years. I hope she gets to the local metropolis, Asheville, occasionally. I am in a church community, as well. My news was years ago, but now it is all about my family – sound familiar? Daughter Lynn Johnson Titchener’s
’73C two daughters got married in the past year, both in the Asheville area, a big wedding venue these days. Lynn is still in Raleigh, exercising her talent as a calligrapher, mostly for brides and their invitations and related functions. She was quite busy with her own girls’ weddings, as you can imagine. My daughter, Carter Johnson Overton ’76C, has two sons out in the world. Lewis is an ear, nose and throat surgeon in his fifth-year residency at UNC, and Marshall is a real estate tycoon in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. Carter and Ashley divide their time living in both Greensboro and Mt. Pleasant. As fate would have it, my Saint Mary’s roommate, Betsy Scott Thompson Severance ’45, lives here just across the street. We have to be careful around her – she is an ordained minister! I am supposed to call her “Elizabeth,” more dignified for a minister, I guess! My good buddy, Chinkie Martin Goodale, passed away this past year. She lived nearby at the Village at Brookwood. Lucy Woodruff Groh ’44HS, is an email friend who attended SMS for high school and graduated from Cornell University in 1948. She reports that she is, “Alive and kicking (not as high as I used to kick!) but have now moved into the Anchorage Pioneer Home, Room 325, 923 West 11th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99501 (only 5 blocks from my home), after a series of wicked strikes of more cancers, this time including uterine cancer and then more colon cancer, and the follow-ups of chemotherapy and radiation, which led me to the decision. As soon as I am able to drive again, I plan to take my time going through the process of bit by bit disposing of many years of valuable boxes of Groh and Alaska history from the last 50 years or so!” All right, ladies. Hang in there, keep busy and moving, exercising, dancing, playing cards, swimming, etc. Know I love you all very much. Mary Lynn
1948
COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL
Jane Campbell Symmes ’46C sports her new Saint Mary’s 175th logo shawl, a gift from fellow Madison, Ga., resident Lyn Brown Hunt ’72C, who brought it back from her trip to her reunion and 175th gala celebration in May.
1946
COLLEGE
Dabney Little McElroy ’46C Mary Billings Babcock writes from Valparaiso, Ind., “When a letter requesting news for classmates came from Saint Mary’s, I was inspired to call my dear friend, Estelle Boyce Cheshire ’46C. We had a wonderful conversation. We expressed our amazement that at our age of 90, both of us are still using Saint Mary’s instruction in piano to entertain others.” Stell recently gave a program of favorite “oldies a la Liberace” for the residents of the retirement home where she and her husband live. The setting was complete, right down to the candelabra on the music stand. The Cheshires live at The Villages of Brookwood in Burlington. Mary remembers that Jim Cheshire is the grandson of Bishop Cheshire, whose portrait hangs in Smedes-Emory Parlor.
1946
HIGH SCHOOL
Anna Lee Smith Dorsett writes that she enjoys living at The Cypress in Raleigh. She still keeps up with other Raleigh friends, too, some at home and some at The Cardinal, another retirement living facility.
Grace Jones Fishel ’48HS writes from Roanoke Rapids, “Believe it or not, Harry and I are still here in the house we have lived in for 30 years! Still running (?) up and down stairs to our bedroom, cooking and doing most of our living on the first floor.” Young Harry has retired from W.R. Grace Co., and lives on a lake in South Carolina. Fred is still at the University of Florida in Gainesville in the agronomy department. “We are not as hale and hearty as we used to be, but still making it, mostly just around town. Come to see us!” Jane Gower Brown ’48C and Walter are very happy at Springmoor in Raleigh. Her granddaughter, Jane Brown ’17, is at Princeton and doing fine. “She had a wonderful time at Saint Mary’s!”
1950
COLLEGE
Betty Ray McCain '50C Many of our wonderful class members have moved to retirement homes, and they are really enjoying their many opportunities (great meals cooked and served by others, lots of entertainment, all with less household duties to perform). Olivia Lynch Hardin has moved to The Cardinal at North Hills in Raleigh. She enjoys seeing many of her friends who have moved there as well. To make it even more perfect, her daughter Olivia and her family are now living nearby in the Hardins' former home. Aurelia Fulton Stafford has moved to Wellspring in Greensboro. She is very pleased with her situation there. Her children are near. Her daughter, Susan Stafford Kelly, is writing for Our State magazine and lives in Greensboro. Susan has written several excellent books, and her articles for Our State are wonderful. She is married to Rosalie Huske Kelly’s son, Sterling Kelly. All of us miss Rosalie! Luke Hill Page says all the Pages are fine, and she reported that Frankie Strosnider Dubose, who was widowed several years ago, has remarried. Frankie and her husband love to travel and are very happy. We wish the best for them! Patty Starr Willis writes that her husband, Rex, is in a nursing home in New Bern, where they live. Patty visits him every day, but she still finds time for church, Bible study, tennis, and bridge. Both of their boys live in New Bern and are very helpful and comforting to her. She has two grandchil-
dren at UNC, and sends love to all. As for me, eight of us had a wonderful trip to Ireland in May. It was beautiful weather, and everything is as green as they say it is! We covered the southern part of Ireland, and had a glorious time from the Cliffs of Moher to Dublin. The people are so friendly, and the Book of Kells is gorgeous. We visited the Guinness factory, and we saw several of the locations used for the Harry Potter movies. I commend travel with grown children. They were such fun. Our youngest grandchild, our only grandson, will turn 21 in a few days of my writing this news. All of us send you much love and all good wishes. Betty Ray McCain
1952
COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL
Mary Jo Paul Browning ’52C writes from Culpepper, Va., “I enjoyed our 65th reunion—we are still ‘alive and kicking!’ My granddaughter, Meredith Cardell, is a sophomore at East Carolina and is enjoying college.”
1954
COLLEGE
Trissy Holt Lomax '54C Pat Perry Moser writes that she is finishing her first year at "The Home," as her son calls it, and she is loving it. She says that over the summer they installed an arthritis water-hole putting green and they already had a bocce court and lots of walking paths. Pat does arthritis water aerobics two days a week. She says she has gotten out of all responsibilities except D.A.R., where all she has to do is say a blessing and lead the ritual. Pat loves to travel and says the only thing she has on her calendar now is in February, when she'll go to Nashville, Tenn., for a grandson's wedding. She planned to go to her condo on Sanibel Island at Thanksgiving. She says her son, John, lives 27 miles away, but everyone else lives in town, so she doesn't have to travel very far. Pat says one of Monroe's granddaughters had a baby boy this fall named Sebastian, descended from Johann Bach on his grandmother’s side of the family. Frances Stubinger Daugherty traveled to Santa Fe, N.M., last May and was delighted with it - a beautiful place in the middle of desert wilderness. They walked everywhere to see lots of museums of arts and crafts, including beautiful Indian jewelry, and didn't have to rent a car. Alma Weston Green writes that she was thinking about 65 years
41
CLASS NEWS LEADING LADIES OF SAINT MARY'S Caro Bayley Bosca ’41C World War II aviator In May of 1943, during World War II, Caro Bayley Bosca ’41C, a Saint Mary’s graduate, joined a group of pioneering women who entered the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots, the famous WASP. The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), was a paramilitary aviation organization. The WASP, numbering 1,074, each of whom had already obtained their pilot’s license prior to service, became the first women to fly American military aircraft. They ferried planes from factories to bases, transporting cargo and participating in simulation strafing and target missions, accumulating more than 60 million miles in flight distances and freeing thousands of male U.S. pilots for active duty in World War II. Considered civil service employees and without official military status, the WASP were granted no military honors or benefits, and it wasn’t until 1977 that the WASP received full military status. On March 10, 2010, at a ceremony in the Capitol, the WASP received the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the highest civilian honors. More than 200 former pilots attended the event, many wearing their World War II-era uniforms. Caro Bayley was born March 29, 1922, in Springfield, Ohio. She experienced her first airplane ride at the age of 13 and knew she wanted to become a pilot. After graduating from Saint Mary’s in 1941, she entered the Civilian Pilot Training program. After completing her flight training, she worked at Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, where she remained active in flying. In 1943, when the Army announced the formation of the WASP program, Caro applied and was accepted. She completed her WASP training in Sweetwater, Texas, and received her silver wings in November of 1943. Her first duty assignment was in the B-25 school at Mather Army Air Base in Sacramento, Calif. Her training included formation work and instrument flying.
42
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
Her next assignment was at Biggs Army Air Field in El Paso, Texas, where she flew bombers towing targets for antiaircraft trainees and for testing ground radar. The WASP carried out a variety of duties in various planes. Each mission called for a different plane, and the women flew everything from the Douglas Dauntless SBD and A24 to the Curtis Helldiver (SB2C and A-25) to the Republic Thunderbolt (P-47). After the Army disbanded the WASP program in 1944, Caro earned her commercial instructor’s license, and was hired by promoter Jess Bristow to fly aerobatics in his air show troupe. It was during this time that Caro attempted and achieved the altitude record of 30,203 feet in a Super Piper Cub, a record that held until the 1980s. She flew with several all women air shows along with six other women pilots who lived in Coconut Grove, Fla., in a rented house they called, “the WASP nest.” In 1951, Caro became the Women’s International Aerobatic Champion and was named “Aviation Woman of the Year” by Mademoiselle magazine. In 1954, she retired from the air show and married Orsino Bosca. The Boscas settled in Springfield, Ohio, and summered in Wilmington, N.C., and raised four children. Caro was a member of the Board of Directors of the International Women’s Air and Space Museum, a life member of the Ninety-Nines, a member of the EAA, a member of the Women in Aviation, and the Women’s Military Aviators. She was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame in Ohio in the early 1990s. She was elected president of the WASP. Caro died of pancreatic cancer, September 13, 2007, at the age of 85, surrounded by her loved ones. According to her obituary, as written by her children, she died as she had lived – with remarkable strength, quick humor, courage, and grace.
Caro Bayley Bosca ’41C through the years. Top: honored with the Congressional Gold Medal; center: flying her plane; bottom: serving as a WASP in World War II.
ago, when we entered Saint Mary’s, and that the most impressive thing that happened was she met the most wonderful girls and friends she made for life. Her grandson went to West Point and spent the last year in Korea. She is thrilled to have him back on American soil! Alma's granddaughter spent eight years in training after medical school and is now a cardiologist in Atlanta. Alma has 13 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. She says she and Robert are doing okay - moving a little slower, but still getting around. Henry and I have spent most of this year in our Florida home. We usually go back to North Carolina in the summer, but both of us had medical issues that kept us here, where we have excellent doctors. As I write this, we are heading back to North Carolina for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our children and grands are mostly there. Our doctor granddaughter is doing her residency in Baton Rouge, La., and will be there for two more years. We do get to see her occasionally when she comes to Florida to see her "significant other," who is in St. Petersburg, which is not far from us. Our other granddaughter is in training to be an EMT and will be certified in December. We senior citizens are both a little impaired in the knees and backs and use canes to get around, but feel grateful to have no serious illnesses. Trissy
1954
HIGH SCHOOL
Reba White Williams was awarded an honorary degree by the Graduate Center of City University of New York: Doctor of Humane Letters. She earned her Ph.D. in art history at the Graduate Center some years ago. She sees Betty Grant Condon ’65HS ’67C frequently. “She’s a regular attendee at some of our special events, such as the ceremony for presenting our annual Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction, held at the New York Yacht Club,” notes Reba. Mott Butler Goff ’54HS ’56C writes from Dunn, “The best news is to be here to enjoy family, friends, and life.” Her grandchildren include one college sophomore, two high school seniors, and two younger teens in high school. “I have blessings each day.”
1956
COLLEGE
Martha Brooks Bricio ’54HS ’56C What a treat! So many of you responded some with lengthy letters, some just to check in and let your classmates hear from you.
Whether from laptops, iPhones, iPads or blue slips, thank you SO much for letting your friends from long ago hear from you! Lots of hurricanes this year - but not so much for our classmates, except in the mountains, and according to Laura James Bettes Schomberg, in Orlando, Fla.: "Thankfully, we weathered the storm. I keep finding things that need to be fixed. Our basement flooded higher than usual. Yes, we do have a basement sump pump, but when the lights go out, the sump pump stops working. The lights were out for five days. We had to get a new washer and dryer. They are up on risers, but as I said, the water came up higher than usual. We are fine, no windows broken and nothing that can't be fixed. It was a noisy hurricane.” Barbara Doar Cooper doesn't mention storm damage, but she does stress that beach house upkeep is ongoing. “I get away a lot to Sunset Beach to tend four places I rent out. Ocean-front cottages tend to rot, peel, and chip, as I sit here, so there is a lot of work involved with 16 bedrooms and 20 bathrooms. No, I haven't retired, it seems!” Retired or not, she lives in a retirement community, Sharon Towers, in Charlotte, and comments that life there "can be a hoot!" Another retirement community dweller, Pearla Ann Revelle Lowe, says, “I'm living at the wonderful Cypress of Raleigh. I enjoy the good life here. Also have four college-age grandchildren in the area, plus three more at Broughton High School! And I enjoy hearing the news of Saint Mary's!” Continuing the subject of retirement, Joan Culbreth Greer reports that she and Jep are doing well. "Jep just retired AGAIN on his 85th birthday. Was working part time at a center for adults with intellectual disabilities for about 15 years. We have one grandson who is in college at Georgia Southern University, and the other three continue to stay busy.” Mott Butler Goff says, "What happened to retirement? I have something to do too often! A granddaughter playing soccer for UNC-Chapel Hill is a must for this grandma to see! Had a train trip to Richmond that proved to be 'the way to travel' for us older young people. We need rain in Dunn, so I'm off to water the garden! Hello to all SMS girls!” Mary Louise Bizzell Burress sees classmates frequently and is still a tireless fundraiser for Saint Mary’s. “Fortunately, I have seen lots of SMS pals this past year! Sue Warburton Redd and Sue Jett Russler came to join Ruth Watkins Barber, Margaret Brunson Hill, and me for the birthday bash, which was such fun! We saw so
many friends! I have been in touch with Marianna Miller Raugh, as well as trying to get her to Winston-Salem for a visit! Also in touch with Nancy Crow Allen in Houston, Texas. She came through the storm with minimum damage.” Mary Louise and Eve Hargrave Smith '53HS are involved in a campaign to update the head of school’s home, the Theo Wilkes Coonrod house, which will be dedicated in the spring. Mary Louise continues, “With that accomplished for our new head of school, we should be off and running for another great period for SMS.” Betty Ivey Helms checked in to say “hello,” and Ann Morton Robinson still lives in Asheville, where three of her five children live with their families. “I have 11 grandchildren," she says. Patsy Miller Moore says she is fine. She spent less time at her place at Pine Knoll Shores this summer, just when her sons were there. Patsy and I commiserate on that - probably since we've lived in our houses so long shredding old documents, culling bookshelves and weeding out neglected closets is a chore. “I live in fear that the papers on the kitchen table and in my study will smother me!” Helen Walker Webb stays busy playing duplicate bridge three times a week, writing short pieces for a writing group, church activities, and other “various adventures. Belly dancing and zip lining are things of the past!” Susan Patman Day plays bridge, too, and is having fun “trying to play golf for the first time in my life (here Susan inserts a smiley emoji), at my mountain condo every chance I get. Also painting these gorgeous mountain scenes.” In the fall, Susan was scheduled for a hip replacement, which hopefully went well. Carolyn Foy Ragsdale writes, “My daughter, Mary Foy Ragsdale ’77HS ’79C, has moved in with me because I have wet macular degeneration - hence very limited vision. She drove me up to Franklin, Va., recently, and we had a great visit with Ina Gee Ridley Pittman. Ina is well and looks like a million! Was sorry Mott Butler Goff was unable to go with me.” Nancy Mallon Towe says, “Believe it or not, I've had a lot of company from the eastern U.S. since I moved to Colorado! I've enjoyed everyone’s visit immensely, and they enjoyed seeing the part of Colorado I live in, especially the Rocky Mountains. Right now, they are covered with snow and are magnificent! I see them every day when I go to work, and I'm still dumbstruck at their majestic beauty. I was in North Carolina for a week in October, having a wonderful time visiting my longtime
43
CLASS NEWS friend from Florida, who has a cabin near Boone. Unfortunately, I was too far away to visit Raleigh or Hertford. I'll be going to Florida in March or April to visit family and friends before the stone crab season ends. There's nothing better to eat than cracked cold stone crabs with drawn butter!” Peg Smithdeal Tatum writes that she bought a new home in Loudon, Tenn. Her son, Dr. Scott Tatum, had triple by-pass heart surgery in March, but is doing great, back to performing reconstructive plastic surgery in his otolaryngology department at SUNY Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y. Scott’s wife has also had health issues, but plans to go back to her pediatric practice soon. Peg was looking forward to six of her family being with her to celebrate her birthday in November. Betty Mixon Daughtry always writes a newsy letter about her family in Walnut Creek, near Goldsboro. “Gerald and I continue to be in good health. Gerald goes to his weekly Golden Kiwanis meetings, and spends many hours in the history room at the Wayne County Public Library. I am involved in many areas of our church, St. Paul’s UMC. I also stay busy with my chapter of D.A.R., and am now helping with our newly organized C.A.R. (Children of the American Revolution). My family is now a D.A..R and C.A.R. family for sure, with our daughters D.A.R. members, and our three grandchildren C.A.R members. Gerald and I also enjoy many activities with our family: our three daughters, Kay, Peggy, and Carol, and husband Arch, who have three children, Elizabeth, Darden, and Helen-Anne. All live in Goldsboro, except for Peggy. She lives at Wrightsville Beach--we visit! Yes, Gerald and I do ‘travel’ to all the Goldsboro civic ballet productions (for Elizabeth and Helen-Anne) and to Darden's sports events - he plays football, basketball, and golf. Darden was selected to be a state Senate page in Raleigh for a week in June, a real honor. He served on the Senate floor and enjoyed every minute.” How great to hear from Julia Hamme Taylor, who writes from Oxford, where she grew up and where she still lives. “I enjoy reading the news about my peers. We are still living in Oxford. Dick has retired and written a book about Oxford for our 200th year celebration. He loves history and genealogy, and has approximately 16,000 names in his data base! We are related to almost everyone! It is fun for both of us. Keep moving and stay healthy!” When Ann Dorris Garvin writes, her words reflect gentleness. “All is well with me and
44
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
my family. We welcomed Mary Claire Schaffner in June. My fifth precious great-grandchild! I have five granddaughters. Three graduated from Clemson and are working. One will graduate this spring, and the youngest is hoping to go to Clemson next year. It’s fun to get to know them as adults. I love being retired. Enjoy reading, walking and, especially, family. God’s Peace!” We do get around, don't we? And stay busy, too. Busy can be a good thing, if it’s busy with things of our own choosing. My travel this year was the usual family trip to High Hampton (which the grandkids still love) and another family trip to Paris and the Moselle Valley in Germany (thanks to a grandson's love of German soccer). Seattle will have to wait till next year! That's it for this time. Do take care of yourselves, and yes, we will have another reunion! Love and best wishes, Martha
1956
HIGH SCHOOL
Peg Finlay Averyt has published her second children’s book, Dutch Dives In, which she also illustrated with her original watercolor images. It was inspired by her beloved father and is based on her own childhood visits to Pawley’s Island with her treasured doll, Mary California. Her first book is Willowbell’s Wagon, the story of a brown rabbit that lives on Heathwood Circle in Columbia, S.C. Peg also lives in Columbia, and is the owner of Finleaf Gallery there. Martha Goode Ellerbe of Raleigh is thrilled that her granddaughter, Eliza Ellerbe ’21 is now a student at Saint Mary’s.
1958
COLLEGE
Barbara Hauser Bryan ’58C Reunion Weekend, our 60th, is April 27-28, 2018! Be sure that we have both your cell phone number and best email address to let you know which hotel we’ll use. Plan to bring family pictures and historic photos of our days at Saint Mary’s. We will greatly miss Martha Custis Umphlett (died January 28, 2016), Nancy Atkinson Shaffer (died July 4, 2017), and Emeline Elmore Keith (died August 31, 2017). Dot Ricks Lind is “glad Saint Mary’s is thriving,” and hopes to be at our April reunion. Jessie Allen Ogburn had a question mark beside the month May? She hosted the Saint Mary’s summer party in Wilmington. Ann (Shep) Shepherd Engel and Ted remain in their Indianapolis, Ind., home watching their grands, ages 3-14. “We’re moving slow-
er, but we’re still moving.” Millie Fary Coleman and Tom remain healthy, now moved to a Spartanburg, S.C., retirement community near two grands. The other three are three hours away. Emmy McNeill Sconyers and Jim enjoy retirement, their seven grandchildren, and attending their son’s solo art shows. Emmy is inspired by this year’s BSF Bible study of Romans. Jenny Whitehurst Hawkins reported her first auto accident that left her car totaled. Blessedly, she walked away uninjured. Her car’s black box was checked to decide the cause. “Still hanging in there: older and bolder,” she writes. Annie Gray Calhoun Lane meets fairly often for supper with Jessie Allen Ogburn (when she’s at the beach) and Jane Bellamy Venters, who was widowed last year. Annie Gray, Jessie, Jenny, and Dickie Robinson Tyler stayed with Lou Johnson Johanson for the SMS 175th Anniversary, where Annie Gray saw Betsy Duke Seamon ’55HS, who was in her kindergarten class. Lou explains that the party extended from Raleigh to the beach “to continue celebrating our great school and what ‘she’ has meant to us.” Lou enjoys seminars at UNC-Chapel Hill and had an Oxford University study reunion lunch with Annie Gray, Jenny, and Jessie. “Family is great,” she concludes. Facebook can be fun and help me find classmates. Recently it showed me that Peggy Hamme Youngblood and Boo Baker Love “have been friends for five years.” I also learned that a Fayetteville high school friend volunteers in Seattle with Mary Bahnsen Mullen. Also, I read activities of HS and SMJC classmate Janice Sutton Manassa in Jacksonville. Dickie Robinson Tyler writes from Edenton, where son Dawson is a general contractor. Daughter Blair Peters, her husband, and their four children live over the Golden Gate bridge. Three children attend East Coast colleges. Youngest son is a high school senior. Two years ago, Becky Walters Taylor and Bobby joined friends at a Greensboro retirement home following her massive stroke in 2012. Her left side paralyzed, Becky worked through “tons of therapy” with family support, and is now walking with a cane and driving. Bobby goes to his office each day, and they enjoy a condo at Grandfather Mountain where they, two sons (Charlotte residents), wives, and the three grands gather. Mary- Hannah Finch Taft is proud that two granddaughters, Rachel Cecil ’15 and Mary Hannah Sigmon ’17, are SMS graduates and a third, Lucy Sigmon ’21 is a freshman. Mary Hannah attended Lucy’s
induction into the Granddaughters Club this fall. Brooks Newton Preik continues parttime estate work as a legal assistant for her lawyer nephew, noting, “It keeps my mind active, my body moving, and I feel that I am doing something worthwhile for people who are going through a difficult time.” She is attending “as many concerts as possible,” and at home she reads, and is very slowly memoir writing. Penelope Currie writes that she had a “jolly beach vacation” in the fall and hopes to be with us in April. She lives in Charlotte. Kit Tiedeman Mason has recovered from back surgery in the fall and resumed volunteer work at the hospital, plus involvement with activities at St. James Episcopal Church in Wilmington. Twice yearly, she enjoys threeto four-week visits with daughter Catie’s family and their trio. The 2016 Los Angeles fire in their area, in front and a mountain behind, had them poised for evacuation before a lastminute reprieve. Betty Bundy Webb sends love to all from Charlotte. She and Jim are in the midst of moving, although not yet putting their house on the market. They are living at the Carriage Club until they get settled somewhere permanently. She reports that she and Jim are reasonably healthy and going strong. Daughter Mary McCune has two children, a girl Peyton and a boy James. She asks for prayers, as she and Jim “are in such a hassle” with the move. Sterling Chadwick Heller was recovering from Hurricane Harvey damage in the fall, but also busy on several boards: Fulton Mansion, United Way, and Aim Hospice. Last summer she and granddaughter Paige cruised to Quito, Ecuador, and loved seeing animals on Galápagos Islands. Peggy Withers Allen sees Kit occasionally, has a daughter in Raleigh now, and lives near my son Russ in Wilmington. Michael Gardner Moore penned from California that she hopes to be at our 60th reunion, as do numbers of others. Pat Watson Ambrose and Don enjoy Saint Simons Island, Ga., and visited grandson Benton on his Colgate University campus. Sue Sandlin-Plaehn remains in contact with music Belle Jennie Proctor Shwoebel ’57C and sees Marilyn Zschau ’57C when she visits from California. Still working, Sue says, “It’s hard to walk away from clients who have become friends.” Sara Barber Weatherman’s biggest news is the birth of her first grandchildren, one of each, and “both are precious.” She’s playing a lot of golf with her brother and sister-in-law, who’ve moved back to Wilkesboro, and she’s happy they’ve re-
turned home. Carole Barber Fauth returned to Key West, Fla., in early November, just in time to confront hurricane damage a couple of days before daughter Taylor and husband Aaron’s 15 or more couple friends flew in to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. While we conversed, Carole was directing workmen replacing a microwave, landscaping the grounds, dealing with the television, all topped by the crumpled flag pole that held the “I’m in residence” flag but succumbed to relentless winds. As for me, I’m loading up the 60 years of post cards and letters from our classmates so we can share them in our hotel after Friday evening’s (April 27) reunion party at school. Sons and grands are well and learning, traveling, and volunteering (as I). The Ken and Barbie show rolls on, eclipsed in 2017 by local Save Davidson movement (see Facebook’s Save Davidson group page) which challenged town hall, saved public parkland about to be sold, and voted in new leaders determined to preserve Davidson’s “small college town character.” Another good year! Barbara
1958
HIGH SCHOOL
Lucy Milward deMovellan ’58HS ’60C says she would love to hear from her classmates from Saint Mary’s Class of 1958 High School. She lives in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., now, but is planning to move back to Lexington, Ky., in April 2018. She requested that her new address be included here: 111 Woodland Ave., Lexington, KY 40502. She hopes to hear from Saint Mary’s friends! Helen Jones Kerby is living in Halstenbek, Germany, where she and Bill are very satisfied with the solar modules they had installed on the garage and house. “We produce all of our electricity ourselves. In the summer, we feed our surplus into the utility company system.” Their neighbors also tap into the power generated by the Kerbys. They enjoy an electric car, which they load from the solar modules. “Except for Bill’s deafness (hearing aids help) and my macular degeneration, we are fine. It means we have to stay together in airports. I say, ‘What do the signs say?’ and he says, ‘What announcement did they make over the loudspeaker?’ I still teach a few voice students, continue to study Russian, am active in the local chapter of the Blind Society, and advise our community on improvements for the handicapped.” Carol Spaulding Fox and husband Carter moved to The Cedars in Chapel Hill in April 2016. They
have daughters and their families in Durham and Greenville, N.C. They still spend the winter months in Sarasota, Fla. “It is exciting to be near Saint Mary’s and recognize all of the new growth of the school.” The Alumnae Office has received the sad news that Carroll Christoph Ehringhaus Niles died June 18, 2016. She was a resident of Stamford, Conn.
1960
COLLEGE
Peggy Pegues Kinney ’60C Thank you to those who took the time to send news! With help from Saint Mary’s, I emailed those they have addresses for and was happy with some responses. A few “bounced back” so if you have a NEW email address (didn’t get one from me thinking Saint Mary’s has your correct address), please send it to me at the above address, and I’ll pass it on to the Alumnae Office. It’s easy to stay in touch that way. Betty McLennan Dixon emailed that she moved to a townhouse in Waynesboro, Va., several years ago (after her husband George died some five years earlier) and now her sister and brother-in-law have moved nearby. Daughter Libby lives in Waynesboro, and her daughter Desiree and Betty’s little great-granddaughter, Annalise, live in Staunton, Va. Son Wayne and family are in Goochland County. Their daughter is a freshman at Sweet Briar, and son Cameron a sophomore/junior at Hampden-Sydney. She and Ann Hauser Garst enjoy an annual gettogether in the fall. Blanche Bonner Stevens says she and Walker have continued their sixmonth a year stay, now 12 years, at their second home just off the Rappahannock River in Carters Creek on Chesapeake Bay. Daughter Margaret and her boys and daughter are big into sports. Son Elliott’s daughter is also “big” into soccer. Fun for Blanche and Walker. They see Nancy Alston Siegling Fortiere and husband Dave, who vacation on Chesapeake Bay on their boat in the summer. In spite of Dave’s back surgery last winter and Nancy’s carpal tunnel repair and thumb reconstruction, they were able to go to the boat again for the summer. From there, they visited Dave’s sister and her husband in Massachusetts and enjoyed his 60th high school reunion. On the way home to South Carolina, they were rear-ended in Maryland, but no serious injury. They look forward to a repeat trip to Oklahoma this winter. Nancy reports a wonderful visit Christmas 2016, with the three grandchildren (12, 9, and 7), and they hope to go back for Christmas 2018.
45
CLASS NEWS The Fortieres have moved from their oceanfront home on Sullivans Island to a condo in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. Florie McLeod Ervin is in Florence, S.C., as of Nov. 2017, has 10 grandchildren under age 13, including eight girls and three boys. It was so great to hear from Tennys Bowers Owens, who emailed from Anchorage, Alaska, where she and Tom have lived since 1967. She reports that in December 2016, she retired from her “wonderful Artique Ltd. Gallery after 45 fabulous years in the fine art business in Alaska. I decided it was time to enjoy other things in our lives, like travel and just be ‘mostly' uncommitted. My good fortune was for Tom and me to move to Anchorage just as they had discovered oil and were building the famous pipeline. I had the opportunity to take part in not only creating the first gallery in the state, but to become a founder of the Anchorage Economic Development Corp., and invited to be the first woman on the board of directors of the largest bank in the state, National Bank of Alaska, which is now a Wells Fargo Bank. Opportunities were abounding for women, and our move here opened many doors in my very full life.” In August 2017, she was inducted into the Alaska Women Hall of Fame, which was the ultimate honor after being also inducted into the Alaska Business Hall of Fame ten years ago. Rebecca Hines Sherrill in Greenwood, S.C., says she and John often head up to Highlands and also to Isle of Palms, S.C., and planned a trip to Florida with a day at Disney (“can’t tell you how much fun it is without children”). But she adds “I DO love my grandchildren and now have nine, from age seven months to 17!” They head to Duke twice a year, as it is John’s alma mater and “he is in heaven on that campus.” Faye Fakler Pahl emailed that she and Ed, in Norfolk, Va., are doing well and have been married over 53 years. Both children Eddie and Suzanne live nearby and have three boys and two girls between them. Granddaughter Hannah married in January 2017; Nelson is 20 and working; Miles attends Granby High School; Dennis (16) and Maddy (12) are doing great. Last report from Betty Latta Hill in Wilmington was she was doing well and still getting around in her electric wheelchair in assisted living. Mary Cameron Phillips Dillingham, now in Greensboro, loves being near daughter Cameron and grandsons Walker (7) and Alexander (3). Cameron works at UNC-Greensboro, coaches fencing, and volunteers at the boys’ schools. Mary Cameron tries to return to St. Augustine, Fla., at least
46
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
once a year to see old friends. Bonnie Stone Adler and husband spend most of their time in Atlanta where their family is: four grandchildren, three 14-year-olds, and one nine-yearold. She runs into lots of Saint Mary’s girls while at their place near Linville, at Grandfather Golf and Country Club. She’s happy that great-niece Gracie Falk ’20 and cousin Ann Mason Smith ’20 are at Saint Mary’s “and love it as much as we did!” Lucy Milward deMovellan writes that she plans to move back to “my Old Kentucky Home” in Lexington in April after 16 years in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. Please join me in sending love and sympathy to Lila Laxton Brown in Charlotte. Fred, her husband of 42 years, died on Easter Sunday in 2016. Thankfully, she says she is doing well, busy with old friends and visits. As for me and mine: Bill and I are recovering from his broken femur at home in August 2016 and my fractured vertebra from a fall at our Pawleys Island beach house in June 2017 (NOT in my plan for the summer at the beach!). Our family is great. Our daughter, Elisabeth, and Dan’s elder son, Lee, graduated in December 2016 from Clemson University and are “gainfully employed,” to his and their delight. Daughter Margaret Jane is a Clemson junior with plans to study second semester 2018 in Seville, Spain, and graduate in December. MJ was a senior counselor at Camp Seafarer, near New Bern, in the summer of 2016. Light (15) is a high school sophomore who has played varsity football at his Trinity-Byrnes Collegiate School. He loves Camp Sea Gull, also near New Bern. Call, email, or write me anytime with news or if you are in my area. Let’s stay in touch. Love to all! Peggy
1962
COLLEGE
Mary Larsen Jordan ’62C Lynn Boyce Purdie-Brennan writes, “Graduation 2017 on the front lawn of the school was very impressive and special! My granddaughter, Emma-Claire Purdie ’17, graduated from Saint Mary’s School. Emma-Claire has one of the President’s scholarships to the Honors College at the University of Alabama and loves it.” Lynn goes on to say that she is still serving on the Alumnae Council. She says the new head of school is wonderful. She also urges us all to give something each year to our school, so as to continue our 175-year heritage for girls’ education. Malinda Swineford Roberts moved to Williamsburg, Va., in November 2016. She moved from Anchorage,
Alaska, after having lived there for 42 years! She says it is nice to be back on “home turf” and near family. She attended her 55th year reunion at Saint Mary’s in May. She called it a special, memorable gala. Vicky McKenzie Armes writes, “All ‘the stops’ and then some were pulled out for our 175th Birthday Gala and our 55th Class Reunion. Loved celebrating with Malinda Swineford Roberts (John), Rosemary Adair York (Smedes), Lynn Boyce Purdie-Brennan, and Tot Hofler Williams. YOU were missed! Lynn and I continue to serve on the Alumnae Council, whose mission is to promote and preserve the traditions and values of Saint Mary's. Two of the council members are daughters of classmates: Hunter Grogan Rogers ’89HS ’91C (the late Jacque Baublitz Woolfolk ’62C) and Heather Moore Thompson ’88HS ’90C (Sue Battle Moore '63). Hopefully you've been able to or will be able to attend an alumnae gathering in your area. You must meet our new head of school, Brendan O'Shea He's a real people's person who already has a love for Saint Mary's running in his veins!” Tra Jennette writes that she is happy and sad because she planned to retire as the Vidant Hospice volunteer coordinator October, 2017. She says that it has been an incredible experience and the 20 years have flown. She is looking forward to spending more time with her family, especially her grandchildren and friends. Dabney Johnston Mann writes that she is still spending winters and summers in Sun Valley, Idaho, and spring and fall in Wilmington. Her oldest grandson is going to Highpoint University. As for me, I now have a new granddaughter, Kailani Alexandra, who was born in May. So, adding her to my three grandsons makes quite a brood. It is with a heavy heart that I tell you that I have lost Peter, my wonderful husband of 41 years, to Alzheimer’s disease. He is deeply missed. Not many of you wrote this time. Hopefully, I’ll hear from more of you next time around. Stay safe, and take care of yourselves, as well as those who are meaningful to you. Mary
1962 HIGH SCHOOL AND 1964 COLLEGE
Janie Stronach Wood ’62HS ’64C Tom and I have certainly enjoyed reminiscing about the four wonderful years spent at SMS by our granddaughter, Kimberly Wood ’17, who is now a freshman at Meredith College!
SAINT MARY'S REMEMBERS We were so impressed with the continual nurturing that Kimberly received by the faculty at Saint Mary's, which definitely facilitated her introduction to college. Our son, Thomas (attorney: Godwin and Wood), his wife, Adrian (Tales of an Educated Debutante on social media) and their four children, Thomas (12), Russell (10), Blair (8), and Amos (4), live in Edenton. Our daughter, Caroline Wood Hauser, is a registered nurse in ICU at University Hospital in Charlotte and is also graduating summa cum laude from Western Carolina! We are also proud of our children and grandchildren! Martha Weeks Daniels ’64C sent us a very nice note about her stay with us at Mulberry Hill during the Edenton Historic Pilgrimage last April. We had such a wonderful visit with Martha, as well as Georgia Cobb Joyner ’59C, Hadley Morgan Hines '59HS '61C and Sandra Elam, also from Wilmington. Martha was also kind to sing the praises of our gourmet breakfast and the views from our 1798 historic house overlooking the Albemarle Sound. Annie Gray Calhoun Lane ’58C was very sweet to invite all of us to Beverly Hall for a party, where we also saw Clare Garden Maddison ’64C. I always enjoy seeing Clare at the bridge or canasta table, whenever the occasion arises. Clare and Larry are proud grandparents of Maddison Wooten ’19, and are serving as grandparent chairs at SMS. The Maddisons and the Daniels spend many happy holidays together, as their children, Sara and Bo, are married. Their mutual grandson, Beck (12) is a skillful fisherman and hunter. (I learned this on Facebook!) I also want to mention that Martha and Curt are incredibly creative with their Daniel Design, out of Rocky Mount! Their rendition of Miss Nancy Minds Their Manners, featuring Nancy Dawson
Rascoe’s ’52C manners camp, is one of the most entertaining videos of a camp that anyone has ever seen. Margie Winslow Green ’64C lives in Scotland Neck and has two daughters: Amy Green Floyd ’94C is married to John D. Floyd and lives in Mount Airy. Claire Green Scolnick married John Scolnick. They live in Jackson, Wyo., and have two sons, Bode Chancellor Scolnick (8) and Tanner Frederick Scolnick (5). Marilyn Stadler Gideon ’62HS ’64C has moved back to the log cabin in Greensboro that she and her husband, Edward, lived in long ago. They absolutely love it! Jane DeLoach Woolley ’64C writes from Lookout Mountain, Tenn., that she recently retired from being an information technology professional after 40 years, and is now employed at Memorial Hospital's cardio-pulmonary fitness center teaching Silver Sneakers classes and TRX Suspension classes. Rosemary Sparkman McAteer ’64C writes that after the death of her husband in December of 2015, she moved back to her hometown of Tampa, Fla., where she is blessed to have childhood friends and relatives. A visit last year with Lloyd and Susan Spangler Hendricks ’64C in Columbia, S.C., produced a lively lunch with Anne Chamberlain Fowler ’64C and Peachy Lee Shealy ’64C. A visit in the fall to her sister, Lamar Sparkman Toole ’66C, and her husband John, in Charlottesville, Va., brought about a dinner with Livy Gilliam Randolph ’65C and Malcom Randolph. During a surprising adventure over a hurricane evacuation in Jacksonville, Fla., Rosemary ended up in a home with Elizabeth Grimes McRae ’41C. Ellen Scurry Reynolds ’64C says she spends a lot of time babysitting her two granddaughters, Emily (6) and Sidney (1). Her daughter and her family live only three minutes
Professor Emerita Georgette Campbell Saint Mary’s remembers Georgette Campbell, beloved professor emerita of biology, anatomy, and physiology, who died at home September 8, 2017, at the age of 88, following a year-long battle with gall bladder cancer. Campbell served with distinction on the faculty at Saint Mary’s College from 1971 until her retirement in 1996. She continued as a tutor for Saint Mary’s students from her retirement until recently. She touched the lives of two generations of Saint Mary’s students. Campbell earned her B.S. degree magna cum laude from Georgetown College and an A.B. from George Peabody College, with additional graduate work completed at Vanderbilt, N.C. State, and UNCChapel Hill. She was inducted into Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities and was a Carnegie Fellow. She is survived by her daughter, Ann Marie Campbell Waller ’84HS, and predeceased by her husband, George, and their son, Jay. Campbell was an avid tennis player, gardener, knitter, bridge player, and golfer, known for making numerous holes in one on the golf course. She was also an accomplished cook, known for her Middle Eastern dishes and extraordinary Baklava. In the classroom and as a tutor, she was beloved by students for the extra help and tutoring and passion for learning she offered well beyond classroom hours. Hundreds of former students responded on Facebook to the news of the passing of Mrs. Campbell. “She was my mentor and encouraged me to purse my dreams, says Mary Butler Thorp ’78C. “Mrs. Campbell is the foundation to my successful nurse anesthesia career.” “Mrs. Campbell was such a great teacher and person. Her love of biology and teaching helped me (a future English and Art History major) appreciate and even enjoy science,” says Courtenay Bailey ’86HS. “She was one of Saint Mary's many influential teachers for many of us.” “I enjoyed her as my biology teacher and went on to earn my B.S. in biology,” said Ruth Cox Choiniere ’81HS ’83C. Helen Parker Mills ’80C wrote, “One of my favorites! What a wonderful mentor and inspiration. I have been working on the medical field ever since being inspired in her class.” “Mrs. Campbell was a gem - one of my favorites,” wrote Angel Archer Moore ’82HS ’84C. “Remember well our pig, Ghandi, and how much fun she made learning.” Emma-Claire Purdie ’17, wrote, “The best biology tutor! So sad to hear about her passing, she will be missed in the library and by all biology students.”
47
CLASS NEWS away! “I saw Anne Chamberlain Fowler ’64C recently at an alumnae function. She is still as beautiful as ever!” Marion Purcell Whatley ’62HS ’64C writes, “I have completely retired from nursing now, and I'm running a convent for one. The mental focus of my life is the study of A Course in Miracles. Other than that, I'm a good mom to Chris, who lives 10 minutes from me, has a job, and drives himself to work. He lives with his pet, Mr. Kitty. You may remember that Chris has autism, and I am his legal guardian. I give him general guidance, and I take care of his finances. He is a delightful companion.” Marion is divorced and lives in Fletcher, near the Asheville airport, “but not under the flight path.” Sharon Floyd Jones ’64C has curtailed her psychotherapy practice after the death of her husband in June, but is still not ready to retire. She is spending more time at her house in Bear Paw, outside of Murphy, in Cherokee County. She enjoys her time with daughter Laura and her family in Gainesville, Fla. Laura was just was promoted to vice president at Shands Hospital. Sharon also enjoys visits to St. Augustine, Fla., to spend time with son Bruce and his family. Bruce is executive director of Vicar’s Landing in Ponte Vedra, Fla. Nancy Urquhart Griffin Warren ’64C lives in Laurel, Md., and writes that she and her husband have been blessed with two grandchildren, Mary Bond (5) and Frank (7). Lanier Scott Hoy ’64C lives in Charlotte, and sends her best wishes to her classmates. Susan Spangler Hendricks ’64C writes, “Lloyd and I celebrated our 51st anniversary on September 3 and still live in Columbia, S.C. Of our five grandchildren, three live here and two live in Ocean Isle Beach. Lloyd is retired and hunts, fishes, serves on some boards, and spends lots of time with the children now, while I lead small groups teaching journal writing and journal therapy and write a monthly column for a local newspaper. Articles are all on www.susanhendricks. com. So many of my classmates still live in Raleigh. Jean Winborne Boyles ’62HS practices law in Raleigh and is enjoying gardening as well. Jean's backyard is a delight to see, as it is filled with beautiful dahlias, roses, carnations, zinnias, and herbs, surrounding a large pool. Jean always has magnificent floral arrangements among her other fabulous decor. Because of her many diverse interests and accomplishments, she is truly a renaissance woman. Sadly, my childhood friend, Inez Coke Tudor ’64C has just lost her husband, Caulton Tudor, after a lengthy illness. Caulton
48
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
College Class of 1968 classmates gathered for an Outer Banks weekend in October. Pictured left to right: Bettie Kellogg ’66HS ’68C, Kaye Lasater Culp ’68C, Patsy Slater Holsher ’66HS ’68C, Martha Vaughan ’68C, Duffy Beasley Gibbs ’68C, and Paula Johnson Stewart ’66HS ’68C.
was a sportswriter who authored over 6,000 articles for The News and Observer, Raleigh Times, and Capital Broadcasting Company. He passed away on November 1. He was inducted into The Sports Hall of Fame in May of 2017. Inez has been his very proud and dedicated wife for many years. I always look forward to our December luncheon with Jean Winborne Boyles ’62HS, Elizabeth Ponton Manning ’64C, Nancy Baker ’62HS ’64C, Inez Coke Tudor ’64C, Marguerite McKee Moss ’62HS, and Susan Ehringhaus ’62HS ’64C, who lives in Chapel Hill. I've had several wonderful visits with my sister, Anne Stronanch Genter ’53HS ’55C. One visit, in particular, was when she came down from Sewickley, Penn., to attend, with Tom and me, our fabulous 175th Anniversary at Saint Mary’s! Janie
1966
COLLEGE
Skinner Anderson McGee ’64HS ’66C Lesley Wharton Marcello and her husband, Bobby, welcomed their third grandchild, William Patrick Peterson, on Jan. 12, 2017. He weighed nine pounds, three ounces, and was 22 inches long. He is the first child of Margaret Marcello Peterson and husband Tim, who live in Cameron, where Tim is on active Army duty. Lesley and Bobby also enjoyed a 25-day
trip to Europe, starting with a week in Paris and several days on the Normandy beaches. They then flew to Southampton, England, for an 11-day cruise of England, Ireland, and Scotland. The trip ended with five days in London, at the same time as the attack near the Tower Of London Bridge. Lesley said, “Fantastic memories, but a lot of traveling at one time. We might make shorter trips from now on.” She adds, “We’ve dealt with many of the medical issues that come with age or just living, but we are thankful for all of our many blessings. I am especially hoping to see Saint Mary’s classmates at our 50th Carolina reunion next spring.”
1968
COLLEGE
Paula Johnson Stewart ’68C Dear Classmates! I certainly hope you are all preparing yourselves for our 50th reunion on Friday, April 27, and Saturday, April 28, 2018. If not, get busy! I only heard from nine classmates but have been in several situations this year that I have seen some and gotten news. Beth Harris Isenhour’s youngest daughter, Tipton, had a son on April 26, 2017, to go along with his one-year-old sister. Beth babysits in Raleigh two or three days a week. She put her house in Chapel Hill on the market in late August. Carla Heaton Bailey, Anne Ho-
fler Powell, Mary Pearshall Maxwell and Beth had “Camp Frances Week” in June at Frances Garriss Jilcott’s Pine Knoll Shores house. Beth is looking forward to the reunion. Alice Smith Haynes is enjoying semi-retirement. She is serving as a part-time priest in a lovely African American congregation (1871) outside Columbia, S.C. This gives her time to enjoy her three grandsons, all living in the North Carolina mountains, around Asheville. Each of her three children have one child. She says all are well, and blessings to everyone. Cheryl Lee Taft writes, “I just wanted to write how excited I am that my granddaughter, Eleanor Becker ’22, is a freshman at Saint Mary’s, class of 2022." Jeannie Hudson Williams writes from Carrollton, Ga. She has three children. Hudson lives in Greenville, S.C., and has three boys. Wesley lives in Charleston, S.C., and has one daughter. Natalie, who lives in Carrollton, has two daughters. Jeannie is a retired Doncaster sales associate, and enjoys duplicate bridge, church work, and grandchildren (her favorite hobby). “Looking forward to the big 50th reunion!” Martha Miller Vaughan writes from Kill Devil Hills that she saw Susan Davis Virgin in Atlanta and that she had Kaye Lasater Culp, Duffy Beasley Gibbs, Patsy Slater Holscher and me visit her and Bettie Kellogg for a fabulous fall weekend in October on the Outer Banks. Lots of shopping, eating, golfing, walking, reminiscing and belly laughing! Everyone is looking forward to our upcoming 50th in April and our 70th birthday get-together next fall. Celie Smith Harris has joined the ranks of grandparent-hood! Her eldest, Peden, and his wife, Lindsay, had a baby boy this fall. Celie and Jeff are only a little excited and will be wearing out the highway between Millwood and Charlotte. Cathy Swain Crossett writes that she had fun at a Saint Mary's function in October at Frank and Susan Davis Virgin’s house. “Toot, Jo Crawford Phelps, Nancy Matthews Musarra, Cathy Walp Askew and I were the '68C girls. Very nice talk by Brendan O'Shea - everyone very impressed by him. Saint Mary's in good stead with him at the helm.” Duffy Beasley Gibbs and Ken continue to enjoy all four of their Gibblets (5,3,3,2) They feel so lucky to have them all in New Bern. They had a wonderful trip on the Danube last summer with the adult kids. It even included golf for the guys. She enjoyed recently hanging out with Flake, Patsy, Paula, Martha and Kaye at Nags Head/Manteo. “My goodness, we laughed so much. Also had a
nice lunch with Diane Stockard Wade and our husbands. Hope to see the rest of you in Pinehurst for our 70th birthday celebration in November 2018.” Arabella Nash Hubbard did a southern tour from Vermont in September. Along the way, she was able to see a number of Saint Mary’s girls. She had lunch in Raleigh with Kaye Lasater Culp, Diane Stockard Wade, and Claire Duff Dodd. She happened to be at the beach for my birthday and we had lunch together. She visited Gray Brothers Winner in Asheville. She had lunch in Atlanta at Jo Crawford Phelps’ home with the girls in the picture and celebrated Molly Richardson Swan’s 70th birthday! Arabella saw Becky Bell Savitz in Tampa, Fla. She just needs to move back to the south! Molly Richardson Swan wrote, “It was a great day at Jo's beautiful home yesterday, as we celebrated having Arabella back in Atlanta and celebrating my 70th birthday! It was all very special.” Cathy Walp Askew also wrote how much she enjoyed lunch at Jo’s. In recent years, she and Debbie Almquist Rosen have reconnected. Debbie got Cathy to finally join Facebook! They talk all the time and arranged to meet in Washington for the Women's March in January. They were friends in high school in Alexandria, Va., so they go way back and share lots of happy memories. Cathy is still teaching: twice a week at an Atlanta public school, tutoring students who need help with phonics and reading. She enjoyed being with everyone at Jo’s too. Lynn Fulghum Lewis wrote that she and Ginger Gregg Smith had a fun reunion on a cruise this year. Lynn and her husband have a passion for cruising and have been fortunate to visit many beautiful ports around the world. They have one daughter and two grandchildren living in Cary, and another daughter in New Orleans/Ft. Myers. "Feeling blessed. Life is good," she writes. Eight of our classmates went to the fabulous 175th birthday gala for Saint Mary’s: Juliet Smith Barrus, Cathy Swain Crossett, Susan Davis Virgin, Martha Miller Vaughan, Kaye Lasater Culp, Jessica Gillespie Gammon, Cheryl Lee Taft (whose precious daughter Gloria is the chair of the Board of Trustees) and me. What a gala it was! Diane Stockard Wade and Duffy Beasley Gibbs are organizing a big 70th birthday celebration reunion in Pinehurst for November 2018, arriving on Monday, Nov. 5, and departing Thursday, Nov. 8. We will be staying at the Villas, adjacent to the Carolinian (the main resort hotel). They will offer transportation to and from
RDU. The Villas are each two floors, four big bedrooms on each floor, with two queen beds in each room and a large living area. There should be something for everyone: shopping, bridge, golf, spa, but mainly talking, laughing and visiting, as we cherish each other for all these 50 years! There will be an email sent with specific information about making your reservation, and we would hope everyone would get it. However, things being the way they are, we know there will be some people who do not receive it. If you are interested in joining us in Pinehurst (and why wouldn’t you be?), please call or email Diane Stockard Wade at 919-280-7064, dswadebeach@ yahoo.com or Duffy Beasley Gibbs at 252636-9176, duffygibbs@aol.com and we will send you the room info and contact person. How wonderful that we could enjoy our 70th birthday year together! I do hope you all are planning to come for our 50th reunion! What a milestone for our class of ’68! Also, please don’t forget that we are doing a memorial gift to our classmates who have died since we graduated. What better way than by helping a girl financially to be able to attend Saint Mary’s for four years? This will result in a partial scholarship and our cost to endow this is $20,000. It needs to be received by April 1, 2018, so that we can present it at our reunion. I have been told that our class is the first class ever to provide such a scholarship. We have always been so progressive and such trendsetters! Let’s make it happen! You may make a gift to the “68 Memorial Scholarship” fund online at www.sms.edu. This memorial scholarship is separate from the Annual Fund. We are getting a good start on it, so please let’s continue. Please make your gift or pledge today so you don’t forget! I look forward to seeing you all in April! Paula Johnson Stewart
1968
HIGH SCHOOL
Sarah Chamblee Childress ’68HS ’70C Greetings, from the Shenandoah Valley! Jeanne Cross sends her greetings to all in our Class of 1968 College. She retired in December 2016 and stays quite busy with her four Jack Russell terriers. Jeanne has just finished her 30th year in the Horse Show Series-Piedmont Hunter Classic. Sally Lennon Terwey ’68HS ’70C says that she has moved to The Cedars of Chapel Hill. She says, “It’s the best! Like a resort!” Sweetie Siefart Stewart ’68HS ’70C writes that she and Hank are still in Fayetteville. “We are both still work-
49
CLASS NEWS ing (will probably be working forever!). I still sell promotional and ad specialty products and manage online web stores for Genuity Concepts in Greensboro. I get to see Beth Coltrane Harrington frequently, which is so much fun!” Their oldest daughter lives in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., with her husband, Mike, and two girls, Lucy (9) and Anna (5) “Being a grandparent is the biggest joy and absolutely the most fun,” says Sweetie. Their second daughter, Anne Stewart, is associate director of operations for UNC Executive Development at the Kenan Flagler Business School. She received her MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2017. Their third daughter, Katie Stewart, is vice president of Tysnger Unique Events in New Bern. “I cannot believe we will be celebrating our 50th,” says Sweetie. “I look forward to seeing everyone!” As for me, after working in various private practices since 1984, I decided to open my own psychotherapy practice in March 2017, in Winchester, Va. I am so blessed to be able to continue serving children, adolescents, and families in a lovely old building that I am helping refurbish. Lots of subcontracting and keeping track of who needs to do what! Finally, this will be my last letter as secretary of our class. Hopefully, someone will step in who has more alumnae contacts than I do so that we can increase the response. It has been a great pleasure to be our class secretary and I hope that my successor will enjoy it and be able to reach more of our classmates! Love to all, Sarah
1970
COLLEGE
Jane Wood Youngblood ’70C Sally Lennon Terwey ’68HS ’70C says that she has moved to The Cedars of Chapel Hill. She says, “It’s the best! Like a resort!”
1970
HIGH SCHOOL
Sue Wood Smithson writes from Southern Pines, “Still a radical left-winger. Wondering where all my radical left-winger classmates landed. We were a bunch of slackers. Still are!” Peaches Rankin ’70HS ’72C had a great weekend in Wrightsville in June with Ann Highsmith ’70HS, Melanie Beall Williams ’70HS, Martha Blalock Mebane ’72C, and Kate Ballagh Young ’71C.
50
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
1972
COLLEGE
Sharon Henry Cooper-Stone is still loving the mountains of western North Carolina. “I stay in close touch with Mary Kemp Mebane, who is a true Wonder Woman. I visit her in Rocky Mount during trips to Tarboro to see my mother.” Sharon says family and Trinity Episcopal Church in Spruce Pine keep her busy, and she is glad not to have to be at the office at 8 a.m. every day! Peaches Rankin ’70HS ’72C had a great weekend in Wrightsville in June with Ann Highsmith ’70HS, Melanie Beall Williams ’70HS, Martha Blalock Mebane ’72C, Kate Ballagh Young ’71C. Lynn Lacy Jones Poston writes that they sold a larger home after building a smaller home in Apex. Her new neighbor is Jo Carpenter Harding ’72C. They love telling everyone that they are college friends! Suzanne Clontz Coddington is still selling real estate with Dickens Mitchener in Charlotte. She and Bill welcomed their first grandchild in February and love being grandparents to James. Kit Tucker writes from Columbia, S.C., “I am happily retired after 34 years working for the “Bell System” (Southern Bell, BellSouth, and AT&T). My lovely daughter, Chelsea Tucker Helsley, is still in the Army Reserves and has a government job in Virginia.”
1974
COLLEGE
Melrose Whitfield Fisher ’72HS ’74C Holy cow! Another year has bitten the dust for us. Since the last time you read news from our classmates, we’ve celebrated the 175th birthday of our dear Saint Mary’s, and Brendan O’Shea has been installed as the 14th head of school. If you have not had the chance to meet Brendan, please try to. You’ll be very pleased with the search committee’s selection. As most of you know, the search committee was headed up by our own classmate, Lane Turner Nash. Lane says she’s going to take a step back from her very active involvement with Saint Mary’s and spend more time with her growing family. I think we all would agree that we owe Lane a big “thank you” for giving Saint Mary’s so much of her time, talent, and energy over these past 40-plus years. THANK YOU, LANE! Speaking of Lane, and of course, her husband John Nash, growing family, yes. Daughters Austin Nash Coley ’01 and Jenna Nash Hollmeyer ’04, have given Lane and John three grandchildren. Jenna with
two and Austin with one. Son John recently married an SMS girl, Beth Walters ’08, in September of 2017. A growing family is something Susan Byers Muir knows something about. Her daughter, Sara, married childhood friend Will Derry in the summer of 2017. Sara is a registered nurse and Will is an interventional radiologist. Will plans to finish his interventional radiology fellowship in June 2018, and then they will move to Greensboro, where he will work with Greensboro Radiology. Byers and husband George are so happy that they will then be close to sister Martha and her family, which consists of her husband and two girls. Husband George continues to be the full-time rector at St. Paul’s Church in Augusta, Ga., and Byers continues to be the best “preacher’s wife.” They love Augusta immensely. Byers keeps busy with her work for the church and community, tutoring (no laughing), and being a jock, playing golf and tennis weekly. She’s very blessed and hopes to see many classmates at our next reunion (2019). Two years in a row, I have received news from Margaret Ann Fraley. Margaret Ann is the big deal down in Charleston, S. C., when it comes to breast imaging. Margaret Ann currently oversees five breast imaging centers, with one coming onboard in 2019. I can tell you, being involved with the building, and getting a practice like this built and operational, is not an easy job. Congrats, Margaret Ann for doing great work for the people of Charleston and beyond. Margaret Ann wants to impress upon us that when we have mammograms performed, ask for the 3D mammogram (tomosynthesis). “M.A.” says it is so worth it, even if insurance doesn’t pay for it. Radiologists who read mammograms are picking up on the very small cancers with this 3D machine, versus what they would see on the traditional 2D mammogram. So, ask! Thanks for your advice, M.A.! M.A. and her husband have celebrated 31 years of marriage and are enjoying watching their grandson (6) enjoying life, first grade and all the other wonderful things kids do at that age. Traveling across this vast country in a motor-home three to four times a year is Gail Goforth, with her husband, Ward. The reason they can do this is that they are retired, living in a condo, where you can just pack your bags and gear, grab the dogs, turn the key and just go. Good for you, Gail! They have met fun people while traveling the United States and will be traveling with some of their new-found friends in the future. Gail refers to their travel as “glamp-
ing” or glamorous camping. Gail and Ward are just loving retirement and send everyone a “happy trails.” Drive that motor-home to Raleigh in 2019 for our 45th reunion, Gail! I declare, I don’t think this retirement stuff is all that it’s cracked up to be. Goforth is fortunate. I say this because teacher extraordinaire, Libba Barbour Shelton, wrote to say that she retired one year ago, but has now gone back to work. There is one catch: Libba is now teaching kindergarten in Morehead City at a private church-school, four hours a day with 12 kids and an assistant. No report cards, develop your own curriculum, and on and on. The dream job every teacher prays for. You’re working, but this work is way different than the work you retired from. We get it. Libba also says that if husband Scott is working, she might as well be too. I think we’ll all admit that retirement is great for a lot of people. It is a lifestyle change that’s for sure. Talking retirement, here’s a classmate who says that since her retirement, she has been deliriously happy! This happy person is Shelley Tosto Snider who retired last year after 40-plus years of teaching, like Libba. Shelley is still subbing at a church pre-school in Mt. Pleasant, S. C. It’s great that we have these awesome teachers, willing to continue to offer their skills in educating the next generations! In addition to subbing, Shelley volunteers in the classroom of her grandson, Asher. Shelley has grandchildren sprouting up all over the place. She recently visited San Diego, Calif., where son Jordan and wife Baker live. She enjoyed taking the “grands” to Sea World, Disneyland, San Diego Zoo, etc., and had a blast. Shelley’s newest grandchild is William, born in February 2017. William is Jordan and Baker’s son. Daddy Jordan received the distinguished “2017 Pastry Chef of the Year” award in N.Y.C. this year, and has been selected as an alternate for “Pastry Team USA” at the 2019 Coupe du Monde in France. While in San Diego, daughter Lacey completed the Dumbo Dare Marathon. I am sure Lacey had to burn those pastry calories Jordan probably showered you with while visiting them. Emory Rogers Church continues to enjoy editing this section of the SMS magazine. She and John enjoy traveling as much as possible (Mexico, Ireland and the U.S. East Coast this year) and time at the beach. All three of their children live in Wake County. Kathrin Koonce reports from Hampstead that all is well with her. Kathrin recently returned from spending time at Chaa Creek in Belize. Kath-
rin said it was an awesome place. Volunteering at the Coastal Therapeutic Riding Program is where you’ll find Kathrin if you’re down in the Hampstead area. Beth Ellington Owen and her husband have been back in Raleigh for the past two years. Before moving back, they lived in northern Virginia and Florida, but they are enjoying being back in good old North Carolina and seeing old Saint Mary’s friends. Beth has two married daughters and two grandsons. In addition to enjoying being a grandmother, Beth says she’s passionate about gardening and sustainable agriculture. Another proud grandmother, Beth Nicholson Dick writes that she was blessed with two more grandchildren in 2017. Beth’s son, Hagan, and his wife, Katie, had their second child in May 2017. It was a boy and they named him David Hagan Dick II. They are calling him Davis. Then along comes Beth’s daughter, Elizabeth Walker and husband Lee, who live in Raleigh. They gave Beth a granddaughter in George Turner Hollymeyer, born Jan. 29, 2017, son of Joseph October 2017. Her name is Tuller and Jenna Nash Hollmeyer ’04, grandson of John and Lane Elizabeth Walker. Tuller is Eliza- Turner Nash '72HS '74C beth and Lee’s third child and elford Narron, Josie Rawl Hall, and myself Beth’s fifth grandchild. A little FYI - Josie Rawl Hall introduced Beth’s spent time together at Atlantic Beach. What a daughter, Elizabeth, to Lee Walker. Hopefully great time we had. Speaking of Josie Rawl Tuller will be a Saint Mary’s Saint in 14-15 Hall, her son, Ed, married an SMS gal, Gabe years because it’s in the Walkers’ blood as Bratton ’05 in October 2017. Stacy Currin well as Beth’s. Lee’s grandmother, Sallie Lee Lindley attended the wedding. During the Walker ’46C, and sister, Louisa Walker wedding weekend, Stacy, Anna DuBose Trouche ’03, attended Saint Mary’s. Rachael Doughton, Susan Robinson Meares, GreyHolmes checks in with news from Charlottes- son Gates Kuhn, and myself met for breakville, Va. Rachael says she is so looking for- fast to get a glimpse of Stacey. I can tell you ward to retiring from her nursing management that Stacy Currin Lindsey is just as beautiful position at the University of Virginia. If all as we remember her at SMS, with the same goes as planned, we will be raising a glass to wonderful personality. We laughed, talked, Rachael’s retirement at our 45th reunion. Ra- and reminisced for several hours – from chael stays busy with book club, assisting breakfast to lunch. Stacy is living in New Jerrefugees to settle in Charlottesville, Bible sey, along with her beautiful mother. As for study, and of course UVA sports. Ellen Hen- Greyson, she still lives in Greensboro, and son, Margaret Stevens Mauney, Mebane says she and husband Eric continue to enjoy Ham, Laura Grimes Smith, and Rachael their summers hiking in the Adirondacks and continue to get together for their mini-re- abroad. Greyson’s son, Charlie, is married to unions. Back in October 2016, Becky Clark, Kara. Greyson’s daughter, Warren, and sonSusan Byers Muir, Jane Howell Sharp in-law, Chris Hicks, have a daughter named ’72HS, Kirt Rendleman Austin, Gail Shack- Margaret (2) who Greyson thoroughly enjoys
51
CLASS NEWS
ALUMNAE BOOK CORNER
Dutch Dives In and Willowbel’s Wagon Peg Finlay Averyt ’56HS publishes children’s books inspired by childhood memories Peg Finlay Averyt ’56HS is an artist, gallery owner, and children’s book author. Averyt wrote and illustrated her first children’s book, Willowbel’s Wagon in 2013. She has recently published her second book, Dutch Dives In, a true story about her childhood experiences on Pawley’s Island, S.C. According to the Columbia Metropolitan Blog, “Both stories pull from powerful memories of growing up in South Carolina. Willowbel’s Wagon is a fanciful tale about a family of brown rabbits who inhabited woods in the Heathwood Circle neighborhood. Dutch Dives In revisits time Averyt spent on Pawley’s Island with her family and her favorite doll, Mary California. “She conveys at the end of the book how her father, Kirkman Finlay Sr., gave her the nickname Dutch, because of her white blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin.” Each book features watercolor illustrations by Averyt. Averyt is a native of Columbia, S.C., a graduate of Saint Mary’s School and the University of South Carolina. She has studied at the Penland School of Arts and Crafts in North Carolina and at the Wyley Center in Basalt, Colo. In the fall of 2013, she opened the Finleaf Gallery in Columbia, specializing in unique handmade gifts, bridal registries, a ladies boutique, and fine teas. Over the past 16 years, Averyt has created and displayed her own art in Finleaf Gallery. She also loves to showcase local artists and authors in the gallery. Many young artists have credited Averyt with inspiring them to pursue their craft. Averyt resides in Columbia, S.C., with her husband. She has three daughters and three “very special” grandchildren. Both books are available through the gallery. www.finleaf.com
52
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
playing grandmother to. Susan Robinson Meares, “Sweetheart,” also met us for breakfast. Susan lives in Raleigh and has a son and a daughter. Her daughter was married within the past year. Getting together with our Saint Mary’s friends is always a good reminder of just how special a place Saint Mary’s is. One just can’t explain it to an outsider. As for me, our son Davis is working for CentricsIT in Charlotte. Robbie, our oldest, is living in D.C. He continues to follow his soccer passion. I am still running my Lots of Luxe business, along with continuing to conduct clinical research trials in the Biomedical Engineering Department at UNC-Chapel Hill. I don’t see retirement as something I’m interested in doing right now. It’s probably because I don’t think we’re “old enough.” Ha! Time will tell. Husband Rob is more than ready, so we’ll see. Wishing nothing but good health, good times, and lots of love to the best class ever at Saint Mary’s - College ’74! Love to all! Melrose
1974
HIGH SCHOOL
Catherine Blankenship ’74HS ’76C What a great response this year! Thank you to all! Beth Hahn writes that she has a new business, “The Writers Cottage.” She is an Amherst Writers and Artists affiliate and teaches creative writing workshops in a cool little cabin in Chapel Hill. Reach out to her for more information – she would be delighted to talk with you about it. Janet Davis Travis has returned to North Carolina after 25 years and is living in Greenville, where she is closer to her southern roots and the coast. Welcome back! Sunny Johnson Lewis (now rarely known as Lena) reports that her son is now working in the family business and her daughter is busy globe-trotting with adventuresome marketing work. Sunny and husband Rick have created a camp at their home so that their five grandchildren can experience a dream-come-true. She recently lost her mother, whom she describes as an honor to care for. She has a new business, SolarView. Her memories of SMS are living and
learning among dynamic women who made a mark in the world. She is looking forward to the next reunion. Meg Rogers is in Columbus, a small town in southwestern North Carolina. She and her sister care for and spend quality time with their 105-year-old father. She continues to work full time and jokes that with the family longevity, she will need to work till 70. She is looking forward to the 45th reunion in 2019 (can you believe it?). Val Tullai Williams is preparing to celebrate her 40th anniversary with Ted, who opened Time Out in Chapel Hill at about the same time they were married. She is busy, as always, currently as the regional sales leader for Doncaster Southeast, and has four grandchildren who are sure to be lucky to have Val as their grandmother! Anne Deluca Lucht is looking at how to fill time in retirement after she completed a second career working with autistic children. She has one son in Charleston and the other deployed with the Marines. No weddings or grandchildren yet on the horizon, but her fingers are crossed. Mary McGranahan Moss, along with a longtime friend, founded a fundraising and strategic planning firm named moss+ross. They have enjoyed great success! Mary has three sons and is glad to have at least one close by. She is thoroughly enjoying her new granddaughter. Mary sends love to everyone. Grace Johnson McGoogan recently celebrated her 35th wedding anniversary with a hiking trip to Nova Scotia. She has three sons: one who owns EG McGoogan Woodworks, one who is newly engaged, and another living and working in Charlotte. Grace says she is fortunate to still be in contact with many of our class – a wonderful group! Writing out of the ashes in Anderson, S.C., is Becky Davis Morlok. In 2016, she and Ted lost their home to a fire, but have now rebuilt on Lake Hartwell. They call the new home “The Lantern,” a throwback to Becky’s beloved Beacon friends, lanterns, and lighthouses. Despite the tragedy, Becky says they have experienced the joy of many blessings. Not one to stay in one place very long, I
am in Wilmington and think I have found my forever home. I am managing a large home health agency here and have a great staff and patients, which is very satisfying. My son and his wife had my second grandchild (a girl) just days before my daughter’s wedding. Thanks all! Catherine Blankenship
1976
COLLEGE
Bess Knotts Walker ’76C Lou White is still working at Alfred Williams & Co. Lou bought a place in Beaufort and has been spending as much time there as she can. Also, at the age of 61, she bought her first boat and has so enjoyed it. She has realized however, that she enjoys being driven around in the boat more than driving others! Sarah “SaSa” Lambert Benson writes that she and Rodney continue to enjoy their new home on the Outer Banks. They moved from Greensboro, their hometown (of several family generations), about seven years ago to Manteo, as they entered a different season of their lives. Manteo is the birthplace of America, with the first English baby, Virginia Dare, being born there as part of the Lost Colony on mysterious Roanoke Island. It is beautiful, and they feel a bit cloistered from the regular day of the world but the peace of nature is like a balm for their souls. Their days now are filled with gorgeous sunrises over Shallowbag Bay, early morning runs on the beach, and oyster roasts in the backyards of neighbors. They are thankful. Barksdale Spencer Thompson writes that her third grandchild was born September 11. They now have two girls and one boy and they are the joy of their lives. The Thompsons are still in Wilson. Philip is still with Merrill Lynch, and Barksdale is still at a gift shop, The Nook. Guion Fifield Stewart-Moore has been living in the Denver, Colo., area for nine years and loves beautiful Colorado. They finally bought a second home up in the Aspen area last year, and love it in the winters and summers. Julie Andrews McAlister and Dottie B Edwards Nutt came out to Aspen last fall, and celebrated their 60th birthdays like they were 20! Guion’s ski buddy, Laura Frazier Norman, comes out to ski most every spring, which is always fun. Guion’s two children both live near the beach in Southern California and she loves to visit them. She’s fortunate to still come to Greensboro several times a year visiting family and all her longtime friends. Gayle McConnell Tallardy and husband Carl moved into their new home on
Ridgewood Avenue in Charlotte. They are thrilled to be back in the South with family and friends, old and new! Gayle just saw Civil Adams McGowan last week. Second time in 37 years! Gayle and her sister, Coco McConnell Killian ’72HS, had a marvelous time on October 26, at the home of Sally Dalton Robinson ’51HS, for a cocktail party to meet the new head of school, Brendan O’Shea. “It was well attended and he is just what the school is all about. So pleased he has taken charge. Welcome aboard Mr. O’Shea!” Civil Adams McGowan writes that she has moved and remodeled and about “lost her zen.” She is still in Charlotte. She got together in October with Betsy Hardwick Dawson, Kate Taylor Hill and Beth Dalton Neale to play bridge and celebrate Betsy’s birthday! Betsy Hardwick Dawson writes their first grandbaby arrived on April 28, 2017. Elizabeth Covington Dozier, called Covey for short. Perfect little girl! Sidney Dawson Dozier ’08 and Chris Dozier are the proud parents. Sidney, Chris, and Covey live in Raleigh. Chris is a criminal defense attorney with Dozier Law Firm. He is the guy to call after your next crime spree! She and Claude are doting, spoiling grandparents, loving every minute. Their oldest daughter, Mollie, is working in Durham for a management company called Greystar. She loves the Durham vibe and manages a large complex called Bullhouse. Their youngest daughter, Council, graduated last spring from UNCChapel Hill and is working in Seattle, Wash., for Proctor and Gamble. Buy your Gain and Tide pods! Betsy and Claude still live in Greensboro but work together in Charlotte with AFTERDISASTER. They keep an apartment in Charlotte. When in Charlotte, Betsy sees a lot of Civil Adams McGowan, Kate Taylor Hill and Beth Dalton Neale. They play bridge together. Also, she keeps up with Lindsay Reynolds Jones in Charlotte. They try and walk together. Life is busy and going by too fast. Betsy constantly tells herself, this 60-decade thingy is not really happening! Betsy Bomar Littlejohn’s second granddaughter was born October 24, 2017, Mary Grier DiBiase, born to her daughter Mallie and her husband, Gabriel. They live in Columbia, S.C. Laura Frazier Norman wrote that the last 18 months have been crazy good at their house. Two weddings and a baby. She can't believe they are grandparents, but it is so much fun! Laura is lucky to have her grandson in Greensboro, living close by. She continues to play lots of golf and is working on getting her Life
Masters in duplicate bridge. Laura just saw Croft Whitener Lane at a bridge tourney in Charlotte, and she also sees Leesa Lybrook Goodson at duplicate bridge events. Julie Andrews McAllister lives next door to Laura in Greensboro. They like to slip out at night for a beer/wine and visit in the front yard! Beth Dalton Neale writes they now have two grandchildren: Kinsley (2) and baby Jack. They live in Charlotte and she gets to babysit a lot. They also just built a house on Lake James, near Morganton. Jean Walston Neese enjoyed seeing everyone at our class reunion in 2016 at her house and thinks we all look better at each get together. Henry is now practicing criminal defense law in Raleigh. Johnny is running his appraisal and investment company with the help of Martha and Jack. Jean’s 95-year-old mother is still enjoying a busy schedule and living independently, however, it has been an adjustment for the family with the death of Jean’s father this year at age 99. Jill Ciccone Pike is enjoying her three grandchildren (4, 2, and 2 months). She is also excited that her children’s book, I Miss My Daddy, was published in November. Sara Redd Wilda wrote that all is going well with her and her family. She has a beautiful granddaughter, Stella Park (1), the love of Sara’s life. Sara babysits for her one day a week and truly loves every minute. Sara works two days a week at REJUVINAGE, a wellness center. It keeps her in touch with so many amazing people in the health field. She tries to play tennis on the other days, still her favorite pastime. One of Sara’s daughters was married in October and the newlyweds live in Manhattan. The other daughter and her husband and Stella live in Virginia Beach, Va. John and Sara go to Duck as often as they can and just had a wonderful trip to the U.S. Open. Kay Castleberry Jolliff write that she has been living and loving life in Southport since 2000. Kay is busy selling real estate, traveling, and looking forward to retirement. Taylor is retired from RJ Reynolds and helps her out in the real estate business. Their three boys are all well and live in N.Y.C., New Bern, and Raleigh. Kay would love to hear from any Saint Mary's friends when they visit Brunswick County beaches! Susan Bridger Ricks and husband Walter are still trying to explore our world. Their last trip was in September to Spain. Son Hunter is now in Greensboro and doing well. Susan is thankful for family and good friends: they keep us going. Mary Flagg Nimocks Haugh attended and enjoyed seeing those that could make it to
53
CLASS NEWS Saint Mary’s 175th Gala - it was beautiful! (I agree with Mary Flagg, it was fabulous!) Also, their son Jamie, who lives in Raleigh, had another baby girl in September - another future Saint Mary's student. Sandy Sherill Womble and her husband are enjoying their new home in Savannah, Ga., where they look forward to retiring in a few years. It is strategically locating the Wombles halfway between North Carolina and Florida. Sandy and Dick enjoyed an incredible trip to Africa last year with Dick’s sister Lee and friends. Donna Sue Hessmer Browning wrote that Elizabeth Holt is a freshman at N.C. State and loves it. Older daughter Caroline is still working in Raleigh, which is nice. The first year of the empty nest has been awesome! Our first grandson was born October 20, 2016, to my daughter, Ila Walker Bittner ’05, and her husband, Robbie. Robert Eugene Bittner IV is named after his daddy and nicknamed “Bear” after my father, his great- grandfather. Bear was the first greatgrandchild in our family. On December 3, 2016, we celebrated the engagement of our son, Locke, in Charleston. The wedding was November 11, 2017, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. In May 2016, our youngest son, Carr, graduated cum laude from Clemson University. Between our two sons, Win and I had nine great years becoming Clemson Tiger fans! October of 2016, my husband, Win, decided to take a break from working. It has been a great year, and we have been on the move! Thank you for sending in your news. It is always fun to hear from you! Bess
1976 HIGH SCHOOL AND 1978 COLLEGE
Bebee Bason Lee ’76HS ’78C I Loved hearing from Elizabeth Kerr Agnew ’78C. She and husband Pen are still in Alexandria, Va. She writes that son Pen Jr. is in D.C., and they got to see him compete in his first half-ironman event in Wrightsville Beach. Elizabeth’s daughter, Stuart, lives in Jackson Hole, Wyo., and loves it. Youngest son, Duncan, is a freshman at Northwestern in the Medill School of Journalism. She looks forward to seeing everyone in Raleigh for our upcoming reunion. Lauren Sherman Peele ’78C writes that she has recently retired from teaching, and is still doing some substituting but overall enjoying not working. She purchased a condo at Pirate’s Cove in Manteo last spring.
54
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
Lauren asks that if anyone has a place at the Outer Banks, and would like to get together, reach out to her on Facebook. Lauren stays busy with volunteer work and outreach. She works with a group that is starting a food pantry in Oak City. Husband Robbie is still farming. Her youngest son, John Gates, came back home after a stint at N.C. State and is also farming. Oldest son Tripp recently began a new job with TEKSYSTEMS in Raleigh. He is enjoying the new challenge and happy to be back in Raleigh after graduating from N.C. State in 2011. Lauren stays in contact with Rachel Woodruff Carlson ’78C. She also occasionally stays in touch with Mary Fondren O’Neill ’78C, Betsy Eddins Richards ’76HS ’78C and Elizabeth Allen Scheidecker, mostly on Facebook. Marjorie Berry ’78C says she has recently finished building her first AND last house! She has moved in and is getting settled. Marjorie is still keeping very busy in Elizabeth City. I am beyond thrilled that my sweet Susan Langley Elliott ’76HS ’78C has come home to North Carolina after too many years in Georgia. She moved to Raleigh in fall of 2016 and is a commercial real estate attorney with Parker Poe. Susan loves being back in North Carolina and reconnecting with her SMS and Kinston friends! Mary Beth Horton Grady ’76HS ’78C is now fully retired and gets to spend much time attending to her sweet mom (who was my Brownie Scout leader), who turned 95 in August and still lives in her own home. Luckily MB has help and enjoys this special time with her mother. Otherwise, Mary Beth volunteers at Duke Raleigh Hospital and is a member of the guild there. Mary Beth and Joe have been married for 17 years and have a darling rescue dog named Bella, who has been with them seven years. Mary Clara “Puddin” Capel ’76HS ’78C reports that after 38 years in the family business (Capel Rugs, now in its 100th year), she has retired. She loves being in her Chapel Hill cottage full time. Great to hear from Ceci Scarborough Thomas ’76HS, who is still living (32 years) in High Point. Ceci and husband Leo just celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary in October. They have two children, Brit and Logan. In November of 2016, Brit and her husband, Matt, gave them a grandson. Ceci hopes all is well with her ’76HS friends! Frauke Engel Mirenda ’78C stays crazy busy keeping up with her job, yoga teacher training, pottery, and catching up with her old friends in Raleigh. Life is good! Frauke’s kids are great. Daughter Elli has been
accepted to Yale physician assistant’s school and son Nic is working hard towards his Special Forces Medic. I had a great time at Frauke’s home celebrating my cousin, Susan Langley Elliot ’76HS ’78C, on her birthday, along with my other cousins Corneille Little ’75HS and Marriott Little Sheldon ’73HS ’75C. Allison Dorr Daniel ’76HS has finished her Peace Corps service in Namibia and moved to historic Beaufort in June 2017. Allison is working as a counselor at Carteret Community College. She loves living at the coast. Allison says if anyone is in the area to please look her up! I hope to catch up with her on my next visit to the beach! Kappy Carr Black ’78C writes from Durham that she and husband Perry celebrated their 35th anniversary in November. Their daughter, Katherine, lives in hipster downtown Durham and works as a program coordinator for Duke University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative. Kappy was thrilled to see her SMS roomie, Libby Holding ’78C, tie the knot with Willard Ross in at Saint Mary’s Chapel in November. Elizabeth Stewart Long ’78C and husband Tom have moved back to Atlanta, Ga., after 10 years in Wisconsin. They are empty-nesters, but are blessed to have their two daughters working in Atlanta, and their son in his senior year at UNC-Chapel Hill. Elizabeth sends hugs to all the SMS girls! Liza Lamm Gauss ’78C is excited to let us know that her grandson, Bill, turned three this year. Liza and husband Harry get down to Atlanta, Ga., to visit often. Liza had a great visit with Elizabeth Stewart Long ’78C in Chapel Hill at a UNC football game this fall. Liza continues her career as a language therapist at Greenfield School, and loves teaching. Liza says Beth Kirkland Peter ’78C is doing a great job as head of school at Greenfield School in Wilson. Liza sees Beth and her husband, Walston, all the time. Harry is still in real estate and they spend a lot of time at UNC-Chapel Hill football games, Atlantic Beach, and visiting daughters and husbands in Atlanta, Ga. I often run into Liza walking on the beach at Atlantic Beach. For those in Atlanta, Liza’s son-in-law, William Stallworth, opened another fun venue there called The Painted Duck, which is similar to his boutique bowling alley, The Painted Pin, in Buckhead. Emilie Lamb Freeman ’78C and husband Ron welcomed their first grandchild this fall. Their daughter, Emilie, and husband Cameron live in Raleigh, so Emilie and Ron head down from Asheville quite often. Emilie and Ron
will celebrate their 37th anniversary in 2018. Lisa Lofton Tomlinson ’78C writes that she is getting out to California as much as possible to visit oldest daughter Elizabeth and her family, including Mattie (2) and baby James. Since our last news update, Lisa’s daughter, Mary Helen, married Justin Davis. It was great to catch up with Lisa at my niece’s wedding this summer. Lisa sells Carlisle four times each year and recruits women from around the country to begin the business, which Lisa says is rewarding. Lisa is happy to have Peggy Aiken Bridgforth ’76HS ’78C back in Charlotte. Martha Murphy ’76HS ’78C and Jan Stewart Atkins ’76HS ’78C recently joined up with the Charlotte SMS girls for a weekend of fun! Rosemary Summerlin Crane ’76HS ’78C is thrilled that grandson Gil (10) moved to Raleigh from Australia last summer with Rose’s son and daughter-in-law. Rose’s life suddenly got very busy. She is once again carpooling and watching basketball games. Husband Jeff recently retired and they took a month-long trip to Maine, hiking in Acadia to celebrate his retirement. Rose is considering retirement, as 2017 marked 35 years in nursing. As for work, you will find Rose working part time at Women’s Hospital as a gynecology/oncology nurse in Chapel Hill. For fun, Rose is playing golf with Jeff, knitting, and walking with their labradoodle, Liv. Wimberley Burton ’78C spent a wonderful week with Lynn Ledford Brown ’78C at Wrightsville Beach this summer. While there, she also visited with Barbara Johnston Bush ’77C. Wimberley and Kathy’s house is being built in Topsham, Maine, and will be ready soon. They will be about five miles from Bowdoin College, where they can audit classes for free, so Wimberley will be taking some more art history courses. She and Kathy are currently living in the summer cottage in Brooklin, Maine, which is the town where E. B. White wrote Charlotte’s Web and his other books. Wim is still painting lots, especially landscapes, and is looking forward to seeing everyone in our class at the April reunion. Susan Branscome Kyman ’78C and husband Alan live in St. Louis, Mo., where she is a preschool teacher and loves it. They have two daughters: Katherine, who is a second-year law student at Washington University in St. Louis, and Emily, who is a senior at Washington and Lee University in Virginia. They had a great trip to Italy to visit Emily while she was studying abroad. It was great to hear from Beth Hardy Wilson ’78C, who re-
A Saint Mary’s family legacy! Saint Mary’s sisters Jane Johnson Brady ’74HS ’76C, Anna Johnson Smith ’73HS ’75C, and Trina Johnson Blanton ’71HS, gathered recently with their mother, Trina Blake Johnson’47C, for a Saint Mary’s family photo.
married and moved to Manteo about 10 years ago. Beth is in her final year of teaching sixth grade at Manteo Middle School. She has two daughters, Rachel and Jane. Jane graduated from Saint Mary’s in 2016 and is taking a gap year. Her oldest daughter, Rachel, is finishing up nursing school. Beth hopes to see everyone at our next reunion in the spring. Anna T. Webb Wheeless ’76HS ’78C lives in Raleigh, and is working at Pharaoh’s in North Hills, where she gets to see lots of SMS girls, past and present. Her oldest son, Joseph (31), lives in Williamsburg, Va., working at the College of William and Mary as assistant director of student leadership development. Son William (28) has gone back to N.C. State as a full-time student and is working part time in Raleigh. Anna T is hoping for a good turnout for our upcoming ’78C 40th reunion too! Elaine Bridger Mebane ’78C has retired as a physical therapist at Wake Med and stays busy volunteering at church, Wake Relief, and Helping Horse. Elaine plays quite a bit of golf while trying to keep up with home and yard. Husband Bill continues to work at QVS Software. Their children, Fletcher and Kemp (31 and 29), are both independent and happy, so life is good! Marsee Edwards Lee ’78C gets to see many SMS ladies in Charleston and Roaring Gap, among them Anne Smith Hut-
son ’79C, Croft Whitener Lane ’76C, Virginia Gayle Grimball ’73C, Gigi Wallace ’82C, Memrie Mosier Lewis ’59C, Josie Ward Patton ’57C, Betty Copeland Becher ’60C, Julie Daniels ’76HS and, of course, her mother Sara Mell Smith Edwards ’47C. Marsee is always running into SMC ladies and says, “We cut a wide swath!” Daughter Carter and her husband are loving life and being in Spartanburg, S.C. Son Pierce is in Charleston and finished up active Marine duty in November. Marsee’s husband, Doug, is still with Kiawah Resort Association, so if anyone wants beautiful beach property, give him a call. Marsee is still volunteering, including as S.C. director of Stratford Hall, the historic home of the Lee Family on the Northern Neck of Virginia; on the flower guild at St Philip’s Church; and as secretary/treasurer of the Lowcountry Garden Club. Marsee is excited that SMS has Brendan O’Shea at the helm. She says he’s a capable administrator/educator and a wonderful man. She thinks SMS is lucky to have him! Charleston hated to see him go. Rosemarie Sakey Durham ’76HS sends in a quick update, saying that earlier this year, she packed up everything, threw it in storage, and moved to Charlottesville, Va., to enjoy time with her daughter, Laura, son-inlaw Alex, and baby grandson, James. Rose-
55
CLASS NEWS marie is currently working at Rosetta Stone as an IT project manager. She is busy trying to find a house, a new tennis team, and new friends in the area! Always great to hear from Anne Martin Cochran ’78C. She finds that this time of life, as an empty-nester with kids in early 20s, allows her and her husband, Rob, the freedom to travel, and they are taking full advantage of it. They had a fabulous trip to Argentina and Chile in early 2017. Their daughter, Hallie (22), has also caught the traveling bug. She graduated from USC in May 2017 and in September, left on a 10-week trip to Asia. She had dreamed of doing this and got a job during school to save funds to go. She had a fabulous time, traveling to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. She came home in November to reconnect and left in December for Australia! She applied for and was granted a work visa for a year, and will be moving to Sydney. “Looks like Rob and I will be traveling to Australia in 2018!” says Anne. “We are hoping to go in April/May. Son Rob (20) is a sophomore at Appalachian State and loves it. I recently drove to Burlington to visit Jan Stewart Atkins ’76HS ’78C and her husband, Darren, and see their new catering business, iI Centro Kitchen Catering. It was so fun and the food is delicious! Still see many of the Charlotte Saint Mary’s crew, as Lisa Loftin Tomlinson ’78C is a great organizer.” Ginny Anderson Broughton ’78C writes that her daughter, Hunter, married Josh Diamond in June and they had the most wonderful wedding weekend. Their family is beyond thrilled with their new son-in-law. Ginny’s sad news is that her mother, Charlotte Bundy, went to heaven in May. Some SMS girls sent her flowers, which were gorgeous and made Ginny happy. Many of us remember Ginny’s mother. I certainly do! We are all so excited for Libby Holding ’78C, who was married to Willard Ross on November 11 at the SMS Chapel. It was a small family service, with just a couple of SMS girls, her SMS roommate, Kappy Carr Black ’78C and Jane Bratton Fleming ’76HS ’78C. Catherine Gambrell Rogers ’76HS married Steven Lee Nicoll on June 17, 2017, on Johns Island, S.C., with Mary R. Rogers ’76HS serving as maid of honor. Other Saint Mary's friends in attendance were Virginia James Shelley ’76HS ’78C, Mary Louise Wray Conner ’77HS and Sharon Odom Infinger ’77HS. Frances Schultz ’76HS ’78C was happy to write in that she and her husband, Tom Ditt-
56
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
mer, recently celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary in Italy, and are loving California ranch life. They travel when possible to visit their (Tom’s) children and grandchildren in Park City, Utah, and Jackson, Wyo. Frances still shuttles frequently to New York to keep her toe in the magazine and publishing worlds. Blanche Williamson ’76HS reports that she is happy to be settled into her condo at the Gardens at Glenwood in Raleigh and is thrilled that two nieces, brother Julian’s daughters Pell Williamson ’18 and Blanche Williamson ’21, are happy Saint Mary’s students. Beth Kirkland Peters ’78C writes, “I am staying very busy in my second year as head of school at Greenfield School in Wilson. I enjoyed visiting Saint Mary's in June for a Women's Leadership Conference. The campus looked more beautiful than ever and Smedes was a wonderful venue for this conference. I had a nice visit with Mary Virginia Swain ’77C in her office in Smedes.” Donna Sherrill Steele ’78C is still in Charlotte, and enjoys the great group of Saint Mary’s ladies there who get together often. Donna says they haven't changed a bit: aging gracefully and still laughing themselves silly, and of course, reminiscing about SMC and their escapades from 40 years ago! Saint Mary’s friendships remain solid and new ones have formed. Donna loves getting to Greensboro to see Liz Wright James ’78C whenever she can. Liz is a bright light from afar and her family is an inspiration to all who know them. They exude joy and humor every day. Their boys “have a busier social life than any of us, especially where ladies are involved: Hooters, Chapel Hill Chi-O house, Grasshopper baseball, etc.” Liz’s husband, Alex, keeps them on the move! Donna’s son, Harrison, is working at Wake Stone with my husband, David. They have become fast friends, as both are outdoorsmen, and often fish and hunt together. Donna is looking forward to catching up with everyone at our 40th this spring! Etta Ryan Clark ’78C has the honor of being the first lady of Kingsport, Tenn., as her husband, John, is the mayor (wahoo!) Etta has the parade wave down – too funny. Etta is going on 23 years at Eastman, continuing to work as their global vice president of public affairs and policy. Their oldest daughter, Alex, is in D.C., working for the National Republican Congressional Committee, and the youngest, Haley, is a CPA with Deloitte in Atlanta, Ga. Hester Gregory Hodde ’76HS ’78C and husband Bob have lived in Hilton Head, S.C., since they were married in 1983 – by my count
that is 31 years! They have two children: Hester (30) lives in N.Y.C and Will (27) lives in Austin, Texas. Bob has a residential real estate company and Hester runs the office stuff, marketing, etc. Hester gets to see lots of North Carolina friends in the summer when we go to the mountains in Linville, and keeps up with Cantey Sutton Brown ’76HS, Peggy Aiken Bridgforth ’76HS ’78C, Jan Stewart Atkin ’76HS ’78C, Anne Martin Cochran ’78C, and Lisa Loftin Tomlinson ’78C. I think Jan Stewart Atkins ’76HS ’78C wins for seeing the most SMS girls throughout the year(s). We’ve met several times for lunch dates between Burlington and Raleigh, and we need to get back on that schedule soon. Jan writes that she and husband Darren opened a business in August 2017 in Burlington called Il Centro kitchen and catering. Darren is chef and owner, specializing in fresh local ingredients with Italian chef-driven cuisine. Jan says it has been a fun, new, exciting journey! It was great to see Jane Bratton Fleming ’76HS ’78C at the wedding of her niece, Gabrielle Bratton Hall ’05, in October. Jane’s husband, Pat, is still practicing law in Wilson and she says he will never retire! Their oldest son, Patrick, is in D.C. with Spere, a public affairs firm. Middle son Alex moved from Charlotte to D.C., where he lives with Patrick and works for Carlisle Group. The Fleming’s youngest son, Jack, graduated from University of South Carolina and lives in Charleston. Debora Turner Oster ’76HS is thrilled to be a grandmother! Her granddaughter, Pearl Vanda Oster, was born in September of 2016 (same month as my grandgirls!). It was wonderful to catch up with Debora at our ’76HS 40th reunion! As for me, I have loved hearing from so many classmates (even though I had to guilt you in to sending news – thank you)! Our son, Will, and his wife gave us our first grandchildren, yes - twin girls (Procter and Sadie), born in September of 2016. And my sweet mother’s (91 years young) first great grandchildren. As many have noted in your email messages, seeing my grandgirls on Facebook, we are so enjoying them and are blessed to have them live so close. Son Sam still lives in San Diego, Calif., and truly loves it! Daughter Anna O'Neal ’05 is in Raleigh (which I love), working for Red Hat. I am in my sixth year with Junior Achievement of Eastern North Carolina, and husband David is in his 32nd year with Wake Stone Corporation. I do hope to see many of you ’78C girls at our 40th reunion in April! Bebee
ALUMNAE IN THE NEWS
1978
HIGH SCHOOL
Fern Bugg writes from Wilmington, “I am so excited to have reconnected with Amelie Brogden. Amelie and I agree that it is a good thing that she is married now, because if we were both single, it would be dangerous for this town. I remain amazed that we have so many ’78HS classmates in Wilmington: Kathy Sawyer Mann, Hope Saunders Hackler, Caroline Ward Cone, Amy Byers North, Amelie, and me. These ladies are movers and shakers—always running into them at benefits, parties, and concerts. That’s Saint Mary’s girls for you!” Alicia Sedwick is an actor, professor, speech coach, and producer of live events in Los Angeles. She just finished acting in a world premiere production of a stage adaptation of Woody Allen’s film, Husbands and Wives, at Ensemble Theatre in Santa Barbara, Calif. Elizabeth Barnes continues to work in hospice and was hoping to pass her exam in December to become a LCSW. “I'm also preparing to be an empty-nester, as my youngest daughter graduates from high school in the spring. I’m raising chickens (19 now!) and keeping bees (40,000 now!).”
1980
COLLEGE
Cissy Lofton Elmer '80C Hi, everyone! It’s great to hear from so many folks from near and far. Our news is always evolving and it’s nice to catch up on your whereabouts. Diving right in, Terry McLennan Whitney is in Charlotte, where she is consulting for retail design and build projects all over the southeast. Her son, Josh, is with BB&T in Charlotte and her son, Hayes, is enjoying life in Austin, Texas. Speaking of Texas, Kimberly Sevison Hedgecock and husband Chuck moved to Fort Worth about four years ago. Kimber left her education career of 22plus years in Georgia and has
worked a few part-time jobs in Texas, now substituting in her local school district. Her new love is creating “reborn dolls,” the one-ofa-kind, collector’s dolls. She loves the whole process from painting the kit, assembling, putting the doll’s layettes together, and taking the pictures to list them for sale. Kimber says her most interesting news is that they have custody of a 13-year-old girl who has been a family friend for 10 years. They have her enrolled in a private school in Texas where she will complete her eighth-grade year. Chuck and Kimber are looking forward to coaching Upwards Basketball this winter at their church. Martha Brinn Gray and John are in Raleigh and Martha is the cook at Christ Episcopal Church, where many of the volunteers are Saint Mary’s girls. Her daughter, Mary Brinn, is at UNC-Wilmington and living on the beach, and son Holt is at N.C. State, on the dive team. Karen Turner reports that all is well. She is still in Charlotte and is the assistant to the chief operating officer at Parker Poe. Corbin Hogaboom says that life is moving too quickly these days, and she’s just trying to tread water. We can probably all relate to that feeling. Corbin’s son, Edward, is a senior in high school and doing the college application thing while finishing up his Eagle Scout project. Corbin and husband Wayne are already feeling the nest getting roomier. Corbin and Dansie Allen Little ’78HS were at Saint Mary’s 175th Gala and enjoyed seeing a few of our classmates there. Missy Underwood Miller is in Charlotte and also enjoyed catching up with many Saint Mary’s friends at the festivities last May. Missy’s son, Rob, is living and working in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; daughter Liza is in Atlanta; and Katie is a sophomore at UNC-Charlotte. Missy’s husband, Will, is working in Raleigh, so they have a “commuter” marriage and they have a new lab puppy named Georgia, so there will
Congrats to Lanier Brown May ’78HS ’80C, pictured right, on being awarded the 2017 Mary Turner Lane award for her work promoting leadership opportunities for women on campus and for her work with the Carolina Women’s Leadership Council.
Congratulations to Saint Mary's alumnae trustee Mary Dana Hinton '88HS, president of the College of Saint Benedict in Minnesota, on receiving a Bicentennial Medal from Williams College, her college alma mater, September 16, 2017. Williams established its Bicentennial Medals program on the occasion of its 200th anniversary in 1993. The Executive Committee of the Society of Alumni and Williams President Adam Falk select five recipients each year to be honored for distinguished achievement in any field. Hinton was recognized for “her passion for educational equity,” which is “reflected in her commitment to ensuring underrepresented students have access to a liberal arts education.”
57
CLASS NEWS surely be some fun times ahead. Missy also sent this with her note to encourage all of us to give what we can to SMS. “Less than 24 percent of our total alumnae donate - pretty sad number. Our class percentage is lower. So, I’m asking everyone to write a check. You don’t have to give enough to name a building, but give what you can. This would make our class percentage of giving go up and help out our school and show our support. Do it in the name of Saint Mary’s 175th birthday and in honor of all the good friends you made!” Elizabeth Arrington ’78HS ’80C is on her third career, this time as a certified senior move manager and professional organizer. (Yes, that really is a “thing” says Elizabeth.) The name of her business is Transformaison, and it was created at the annual reunion of the Wah-Wah Sisterhood in Kiawah Island. Every year, Elizabeth and five other Saint Mary’s girls (Alicia Sedwick ’78HS, Elizabeth Little Barnes ’78HS, Laura Reidy, Michele Pizer ’78HS and Kathryn Nanney Alice ’78HS) gather at the beach for a five-day reunion, and she says that magic happens every year. Elizabeth and her husband, Mark, live in Asheville and enjoy traveling when they are not working, which is a good thing because they have three grown children and five grandchildren in California, and one daughter in D.C. Jill Turner Kearse is in her hometown of Spartanburg, S.C., where she is a nanny for a very active family and still finds time to run to the gym and keep up with good friends. Her youngest, Rachel, is in high school and her son, Drew, is working with Milliken. Kea Capel is in Pinehurst, where her youngest of four is finishing his senior year of high school, and they are in the midst of college applications and all of the stress that comes with that process. Her oldest, Capel, is living in N.Y.C. Second daughter, Charlotte, is working at a local law firm in Pinehurst, saving for her next adventure, and her third child, Rook, is a first semester sophomore, where he will have finished his political science major by the time you are reading this. Kea said that it’s shocking to her that she has one that loves school! Kea is developing a project for Home Shopping Network and is busy with local boards and community projects. She misses her SMS friends! Kelly Crouch is in Texas, where she is a buyer for the number one western wear and boot retailer on the Web, and she stays very busy traveling for work. In her spare time, Jill tries to fit in some travel for fun. Margaret Williams Williams and husband
58
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
Ward are in Charlotte and their youngest, Eleanor Williams ’20, is a sophomore at SMS. She is loving her time there and Margaret is thrilled with the new head of school, Brendan O’Shea. She says he is a great fit for SMS, and he is challenging all the girls to have “eyes up and phones down.” Marina Lynch Stevenson and Nancy Dawson Rascoe ’52C had the great pleasure of hosting two wonderful Saint Mary’s students, Mindy Yao ’20 and Christine Huang ’20, and their piano instructor, Terry Elizabeth Thompson, for the North Carolina Music Teachers conference held at Elizabeth City State University. Mindy was chosen to play at the honor’s recital, where she did a superb job and represented SMS well. Marina had such a good time with all of them and enjoyed talking to them about their time at Saint Mary’s and remembering the good times that she had. Marina sends her love to all. Colleen Smith Turner is in Charlotte with husband Steven, and they are emptynesters these days. Both sons are off to college, and Colleen is enjoying road trips to Raleigh (N.C. State) and Columbia, S.C., (University of South Carolina) when she has a spare minute. Colleen is a project manager at Ally Bank. Lydia Payne Pickard is still in Raleigh and has recently downsized to a new home. Her son, Hampton, is in his last year of MBA school at Vanderbilt and will be moving to Charlotte next spring. Lydia’s daughter, Katherine, graduated in May 2017 from Appalachian State and is living in Jaen, Spain, where she is teaching English. Lydia and her husband, John, traveled to Jaen to help her move in and can’t wait to go back to visit. They also enjoyed their first Habitat for Humanity International build in Honduras and are looking forward to future trips with HHI. Lydia has retired from her 30-plus years in the mortgage industry and is working at a small nonprofit. Joni Eargle Case is in Waxhaw, where she has retired from many years of teaching and is staying busy taking care of her parents and keeping up with her four grown kids. Joni is also involved with many community projects and makes the most amazing jewelry when she has a moment to sit still. Those moments are few and far between these days. (By the way, Joni didn’t write that her jewelry was amazing, she’s way too humble, but I am telling you it’s amazing because I have a few of her pieces and they are beautiful). Sara Vestal Morgan has retired from her full-time position since our last news, but after seven months off, she has gone back to her
old school in a part-time capacity as the volunteer coordinator at Lacy Elementary in Raleigh. She and husband Tim are enjoying every minute with their three granddaughters, and Sara says that life just does not get any better. Katie Zevenhuizen Medlin is still in Benson with husband Danny. They’ve been married for 35 years and Katie says that time really does fly when you’re having fun. Katie is teaching 12th grade English and yearbook class at South Johnston High School and this is her eighth year. Her son, Grimes, is working with his dad at Medlin Dorman and her daughter, Cathryn, is working for Geographics in Atlanta. Katie took a fabulous trip to Greece and Italy last summer and has plans to go to London, Bath, and Stonehenge in the summer of 2018. She loved seeing friends at the SMS 175th Anniversary party. Kathryn Nanney Alice is living in Malibu, Calif., with her husband and their three youngest boys. The youngest is starting middle school and the oldest recently got married. Kathryn is on several local boards and is still writing and traveling quite a bit to speak and teach, including a recent trip to Japan and a retreat in Aruba. Cathy Lee Smith and husband Chip live in Fort Mill, S.C., and just celebrated their 35th anniversary. Cathie owns a gift store in Fort Mill called Crossings on Main, and invites everyone to visit. Raine Gilbert Archer is busy on her farm with the cows, sheep, and chickens, and she is also working for a company doing marketing and public relations. Her oldest, Will, is loving living in Denver, Colo., and Graham is living and working in Zion National Park. Hannah will have graduated with her RN degree by the time you are reading this. Raine says she can’t believe we are all at this point in our lives, seems it was just yesterday that the West Rock girls were waiting to eat dinner at 4:30. Yes, sometimes it does feel like just yesterday we were having our meals together, checking our mail, watching our shows, figuring out what we were going to do for the weekend, and eating at Char Grill. Great memories. Danny and I are still in Asheville, and we both work for Christ School, which also reminds me every day of my years at Saint Mary’s – except Christ School is all-boys, so the emotions and the outfits are different but the traditions, the memories, and the friendships are lasting. Our oldest son, Ben, is a fly fishing guide in Cashiers and Highlands, and he enjoys traveling to more exotic places to fish when the season slows down in North Carolina. Our youngest,
Sam, lives in Charlotte and works for Vanguard. Life is certainly busy, but I love catching up with my Saint Mary’s buddies every chance I can. It’s a friendship like no other. Hope you will stay in touch and I wish the best to each of you. Cissy
1982
COLLEGE
Jane Morris Harkey ’80HS ’82C writes from Greensboro that she is in her 27th year at Mattel Toys, and is now supervising all of their merchandisers in North and South Carolina. She still travels quite a bit to those states and to New York and California. Daughter Lizzy is selling real estate in Richmond, Va., and son John is in computer science at UNCGreensboro. “Scott and I are empty-nesters except for our crazy puppy! Had lunch with high school buds Missy Nelson ’80HS in Charlotte this summer and dinner with Janet Berkeley Johnson ’80HS ’82C down in Beaufort, S.C I keep up with Sheri Vinson Straughn ’82C and Jill Davis Priester ’82C, too! Love seeing my SMC pals!” Terry Gardner Noble lives in Rocky Mount. Husband Billy works in Raleigh with The Trust Company of the South. Their son, Will, works and lives in Raleigh; Gardner works and lives in Wilmington; and daughter Marie is finishing up her last year at UNC-Chapel Hill. Terry is still enjoying her 11-year-old business, TGN Pearls. She travels around the state selling pearls and semi-precious jewelry.
1982 HIGH SCHOOL AND 1984 COLLEGE
Beth Morris Gobble ’82HS ’84C What a fantastic time we had at the last reunion! The campus looked amazing and it was so much fun to see everyone again! Judy Douglass ’82HS ’84C said she had a great time, enjoyed seeing everyone and catching up! She continues to be an ER and traveling nurse. Her “Golden Girls” (her mom and her aunt, who are both in their 80s) still live with her and keep her on her toes! Sandra Ray Criner ’82HS ’84C was there and reports that everyone is happy and healthy in her family. Her daughter, Meredith, is at N. C. State and involved in her sorority, Sigma Kappa, so they are now “mother and daughter and sisters!” Meredith plays club soccer, is a member of Phi Sigma Pi fraternity and was
1982 College 35th Reunion, May 13, 2017 | Pictured from left to right, front row: Emily Shapard King, Jane Hanlon Humphries, Marilyn Ellerbe Broderick, Angela Patrick, Jan Stoughton Benedict; second row: Mary Leigh Lewis, Bee Howey Brakebill, Lee Williams Turner, Melanie Hardy Hardin, Gina Ellis Minton, Katie Seawell, Gigi Wallace
inducted into the The Order of Omega. Sandra’s other daughter, Elizabeth, is a senior in high school and is busy applying to colleges. She has been accepted at East Carolina and is waiting to hear from others. Elizabeth plays on varsity soccer, basketball, and golf teams. She’s also a member of Beta Club and National Honor Society. Sandra’s son, Brother, is in the eighth grade and plays Halo Hoops and Ateam basketball, along with being a member of Beta Club at his school. Sandra is enjoying her 13th year as a district court judge in the 5th Judicial District. In 2018, she plans to run for a seat on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. She appreciates your prayers and support for her family as they take this next step. I was thrilled to see my fabulous high school roommate, Ashley Campbell Patterson Silverman ’82HS at the reunion! She lives in Atlanta, Ga., where she and husband Jeff are first-year empty-nesters. Their son, Campbell, is a senior at Georgia Tech and their daughter, Libby, just started at Appalachian State (where her mother has loved having the excuse to visit North Carolina). Ashley runs her own marketing and creative consultancy company called Dreamtank Group. Ashley and Jeff travelled to Greenwich, Conn., this year to visit Ashley Dimmette Cole ’82HS
and her husband, George, at their home. Meredith Casey Bourne ’82HS and her husband recently celebrated their 30-year wedding anniversary with a trip to England, France, and back across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary II. Caroline Ragsdale ’82C loved catching up with everyone at the reunion. She can’t wait for the next one, but in the meantime, she would love to see classmates who are visiting Charleston, S.C.! Anne Morgan Miller ’84C and husband Paul are surviving in Atlanta, Ga., with one left in the nest. Son Hamilton is a junior at Vanderbilt, daughter Allie Smith is a freshman playing soccer at Washington and Lee, and daughter Mary Chapman is a senior in high school! Anne is in her fourth year as the director of attorney placement of West Highland Placement. Katherine White Mesenger ’84C and husband Bill are still in Raleigh, but Katherine is counting down the years until they can move to the beach (4.5 years)! Daughter Stewart is a cheerleader in eighth grade; Hank is a sophomore in high school; and Jack is a freshman in college and swimming for UNC-Chapel Hill. Virginia White Pou ’84C and husband Wilson are still in Greenville, but after extensive renovations, recently moved into the house where she was raised. Virginia still enjoys teaching middle
59
CLASS NEWS school math and coaching Mock Trial Club. Wilson continues with his company, Engineering Source, and competes in triathlons. Go Wilson! Their kids keep them busy at the pools – they travel to swim meets about twice a month for Gardner-Webb University, where Cary and Cameron are both in school and on the swim team. Cary is a sophomore studying business/finance, while Cameron is a senior with an accounting major. Virginia and Wilson recently christened their “new” house by hosting a party for about 80 members and associates of the Gardner-Webb swim team. Eldest child, Sara-Morgan, is living with them while she attends graduate school at East Carolina, where she is studying audiology. Dan and I are in Greensboro, where I continue working in our bustling little family glass business and selling ShelfGenie. I enjoy my work with the Senior Resources of Guilford and Tiny Houses Greensboro. Sort of the same as last year, but that’s okay – a few uneventful years is fine with us! Loved seeing this great group of women at the reunion! Beth Morris Gobble
1987
COLLEGE
Chrissy Bolin Rand I hope all is well with everyone! Marcy Everett Voelkel writes that she is happy and healthy with a 25-year marriage and three great kids. In 2017, Hope Voelkel ’17 graduated from Saint Mary’s School and followed her two brothers, Carter and McLean, to UNCChapel Hill. Hope was the fifth generation of her family at Saint Mary’s and is the 13th family member to attend UNC. Carter finishes up this year with a double major in economics and management in society, and McLean is a business major with a minor in philosophy and politics. Peter gets game tickets so the Voelkels enjoy Chapel Hill even more. “These years are very exciting and moving fast. I am nervous about being an empty nester but know I will adjust. Life goes on! I am still dabbling in the arts often with Eleanor White Hunter.” Eleanor White Hunter loves staying connected with her SMS friends. She visited with Kiki Pullen West over Christmas, and helped Kiki celebrate her 50th birthday with high tea at the Carolina Inn with their daughters (each other’s godchildren). Eleanor loves taking pottery classes at Pullen Park with Marcy. Eleanor celebrated her 50th on May 18, and was thrilled to see so many classmates at the reunion to help her celebrate! Catharine Hawes Hamrick writes that her daugh-
60
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
ter, Anna, graduated from the University of Texas in May and will be teaching elementary school. Her daughter, Sophie, graduated from high school in June and attends the University of Alabama. Catharine still lives in Evanston, Ill. with her son, Jackson, who is a sophomore in high school, Patrick, her goldendoodle, and Pippa, her dachshund mix. Catharine is sad she missed the reunion, as she was busy with graduations. She says, “come visit!” I am excited to announce that I am a grandmother! My daughter, Victoria, and her husband welcomed Elani May Holland into the world on February 2, 2017. My son, Caleb, finished graduate school for accounting and took the CPA exam. He began work with a firm in September and is doing corporate auditing. He loves it. My daughter, Bethany, is finishing up her public health degree at the University of North Florida and wants to go into nursing. My youngest son has an apartment, pays his own bills, but is undecided on his college major, so he spends a lot of time in a local coffee shop discussing the mysteries of the universe with other patrons. I’m still writing, and still married to Will. Love to all! Chrissy Editor’s note: Our apologies to the Class of ’87C that this newsletter was omitted from the summer 2017 edition of this magazine.
1988
COLLEGE
Olga McCoy Faison ’88C Betsy Manuel Pennington is a special education substitute teacher in the Mountain Brook school system in Birmingham, Ala. She and husband James have two daughters. Katherine is in junior high, and Mary Arden is a senior in high school. She enjoys keeping up with Katharine Redding Braak, Elizabeth Burnham Gray and, of course, her twin sister, Lee Manuel Marcus, in Winston Salem. I loved seeing Natalie Carter Hyde last year at a political event. She and husband Jeff live in Greensboro. They own Aesthetic Images Photography, and specialize in photographing families, weddings, politicians, and events. Natalie and Jeff have two sons. Joe is at N.C. State, in the Poole College of Management, and Henry is a high school senior. Luci Litaker Heeseman and Stephen just celebrated 26 years of marriage! Luci is the activities coordinator at The Cypress, a retirement community in Charlotte. Their daughter, Emily, is studying towards a graduate degree in speech pathology at Appalachian State. Little Stephen hopes to work for the S.B.I. and is
studying criminal justice at East Carolina. Katie is a sophomore in high school. Rhett Lea Quattlebaum and high school sweetheart Corey have celebrated their 25 years together! Their daughter, Addison Quattlebaum ’17, graduated from SMS in May and is now at N.C. State. Their daughter, Eliza, recently graduated magna cum laude from East Carolina. Jane Pattishall Snyder is the director of Christian education and fellowship at First Presbyterian Church in Albermarle. She and husband Michael have a son, Jack, who just completed his marketing and supply chain management degree from Appalachian State. Daughter Caroline is at UNC-Charlotte in education, and Lily is in fifth grade. Lily loves theater, playing the piano, and singing. Lily sang at her grandfather’s funeral this past fall and it was beautiful and moving and for all. Mary Lee Beasley Conner sends a hello from Youngsville, near Raleigh. She, her husband Terry, and daughters Amanda Jean and Grace Lillian, are the fifth generation to live in their Victorian home. Mary Lee is in her 18th year as a special education teacher at Cedar Creek Middle School. Ruland Brown Gagne is in her 20th year as a teacher at Ghent Montessori School in Norfolk, Va. She teaches fourth through sixth grades and loves the work. She and husband Rob have a daughter, Madeleine, at Virginia Tech and their son, Quinn, is a junior in high school. Parker Gabriel Cunningham sends a hello from Atlanta, Ga., where she loves teaching preschool at PRUMC. She has two children (12 and 7). McLean Bradshaw is enjoying more than 10 years with her work at Lenovo. Travels take her near and far and she loves keeping up with Harriet Adams and Shore Tucker McCall. Liz Fletcher O’Herron and husband Billy are on the water in Beaufort, S.C. Daughter Carlyle is at Wofford College and little Billy is a senior in high school. Melissa Gibson Estes and husband Bryan are in Charlotte. Their son, Jack, is in the sixth grade. Melissa enjoys intimidating her opponents on the tennis court. Tracy Woolard Mayo’s company, Mainstreet Collection, is now online. Happy shopping! Tracye O’Bannon Wheless is the very proud mother of Reed. He was the salutatorian of his graduating class in Louisburg and is now at N.C. State. Neely Barnwell Dykshorn and husband Todd are renovating a home in the historic section of Richmond, Va. They are the parents of Hank (10) and daughter Ella (16). Kim Norfleet Collie sends a hello from Raleigh. Her daughter, Mary Mac
ALUMNAE BOOK CORNER Collie ’17 graduated from Saint Mary’s and is now at UNC-Chapel Hill. Katharine Collie ’19 is a junior at Saint Mary’s, and son Hugh is in eighth grade at St. David’s School. Leigh McAdoo Kempf is a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch. She and Bill live in Chapel Hill and have two daughters, Alleigh and Judy Kate. I am in Charlotte with Jay and our three children. It is always a treat to get together with Saint Mary’s pals. Please be sure to mark your calendars and let us all gather for our 30th reunion on April 27 and 28, 2018! I’ll see you in Raleigh! Love, Olga
1988
HIGH SCHOOL
Caroline Stephenson writes from Como, in Hertford County. She is teaching as an adjunct faculty member at Chowan University and a running non-profit bookstore called Cultivator on Main Street in Murfreesboro. She also works in Los Angeles on the occasional television show. Heather Moore Thompson ’88HS ’90C says, “Talk about surreal – my daughter, Grace Battle Thompson ’18 will be an SMS alumna in May. My daughter May (seventh grade) is lobbying hard to not only attend SMS, but join the boarding community. I am loving my job as director of development for The REALTOR® Foundation of Wake County. Friends, do yourself a big favor and BREATHE.” Joelle Doane Pemberton is still in Raleigh, staying busy with her two girls, ages (8 and 11). Joelle works at White Memorial Weekday School. Melissa Morrisette Tillman enjoys being on campus occasionally for the SMS Alumnae Council meetings. She stays busy with two teenagers, Rollie (17) and Eliza Dunn (13), who recently declared her interest in SMS for 9th grade! Melissa is looking forward to celebrating the 1988 High School 30th reunion this spring. “I hope that everyone makes the trip to Raleigh!”
1990
COLLEGE
Barbara Bryant Baynes ’88HS ’90C Hello, Class of '90C! Thank you so much for writing! It is always so great to hear from you, and I love being able to share your news! I am so happy to report that I married Jonathan Baynes in May. We were so happy to share our special day with my three children, Ben (19), Drew (16), and Lilly (13). I also started a personal shopping and closet organization business called Bustle. The year has been a
busy one filled with many blessings! Holly Byrum Camak and her husband, Neal, live in Raleigh and have three daughters, Rebecca (senior at N.C. State), Liza (sophomore at East Carolina), and Addie (10th grade). Holly stays busy teaching fitness classes and playing lots of tennis! Lauren Black Currin is happy to report that her firm, Lawyers Marketing Associates, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. She manages to balance a busy career with a family farm, complete with peacocks, goats, and many more animals. She writes that her greatest joy comes from her five grandchildren and her nieces and nephews. Blanche Slade Hancock lives in Southern Pines. She and husband George just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary! They have two boys, Boone (11th grade) and Phillip (7th grade). Blanche also enjoys working as the director of alumni relations at The O’Neal School, and spending time with her two dogs, Sadie and Lilly. Lauren Sessoms Rivers lives in Chapel Hill, where she enjoys a career in advertising. Lauren has two children, Olivia (11) and Lachlan (6). Natalie Gaskins Sherman lives in Chicago with husband Brent and their three children, Parker (10th grade), Anabel (sixth grade) and Brent (third grade). Natalie works part time as a human resources director for a public relations agency and enjoys spending time at their second home on Torch Lake in Michigan. Heather Moore Thompson ’88HS ’90C writes that her daughter, Grace Battle Thompson ’18 loves SMS and is rooming in Smedes with Kathryn Cahill ’18, daughter of Sallie Thorpe Cahill '87HS '89C. Heather's younger daughter, May, is in seventh grade and looks forward to her turn at Saint Mary's! Heather works in development for The REALTOR® Foundation of Wake County. Thanks so much for staying in touch and I look forward to hearing from all of you again soon! xo Barbara
1992
COLLEGE
Michelle McLaughlin Cheshire ’92C Hello to the Class of '92C! I hope each of you are doing well and living each day to its fullest. Gray Williams Carlin and her husband, Kevin, recently celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary. Gray can't believe she has a son old enough to be applying to college. Her second son has received his learner’s permit and the youngest is in middle school. Weldon Jackson Byrtus is still working at SMS and loving it. She has been there 21 years! Daugh-
The Exciting Travels of Tuffie and Giuseppe Written and illustrated by Charla M. Perry ’87C Saint Mary’s alumna Charla M. Smith Perry ’87C has written and illustrated a delightful children’s book, The Exciting Travels of Tuffie and Giuseppe, a colorful book for children under the age of seven. The Exciting Travels of Tuffie and Giuseppe is about best friends Tuffie Tortoise and Giuseppe Giraffe, who go on an adventure together. They travel around the world finding new places to explore, including London, Stonehenge, China, Mount Rushmore, and New York City. After graduating from Saint Mary’s in 1987, Perry graduated from Oberlin College with a degree in French and a minor in studio art. She received an M.F.A. in screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. Perry worked in publishing at Dutton Children’s Books in New York. She also taught high school French in Washington, D.C. Perry says it was at Saint Mary’s that she was encouraged to pursue writing and art. She had her first short story published in the Muse literary magazine. Perry lives in Covington, Ken., where she teaches elementary school. The book is available for order at www.tuffieandgiuseppe.com.
61
CLASS NEWS ter Liza is in second grade and enjoys playing soccer. As for me, after spending the last 14 years raising my kids, I am back to working full time as a travel nurse recruiter, and still living in San Diego, Calif. Wishing you all the very best, Michelle
1994
COLLEGE
Andrea Staunch Green ’94C Sally Howell Donaldson had a wonderful end of 2016, finding out the news that she was pregnant. Mary Smith was born healthy on August 21. Baby showers were given, where SMC friends were able to visit and celebrate! Mary Pat Radford is her “fairy godmother.” Life has never been more fulfilling in the Donaldson home, and they are in complete love with their little girl. Meredith Toomes Gibbs writes, “We were definitely protected from Hurricane Irma in our little neighborhood, as there were ruined roofs and destroyed trees all around us, and we are thankful to have been spared. If you were praying for Florida, thank you! It was still very scary but we suffered only minor damage. My twins just turned 10 and we are navigating life with sports (lacrosse and volleyball currently), homework, a bit of attitude, laughs, and still lots of snuggles. I’m still teaching a creative thinking/logic class called ‘Compass’ at a private school, and this year am teaching a Beta program: 5th grade math (aaaack! I was worried but am loving it!) to a third grader and a few fourth graders.” Elizabeth Grant graduated from nursing school in May with associate degree in nursing. She loves life in North Carolina mountains. Stacey Stallard Shaughnessy is still in Cary, and has two kids at Cary Academy, one in seventh grade and one in ninth grade. Stacey is working for Brian Reddersen, a realtor with Allen Tate, and also as a distributor for MUE Lifestyles. Kendy Allen Smith writes, “Greetings, from California! We moved from Seattle to Oakland, Calif., and purchased our very first home, in June of 2016. My husband, Bryan, is in his second year as the upper school head at Bentley School. I am the director of the after-school program at Bentley’s lower and middle school campus in Berkeley. Our son, Henry (11), is enjoying his fifth grade year at Bentley. We love being a foster family for Golden Gate Labrador Retriever Rescue.” Austin Staunch still lives in San Francisco, one of the few these days who has managed to hold onto a good, affordable spot and not be forced out in a rapidly changing city. She’s
62
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
Saint Mary’s friends at a baby shower for Sally Howell Donaldson ’94C: left to right: Margery Knott Clifton ’94C, Mary Pat Phillips Radford ’94C, Robin White Mangum ’94C, Sally Howell Donaldson ’94C, Heather Gibson ’93HS ’95C, Hillary McGee Lacouture ’94C, Andrea Staunch Green ’94C, Jennie Burgess ’94C
an electrician, carpenter, rigger, and equipment operator for IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees). She builds concerts, conferences, and other shows that require lighting, sound, audio/visual, etc. Austin enjoys and makes time for camping, boating, sailing, and traveling. She visits back east at least a couple of times a year and last spring got to Mexico and Iceland. Austin still works seasonally for the Burning Man Project, as the operations manager for one of their major construction projects. She remains happily unmarried with no kids, and life is great in California! Look her up if you're ever in the area. I, Andrea Staunch Green, have been in Charlotte for eight years. Alex is in second grade and into science, gaming, and has started learning guitar. Caroline is a fifthgrader and is into soccer, chorus, and playing in the neighborhood with her pack of girls. Next year we journey into the unknown realm of middle school, which comes with mixed emotions. I volunteer at my kids’ school all the time and chair a PTA committee, and I started working with the Humane Society of Charlotte doing promotional work. I traveled to Budapest over the summer and am currently brainstorming on where in the world to go next summer, while my kids are both at camp. I enjoyed co-hosting a baby shower for Sally Howell Donaldson in the spring, and seeing some of my SMC girls.
1994
HIGH SCHOOL
Cyndi Akers Harris ’94HS Hi, Class of HS ’94 and all Saint Mary’s friends! I hope this finds you well and that things are good in your world. It’s always nice to hear from our classmates. Sandy Aichner Alpine lives in the Lake Norman area in North Carolina and her children are John Robert (3) Cooper Ashley (5). Sandy is a partner owner of RE/MAX EXECUTIVE in the Carolinas and runs a team of six. Her husband left his engineering position with a NASCAR team and is now an adjunct professor at UNCCharlotte, teaching motorsports engineering. Elizabeth Spratt Cooper ’94HS ’95C lives in Washington, D.C., where her interior decorating business, Art & Design Partners, has been going strong since 2012 (artdesignpartners.com). Between work, keeping up with her two daughters, Lucy (10) and Hayes (7), volunteering at their school and a local non-profit, Fair Chance, she stays busy! In October, Liz co-chaired Fair Chance’s annual fundraising event, The Butterfly Bash, and encourages anyone in the D.C. to join her at it again in October 2018. Liz hopes to get back to SMC sometime to catch up with everyone soon. Eliza Pittman Stephenson ’94HS ’96C reports that all is well in Wilson. “Mallory and Russell are eight and six now. They are keeping Lee and me so busy with school and sports. Feeling so blessed!” Virginia Bullock Crisp writes from Raleigh
that she has a seven-year-old daughter in second grade at Saint Timothy’s School. Virginia is employed at North Carolina Biomedical Research and loves running into other Saint Mary’s girls when she can. Elizabeth Olson Wise married Ford Wise this past summer in Baltimore, Md., where they are both teachers at Loyola Blakefield. She now has four step-children! Margaret Grissom and her husband, Fred, and former Saint Mary’s teachers, Susan Downs and Amelia Gibson, were in attendance at the wedding. While there are many Saint Mary’s girls I did not hear from this time, it is a pleasure to spend time with those I get to see on a regular and rare basis. I have been in Raleigh since 2000 and have two children, Ford (8) and Grayson (5), and a oneyear-old giant yellow lab, Forest. It’s been quite a ride to get my youngest to kindergarten, but it happened this year! I am the studio manager and an instructor at a kids’ art studio in Five Points, Wild at Art Kids, where I teach classes, private lessons, and workshops. It is fun and rewarding, - and an extra bonus when a Saint Mary’s mom comes in, providing me with the chance to teach her children. I am also the art enrichment teacher at Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Preschool, for the three- and four-year-olds. In any free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, playing, traveling, and everything in between. Lots of love to you and yours! Cyndi
1996
COLLEGE
Eliza Pittman Stephenson ’94HS ’96C reports that all is well in Wilson. “Mallory and Russell are eight and six now. They are keeping Lee and me so busy with school and sports. Feeling so blessed!”
1996
HIGH SCHOOL
Christina Lind Overby ’96HS Hi there, Class of ’96! My husband, Chris, and I, and our two daughters, Anna Kate (6) and Allison (4), continue to live in North Raleigh. Anna Kate is in first grade this year at our school, Heritage Elementary, where I am teaching fifth grade for my third year (15 years teaching there total). Allie is in pre-k this year, and can’t wait to join us next year in kindergarten! We got a three-year-old standard poodle named Lilly this year, and she is a wonderful addition to our family. LauraBurke Davis Kerr and husband John live in Raleigh and have two girls, Grace (10) and El-
lie (6). “It’s exciting to finally have them both in the same place for kindergarten and fourth grade.” Laura-Burke still works part time as a speech pathologist in several assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. Cris Johnson Harper and her husband welcomed their seventh child, Livia Eve, on September 2, 2017. Their twins, born January 18, 2015, are Iris Skye and Isabella Hope. Their family is living in Oceanside, Calif, and includes six daughters and one son, ages 15 to newborn. Kristen Jinks Gyure lives in Wake Forest, with her husband, Wes, and two daughters, Keenan (13) and Greyson (11). She is in her 11th year of teaching and this is her fourth year of teaching second grade at Thales Academy in Wake Forest. When Kristen is not at school, she is chauffeuring the girls to and from year-round swim practice at the YMCA. They often drive by SMS, and she never misses an opportunity to point out the beautiful campus to the girls, as they make their way to swim at N.C. State. Leslie Allred Yates and her family continue to live in Raleigh. Their daughter, Vivian, is three and keeps them busy. Leslie spends lots of time with Laura-Burke Davis Kerr, and their girls have grown close. I hope all my SMS friends are doing well, and thanks for your updates! Love, Christina
1998
COLLEGE
Liz Knox Bottoms ’96HS ’98C Hello, Saint Mary’s girls! I am so excited that we have a reunion in the spring. I really hope we have a great turnout – can’t wait to catch up with you girls! My husband, Tommy, and I are busy chasing our babies around – Emma Reese (3) and Brewer (2) keep us on our toes! I have become a health and fitness coach through Beachbody, and have loved getting fit and fabulous. I am still teaching third grade at Knightdale Elementary, and was honored to be the Teacher of the Year for the 2017-2018 school year. Life is super busy, but we are so thankful! Jennifer Davis Salley, also a teacher, is in Richmond, Va. She and husband Eric are currently fostering to adopt two amazing kids, Victoria (12) and Joshua (9). Jen says that life is crazy and learning to balance life, work, and two kids isn’t easy, but they love being parents! Leslie Allred Yates ’96HS ’98C her husband, Kevin, and their daughter, Vivian (3), bought a beach house in Beaufort this year. She enjoys spending time with Lee Deloach Barnes at the beach, and in Raleigh with Laura-Burke Davis Kerr ’96HS ’98C.
Leslie loves living in North Hills and she continues to work for K&W cafeterias. Kristin Broderick Daggett suffered a stroke and an artery dissection in her brainstem. She was in the hospital for two weeks and rehab for three weeks. Kristin had to learn how to walk again and suffered a lot of balance issues, along with having to learn how to swallow again. With lots of prayers and determination, she began to become herself again. Now, after almost three years, she continues to use a cane to better support herself, but she knows life is precious. Kristin’s daughter, Kate, is the sixth grade and loves being an independent young lady. Kristin says she misses Raleigh and will reminisce often about days at SMC. Laura-Burke Davis Kerr ’96HS ’98C and husband John live in Raleigh with their two girls, Grace (10) and Ellie (6). Laura-Burke says she is excited to finally have them in the same place for kindergarten and fourth grade. She continues to work part time as a speech pathologist in several assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. My twin and better half, Laura Knox Yarbrough ’96HS ’98C, continues to be my hero. She won her battle with oral cancer and has had multiple surgeries on her jaw and neck. Laura will need a few more surgeries but with answered prayers, she is cancer free. Laura and husband Jody have a real estate business together, and are raising their kids, Ashton (8) and Cash (6), in Harnett County. They also enjoy spending family time at their beach house in Topsail Island. Holly Bowen Reardon is living with her family, and her sister and her family, in Thailand. Holly is the elementary school principal and her husband, Derick, is the athletic director. They continue to love traveling the world with their three kids, Lee (8) Hensley (6), and Ann Bowen (2). Blair Key Carter is excited about her new life adventure as a real estate agent. She and her kids, Ella (11) and Benjamin (9), keep busy with lots of sports and traveling to the lake as a family. I love that my job is to keep in touch with you friends! I hope to see you all at the reunion! Love, Liz Knox Bottoms
1998
HIGH SCHOOL
Marian Morris Godwin and her husband, Matt, stay busy with their “Godwin Bunch” of five children. Marian works as director of development at The Montessori School of Raleigh, where two of their daughters attend. All four daughters attended SMS summer camps last summer!
63
CLASS NEWS
Congratulations, to Allison Schoen Hepfner ’04, who recently received her doctorate in educational leadership from Liberty University.
2002
Lindsay Speros Robbins is currently living in Chapel Hill with her husband and two boys, but they are moving to Birmingham, Ala., in June for her maternal-fetal medicine fellowship. “Already looking forward to the next reunion after the fun we had this spring!” writes Lindsey. Catharine Mullen Palmer and her husband, Scott, welcomed a son, Miles Jackson Palmer, on January 29, 2017. They live in Raleigh. Adair Calamos Blount is also in Raleigh. She and husband Michael just celebrated the one-year birthday of Laura “Sunny” Anderson Blount. Adair and a business partner own their own interior design firm on St. Mary’s Street, just a few blocks from SMS. She enjoyed seeing everyone at the 175th gala and reunion.
2004
Katie Whitmore Allred ’04 Britt Carl is enjoying her fifth academic year in the Office of Student Success at High Point University. She loves reminiscing with Sally Pleasants Farrar ’76C, an HPU colleague, about their Saint Mary’s days! This past sum-
64
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
mer, Britt spent quality time in Florida visiting her goddaughter, Wilsie, the daughter of Nia Triantis Gillespie. Elisabeth Huff moved to California in 2016 and is living in Mill Valley, with her partner and their adorable cat. She is head of operations and chief of staff at a San Francisco company that is developing artificial intelligence for learning and education. Elisabeth is also a fierce athlete, with wins in Olympic distance triathlons from 2009 to 2015, as well as placing in national aquavelo championships, and has represented the U.S.A. at Duathlon World Championships. Always one to challenging herself and live spherically, Elisabeth has fearlessly jumped feet first into cyclocross and road cycling. She is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion for women and LGBTQ in sports and the workplace, and has continued to follow her passions of singing opera, cooking, photography, and studying native plants. Whitney Long lives in Philadelphia, Penn., with her boyfriend and their dog, Izzy. She currently works for Freeman’s, America’s oldest auction house. She misses her teachers from Saint Mary’s dearly, and is so grateful for everything they taught her. Cameron Moss is nearing her fifth year with Barnhill Contracting Company and recently purchased her first home in Louisburg. Cameron and her dog, Miley, are enjoying the slower-paced country life so much that she has now acquired two pet goats (Mo & No). In her spare time, Cameron has been decorating and fixing things up at her new home. Per usual, she can be found traveling to the North Carolina coast in the summer and the mountains in the winter. Jenna Nash Hollmeyer and her husband, Joe, welcomed their son, George Turner Hollmeyer, on January 29, 2017. After nearly a decade in New York City, they have recently made the move back South and are now happily settled in Charlotte. Merriweather Raidle Mulé lives in Charleston, S.C., with her husband, Michael, and their daughter, Camille (2). This year, Merriweather returned to CornerCap Investment Counsel as a client service manager. In her free time, she chairs the event committee for Communities In Schools of the Charleston Area’s signature fundraiser, the Chocolate Affair, and has taken on the title of room mom for Good Shepherd Day School's tots class. Allison Schoen Hepfner recently graduated from Liberty University with her doctorate in educational leadership. She completed her dissertation study on job satisfaction of early childhood educators in South Carolina, which had become a strong
passion of hers. She is currently the assistant principal of Camden Elementary School in Camden, S.C., as well as the Girl Scout troop leader for Camden girls K-12. Allison resides in Elgin, S.C., with her husband, Craig, and two children: Emmy (5) and Tripp (1). Sarah Simons Team lives in Winston-Salem with her husband, Coleman. They are the proud parents of two daughters, Milly (3) and their newest love, Copeland, who was born February 13, 2017. Nia Triantis Gillespie and her husband bought their first home outside of Tampa in New Port Richey, Fla. This fall, Nia traveled with her daughter to Greece to visit family. I, Katie Whitmore Allred, have been in living in West Point, N.Y., since 2015, with my husband, who is stationed here with the Army. I am in my final year of graduate school, earning my master’s in integrated marketing and communication from Marist College. North Carolina will always be home, but we enjoy exploring the Hudson Valley, cheering on Army at football games, and living in West Point.
2006
Caroline Ward Manning ’06 Morgan Brinkley has accepted a new position as staff accountant at Coastal Credit Union in Raleigh. Alexandra Speros lives in Nashville, Tenn., where she works as a labor and delivery nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She is working toward an MSN at Vanderbilt's School of Nursing and will graduate in May 2019 as a nurse midwife and family nurse practitioner. She is also involved with women's health in the community, as she works with the board of directors of Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee. Elena Fanjul-Debnam has moved to Singapore. Alexandra Bielec is approaching her fifth year with Delta airlines, where she is thoroughly enjoying traveling the world. She planned to move to St. Paul, Minn., at the end of November.
2008
Heather Dew reports, “I recently moved to Denver with my boyfriend and labradoodle and we're loving every minute of it. I work from home as a water resource engineer for a land development firm in Durham, and get outside as much as possible in my free time. I visited the St. Mary's glacier near Idaho Springs, Colo., today and it stirred feelings of nostalgia thinking of SMS!” Diane Tyndall enjoys befriending and serving UNC-Chapel
Sarah Simons Team ’04, with husband Coleman, and their children.
Hill international students and visiting scholars through her work with International Friends, an organization whose purpose is to welcome international students to America, help ease their transition, create opportunities for cross-cultural learning and friendship, and be a resource to interested students on their spiritual journey. Mary Brown Taylor writes from Raleigh where she is working for Peter Millar. She has volunteered to assume the role as class secretary for 2008, so look forward to hearing from her next year to gather news. Thank you, MB!
2010
Emma Powell Pike ’10 Louise Orr moved to South Carolina in August and is obtaining her master of science degree in parks, recreation and tourism management at Clemson. She is studying the role of strategic social media messaging in wildlife conservation. Joi Marlowe works in clinical research with Quintiles while finishing her master’s in clinical research and chemical product development. She is also building her first home! Chandler Black is the network instructional leader for humanities with Intrepid College Prep, a charter school in Nashville, Tenn. Lisa Michelson graduated with her master’s in bioethics and medical humanities at the University of Louisville and just started her master’s in physiology at N.C.
Amelia Anne Marsh ’18, Mary Virginia Swain ’77C, Melody Emerson ’05, Alexandra Baxter ’05, Lindsay Cutting Ryals ’05, celebrate Melody’s marriage September 9 to Matt Miller. The wedding was held on schedule in the Charleston, S.C., area, but many guests could not be there due to Hurricane Matthew. This celebration was held at Melody’s family home place in Siler City, September 30.
State, with future plans of obtaining her M.D. Austin White is studying for her doctorate in physical therapy at UNC-Chapel Hill, and will focus on neurological rehabilitation. Ashley Flynn is in nursing school while working as a pediatric CNA. Sarah Blake has recently moved to San Diego, Calif., with the Navy, and is flying the MH-60R. She will ship out in a few months. Thanks for serving our country, Sarah! Griffin Hewett graduated from Appalachian State University with a concentration in cellular and molecular biology and a business minor. She just started vet school at N.C. State, with plans to specialize in sports medicine. She is also staying busy competing her foxhounds. Vena Tang was married in May is planning a 2018 wedding in Bali. She is developing a VI system for a public cinema franchise. Peron Graeber is finishing up her clinical year for vet school at Texas A&M and will graduate in May. Gates Killian lives in Atlanta, Ga., and works in marketing at IBM Watson Media. She loves having her former classmate, Liza Wooten, and all of the other great SMS girls, right down the street! Gabie Craig Frantz got married in the Saint Mary's Chapel in May and handles marketing for Cameron Village Shopping Center. Cassie Helda lives in Los Angeles and works in digital media. She will attend UCLA to obtain a certificate in marketing with a concentration in digital media. Caitlin Monahan is
obtaining a dual master’s of architecture and a master’s of engineering in construction engineering and management at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Prior to grad school beginning, she traveled to Africa and Brazil. Rachel Finney O'Brien got married in July and lives in Charlotte. She teaches and coaches at Charlotte Latin School. Kacie Thompson moved to the U.K. and completed an MSc in corporate environmental management. She accepted a corporate affairs position for an organization based near London. Elizabeth Grigg is working for Medtronic as a clinical specialist for the cardiac rhythm disease management division. Anna Grace Smither Semon got married in October and lives in Winston-Salem. She is the assistant soccer coach with Guilford College in Greensboro. Keji Omotoso lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria. She is with the United Bank of Africa, in the corporate communications department. She runs digital marketing and was recently promoted to project coordinator. Catherine Doyle is obtaining her Ph.D. at N.C. State in plant biology and focusing on food security in Africa. Allie McDonald started occupational therapy school and lives in Columbia, S.C. Kemi Ajenifuja is studying for her master of social work with a focus on family and child health at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. She is also working at the U.S. Attorney's office. MinSung Kim graduated
65
CLASS NEWS
CONNECT ONLINE
from University of Wisconsin in Madison in biomedical engineering in 2015 and is back in Korea in medical school. Grace Anthony Gregson got married in 2015 to Maxwell Gregson. She recently graduated from UNC School of Law with high honors, passed the bar exam and was elected to the Order of the Coif. She is currently clerking for The Honorable Judge Gregory P. McGuire on the North Carolina business court in Raleigh. I got married in May in Washington, N.C., with Saint Mary's friends by my side. My husband and I live in Smithfield, in Laura Gulledge's mother's childhood home. I am a recruiter with Ajilon in Raleigh and am still spending every weekend at the river. Emma
66
2012
Hailey Hart ’12 Hailey Elizabeth Hart is working in Washington, D.C., as a legislative analyst for Congressman Dennis A. Ross (FL-15), House Majority Senior Deputy Whip, and recently traveled to Uganda to explore the impact of USAID on education and public health. Hailey serves as the North Carolina chairwoman for Washington’s annual charity ball, Taste of the South. Hailey always enjoys catching up with Saint Mary’s friends and had the best time celebrating the 175th anniversary at the Class of 2012 fifth year reunion! Sophie Bird enjoys being back in Raleigh. She absolutely loves working with children and has the sweetest kindergarten class at Glenwood Elementary School. Hutter Black moved to Raleigh this summer. She is working as a realtor for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services in the Cameron Village Office. Call her if you need a realtor! Margaret Blincow is on call and ready at your service! Margaret is nurse in the operating room at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte. Darby Fallon recently obtained her life and health insurance license and is working at Fallon Benefits Group in Atlanta, Ga. Darby looks forward to continued celebrations with Saint Mary’s friends! Cate Lyle is enjoying living in the Big ApSaint Mary’s School ple! Cate spends her nights at Facebook the Times Square Olive Garden and her days working in wholesale sales for Jamari InternaInstagram tional LTD. If you are looking @saintmarysschool for baby fashion advice, Cate is your girl! Jane Lyle, once coined “next top model” in her senior year SMS senior superSaint Mary’s School lative, is pursuing a career in Alumnae Facebook fashion in New York City. Jane is the showroom coordinator at Rebecca Taylor. Corinne RixTwitter ey loves living in Charleston, @SaintMarysNC S.C! She is working for Caroline One Real Estate Company. Jeannette Sharp Oakes lives LinkedIn in Denver, Colo., teaching for Saint Mary’s School Colorado Ballet's outreach proAlumnae Network grams in public schools across and Saint Mary’s School the city. She is also in the process of organizing a social jusYou Tube tice performance art installation Saint Mary’s School by Heidi Latsky Dance, that was scheduled for December
Saint Mary’s School | www.sms.edu
of 2017. She feels lucky to have been able to spend this past summer back in North Carolina, working at the American Dance Festival in Durham, and is now on a planning committee for the inaugural Presenting Denver Dance Festival for summer 2018. Eliza Stoughton continues to work in Atlanta, Ga., for A. Wooten Interiors. After graduating magna cum laude from N.C. State, Bailey Warren was married on April 29 to Mitchell Mayer in Saint Mary’s Chapel. Her fellow Saint Mary’s classmate, Dorothy Jones, served as maid of honor. Bailey and Mitchell reside and work in Savannah, Ga. She is also forming the Savannah area Sigma Kappa alumni group. Duncan Weaver lives in Raleigh and is in her last year of the interior design program at Meredith College. She is also working as an associate designer for Anne Wagoner Interiors, LLC. Duncan hopes to continue to pursue a career in interior design and enjoys being back in Raleigh. Kassi Whebbie started an accelerated nursing program at UNC-Chapel Hill in January 2017. Berry Williamson lives in Atlanta, Ga., and has been working at World 50 since February 2017. She enjoys celebrating Ford-Flex-Fridays and happy hours with friends in HOTlanta! Sarah Scott Worth moved to Charleston, S.C, in June 2017, where she works for South City Public Relations, a public relations agency specializing in the hospitality and food and beverage industries. Sarah Scott enjoys her time in the Holy City with fellow SMS Class of 2012 friends, Corinne Rixey and Hayes Snipes.
2014
Mary Stuart Fountain ’14 Hi, Saints! Hope you all are well and getting ready for the holiday season! It is hard to believe that it is almost time for our five-year reunion and that several of us will be graduating from college this spring and moving on to careers and graduate school. How the time has flown! It was great to hear from so many of you, and it sounds like everyone is well, busy, and having fun. Thank you so very much to everyone who submitted news! Mills Carden writes that she is a double major in English and political science at the University of Mississippi and studied abroad last spring in South Africa. While abroad, she volunteered weekly at the local township, helping children in first through seventh grades with their reading and math homework. In the fall of 2018, she will be going to London for a semester to a year to complete an internship. Frances Cayton is
currently a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill. She is completing an honors thesis on American media and intervention in Eastern Europe during the Cold War. She is also actively involved at the Meantime Coffee Co., a start-up, nonprofit, student-run coffee shop at Carolina, where she both works as a barista and serves on the board. Cynthia Coleman says, “I'll be wrapping up my senior year at James Madison University in spring of 2018 with a B.A. in communication studies. Currently, I'm having the best time interning at Red Light Management, a music management company that manages the likes of Dave Matthews, Phish, and Chris Stapleton, among others. Hopefully, I'll have some time after graduation to make it down to Raleigh to see friends and of course visit dear old SMS!” Meg Cooksey is continuing her neuroscience major on a pre-med track, with an emphasis in women and gender studies at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. She continues doing Alzheimer’s research in a lab and is also volunteering at the Fort Worth Women’s Center for victims of domestic violence. She is hoping to apply for her master’s in medical science before applying to medical school. Dean Gibson writes, “I think most everyone knows I've been going by Dean ever since not long after graduation, but my big news is that my name change is now official, Dean Lee Gibson! This quarter, I've been preparing my demo reel and resume and all that. I'm on track to graduate with a BFA in animation in November! I’m taking my final classes now. I wish I had exciting news about where I'll be working after I graduate, but it's a little too early for that.” Yeon Mi Hwang is still at Berkeley in California and hoping to apply to graduate school. Anna Lane Mayo studied abroad this past summer with an organization called Seamester. She lived on an 80foot schooner and sailed through six different countries. She also interned (doing market research) with MVP Group International. She is currently the vice president of her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, at the College of Charleston. She is planning on working on a boat in the Caribbean post-graduation for the summer, and then taking a year off to apply to graduate school. Anna Lane also enjoyed a fun meet-up recently with Holden Stanley in New York. Holden is a senior at Wake Forest University and enjoying her last year of college. Florrie McCard says that she spent her junior year studying abroad in Rennes, France. She returned for her fourth summer of Summer @ Saint Mary’s, and was thrilled to help Kat
Family and friends gathered at the Saint Mary’s Chapel for the marriage of Gabie Craig ’10 and Rob Frantz, May 6, 2017. (Wedding photography by Steve Exum, Exumphoto.com)
Jackson and Kirsten Monroe in facilitating The Innovators Hub: Girls in Entrepreneurship program. She cannot believe that her youngest sister, Matilda McCard ’21, moved into Penick this fall and is a member of Saint Mary’s Class of 2021. Florrie also reports the McCard family moved to Richmond, Va., in August. As for me, things continue to be busy and well here in sweet little Scotland, where I am now a fourth-year joint English and Spanish student at the University of St. Andrews. There are now a total of four Saint Mary’s girls here, so it has been fun to wear our rings with pride around the town! Last spring, I enjoyed several visits from Saint Mary’s girls studying abroad in Europe for the semester, including a fun trip around Greece with Emily Evans before we both went home for the summer. I enjoyed working with my sister, Caroline Fountain ’16, as a camp counselor at Camp Cheerio during the summer. Based on the English teaching I did in Uruguay last year, I am now helping as a student teaching assistant with a second grade class at a primary school here in Fife, as well as continuing my Spanish studies and writing a dissertation for English. I am the charities convener for the Lumsden Club, an all-female organization and service club I have been a member of since my first year, and trying to enjoy the sea and all the little things Scotland has to offer for my last year. It is also hard for me to believe my youngest sister, Margaret Fountain ’18, is a
senior and applying to colleges, as well as enjoying all the busyness and fun senior year at SMS has to offer. I have told her the time will continue to fly and to be sure and make the most of every moment she has at SMS! Thank you again to everyone who sent in class news. I hope everyone had a safe and blessed holiday season and will enjoy a wonderful spring. Remember to keep in touch. As always, proud to be a Saint Mary’s Girl! Missing my Saints! Much love to everyone, Mary Stuart Fountain
2016
Callee Boykin reports that she loves the University of Alabama. “It was fun being a deb this past summer and seeing old friends.”
67
CLASS NEWS ENJOY YOUR
to June 18 18 20 July 27, tial & Residenamps Day C
ugh unt thro o c is d d Early bir uary 1, 2018 Febr
@ Raleigh, N.C.
919-424-4028 • www.sms.edu/summer@saintmarys
SAINT MARY’S PROUD
As part of a legacy of generations of women who have benefitted from a Saint Mary’s experience and gone on to live lives of purpose and intention, Saint Mary’s alumnae stand tall and proud from coast to coast and continent to continent. Here are some ways you can show your pride for your alma mater and inspire others about Saint Mary’s:
• • • • • • • •
Include Saint Mary’s on your resume or whenever you are listing or discussing your education. Remember to wear that beautiful Saint Mary’s ring. Get some Saint Mary’s gear at our school store, shop1842, and wear it often. Send Saint Mary’s your news so we can share it with others. We love to hear about your personal and professional aspirations, achievements, and milestones. Mentor a Saint Mary’s student through an internship. Like/follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn Keep the Alumnae Office apprised of your current contact information. Attend your Reunion Weekend.
! s t n i a Go S
Honoring loved ones and a special reunion with a scholarship endowment
Anne Russell ’43HS
Anne Russell ’43HS in Hello Dolly
It isn’t every day I get a call from someone in the Class of 1943. So, I was in for a treat on the day I heard from Raleigh native Anne Russell ’43HS. With reunion mailings arriving in mailboxes, it wasn’t a surprise to hear from an alumna who was getting excited about and planning for their reunion. But, this call was a bit different. When Anne received and opened her reunion mailer in New York, where she has lived for most of her life, she was motivated to call Saint Mary’s. Anne attended Saint Mary’s, following in the footsteps of one of her biggest mentors, her aunt Mary Bland Siler ’24. Anne’s life has been spent on the stage. In 1965, she made her foray into the world of Hello, Dolly! when hired to be legendary actress Mary Martin’s standby. While Anne was never called upon to fill in for Mary, Anne’s travels around the world, and the amazing opportunities she was given, taught her endless lessons. However, no
Mary Bland Siler ’24; Jerome P. and Eula S. Russell
lesson was more powerful than those taught by the closest to her: her mother, Eula, and aunt Mary. To this day, the two women and those lessons continue to influence her. “I idolized Aunt Mary. When my mother and her sister would get together, as a child, I loved to hear them talk and laugh,” says Anne. “Their love for one another was contagious. They were the best examples for me in life. When I was reminded of Saint Mary’s through the reunion mailing, I knew I had to do something. So, I called to see if I could make a gift to create an endowed scholarship.” It was that simple: a feeling. A reminder of the warm, family atmosphere at Saint Mary’s that sparked Anne’s desire to make a gift in honor of those who continue to fill her life with love and remind her of the genuine love she found during her time as a student on this historic campus. Within days, the paperwork was completed to establish the Jerome P. and Eula S. Russell and Mary Bland Siler ’24 Scholarship.
Anne’s story isn’t unique. At Saint Mary’s School, we remain grateful for the hundreds of individuals who honor special members of their families, friends, teachers and others through their philanthropic support. Whether honoring a milestone reunion year or as a way to remember a loved one, making a planned gift or endowment is a special way to impact Saint Mary’s and ensure its future. We hope you will consider making Saint Mary’s a part of your personal legacy today. If you would like to discuss how to create a gift like Anne’s, please contact the Development and Alumnae Relations Office, or stop by West Rock and say hello to Julie Ricciardi and her team. She can be reached at jricciardi@sms.edu or (919)424-4114. Julie Ricciardi Director of Development
If you are interested in leaving a legacy at Saint Mary’s through a planned gift, contact Margaret McGlohon ’81C, director of alumnae relations, at memcglohon@sms.edu or 919-424-4171, to learn about becoming a Heritage Society member.
900 Hillsborough Street Raleigh, NC 27603–1689
address service requested
Scenes of Saint Mary’s Smedes Hall, November 2017
Photo by Mary Virginia Swain ’77C
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Raleigh, NC Permit No. 102