36 minute read
Class Notes
Meagan Jennett ’11, at Unst, one of the Shetland Islands, the northernmost point in the United Kingdom. Read more on Page 57.
Keeping traditions afloat
For the 30th anniversary of the Head of the Peacock Regatta, the entire Wheaton community was invited to join in the fun virtually by crafting their own scaled-down vessel. Judges awarded prizes for most creative, most Wheaton-spirited and most likely to float on Peacock Pond. Here are the winners, which included alumni:
MOST CREATIVE Cohnheads
Family entry: Gabriel Cohn ’17, Shoshana Cohn, Beth Polebaum and Sanford Cohn Items used: Avocado shells, wooden skewers, fabric, Lego pieces, marbles, glue gun and thread. Float time: 1 to 10 minutes
MOST WHEATONSPIRITED Team Bog
Individual entry: Currie Touloumtzis ’10 Items used: Painters tape (Wheaton College blue), wine corks, small cardboard box and paper Float time: 1 to 10 minutes
Group entry: Sponsored by the E.Y.C. and the glorious alumni of the Wheaton College Outdoors Haus. Created by Sydney Beck ’16. Items used: Coat hanger wire, thin wire, card stock, aluminum foil, acrylic paint, painter’s tape, string, fabric, cardboard, two 10.5-ounce cans of Campbell’s soup as an added challenge Float time: 10 to 60 minutes
Alumni make waves in children’s literature
Author Robie Heilburn Harris ’62 and illustrator Nicole “Nickie” Lee Tadgell ’91 are gaining recognition for their contributions to children’s literature. Read more: Page 38 (Harris) and Page 39 (Tadgell)
KEITH NORDSTROM
Teeing up for a cause
Corey Best ’11, Skyler Dean-Lee ’16, Samuel Dean-Lee ’11 (putting) and Griffin Hanley ’13 compete during the 12th Annual Lyons Athletic Club Golf Tournament on June 14. The event benefits student-athletes and the Department of Athletics.
Did your contact information change?
Report changes of address and email to Alumni Relations at 508-286-8207 or alum@wheatoncollege.edu. Is your class year missing and you have news to share?
Contact us at classnotes@wheatoncollege.edu and we will put you in touch with your class secretary. Looking to volunteer?
Contact our Alumni Relations Office to get involved at 508-286-8207. For class secretaries: How to submit your Class Notes
Submit Class Notes to classnotes@wheatoncollege.edu. Include your class year in the subject line (e.g., “Class Notes, 2001.”) Deadlines
Winter: Sept. 28, 2021
Spring: Jan. 18, 2022
Fall: June 1, 2022 Photos
To submit digital photos (preferred), email them as an attachment to classnotes@wheatoncollege. edu. For full guidelines, visit wheatoncollege.edu/ wheaton-magazine/submitting-digital-images.)
Please supply a brief description of the event and all the names and class years of the alumni in the picture.
The photos you send in must be sharp and clear. Photos that are out of focus, or that have harsh shadows, over-exposed areas or “red-eyed” subjects may not be usable. Often we receive more photos than we can use in any one issue. When this happens, we will select photos that represent a variety of class years and timely events.
Alumni recognition comes in many forms
The Alumni Board of Directors is interested to know about alumni whose work deserves to be recognized or whose talents enrich our community. Please share their stories (or yours) with the Alumni Board at alum@ wheatoncollege.edu or call 508-286-8207. To learn more, please visit wheatoncollege.edu/ alumni
Robie Heilbrun Harris ’62 updates classic sex ed book for more inclusive approach
In the early 1990s, author Robie Heilbrun Harris ’62 penned It’s Perfectly Normal, a book that broke ground by providing children ages 10 and up scientifically accurate and comprehensive information on emotional and sexual health, relationships, reproduction and puberty. While some schools and libraries have banned It’s Perfectly Normal for its detailed illustrations and descriptions, the book has sold more than 1 million copies worldwide.
Harris recently updated It’s Perfectly Normal to provide a more inclusive perspective by expanding topics such as gender-inclusive information and language, sexual orientation, LGBTQ+ identity, sex and sexuality. The book also covers the latest advances in methods of sexual safety and contraception, the importance of consent, information on the HPV vaccine, and ways to stay safe while searching online.
“This is a book for all kids, no matter what their sexual orientation or gender identity may be,” she said.
For this revision, Harris consulted with top experts, including parents, teachers, librarians, doctors, nurses, psychologists and scientists. She also consulted with kids ages 10 to 15 and asked what topics they felt should be in this edition.
“When It’s Perfectly Normal was first published, Michael Emberley [the book’s illustrator] and I talked about the fact that things would change, and that kids deserved to have the most up-to-date, accurate and honest information. Soon after we began working on this update, we realized that the amount of updated and new information would have to be massive,” Harris said.
One major difference in the latest version is the addition of “gender” to the book’s subtitle and a more comprehensive chapter on that topic.
“Gender can be many things and that is why there can be more than one answer to the question ‘what is gender?’ because it’s fluid. In the book, I write ‘‘sometimes other people may try to define your gender for you. But who you are is most always the person you feel you are, or figure out you, or already know you are, no matter what anyone else may say or think about you,’” she said.
Harris, an English major, said her Wheaton education—in particular English Professor Curtis Dahl—taught her the value of storytelling.
Recently the longtime writer has had much to celebrate. On June 24, she was honored during the virtual Intellectual Freedom Awards Celebration as the Freedom to Read
Updated illustrations by Michael Emberley
Robie Heilbrun Harris ’62
MICHELE CARDAMONE
Foundation’s 2021 Roll of Honor recipient. The foundation is a nonprofit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association that protects and defends the First Amendment to the Constitution and supports the right of libraries to collect—and individuals to access—information.
“I was flabbergasted and absolutely thrilled. I feel I need to share that award with all of the people I consulted,” Harris said. “My whole sense in all of the books I write—picture books and board books, fiction and nonfiction—is that if we don’t tell the truth, then children won’t listen to us. I tell them what I think is the truth by researching facts—that’s what I do and that’s what I was honored for.” —Laura Pedulli
Commencement/Reunion is May 21–22, 2022
Nicole Tadgell ’91 honored for book illustration
Nicole “Nickie” Lee Tadgell ’91, a graphic designer and illustrator, recently won a 2021 Christopher Award for Tiara’s Hat Parade (Albert Whitman & Co., 2020).
The children’s book, written by Kelly Starling Lyons and illustrated by Tadgell, is one of 12 publications for adults and young people that was recognized. Tadgell majored in studio art at Wheaton.
Tiara’s Hat Parade tells the story of an African American girl with a gift for storytelling who develops a creative plan to reignite her mother’s passion for hat-making after the family hat shop closes down in the face of competition.
The Christopher Awards were created in 1949 to celebrate authors, illustrators, writers, producers and directors whose work “affirms the highest values of the human spirit,” said Tony Rossi in a media release. Previous award winners include author David McCullough and filmmaker Ken Burns.
“Nicole brings stories to life while advocating for diversity in children’s literature,” said Rossi, director of communications for The Christophers, which presents the awards.
Known for creating realistic yet whimsical characters and scenes, Tadgell was born in Detroit. She said that art has been both an escape and a labor of love for her. Frequent moves challenged her natural shyness, especially in new schools where she was the only Black student in class.
“I always had pencils and paper nearby. It helped me make sense of the world around me or create imaginary worlds to live in for a while,” Tadgell said.
She has won many awards for her work. Most recently Tiara’s Hat Parade also was chosen to be included as part of Read Across America; Talking in Crayon was released for school and library markets; and Follow Me Down to Nicodemus Town was selected as a 2020 Kansas Notable Recipient.
The Christophers is a New York-based Catholic media organization that encourages people to fulfill their life purpose by pursuing excellence in creative arenas that have the potential to positively influence a mass audience.
—Sandy Coleman Nicole “Nickie” Lee Tadgell ’91
Clinical psychologist Alex Pruitt ’08 works to eradicate eating disorders
Eating disorders are among the most medically complex psychiatric disorders. More children are diagnosed with eating disorders than cancer or diabetes, and the condition claims the lives of one in 10 people affected by it, according to Alex Pruitt ’08, a licensed clinical psychologist.
Unfortunately, many are unable to receive treatment due to lack of resources and insurance coverage.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear recently tapped Pruitt to serve on the Eating Disorder Council of Kentucky, which is working on ways to raise awareness, provide education and improve access to care for Kentuckians with eating disorders.
Pruitt is both the associate director and assistant clinical director of the Louisville Center for Eating Disorders in Kentucky. Until the center opened in 2017, the state had no provider specializing in eating disorders, according to the Academy for Eating Disorders.
“I had a calling to build a healthy practice and use my medical training in graduate school as I understand both the medical side and the psychiatric sides of these incredibly risky health conditions,” said Pruitt, who double majored in women’s and gender studies and psychology at Wheaton.
Her academic training includes a doctorate in pediatric psychology from Spaulding University, a clinical internship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and a fellowship at The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt.
Pruitt currently sees clients of all genders and ages—from 3 to 80 years old. Sometimes, it can take several years for treatment to work. In her office is a collage that speaks of her hard-earned success: notes from families and patients thanking her for helping.
“Those notes get me through the hard days. To help a family see their child recover because they have eaten, it is very rewarding. For them to have more acceptance of themselves by the end of treatment is an amazing thing to watch,” she said.
Pruitt said the center is seeing an uptick of what she and colleagues call “COVID-onset” cases. Social media often feeds into anxiety and fear or rejection for body size, contributing to new cases. Luckily, the rise of telehealth during the pandemic has enabled Pruitt and her colleagues to reach more individuals and families needing treatment, she said.
In addition to her primary leadership roles, Pruitt serves as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Louisville, where she gives guest lectures and also supervises and trains professionals who can help meet the demand.
Pruitt said her Wheaton education and experiences laid the foundation for her professional development.
Through a course taught by her mentor late psychology Professor Grace Barron, she gained experience in pediatric psychology through an internship at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, R.I. Pruitt’s role on campus as a resident advisor provided her with an opportunity to develop crisis management skills that she still uses today.
Her senior capstone project examined body image in the media and included research on how model waist circumferences have shrunk over the years and how that correlates to the psychopathology of eating disorders—a topic that applies directly to her role today.
“I’m continuing to work toward reducing the perfectionistic idea of thinness that is the driving force of a lot of my patients,” she said.
Alex Pruitt ’08
—Laura Pedulli
A major role in public relations
Liza Acevedo ’15 is giving voice to a variety of issues, from COVID-19 to immigration, in her new role as deputy press secretary for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The press team supports the communications needs of Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and the agency, which oversees several operations, including the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; the U.S. Coast Guard; the U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and the Transportation Security Administration.
“We’re on the front lines dealing with critical issues. It is important, demanding work,” Acevedo said.
The deputy press secretary role is fastpaced. Acevedo handles press inquiries, and develops, manages and organizes various communications activities for the department.
Her previous jobs, including roles as deputy press secretary for the Julián Castro presidential campaign and as volunteer staff on the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition Team, helped prepare her for the position, she said. Acevedo previously served as the deputy press secretary for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.
“I’m very detail-oriented and I’m very organized. I don’t miss a beat. I’m grateful to have a support system and people around me who also are understanding, people who have supported me throughout my journey,” she said. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do; it’s a dream come true.”
Acevedo, who majored in economics, credits Wheaton for helping shape her career success.
“I’m grateful for the professors at Wheaton. Economics really connects with everything and has given me a real-world view that I now use every day,” she said. —Laura Pedulli
Amplifying diverse voices
Black alumni panelists share professional, personal journeys
A spring semester panel delved into the experiences of Black alumni and explored how their identities and Wheaton College education have shaped their professional and personal lives.
Sixty students, alumni, faculty and staff members attended the event, “Whea Are Wheaton,” which featured Nana Asare ’15, Kenya Bryant ’12 and Maya Ennis ’14. The event was jointly organized by the Marshall Center for Intercultural Learning and Alumni Relations as part of Black History Month.
The three alumni spoke at length on how they made the most of their Wheaton education and what they learned along the way— as well as how they achieved success in their careers.
Bryant, a sociology major, has worked in a variety of fields since Wheaton, including publishing, radio and education—before landing her current role in corporate social responsibility at Estée Lauder in Washington, D.C.
Wheaton gave Bryant a platform to be an activist and advocate for herself and the community. As a student, she strengthened her natural ability to lean into difficult conversations with integrity, and took advantage of study abroad opportunities to experience different countries and cultures, she said.
“It allowed me to see the world beyond the block, which is what I wanted for myself,” said Bryant, who was a Posse Scholar.
She also noted the meaningful connections she made with students, professors and staff members within the small-class environment and at regular meetings at the Marshall Center.
“I knew I had the capacity to be myself, to speak up about things and that my perspective was necessary. Me taking up space was necessary,” she said.
Ennis, a psychology major, serves as the deputy national finance director at the Democratic Attorneys General Association in Washington, D.C. She identified community building as the number one lesson she learned while at Wheaton.
“I learned how I could build a circle of support around me, which included the support of professors,” she said. In particular, she said she benefited from the guidance she received from Professor Peony Fhagen, who taught her First-Year Seminar on class and cultural identity.
Ennis tapped into her support system and sharpened her skills as a self-advocate when successfully pursuing a scholarship to study abroad in Egypt. These same abilities allowed her to ease into the experience, she said.
Professionally, Ennis also said that she seeks to work for organizations devoted to racial equity that actively recruit diverse candidates.
Asare, who majored in anthropology, is a research manager at the University of Chicago Health Lab. As a student, he served with the Student Government Association and received a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship that later supported his self-designed, postgraduate global research studies.
“Wheaton opened up the door to a lot of experiences, including figuring how to navigate predominantly white spaces and finding resources and people and how best to amplify my voice and use my experiences to contribute to conversations,” Asare said.
He said he benefited from close connections to professors, including Professor of Anthropology M. Gabriela Torres, with whom he remembered debating the efficacy of health organizations in global contexts.
“I often think about those conversations with professors and how they shaped the way I see things,” he said.
Nana Asare ’15 Kenya Bryant ’12 Maya Ennis ’14
—Laura Pedulli
Alumni recognition comes in many forms
The Alumni Board of Directors is interested to know about alumni whose work deserves to be recognized or whose talents enrich our community. Please share their stories (or yours) with the Alumni Board at alum@wheatoncollege.edu or call 508-286-8207. To learn more, please visit wheatoncollege.edu/ alumni
Helen Williams Hill, 106, died on March 28 in San Diego. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Wheaton in English, and her master’s degree from Brown University. She was married to Donald Hill. Helen taught writing and children’s literature at Eastern Michigan University. She also transcribed and edited—and later published—the diaries of her seafaring grandfather. Helen and her husband founded Trailblazers, a rehabilitation center in Ann Arbor, Mich. Later in life, Helen led a memoir writing group. She moved to San Diego and published the memoir Searching for Sophie.
1944
Nancy Clymer Giles, 97, died on April 13 in Wyomissing, Pa. She majored in biology at Wheaton. She worked in Philadelphia as a pharmacological researcher at the Wyeth Institute of Applied Biochemistry. After marrying her husband and returning to the Reading, Pa., area, Nancy volunteered with the Junior League of Reading, Planned Parenthood, Family Services and was a Sunday school teacher. She also was elected to the Wyomissing School Board. Later, she worked at the United Way of Berks County, including as executive director.
1945
Patricia Steffens Clark, 97, died on April 25. After graduating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in history and psychology, she moved to New Haven, Conn., where she worked as a claims adjuster for Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. She married Cornelius Clark and became a kindergarten teacher in New Britain. Patricia received a master’s degree in education from Central Connecticut State University. She became district supervisor of psychological and social work services in the New Britain school district until her retirement.
Gita Landauer Finsen, 98, died on April 14. She attended Wheaton.
Joyce Cooper Haase, 97, died on May 3. Joyce was a devout birthright Quaker. From her interest in psychology, she was spiritually drawn to the merging of Christianity and Buddhism. She was a member of the Medford Friends Meeting. She loved to travel.
Helen Powers LaMont, 97,died on Nov. 25, 2020. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She was married to Robert LaMont.
Paul Helmreich, Wheaton professor emeritus of history and college historian died on June 10 in Providence, R.I., at the age of 87. The professor joined the faculty as an expert on modern European, Russian and modern Middle East history and later became the pre-eminent scholar on Wheaton’s early years.
During his near 50 years at Wheaton (as a faculty member from 1957 to 1999 and college historian from 1985 to 2006), he touched the lives of generations of students, faculty and staff with his contagious passion for the past. Long after retiring, he frequently visited campus with his wife, retired Wheaton archivist Zephorene Stickney Helmreich.
He played an integral role in the growth of the History Department, particularly as chair (1968–1975, 1982–1983, 1986–1988 and 1993–1994). He served on and chaired multiple committees, including the Committee on Educational Policy, the Committee on Tenure, the Appeals and Hearing Committee and the Budget Advisory Committee. Professor Helmreich received the Summer Stipend Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1967 and held the William C.H. and Elsie D. Prentice chair at Wheaton from 1982 to 1985. He was bestowed the title of college historian in 1985 as Wheaton celebrated its sesquicentennial, which coincided with the publication of his first book, Wheaton College, 1834–1912: The Seminary Years. In 2002, he published an expanded version of the book with Wheaton College, 1834–1957: A Massachusetts Family Affair. He also wrote the book From Paris to Sèvres: the Partition of the Ottoman Empire at the Peace Conference of 1919–1920 and was widely published in academic and scholarly journals. His work has appeared in the Encyclopedia Americana and the Americana Annual.
Professor Helmreich made a lasting impression on the town of Norton as an active resident and volunteer. He served as chair of the finance committee. Also, for 20 years, he umpired games for the Norton Youth Baseball Leagues.
Professor Helmreich received his bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and his master’s degree and Ph.D. from Harvard University.
1946
Eleanor Merriam Hammond, 96, of Monument Beach, Mass., died on February 2. She was married to John Hammond. Eleanor earned a bachelor’s degree in Latin from Wheaton and her master’s degree in classical languages from Mount Holyoke College. She taught Latin and history at Middleboro High School, and all subjects except science at the middle school level. Obtaining a second master’s degree in library science, she became the school librarian. Eleanor moved to Monument Beach and retired in 1986. She became the curator/site manager at Aptucxet Trading Post. She was an active Wheaton alumna, serving as class secretary.
Louise “Lanny” Nichols Starzenski
died on February 9. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Lanny was married to the late Bruce Starzenski. She was an enthusiastic supporter of Wheaton, serving in a number of capacities over the years, including as class president and member of the President’s Commission. She attended countless college events and Reunions. Lanny was a talented gardener, known for her beautiful harvests of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Each year, she devoted herself to sending 200 Christmas cards, each carefully handwritten to her many friends.
1947
Janet McClure Lyman, 95, of Palo Alto, Calif., died on March 18 in Petaluma, Calif. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Janet married John Lyman and they moved to Palo Alto. During their 25-year marriage, they had three children. Janet worked in the accounting department of Lockheed Martin. She was an active alumna, serving as class secretary. Janet was the president for both the League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Women of Los Altos, and was a member at Christ Episcopal Church of Los Altos. She was a talented vocalist.
Margaret Pierson Weeks, 95, died on February 10. She majored in biology at Wheaton. She was a medical technologist with Sloan Kettering Institute and with Stamford Hospital. She graduated from Pratt Institute Library School and was a librarian at Low-Heywood School. She was active at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church.
Barbara Schott Van Waes, 95, died on March 24. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in economics and from the University of Maine with a master’s degree in library science. She worked as an English teacher and then as the school librarian for Bridgton Academy for 28 years. Her first marriage to George Dover ended in divorce. Barbara then married James Hamlin. The pair’s intellectual curiosity, as well as their love of the outdoors in Maine, was key to their lives together. After James’s passing, Barbara married Bob Van Waes. They moved to New Harbor, Maine, and then to Arizona.
1948
Jane Gulick Doerler, 94, died on March 11. She attended Wheaton.
Anne Rice Berntsen, 93, died on Dec. 27, 2020. She attended Wheaton.
Betty Ann Owens Wheeler, 93, of Concord, Mass., died on April 16. She was the wife of the late Richard Wheeler. She majored in English literature at Wheaton. She moved to Williamstown, Mass., and worked numerous jobs. She and her family then moved to Asia. For 16 years, they lived in Hong Kong, Manila and Tokyo. They eventually settled in Bronxville, N.Y., where she volunteered for the Girl Scouts, Jansen Memorial Hospice, Meals on Wheels, ESL students and Planned Parenthood. Betty Ann was involved with various Episcopal Church parishes.
1950
Lilia “Mimi” Gherardi Nash,92, of Providence, died on February 4. She studied art at Wheaton. Mimi fell in love with her beloved husband of 54 years, Francis Nash, while summering on Nantucket. Married in 1948 in Oyster Bay, N.Y., Mimi worked for Aetna Insurance. She later moved to Providence and raised four children. Mimi helped advocate for the establishment of The Providence Center. She was a member of the Handicraft Club, the Providence Art Club and the Rhode Island Watercolor Society. Mimi loved to travel.
1951
Margaret “Peggy” Wood Blood, 91, died on April 14 in Natick, Mass. After graduating from Wheaton, she worked at the New England Telephone Co., The Silver Gallery in Needham and for many years with the library at Bentley University. Peggy enjoyed square dancing with the Fairs ’n Squares for many years. Peggy was devoted to her Quaker faith and upbringing and was associated with the Meeting House in Wellesley and on the Cape.
Harriet Bollman Oman, 90,died on March 4 in Lebanon, N.H. After graduating from Wheaton, Harriet remained active in the Alumni Association and served as class secretary. She earned her master’s degree from Southern Connecticut State College. She was married to Carl Oman. Harriet enjoyed a 30-year career with the Meriden Public Schools (Connecticut), teaching third grade. She was recognized as Casimir Pulaski Elementary’s Teacher of the Year in 1996. She was a member of the First Congregational Church in Lebanon.
Derek Price, professor emeritus of psychology
Derek Price, professor emeritus of psychology at Wheaton, died on April 9 at the age of 74. Professor Price was a Vietnam veteran who achieved a thriving career in academia.
He served on the Wheaton faculty from 1985 until his retirement in 2013. He was an expert in developmental psychology, with a focus on the mental development of preschool-age children. His education philosophy was that good research on human behavior must accommodate cultural differences, and that good science thrives on a collaborative spirit.
Professor Price was strongly dedicated to supporting child development and education at the STAR School on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. He formed connections that enabled Wheaton students to gain fieldbased experience and participate in service learning in the Navajo Nation.
“It is rare to come across individuals who have so much intellectual integrity and at the same time have the heart and compassion to want to help improve the state of Native American education. Derek has proven himself to be one of those individuals. … His willingness to expose Wheaton students and faculty to life ‘on the rez’ has enriched their lives and expanded the deeper understanding of Navajo values by mainstream culture,” STAR School CEO Mark Sorensen stated in remarks at Price’s retirement celebration.
As a faculty member, he was an active contributor, volunteering on both the presidential and provost search committees, chairing the tenure committee and serving as the coordinator of the Infusion Program. He was awarded the Dorothy Reed Williams Chair in Social Sciences in 1997.
Bianca Murphy, professor of psychology, shared these words with him prior to his passing: “You advocated for others—for your untenured colleagues in the department and especially for people of color. So many knew that they could turn to you and trust you to provide advice and support. You were a wise elder for our tribe. Your colleagues universally respected you.”
Professor Price, originally from Ohio, received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He later earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. in cognitive and developmental psychology from the University of Denver.
lived in France with her husband and young family. She and the family eventually moved to Middlebury and Cheshire, Conn. She retired on Block Island. She was a longtime member of the Spring Street Gallery on Block Island, and an elected member of the Rhode Island Watercolor Society, the Mystic Art Association and the Wickford Art Association. Jean loved Block Island and it showed in her paintings, most of which were island scenes.
1952
Georgeann “Jan” Fleming Eddy
died on April 11, 2020, in Yarmouth, Maine. After she graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in history, she married William Eddy. Jan worked as an English and history school teacher. She mentored college girls at numerous campuses through her church affiliation. Jan also was a full-time administrative assistant at a private Connecticut school. Eventually, during her retirement years, she and her husband relocated to a lakeside home in Maine.
Geraldine “Geri” LeClaire Lemelin, 90, of Manchester, Conn., died on February 15. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in history. She set out to Connecticut, and found her first job at Pratt and Whitney as a research center aide. She married J. Roger Lemelin and they moved to Manchester, Conn., and raised five children. Geri served as co-president of the Manchester Square Dance Club and volunteered with the Manchester Historical Society and the Manchester Land Conservation Trust. She was a member of St. James Church.
Joan “Bobbie” Knight Thomsen, 91, died on February 10 in Brewster, Mass. She was married to the late Charles Thomsen. At Wheaton, French and art were her special interests. After marrying Charles, they moved to Washington, D.C. Bobbie served as the social correspondent for first lady Mamie Eisenhower. She was charged with reorganizing the White House China Room. Bobbie left the White House following the birth of her daughter, but returned several years later to help with correspondence for the Kennedy administration. The family then moved to North Africa and lived both in Tunisia and Morocco. They moved back to Massachusetts and were longtime residents of Hingham and East Orleans.
1953
Mary Hough Rendall Blair, 89, died on April 26 in Vero Beach, Fla. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Wheaton and master’s degree in education from the State University of New York at Fredonia. She made lifelong friends wherever she went. She traveled the world for seven decades, attending the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki and making two trips to Antarctica. Mary served as a trustee of Emma Willard School and Wheaton; board member and chair of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute; board member and chair of the WCA Hospital; and co-founder of the LINKS Charity.
Ruth Goold died on March 28 in Norton. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in American civilization and she received a master’s
degree in teaching from Bridgewater State College. She taught in the Ashland public school system and was named Teacher of the Year several times. Ruth loved to travel. She was president of the Norton Historical Society; treasurer of the Cactus and Succulent Society of Massachusetts; and on the board of directors at Daggett-Crandall-Newcomb Home.
1954
Nina Hal Geilich died on Sept. 18, 2020. Nina was married to Chick Geilich. They lived for many years in Brockton, Mass., and celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary in 2020. Nina lived life to its fullest every day and enjoyed working at her Rendezvous Boutique in Brockton.
1955
Virginia “Ginger” Campana Stimets, 87, died in Osterville, Mass., on March 11. At Wheaton, she served as president of her class. After graduation, she became a second grade teacher. She married Richard Stimets and they enjoyed 47 years together. Ginger was a communicant of Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Osterville. She was a member of the Oyster Harbors Club and the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Committee.
1957
Joanne Bourne Bauckman, 84, died on June 8, 2020. She attended Wheaton.
1958
Sally Howes Hansen, 84, died on February 6. She attended Wheaton.
Cynthia Trenbath Porta, 84, died on February 11. Cynthia worked for several years at Time, Inc. in New York City, where she met her husband. In addition to being a great wife, mother and grandmother, she excelled at serving in organizations that focused on helping those in need, including CAP, Inc., in Miami, Fla. Cynthia also was involved in working with the John’s Island Community Service League. Ellen McAdams Westlund, 84, died on February 26. She majored in chemistry at Wheaton. She obtained her master’s degree at Bridgewater State College. Ellen first started teaching in Norton public schools and went on to teach at Mansfield public schools for approximately 40 years. She served as the religious education coordinator at St. Mary’s Parish in Mansfield for more than 30 years.
1960
Virginia “Vicky” Gaylord Brod, 83, died on Dec. 11, 2020 in Missouri City, Texas. She majored in psychology at Wheaton, where she played tennis. She later worked for Harvard University in the mental health department. She married Edward Brod and raised two sons. Vicky was a member of The Junior League and the Presbyterian Church.
1961
Martha “Muffy”MoffittOsterhus
Carlstrom, 81, of Huntington, N.Y., died on Nov. 21, 2020. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in English. Muffy spent more than 35 years as a member of the Huntington Hospital Board of Trustees. She was instrumental in the creation of the Dolan Family Health Center. In 2008, Muffy was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Award. She was an advocate for various environmental causes. She was involved with St John’s Episcopal Church and the Central Presbyterian Church.
1964
Elizabeth Morava Struve died on March 22. She was married to Bill Struve. Elizabeth graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in social work. She enjoyed living in LaJolla, Calif., for nearly 50 years.
1967
Sara “Sally” Hill Kennedy, 76,died on April 23. Sally majored in English at Wheaton. She earned her master’s degree in English literature from Trinity College. Sally met her husband, Jack, during their first year in college. After they married, they moved to West Hartford. Sally taught English in the West Hartford Public Schools and was recognized as one of the finest AP English teachers in New England. In recent years, Sally and Jack spent the winter months on Sanibel Island, Fla., and summers in Europe.
1968
Adrienne Wilson Dodi died in Jerusalem on April 27. She was married for 50 years to Menachim. After graduating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in religion, she moved to Jerusalem. She was active in Emunah.
1969
Patricia “Patty” Clark Hatchell, 73, died on April 8 in Dallas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Wheaton and her Ph.D. from the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado. Patty wrote numerous research articles and taught at UT Southwestern Medical School, Metropolitan State and the University of Missouri Medical School. She also held teaching positions at Georgia State and Emory University.
1970
Victoria “Vicki” Kitching Gadbaw, 73, of Stonington, Conn., died on April 5. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Wheaton and her master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan. She was married to Joseph Gadbaw and they celebrated 47 years of marriage together. She worked in New London, providing psychotherapy to children and families until she retired in 2016. She was talented with painting and drawing, taught herself how to knit as a child, and developed a passion for quilting in her 60s.
2020
Kelsey Taylor, 27, of Norwood, Mass., died on May 6 after courageously fighting sickle cell disease all her life and leukemia for the past year. Kelsey was a youth ambassador for the Greater Boston Sickle Cell Disease Association and worked with Pfizer on several patient-family initiatives. She fought hard to bring awareness to this debilitating disease and advocate for better treatment and services. In an effort to be cured and to help advance medical treatment for patients with sickle cell disease, Kelsey volunteered to participate in an experimental transplant protocol that caused her to develop leukemia. Prior to her death, she attended The College of the Holy Cross and then transferred to Wheaton, earning a bachelor’s degree in film and new media studies.
Friends
Charlotte Dill,former employee of the Wheaton bookstore, in October 2020 Gloria Floor, former employee of the Wheaton bookstore, in October 2020
Relatives
1947 Albert Boggess, husband of Nancy Weber Boggess, in December 2020 1962 Arthur Honer, husband of Anne Stifel Honer, in February 1966 Charlotte Dill, mother of Charlotte Dill Cheyne, in October 2020 1967 Gita Finsen, mother of Susan Finsen, in April 1970 Edward Goodman, husband of Ellen Stone Goodman, in April 1971 David Watts, husband of Lynne Bond, in January 1973 Teresa Mellone, mother of Christine Mellone Phillips, in September 2020 1977 James Hogan, father of Millicent Hogan, in March 1978 Marianne Taylor, mother of Stephanie Taylor Scott, in March 2020 1976 Teresa Mellone, mother of Katherine Mellone, in September 2020 1978 James Goddard, father of Deborah Goddard, in February 1980 Mary Blair, mother of Mary Rendall Smith, in April 1987 James Hogan, father of Cynthia Hogan, in March 1993 Philip Zawasky, father of Spencer Zawasky, in September 2020 1996 Philip Zawasky, father of Matthew Zawasky, in September 2020 1998 Philip Zawasky, father of Clifton Zawasky, in September 2020
New role focuses on equity and belonging
Shaya Gregory Poku, associate vice president for institutional equity and belonging
Shaya Gregory Poku is Wheaton’s inaugural associate vice president for institutional equity and belonging, charged with overseeing the new Office for Institutional Equity and Belonging that is focused on making empowerment of all central to how the college operates. We asked about what led her to take on this complex role and the biggest challenge in doing the work:
“I took this position because I am hopeful. Hope is an underestimated component of liberation work. I believe that we can work together toward progress in key areas and anchor justice and empowerment in a way that is unmistakable,” Poku said. “People are experiencing deep pain and frustration from oppression, and that bothers me. The issues are vast, and when we are not getting better in these areas, we are causing tremendous harm. All of my career steps have centered around the question of how can I transform violence, exploitation, apathy and oppression into access, restoration, engagement and liberation. Doing this is a vocation for me and the associate vice president role is very much aligned with the questions I “I took this position because I am hopeful. Hope is an underestimated component of liberation work. I believe that we can work together toward progress in key areas and anchor justice and empowerment in a way that is unmistakable.”
am seeking to answer through my work.
“I have been part of the Wheaton community since fall 2017, and I have seen countless ways the institution has prioritized its commitment to advancing this work...
“I am building from a strong and intentional foundation working alongside offices like the Marshall Center for Intercultural Learning, the Center for Global Education, the Center for Social Justice and Community Impact, Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, and Accessibility Services, as well as cross-divisional initiatives like Diversity, Equity and Access Leadership (DEAL); the Network for LGBTQ+ Inclusion, Support and Advocacy; the First-Gen and Low-Income Task Force; and others. There is an infrastructure to ‘seed the ground’ with these campus resources and the college’s 2017 Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan. These all facilitate the conditions for us to be successful. …
“The biggest challenge is also the greatest opportunity—the scale and scope of the work. For some, the limiting nature of incremental progress will be utterly dissatisfactory, and for others, it will be overwhelming. We have to be candid about these limitations and tensions, but not let them be an excuse for us to not do everything possible to make sure our community truly serves and supports justice. This will be a long journey and I have to help the campus keep that in mind. The work did not begin with me and it will not end with me. As Coretta Scott King said: ‘Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won; you earn it and win it in every generation.’”
KEITH NORDSTROM
Planning the future.
KARA SALSMAN
“As a classics major at Wheaton, I enjoyed the benefits of small classes and gifted professors. I spent my junior year in Rome at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies, where the world of Greek and Roman archaeology opened to me. Advancing my education, I earned graduate degrees in classical archaeology at UNC-Chapel Hill and went on to a 35-plus-year professorship in ancient art and humanities at the University of Louisville in Kentucky.The life-changing experiences at Wheaton and in Rome led me and my parents to establish a scholarship to support student travel abroad. A substantial portion of my estate will continue to provide that kind of opportunity.The college had a profound influence on my intellectual and personal growth and laid the foundation for a rewarding career, so I’m happy to contribute to Wheaton’s commitment to high-quality education.”
Linda Gigante ’72
Professor emerita of ancient art and humanities University of Louisville, Fine Arts Department
Giving possibility.
For information, call the Office of Gift Planning at 508-286-3391 or visit giftplanning.wheatoncollege.edu.
Invest Today. Inspire Tomorrow.
Wheaton Fund donor
“One thing I heard a lot when I was a kid was that I ask many questions. Wheaton gave me the space to be myself and to feed my curiosity. I explored a major [computer science] I was unfamiliar with and turned it into a career in technology. Wheaton gave me the right tools to create deeper interest out of simple curiosity in astronomy, philosophy and culture, to name just a few. One of the many qualities that attracted me to Wheaton is its commitment to social justice. I felt this commitment, especially, through the curriculum. I learned aspects of economics and history that affect many people but are not often taught. Classes focusing on the economics of race and racism, economics of sports, macroeconomics and corporate finance provided much-needed context for current events. My Wheaton experience—made complete by amazing and supportive faculty and staff members—was a fantastic journey that I continue to cherish. I am beyond grateful for the education I received and the growth I experienced. I contribute to the Wheaton Fund to give back, and to support the college in providing bright minds the space to grow and shine. Every little bit goes a long way. Together, we can make a real difference.”
