Professor, alumna collaborate on public art in South Korea

Hyunmin “Min” Bae ’19 and faculty member Kelly Goff reunite to create bamboo sculpture

Associate Professor and Chair of Visual Art Kelly Goff’s proposal for an international art biennale in South Korea in summer 2022 was ambitious in scope: an infinite loop of bundled bamboo set amid thick flora on a park mountainside.

When the Korean Nature Artists’ Association invited Goff to participate in its program and exhibition, he knew the perfect collaborator to help him accomplish this feat: Hyunmin “Min” Bae ’19, who was a studio art major at Wheaton.

Bae, who had Goff as an advisor while a student, created memorable art for his course “Public Art.” Her artwork “The Trees of Life,” an installation of colorful PVC pipes emerging from a pond, was chosen for installation in the Town of Franklin Sculpture Park in 2018.

Professor Goff said he first contacted Min, who lives in South Korea, when developing his proposal for her help in researching local materials. “When I received the invitation to participate in the exhibition, I immediately contacted her to see if she would be available to help and was thrilled that she said yes.”

The reunited professor and alumna worked on a project titled “Continuous Line VI [bamboo]” for the Korean Nature Artists’ Association’s Geumgang Nature Art Biennale. The artwork fits the biennale’s theme “Again, Multiplicity of Rewilding,” which explores continuity. The large sculpture, nearly 14 feet high and 25 feet across, snaked in a continu- ous loop amid trees and other floral growth in Yeonmisan Nature Art Park, which is just outside of Gongju, South Korea.

“I really enjoyed the working process because it wasn’t the kind of structure that could be perfectly planned. It was like making a sketch in three dimensions. There was a lot of decision-making at the site,” said Bae, who works as a freelance illustrator and painter.

Bae also helped Goff with Korean translation with Korean Nature Artists’ Association staff, the artistic director of the biennale, and the many visitors who flowed through the park daily.

“At one point, Min’s parents visited from Seoul and brought us frozen watermelon juice on an especially scorching day. It was great to reconnect with them and to see the pride they have for their daughter,” he said.

Bae added that it was great getting to know Goff beyond their previous roles as student and professor.

“Back in college I had only seen Kelly teaching as a professor mostly, so it was interesting to actually see him doing his own art,” she said. “Seeing him outside of school—not as a student and professor—was a different experience. It felt like I got to know him better as a person, a friend and a fellow artist.”

—Laura Pedulli

for CNN for the shows “Early Start” and “New Day”; a page for both NBCUniversal and MSNBC; and a production assistant at NBC News for the “Today Show.”

“Wheaton opened my eyes to the world. It gave me the opportunity to travel while helping me gain real-life experience in the media industry,” Solis said.

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—Laura Pedulli

1947

Beverly Gardiner Shippee, 96, died on Dec. 27, 2022. She was the wife of the late Harold Shippee. Beverly majored in German at Wheaton and later earned her master’s degree in education from Fordham University. She was an English teacher for the White Plains, N.Y., school department. She enjoyed traveling and visiting fine art museums. Beverly was a devoted alumna who created the Elizabeth Wright Shippee ’37 Fund for Work and Learning Fellows to support Wheaton students.

1948

Muriel Beresford, 95, of Attleboro, Mass., formerly of Wrentham, died on June 18, 2022. She was the beloved wife of the late Gerard Beresford. Muriel worked as a bank teller at Wrentham Cooperative Bank for many years. She was an active member of the community and especially the Original Congregational Church of Wrentham.

Marilyn Mitchell Dickson, 96, died on Nov. 16, 2022, in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. She studied English at Wheaton, where she became class president. After graduation, she moved to New York City and taught at Staten Island Academy and Garden Country Day School. She met and married Douglas, taught English and earned her master’s degree from Columbia University. The family moved to Ann Arbor, Mich. Later in life, she taught English at Forsythe Middle School. She was an active Wheaton alumna who served as a class officer until 1968. She attended her 50th and 55th Reunions.

Pat Colvin Peters, 95, died on Sept. 12, 2022. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in art. Pat was an engaged Wheaton alumna who attended many Reunions.

1949

Jean Gray Edmundson, 95, died in August 2022. She majored in psychology at Wheaton.

Jane Hess Heidenreich, 95, of Exeter, N.H., died on Oct. 27, 2022. She attended Wheaton. She and her husband, Ted, raised their family in Scituate, Mass. Together, they founded Packaging Products Corp. of New Bedford, Mass. They had three children and were members of the First Trinitarian Congregational Church, the Scituate Harbor Yacht Club and the Satuit Boat Club. Jane also played tennis.

1950

Dorsha Kinzel Randmae, 92, died on Feb. 25, 2022. At Wheaton, she majored in music and was editor of the newspaper. After receiving her master’s degree in education from State University of New York, Dorsha taught fourth and fifth grades on Long Island. She married Richard Campbell and had three children. She earned her master’s degree in music at New York University. She was active in her Christian Science church, and helped found the Institute of Analytical Reading. She enjoyed sailing, tennis and piano. After Richard’s death, she married Sam Swedenborg. They spent many good years in Fort Lauderdale until his death. A few years later, she met and married Rein Randmae.

1954

Barbara Carnwath Gardner, 90, widow of William Gardner, died on Dec. 16, 2022. She majored in English literature at Wheaton and married William shortly after graduation. They moved to Simsbury, Conn. Barbara was a volunteer in the library at Tootin' Hills School, then moved to the Simsbury Public Library, where she was a volunteer for about 40 years. She was a member of Abigail Phelps Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a member of the Simsbury Republican Women's Club.

1955

Dorothy Epstein Carver, 89, of Barnstable, Mass., died on February 8. She was married to the late Herb Carver. Dorothy majored in French at Wheaton. She worked as an early childhood preschool teacher and served as the special education coordinator for Head Start on Cape Cod. In her later years, she was a founding member and teacher in the early childhood special needs program at Cape Cod Community College. For decades, she was a dedicated supporter of Wheaton. She served as a counsel to the college president and she particularly enjoyed her role as mentor to many students.

Nina Peckham Young, 89, of Little Compton, R.I., died on Oct. 12, 2022. She was the beloved wife of the late Wesley Young. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor's degree in sociology. Before settling in Little Compton, R.I., in 1998, she lived in Concord, Mass., for 37 years.

1956

Janet Morton Baird, 88, died in Wilmington, Del., on February 5.

Priscilla King Gray ’55

Priscilla King Gray ’55, a longtime supporter and advocate of Wheaton College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), died on February 8 in Concord, Mass. She was 89.

Priscilla was the wife of former MIT president Paul Gray until his death in 2017. She met him through a blind date arranged by a friend. The couple were married in June 1955—one month after she graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in English. She served as an elementary school teacher from 1955 to 1957.

Priscilla was a deeply committed and active alumna of Wheaton. She regularly supported the college, including through the Priscilla King Gray ’55 Scholarship, and was a frequent attendee of events.

She held numerous volunteer roles at Wheaton, including class officer-at-large, Alumni Association nominating committee member, class president, President’s Commision member and Alumni Parent Admission Committee member. In 1992, she received an Alumni Achievement Award for her contributions. Her husband, Paul—a Wheaton College life trustee—served on the college’s Board of Trustees

Janet majored in history at Wheaton and also attended Brooklyn Law School. She was married to the late Richard Baird. After living in Connecticut for several years, the couple moved to Wilmington, Del., where they raised their children. Janet was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church. She worked as a museum guide at Hagley Museum and also worked as a guide at the Old Town Hall in Wilmington. She served as a Girl Scout Leader.

1957

Diane Brickman Shulman, 86, died on May 29, 2022, in Reno, Nev. She attended Wheaton.

1959

Iva Embry Gillet, 85, died on Nov.

for many years, including as chair. Among Priscilla’s many gifts to the college: Wheaton Humpty Dumpties that Paul purchased from the Wheaton campus bookstore for her as a Valentine’s Day present. After the felt toys followed her from college to married life, she donated them to the Wheaton archives.

At MIT, she contributed to a variety of endeavors. She taught crewel embroidery to a group of women, initiated senior dinners at her residence and was active in the MIT Women’s League. In 1990, she received the MIT Bronze Beaver Award for alumni leadership.

In 1988, Priscilla co-founded the MIT Public Service Center to encourage students to create change and build a better world. The center, which was renamed The Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center in 2015, focuses on racial and social justice through health equity, climate change and sustainability and using technology for social good. Priscilla was a devoted mother of four children. One daughter, Amy Gray Sluyter ’80, and three grandchildren (Hannah Wilson Army ’04, Catherine King Army ’12 and Paul Gray ’16) attended Wheaton.

30, 2022, in Lutherville, Md. She attended Wheaton.

Cherry Baldwin Smith, 85, of Potomac, Md., died on Dec. 10, 2022. She was married to the late Harry Smith. She received her bachelor’s degree in history from Wheaton, where she was the class president for two years and on the synchronized swimming team. Cherry enjoyed lifelong friendships with many of her classmates, culminating in an annual birthday luncheon in Baltimore. She was a member of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Potomac, Md. and the Bethesda Country Club, where she played tennis. She also was a member and president of the Potomac Chapter of The Questers.

Martha Heck Ulman, 85, of Greenport, N.Y., formerly of Oyster Bay, N.Y., died on Oct. 20, 2022. She graduated from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in history and in 2008 earned her master’s degree in history from Long Island University. Martha wrote A Power for Good: Clara B. Spence, a biography of her grandmother, which was released on Oct. 18, 2022. In addition to being a published author, Martha was a nurturing mother who loved gardening and took award-winning photos of both her flowers and children.

1960

Jane Carithers Pearsall, 84, died on Dec. 3, 2022. She majored in history at Wheaton. After college, Jane married and settled in Framingham, Mass., where she raised her two daughters. She was their Camp Fire Girl leader and ultimately became the head of Camp Fire in Framingham. In addition, she was a member of Plymouth Church. When her children attended high school, Jane earned her master in divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School. She worked as a part-time Christian education director at Park Street Baptist Church; student pastor at the West Acton Baptist Church and as an assistant in ministry at Grace Church in Framingham. After Jane retired, she moved to Cape Cod.

1963

Adrienne Wheeler Rudge, 80, a resident of Easton, Md., died on Dec. 10, 2022. She majored in English at Wheaton. She received her master’s degree in education from New York University. After a year of teaching English at Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Mass., Adrienne married Kit Rudge, and they moved to New York City. She joined the faculty of Nightingale-Bamford School. They moved to Chappaqua, N.Y., where they raised two sons. Adrienne served as president of the board of Planned Parenthood of Westchester/ Rockland, and was a founder and board member of the Northern Westchester Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence (now named Hope’s Door). Adrienne became director of publications and public relations at The Masters School in 1988. In 2001, she moved to Easton, where she built a home on her family’s farm. She enjoyed traveling.

1964

Sasiree Kambhu Cutter, 81, of Weston, Mass., died on Dec. 13, 2022. She was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and moved to the U.S. at age 6. She majored in history at Wheaton. After college, she moved to Wayland, Mass., and then to Weston, where she raised her children and lived for the rest of her life. Sasiree had a successful career as a real estate broker and won many accolades. She was a patron of both performing and fine arts. She played tennis and golf, but most of all enjoyed walking her dogs. Following fashion was a favorite pastime; she was always chic and in style. She traveled extensively, including annual trips to Thailand to see family.

1968

Elizabeth Robbins, 76, died on January 7 in East Hampton, N.Y. She was married to Doug Johnson. Elizabeth studied philosophy at Wheaton. In 1977, she opened the country’s first woman-owned lobbying firm. She was best known for her work on behalf of children’s health care and poverty reduction, and nonprofits like the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Authors Guild. She helped establish SeriousFun, a network of summer camps for children with serious illnesses. She helped raise funding for the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University.

1969

Dianne Munson, 74, a longtime Cambridge, Mass., resident, died in June 2022. After graduating from Wheaton with a bachelor’s degree in biology, Dianne worked in a lab in Medellín, Colombia, an experience that powerfully shaped her desire to go into medicine. She attended Tufts Medical School and specialized in hematology oncology. She then shifted her practice to primary care at Mount Auburn with a special interest in eating disorders and a passion for teaching medical residents. She retired in 2020. Those who knew Dianne remember her kindness, sense of humor, compassion and devotion to her family and friends.

1974

Lynn Beckwith Polite, 70, of Evanston, Ill., died on Dec. 16, 2022. She studied mathematics at Wheaton.

1975

Deborah Lamberti, 69, of Stamford, Conn., died on Aug. 15, 2022, in Branford, Conn. She majored in psychology at Wheaton and received her master’s degree in social work from New York University. Deborah was a licensed psychotherapist and direc- tor of the Fifth Avenue Center For Counseling And Psychotherapy and later opened her own private practice in New York and Connecticut. Deborah was nationally recognized for her grief counseling acumen and was sought out by the Columbine community for her guidance and support. She also provided support to those affected by the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedies. Deborah loved animals and was a patron of the arts.

Judy Gifford Preston, 70, of Cranston, R.I., died on Dec. 22, 2022. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, Judy pursued several careers in the insurance industry and education before becoming a pharmacy technician for CVS for more than 20 years. An avid Disney and NASCAR fan, she enjoyed many family trips to Orlando and traveling to races in Las Vegas. During July, Judy could always be found on Sand Hill Cove beach with her children and grandchildren.

1978

Maura Fleishman, 66, of Sudbury, Mass., died on Nov. 11, 2022. She studied psychology at Wheaton and served as an elementary schoolteacher in the Newton Public Schools.

1981

Julie McTigue Trant, 63, and resident of Concord, Mass., died on Nov. 21, 2022. She was the devoted and loving wife of 39 years to James Trant. She earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from Wheaton and later her M.B.A. from Simmons College. Julie was known for her beautiful soprano singing voice and, in college, was a member of the Wheaton Whims a cappella group. She had the role of pitch pipe for a time, of which she was quite proud. After marrying James in 1983, they settled in Concord. Julie had a successful and respected career in human resources, from which she retired in 2019. Julie enjoyed spending time with family, friends and her beloved dogs.

1986

Kimberly Davis Crear, 58, of Charlton, Mass., died on Jan. 13. She was the beloved wife of Robert Crear. She received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Wheaton. She received her J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law. Kimberly began her career in law at the firm of Robinson, Donovan, Madden and Barry in Springfield, Mass., and later became one of the founding members of the law firm of Crear,

Chadwell, Dos Santos and Devlin, P.C., also in Springfield, Mass. She focused her practice on worker’s compensation law, disability law and insurance defense. Kimberly loved spending time with her husband, family and friends, and traveling.

Friends

Patricia Tessitore, former building services manager for Wheaton, in December 2022

Relatives

1958 Louis Santangelo, husband of Ashie Lavieri Santangelo, in February 2022

1959 James Kennedy, husband of Susan Leech Kennedy, in January 2022

1959 James McGrath, husband of Margaret Watson McGrath, in August 2022

1965 Howard Kuenzler, husband of Carole Miller Kuenzler, in September 2022

1975 Frederick Horlbeck, father of Barbara Horlbeck, in January

1976 Richard Cruickshank, husband of Donna Gay, in July 2022

1976 Mary Wilkins, mother of Kate Wilkins Franklin, in December 2022

1977 Mark Clements, husband of Cyn Lichtenberger Clements, in February

1977 Arthur Lichtenberger, father of Cyn Lichtenberger Clements, in February 2022

1980 Priscilla King Gray, mother of Amy Gray Sluyter, in February

1981 Frederick Horlbeck, father of Eleanor Horlbeck Thompson, in January

1984 John Leyon, father of Anne Leyon Kilkenny, in November 2022

1986 Jane Carithers Pearsall, mother of Brenda Pearsall, in December 2022

1987 Dennis Looney, father of Susan Looney, in November 2022

1987 Jane Carithers Pearsall, mother of Jennifer Pearsall, in December 2022

1987 Blanche Stockbridge, mother of Eleanor Stockbridge Fox, in January

1989 William Parshall, father of Lee Parshall Roberts, in November 2022

1996 Robert Rakip, father of Jason Rakip, in March 2022

2002 Sarah Whyte, mother of Alison Goodrich Thompson, in May 2022

2002 Dita Wolf, mother of Daniel Wolf, in October 2022

2004 Michael Coppola, husband of Matthew Lucerto, in January

2009 Patricia Tessitore, mother of Katie Tessitore Wade, in December 2022

2010 Sarah Whyte, mother of Hilary Whyte Moore, in May 2022