Class Notes

CLASS OF 1955

Devereaux Rose Eyler and husband, Capt. Tise Eyler, sent this update, “Surprise...We’re escaping tornados, hurricanes, annual evacuations, and multiple power outages at our ages (82-86) we wanted to be near Devy’s son and many friends. A tornado came within 600 feet of our house on Jekyll Isle just before Mother’s Day and scared us to death. Tise made a very quick decision to move - so we did move quickly, with no regrets. We sold our house in 2 days, found our PTC home on Mother’s Day, and moved all within 4 weeks.”

The 1960 football team; News Journal article about the WFS vs. Archmere game.

CLASS OF 1961

Stephen Burnett (#21), with the help of Rick Hill (#41) and sparked by recent political events, sent us this memory, “In the fall of 1960, the Friends School Quakers journeyed up the road to Claymont to meet the resurgent Archmere Auks. Our coaches (Mssrs. Lafferty, Curtis and Hill) had advised the players that Archmere was having a great season, sparked by a wide receiver named Joe Biden.

“The Quakers were competitive, despite being severely outweighed by the Archmere offensive line. The boys in blue were led by Rick Hill, John Cox and Hugh Gage (#11). Burnett was outweighed on the defensive line by 70 pounds and barely saw daylight. However, he did see Biden breeze by our secondary twice to score on 75-yard and 40 -ard completions. Archmere prevailed 26-14.

“The Quakers did salvage the season by besting Tower Hill in the season finale, 30-14.”

CLASS OF 1968

Mark Gressle “Tennis took on COVID this past Fall; final score Tennis 6-0; 6-0. While the United States Tennis Association (USTA) canceled almost all Sectional and National tournaments, they did hold sectional tournaments in New England for the 65 years and older tennis leagues. I captain a team named Keep on Truckin’ in deference to the Grateful Dead (and like us, some of them are still playing). One of my best doubles teams has a combined age of 160 years, 20 years greater than my partner and me. But the real victor from this event was beating COVID. Over 120 players came to Boston for the September tournament. We followed safe protocols - masking until on the court, racquet taps only, social distancing while watching, take-out meals, and tailgating in the hotel parking lot. We proved we can beat this and proved that we can hold more tournaments next summer.”

Mark Gressle ’68 after a doubles win at USTA New England Sectional Tournament in September 2020.

CLASS OF 1976

Tim Gibbs, MPH, Executive Director of Delaware Academy of Medicine/ Division of Public Health (Academy/ DPHA) and Omar A. Khan ’90, MD, MHS, President of the Board of Academy/DPHA accepted the 2020 Outstanding Affiliate of the Year award from The American Public Health Association (APHA). Upon accepting the award, Omar said, “This means the world to our diverse membership of physicians, dentists, researchers, public health practitioners, community health workers, academics, and student interns.

“Just five years ago we became Delaware’s affiliate to APHA, and it has been an amazing experience which has lead us to grow in ways few of us could have anticipated. Following the example APHA sets, we have attempted to emulate the APHA in our own local manner, for instance, through the development of our own Delaware Journal of Public Health. We have done our best to serve as ambassadors for APHA, its messaging, and its programs – as well as support it through meaningful volunteer work.

“Through this we have forged new relationships, received program funding we would never have been able to access on our own, and participated on a national level in policy and agendasetting. APHA has made us a better local affiliate through the example that APHA staff, leadership, and fellow affiliate members have provided us.

“Thank you for making the 90th anniversary of the Academy/DPHA a special one in a humbling and wonderful manner by bestowing this recognition.”

CLASS OF 1987

In early January 2021, Shirley Padmore Mensah was sworn in for a five-year term as chief magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Missouri. She was formerly a United States Magistrate Judge and served since 2012. She has also served in several leadership roles both within the District Court and across the federal judiciary, including her tenure on the Judicial Conference of the United States Defender Services Committee. President Joe Biden named Louisa Terrell director of his White House Office of Legislative Affairs, the president’s chief ambassador to Congress.

CLASS OF 1990

Michelle Burke Kelly ’90 received the Christiana Care Jefferson Award.

Omar A. Khan ’90 (see note under Class of 1976).

CLASS OF 1991

William L. Masten (Bill) has been named President of Pennsville National Bank, headquartered in Pennsville, New Jersey. Bill is also the Trust Officer of the bank, President of PennBancshares, is married, and has three children.

CLASS OF 1999

Eden Wales Freedman, Ph.D., vice provost for faculties and academic affairs at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, received the Eudora Welty Prize for 2020. The Eudora Welty Prize is named in honor of Mississippi University for Women alumna Eudora Welty. Eden was recognized at the virtual Eudora Welty Writers’ Symposium Oct. 22-24 for her book, Reading Testimony, Witnessing Trauma. The University Press of Mississippi nominated Reading Testimony, Witnessing Trauma, and a committee of faculty at Mississippi University for women made the selection. They wrote, “This was a very strong field this year. The committee felt, however, that Reading Testimony, Witnessing Trauma made the greatest contribution to the field by presenting a new approach to understanding Southern Literature and culture, especially through the experience of women writers of color.”

CLASS OF 2003

Meghan Baczkowski Pixley sent this news, “I started a new position in October 2020 as Client Services Consultant for RightSourcing Inc. I am supporting our client New York City Health & Hospitals staffing many healthcare roles throughout NYC with numbers increasing steadily due to the Covid 19 pandemic.”

CLASS OF 1987

Christy Searl shared this photo of her son Jack (age 12) and their family’s “COVID puppy” Cody.

Samantha Saoirse Miller (daughter of Colleen Farrell ’04.

Andrew ’07, Sophia, and Sydney Baczkowski

CLASS OF 2004

Colleen Farrell and her husband Brian Miller are thrilled to announce the arrival of their first daughter Samantha Saoirse Miller, born on July 14, 2020 at First Hill Swedish Hospital in Seattle, WA.

CLASS OF 2007

Andrew Baczkowski and Sydney Baczkowski announce the birth of their daughter, Sophia Madeline Baczkowski, born on 10/22/20, weighing 7 lbs, 10 oz and measuring 20.25 inches. Mom and baby are both doing great.

Sydney and Andrew were married on 7/12/19 and currently reside in Media, PA. Sydney is completing a Doctorate in Pharmacy (PharmD) from Temple University in May and Andrew works as a Financial Analyst at Brinker Simpson & Co. in Springfield, PA.

CLASS OF 2010

Dori Brooks and Damian Castro welcomed daughter Carmen Rosana Brooks, born October 20, 2020, weighing 6 lbs, 11 oz.

John Taggart, running back, signed with The NAZ Wranglers, an Indoor Football League, located in Prescott Valley, Arizona.

CLASS OF 2012

Virginia DeWees got engaged to Rebecca Neill on October 24, 2020. Virginia wrote, “I had the support of Ben Horstmann and his (now) wife to make the proposal happen!”

Ben Horstmann married Jessica Colastini on November 7, 2020.

Chelsea Terrell married Elliott Theeke in October 2020.

Sophia joins WFS cousins Caroline Pixley ’31, Luke Pixley ’33, Cole Pixley ’35, uncle James Baczkowski ’09, and grandfather “Pop,” William Baczkowski, Associate Head of Finance and Operations at WFS.

CLASS OF 2008

Evan Bartle works for Second Chances Farm and was named one of the 40 under 40 by the Delaware Business Times.

Phoenix Mellow designed the costumes for the Amazon movie “Sylvie’s Love,” and based her 1950s designs on Karl Lagerfeld’s archives which she was able to access in her work.

Reid Schmidt is acting in a YouTube series called “Consciously Incompetent.”

CLASS OF 2009

Hannah Brilliant is engaged to Masha Stine. They plan a fall 2021 wedding. Hannah and Masha are both educators working in the Boston area.

Monica Felder announced her engagement to Evelyn Andrews in November 2020. Monica is currently working as a social worker in Philadelphia.

CLASS OF 2016

Ciara Graves is attending Icon Collective College of Music studying music production.

Monica Felder ’09 and Evelyn Andrews Hannah Brilliant ’09 and Masha Stine Photo by Elisa Morris

Ben Horstmann ’12 and Jessica Colastini