Alumni Class Notes

REUNION WEEKEND
2010!
JUNE 4, 5, & 6, 2010
Alumni Class Notes
THE CLASSES OF
1935, 1940, 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965,
1970, 1975, 1980, & 1985!
Thank you to everyone in our
2010 Reunion classes who contributed to this year’s special Reunionyear Class Notes newsletter. We
know you will all enjoy this way of
catching up with classmates before
this June’s gathering in Boston.
have all kinds of activities, wonderful and
talented people, and caring neighbors.”
Now 90, Lois still drives locally, keeps
very busy, and is enjoying life. Inez
Gianfranchi Snowdon wrote, “I am still
volunteering at our church Budget Box
(second-time-around clothes and things).
It’s amazing how many folks are coming
in and buying for the first time!” Inez still
spends all summer at her camp on Great
East Lake in Acton, ME.
Class of 1935
Mary Hammer Heron wrote: “My dear
Scrabble partner has left me, but I still
bravely tackle the weekly Globe and Mail
cryptic crossword puzzle on Saturday. I
impulsively tried to create my own, only to
discover that I don’t know which is more
difficult – to get words fitted together in a
balanced design of marked squares and
empty spaces or to make up for each one
a cryptic clue that makes sense and is
enlightening yet not a giveaway!” She
added: “Congratulations must go to Jackie
Jenkins-Scott for her long, well-written,
newsy letter of August 1, 2009. She makes
us PROUD of our alma mater and of her.
Mary Brewer Allen ‘40 and her daughter, Mary
May it ever be thus!”
Ann Allen Crowherd ‘70, at Mary’s 90th birthday
party in February
she is still able to live an independent life.
Her four adult family live nearby with her
four grandchildren – she says they are a
big help. Nadene Nichols Lane spends
winters in Dubai with her daughter and
her family so she can see her greatgrandchildren, which she says is wonderful and fun. This year she will stop in London to see her youngest daughter and
family.
Maryanne Weber Lockyer is very
active in the Wheelock Cape Cod club,
which has sponsored a Wheelock College
student (from the Cape or the Islands) for
the past 12 years. The club meets three
times a year – February, May, and July.
Membership is between 20 and 30. Pat
Slater Carey, Jane Spaulding, and Maryanne wrote to all of us about our 65th
Reunion coming up on June 4-6, 2010.
Helen Small Weishaar goes to the
gym several times a week for an Aquasize
class! She also is active in the church,
where she is helping to make a Noah’s
Ark quilt for an expectant mother. She has
chosen not to drive (for the safety of others). They are working on their 67th year
of marriage, which seems to be going well!
My husband and I (Jean) still live in
Madison with visits to Vermont. Our
Class of 1945
Mary Brewer Allen, 90 in February, is
three children and five grandchildren live
doing well at her beautiful spot on the
fairly nearby, and we have frequent visits
Jean Reilly Cushing
Chesapeake Bay. She has lots of good help
from our son, a business analyst for Levi
Julie Forsythe Bussiere is well and busy. Strauss in San Francisco. We babysit often
and children and grandchildren visiting
Last November she had an art show with for daughter Gretta’s babies as she now
often. Mary can still recall her memories
70 watercolor paintings. It was fun and
of Lucy Wheelock. Her daughter Mary
has her own practice in clinical psycholvery successful. After 25 years as a reading ogy. I certainly am hoping to get to our
Ann Allen Cowherd ’70 will attend her
40th Reunion at Wheelock this June. Lois specialist in the public schools, she marReunion. Our 60th was so special – I
ried for the second time and moved into often think of it.
Burns is still living with her 92-year-old
Philadelphia. A year later she took up
sister at Brooksby Village in Peabody,
MA. “This is a great place to be as all you painting, and she has been doing it avidly
for 20 years. Sophy Church Hansen says
need is available here,” she wrote. “We
Class of 1940
PAGE 2
Class of 1950
Edith “Anne” Runk Wright
Greetings, Classmates! Here it is 2010. I
(Anne) trust we are still “burning with
enthusiasm,” perhaps less briskly than in
1950 but holding out for a good year.
On a personal sad note, I was so sorry
to hear of the death of Ann Hennessey
Praught. She remains in my mind and
heart as the attractive, vivacious, witty, and
strong person who contributed so much
to our class with her energy, enthusiasm,
and excellent ideas. A mutual joke Ann
and I had centered on a question she once
asked Dr. Harvey during an American
literature class: “Did Amy Lowell really
smoke cigars?” (Amy did.) Several years
after graduation, Ann and I met by surprise on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
We looked up startled, then laughed and
said in a chorus, “Did Amy Lowell really
smoke cigars?” Unforgettable!
Marjorie Johnson Cilley and Charlie
are an inspiration! They spend six months
of the year in Arizona, where they give an
Alpha Course to approximately 30 men at
the Lewis Prison. Several days a week they
also visit the Phoenix Dream Center, a
facility where about 220 men and women,
formerly homeless or addicted, are in a
recovery program. When in Illinois, they
also visit the Chicago Dream Center and
spend time with family, friends, and their
church. It sounds as if the Cilleys are making dreams come possible for many. Jean
Rogers Duval wrote that she and Dave
are enjoying their life at Brooksby Village
in Peabody, MA. She is looking forward to
our June Reunion. Barbara “Buzzy”
Moog Finlay and Jack are just about settled in their “over 55 condo,” just six
miles from their old home in Wayland,
MA. It sounds idyllic, with a view of
meadows, barns, deer, and two playful
horses. They continue to see friends, carry
on volunteer jobs, and visit doctors in
between unpacking boxes.
Barbara Shafran Greenglass
’50/’68MS is still burning with the energy
and enthusiasm of ’50. She spent a year
teaching sixth-graders in the Marshall Islands that was “quite an experience,” and
she rafted the Colorado River, “the thrill
of a lifetime.” About her substitute teach-
REUNION YEAR CLASS NOTES
ing in the Hingham, MA, elementary
schools, she wrote, “I enjoy the children
and teachers – but how things have
changed!” Bev Maurath Newell and
Dick are celebrating the 60 years since
they first met at Wheelock. She commented that, since that meeting, there has
been medical school, practice, three children, 10 years of “Wheelock teaching,”
and six grandchildren. The Newells are
happily living at Chester Valley West, a
small retirement community in Chester,
CT, close to their children. Bev sees
Nancy Spencer Adams on occasion.
They are both looking forward to Reunion
and hope to see Barbara Thompson
Trainor, Emily Wright Holt, Jane
Munroe Rice, and Jane Lockwood Ferguson before and after Reunion. Sydney
Weaver Schultheis and Walt moved
from Vermont to Stone Ridge, a continuing care retirement community in Mystic,
CT. I visited them there and found it a
beautiful spot. Their attractive, spacious
apartment is a perfect setting for Sydney’s
artwork as well as having a lovely view of
woods of a nature refuge. Sydney enjoys
walking on the refuge trails as well as using the big swimming pool at Stone Ridge.
They are close enough to live at their
home in Charlestown, RI, for the summer,
where they see their children and grandchildren.
I was saddened to hear of the death of
Dot Hutchens Seelow’s husband, Don,
on Oct. 10, 2009. They had moved a year
earlier to 900 Tamiami Trail South, Venice, FL. Dot has switched from golf to
bridge due to a hip replacement. I was
encouraged to note that she loves where
she lives, thanks to “many, many friends
and lots to do.” We all admire your spirit
and courage, Dot.
Florence Milman Walker wrote:
“How fast those four years at Wheelock
went – full of learning, fun, and growing
up. Now here it is 60 years later. My life
has been very full – a great husband, Alex;
three lovely kids and their spouses; grandchildren – full of many wonderful adventures and exploration of myself. I’m looking forward to more that life has to offer.”
Edie Nowers White is another spirited
woman. Twice a week she and Russ work
out on Nautilus equipment. She also rides
her three-wheel bike and swims in their
pool every day. She and Russ really enjoy
their life in Florida. Although her children
are spread out along the East Coast (her
oldest daughter, Carol White Jones ’75, is
retired and living in Florida), they all keep
in touch. Weddings and graduations with
the grandchild set keep them on the go.
Edie and Russ look forward to celebrating
their 60th wedding anniversary in November. Many congratulations!
Nothing much has changed with my
(Anne’s) perfect schedule of six months in
New York City and six months in Rhode
Island. In April I did attend a celebration
in honor of the poet Robert Bly in Minneapolis and delivered a talk on Bly’s
friendship with my late husband, James. In
addition to seeing Sydney in her jazzy new
digs, I have spent time with Nancy
Sayles-Evarts in her lovely home in the
woods. Carolyn “Mickey” Livingston
Epes and Morgan have downsized and
are delighted with their new cozy apartment in Buffalo, which is not far from son
Charlie and his family.
Mary Hathaway Hayter and I have
many adventures in New York. She has
converted me to being an opera lover, but
we also enjoy the museums, plays, concerts, and the pleasure of frivolous outings
to movies and out to dinner. Nancy,
Mickey, and I join together with our wish
for World Peace.
Carol White Jones ‘75 and her mother, Edie
Nowers White ‘50, during a recent visit at Carol’s
in Florida
Class of 1955
Nancy Cerruti Humphreys
I (Nancy) hope you are all looking for-
PAGE 3
ward to the 55th Reunion: June 4-6, 2010!
It will be wonderful to see you and
spouses, and I know the committee is
making exciting plans. Until then, here is
news from your classmates.
Nancy Merry Bergere had a family
reunion in Doylestown, PA, in July. Her
busy schedule includes volunteering at the
Bucks County Historical Society. Anne
Vermillion Gleason and Ted enjoy living
in Washington, D.C. They belong to the
congregation at the Washington National
Cathedral. They both are writing daily, and
Anne is publishing a book of poems.
Stella Barnes Johnson is an estate
liquidator and antiques dealer. She also
volunteers at the American Red Cross and
at the New Haven Museum and Historical
Society. She enjoys her three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren! Charlotte “Chickie” Cooper Lopoten’s husband had been ill with shingles for 14
months at the time she wrote. She urges
us all to receive the shingles shot! She
hopes they will resume traveling when he
is better.
“We all must continue to be
most impressed with Wheelock
and all that goes on there. Why
we cannot fix the broken school
systems around the country, I
don’t know. Wheelock has the
answers.”
Betsy Reed Wilson ’55/’82MS had
health problems last fall. Her ills are gone
now, and her life is full of fun, learning,
and friends. She looks forward to Boston
and Wheelock in June.
Linda McSwiney Lynch and husband
George are raising their 11th foster puppy
for Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation. They
are also very involved in their local
church. “We do keep busy,” she wrote.
“We’re not always sure where the time
Class of 1960
goes!” Maryann Mylott O’Rourke
Susan Robbins Berger expects to be at ’60/’98MS retired in August 2009 after 22
the 50th Reunion and is looking forward years as director of Children’s Day School
in Greenwich, CT. Janet Burt Slaton
to seeing many classmates. “I appreciate
the Reunion Committee of our classmates reminisced about the late 1950s and her
time at Wheelock and then at Barry Colfor ‘pulling us together,’” she wrote.
lege, from which she graduated in 1960.
Priscilla Bagg Donham’s book, Fitting
In: A Horse’s Tale (see page 27 of the Fall All three of her and Paul’s children and
2009 Wheelock Magazine) has been praised their 10 grandchildren live about 40 miles
from them. The young people’s activities
for its amazing black-and-white photos
and was described by one award-winning keep them busy, and they also travel a lot.
“All in all, we have a very nice simple life
children’s book author as “an endearing
here in the mountains of north Georgia,”
little book that will immediately strike a
chord with children and adults.” He con- Janet wrote. She’d love to have lunch with
any Wheelock friends in Georgia and says
tinued, “Although ‘A Horse’s Tale’ is a
classmates can hook up with her on Faceplay on words, the truth is at any age we
book.
struggle to find our place with Nature,
religious groups, political organizations,
In late January, Phyllis Pisano hosted
neighbors, and the work to renew and find a wonderful lunch and working meeting
ourselves.” And a former administrator in for local Reunion Committee members,
Philadelphia’s public mental health system Carol Reed Newsome, Ellen Cluett Burnwrote, “What a great nonjudgmental way ham, Reta Schoonmaker King, and Dee
to teach children (and adults!) about rela- Williams Morse. They are hoping that
tionships, our individual differences, and EVERYONE will participate in the Class
mutual acceptance.” The book is available of 1960 Reunion Booklet, support the
through selected bookstores and from
Class Reunion Gift, and, of course, come
Special Equestrians, Inc. at
to Reunion. It is going to be a fabulous
www.fairtidefarm.com.
weekend. Remember, as 50th Reunioners,
we are guests of the College for all oncampus events.
- Anne Vermillion Gleason ’55
Louise Baldridge Lytle is enjoying life
at her retirement community. She sees
Jean Ingalls Perkins ’52, who also lives
there. Louise was asked to be the editor of
the literary paper, which she enjoys.
Betsey DeWitt Matteson had cataract
surgery last fall and has Crystalens in her
eyes. She no longer needs glasses. She
continues to enjoy her father’s diaries and
Last fall, Ellen Cluett Burnham ‘60 (center)
is up to 1918!
Kathy Rooney and Doug are in good
health and enjoy working in the Keene,
NH, community. She volunteers with elementary children learning to read. They
enjoy their trip to Florida in the winter.
hosted a brunch for Cape Cod alumni to visit
with Lucy Mock ‘09, former student leader and
current staff member in Wheelock’s Office for
Student Success and Institutional Diversity, and
President Jenkins-Scott
As of Jan. 31, we have heard from the
following classmates who are planning to
attend: Kaye Cummings Bannon, Susan
Robbins Berger, Ellen Cluett Burnham,
Delma Romano Comellas, Beverly Weitzel
Damen, Pris Bagg Donham, Barbara
Tutschek Ells, Gretchen Maassen Gregersen, Irene Frail Hamm, Peggy Oliver
Hedeman, Reta Schoonmaker King, Jane
Coulter Langmaid, Linda McSwiney
Lynch, Dee Williams Morse, Carol Reed
Newsome, Muff Mylott O’Rourke, Sara
Thompson Orton, Phyllis Pisano, Connie
Schumacher Pratt, Jean Randlett, Antonia
Reardon, Nancy Thompson Rideout, Jan
Halsted Sussebach, Barbara Underwood
Walker. So make your travel plans, call
your roommate(s), pack your bags,
and join us!
PAGE 4
REUNION YEAR CLASS NOTES
Arizona, Sarah Spaulding Jonick wrote
of participating in her grandchildren’s lives
Mary Barnard O’Connell
by providing day care and volunteering in
a kindergarten class. (Isn’t it hard to stay
Please think for a moment about a time in
away from education?) Sarah is involved
college when you could not stop laughing.
with a retirees group as well as the HomeWas it at a mixer, or in the “smoker”?
owner’s Association where she lives. She
Weren’t you usually with a small group of
will be unable to join us but will catch up
friends when it was such fun to share a
with people via the newsletter.
story? Even now, can’t you still “hear” a
friend’s voice or laugh? For those of you
We all had such a wonderful time with
coming to our 45th Reunion, those times Carol Lin five years ago. Sadly for us, she
will be shared again. New memories will
will not be able to come in June. Happily
be formed. Please come for the weekend for her, she will be traveling from Hawaii
of June 4-6, 2010.
to Barcelona for a cruise to Athens with
her grandchild. Too bad we all cannot hop
Reunion events are planned so that
on board. Bon voyage, Carol! Daphne
classmates can attend all activities or just
Hastings Wilcox is certainly a busy perone or two. Barbara Curtis Baker hopes
son. “I am happy to share the news of the
to attend at some point. For those of you
birth of twin granddaughters,” she wrote.
who are near and can come for lunch,
“They are my eighth and ninth grandchilhow great that would be to have you atdren. The 10th arrives in May!”
tend. Some people share that they have
not kept up with classmates. No worry.
Music to my ears when Anne Bonner
Here is the opportunity. Each person
Ceccarelli wrote, “The last Reunion was
reaches out to everyone else.
so enjoyable that I have been talking it up
with the Riverway troops. Looks like there
A new contribution from Gail Edgar
will be a good turnout.” Anne’s four
Berendzen arrived: “I have the Reunion
daughters are married but do not live
date on the calendar and am looking fornearby. Anne will be traveling from Chiward to attending. Here’s some informacago to New Hampshire before Reunion.
tion on what’s been happening in my life
There will be “six grandchildren plus, even
in the past four decades. I just celebrated
an older, tired-looking me, but it really is a
my 45th anniversary with my husband,
treat to help out,” she wrote.
Richard, whom I married in my junior
year at Wheelock. I have two daughters
From Spokane, WA, Elsa Chaffee
and one grandson. I just retired after many Distelhorst shared, “I’m sorry I’m not
years as president of a 2,000-member bi- able to make it back for Reunions. They
coastal organization for women called
do sound wonderful. It’s just not in the
WOMEN Inc., which produced educacards. I have no more family in Boston
tional, mentoring, and networking forums and haven’t been back in years. I have just
at the Four Seasons Hotels in Washingretired. I loved my job at Whitworth Uniton, D.C., and California. I am now enjoy- versity as a major gift fundraiser, but it’s
ing a ‘long-term sabbatical’ and focusing
time to move on. Dan and I will stay here
on jewelry design. During my career years, in Spokane. We’ll continue to be active in
I used to create pieces to ease stress; now the community and also enjoy lots of travI’m designing pearl necklaces out of pure els abroad.” Thalia Pappas Loosigian
pleasure.”
shared, “I did retire two years ago after
founding and running a business. My husNancy Rosenberg Bazilian and husband and I owned and operated a few
band Marc were off to Vienna, Austria, in
hundred apartments in New Hampshire
November to welcome their first grandand Massachusetts. We worked together
child – to “smell him, taste him, see him,
for over 40 years, and now our three sons
hear him, feel him, etc.,” Nancy wrote.
have taken over. It took a long time to get
How obvious it is that she is happily reused to being retired, and now I
tired. Judy White Beaver is still sailing
have mastered it.” She and husband Rafe
with her husband up and down the East
travel, have taken up hiking and have
Coast and on the Chesapeake Bay. Being
found some new hobbies. Thalia discovgrandparents is their love. Out west in
ered opera and sees as many performances
Class of 1965
Inside Story Headline
as possible. And they still have time to see
their children and grandchildren.
Many of you remember that Ann MacVicar retired in 2005, packed up and
moved to Santa Fe … after living most of
her adult life in New Jersey. She no sooner
arrived when she was hired for another
job. Well, Ann has now taken on another
venture. She purchased a used VW
camper in hopes of seeing the sights of
our grand country. After purchasing the
VW, she headed off from Santa Fe to surprise Gwen Lloyd Wirtalla in Connecticut for her birthday. Ann made it as far as
the Midwest, when the VW refused to go
any farther. Without skipping a beat, off
Ann was in a rental car to Gwen’s. We all
have to go to Reunion to hear the continuation of the story. Nancy Clarke
Steinberger is “thrilled about finally having grandchildren.” She feels very lucky.
“Retirement continues to bring travel and
connecting with Wheelock classmates,”
she wrote.
L to R– Mary Barnard O’Connell ‘65 welcomed
classmates Pat Holt Bennett and Sue Bright
Belanger to her Camden, ME, home for their
annual (2009) summer visit.
Sue Bright Belanger
just spent
Caption
de- a week
scuba diving in the Caribbean.
I (Mary)
scribing picfeel so lucky to be putting
one foot in
ture or
front of the other, and
here Sue is under
graphic.
water with the big fish and a pack on her
back. Pat Holt Bennett, Sue, and I
boated out near Monhegan Island in
Maine last summer. The little puffins welcomed us … and I mean little. I imagined
that they were almost the size of penguins,
but no, I had to feverishly keep the little
“darters”
view. with Mary
Being inincontact
PAGE 5
Dominick Connors has been wonderful.
She spends nine months in New Hampshire and three months in Florida. She is
near family in both places and is so appreciative. Hopefully, she will be with us in
June.
As for me, I power walk three and a
half miles a day. That means moving in
bone-chilling temperatures here in Maine,
but with the “state-of-art” clothing, I can
only hear my face cracking. Remind me to
tell you about slipping on the ice and the
cars that stopped to help. Recently, I did
consent to taking a class in yoga. After my
first session, the teacher was too attentive,
positions hurt too much, an offered chair
was not appreciated, and static electricity
made my hair stick to my face. Session 2 is
coming up … oh boy, I cannot wait.
I am looking forward to Reunion. I
hope you are also.
Class of 1970
Leigh Nickerson Beatty and her husband, still loving retirement, have enjoyed
living on Mount Desert Island (ME) but
are moving to Connecticut as soon as they
find “the perfect home.” There, they’ll be
closer to their son and his wife and other
relatives in southern New England. Back
in December, Mary Ann Allen Cowherd
wrote, “My principal laughed at me when
I asked for a personal day for the Reunion
nine months ahead of time!” She is really
looking forward to Reunion. Mary Ann is
thinking this might be her last year of
teaching.
“Despite our advanced ages(!), my husband and I are working at full tilt!” Andrea Neal Heinlein wrote. Son Jonathan
is a sophomore in high school, so they’ll
be facing college tuition and related costs
very soon. Andrea is part of a small hospice team in a community health
center
Caption dewest of Boston and finds her patients,
scribing
their families, and her colleagues
inspirapicture
or
tional. She especially finds Parmenter’s
graphic.
children’s bereavement program amazing.
Sandy Cragg Heise and husband John
love taking care of their toddler grandson
every day while their daughter and her
husband work. “It sure keeps us busy and
a bit tired – naptime is now for Grandma
and Grandpa, too!” she wrote.
Inside Story Headline
“Who knows what is next for me!”
Patty Powers Lawrence wrote. She has
been a consultant for the Northeast Foundation for Children and the Responsive
Classroom Approach for 15 years. Prior to
that, she taught at Wheelock’s graduate
school for 13 years, taught in a secondgrade job share for eight, and subbed full
time at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
School in Cambridge, MA. She will soon
celebrate her 40th anniversary with Larry,
whom she met at UVM after transferring from Wheelock. “Though I left
Wheelock early, I came back to work
there,” she wrote, “and it has been an important part of my life!” In late fall, Toby
Congleton Milner and her husband were
in South Africa working on their 10-yearold NGO, The Lillydale Literacy Project
(www.lillydale.org). Her “passion ... all began
at Wheelock,” she wrote. “When I work
with these beautifully spirited teachers and
their learners, I keep Wheelock’s philosophy close by at all times.” Andrea Nemerov Rosenberg and husband Glenn
are thrilled to announce the birth of their
grandson. “Being a grandparent is definitely one of the nicest things in life,” Andrea wrote. “I highly recommend it!”
After spending three years living in
Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and one year in
Sandpoint, ID, Jan Frost Russell and
husband Mark have settled in Naples, FL.
“We especially enjoy living there now that
Sandy Houghton Schreiber and Mary
Barber Stone have bought second homes
there, too!” she wrote. (The Russells also
still own a home in Exeter, NH.) Cate
Ford Staid wrote: “As I said to the head
of the Sunday school, ‘Old teachers never
die; they just become executive secretaries,’ and that is what’s happened to me. I
am working in a church office after being
out of work for more than eight months
and miss teaching every single day of my
life, but I sure don’t miss the politics and
bureaucracy! I’ve been in the business
world pretty much since 1997, after leaving teaching in 1982 to start my family and
homeschool my children before doing a
brief stint in teaching again. I envy my
friends who stayed in teaching and are
now retired!” Cate is giving a lot of
thought to attending the Reunion (from
Florida) and would especially like to see
her first-year roommates.
Susanne Bowen Toothaker continues
to teach kindergarten at a school she
dearly loves, Gordon School in East
Providence, RI. The director there is
Maureen Kelly ’88MS. When Susanne
wrote in early December, she was looking
forward to having her entire family together for a very special Christmas.
Marjorie Weiner earned the Connecticut
State Director Credential at the master’s
level and was honored at a reception last
fall, an event that was part of the annual
CAEYC conference held in Waterbury.
Director of Gateway Community College’s preschool lab school, she is
“involved with public policy initiatives to
improve the lives of children and families,” she wrote. Marge lives in Woodbridge with her husband, Roger Shapiro.
Eloise Dale Welz and husband Bryan
still live in Cohasset, MA, and have a summer house on Martha’s Vineyard. She
continues to teach at the South Shore
Community Center Nursery School.
L to R—1970 alums Paula Tiberi Anthony, Mary
Ann Allen Cowherd, Suzy Salter Krautmann, and
Denise Desrosiers Trinceri together to celebrate
Paula’s birthday at the Ritz-Carlton in New York
City
Class of 1975
Leslie Hayter Maxfield
Brenda Waye Norris wrote that she’s in
“full-time grammy mode” and works with
homeless teens as a volunteer. Barbara
Stevens Rowe has enjoyed life in Madison, WI, since moving there a year after
graduation, including her interesting
“circle of occupations”: “Over the years, I
completed a master’s in Human Development, received a degree in programming,
taught adults computer software at a
PAGE 6
community college for 20 years, renewed
my teaching license for elementary-age
children, and am now enjoying substitute
teaching for Madison Metropolitan School
District.” She and her husband enjoy their
“shack” close to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, where they hike
daily.
Since last July, Deborah Cann Westcott has been working as an account executive at 1430 WNAV, a radio station in
the Annapolis, MD, area, where she sells
air time and reads copy for ads on the air.
“I’m having a blast getting to know my
community better, getting involved in
various events in the area, and having the
opportunity to meet Pat Sajak (Wheel of
Fortune host), the owner of 1430 WNAV!”
she wrote. “I got to watch the Boston Red
Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles in a close
game this summer, sitting in Pat Sajak’s
personal suite at Orioles Park in Baltimore!”
Class of 1980
Kathy Formica Harris
Libby Corning DeMille
Just think – 30 years ago we were getting
ready to move from our undergraduate
experience at Wheelock to new and exciting things. 30 years! Can we really be that
old? It seems like we just left such an important part of our lives. But the Internet
has helped to bring many of us together
again after a long time. Join our Wheelock
College, Class of 1980 - Facebook group.
Bobbie Van Suetendael Helbig is
teaching seventh grade reading. Helen
Sites Murray has been working as the
assistant director and toddler teacher at
Elizabeth Mascia Child Care Center in
Tarrytown, NY, for more than 25 years.
Helen remembers Wheelock fondly and
realizes how it has shaped the kind of
teacher she is today. (People sure agree
with how Wheelock has done this for
many of us!) Michael Dias retired as a
clinical social worker from the Commonwealth, working for DMR and DSS. He
now lives in Naples, FL, and is employed
with Island Coast AIDS Network. He
married his partner in 2004. Cindy
Richardson Wallace is residing in California and is now the site manager of
High Tech Middle North County, a school
REUNION YEAR
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OTESCLASS NOTES
that supports a project-based approach.
She is empowered to be learning each day.
Kathleen Shaw has opened a private psychotherapy practice to complement her
work as a developmental specialist and
family therapist in West Newbury, MA.
thing from kindergarten to eighth grade,
regular education and special education, in
Boston, Lowell, and Haverhill, MA, and
Los Angeles. She is currently teaching
third grade in Amesbury, MA. She wrote,
“Teaching is a demanding profession;
however, I wouldn’t want to do anything
else. Even though I often work 12-hour
“ remember Wheelock fondly
days, I still feel that I get back more than I
and realize it has shaped the kind give! I have been blessed with wonderful
of teacher I am today. The child students!” In her free time, Cathy likes to
golf with her husband. Ellen Caplan
care field is still catching up to
Lieber is living in Montville, NJ, with
what Wheelock was talking about husband Peter and two sons, and she also
has a stepson. Ellen is working part time
30 years ago!”
as an early intervention specialist and is
- Helen Sites Murray ’80 also very involved in son Brian’s school.
She finds a little time in her schedule to
play tennis and do kick-boxing and wrote,
As several of our classmates expressed, “It’s definitely getting harder to stay in
after 30 years, this is a great time to reflect shape as I get older. Life is busy but good.
I hope to be at our Reunion in June!”
or continue to reflect on the wonderful
start Wheelock has given us. The love to
Annette Bellino Lifrieri has been
continue to learn from the people we
married to Glenn for 20 years, and they
work with is a universal sentiment. We
have three sons and live in Trumbull,
can’t wait to see old friends and roomCT. For the past five years, Annette has
mates at our Reunion!
worked part time in the English as a Second Language department of the local
Class of 1985
elementary schools. She has kept in touch
over the years with Elyse Blank Smith and
Linda Edwards Beal
Tricia Norton. Karen Mankowski Lund
Jeanne Kelly Crehan lives in Scituate,
’85/’95MS is happily teaching first grade
MA, with husband Joe and their two
in Easton, MA. She and husband Rick will
daughters. She teaches full-day kindergar- celebrate their 22nd wedding anniversary
ten at Jenkins Elementary School and was in May. They have two boys. Karen is
fortunate enough to have Jen Carroll
hoping to attend the Reunion in June, as
Farwell’s son in her kindergarten class a long as schedules allow! Tricia Norton
few years ago. Jen teaches first grade at
has been the operations manager at Adthe same school as Jeanne and had
ams Montessori School in Quincy, forJeanne’s daughter in her kindergarten class merly the Montessori School of Quincy,
way back when! Jen also lives in Scituate. since 2003. She has two daughters. Tricia
She has three children. Sue Portnoy
is still involved in the Wheelock Family
Falvey is busy trying to keep her head
Theatre as an audio describer for theatre
above water. She wrote, “Besides running patrons who are blind or who have low
my kids all over, I went back to teaching
vision. She has been married for 23 years
full time last year in the city of New Hato Jim Sheehan and they live in Randolph,
ven. I left 11 years ago to stay home with MA. She hopes to get to Reunion. Rosamy boys. I got my feet back in the door by lie Forgione Semple wrote, “After
teaching a reading intervention program
graduating from Wheelock, I taught at
from Scholastic called READ 180. Not
Judge Baker Children’s Hospital for two
only did I go back to work full time, but I years and then moved to Providence and
went to middle school. Wow! What a
taught at Bradley Hospital for two years. I
shock from teaching first grade all those
married my wonderful husband, J.R., in
years.” Sue lives in Orange, CT, with hus- 1990, and moved to Attleboro, where I
band Ed and their two boys.
taught special education for four years.
Cathy Dinan Jackson has been teach- We have four wonderful daughters, and I
stayed home to raise them for 10 years.
ing for 25 years. She has taught every-
I
PAGE 7
I am now an inclusion teacher at Brennan Middle School in Attleboro. It’s been
a busy but wonderful 25 years. I’m looking
forward to seeing my classmates Reunion
Weekend!”
Elyse Blank Smith is enjoying life
with her daughter and husband Mike in
Sudbury, MA. She recently had lunch with
Wheelock President Jackie Jenkins-Scott.
She wrote, “We should all thank Jackie for
working so hard to build a team of impressive professionals who seem to never
stop making Wheelock bigger and better
than it was yesterday. If you have not been
to the campus in the past six months, you
must stop by and see the excitement and
hear the buzz! I wanted to be a student
again, especially when I saw the nonfat
frozen yogurt machine!” Elyse and her
friend Annette are working as mentors for
the new Passion for Action Scholars program. Last November they attended the
Passion for Action Leadership Award
Dinner for Wheelock at the beautiful JFK
library. Elyse wrote, “Annette and I are
quite honored to be working with these
exceptional young adults.”
As for me (Linda), I am living in Portsmouth, NH, with my husband, Chris, and
our son, Nicholas (11). This year marks
my 25th year of teaching, with the last 15
years dedicated to supporting our youngest and most challenged readers as a reading specialist. I am helping to coordinate
our 25th Reunion at Wheelock this June
and would love to hear from classmates
interested in attending. Send me a message
at Edwardslin@aol.com and I will keep you
updated on who is coming and where we
can all meet up. I am happy to report that
there is much enthusiasm and energy from
our fellow ’85 classmates, and if school/
work schedules don’t conflict, we should
have a GREAT group of high-spirited,
fun people on campus for the June 4-6
Reunion! Will you consider joining us?!
Help Wheelock Go Green! Please help
us update and increase our e-mail lists. In
effort to conserve resources, Alumni
Relations has been e-mailing news
announcements, event invitations, and our
monthly E-Newsletter. We will be relying
on e-mail and our website for most of our
communication with alumni. Please stay in
touch by sending your e-mail address to
Alison Abbott Quackenbush left
Framingham, MA, and moved to Pleasant- lsaslav@wheelock.edu.
ville, NY, in August of last year but is
Looking for news from the Classes of
packing her family back up to return to
1990-2009? If so, please visit us our online
Framingham this summer (in time for
Reunion, she hopes). After staying home edition of Class Notes at
www.wheelock.edu/classnotes. To
with her children for many years, she remeet
the needs of tech savvy young alums,
turned to work as a teacher’s aide in Framingham last year. She describes her work we have found a way to connect with
as “all the fun of teaching without the
them on the web!
homework!”Alison has three children. She
keeps in touch with Sally Weibel Myers
’86, Meg Mikita Johnson ’86, and ReDeaths
becca Meridy Winters, and she just
found Claudia Czaja Foster ’86 on FaceFlorence Bledsoe Smith
book. “If you’re on Facebook, send me a 35
message!” she wrote. Penny Ryder Vaine 40
Faith Butterfield Wyer
continues to work at a local home health
Natalie Alger Gorczyca
care agency as a social worker in the Ma- 45
ternal Child Health program. She wrote,
45
Elizabeth Ware Harper
“Playing with children and supporting
Florence June Herrick
parents and families is challenging, hum- 45
bling, and a nice change from directing the 45
Jean Patten Vallieres
Child Care and Family Resource Center
Ann Hennessey Praught
for the previous seven years.” Penny still 50
dreams of sailing the world, but in the
60
Pattie Martin Armesto
meantime she loves spending time with
her three girls and that UHaul-crazed hus- 65
Abby Howd Macdonald
band of hers!
75
Deborah Sherman Pitts
We’ll see you on
the Riverway!
www.wheelock.edu/Reunion2010
Reunion Weekend
June 4, 5, & 6, 2010
Do you have questions about
Reunion Weekend, if so,
please contact
Jane Wuestkamp,
Assistant Director
of Alumni Relations,
at 617.879.2286
or via e-mail at
jwuestkamp@wheelock.edu.
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Celebrate Reunion Weekend by nominating a
classmate for a Reunion Award!
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD:
Established in 1975, this award honors a member of a reunion class
celebrating a 25th or higher reunion. Criteria for this award are based on
an alumna’s/us' service to the College, service to alumni, or service to their
class.
Deadline for nominations is
Friday, April 9, 2010.
Reunion Awards 2005– L to R– Maryanne Weber
Lockyer ‘45 receives the Distinguished Service
Award presented by Patricia Slater Carey ‘45.
“MAKING A DIFFERENCE” SERVICE
AWARD:
Formerly called the Alumni Anniversary Award, this award was
established in 1992. It is given to two alumni from reunion classes,
usually one from a younger class (5th to 20th Reunion) and one from an
older class (25th Reunion or higher), whose professional or volunteer work
exemplifies the mission of Wheelock College, which is to improve the
quality of life for children and their families.
Reunion Awards 2005– L to R– “Making A Difference” Award winner, Tobey Congleton Milner ‘70
with classmate, Grace Coffey Clark ‘70.
LUCY WHEELOCK AWARD:
Established in 1988, this award honors a younger alumna/us who is celebrating a 5th to 20th Reunion. Criteria for
this award are based on this person's service to the College and service to the Alumni Association including any of the
following involvement: Alumni Board member, class officer, phonathon participant, club member, alumni admissions
volunteer, Alumni Board Committee member and participant at past reunions. The Award Committee recognizes
that every recipient may not meet all criteria and that the award will be given only when an eminently qualified
candidate is identified.
To nominate, please visit
http://www2.wheelock.edu/wheelock/Alumni/Alumni_Association/Award_Nominations.html.
You can also receive a nomination form by calling
Jane Wuestkamp, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, at 617-879-2286.