GLORIA (GLO JO) JOHNSON POWELL We have just received word that Gloria (Glo Jo) Johnson Powell passed away on Oct. 11, 2017 in Hamburg, Germany. Her life story, her contributions in medicine, legislation and the civil rights movement of the ‘60s (including the importance of Martin Luther King, Jr. in her life) AND her significance to Mt. Holyoke, are extraordinary. They will be covered elsewhere in this issue of the Quarterly (make sure to look at the article by Sasha Nyary referenced in that article).
CLICK ON GLO JO’S NAME ABOVE TO SEE ADDITIONAL TRIBUTES
JUDITH (Judy) CAIN KROK passed away October 9, 2017 in Brunswick, Maine. Both Judy and her husband, Stanley A. Krok Jr.,grew up in Holyoke, MA. A long time resident of Riverside, Connecticut, Judy volunteered for several organizations and was Ass’t Director of Personnel of the Greenwich School System Bd. Of Ed. for many years. Her move to Brunswick prompted new interests in volunteering for the Sr. Center,Tai Chi classes, exploring her talent as an artist, sailing trips to Martha’s Vineyard with her family, reading, doing crossword puzzles (in ink pen!), sewing (the best Halloween costumes), and in later years traveling to other countries. “Judy thought of others first, remembering birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions, as well as staying in contact with old friends and classmates. She had a lovely, quiet sense of humor and saw the best in people. Her kindness, patience and creativity were special gifts to all who knew her. She is survived by her two daughters and their families.”
LAURA (LAURIE) INGE LYELL WHITE passed away on August 29, 2017. Born in Scotland, she grew up in Flushing, NY, graduated from The Northfield School, Mt. Holyoke College as a History major, and received a MEd from Columbia Teachers College. Laurie taught Kindergarten in Westchester County, NY and nursery school in Richmond, VA. Shortly after moving to Naples, FL in ‘85, she started Financial Services to Homeowner and Condominium Associations, which she sold 9 years later. Laurie was deeply involved in her church, fulfilling many various roles. She loved singing in church choirs. Laurie is survived by her husband, Jonathan White, 4 chn. and their spouses, and 11 grandchildren.
CINDY CARPENTER MacFADDEN While house-sitting in MT for vacationing relatives, Cindy and Duncan spent a very enjoyable day with Marcia Buckley Bull and Bliss at their 300 acre ranch in Livingston, MT. Her husband who has Parkinsons requires 24-7 care with round the clock live-in help. Her beautiful home overlooks the Yellowstone River and she loves living there. Your scribe, Joan (Smudge) Heyman Rosen subsequently enjoyed a long phone visit with Marcia. She and Bliss were married in the ’80’s and moved to “Big Sky Country” after they both retired in 2004. She loves living there and enjoys visits from their many combined children and grandchildren.
LINDA TAFT LITTON Wonderful email from Linda . “In July, I took my entire family — there were 9 of us — to Kenya and Tanzania on the identical life-changing safari that my late husband and I had enjoyed 20 years ago. The grandkids are 19, 18, and 16 so they were the perfect age to enjoy and appreciate it which they did. Great photographs of great sightings. Great trip.
In August, I moved to a spacious condominium in Hershey, PA where I am enjoying a pastoral setting but just a stone’s throw from the chocolate factory and the amusement park. It’s really just across the river and Harrisburg where I’ve lived for the past 47 years and I’m still running back to the old neighborhood when I need things. I’m still riding my bike but thankful that the farmlands around Hershey have very few hills. Definitely slowing down physically, but more active in the community. I am on the boards of the local art museum, a chamber music series, and the regional professional theater. My significant other and I are planning to spend another winter in Fountain Hills, Arizona, which causes me to miss some of their events, but being in the desert and part of the AZ arts community is a satisfactory trade. Meanwhile, I am packing to sail around Sicily with my daughter-in-law next week.” (Late October)
“I can’t believe I’ve been retired for almost twenty years! Enjoying life and looking forward rather than behind; thankful for my health, love, family and friends to share it with. I am hoping to be at reunion next spring, though it conflicts with my grand-niece’s wedding; decision looms.”
ANN (ANZIE) ENSWORTH WHITNEY had a busy Spring with an 8th grade graduation in Pittsburgh, a teaching award for daughter Susie at Shadyside Academy (where she teaches and her girls attend) and a celebratory reunion with Katherine and Emily who flew in for the events. “We also attended Jerry’s 70th reunion at St.Paul’s and were delighted to see 12 classmates there – pretty good for 88 year old men. . .”
YAIRA (YI) ACKERMAN SHAPIRO writes that “life is good”. She’s “hale and hearty” despite 2 surgeries in the past 2 years, celebrated her 80th in August of 2016, and is busy with opera, Shakespeare Theater and literature classes at a local college. Travels include Sacramento, CA (family), Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Beaver Creek, CO, Narragansett, RI and looking forward to a trip to Israel in September (‘17). She’s “seriously contemplating” coming in from Illinois to her first reunion for our 60th!!
HILDA BRODY GREENBAUM We extend our sympathy to Hilda and her family on the death of her husband, Louis, who passed away this July. He was a distinguished history professor at U. Mass. and served on many Town of Amherst committees. With Hilda, he restored and rented out old houses in their area during his 25 years of retirement.
MARY (POLLY EDIE) MIDGELY sent a picture with her Middlebury goalie grandson, Chase, (which could not be transferred)) after their winning lacrosse game with Trinity on Easter weekend. “On the distaff side, I have cheered for granddaughter Clara (now graduated from U.Penn) and their women’s soccer team. When not at other Middle and High School sporting events, I keep busy as NY Coordinator for the New England Antiquities Research Association. We mainly find and study above ground stonework and associated history.”
JAN FIALA GIFFORD writes “I survived colon cancer last year despite a terrible prognosis. With the support of wonderful doctors, therapists, family and friends, I learned not just to walk again but to return to a full life after 6 months in hospitals and nursing/rehab facilities. There was much to celebrate on my 80th with my family including my daughter who has 2 daughters and my son who has 2 sons. Each new day is a blessing! “
DEBRA KOFF FREEDMAN and Ned spent the 4 winter months in an independent living facility in Delray Beach. “It was great to recover from pancreatic surgery and chemo, but very little activity to challenge my curious mind. I don’t play cards or mah Jong or golf or tennis. I did sign up for some courses in neighboring Boca Raton so that helped. The average age of the residents is over 90 and while they are lovely people, the frustration of not being able to connect with them on a personal level has been a bit disappointing.” They returned to CT mid April and “are looking forward to gardening, walking, movies, classes at the various local colleges, watercolor painting, etc. I have seen LINDA (TAFFY) TAFT LITTON and SARA ROSEN at an annual high school reunion and gets together with Sara often. Now that I am 80 (impossible!) I am trying to accept the fact of aging but my various illnesses keep getting in the way of a graceful transition! I will keep at it as we all must (or should). Regards to all.”
RUTH GERARD POLEY celebrated her 80th birthday in February. “My kids made not one but two parties for me—one, a luncheon for 40 friends at the Washington Duke Inn and the other, a surprise party the night before. It was a terrific weekend.”
HILDA BRODY GREENBAUM , Sue Steinberg Rosen and their husbands met up recently for their “annual lunch”.
PEG FELIX TROTTER and Bill’s “. . .big change is getting established at a CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community) in Fort Myers, FL. We’d gotten familiar with it through the years of having a time-share on Sanibel, and playing golf at Shell Point (the CCRC). It’s a huge place, and we’re part of a separate little community of single and double homes. There is plenty to do – actually difficult to choose from the art, play-reading, current event discussions, plus all the exercise and different sport activities. We still have our place on LBI, NJ which we’re trying to sell and downsize.
ALLISON PETERS JABLONKO is still “writing up”materials from her 2014 return to Papua New Guinea. “Though my family’s home of many years remains in Umbria, I spent most of this year between Keene, NH, Seattle, WA, and the San Francisco Bay area. It is there that I am working with an M.A. candidate in Visual Anthropology at San Francisco State University to create a documentary film about my three New Guinea trips. We presented a short trailer at the Visual Research Conference held during the annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association in Minneapolis. So I am kind of a nomad with my Macbook in my backpack as I keep up with this project.”
LAIRD TROWBRIDGE WHITE: “Three months ago I published a memoir on Amazon —”Five-Star Sundays, Two-Star Mondays”— which is (mostly) humorous and has had very, very good reviews. One of the chapters is entitled, “Schools, Ink” and, of course, includes Mt. Holyoke times. I’ve attached 2 sites, plus a rave review from The Berkshire Eagle newspaper.Just thought that some ancient graduates…like myself… might enjoy reading it. <SITE-.webarchive> <Amazon.com 2.webloc> <Laird Memoir, Eagle Review.pdf>
ELLEN BOLES OLSON passed away in Greensboro, NC on 1/03/17 after an extended illness. After graduating MHC in ’58 as a Mary Lyon Scholar, Ellen received her Master of Library Science degree from Univ.of Texas in ’67 and Master of Public Affairs from UNCG in ’79. She married David M. Olson in ’59, and they lived in CA, TX, Georgia and Wash. D.C., before settling in Greensboro in ’71. Ellen served as Ass’t Dir. of Youth Care ’76-81, Exec. Dir. of Youth Services Bureau ’81-’91 and of Planned Parenthood of No.Carolina West, ’91-’99. She served as Pres. of the Piedmont Triad League of Women Voters, ’73-77 and ’02-04, and as Treas.of the NC League ’02-04, V.P. Of the Piedmont Triad Council of Internat’l Visitors ’00-’10, and on several United Way planning groups. Ellen led a US League training program in non-profit organizations in Armenia in ’08. Her awards include the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, ’84, recognition by Planned Parenthood as a Health Hero, ’09, and the Piedmont Triad League of Women Voters “Outstanding Service” commendation, ’14. Ellen was also a very active MHC alum, and over various years served as a Reunion Gift Caller and Chair, a Class Agent and Head Class Agent. Di Marston Wood considered her a close friend who stepped up to be VP after 2008 and continued to help with mini reunions after that. Ann Jones Dolbear remembers being a summer Washington intern with Ellen and others. “She always brought good stories about what was happening on the hill. Her commitment to her community work demonstrated her perseverance in trying to make the world a better place in which to live.” Judith (Misty)Turino Gideonse writes,“Although Ellen was more an acquaintance than friend, to me she was someone I always thought of as “Safe as houses,” someone we could always count on.” Ellen is survived by husband, David ; son Stephen and his wife Susan; daughter Christine (MHC ’89)and daughter-in-law Kerensa L. Wooten, and 2 grandchn,
ESTHER WHITMORE CRAIG of Gloucester, MA, passed away 2/03/16. After leaving MHC, she graduated from Lawrence Univ. She married Roy Craig in ’60, lived first in Philadelphia then Chatham, NJ where they raised their 2 children until the family moved to Topsfield, MA. In ’77. Esther worked for West Publishing and rose to become a popular and respected textbook editor. She and Roy were active in the 1rst Church in Wenham, where Esther served as church clerk and sang for many years in the choir. In 2000 they retired to Gloucester, MA. All who knew her recall her generous hospitality, talent for knitting and cooking, and the spirit of love and joy she shared with the world. She loved to be on the beach,travel, enjoy life, and she treasured her time with her wide circle of family and friends.
BONNIE MACHSON COHEN gratefully reports that everyone in her family is in a good place. Debra, our middle daughter who had ovarian cancer two and a half years ago is doing well after completing a very aggressive chemo and taking an experimental drug for two years – we all have our fingers crossed. She has moved to Washington DC where she teaches at DC Law School and is planning to be married, (for the first time), this spring.
Our eldest daughter, an attorney, has changed careers and is now a therapist and our youngest daughter is teaching health at a private school in CT. Our eldest granddaughter will be starting medical school in the fall having worked for four years after graduating and our second eldest granddaughter, who was accepted early to Brown, is set to enjoy her senior year.
We are still spending summers in Rhode Island and winters in Florida and are happy to accept whatever ails us when we look around
JOAN (‘SMUDGE’) HEYMAN ROSEN, your scribe, has now joined the ranks of class-mates who have dealt with various twists and strains, breaks and fractures! A “freaky” accident just after Thanksgiving left me with multiple pelvic fractures, fortunately hairline only, messing up plans for December and January, including a visit with Joyce Bernstein Klein and Bonnie Machson Cohen.
ANNE ENSWORTH WHITNEY and Jerry celebrated her 80th in Boston with their 3 daughters, including a visit to the site of their first apt. in Cambridge. “Jerry reenacted his proposal in front of the now long gone house.” She added: “No letter would be complete without our crowing about the Cubs and their magnificent World Series win! We started our Cubs season with spring training in Mesa, AZ and thanks to MLBTV we (read that Jerry!) saw nearly every game. The curse is over! . . .”
PEG TROTTER FELIX and Bill are starting a 7 and 5 month plan between NJ and FL at a CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community). She adds, “For those among us who might occasionally use an apron, I’m still using my 25th reunion bright red one (with a few food stains), but it’s my favorite one!” Your Scribe, JOAN (“SMUDGE”) HEYMAN ROSEN admits to still having the same apron – but fairly unused and therefore stain free!!!
BETTE ANNE (“BETS”) FELDMAN SILVERMAN and Richard are about to move to a lovely brand new larger apartment”: 153 Valley Street, Apt. #226, South Orange, NJ 07079.