2023

CORNELIA (CONNIE) GODFREY KELLER                             writes that she still lives in Cody, WY  “where I love the Mountain Views from my house, the seasonal changes, feeding the birds who turn out often to be deer!  My son Pat Jr. lives with me which means I can stay in our house comfortably. Win/win for both of us. Having Parkinsons he needs some of my support and having old age I need his!. . . “

 “I became a great grandmother for the 4th time this year. I have yet to meet little Lyle Patterson Okonzak but will soon. Still enjoy playing bridge, and have continued being a member of a wine which has expanded to include daughters and grand daughters.” Also appreciate. “. . . our cabin which is 15 miles east of the East Gate to Yellowstone. My 4 years in South Hadley continue to nourish me.”

PATRICIA  (Pat) GORDON JOHNSON                                  passed away 4/12/21.  She attended The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, NY and MHC (Non- Grad.). Pat was married to Edward Johnson for 63 yrs.  She was active in the Garden Club of Halifax County, the Colonial Dames of America, Rhode Island Chapter, and volunteered with many organizations in and around Ormond Beach, FL.  Pat is survived by her husband, 3 daughters and 5 grandchildren.

AUDREY DAVIS TROWBRIDGE                                                       passed away 6/10/20 In Providence, RI. She was pre-deceased by her husband, Edward Trowbridge III.  Audrey was a direct descendant of Roger Williams (who founded Rhode Island  in 1636) and a number of other important colonial notables. In addition to being a communicant of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, she was active over the years in many other organizations and co-owner of Cricket  on the Hearth. 

Audrey was survived by her 3 children, , 5  grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.

MARGARET (MUD) NORTON                                                           sent news that she is “enjoying bridge and golf – and happy in my retirement community living.  Grateful for good health.”   

NANCY LEVINE ZAKIM                                                                writes she is “coming to Reunion all the way from California.  Presently I have a granddaughter at Oberlin, at the college and the conservatory where 2 of my 3 sons graduated.  They of course were all musicians.  She is a bassist but loves her work in the humanities.  One of my sons is a professor of American History; the other is a Professor of Comparative Literature.  All 3 have ph.d’s.”.

SUE VAUGHN HINES                                                                       had Covid twice in ‘22 despite being  fully vaccinated and boosted.  “First in January in the Dallas airport on the way home from spending Xmas with the family in Costa Rica.  Again in November when all the family came to our house for Thanksgiving. I wasn’t really sick, no pain or fever, just tired and cold symptoms.  All the family was at our house because, to our delight granddaughter Anna came to KU from Seattle and decided to stay here for Thanksgiving.

Last year we took an opera trip with the Kansas City Opera Guild to northern Italy, mostly Verona and Lucca.  This year in June we’re going to London for operas, sightseeing and gourmet meals.  Then in September, we’re taking daughter Jenny on a trip to Sicily for her 60th birthday.

Dick and I still volunteer to do taxes with the AARP Tax-Aide program.   We’re still in our house but we now hire outdoor maintenance.  We think of going to a retirement community but just don’t get around to it!  We try to stay fit with senior strength training classes and going to the pool.”

CORNELIA (CONNIE) GODFREY KELLER                                                 writes that she “still live in Cody, Wyoming where I love the mountain views from my house, the seasonal changes, feeding the birds who turn out often to be deer!  My son Pat Jr. lives with me which means I can stay in our house comfortably. Win/win for both of us. Having Parkinsons he needs some of my support and having old age I need his! My 4th great grand child is due the day after my birthday in February in Palisade, Colorado. Very exciting. I still love my bridge club, as well as the bridge marathon I participate in, my church, my cabin  and my cleaning woman.

BIBI MOMSEN                                                                                               spent a good part of the year finalizing the last of her genealogical biographies, this one of her  parents. She used both English and Portuguese sources, which was a translation challenge as Portuguese ”  is such an intricate and beautiful language. How my mother managed to translate a whole book (Rio in the Time of the Viceroys by Luiz Edmundo) is a great compliment to her linguistic abilities. My father’s work as an international lawyer, and his love for Brazil, included the establishment of many elementary schools through the Rotary Club, and he was awarded the Order of the Southern Cross, the highest honor possible for a non citizen.”

 Bibi hasn’t  been able to return to her in person volunteering in an elementary school, but she is a pen pal to two fourth graders this year. A friend here went to her hairdresser, who asked “Do you know Bibi? She was my daughter’s pen pal last year.” The pen pal exchange is very good for both recipients.

MARCIA (MUFFIE) TAYLOR SEIFERT                                                 welcomed  a granddaughter in August, ’22!  “Here I am-this 86-year-old enraptured first-time Grandma!”

DEBORAH WARREN TECHENTIN                                                            passed away 10/28/22. She was pre-deceased by her husband, Jon Techentin. She transferred to MHC AFTER 2 years at Wheaton College, MA  and received her AB  as a Latin major with our class of ’58 .  her work history includes being a clerk at Compere Fabrics and a teacher in Ludlum, MA.

SUSAN FAY RYAN                                                                                         writes that she won’t be able to attend our 65th Reunion as she’ll be at Brown for the reunion of her identical, twin granddaughters! Congratulations!

CINDY CARPENTER McCRACKEN                                                                    hopes to attend our 65th MHC class reunion in May, “. . . but like all of us, it depends on my health when late May arrives.”    She and Duncan have had a variety of health challenges this year, but are doing better. 

They had to attend another family event in ’22 via “FaceTime”, but Cindy is hopeful that they will finally be able to attend planned ’23 events in  person.

SUE STEINBERG ROSEN                                                                             writes that she and Arthur have enjoyed visits with VIRGINIA (GINNY) LUETH KEITH.  She has moved into Cedar Crest, the senior residence in NJ where the Rosens also live.   I’ve been in touch with Ginnie and she’s planning to drive up to our 65th Reunion in May with JOYCE BERNSTEIN KLEIN  and I, JOAN (SMUDGE) HAYMEN ROSEN. 

HILDA BRODY GREENBAUM                                                                            let us know  that “a couple of the portraits by 19c.Connecticut Valley itinerant artists from my collection are hanging in the MHC museum along with an 18th century French soft paste French horn (similar to one in the musical instrument collection at The Met Museum of Art)”. She had hooked up with the curator at the last mini reunion  and he took about a dozen objects for the teaching collection. Hilda  suggested a lecture on how the art collection is being used in liberal arts and science classes for our 65th reunion. “The museum report notes that neuroscience has classes in the museum—thus intrigued me.”

Hilda’s  “oldest grand daughter is engaged, five are in college with one in high school in Naples fl and the youngest in sixth grade at the Jewish day school in Northampton, preparing for a 2023 bar mitzvah.”

ALLISON PETERS JABLONKO                                                                    writes about her “. . . very busy and complicated  past year.  She ” was delighted to travel back to Europe in September in order to take part in a Symposium on the Art and Science of Visual Communication in Antwerp. After that she returned to her long-time home in Italy in order to celebrate the holidays with her far-flung family: two daughters, three grandchildren, and a 3 year old great-grandson.  In the New Year she came back to her recent home in Keene NH where she is enjoying the oncoming of snow as she continues to pull together her visual research materials on Papua New Guinea.”Sent from my iPhone

2022

CORNELIA GODFREY KELLER       swmbo1936@gmail.com                                        Still at 1121 Salsbury Ave., Cody, WY 82414.  Still belong to AAUW and its book club. Currently reading “The Books of Jacob” by Olga Tokarzkuk. I share my house with my son Patterson Jr. which is good for both of us. He has Parkinsons and I have aging!  I have three daughters in Golden, CO., Casper, Wyoming and Cody.  Almost four great grandchildren and six randchildren .  My family is very supportive. Love my bridge club to which I have belonged for 20 plus years. Also belong to a bridge marathon run as a fund raiser by a local group. Drive around town only. Still attend my Episcopal Church on a regular basis. Fall is my favorite time of the year. That is about it.

SONJA (SONNIE) FOGELBERG JONES                                                              moved to San Diego in 1960″ and has lived there ever since (next year it will be 50 years in this house—talk about stuff!).  This summer has been memorable in a negative way (at least I can drive again after 2 1/2 months!) and I’ve decided, with encouragement from my children, to move closer to one of them.  The boys, Kalen and Russ, are in Moab UT and Seattle WA and Julie is in W. Hartford.  I’ve decided that if I relocate, it will be to CT.  We’ve been investigating retirement communities and Duncaster is high on our list.Then the Quarterly arrived with mention of classmates who are already living there!”  

So she’s now communicating with CHAR (CHARLOTTE) BARTON SORNBORGER before making her final decision!!

JOYCE BERNSTEIN KLEIN                                                                                               sent a wonderful  update.  “I officially  retired after more than 40 years as a travel consultant.  I started my career as an economic analyst for Standard Oil of New Jersey but  in 1971 my husband was transferred to Miami and I began to search for a new career.  We had travelled extensively, (my husband was working with an airline,) and I wanted something part-time so I enrolled in a travel agent course and never looked back. I enjoyed the work and many of my clients became good friends

The pandemic changed everything.  My job was no longer any fun.  I became an expert in cancellations. Thus the decision to retire. I am looking for ways to fill my time.  I walk 2 to 3 miles every morning on the beach, breakfast on the beach and then home.  I admit doctors visits for me and my husband consume a good portion of my time. I will decide which community organizations interest me and then on to a new phase of my life.”

SUZANNE STEINBERG ROSEN                                                                                    Sue’s granddaughter, Dr. Ariana Goodman, a 3rd year surgical resident in Rochester, NY, was married to Chris Hurwitz on May 15th.  It was on the birthday of her mother, Beth, as well as her grandfather, Arthur. We were thrilled to be able to be at the event. Chris works in marketing at Google.  They will be continuing their celebration in September in Florence, Italy, with their cousins and friends.

Suzanne & Arthur continue to enjoy their easier life at Cedar Crest in Pompton Plains, NJ without the  pain of managing a house, although we do miss the culture of the Berkshires.

SALLY CHOATE MOORE                                                                                               writes that she and Dick sold their home of 27 years last March and moved to a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Rio Rancho, a small city close to Albuquerque. “We are still settling in but are enjoying the freedom from home upkeep, cooking, and yard work. This past year we have had both joy in welcoming our fourth great grandchild and sorrow in the death of our son Thom, 56, a four-time  Grammy winner.”

GERTRUDE (GERTIE) REIF HUGHES                                                                             passed away peacefully in Waterford,CT on 1/04/22.  She was born in the Netherlands but emigrated with her family to New York City fleeing the 1940 German invasion.  She received a Waldorf education at the Rudolph Steiner School in New York City and graduatied from Mt Holyoke as a Mary Lyon Scholar/Phi Beta Kappa. Gertrude went on to receive an MAA and MAT from Wesleyan University(1966) and a PhD from Yale University (1976). She taught English for 40 years at Wesleyan and was one of the founders  of it’s program originally called Women’s Studies. In her private life, Gertrude was most interested in and devoted to the study of Anthroposophy, (a spiritualist movement),  and the teachings of Rudolph Steiner. She continued to participate in study groups, lead seminars, lecture and publish on the topic after her retirement.

Gertrude  was pre-deceased by her son Ken, survived by that daughter-in-law, 2 sons and their wives, daughter Lucy (Reunion Class, 1987) and son-in-law, and 14 grandchildren.

CINDY CARPENTER McFADDEN’s                                                                            holiday card sadly describes 2021 as a “. . .repeat of bleak depressing 2020. . .”  In April she and Duncan attended a Virginia granddaughter’s wedding “via FaceTime, photos, and an amazing professional video” with only 13 immediate family members present. Fortunately, in July they were able to visit her son, Bill, at theVermont YMCA camp where he is employed. Duncan’s daughter was able to visit from Tampa. For Thanksgiving they were able to celebrate with Bill and 2 granddaughters.  In December, they traveled to Roanoke, VA to attend the wedding of her oldest grandson and saw the  Virginia granddaughters they hadn’t seen for 3.5 years. Yet, “For another year we spent Christmas Day, as planned, by ourselves. No Christmas tree this year but instead our huge Christmas cactus that had belonged to Duncan’s grandmother was decorated with tiny red or silver balls!”

Cindy closed her card by saying:”As aging octogenarians, perhaps the best words we can offer for 2022 is the quote “You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. We wish 2022 will bring many laughs for us all.”

A note from our Scribe, JOAN (SMUDGE) HEYMAN ROSEN                                     Hope this unbelievable time in our lives still finds all well and coping.   Between a pandemic and devastating, divisive politics, we have to really dig deeply for our “Uncommon Women “ resources!

TEDDY (THEODORA) BERMAN HURWITZ                                                              passed away peacefully at her home on 1/26/22 after a long illness. She graduated from Hillhouse High School in New Haven before attending Mount Holyoke College for 2 years where she was the recipient of the Catherine Benton Thayer Lathrop Scholarship. Teddy then attended New Haven State Teachers College, received her MEd from Southern Connecticut State University and worked early on as an elementary school teacher. In 1958, she married Dr.Sidney Hurwitz, a pediatrician in the New Haven area. .Teddy and Sid were a dynamic duo and lifelong partners until the end.”!

Teddy was predeceased by her husband and is survived by their 3 daughters, Dr. Wendy Hurwitz of New York, Laurie Hurwitz of Paris, France, and Alison (Kelly) Kroll of Charlotte, NC; and 4 grandchn.Teddy and Sid were a dynamic duo and lifelong partners until the end.”!

SUZANNE (SUE) STEINBERG ROSEN                                                                        Sue’s granddaughter, Dr. Ariana Goodman, is getting married in May. “She is a 2nd Year CardioThoracic Surgical Resident at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY. Her fiance works for GOOGLE and is a wonderful chef, which makes life so much easier for Ariana, who works long hours.” Sue and Arthur, who moved back to Jersey from the Berkshires to be closer to their children and old friends & relatives, are enjoying an easier life in an independent living community, Cedar Crest, in Pompton Plains, NJ,  She keeps in close contact with MOLLIE KEITH FOTI  who is still living in Hawaii with her husband, Phil, along with a “gaggle” of children and grandchildren.

ARDYTHE E. EDWARDS                                                                                                   died August 1, 2021. Her >> daughter, Kristen Vehill, provided the following information. She earned her MSW from Loyola Univ. In Chicago in 1977 and worked as a school social worker. She especially enjoyed working with young kids.”
“Horses played a major role in her adult life—she owned horses &
became a member of a mounted drill team when my family lived in Texas, and
they later owned & operated a dude ranch in northern Colorado from
1990-2006. After the ranch (she moved to a Del Webb community an hour
outside Chicago (where I live) where she became involved in dance &
bridge, ultimately square dancing and/or playing duplicate bridge almost
every day. Thank goodness for online bridge!!” Kristen added: “She
sure loved her years at Holyoke and had more friends from her years at
Holyoke than any other period of her life. I’m so grateful to have met &
spent time with the best of her Holyoke friends, and to have done a
turbo-tour of the campus several years back.” She is survived by three
children, two granddaughters,

2021

CHARLOTTE (CHAR) BARTON SORNBORGER                                                     reports that she continues to love her life at Duncaster where they moved 2 years ago (a life care residence in Bloomfield, CT, and near their son). Marty is now in assisted living, but she visits every afternoon. MHC Classmate CAROLYN JACOBUS FOWLER  lives just down the hall from her at Duncaster, and they are on several committees together. 

 CAROLYN JACOBUS FOWLER                                                                                  writes,  “I have been working with my fellow neighborhood councilor, CHARLOTTE BARTON SORNBORGER, as we, along with one other councilor, work to integrate new residents into our Duncaster community. This has been a challenge during Covid restrictions. Last evening we hosted a dinner for eighteen recent new residents in an effort to welcome these folks to our neighborhood. Charlotte has been a most reliable partner in this project.  We are also part of a group of four who have dinner together in the dining room Mon. nights where we share a lot of laughs!

Back in August I joined Hugh and DIANE PACKARD WILLIAMS and Jack and PAT CHILTON BENNETT  for lunch in Hanover, NH. It was good to be back together again, sharing our news and remembering days gone by.

DEBRA KOFF FREEDMAN                                                                                          passed away 11/10/21 at her home in Lantana, FL  Debbie graduated Phi Beta Kappa/Magna Cum Laude from MHC.  While there she created the first interdepartmental major linking English and the Theater Arts programs. Debbie married Ned Freedman of Springfield, MA. on holiday vacation of her senior year! They lived and raised  their 3 children in Longmeadow, MA. Her love of theatre continued throughout her life. As a print, television and film actress, model and spokesperson, she was the voice and face of many products and companies throughout New England.  She was also a producer, director and writer with several award-winning documentaries under her belt.  Active in charity work, she was the local host for the United Cerebral Palsy Telethon for 10 years. If that wasn’t enough, she also founded Roundabout Theatre, a 5-women Reader’s Theatre company who took their productions all across New England for a decade.

Debbie and her husband Ned designed and built several of their residence and vacation homes together, Her talent and skill in interior design led to her opening a successful residential design practice, DKF Design (09/86 to 12/16). She was a Reunion Gift Caller and chaired Reunion Costumes Committees.   LINDA (TAFFY) TAFT LITTON, a classmate and long time friend, writes of her sadness:  “I am struggling with the recent loss of my dear friend and classmate since junior high school. She was a unique, bright, talented, successful woman who was actively living on borrowed time due to health issues. I miss her.”

Pre-deceased by her loving husband Ned Freedman and her brother Zale Koff, Debbie is greatly missed by her daughter Tabi Freedman, her son Eric Freedman, his wife, Lori and their 2 sons, and her daughter Marissa Queen, husband Jeffrey and their 2 sons. 

JANET OSTRICH PETRICONE                                                                                   passed away peacefully on 10/15/21. She was the first person in her family to attend college, completing one year at Elmira College before transferring to Mount Holyoke College where she graduated in 1958. Jan met her future husband, Bob, on a blind double date during her senior year.  Her professional career included WGBH television in Cambridge, MA., and Crown Zellerbach in San Francisco, CA before marrying and residing in Los Angeles, CA, Toronto, Ontario, and Farmington. Jan and Bob had one son in Connecticut and the other in Canada, before settling in Litchfield in 1973. Raised and educated in New England, Jan was a devoted Red Sox fan. She loved attending numerous games at Fenway Park and spring training in Florida. Jan was a great friend to all animals, from her many beloved pets to the raccoons, squirrels and bears who frequented her home in the woods. She studied birdlife through participation in the local Audubon Society, annual hawk watches in Litchfield, birding in Arizona, and even an intrepid trip to Antarctica to visit penguins. Jan’s other travels took her throughout the U.S., Europe and Central America, and to many cherished summers in Tuscany and winters in Boca Grande, FL.

“Jan will always be known for her kindness, optimism, humor and tenacity. Her commitment and love for her family lives on in those who will treasure her memory and continue her legacy by Iiving their lives to the fullest.”  She is survived by her husband of 59 years, F. Robert Petricone, her children, Michael Petricone and wife Laura Rawlings, Stephen Petricone and wife Laura Cramer, and 4 beloved grandchildren.”

JUDITH MOORE FRISBIE                                                                                            passed away 09/04/21 at  Friendship Village in Bloomington, MN after prolonged, multiple illnesses. Judith grew up in St. Louis, MO and attended MHC where she majored in English Literature.  While there, Judith served as associate editor for the school newspaper and business manager for the literary magazine. Having received her MSW at Univ. of Pittsburgh in 1960, Judith worked as a social worker at the Univ. of Chicago Med. School and at Washington Univ. Med. School in St. Louis where she met and married James Frisbie in 1964. After many moves for her husband’s training and military duty they made their home in Needham,  MA (‘73-‘09).  Judith began writing short stories, working as a finalist for Suburban World Press and later as a reporter. She became editor of the Dover-Sherban World Press in 1987, stepping down in 1994 because of  illness. Your Scribe found her wonderful entry in our 50th Reunion Class Booklet from 2008: “Current concentration of efforts – global warming, homelessness and keeping in touch with far-flung family.”  Judith is survived by her husband, 2 children, Carl Daniel Frisbie and Margo Palombi, and by 4 grandchildren.