FELICIA PARKS BARBER                                                            passed away 12/24/23.  She earned her B.A. in English from Mt. Holyoke in 1958 and an EdM (Reading Education) at BU in 1960. Shortly after marrying her husband, Paul Barber, they moved to the first of many homes in MA where they lived and raised their two children.

Over the years Felicia worked at Stonehill College, Brockton Adult Education, Holyoke Community College and other educational institutions. In her 40s, however, she found a career she truly loved: teaching English as a Second Language. She taught multi-cultural students from whom she learned much in return.

Felicia is described by many as having a keen intellectual curiosity, a great love of reading, writing, and superlative grammatical skills! Her long history of having spunk was particularly obvious to classmates at our 60th reunion. She attended and was insistent on walking in the parade (while a classmate wheeled her wheel chair).

Besides being very involved in the Unitarian Church where ever she lived, Felicia loved cats, travel, and many volunteer activities (including as our reunion Co-Chair in 6/03). Most of all, however, it was family that was of primary importance, especially holidays and vacations with her extended family in the early years.

Felicia was pre-deceased by her husband, Paul, in 1998. She is survived by her daughter, Jocelyn (Tom), her son, Jeremy (Laura), and three grandchildren.

MARGARET (PEG) BRANDENBURG MATTHIAS                    passed away 11/27/23. Peg was an Economics-Sociology major and received the Bernice Maclean Award in ‘55.  She went on to get an MA in Education from Northwestern Univ5rsity in ‘61. Her entries in class reunion books reveal early years teaching first grade and then moving on to extensive volunteerism. Of particular note is Peg’s many years serving our class as Class Agent, Head Class Agent, Reunion Gift Caller, Reunion Gift Chair, Cornerstone Representative, and Region Special Gifts.  She was also President of the Mt.Holyoke   Club  of Chicago in the ‘60s.  Ann Jones Dolbear shared that she was “. . . an incredible human being. I did not know her well but worked with her on committees at MHC and she had perspective, intelligence, empathy and a great sense of humor. She was a real leader. . . “  Peg is survived by her husband, Russell, and sons, John, Russell and Tom.

MARGERY BARNETT WOLPERT                                           passed away on December 10, 2023. She was an NG from MHC, received her Bachelor’s degree from Goucher and a Master’s from the U Maryland School of Social Work.

Marge loved working closely with colleagues and is described as organized, meticulous, and passionate about her career. She often attended conferences, seminars  and contributed to many of them. She lived a full life, loved swimming laps, going to restaurants with friends, reading, movies and traveling.

She is survived by her daughter, Julie L. (Brian) Cooper; grandchildren, Alexander (Madeline) Cooper and Kathryn Gainor; and great granddaughter, Riley Gwen Cooper – “who was the apple of her eye.”

YAIRA (YI) ACKERMAN SHAPIRO                                         passed away on May 6, 2023. Although she did not graduate with our class, she continued her  education at Temple University in Philadelphia and was able to graduate from Mount Holyoke in 1980!  Yi then received a MEd certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language from Temple. She taught in the Philadelphia public schools, primarily to Cambodian refugees. She and her husband, Jack Shapiro, were married for almost 50 years before he passed away.  Yi lived in the Chicago area for the last 15 years of her life, close to her children and their families.  She is survived by three children.and their spouses, six grandchildren. and one great-granddaughter.