Class Notes/Class Letters

Class Notes are published in the Alumnae Quarterly, of course, but now you don’t have to wait until your issue arrives in the mail! Your Scribe (currently Linda Webber Sturtivant and Sarah Koerner Peterson) and your Web Coordinator (currently Ann Kingman Williams) are collaborating on this new scheme. Since we are an ‘older’ class, our Class Notes are strictly limited in the number of words allowed, and it has become increasingly frustrating to try to fit in all the news in the space allowed. Hence this new endeavor. Read your Class Notes here first! Also included in this page will be our Class Letters.


Our Fall Class Letter from Jean Mahoney:

Dear Classmates,                                                                            November 2020

Autumn is “the most wonderful time of year” in South Hadley!  Crisp October’s bright leaves, Mountain Day, Halloween.  So many Memories! 

And here we are in November 2020.  What a year it has been! 

We started planning for our 60th reunion last September.  Heidi Keller Moon, Kasha Duffield Kingsbury and I attended the Alumnae Volunteer Conference at Mt Holyoke on the weekend of September 15, 2019.  We were inspired by the changes to our beautiful campus, and by interactions with all the speakers and alumnae participants.  It was awesome!

How could we have known what lay ahead?  As 2020 dawned, we began to hear that things were not as they should be around the world, and by February we knew we were in trouble.  Rather than let our classmates get started purchasing airline tickets and making reservations for reunion, your class officers proactively decided to cancel the reunion entirely.  A few weeks later, the Alumnae Association and other colleges and universities did the same.  A complete washout!  Many were shocked and angry, but as the year progressed, everyone realized that, though sad, we could all sigh with the relief that we would be safe at home.  Thank you, Heidi and Kasha, for all the hours you put in planning our non-reunion.  It was fun working with you!

To our delight and amazement, the dedicated staff of the Alumnae Association came through for us, providing virtual reunion activities through the magic of Zoom!  We had a parade, with singing, class meetings, the Alumnae Association meeting, and all the festivities that come with a reunion, all in virtual form, on the Internet!  An incredible feat! 

In addition to all this, your class officers also came through and began using Zoom for communication.  At our first Zoom board meeting, held in October, the following officers and board members were present.

Jean A Mahoney, president, jeanmahoney@verizon.net

Nancy Zone Bloom, vice president, nancyerb@aol.com

Jan Herridge Keffer, treasurer, janetkeffer@aol.com

Ann Kingman Williams, web coordinator, akwilliams001@gmail.com

Linda Sturtevant , lindawsturt@gmail.com, and Sarah Koerner Peterson, skpete123@gmail.com, co-class scribes

Lucy Tripp Eubanks, eubankslucy@bellsouth.net and Joyce JJ Johnson Spencer, jjandbobs@msn.com co-head class agents, 

Nancy Floyd Bireley, ombudsperson, judandnance@outlook.com

Joan Corcoran Steiger, nom com chair, jcsteiger@comcast.net

Gemma Carboneau Baker, nom com, gemmacbaker@sbcglobal.net

Carol Parker Beatty, nom com, jbeatty1@san.rr.com

REPORTS:

1: Lucy Tripp Eubanks and Joyce (JJ) Johnson Spencer, Co-Head MHC ’60 Class Agents

Achievements, 2020 Fiscal Year

As always, the class of 1960 has made an impact on Mount Holyoke. With goals of $140,000 and 60% participation, our class raised $190,983 and achieved 64% participation in The Mount Holyoke Fund during our 60th reunion year!  These were admirable feats, especially during the difficult circumstances felt around the world. Class members also responded to several special appeals on behalf of our students and College. It was particularly exciting to learn that the Alumnae Association had recognized our efforts with the Lion Award, given to the class with the highest five-year total, $3,525,562, at Reunion II. All of this is possible because of the dedication of our Class Agents.

 Plans, 2021 Fiscal Year: 

This year, in recognition of the realities of our age cohort and the fact that it is not a reunion year, we have slightly lowered our goals to $135,000 and 55% participation. We are very pleased to report that we have successfully recruited six new agents to join twenty-three returning agents, enabling us to keep each assignment to 6-8 classmates. These classmates deserve your thanks and thoughtful cooperation when contacted.

Pat Kennedy Ascher

Carol Parker Beatty     

Nancy Zone Bloom     

Kate Bracher

Susan Kovacs Buxbaum

Kathryn Jester Byerly

Cynthia Sagahian Cross

Bev Burke Eighmy

Lucy Tripp Eubanks

Carey Downs Gibson

Margaret Dodge Holden

Adelaide Langbein Jones

Sara Dalmas Jonsberg

Pauline (Paula) Ham Johnson

Sheila Porter Lirtzman

Frances Hall Miller

Joy A. Montgomery

Ellen Patz Myers

Mary Bingham Olch     

Sandra Germond Pritz

Beverly Rowlings Smith

Sandra Roe Smith

Joyce (J.J.) Johnson Spencer 

Barbara Meriwether Sterk

Barbara Barrows Theriault

Judith Rogers Vicary Swisher

Mary Ann Sparklin Woodruff

Julie Nevius Young

Lillian (Willie) Hann Young

2:  Ann Kingman Williams and Janet Herridge Keffer:  The Non Reunion 60th Reunion Booklet

We are here for our 60th – Where is Everybody?”  A hilarious photo of Joan Corcoran Steiger and Dana Feldshuh Whyte inspired Jan and Ann to produce the incredible “non-reunion” booklet.  Their goal was to receive 60 pages submitted by classmates, but to their delight, over 90 participated!  The booklet contains creative and touching contributions and news of our classmates, details and reports about the virtual reunion, class history, new officers, and other information that will interest you.

Jan and Ann sent out the booklet via email to the entire class, and sent a hard copy to each participant.  There are still a few copies left, so if you know of a classmate who doesn’t use email, or if you would like to have a hard copy, please email Ann: akwilliams001@gmail.com as soon as possible, while copies last!  You are in for a treat!

 3: Class Website Coordinator – Ann Kingman Williams

Class Website: https://new.alumnae.mtholyoke.edu/1960

 One of the biggest uses of the Class Website seems to be to record the deaths of classmates, sad but true. However, from time to time I try something new to try to engage our class is some fun things. Most recently, thanks to a photo that Sue Bradley Cabot sent, showing her entry for a show called ‘Art in Bloom’ at her retirement community, I posted that plus one of my own, in a new section under ‘Just for Fun!’, called ‘Art in Bloom’. Another new section, prompted by a photo sent by Nancy Floyd Birely, is called ‘Inter-Class Friendships’, nested under ‘Community’.

Judy Cairncross Helgen sent a piece she wrote on the origins of ‘Uncommon Women’, which I put in as a Post.

Linda Conway Correll George and I have had a nice correspondence, thanks to the ‘Non-Reunion Reunion Booklet’, and recently she told me of a project she did with an associate from Florida State with whom she had worked when she taught there. They designed two posters for the League of Women Voters, urging people to VOTE, which are fabulous, and totally non-partisan! When I offered to distribute them here, she sent me copies. I put one in our Town Office and another in the library. She then sent computer images, which I put up as a post on the webpage. Sandy Germond Pritz copied them and had them made into proper posters, which she shared with her chapter of the League of Women Voters. Exactly what we had hoped—thanks, Sandy!

Unfortunately, the Alumnae Association no longer has anyone on their staff who can help with problems that might arise with class websites, which I feel is shortsighted on their part. I was able to contact my former web guru, who left MHC, when the question came up about whether or not we should have a password-protected website. He walked me through the process of creating one, and then we decided that it wasn’t necessary. However, based on those conversations, I removed any contact information from the Class Officers and Board Members page.

I continue to hope that classmates will someday use the website, and enjoy it.  AKM

4:  Nancy Bireley, Ombudsperson

Please email Nance if you know of anyone going through a hard time, and needing help or support.  judandnance@outlook.com

5:  Linda Webber Sturtevant and Sarah Koerner Peterson:  our new co-class scribes

Please send your news for the Quarterly to Sarah and Linda

6:  Staying in touch – Suggestions from the board members:  One of the most important jobs we all have is to keep in touch with each other!  The following suggestions were put forth for ways to stay in touch during this difficult time.  We welcome your ideas and suggestions.  Now that we are all becoming comfortable with Zoom for group meetings, we hope to expand our ability to communicate

Nancy Zone Bloom – would be willing to set up zoom meetings based on regions or interests.  Anyone interested in this activity, please contact Nancy.

Carol Parker Beatty – Anyone interested in starting a book group?  Several classes have been doing this, thanks to the magic of Zoom!  Please contact Carol.

Any other suggestions would be most welcome!  Email me or any member of our class board.  We enjoy hearing from you, so please keep in touch! (email addresses above).

Good wishes to all for the holiday season!  Please stay safe and well!

Love,

Jean


Class Notes, Fall/Winter 2020 (to be published on-line in the December Quarterly)

Greetings to all from Sarah on the west coast and Linda on the East. It takes two to assume the job of class scribe, following the brilliant and much appreciated work of Judy Olmer. For many, Judy’s column was the first part of the Quarterly we turned to catch the latest from our friends. Her columns were incisive and entertaining, and she faithfully produced them four times a year, even while traveling all over the globe, which must be some kind of a record! She has moved to her son’s home and her new address is 648 Brewster St., Coventry, CT. 06328. The grateful Class of 1960 thanks and salutes you, Judy!

In June the Alumnae Association recognized us as the reunion class with the highest total giving for the previous four years and reunion year, $3,525,562. Jean Angelilli Mahoney was presented with the Loyalty Award, which read, “She has consistently volunteered for both her class and local club in Princeton, N.J., …as class and club president.” She is an activist, environmentalist, master gardener and devoted grandmother. Congratulations, Madame President!

Retired anesthesiologist Rosemary Rubino Marshall Johnson received the Association’s Achievement Award for service to the larger society for her efforts recruiting medical specialists to Project Access, providing health care to over 4,500 patients lacking health insurance. She is a passionate advocate for the underserved and uninsured in San Diego County.

Jo Amanti Piltz reports that Hillevi Ruumet, who lived in Talent, OR., for years, narrowly
escaped the devastating fire there with only her dog and purse. Her home was destroyed. Pat Asher fled the fires in Santa Rosa with just a “to-go” bag. Her village is covered with ash. Our hearts go out to them and their families.

Two of us have recovered from Covid: Sue Bradley Cabot in Falmouth, ME. (16 grandchildren cheering her on!) and Sally Bever Zwiebach, whose husband died in April. Jo Amanti Piltz, who also lost her husband, would love to hear from classmates at jispa38@gmail.com.

In sorrow we record the deaths of these classmates:

  • Christie Lerch, a freelance copywriter with a PhD from Bryn Mawr.
  • Susan Stanley, a psychologist focused on adolescents and training dogs, and a leader at St. Judes Episcopal Church in Cupertino, Ca.
  • Holly Moody, longtime French teacher at Stevens Annex and High School in Claremont, N.H., received an MAT from Johns Hopkins.
  • Andrea Ludgin, faculty member at LaGuardia Community College and New York public schools. (Note: Andrea’s was one of the names listed on the memorable NYTimes page of COVID-19 deaths in NYC)

Jan Herridge Keffer and Ann Kingman Williams produced a remarkable “Non-Reunion Reunion Booklet” in July. It brings us together as nothing else can in these difficult times. We are extremely grateful for all the work they did. Thank you, Jan and Ann!

Nancy Zone Bloom and Dana Feldshuh Whyte Zoom’d with 24 members of 2010 and 16 of us in May. They thanked us for starting the granddaughter program and emphasized the importance of their Mount Holyoke friends, of all ages! One remarked that she thinks of MHC “With love, affection and wonder”. We reminded them to be open to changing the world, to take care of the environment, work hard, live ethically, be picky about the use of the comma, moisturize, and above all, love each other.


Class notes, Fall 2019

From Carol (Coco) Klein Mack, news that her play “SEVEN,” will tour 26 US universities from Oct 12, ‘19 to Apr 5, ‘20, under the auspices of the Los Angeles Theater Company. Check the website, www.seventheplay.com. for information on locations and dates near you.

I (Judy Sayler Olmer) had a great back and forth with Jo Amanti Piltz, after she dropped me a lovely Hawaiian card with news of the “eventful year” she and her husband Guy have been had since last Sept, when Guy fell from the “lift” they had installed in their Big Island home, breaking several ribs and vertabrae. He was medivaced to Honolulu, where he stayed for 101 days in hospital and rehab. High school friends kept Jo housed and fed from Sep 4 till Nov 15. Thank God for old friends! Once home, she had help from her daughter, a granddaughter, and her two toddlers. Luckily, they had built their house in 1992 to accommodate the needs of both their mothers, so it now works well for them. In response to my query, she said in May that their lives have continued to be interesting “like the Chinese curse, ‘may you live in interesting times.’” Guy’s health improves slowly, but their oldest daughter Linda was widowed on May 4. They were planning a memorial service in O’ahu, where the couple lives, for June 16—Father’s Day, their son in law’s birthday, and Jo and Guy’s 59th wedding anniversary. Jo continues to “churn out” the school bulletin column for Punahou’s class of ‘56. In addition, on the happier side, “our local volcano has stopped spewing lava and ash so our skies are marvelously clear for the first time in 35 years! Huzzah!”

Pat Kennedy Ascher and Doug have been downsizing and preparing to move for months. In a newsy Christmas card, she explained that they would be moving in March ‘19 to Spring Lake Village in Santa Rosa CA, where Chauncy Cranston Irvine and husband Alex already live. Pat had attended meetings at MHC in September ‘18, including one organized by the Office of Advancement called “After the 50th”, timely as we approach our 60th. She was able to fit in a few days in NYC , where she got her “art and theater fix” and walked the High Line. At that point, the Aschers were planning to spend New Year’s Eve with Sarah Koerner Peterson and husband Norm in Carmel, a plan that did not eventuate. However, Pat passed on news that Sarah had fully recovered from her serious skiing accident of ‘17 and couldn’t wait to get back on the slopes. “She has a lot of “pluck,” Pat says. A few months later, I wrote Pat for an update and found that they had not yet been able to move to Spring Lake. Her husband had pressing business to complete, and this gave Pat a few more months to clean out and declutter. She was very much enjoying reading “Women Rowing North.” By July ‘19, their house finally had a big “for sale” sign out in front, and they were suffering through the process of keeping things neat and spotless for potential customers. Hope there was a quick sale!

More sad news: Kristin Abbott Williams died on Mar 26, ‘19. She transferred from MHC to Southern Methodist U, from which she graduated. Her husband, W. Thomas Williams, predeceased her. She is survived by a son, Frederick Williams, two daughters, Amy Williams and Sarah Williams, and granddaughter Brittney Wester. She is remembered as forever industrious, an accomplished quilter, master gardener, CASA volunteer, and community educator on HIV/AIDs, and a lifelong Episcopalian who served on many Altar Guilds.

On May 14, Patricia Ford Foster died at home with her family in Littleton MA. Her husband William Foster predeceased her. She leaves three children, Charles Bradshaw, Geraldine Bertozzi, and Andrew Bradshaw, and 10 grandchildren, by whom she will be dearly missed. She received her MBA from UMass Lowell in 1980, and was employed for many years by Cobbs Farm. She operated her own accounting business prior to retirement. Condolences may be sent to Geraldine Bertozzi, 111 King St, Littleton MA 01460-1527

Class notes, Spring 2019                                                                       

Susan Karp Manning returned to Manhattan in 1967, after moving around the US post-college. For several years, she has suffered from the effects of a complex of problems, including a rare autoimmune disease called Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS).  Because of laws governing the use of dangerous or addictive drugs, her pain is not effectively treated. For Susan, the issue is not opioids, but Valium, strictly controlled in NY, which has among the toughest such laws in the nation.  Her physician prescribes as much as he feels he can, but it does not provide relief.

She tries to get out as much as possible, but chronic pain makes it very difficult.  She loves  photography, shooting some lovely effects of light in the Big City, and making small scale studies with miniature objects. She also creates poetry.  However, she is desperate with pain and frustration. She is unable to move around easily, even for medical care, and has had some terrible experiences with nursing homes or rehab settings.  Susan would be interested to know if other classmates have had similar problems with controlled substances and pain management.

The U of MD School of Public Policy has established the Catherine M. (McArdle) Kelleher Fellowship for International Security Studies to support exceptional graduate students pursuing an M.A. or PhD at the School. The award is open to any student studying international security policy, but special consideration will be given to students seeking cooperative approaches to reducing nuclear risks and addressing other security challenges, which animated Catherine’s career. She is a founding faculty member of the School, and she also founded the Center for International and Security Studies at MD (CISSM) and Women in International Security (WIIS). She has been a champion for women throughout her policy and academic careers.  I (Judy) was lucky to be in a crowd of U of MD officials, colleagues, friends, and former students on hand to cheer the award at Catherine’s 80th birthday party on 12 December.

It was an amazing fall for Ann Kingman Williams and Bob, who traveled to Croatia in Aug to reune with their Russian surrogate family, Elina, Sasha, and children Nikita and Tonya, in the seaside town of Murter on the Dalmation coast. The Williams were Elina’s host family at Davidson College in NC in 1994, and they have stayed close.  After they returned home, they welcomed their newest granddaughter, Lucy Ann Enos, born Oct 5 in Falmouth MA.

Judith Elza Crosland died in Knoxville TN on Oct 16. She attended MHC during ‘56-57 and ‘58-59,  and she said that she had developed a keen interest in politics while there. She graduated from the U of TN, Knoxville, with a degree in physiology. With her husband, John Crosland, she lived in N and S Carolina. They traveled extensively, and lived for extended periods in London and Paris, where Judy loved supporting fine arts, collecting, and negotiating purchases for days in fluent French. “Joi de vivre” was Judy’s motto as she defied all odds to make  a full recovery from 12 weeks in a coma, relearning to walk, talk, speak, eat, and read again, always with a wry sense of humor.  Her husband predeceased her, as did her eldest son, William E. McClamroch III. She is survived by her son Michael T. McClamroch and William’s widow Robin D. McClamroch, as well as a stepson, John Crosland III, and 5 grandchildren. 

Sally Hey Singh also passed away on Nov 12 in Cortlandt Manor NY. After MHC, she earned a PhD in economics in ‘70 from Johns Hopkins U. She worked for the Federal Reserve Bank in DC, and taught at Lawrence U, Appleton WI, and in Boston, where she met her husband Kul Paul Singh, who predeceased her. After moving to Cold Spring NY, she was a professor at Vassar College, Marist College, and SUNY New Paltz, until her retirement in ‘10.  She sang in the church choir at Our Lady of Loretto Church for 20 years, was active in the Highland Garden Club and Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary, and is remembered for her love of books, travel, and crossword puzzles. She spent every day trying to learn something new. Sally is survived by children Harry Singh and Monica Singh. Condolences may be sent to Monica at 57 Perks Blvd, Cold Spring NY 10516.

Class Notes, Spring 2017

Did you recognize our classmates in the 1950’s photo on page 24 of the Winter Quarterly? Several of us recognized Debby Dodge Wood, and a little sleuthing ID’d the tall girl at the right as Ann Vose Holliday, who sadly died in 2011, and after more discussion with class officers and others, Elaine Libby Hoffman confirmed that she was the one with the bike on the left. All three came to MHC from Maine.

Catherine McArdle Kelleher received the Therese Depech Memorial Award for her contributions to the nongovernmental nuclear policy community. Catherine was recognized at the 2017 Carnegie Nonproliferation Conference in Washington DC, based in part on her work as a founder of the Center for International and Security Studies at The University of Maryland (CISSM) and of Women in International Security. She was an early faculty member in the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy. In addition to recognizing her “major intellectual contributions to critical debates,” the award cited her “time-consuming and often unrecognized work needed to sustain and strengthen our community, mentoring young women and men.”

 Meredith Michaels Morgan reports that she spent four months last summer at Conner Pond in the Ossipee Mountains of central NH, where she and her dog Rory “walked, canoed, swam, and enjoyed visits by family and friends. The quiet, bird and animal activity, and time to read, practice tai chi and my guitar felt like luxury.” In Hanover, where she resides in a Kendal Retirement Center, she finds that concerts, plays, a Bach Study Group, and guitar lessons “provide the color and pattern to my life.”

Some of us are facing the loss of a mate after a long marriage. Jean Fitzgerald Seglie wrote of the death of her husband Ernie in May 2016 after an eleven year battle with Extra Mammary Paget’s Disease. “It has been a rough road for all of us,” Jean says. Ernie was a Department of Defense official, a nuclear physicist, and a wonderful man, and she and her children and grandchildren miss him badly. Fortunately, “my children and grandchildren continue to delight and amaze.”

In February we also lost Curtis Smith, our inspirational and delightful Physiology professor, class honorary, and husband of Dana Feldshuh Whyte. Curtis and Dana hosted many reunion gatherings for the class at their South Hadley home. Condolences to both Jean and Dana on their losses.

We lost two classmates in February. (See Deceased Classmembers HERE for more information).

Margaret (Meg) Duryee Park died on Feb 16. After graduating in zoology, she worked at Mass. Gen’l Hospital, where she married K. C. Park. She received an MBA from Pace Univ. in ’78 and worked for over 25 years with IBM at locations around the US and in Seoul, Korea, retiring as Sr. Mgr of Quality Assurance for the OS/2 operating system.

After retirement, she indulged her love of gardening, and enjoyed working part-time for a florist and greenhouse. She volunteered for years at Vassar Bros Hospital, and continued her studies at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.

Meg’s mother Catherine Keeler graduated with MHC’s class of ’22, and aunt Caroline Keeler followed in ’28. Son Henry predeceased Margaret. She is survived by her husband, daughter Rosanne, and son Stuart, as well as grandchildren Evan and Allyson. Condolences may be sent to K. C. Park at 6 Innsbruck Blvd, Hopewell Junction NY 12533-8314.

Janet Speirs Sprague contended for many years with multiple conditions that limited her mobility and caused repeated medical emergencies. She succumbed on Feb 26, to the sorrow of her family and a deep reservoir of friends. However, she never let her problems get her down for long. She retained throughout a huge energy and zest for life, and remained her hilarious self.

With an MSW from Simmons College, she worked for several years with pediatric and maternity patients at Mass. General and Boston Lying-In hospitals. With their three daughters, she and her husband Dick settled for many years in Pleasantville NY where Jan again assisted children and families, eventually focusing on her private practice. In 2010, the Spragues retired to Bethany Beach DE, and Medford Leas NJ, but Jan returned to Westchester County to see patients until 2014. By all testimony, she was a phenomenal therapist and counselor. Gretchen Hall, a longtime college friend said “We need so many more Janets in this world to help listen and heal and change people’s lives. . .how many lives are richer for her friendship, professional counsel, and just plain being.”

In addition to Dick, Janet leaves daughters Alison, Amy, and Jennifer, their husbands, and 6 beloved grandchildren, as well as Jan’s brother John Speirs, who joined them at Medford Leas in recent years.

Dr. Richard Sprague may be reached at 611 Medford Leas, Medford NJ 08055-2257