St. Catherine`s School

fall 2008 vol. 67 no. 1
s t. c at h e r i n e ’ s
now
inside:
The Essence of St. Catherine’s
Spirit Fest Highlights
Alumnae and Parent Authors
1
erine’s from Chicago as a
Blair Beebe Smith ’83 came to St. Cath
legacy connection - her mother,
15-year-old boarding student with a
wledge that her great-grandCaroline Short Beebe ’55 - and the kno
know a soul,” said Blair, today a
father had relatives in town. “I didn’t
with Heritage Woodworks.
Richmond resident and kitchen designer
– shortly followed her to St.
A younger sister – Anne Beebe ’85
a connection with her alma
Catherine’s, and today Blair maintains
– junior Sarah and freshman
mater through her own daughters
er at St. Christopher’s. Blair
Peyton. Her son Harvard is a 6th grad
g for two years on Bacot II:
recently shared her memories of livin
Blair Beebe
Smith ’83
Boarding Memories2
The Skirt Requirement
“Because we had to
wear skirts to dinner, we threw on whatever we could find.
It didn’t matter if it was clean or dirty, whether it matched
the rest of our outfit or not…the uglier, the better.”
Williams Hotel
Doing Laundry
Dorm Supervisors
“We had our permission slips signed
and ready to go for overnights at Sarah Williams’ house.
Sarah regularly had 2, 3, 4 or more of us at the ‘Williams
Hotel.’ It was great.”
“I learned from my friends how
to do laundry (in the basement of Bacot). I threw everything in at once, and as a result my jeans turned all my
white turtlenecks blue. I’m embarrassed to admit that
when we ran out of clean socks, we bought new ones at
the bookstore and charged them home.”
Sunbathing On Top Of The Arcade
“In the
spring when the weather was nice, we kept our bathing
suits on under our clothes so we could race up to the
Arcade to sunbathe during lunch or a free period.”
2
“Most of our dorm supervisors were pretty nice. I was great friends with Damon
Herkness and Kim Cobbs.”
Late Night Pizza Deliveries
“Sometimes
we’d order pizza from the hall pay phone after the dorm
had closed for the night. When the delivery guy arrived,
we’d lower down a laundry basket with our money in it.
Obviously, we must’ve been pretty hungry.”
ta b l e o f
contents
7
11
38
17
IN EVERY ISSUE
INSIDE
FRONT
COVER
4
FEATURES
BOARDING MEMORIES
14 Getting to the heart
Blair Beebe Smith ’83 recalls her days
on Bacot II.
of who we are
Learn about the essence of St. Catherine’s and our
school’s new ad campaign.
HEADLINES
The Head of School reveals great news
about academic success at St. Catherine’s.
6
16 Authors Among Us
Meet a few alumnae and current parents who have
recently published stories and memoirs.
FACULTY PROFILE
Meet Laura Farrell – Upper School history
teacher, yearbook advisor and faculty
mentoring program director.
7
19
20
50
49
49 ST. CAtherine’s Legacies
AROUND THE GREEN
News and highlights from around campus.
On the cover
GREAT GIFTS
Sixth grader Kristina Dickey learned team-building skills during the Middle
School Challenge Discovery Day. (Page 10)
There’s something for everyone
on this page.
Photo by Jim Robb.
CLASS NOTES
Catch up on the latest news about
your friends and classmates .
MORE BEYOND
Sue Baldwin shares some thoughts
about peer relationships.
st. catherine’s now
fa l l 2008 vo l 67 n o 1
3
head
lines
Laura J.
Erickson
That is not the case at St. Catherine’s School.
Girls are encouraged to engage in every aspect of their learning –
in the classroom and outside of the classroom. They are
Head of School
participants in every imaginable way. There are no spectators
As a girl growing up in a coed world, I was a rule follower, an
at St. Catherine’s.
avid reader, a precocious writer, and I could color within the
We have found the way girls learn best and apply those practices
lines – everything my late 1960’s elementary school teachers
in every subject area. One only has to look at test results for
wanted in a student.
proof that the St. Catherine’s approach is successful.
But, I was also a spectator – specifically in mathematics and science.
I have never been at a school with such a large percentage of
students taking AP Calculus – both AB and BC (which is the
The problem is that education is not a spectator sport. A good,
upper level of the course). Last year 36 percent of our girls who
sound educational experience requires active cognitive and
took an AP exam completed either the AB or BC calculus test. All
emotional investment and interaction. It took me years to
of those students received qualifying scores of three or higher
develop a sense of myself, to gain confident independence,
and an impressive 79 percent earned the highest score (five) in
to stop being a well-behaved spectator.
calculus BC. An equally impressive 69 percent did the same in
calculus AB. These results are outstanding and bode well for
mission
c o r e va l u e s
St. Catherine’s, a Church School in
To fulfill our mission and pursue our
Nurturing spiritual growth: We enable
the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia,
vision, we take these values as core:
each person to deepen her faith through
offers girls in junior kindergarten
through twelfth grade a rigorous college preparatory education
through a community of teachers
and staff committed to fostering the
development of the mind, body and
spirit. The ultimate aim of the school
is to prepare girls of diverse perspectives for leadership and service in a
global community.
Pursuing academic excellence: We culti-
vate intellectual habits in which we take
worship, reflection, humility and the recognition of God in every human being.
joy in learning through energetic inquiry,
Celebrating individuals: We recognize
analytical and creative thinking, and
the unique gifts and potential of each
continual striving to reach new levels.
person and help each to recognize the
Developing character: We teach individ-
strength that comes from differences.
uals to live with integrity, responsibility,
Building community: We build up com-
confidence, compassion and respect for
munity within and beyond the school
themselves and others.
through teaching social responsibility,
inclusiveness and leadership to prepare
each person to serve others and contribute to healing the world.
4
head
lines
our mathematics program, which continues to develop
ing the renovated classrooms and gathering spaces in Ellett.
innovative lessons designed for girls, with Smartboards and
You can find girls working together in the student commons
other technology.
and the seniors hanging out in their new lounge. They can read
announcements, daily schedules, special events, meetings and
St. Catherine’s students are not just excelling in math. I am happy
birthday greetings from the new digital message board on the
to report – and maybe even boast a little – that our girls continue
first floor.
to excel on testing in all subject areas. St. Catherine’s girls scored
well above national averages on SATs – 164 points above the
My pride in St. Catherine’s continues to grow and my enthusiasm
national average on writing, 134 on critical reading and 120 on
is renewed each morning as I cross the Green. I know this new
math. Our 111 students taking AP exams averaged 2.32 exams
school year will bring us many things to celebrate and I hope you
per student and 88 percent of those girls scored a qualifying
will join me in continuing to Empower Girls for a Lifetime.
score compared to 14.6 percent nationally.
Educational Records Bureau Scores (ERBs) confirm that St.
Catherine’s girls outscore suburban and independent schools
in all subject areas in grades two through seven, with the gap
Laura J. Erickson, Head of School
widening as they progress through St. Catherine’s curriculum.
Outside the classroom, Upper School students are now enjoy-
st.catherine’s now
Head of School
Laura J. Erickson
Executive Editor
Theodora M. Miller
Director of Strategic Marketing
Editor and Writer
Cathe H. Kervan
Publications and Photography Manager
Contributing Writer
Jennifer Harter
Public Relations Specialist
c o n ta c t i n f o r m at i o n :
Director of Development
Kim Lebar
Director of Alumnae Affairs
Judy Carpenter Hawthorne ’75
Co-Heads of the Campaign
fall 2008 vol 67 no 1
b oar d of gove r nor s,
2008-2009
Anne Kenny Urban ‘83
William Jeffrey W. Miller
M. Bagley Reid
Elizabeth Cabell Jennings ’81
Chair
Katherine M. Whitney ’75 Horace P. Whitworth II
Molly F. Tanaka ’73
Jane Hall Armfield ’70
g o v e r n o r s e m e r i t i /a e
advi s or s
Jewel G. Caven ‘86
Anne Whitfield Kenny ’51
William J. Armfield IV
Richard M. Clary
Theodore W. Price
H. Hiter Harris III
William E. Collin
Wesley Wright, Jr.
Wesley Wright, Jr.
J. Philip Cornett
Elizabeth Fauntleroy
ex officio
Robert W. Garland
Laura J. Erickson
Head of School
Scott Duncan Gullquist
George K. Jennison
Ethnie Jones
Kathleen Luke
credits:
R. Hewitt Pate
Cathe Kervan, Theodora Miller,
Ashley Miller, Jim Robb, Duane
Berger, Richmond Magazine
Design
JHI
Wayne L. Hunter
Foundation President
Charles M. Johnson III
Debbie Andrews Dunlap ’70
Sue H. Schutt
Photography
David H. Charlton
President of Church Schools
H. Hiter Harris III
Terry Whitworth
Parents’ Association President
Jose L. Murillo
f o u n d at i o n
Wayne L. Hunter
President
Ray M. Paul, Jr.
Woods Garland Potts ’73
Mary C. Doswell
Gib Brockenbrough Staunton ’81
Ashby Jennings Hatch ’84
Dee Dee Butler Sutton ’76
Peter H. Bowles
R. Giles Tucker
5
St. Catherine’s NOW is published by the Alumnae,
Development and Marketing & Communications
Offices of St. Catherine’s School, 6001 Grove Avenue,
Richmond, VA 23226, 804/288-2804. E-mail:
[email protected]. St. Catherine’s welcomes
qualified students without regard to race, religion, or
ethnic origin.
Letters to the editor are welcome and encouraged and
should include the author’s name, address and daytime phone number. Please send correspondence to:
Executive Editor, St. Catherine’s NOW, St. Catherine’s
School, 6001 Grove Avenue, Richmond, VA 23226.
Fax: 804/285-8169. Printed letters may be edited for
length, content and style.
f a c u lt y
profile
Laura Farrell
An Upper School world history teacher since 2002, Laura
Farrell began her career at St. Catherine’s as the student
writing tutor, after having taught in public schools in Fairfax
County and Chesterfield County, Va. She holds a bachelor of
arts degree from The College of William & Mary and a master’s
degree in education from George Washington University.
Since 1999 she has lived in Richmond with her husband Tony,
a writer; daughter Lucy, a St. Catherine’s second grader; and
son Will, a St. Christopher’s kindergartner. In addition to
teaching, Laura serves as the faculty sponsor of the Quair
yearbook and directs the school’s mentoring program for
What experiences or people influenced you to
become a teacher? I was working at the National Geographic
new faculty and staff.
Society in Washington, D.C., after college and had started thinking
about graduate school. Having been involved in debate and local
politics in high school, I always figured I would end up going to law
known and the experiences I had there, and I began wondering what
Why is it important for our girls to understand history?
How do you inspire students who may think history is
boring? History gives us a context for understanding the world
it would be like to be a teacher. Soon after, I enrolled in a teaching
we live in today. Because the modern world is so interconnected,
internship program at George Washington University.
studying the past is more important and relevant now than it’s
school. Then one day I drove by my high school, T.C. Williams in
Alexandria, Va., and started thinking about all the great people I had
ever been. I want my students to see the big picture and know the
Once I started teaching I realized I loved everything about it – the
important questions to ask. So when I teach about a particular
intellectual and creative challenge of figuring out how to teach a
aspect or moment in history, we look for connections to our world
subject, the research that goes into preparing for class, and watching
today. Every decisive moment in world history shows us that there
as students make connections. As a world history teacher, experi-
are different answers to the same questions and challenges we face
ences like a Fulbright Scholarship for summer study in India and an
today as global citizens.
exchange program in Japan through the Close-Up Foundation have
helped enhance my teaching. I get to learn new things all the time -
What other areas are you responsible for at
St. Catherine’s? As sponsor of the Quair yearbook (with resource
What could be better than that?
teacher Dianne Vaccarino), I get to work with girls more as a coach
What is the best thing about teaching St. Catherine’s
girls? Our students are confident and open to new ideas, and
rather than a teacher. Through this important project, the girls put
their own personal stamp on the history of the school, and working
their perspectives are refreshing and invigorating. In the class-
with them allows me to help write that history.
room, I see them make connections and become better writers
and more sophisticated thinkers. They are talented athletes, gifted
In directing the school’s mentoring program for new faculty and
musicians, community leaders, and I enjoy being a part of their
staff, it is rewarding to help new teachers and staff during their first
lives beyond the classroom.
year at St. Catherine’s. I enjoy introducing new people to this vibrant
and dynamic place.
6
around
the green
Left: The Mayoral Forum at St. Catherine’s drew 600 students from Richmond area high schools.
Right: St. Catherine’s senior Emily Lawrence was interviewed by Richmond television Channel 12.
St. Catherine’s Hosts
Mayoral Forum for Area
High Schools
More than 600 students representing 17
different Richmond high schools filled St.
Catherine’s Kenny Center on October 6
for “Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders,”
an impressive, student-led Mayoral
Forum involving all five Richmond
mayoral candidates. All St. Catherine’s
St. Catherine’s AP government teacher.
“We have to provide them with the ways
and means to become civically and
politically engaged.”
Each candidate had one minute to
answer each question. Topics included
regional cooperation for mass transportation, handling situations of civil unrest,
attracting middle class homeowners to
the city and changing the perception of
and St. Christopher’s Upper School
the government.
students attended the event. St. Cathe-
St. Catherine’s senior Emily Lawrence
rine’s students served as student ambas-
asked the candidates to explain the
sadors for the candidates and as greeters
biggest issue facing Richmond and how
for students from other schools. The
they will resolve it.
event was sponsored by Capital One.
“I believe it’s important for students to
“It’s very important that the voices of the
understand what is going on in politics
students are heard and that they engage
because whether they know it or not,
in the political process,” Head of School
political decisions affect them,” said
Laura Erickson said. “This forum ensured
Emily, a first-time voter. “So, it is impor-
their questions are asked in their own
tant for students to get involved and
voices.”
understand in order to help politicians
Students submitted more than 70 different
make the right decisions for them.”
questions. Five inquiries were selected
The forum concluded with 10 additional
and those students stood on stage and
student-generated questions asked by
asked the candidates their questions.
Capital One Executive Vice President
“It is our task as educators to instill a
Katherine Busser, the guest speaker and
sense of civic duty within our students
at every opportunity,” said June Lehman,
moderator. Media partners were NBC12
and Richmond Magazine.
7
Spirit Fest
Spirit Fest 2008 brought students,
families, friends, faculty and staff to
campus on October 3 to welcome
autumn, show support of athletics
and celebrate St. Catherine’s vibrant
community. The Parade of Saints, led
by Head of School Laura Erickson,
included alumnae and current students
decked out in gold and white. The
school’s a cappella group, the Censations, performed and alumnae played
a spirited Gold vs. White field hockey
game. Following student field hockey
and volleyball games, the crowd
enjoyed a picnic dinner on the Green
and danced to
the tunes of the band MidLife Crisis.
Special thanks to parent and alumna
Beth Trice Moore ’80 and her Spirit
Fest Committee for planning and
executing this annual event.
around
the green
Tom Mast, Mary Jane Greene and Judy McCallum.
New Faces Around Campus
St. Catherine’s welcomes the following
new faculty and staff:
Row 1: Drew Johnson, Nicole Hood, Amy Roth and Clare Trow. Row 2: Cindy Trask, Gail Heaton, Joe
Mahler and Dean Whitbeck. Row 3: Pontus Hiort and Gordon Winn.
degree in business administration from
Lisa Heaton – Database Manager,
Chestnut Hill College. She worked in
Development Office Lisa holds a B.S. degree
admissions at Villanova University and
from Florida State University and previ-
was most recently co-director of college
ously worked at The Steward School.
Pam Arciero – Assistant to the Head of
counseling at La Jolla Country Day
Finance and Operations Pam holds a
School in La Jolla, Calif.
degree in accounting from J. Sargeant
Pontus Hiort – History Teacher, Upper
School Pontus earned a B.A. degree
Pamela Haner – Math Teacher, Middle
in history and German from Uppsala
School Pam holds a B.A. degree in
University in Sweden. He holds an M.A.
elementary education from The College
degree in history from Murray State
Emma Bowles - Spanish and Mandarin
of William & Mary and an M.S. degree
University and a Ph.D. degree in history
Chinese Teacher, Lower School Emma holds
in reading from Radford University.
from Northern Illinois University.
Emily Harrison - Assistant Director of
Nicole Hood – Director of Experiential
Annual Giving and Staff Liaison for Daisy
Learning & International Studies Nicole
Reynolds Community College and has
worked at various accounting firms.
a B.A. degree in international studies of
Asia and Chinese from the University of
Richmond.
Days Emily holds a B.A. degree from
holds a B.A. degree in city planning from
Mary Jean Colwell – History Teacher,
the University of North Carolina at
the University of Virginia and M.A. and
Upper School Mary Jean holds a B.A.
Wilmington. She was a district scheduler
Ph.D. degrees in history from the Univer-
degree from Albertus Magnus College and
for U.S. Representative Sue Myrick.
sity of Michigan.
Jennifer Harter - Public Relations Specialist
Drew Johnson – Religion, Upper School
Jennifer develops news stories about St.
Drew holds a B.A. degree in religion and
Catherine’s for the media. She holds a
history from Philips University and a
Jim Frizzel – Theater Teacher Jim holds
B.S. degree in kinesiology from Indiana
M.Div. degree from Emory University. He
a B.S. degree from Virginia Commu-
University and was the public relations
is completing a Ph.D. degree in educa-
nity University and an M.S. degree
specialist at Christian Children’s Fund.
tional ministry from Columbia Theolog-
an M.H. degree from the University of
Richmond. She taught at Monacan High
School in Chesterfield County, Virginia.
from Longwood University. He taught in
Henrico County Public Schools.
Gail Heaton - Foreign Language
Department Chair Gail returned to St.
ical Seminary. Drew also works with the
school’s service-learning program.
Katie Giegerich – Kindergarten Assistant
Catherine’s after teaching at The Steward
Joe Mahler – Physics, Upper School
Katie is a 2008 graduate of Randolph-
School. She was an adjunct professor
Joe taught at Providence Country Day
Macon College, where she earned a B.A.
at Randolph-Macon College and the
School in Charlotte, N.C. He holds a B.A.
degree.
University of Richmond. Gail holds a
degree in physics from the University of
Mary Jane Greene - Director of College
B.S. degree in English and French from
North Carolina - Charlotte and an M.Ed.
Presbyterian College and a master’s degree
degree from Walden University.
Counseling Mary Jane earned a B.A.
in French from Middlebury College.
8
around
the green
Row 1: Pamela Haner, Tara Mullins and Sally Anne Smith. Row 2: Jim Frizzel and Ray Nelson.
Row 1: Tara Seward, Katherine Whitley and Katie Giegerich. Row 2: Emma
Bowles.
Tom Mast - Assistant Head, Finance and
Ray Nelson – Counselor, Middle and
Sally Anne Smith – English Teacher,
Operations Tom holds a B.A. degree in
Lower Schools Ray holds a B.S. degree in
Middle School Sally Anne holds a
accounting from Kent State Univer-
elementary education from Winthrop
B.A. degree and a master’s degree in
sity and an M.S. degree in educational
University and an M.Ed. degree
secondary English education from
administration from the University
in counseling education from the
James Madison University. She taught at
of Southern California. He served as
University of Virginia.
Monacan High School’s Center for the
business manager at Hampton Roads
Academy and at Walsingham Academy.
Jim Robb – Information & Web Services
Humanities in Chesterfield County, Va.
Manager Jim has 20 years of computer
Heather Szymendera – Math Teacher,
Judy McCallum - Technology Coordinator,
experience in the architectural, retail and
Upper School Heather holds a B.A. degree
Upper School Judy was an instructional
museum fields as a design specialist. He
in math from Oberlin College. She has
technology teacher in Henrico County
holds a B.F.A. degree in theatre design
been a part-time math teacher and tutor
Public Schools. She holds a B.A. degree
from Virginia Commonwealth University.
at St. Catherine’s and was previously a
in psychology from Ladycliff College
and an M.Ed. degree in curriculum and
Amy Roth - Dean of Students, Upper
dorm supervisor.
School Amy was associate dean of
Cindy Trask – Science Teacher, Upper School
students at the Cate School. She holds
Cindy taught at Collegiate School and
a B.A. degree in fine arts and anthro-
St. Johnsbury Academy. She holds a B.S.
Theodora Miller - Director of Strategic
pology from St. Lawrence University
degree in biology from Dalhousie Univer-
Marketing Theodora leads the school’s
and a master of social work degree from
sity, a bachelor’s degree in science educa-
newly expanded marketing and commu-
Washington University in St. Louis.
tion from St. Mary’s University and an
instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University.
nications office. She holds a B.S. degree
from High Point University with a
double major in international business
and Spanish and has held various
leadership positions in the financial
services industry, most recently as Senior
Director at Capital One.
Tara Mullins – Dance Teacher Tara
earned a B.A. degree in dance from James
Madison University and an M.F.A. degree
in dance from Arizona State University.
Joe Schinsky - Science Teacher, Upper
School Joe previously taught at the
M.S. degree in counseling from Lyndon
State College.
Cate School. He earned a B.S. degree in
Clare Trow – Associate Director of College
biology from the University of Dayton
Counseling, Upper School Clare was a
and an M.S. degree in biomechanics
senior college counselor at the Maggie
from The Pennsylvania State University.
Walker Governor’s School and an assis-
Tara Seward – Kindergarten Assistant
Tara was an assistant teacher at Reveille
Weekday School and a substitute teacher
at St. Catherine’s. She holds a B.A.
degree in history and a master’s degree
in teaching and social studies from the
University of Virginia.
9
tant director of admission at RandolphMacon College. She holds a B.A. degree
from The College of William & Mary
and a M.Ed. degree from Virginia
Commonwealth University.
around
the green
Row 1: Lisa Heaton, Emily Harrison and Chris White. Row 2: Jim Robb, Theodora
Miller and Jennifer Harter.
Row 1: Lisa Williams and Heather Szymendera. Row 2: Pam Arciero and
Lana Valenzuela
Lana Valenzuela – Human Resources
Manager Lana holds a B.A. degree in
social/behavioral sciences and public
health from The Johns Hopkins University, where she worked in the area of
benefits and human resource services.
Dean Whitbeck - English Teacher, Upper
School Dean holds a B.A. degree in
English from St. Mary’s College of
California. He taught English literature
and composition in both independent
and public schools in the Bay area.
Chris White – Development Office Manager
Chris holds a B.S. degree in education from
Queens College. She worked for Needle’s
Eye Ministries and as a volunteer at her
church and in the community.
Katherine Whitley – Lower School
Receptionist Katherine previously worked
in the furniture industry.
Lisa Williams - Kindergarten Assistant
In the Upper School
Ellett Hall is alive again with Upper
School students. The classrooms
are filled with sunlight, the walls are
decorated with artwork and the Student
Commons provides a comfortable place
to gather between classes. Students learn
to use Smart Boards in classrooms and
get announcements and updates from
the state-of-the-art digital message board
on the first floor.
Senior Lindsay Stone was among seven
college students and eight other high
schools students honored by Richmond
Magazine as one of “15 Kids with Really
Big Ideas” in the Richmond area. Featured
with the other students in the magazine’s
October 2008 issue, Lindsay was called
“A Scientist in the Making” for her current
independent study with chemistry teacher
Two other seniors, Sarah Hargrove
and Mary Szymendera, were among
20 students statewide to be named
Wyndham B. Blanton Scholars by the
Virginia Historical Society. This selection
was based on student essays and other
submitted materials supporting their
stance on whether or not World War II
was a good war.
In the Middle School
Sixth graders climbed ropes, built bridges
and solved problems during an outdoor
Challenge Discovery Day. Out-of-thebox team-building activities and physical
experiences focused on bonding and
cooperating with each other. In the fifth
grade, students are involved in a similar
in-school program with challenge activities
designed around St. Catherine’s core values.
Ryan Warren.
Lisa taught at Atlee Christian Academy.
She holds a B.S. degree from The College
of William & Mary and is working
on an M.Ed. degree in reading at the
University of Virginia.
Gordon Winn – Spanish Teacher, Upper
and Middle Schools Gordon holds a B.A.
degree in Spanish from the University
of Richmond and an M.A. degree in
Spanish from Middlebury College.
Lindsay Stone
Mary Szymendera
10
Sarah Hargrove
around
the green
New Volunteers Step
Forward
The St. Catherine’s Board of Governors
and the Foundation Board have elected
the following new members:
Richard M. Clary
Richard is the father
of two St. Catherine’s
alumnae, Rebecca
’93 and Kathryn ’94,
and a current student,
Margaret (Class of
2009), and the grandfather of St. Catherine’s kindergarten student Mae Wallace
Angus. A graduate of St. Christopher’s, the
Virginia Military Institute and the Medical
College of Virginia, Richard is a surgeon
with Surgical Specialists of Richmond. He
served in Desert Storm and is a retired
colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Sixth graders challenged themselves through outdoor team-building activities.
On their first service-learning trip, seventh
graders assisted first graders at Richmond’s
Ginter Park Elementary School with
academic-based activities and on another
trip learned orienteering, map reading and
problem solving at Pocahontas Sate Park.
In the Lower School
First graders studied about Miss Jennie
and the history of the school with Tyler
Bird Paul ’77, St. Catherine’s archivist,
while second graders learned about
oceanography, researched sea animals
and presented shell projects. Third
graders raised more than $400 for breast
cancer research in October and earned
the privilege of wearing jeans to school
in conjunction with the National Jeans
Day for Breast Cancer.
III Charles is the
father of St. Catherine’s
alumna Ann ’08 and
two St. Christopher’s
graduates. A partner
with Private Advisors,
LLC, he holds an M.B.A. degree from
Tulane University and a B.A. degree from
the University of North Carolina Chapel
Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar.
Gib Brockenbrough
Also, students and their families enjoyed
Staunton ’81
camping, fellowship and fun under the
A graduate of Univer-
full moon during the Lower School
sity of Virginia, Gib
Camp-Out at the Goochland Athletic
is director of admis-
Fields on Sept. 13.
sions for PK – 4 at St.
And, the newly-renovated Lower School
Anne’s-Belfield School
Library was dedicated in honor of Howard
Pugh, former St. Catherine’s director of
Third graders raised money for breast cancer research
and celebrated by wearing pink shirts and blue jeans.
Charles M. Johnson
library services.
11
in Charlottesville. She currently serves
on the boards of the UVA Curry School
Foundation and the Farmington Country
around
the green
Club and is a past board member of the
Center for Environmental and Life Sciences.
She has three daughters, St. Catherine’s
Ellett-St. Catherine’s Alumnae Associa-
She is president of the Poseidon Swimming
eighth grader Selina and fifth graders
tion, the UVA Alumni Association, the
Foundation Board and serves on the board
Lillian and Margaret.
Jefferson Scholars Foundation and the
for Venture Richmond.
Amy Bice de Venoge
Boys and Girls Club of Charlottesville.
The Ellett-St. Catherine’s Alumnae
’87, a 13-year day
Dee Dee Butler
Board welcomes the following four
student, received a
Sutton ’76 The
new members:
B.B.A. degree from
the University of
mother of two
St. Catherine’s
Jane Molster Hines
Georgia. She worked
alumnae, Ginny
‘89, a 13-year day
in commercial sales
’01 and Blair ’05,
student, graduated
Dee Dee is the past
from the Univer-
Furniture before beginning a career in
president of the
sity of Virginia
property management with her family’s
Ellett-St. Catherine’s Alumnae Associa-
with a B.A. degree
company, SECAM, Inc. A past president
tion, past chair of Annual Giving and
in art history. She
of the Richmond Chapter Alumnae Board,
worked in New
Amy is also an advisor for her college
past chair of Daisy Days. She graduated
for This End Up
from Mary Baldwin College and has
York as an assistant to a travel writer and
sorority and assists with Sunday School
held numerous volunteer positions at St.
for the corporate communications firm
at First Presbyterian Church. She has three
Catherine’s beyond the alumnae board.
Robinson Lerer Montgomery. After living
children, Ella, a St. Catherine’s sixth-grader,
She is a past board member of The
in London for many years, she and her
Charlie and Gracie.
Steward School and The Sacred Heart
husband recently returned to New York
Center, and she does volunteer work
with their four children, Lilly, 9; Grace, 7;
with the Junior League of Richmond.
Charlie, 5; and Clarke, 2.
Perry Sinnickson Guy ’64, a 12-year
day student, is a
graduate of Briarcliff
New to the Founda-
Professional
College and Virginia
tion Board is Mary
photographer
Commonwealth
C. Doswell, the
Helen Hamilton
University. The
mother of two St.
Horsley ’83,
national director
Catherine’s graduates
a 13-year day
of government sales
- Lindsay ’04 and
student, holds
for Portrait Brokers
Katie ’06 - and three
a B.A. degree in
of America, Perry is also a founder and
current students
English from the
owner of The Virginia Cotillion and a
– sophomore Cabell and eighth graders
University of Virginia and a photog-
member of the Alexandria Investment
Alison and Meredith. Mary is senior vice
raphy degree from The Portfolio Center
Club, Belle Haven Women’s Club and
president of regulation and integrated
in Atlanta. She owns a photography
the Garden Club of Alexandria. Perry
planning for Dominion Resources, Inc.
business specializing in portraits, sports,
has lived in Alexandria, Va., for 35 years
She has served on the Performance Food
homes and gardens and serves on the
and has two grown sons, Carrington
Group Co. board and is the current
Vestry of St. Mary’s Church and the
and Claiborne.
chairman of the board for the VCU Rice
board of The Memorial Foundation
for Children.
12
upcoming
events
Reunion Weekend 2009
f riday, a pril 17 and s aturday, a pril 18
• Put together a foursome for the Athletic Boosters Golf
Tournament Friday afternoon
• Come for Evensong followed by a cocktail reception
Friday evening
• Join in the Saints Sprint 5K or Fun Run Saturday morning
• Don’t miss the Alumnae Meeting, luncheon and class
pictures on Saturday
• Re-connect with friends at class parties and Ellett Society
Dinner Saturday evening
Grandparents’
and Special
Friends’ Day
Thursday, April 16
Daisy
Days
2009
Saturday, April 25
13
Getting to the Heart
of Who We Are
The Essence of St. Catherine's
Empowering Girls for a Lifetime
Educating
Girls
Enhancing
Excellence
Embracing
Community
St. Catherine’s is in its second century as a recognized leader in educating
girls to reach their full potential and is an active resource to others.
Through innovative teaching, rigorous academics, and expansive course
offerings and opportunities, St. Catherine’s continues its dedication to
enhancing excellence in every girl.
Our faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumnae work together to foster
an embracing community where individuality is respected and personal
connections are valued.
Whether learning takes place in the classroom or on the field, is expressed
through arts or in service to others, St. Catherine’s is empowering girls
for a lifetime.
As a working mother of three children, my
memory is not as good as it used to be. The
beginning of 2008 is a complete blur with a
few minor exceptions such as family celebrations and brief vacations. This was also the
year that my husband and I decided to make
it a priority to provide our two older children
with an independent school education.
During the course of our search, I quickly
felt a connection with the people at St.
Catherine’s and St. Christopher’s Schools.
Not only did I sign contracts for my daughter to join the 5th grade and my son to join
the 8th grade, I too decided to make a career
change from the business world to become
St. Catherine’s Director of Strategic Marketing.
I became captivated by the opportunity to
contribute my skills and talents to an organization with a clear mission, where my professional and personal worlds could collide
in harmony.
By day five on the job in early June, I realized that my timing was ideal as the school’s
brand and culture study commenced with
results from a faculty/staff survey and parent
and student focus groups held in the spring.
Immediately, I had data and could combine my own objective perspective as a new
parent, a new employee, and a Richmond
transplant from the early 90’s. Time and time
again I heard loud and clear what we don’t
want our image to be. The Leadership Team
and the Design Team (20+ Faculty/Staff
representatives) spent time in self-reflection.
Together, from the bottom up, we defined
“The Essence of St. Catherine’s School”.
Junior Emma Brodeur was one of 14 students featured in the print advertising campaign.
14
“The Essence of St. Catherine’s
School” is perfectly aligned with
our core values.
By articulating our essence, we now have a
way to share a consistent message of who
we are and what makes us unique. As the
saying goes, people will hear what you say,
but they will believe what you do. We are
now in the final stages of building a comprehensive action plan to ensure that we
continue to build upon our strengths and
tackle challenges with tangible and measurable improvements across several key areas.
More information will be shared with you in
the coming months.
With our foundation clearly set and our
key priorities identified, we have spent
the last few months tackling specific image,
marketing, communications and admissions
needs head on. Our goal is to tell you who
we are, and our “She’s a St. Catherine’s Girl”
print advertising campaign conveys that
message, one girl at a time. Through teacher
nominations, we interviewed 14 amazing
As the year progresses, we will more formally launch our new brand “St. Catherine’s
School, Empowering Girls for a Lifetime” on
the web, in publications, and on stationery
and school supplies, etc. In order to be frugal citizens of school funds, we will combine
theses updates with other planned improvements for various communication channels.
girls. We found all of the girls to be artic- We are also excited about having comulate and unique. Each ad captures their pleted several joint marketing projects with
own story of who they are, what they like St. Christopher’s School to demystify our
about school and their thoughts and hopes unique Upper School Coordinate Program.
for the future. Our St. Catherine’s girls have
Everyone on the Marketing and Combeen featured in a variety of publications.
munications Team is committed to creating
This approach paints a complete picture of
and promoting a positive image of our
the St. Catherine’s experience through the
school, to share school news, to celebrate
eyes of our very own students. Our ads also
our success and energize school pride.
include an updated
look for our school
name with a font style
that is an appropriate
balance between classic tradition and innovation to match the vitality of St. Catherine’s Thank you for making St. Catherine’s such
School. The response has already been an amazing place and for your continued
amazing with double the attendees at our support on our journey!
Everything we do, we do with heart and
soul and you inspire us to do more.
recent open house and record number
of applicants. In the spring, we will use a
similar campaign to showcase our alumnae,
master teachers and parents.
15
Theodora M. Miller
Director of Strategic Marketing
Authors
Among Us
This sampling of recently
published books by
authors within the St.
Catherine’s community
provides a quick glance
at the wealth of literary
talent among alumnae,
parents, faculty and staff.
Other published book
authors are encouraged
North Carolina native Ann Rothrock Beattie
lished a memoir of her years on a Zimbabwean farm.
’88 has pub-
“Tengwe Garden Club – My Story of Zimbabwe,” her unique and endearing love story that began on an African safari, is set against the backdrop
of the increasingly unstable and tyrannical rule of dictator Robert Mugabe.
Ann, her family and their community are ultimately forced to make difficult
decisions when their lives and lands are endangered by the corrupt political
climate in which they live.
Ann lands in rural Africa on a tobacco farm, where she deals with many challenges and pleasures. She gives an open and honest account of wildlife encounters, a charming community life, the many people she came to know and the love of her life, Dave Beattie.
to share their accomplishments by writing
to St.Catherine’s NOW
Editor Cathe Kervan at
[email protected].
“The world can
know about what
“So many times, I have been asked to tell my story,” said Ann, a graduate of the University of North
Carolina - Chapel Hill. “I am so pleased to have written it now, so the world can know about my amazing experience, but more importantly, the world can know about what really happened in Zimbabwe.”
really happened
Ann recently moved with her husband and son from Wilmington, N.C., back to Africa. (Her
book can be found at www.lulu.com.)
by reading Tengwe
Margaret Ferguson Gibson ’62, professor emerita at
the University of Connecticut and the author of nine books of poetry,
published earlier this year her memoir, The Prodigal Daughter: Reclaiming
an Unfinished Childhood. She returned to St. Catherine’s School last April
to present readings from this book to Upper School English students,
followed by a reading and book signing open to the public. Margaret’s
book was available for purchase during the event, and a portion of the
proceeds was directed to the St. Catherine’s Scholarship Fund.
The 1966 graduate of Hollins College (now Hollins University) also holds
a master of arts degree from the University of Virginia. Her book of poetry, One Body, published in 2007,
won the Connecticut Book Award in Poetry for 2008. She has been awarded a National Endowment
for the Arts Grant, a Lila Wallace/Reader’s Digest Fellowship and grants from the Connecticut
Commission on the Arts. She has earned two Pushcart Prizes and the James Boatright Poetry Prize.
Margaret Gibson grew up in Richmond, Virginia; she now lives in Preston, Connecticut.
in Zimbabwe,”
Garden Club.
Margaret Ferguson
Gibson ’62
published The
Prodigal Daughter
in March 2008.
Skeletons on the
Zahara recounts
a 1815 shipwreck
on the west coast
of Africa.
16
Now You Know is the latest novel by Susan Stafford Kelly
’72. It tells the story of a life-long friendship between two very
different women – one a free-spirited Yankee, the other a modest
Southern woman - who meet in college in 1947 and enjoy a lifetime
of reunions and farewells and a friendship that flourishes through
the years.
Raised in Rutherfordton, North Carolina, Susan went to the University
of North Carolina – Chapel Hill after graduating from St. Catherine’s.
She holds a B.A. degree in English and a master of fine arts degree in
creative writing from Warren Wilson College.
Now You Know
tells the story of
life-long friendship
between two very
different women.
She has twice been a fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and has taught creative writing for Woodberry Forest School, Salem College, UNCG and the North Carolina Writer’s Network.
Her novel How Close We Come won the Carolina Novel Award in 1997, was reissued nationally in 1998
by Warner Books, was an Alternate Selection in the Book-of-the-Month Club, and was published
in Russian and German. In 2001 Warner published her second novel, Even Now. Pegasus Books published her novel The Last of Something in 2006.
Susan is a member of the North Carolina Writers Conference, has three grown children, and lives in
Greensboro with her husband Sterling.
St. Catherine’s parent Dean King is an award-winning and bestselling author of nine non-fiction books. He is the father of four St.
Catherine’s students – Middle Schoolers Hazel, Grace and Willa and 3rd
grader Nora.
His most recent book, Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival, is a
national bestseller that recounts the shipwreck of the Connecticut
merchant brig Commerce on the west coast of Africa in 1815. After being
enslaved by Arab nomads on the Sahara, crewmembers, including
Captain James Riley, make their way across 800 miles of some of the
harshest terrain on earth and past the inimical tribes of the Atlas foothills to Mogador to be ransomed.
Skeletons on the Zahara is the winner of the Library of Virginia People’s Choice Award, has been translated into 10 foreign languages and is the subject of a two-hour History Channel special documentary. Formerly under film development by Paula Weinstein and DreamWorks, the book is currently
being developed as a feature film by IFC of London.
Dean is a founding board member and former co-chair of James River Writers, an awardwinning nonprofit promoting literary life in Virginia, and a committee chair and secretary of
the Library of Virginia Foundation Board. He speaks frequently on his work and on writing.
17
These women
bond together to
support each other
through good
times and bad.
Another current parent, Kathleen Reid, is the author of A Page
Out of Life, a fiction novel with a scrapbooking backdrop.
Published in April 2008, Kathleen’s novel is about love, friendship,
heartbreak and scandal in the fictional city of Belloix, Alabama.
Ashley is a stressed-out mother of four who gets dragged to a meeting of the local scrapbooking club by her best friend. Ashley is
amazed at the diverse group of women – from Tara, a single grad
student looking for love, to Libby, a retired schoolteacher whose life
is torn apart when her son is involved in a corporate scandal. These
women bond together to support each other through good times
and bad as they uncover a trail of secrets.
A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Kathleen had a career in corporate marketing in Washington, D.C., and New York City before she began writing full-time. Her first
book, Magical Mondays at the Art Museum, was a children’s book based on the Virginia Museum of Fine
Arts, and was followed by her first novel, Paris Match.
Kathleen lives in Richmond with her husband Bagley and their two daughters, Ellie, an 8th grader,
and Susanna, a 6th grader.
Kathryn Williams ’99 began writing in a notebook at age 6.
Today she is an established writer of young adult fiction. She was on
campus in May to speak with Upper School English students about her
writing career and her recently published first book, The Debutante.
“I realized early in my life that I loved writing, creating characters and
expressing myself through language,” she told St. Catherine’s students.
Offering advice to other aspiring writers, she said: “Learn how to be a
good reader and be persistent – It can be scary, but you have to keep
plugging on.”
Author Kathryn
Williams ’99
encourages
aspiring writers
After attending Sewanee University where she majored in English, Kathryn
worked as an intern for New York magazine and Newsweek and did freelance
writing. “Internships are a wonderful opportunity to learn and absorb your surroundings,” she told the
students. A native of Richmond, Kathryn now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is working on her
second book, part of a two-book deal with Hyperion, owned by Disney. She also does freelance work on
movies and TV shows for the Disney Channel.
Note: St. Catherine’s sophomore Catharine Cain contributed to this profile.
to “be persistent.”
18
g r e at
gifts
a.
i.
j.
c.
These St. Catherine’s items make special gifts for birthdays, graduations, and holiday celebrations. Proceeds benefit St.
Catherine’s Scholarship Fund. Other items are available for sale directly from the Alumnae Office (Miss Jennie’s) and online.
a. daisy tervis tumbler
g. pewter items engraved with school seal
Single 16 oz. Tumbler. $14 ($4 shipping)
Four 16 oz. Tumbler gift set. $52 ($8 shipping)
1. 3 1/2” lined Jewelry Box with domed lid $28
2. 8 oz. Jefferson Cup $20
3. 8 oz. Virginia Cup $24
4. 4 oz. Virginia Baby Cup $27
(All items above are $6 shipping)
5. 6” Virginia Bowl $65 ($7 shipping)
6. Pewter bracelet with seal $18 ($4 shipping)
b. signed parks duffey commencement poster
$50 ($8 shipping)
c. ceramics by dana gibson ’82
Dana’s ceramics are available at fine stores around the country. She creates her
own glazes, so all items are unique. These items were designed especially for St.
Catherine’s, and each is adorned with a daisy. Specify pink, yellow, lime, or blue.
1. 7” Bud Vase $60 ($12 shipping)
2. 8” x 51⁄4” Rectangular Frame
(for 4” x 6” photo) $70 ($12 shipping)
3. 10” Daisy Chain Bowl. Pale butter yellow
with raised daisy chain around the rim. $170 ($20 shipping)
d. daisy mouse pad
h. note cards
Package of 10 notecards and envelopes. Color reproduction of “Commencement
on the Green” by Parks P. Duffey, III. $8 ($3 shipping)
i. school motto plates and platters
Choice of rim colors: pink, light blue, green, turquoise or purple.
1. Plate $55 ($12 shipping)
2. Platter $100 ($15 shipping)
Ingenious mouse pad consists of tear-off sheets featuring the St. C daisy.
Perfect for jotting down phone numbers, web information, or doodling!
$7 ($3 shipping)
j. daisy polka-dot flag
e. daisy decal
Choose pink or blue background. $35 ($4 shipping)
Distinctive and bright daisy decal for cars, notebooks, whatever! ($1 shipping)
1. Large size (5”) $5
2. Mini size (2.5”) $3
3. Mini Daisy Sticker (indoor) $0.50 ($0.50 shipping)
f. indoor daisy magnets
Great for refrigerators or lockers. ($1 shipping)
1. Large size (5”) $5
2. Mini size (2.5”) $3
Item
Size
Quantity
Price each
shipping Total
36” x 57”. Choose either pink or blue background. $120 ($4 shipping)
k. garden flag
l. whimsical ceramics by celie gehring
(all designs available in blue, yellow or coral)
1. Small bowl with raised dots. $28 ($8 shipping)
2. Solid color frame (For 5x7” photo). $55 ($12 shipping)
3. Solid color platter. $65 ($12 shipping)
4. Cheese tile with raised dots. $50 ($10 shipping)
Name
Address
City, state, zip
Phone
Account #
MC VISA exp. date Total of
ALL ITEMS $
3-DIGIT CODE
Make checks payable to Ellet-St. Catherine’s Alumnae Board.
Mastercard, VISA accepted. Please return this form with
check or credit card order to St. Catherine’s School,
19 Alumnae Sales, 6001 Grove Avenue, Richmond, VA 23226.
minimum
charge $50
class
notes
’36
Correspondent: Emory Gill Williams,
10014 Cedarfield Court, Richmond, VA 23233
e-mail: [email protected]
’38
Correspondent: Dorothy Cowardin Gibson, 5 Hampton
Commons Terrace, Richmond, VA 23226-2167
Well, girls, as this fall issue of St. Catherine’s
NEWS arrives, I suspect you’re thinking of
Christmas, even though I am writing from my
summer habitat on the York River! As it happens, only dear Anne Wigton Hall responded
to our request for your activities. She says they
are now living in a retirement home in Essex,
Connecticut, “where everybody is wonderful
and delighted to have made the move.” From
my observations in Richmond, everyone who
lives through the nightmarish process is to be
congratulated, and nine out of ten are pleased
with survival and the decision. Wissie Pervere
Anderson writes that she was so sad to miss
everyone last spring at the reunion, but sends
greetings to all. Mary Leavell Jerman Tompkins
made it to Westminster-Canterbury in 2007 and
felt as if she were back home since her precious
mother had lived there for many years — until
she was 108. Mary Lev has a brother-in-law
with his own plane who frequently takes the
family on jaunts, which she thoroughly enjoys.
She plays bridge regularly but complains that
she’s slow. However, she seems not to miss a
beat, despite depending on a cane. She enjoyed a
Westminster-Canterbury lunch with Elizabeth
Billups Bowles in July. Since they had not seen
each other in 70 years, it was not a surprise they
had to be introduced! Your correspondent keeps
up with Gratia Allen Banks by phone and
snail-mail. She’s happily ensconced near her son
Larry in Chico, California, and often sees the rest
of her family. They were affected by the smoke
from some of the northern California wild-fires.
She had her summer vacation in Washington
state with son Allen and Barbara, who retired
from the Navy in 2007. Gratia’s another Bridge
player and recently enjoyed a visit from her San
Francisco card-playing friends. I called four of
you dear ones today without any luck. So I’ll end
with another request for news and wishes for
your blessed Christmas and happy healthy 2009.
’39
70th REUNION April 17-18, 2009 Virginia White Brinton spent some time last
summer swimming with friends and relatives
in the cool spring water of the Philadelphia
Quarry in Richmond. “Time marches on,” she
says, referring to the fact that her home of 50
years on Rio Vista was being sold. Gay Gibson
Pinder is “alive and well on the Eastern Shore.
Two daughters moved nearby and love it here.
My brother Churchill died, my little brother,
and it is very devastating. I keep in close touch
with Kitty Adams Pinder and she keeps me
informed about our class.” Helen Thomas
Roberts says life is good at Cedarfield in
Richmond, where lots of St. C alumnae live.
Helen’s family had a great reunion last April
when her oldest granddaughter, Dr. Molly
Roberts, was married in Leesburg, Virginia.
’40
Correspondent Frances Bushnell Forsyth, 1600
Westbrook Avenue, Apt 408, Richmond, VA 23227
Just prior to sitting down to write these notes,
your correspondent had a wonderful telephone
conversation with Mary Meek Brown Semler.
Mary and George bought a ranch style house
in Brooklin, Maine, thirty years ago. When she
described where she is living I was convinced
that she is in one of the garden spots of the U.S.A.
With a view of the Blue Hill Bay, she looks across
to Mount Desert Island. Even though I proudly
claim being half-Yankee, I definitely needed help
with her location in Maine. Bar Harbor is on
Mount Desert Island. Her house is in a scenic
rural area 12 miles from the nearest grocery store
in the little town of Blue Hill. There is water all
around, behind and in front on a point of land.
I loved it when Mary told me she is a Justice of
the Peace. This summer a grand-niece and one
grandson got married. She didn’t perform the
ceremony but she did step forward and claim
that “in the state of Maine I declare you are man
and wife.” In addition to being a Justice of the
Peace, she has been the Senior Warden at her
church, where her term is drawing to a close
after two and a half years. Last August her whole
family was with her. After they departed she
flew to Spain to visit a son and his family. Mary
also enjoyed a month’s visit in New York City
with her sister Cabell Roome ’46. While staying
in a suite in the Roger Smith Hotel at 46th and
Lexington Avenue, the two of them visited museums, enjoyed theatre productions and walked
the Brooklyn Bridge twice to visit two grandsons
who live in Brooklyn. Mary has nine grandchildren, four great grandchildren and another
grandchild was expected in November. And last
but far from least, while in New York they called
Peggy Hutcheson Dorrier, told her they had
plenty of room and to get on a train and come
share their suite. Peggy spent four days with
them seeing all the sights, and the three went
together on one of the walks across the Brooklyn
20
Bridge! Anne Cowardin West in Camden,
South Carolina, was my next long distance call.
She, too, is still in her own home with two of
her children nearby. A son is in Washington,
DC, practicing law and another is a surgeon in
Charleston. Much to the happiness of all their
children, Anne and her sister, Dorothy Gibson
’38 have kept their wonderful riverfront house
at Gloucester Banks where they spent summers growing up. Betsy Brunk Argo is another
classmate who continues to be very active. She
drives back and forth from her house in Bristol,
Rhode Island, to her house on Cape Cod. Her
two daughters and one son are well known and
admired around the country because of their
extensive work in the environmental issues.
Betsy said this all started when they were very
young. She added in our telephone conversation
that she was having a great summer on the Cape
where every day something new is happening.
Carlisle Morrissett Branch and Betsy Cole
Beverley went by train to New York City where
they spent several wonderful days in a delightful hotel. Carlisle said they thoroughly enjoyed
tea at the Plaza with Betsy’s two nieces. Betsy
goes north every year to see her sister, Kitty
Cole Trautmann ’37 and her husband Harry,
who live on Long Island. With less than a day
before mailing in this class news, I haven’t had
time to make any more telephone calls. Please
send me your news because we really want to
know what is happening in your life. I am living at Westminster-Canterbury, and you would
be amazed at how many St. Catherine’s girls are
living here. Quite a number of them are from
younger classes.
’41
Correspondent: Audrey Straus Koch,
13310 Oakwood Drive, Rockville, MD 20850-3410
We were sorry to learn that Frances Jerman
Brown’s husband Alan died in early May 2008.
Frances’ nephew Chris Tompkins and her sisters
Mary Leavell Jerman Tompkins ’38 and Julia
Jerman Neal ’42 flew in niece Julia Borden
Neal Rose ’67’s plane to Easton, Maryland, for
the memorial service and a short reunion of the
Jerman sisters.
’42
Correspondent: Bebe Woolfolk Trice, 506 Tuckahoe
Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23226.
e-mail: [email protected].
Due to a serious accident in the middle of July I
neglected my class correspondent duties. I was
on a two lane road when a lady blacked out and
came head on. I swerved, resulting in a side-
class
notes
swipe and being turned over. I hung by my seat
belt for 30 minutes while the firemen cut the top
of the car off to get me out. I had 18 sutures in
my scalp but otherwise came out all right. I feel
I am very lucky to be alive. As a result Scottie
Johnson Haley heard about the accident and
gave me a call. She sounds like she did 60 some
years ago - wonderful! She is again going to be
the housemother for the KA fraternity at W &
L. She is very enthusiastic about a hip replacement she had. Two of my grandchildren had
a wonderful time getting to know two of Jean
Wiltshire Lane’s great-grandchildren at Camp
Mont Shenandoah this summer. They had come
over from Australia for camp. I would welcome
word from any and all of you.
’43
NEEDS CORRESPONDENT!
Please contact the Alumnae Office if you would
like to be a correspondent.
’44
65th REUNION, April 17-18, 2009
Correspondent: Barbara Evans Davis, 11905 West
Briarpatch, Midlothian, VA 23113-2317
e-mail: [email protected]
’45
Correspondent: Kitty Hart Belew, 1600 Westbrook
Ave., Apt. 231, Richmond, VA 23227
As I write this, summer is upon us and family and friends are getting together. In June
Margaret Towers Talman spent time in
Princeton, New Jersey, attending the graduations
of one granddaughter from high school and one
from middle school. These are the daughters of
Nell Talman Haughton ’74. Between graduations, Margaret went to Philadelphia to visit Jane
Catlett Ballard and husband. While there she
saw Alice Scott Nalle and her husband who
live in the same retirement complex. Ann “Nick”
Nicholson Adamson spent the month of July
at her cottage at Glouchester Banks on the York
River. Helen Handy Kelly and husband John
only spend weekends at their cottage just across
the road from Nick. Grace Addison Fitton,
husband and children and grandchildren joined
an annual Addison reunion at Virginia Beach.
Mary Whit Christian Haycox lives at Virginia
Beach where she still keeps her horse “Rainbow”
though she doesn’t ride as often as she used to
due to church, Garden Club, Dames and social
life. She has announced that she expects to be
at our 65th reunion coming up in 2010. Nancy
Miller Phillips had a delightful week at Virginia
Beach in July with her daughter Judy and son
Henry and various family members coming and
going. Nancy Graham Hitch spent her spring
and summer renewing her lovely home, putting
glass windows on her screen porch, wallpapering, scraping floors, etc. My daughter, Kathy
Belew Carr ’83, and I spent a long weekend in
Woodstock, Connecticut, visiting my daughter, Lindsay Belew Paul ’75, and her family
at their newly built home with a pool! This
was the weekend before Lindsay’s classmate,
Judy Williams Carpenter’s, wedding to Dean
Hawthorne, brother of another classmate, Peel
Hawthorne, so there was much excitement
about meeting her classmates in Biddeford Pool,
Maine, for the event.
’46
NEW Correspondent: Betty Vogel Wilde, 1001
Oppenheimer Drive, #102, Los Alamos, NM 87544
We are happy to welcome our newest class correspondent, and encourage everyone to send
Betty your news. Our deepest thanks to Robin
Wardlaw Miller, who has done such a wonderful job of collecting and summarizing your
news for the last 7 and a half years! The following
is Robin’s final installment: As I write this, I’m
wishing happy summer birthdays to those
who celebrated in June, July, and August: Dare
Masters Wrenn, Blissie Whitehead Buford,
Alice Lee Harvie Garey, Page Ryland Parker
and Betty Bowe Wallace Hendrix and best
wishes to all the other “girls of ‘46” that I did not
know about. Certainly I’m sure that Dare had a
most memorable day celebrating at a birthday
dinner hosted by Maggie Brydges, daughter of
the late Anne Brenaman, our St. Catherine’s
classmate. Also, helping Dare celebrate were
Hugh Brydges, Anne Brenaman’s son, and Julie
Brenaman ’51, Anne’s sister. I know the entire
class of 1946 remembers Anne Brenaman—cute,
smart, funny and more. It’s nice that some of her
classmates remain in touch with her children.
Our love and best wishes go out to Alice Lee
Harvie Garey who is recuperating from a bad fall
she sustained while vacationing at Wrightsville
Beach. Over the summer your retiring correspondent enjoyed watching granddaughters
Mattie and Taylor (St. C Classes of 2015 and
2013 respectively) water skiing competitively at
Lake Anna. I had such a nice note from Betty
Vogel Wilde telling me of her recent return to
Los Alamos, whence she originally came in
1949. Now, she is returning after some years in
Albuquerque. She has purchased a large condo
and is enjoying selecting new paint and carpeting. Los Alamos sounds beautiful, situated in the
northern part of New Mexico not far from Santa
Fe, the capital of the state. Betty, every phase of
21
your move to Los Alamos sounds wonderful,
but best of all, I think, are your two daughters
who live there and who are so eagerly anticipating your move. Looks like you have proven that
“you can go home again”.
’47
NEEDS CORRESPONDENT!
Please contact the Alumnae Office if you would
like to be a correspondent.
’48
NEEDS CORRESPONDENT!
Please contact the Alumnae Office if you would
like to be a correspondent.
Jean MacCallum Perrett was sorry to miss last
spring’s reunion. Her children and their families
are concentrated in southern California and
Connecticut, so she rarely visits Virginia, but she
says “I am so grateful for my experience (two
years) at St. Catherine’s.”
’49
60th REUNION April 17-18, 2009
Correspondents: Jane Cecil,
2424 Hanover Avenue, Richmond, VA 23220-3406
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Peggy Wood Doss, 112 Wynnwood Drive,
Wilmington, DE 19810-4428
e-mail: [email protected]
Anna Nolde McKenney says all is well. Grandchildren are in upper, middle and lower
schools at St. Cat’s and St. Chris. Henry, age
15, has Type I Diabetes. His mother and father
(daughter, Helen Ilnicky ’80, and son-in-law
Scott) are very active in Juvenile Diabetes
Research Foundation and raised thousands of
dollars biking through Death Valley 100 miles
in 110 degrees temperature. Daughter Mary
lives in State College, Pennsylvania, with her
husband Bill, who is dean of the College of Earth
and Mineral Sciences. They have two daughters,
ages 11 and 14. Son Stuart lives near Anna and
works in the sinking stock market. Anna keeps
very busy with volunteer work (especially with
the homeless). Anna and I went to a very sweet
memorial service for Suzanne Smith Harvie
who died last summer. Molly Toms Fitzgerald
and Betsy Dale Gayle met at St. Cat’s graduation in June to see their granddaughters graduate. Molly has four grands in Charlottesville, three at
UVA and one teaching at a school there. Mary
Beth Muhleman Chichester’s daughter
class
notes
Anne Lyle ’75 and family almost moved to
Richmond from Charlotte but the transfer was
canceled. Daughter, Molly Welch ’77, and husband Jim live in Ladysmith where she works as
a nurse in the Infant ICU at Mary Washington
Hospital. Daughter, Beth Pressley ’80, works
at the University of Richmond and loves her job! Son John and family are still located in Northern
Virginia. (That’s a lot of good news, Mary Beth. Thanks!) Eda Williams Martin had her annual
trip to Squam Lake this summer with her daughters
and families. Ann Brooke Power Mason and
husband Bob stopped in Richmond on their way
south and Janice Lane Young had several members of the class to her quarters in the Tuckahoe to
say hi. I know there is more news but you haven’t
sent it. So this is it. Remember what I said about
making things up if you didn’t help me out. Love to
all, your long-suffering correspondent, Jane.
’50
Correspondent: Ann Reeves Reed,
8603 River Road, Richmond, VA 23229-8301
e-mail: [email protected]
Please send along your news for the next issue—
we want to hear from YOU!
’51
Correspondent: Mary Lloyd-Rees Craig,
918 Mangham Road, Babson Park, FL 33827
e-mail: [email protected]
Class of 1951: Where are you? Where are you?
Please send me your news…what you did last
summer…books you love…do you have a great
grandchild?... volunteer work…your favorite
things. My address and email are above. Whenever
I talk to you, everyone is interested in how their old
friends are doing and what they are doing. I had
a long talk with Jennifer Hilton Mead. In our
conversation she asked about one of her friends
and I told her that I would call. Well, I tried, but the
number was not given out! Jenny has just moved
to a condominium and loves it. They also have a
house in Key West where they spend the winters. I
told her that our oldest son was born in Key West
when Roy was in the Navy and that we lived at
1415 Von Phister Street. Jenny has several friends
that live on the same street. She is an artist, both a
painter and a sculptor, and a loving grandmother
of three. To see her artwork, go to her website:
www.jennymead.com. I also had a good talk with
Ann Taylor Tenser. Their small town of Rockville,
Virginia, doesn’t have the usual crossroads look of
an aging gas station and general store, but instead
has an elegant post office and marvelous library.
They enjoy their trips to the beach and visits to
their children in Orlando. Mary Lyle Valentine
Preston has moved into her cottage, after
months of packing and carrying, and she and
Emma, her black lab, are very happy. Before she
left the old home, her grandchildren came to say
goodbye: to each room in the house, and then
moving outside, to each leaf, flower and rock
in the whole garden. And the garden was not
small! Mary Lyle’s new address: 250 Pantops Mt.
Road #6102, Charlottesville, Va. 22911. Mary
Lyle also organized a gathering of ’51s to visit
James Madison’s home “Montpelier”, in Orange
County. The house had been owned for many
years by Marian Dupont Scott and was a famous
horse farm. She started the Montpelier Races in
Orange County which are still held today. Mary
Lyle’s daughter Lesslie is married to John Jeanes,
director of reconstruction at Montpelier for the
past seven years. The original home of President
Madison had been greatly changed during the
years, with two extensive wings built on either
side, and other additions to the property. John
gave the group a behind the scenes tour of all the
work being done. Afterwards, they had lunch at
the newly opened Visitor’s Center, beside which
is a room with Mrs. Scott’s horse trophies and
memorabilia. A great day with Mary Lyle was
enjoyed by Margaret “Cookie” Cooke Horsley,
Mary Stoddard “Toddy” Barnard Trigg,
Tommy Richardson Shannon, Martha Munson
Pollard, Marguerite Davenport Lord, and
Anne Whitfield Kenny. Roy and I had a great
trip with Washington and Lee in May to Berlin,
parts of the former East Germany, down the Elbe
River and ending up in beautiful Prague. We still
try to spend some time in the spring, summer
and fall at our home in the mountains of North
Carolina, take trips, see our children and eleven
grandchildren, and try not to get too old! Love to
you all, and please write or phone.
Center on Friday night for all the reunion classes
and all boarding alumnae of the school. It was
great that Peggy Thomas Bird and Judy Hill
Lawes were able to make the trip to Richmond
for all of the festivities. Mary Parke Macfarlane
Dillard and her husband joined us for dinner
Saturday evening. On Saturday, a symbolic
groundbreaking ceremony for a patio space
in front of the Arcade honoring past boarding
students was held. As part of that event, a few
boarders entertained us with interesting stories
and remembrances which took us all back to a
former time at St. Catherine’s. In addition to the
dedication, there were numerous classes and
talks for us to attend followed by a delicious
luncheon with class pictures photographed
afterwards. The class of 1953 opted to have dinner at the school on Saturday night. This event
was held in the Lower School Assembly Room
with other classes who are members of the Ellett
Society (classes celebrating a 50th or greater
reunion). St. Catherine’s did a fantastic job in
honoring the Ellett Society members, starting
with cocktails and a pianist providing lovely
background music while we socialized. Our dinner was delicious and nicely presented. This was
a most enjoyable reunion for those who were
able to attend. In June, your correspondent Betsy
and husband Latane celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary with a small party and a short
trip to Sea Island, Georgia, where we spent our
honeymoon. I am sure there are many of you in
our class who have celebrated or will in the near
future celebrate this big milestone. Let me her
from each of you!
’54
55th REUNION April 17-18, 2009!
’52
NEEDS CORRESPONDENT!
Please contact Judy Carpenter in the
Alumnae Office if you are interested.
Betsy Dugdale MacIntosh is juggling major
volunteer jobs with grandchildren, four born
within two years. Phoebe Elizabeth Cabell
MacIntosh, 3, and brother Archibald, 1, live in
London; Jonathan Cabell, 2, in Pacific Palisades,
California; and Cameron, 12, and William, 1, live
in Northern New Jersey.
’53
Correspondent: Betsy Jones Ware,
4103 Summit Lane, Richmond, VA 23221-3710
Reunion weekend in April was great fun and
we wish more of our class could have attended.
A large reception was held in the Kenny Fitness
22
Correspondent: Ann Rand Perry, 3201 A Stony Point
Road, Richmond, VA 23235-2317
Patty Winship writes, “I have two items of news.
One is sad and one is not. My granddaughter,
Ashley Kesler of Midlothian, died on July 19. She
had been a patient at the Massey Cancer Clinic
at the Medical College of Virginia (VCU) since
November 2007. She had leukemia and managed
to defeat that, but then she got meningitis and
was not able to beat that terrible disease. She was
19 years old. She fought such a good fight. She
was a student at John Tyler Community College
studying to be a nurse. On a brighter note, I have
gone back to college. I am taking pre-requisite
courses at the Davidson County Community
College in Lexington, North Carolina, where I live
with my younger daughter, her husband and six
of my 14 grandchildren. I will have to take eight
courses and then get accepted to Winston-Salem
University to get my M.A. degree in occupational
class
notes
therapy. I retired from special education with
an M.A. degree in special education from the
University of Virginia and taught for 34 years
in Charlottesville, Orange, Monacan and James
River High Schools in Chesterfield, and in North
Carolina and South Carolina. I miss working
with people.”
’55
Correspondent: Louise Daniel Owen,
5023 Allan Road, Bethesda, MD 20816-2719
e-mail: [email protected]
Needs NEW Correspondent!
’56
NEW Correspondent: Lorraine Suggs Woodley,
1725 Ficus Point Drive, Melbourne, FL 32940.
e-mail: [email protected]
Please send your news for the next issue! For
now, thanks to Penny deBordenave Saffer and
Dianne Colter Davis who kindly shared some
tidbits. Penny writes that she loves her new life in
Tappahannock, Virginia: “The slow lane it is not!”
She’s still doing a bit of fund-raising consulting
and says her title is “Occasional Development
Counsel.” Dianne has retired from children’s ministry after 20 wonderful years. She spends her
free (?) time with her grandchildren and substituting at their school in Pensacola, Florida. As for
your new correspondent, I have taken over the
position of Pastoral Care in my church. I also do
volunteer work for Vitas and my neighborhood
board. Jim and I celebrated our 62nd wedding
anniversary in July, and our six grandchildren
range from 2 to 22 years old. Yoga, Pilates and
bike riding keep me on my toes and we watch
launches from our back yard. We are permitted
to live in Florida even though we do not (gasp)
play golf. I hope to hear what the rest of you are
doing, so please e-mail, call or write.
’57
Correspondent: Barbara Lane Jowaisas,
6161 River Road, #15, Richmond, VA 23226
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Ellen Michaux Gower, 786 Drift Road,
Westport, MA 02790-1232
e-mail: [email protected]
Lydia Ferrell-McVay wrote that “with gas
prices so high I am not planning much traveling this summer and will concentrate my efforts
on music and my home.” Ruth Stevenson
was sorry to miss our 50th Reunion. In the
future she will be teaching at Union College
in Schenectady, New York, only in the fall and
hopes to come to future reunions. Ruth, who
has three children, traveled to Ireland and the
UK this summer. Lelia Gibson Hendren and
husband Bill’s daughter Patricia got married
last May in a mini destination wedding near
Winchester and the Wayside Inn. The wedding was outdoors near a pond at the Inn at
Vaucluse Spring with the reception behind the
manor house. Lelia wrote, “We were blessed
with beautiful weather and an occasion full of
laughter and love.” Polly Dohme Heller has lived
in Clearwater, Florida, for the past 36 years and
wonders if any of our classmates have retired
down that way. She retired last December from
working at Morton Plant Hospital in Food and
Nutrition Management. Her husband Gary is
a CPA with the Government. Polly’s daughter
Jennifer lives in Atlanta and has a wonderful job
at IBM. Her son Chip and his wife Susan live in
Jacksonville with their three children, Anna and
twin boys Alan and Charles. Chip and Susan
were both nationally ranked swimmers and met
at the University of Georgia, where both had
swimming scholarships. Expressing the sentiments of many of us, Polly wrote: “The older I
get the more I appreciate my years and friends
at St. Catherine’s. I am very sorry to hear it is no
longer a boarding school as boarding schools
can provide excellent structure and education
for young ladies in need. It certainly did for me.”
She would welcome a call if anyone gets down
her way. Olive Blackwood Long remembers
Barbara Rand Richardson as “always the one
to reach out to others, to be a friend to all, and to
find joy in small things. She had that rare gift of
making everyone she came in contact with feel
special and appreciated.” Olive retired from Dana
Hall School in Wellesley, Massachusetts, last year,
and she and her husband Dick are now living
in Baltimore. Susan Cone Scott escaped the
heat and humidity of the Virginia summer with
a “magical trip to Orcas Island in Washington
State.” She also spent time in Seattle and got to
fly a float plane and found that she remembered
a great deal even though she gave up her pilot’s
license 35 years ago. Susan’s son Fredric lives in
Austin, Texas, “finishing his study of computer
design work for things mechanical.” Her daughter
Alexandra is winding down her performances in
New York. Susan says she is contemplating moving to Austin after 45 years in Charlottesville. It
was good to hear from classmates from whom
we’ve not heard that often in recent years. Your
correspondent Barbara will try to put together
an e-mail “net-working” list so you can stay in
touch. When I say “try,” we’re talking about an
effort coming from an oldie 19th century gal,
who still thinks formica is just as good as granite
and communication is just as good with a 25
cent stamp and a telephone call.
23
’58
Correspondent: Elizabeth Fleet Wallace,
18 South Wilton Road, Richmond, VA 23226-2209
e-mail: [email protected]
Needs NEW Correspondent!
Thanks again to Jean Hill Davenport for our
beautiful dinner last spring and to Suzanne
Sulzer Powers for sending out the pictures from
the big weekend. It was great to see Sally Yeatts
Taylor at the 50th Reunion Lunch on Friday
when we were treated to the adorable performance by the Lower School Choir. Since Sally left
for a Danube cruise the next day, we especially
appreciated the effort she made to be with us. It
was also wonderful to have Kit Everhart Paull
with us all the way from California. Kit was part
of the special groundbreaking event for a special
space that will be dedicated to boarders, and
shared her recollections of life as a boarder in
the 50s. The sole bit of news came from Susan
Cunningham Judd who reports that her daughter Julia and her husband Keith live in Petaluma,
California, with Susan’s beautiful granddaughters Zoe, 3, and Amelia, nearly 1. And now
classmates, I feel it’s time for me to pass the baton
to one of you after a number of years as your
correspondent. Please contact Judy Carpenter
Hawthorne in the Alumnae Office and let her
know if you are interested. It’s a fun way to keep
up with fellow classmates and does not take a lot
of time.
’59
50th REUNION April 17-18, 2009
Correspondent: Nancy Moss Hahn, 1305 Rye Street,
Houston, TX 77029 e-mail: [email protected]
I can’t believe it and I know I am not that old, but
we are going to celebrate the 50th anniversary of
our graduation April 17-18, 2009. I hope most
of the class will be there. Jane Gregory Loving
writes that she is in court almost every day and
loves it. They took a great trip last fall to Turkey
and Greece on the “Wind Star” a four masted
sailing ship and she recommends it to everyone. Chasie Allen Harris has a new grandson Turner
born to their daughter Chase and her husband
John, who returned from 1-½ years in Beijing
just in time for the delivery. That makes a total
of six grandchildren for Chasie and she says
they are lots of fun. Betsy Eagles has recently
moved to Wilmington, North Carolina. Judy Cox
Hollohan enjoyed a reunion with the American
Red Cross Overseas Association in Portland,
Oregon. Judy enjoyed summer in the Blue Ridge
Mountains at Wintergreen. Beppy Schilling
Johnson is enjoying retirement; she and her
class
notes
husband divide their time between Birmingham
and Rosemary Beach, Florida. In her blended
family of 15 grandchildren she has two in the
second year of college and another in his senior
year, and at the other end of the stick a new baby
was born this year! Frenchie Hewitt Richards
writes that she is still married to Robert with their
48th anniversary coming up. Frenchie is still
working at her year round Christmas store in
City Market. Both Frenchie and Robert are very
involved in two mission churches. They also find
time to enjoy their mountain log home in Wolf
Laurel, near Asheville, North Carolina. Martha
Cole Glenn has been busy with her Golden
Retrievers. She had the honor of participating
in the Master National Retriever Club’s annual
event last fall and her dog Cannon (SR Sandhau’s
Suspend the Rules CDX, RN, MH, WCX) got
through five of the very tough six series. Her
young Golden Chase (Trifecta’s Steeplechase Bet)
is with professional trainers and will be participating in the big time — field trials. She planned
to go to Vermont in September to train before
entering him in the qualifying stake at the Golden
Retriever National Specialty in Connecticut. Martha Cole now has plans to spend three winter months at a small house she bought in the
historic area of Thomasville, Georgia. Chase will
be with his professional trainers down there.
She recently had dinner with Greta Gibson
(Anthropology professor at USC) who was
teaching a course in DC and went to Wintergreen
with Judy Hollohan for a weekend. Kate
Harwood Gooch was in Papua, New Guinea,
for a month this summer. This was a major
departure for someone who has lived in the
same neighborhood all her life. Kate writes that
she and Robert are very lucky in that their oldest
son, his wife and three children (12, 4 and 2) are
in the same neighborhood. Their younger son
lives in Nashville and he and his wife just had
a baby girl named Katherine. She’s the first girl
in the Gooch family in five generations. Linkey
Booth Green and husband David continue to
sponsor one of the International Fellows at the
Army War College. Linkey does Canine Freestyle
Dance with her labradoodle Molly. They don’t
compete but love going to nursing homes and
community events to entertain with their group,
The Steppin’ Woofs. Linkey is in her second year
as president of the Carlisle Newcomers Club and
is still a board member for Carlisle Theatre’s On
and Off Stage for Kids. Patsy Davis writes that
she is looking forward to seeing everyone at
the reunion. Jackie Jackson Deeds writes that
she has been blessed with seven grandchildren,
four boys and three girls, ranging in age from
15-year-old twins to a 1-year-old. Jackie was
honored with induction into the Jacksonville
WBA Hall of Fame in 2000 and she continues
to be involved with bowling. Betsy Chambers
Shindlebower and husband Wolf have had a
busy 2008 with the renovation of their Sarasota
home. They spent two months in Louisville,
Kentucky, in their new condo and then another
month at a friend’s condo in Sarasota during
the renovation. They did manage to squeeze in
a week cruise to Rome in March. Betsy writes
that she is looking forward to seeing everyone
in April. Last April four members of the class
of 1959 were together at Mary Baldwin College
to celebrate their 45th reunion: Betsy Evans
Baxter, Ann Booker Darst, Mary Rutherfoord
Mercer Ferguson and Emily Tyler. Mary
Rutherfoord and Emily both received awards,
Mary Rutherfoord the Leadership Award and
Emily the Career Achievement Award. Also honored last spring was Penny Latham Cabell who
was named Waynesboro’s Outstanding Woman. Penny was cited for all the tireless volunteer
work she has done for the community over
the past four decades. Penny says they haven’t
taken any trips but have river property, dogs,
grandsons and grand dogs and a big vegetable
garden to keep them busy during the summer. Ellen Kolipinski Jones writes that she is still
working as a school secretary for a psychology
educational program which involves children
with severe mental or behavioral issues. She
and Jack have two children and five grands so
they stay busy. She had a great visit with Martha
Cole who visited them in Atlanta in March. She
is hoping to make the reunion. Kate Farrar
Taffs called and said all was well with her and
her family. Maggie Chase Hager’s son married Jenna Bush last spring. Katherine Parrish
Shelburne has been extremely busy. She is playing tennis six times a week and got to the finals
of the National Tennis Tournament and won
the State Platform tennis tournament level B.
She is still working and has two jobs in the UNC
Hospital Schools where she has been in one job
43 years and the other for three years. She also
has had art published in two books. With all this
going on she also has time to do spinning! Gene
Brumfield Edmunds and Spencer just returned
from a Disney Cruise with their four sons, wives
and 12 grandchildren. That sounds like lots of
fun. Gene is retired from the jail chaplaincy but
still volunteers there every week. Buddy is still
working hard. Gene plans to be at the reunion
in April. Your correspondent Nancy Moss Hahn
had a wonderful week in Provence in April with
her sister, cousins and friends. I am still working full time in the family chemical business and
George and I are very fortunate to have our son
George, Jr. working with us. Daughter Laura is
a Captain with United Airlines and commutes
from Houston to San Francisco. George and I
have seven grandchildren and are very lucky to
have them all living in Houston so we can spend
time with them. I am looking forward to seeing
everyone in Richmond April 17-18, 2009!!
24
’60
Correspondents: Janie Elliott Norfleet,
325 Oak Lane, Richmond, VA 23226-1638
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Anne Ferneyhough Simmons, 39 Old Mill Road,
Richmond, VA 23226 e-mail: [email protected]
Classmates! Everyone seemed to be out of town
or hard to reach when your correspondent Janie
was putting together these notes. I only have
one bit of information for the class of ‘60. Sue
Eve Fowlkes wrote to say that she is the proud
grandmother of Christian Reid Fowlkes, born
June 21, 2008. He is the first grandchild for Sue
and Mert. Congratulations Sue! I hope everyone
had a relaxing summer and a wonderful fall.
Please send in information for the next issue. We
need to hear from the class of ‘60.
’61
Correspondents: Anne Boleyn Pole,
302 Berwickshire Drive, Richmond, VA 23229-7302
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Sara Riley Gibson,
1318 Loch Lomond Lane, Richmond, VA 23221-3807
e-mail: [email protected]
It seems everyone who responded was in favor
of a “preview of the classnotes via e-mail so we’ll
be more up to the minute on class news and can
then enjoy the notes at leisure when the publication arrives, so PLEASE, if you haven’t provided
your e-mail address to St.Catherine’s, please do
so! You can update all of your information and
even submit classnotes on the website: www.
st.catherines.org. If you are unsure how to
log on to the St. Catherine’s website just call or
e-mail the development office. Page Harrison
Pragoff is still traveling a lot with her husband
and volunteering at Coverdale Farm teaching
grade school children about farm life and soil.
Page is excited about becoming a grandmother in
early ‘09!! Janet Herring Thompson and Ann
Armistead Scott traveled to Russia this fall
to “celebrate their 29th birthdays.” Sarah Rand
Braddock and Jim moved to North Carolina last
December after 30 years in Atlanta. She says, “Our
beach house was home for a few months, but
we realized early on that we needed more space. We moved eight blocks away and have settled
(not completely unpacked!) into a more livable
year round home.” Knox Bramlette Pierson’s
children Drew and Sara and their families also live
in Wilmington, and have four children between
them, ages 4-18. Drew is in a marine business and
his wife Frankie in real estate, while Sara and her
class
notes
husband own and operate “Marc’s on Market”,
a restaurant from which he recently won “Top
Chef in Wilmington”. Conway Hancock sent
in this interesting bit: “My ‘news’ this time is not
about me, but about my aunt Edith Hancock
Moseley ’37, who died July 10, 2008. (Some
of you may remember her son, my dear cousin
Jack.) She too was a St. C girl. Like many of us, she
was fortunate to live a multi-faceted life, but one
of her experiences made LIFE magazine in 1938,
and not only caused an uproar in Richmond, but
highlights how much the world has changed in
her and our lifetimes: After leaving St. C, “Ely” went
to Villa Collina Ridente Center for International
Study in Florence, Italy. (It was—is —what was
called a fine young ladies’ ‘finishing school) In
March 1938 she went with two fellow students to
Vienna. While Hoover was repeatedly saying we
would NOT have war, Hitler was sweeping across
Austria, and his triumphant military entry into
Vienna coincided with the three young women’s
visit. Their picture, captioned with full names and
home towns, appeared in the March 28, 1938,
issue­—which I have. They are shown “heiling
Hitler” with the Nazi salute! You can imagine the
reaction in Richmond. What LIFE did not choose
to mention was that —out of camera range—there
was a row of Nazi soldiers behind the spectators
with GUNS POINTED AT THEIR HEADS to
compel enthusiasm!” What a story Conway! Susu
Woodward Ravenel writes that she continues
to paint as much as possible and enjoys her twin
grandsons who are 2. Susu says, “It is a great joy
to have my son Bright and his wife Allison living
back in Charleston. At least we have one out the
five collected children nearby! True Gregory
Applegate ’62 and I have sons who grew up
together and now we each have grandchildren
doing the same thing. That’s very special!” Susu
writes of Kathy Ravenel’s birthday celebration at nearby Edisto Island which was attended
by Sallie McPherson Sinkler ‘60. Patsy
Jamerson Williamson took part in the North
American Bridge League’s national tournament
in Las Vegas this summer. “Too competitive for
me!” she said, “But, I did have a great time at the
Blackjack table — I brought home $500 and a
partial Master point.” Patsy’s son David married
Allison Guptill on August 9, 2008 in Center
Conway, New Hampshire. They are both currently in grad school; she is at Antioch College,
working on an M.A. degree in Education; he is at
Amherst, pursuing an M.A. degree in Hospitality
Management. Isabel Rawlings Cohen writes
that Carl retired in November. They bought a
place in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, and will
be snow birds for some years from Omaha. She
says, “I am happily painting away and the doggies love it too! We have a dock so will probably
have a boat before long! Josh got married this
1963 Classmates Emily Woodson Hanano, Lucille Moore Ackerly, Sally Haskell Richardson, Sarah Handy Pillsbury,
Anne Warren Holland, Dixie Epes Hoggan and Katherine Kirby Gibson gathered last spring at Emily’s home.
summer and his wife Simone is getting ready
to graduate from Engineering School at the
University of Nebraska.” You can see some of
Isabel’s paintings at www.absolutearts.com/
issyco. Dabney Williams McCoy and husband Tim had a wonderful two week trip to
Switzerland and England in May with daughter
Catherine ’97 and her husband James Driscoll.
Catherine and James moved back to Richmond
as of October, happy to be home but very sad
to be ending this chapter of their life as world
travelers! Tim is still working and they enjoy their
vacations in Maine. Your correspondent Sara
Riley Gibson and Lang enjoyed a Baltic cruise
this summer, and your other correspondent
Anne Boleyn Pole was so very sad to hear from
Nancy Winters Mullins that her husband David
died from a heart attack while biking earlier
this summer. I had a great visit with Nancy and
David when they were in the area this spring.
Nancy and David had worked with the Elisabeth
Kubler-Ross Foundation and I know Nancy will
continue this work as she goes forward with our
very heartfelt condolences. me for a continuing education leave in Turkey
recently. We have two very cute grandsons!”
Emily Woodson Hanano writes that she has
retired after 40 years as a physical therapist. She’s
looking forward to more writing, reading, long
walks and especially more traveling to see her
daughter in Wilmington, North Carolina. On
her way to our reunion she stopped by to see
Bucky Fletcher Slater, who, she says, was a
judge at a horse race that weekend. Bucky takes
time off from her law practice and her horses in
Duck, North Carolina. Your correspondent has
been to the New York Gift Show to find unusual
treasures for the Ware Neck Country Store. No
loitering there! Please, please let me hear from
you all.
’62
I hope your fall has been a grand one. Summer
sounded good for those classmates who sent
news. Perry Sinnickson Guy rented a house in
East Hampton with a pool in June and had many
classmates visit. Great fun! Perry has joined
the Ellett Board, which is the national alumnae
board for St C. Carter Blackford Filer is a new
member of The Garden Club of The Northern
Neck where she has renovated her home there
and is an active Master Gardener as well as a
busy grandmother. Ellen Goodridge Barry,
whose mother passed away recently, moved
into her mother’s home on Albermarle Avenue
in Richmond. Laney Morrell Kaminer, when
not touring Egypt with her sister or traveling
with her husband often visits her daughter and
grandchildren in Arlington, Virginia. Cacky
O’Ferrall Winfree teaches Mah Jong AND
Correspondent: Gwen Brannon Weeks,
6601 Magnolia Point Drive, Land O Lakes, FL 34637
e-mail: [email protected]
’63
Correspondent! Sue Morck Perrin, P.O. Box 28,
Ware Neck, VA 23178 e-mail: [email protected]
Greetings from Ware Neck, Virginia, the backwater of Tidewater, where loitering is encouraged. We hear from Rev. Gale Hodkinson
Cooper, “I continue as Associate Rector of St.
John’s Episcopal Church in Charlotte. We’re a
big family – 3,000 members now. Elliott joined
25
’64
45th REUNION April 17-18, 2009!
Correspondent: Sally Guy Lynch Brown,
1410 Bishop Lane, Alexandria, VA 22302
e-mail: [email protected]
class
notes
Members of the Class of 1964 met in Colonial
Williamsburg for lunch last summer. Row 1 - Carter
Blackford Filer, Ashby Whitney Roberts, Cacky O'Ferrall
Winfree, Susan Rand Hazell, Cabell Goolsby West, Nancy
Schneider Bugg ’65 and Harriet Winn Ragsdale. Row
2 – Sally Guy Lynch Brown, Ellen Goodridge Barry, Jeanie
Vertner and Laney Morrell Kaminer.
Bridge in Richmond and is quite the expert, I
hear, on both. Jeanie Vertner is still enjoying her
driving services. If you have family members or
friends who could use assistance, she would love
for you to get in touch with her. Courtney Gibb
had a busy year with trips to Japan, Korea and
Germany for work, and to Ireland for play! Your
correspondent handed the gavel and the title
of President of the Garden Club of Virginia to
Cabell Goolsby West in May with many classmates and St. C. graduates in attendance, including Jeanie, Perry and Cabell’s sister, Ann Rawles
Goolsby Huske ’60. The GCV Annual Meeting
was held at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond. I
hope to hear from many of you with your news
for next time!!
’65
Correspondent: Louise Firth,
5260 NE 28th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
e-mail: [email protected]
Sending out good wishes to you all! Please send
an e-mail to me and share your news. It only
takes a minute and we would love to hear from
you. Elizabeth LeSueur is still spending time in
St. Simon’s, Georgia, closing out her aunt’s estate. Fran Davis Ward is in Columbia, Maryland,
working for the Department of Defense (her
34th year). She writes that “yoga, biking, gardening and walking keep me sane, centered and
content.” Her son went to summer school at
Salisbury University, where he is a junior. Buff
Hanes Thomas’ daughter Anna was married
last spring. Buff reports it was “a beautiful May
wedding at a private ranch in the Napa Valley,
California.” Buff and Janet Battaile took the
train to Philadelphia to visit Sandy Cadwalader
in June. Janet says “the place is really beautiful.
And so colorful, full of Sandy’s extensive collections of textiles, ceramics and various crafts.” Margaret Eppes Curtis went to Costa Rica
and caught five sailfish. “That was really fun
Elizabeth (Buff) Haynes Thomas ’65 (second from left) and
family at the wedding of Buff’s daughter Anna last spring.
but the biggest thing was that Sarah Lambeth
Sinnickson and I finally caught up. Sarah, Ted
and I laughed for two days - looked at old pictures and had a great time”. All is fine with your
correspondent, having undergone (successful)
brain surgery last February. The entire family
went to Cabo in July to celebrate daughter Firth’s
30th birthday. I spent five months in our place
in Hot Springs, Virginia, (from May through
October) and enjoyed being “back in the hills,”
having grown up in Charleston, West Virginia. Please let us hear from you next time! ’66
Correspondent: Louise Hayman,
1 Cumberland Court, Annapolis, MD 21401-1605
e-mail: [email protected]
As I write this, I am almost packing for our
class’s communal 60th birthday gathering over
Columbus Day Weekend in the San Francisco
area. Alice Caldwell Steele, Ding Galligher
Murphy and Lynn Hornor Keith have worked
hard to put together a time to never forget with
activities galore and lots of down time for catching up. Needless to say, more will be reported in
this space in the next edition of our classnotes.
Speaking of birthdays, Jane Cross Hamlin surprised me with a phone call just before my big
day this spring. She sounded fine and continues
to be happily at home with husband Ric in
Richmond. Since my last dispatch, I spent an
amazing weekend on Figure Eight Island, North
Carolina, with Emily Borden Ragsdale and
Frances Gravely. And, no, we didn’t just exercise
our jaws: we biked, performed water aerobics,
walked the beach and byway and thoroughly
caught up. Emily’s newly completed house with
both inland waterway and Atlantic Ocean views
is as spectacular as its setting. She commutes
26
to and from Jamestown, North Carolina, and
stays busy with her family land management
business and various family and volunteer
activities. According to Emily, “the most beautiful sailing vessel that Frances Gravely, her sister
Susan and their company, Vietri [tableware],
have booked for the 25th anniversary voyage
is none other than the ancient and venerable
(and gorgeous) Sea Cloud which was commissioned in the 20s by Margarie Merriweather
Post and EF Hutton. I can tell you for sure that
it is the most beautiful ship I have ever seen,
as I was a passenger in 2006 when Vietri made
its first trip. I have already booked passage on
the NEXT trip which will be in the Adriatic in
the fall of 2009.” Earlier this year, I was fortunate enough to share a weekend with Kathy
Barnes Hendricks when she visited Virginia
for a national garden club event. Her devotion
to Stratford Hall as Georgia’s board member is
a huge asset to the Lee family historic site and
I look forward to visiting her there when she
comes north again. Lynn Keith tells me Taisie
Berkeley will be exhibiting her photography of
India this fall. Lynn, who also chose India as the
subject of her work, will have an exhibit at the
same time at LaGrange College in Georgia. She
and husband Taylor have been non-stop traveling this spring and summer. Taylor celebrates
his 50th reunion at the U.S. Naval Academy this
fall and they will be my houseguests while in
town. Cindy Parke Beukema writes that her
older son and his wife are living only minutes
from her in Minneapolis and her other son is
also returning there after several years’ theatrical
work in New York. My p.r. consulting business
is going well, and I’m currently dividing my
time between two principal clients. I have been
appointed one of Maryland’s two members of
the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s
advisory board, so that organization’s annual
conference in Tulsa is on my travel schedule as is
my trade association’s in Detroit. But first, a pleasure trip to England. My daughter, still an editor
with Chesapeake Life magazine, began graduate
school in pastoral counseling this summer. I
continue rowing and spoiling my lab. Does time
seem to go faster? Until the next issue…
’67
Correspondent: Corbin Cowart Bettencourt,
P.O. Box 5555, Foxcroft School, Middleburg, VA 20118
e-mail: [email protected]
Blair Barrett Curdts had a great family
vacation to the Galapagos Islands and says,
“Everyone should pack their bags immediately
and go play with the sea lions, penguins, iguanas,
tortoises, sharks, rays, etc.”
class
notes
’68
Correspondents: Elsie Dickinson Hovis,
322 Greenway Lane, Richmond, VA 23226-1632
e-mail: [email protected];
Helen Harrison Tripp,
5810 Three Chopt Road, Richmond, VA 23226-2337
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Ginger Harrison Adamson,
4607 Leonard Parkway, Richmond, VA 23226-1335
e-mail: [email protected]
Thanks to all who came to our great reunion
from far and near, and thanks to Mary Atkinson
Stone and Dede Deane Irwin for opening their
homes to us. We were particularly delighted
to have Cathy Cauthorne Closter, who came
from Hancock, New Hampshire, and our long
distance winner, Susan Nash McClellan, who
flew in from La Jolla, California. We were so
pleased to have two surprise guests, Ellen Hall
and Molly Gilliam McCluer, who were both here
with their mothers. What a treat to see them after
all these years. Everyone looked fabulous—we
rock!!! Susan Ellett writes: Mo, Zach, 8, and I
just got back from Mexico where we did a zip
line canopy tour through the jungle—I was terrified at first, but Zach, a second grader, had
no fear. One of our best vacations ever! From
Betts Carpenter Reed: ” I am still living in
Huntington, West Virginia, working at the medical school here as a pathologist. Bill sold his
CPA business last year and is now working for a
firm in Charleston, about a 50 minute commute.
Timothy is now 11, in fifth grade, and decided to
play football this year. I am very nervous about
it - hopefully everything will be okay. I would
really love to see everyone—it seems really hard
to get to Richmond. But hopefully, sometime
soon.” Marilyn Muhleman Rausch’s son Kent
is a sophomore at William & Mary. She spent
summer riding her horse, and working on fixing
up the house. I wish I had some big news, but all
is well, which that in itself is a good thing. Helen
Harrison Tripp’s daughter Ann ’04 graduated
from the University of Mary Washington in May
and is staying another year for an M.A. degree
in Education. Ginger ’01, her middle chick, got
married in June to Judson McAdams, a great guy
from Charlotte. They live in Richmond where he
is working for SunTrust, and she is teaching first
grade at St. Christopher’s. Laura ’98 is married
and living in NYC, having a great time teaching
fourth grade and has been persuaded to coach
the fifth grade boys and girls basketball teams
this year! Her husband Matthew Philips (St. Chris
’97) has even been conned into helping run drills
and running the clock, a good relaxing job after
a day’s work at Newsweek. Helen sends her love
to everyone. Annie Souder has been here twice,
for the reunion and for Ginger Tripp’s wedding.
She loved seeing so many of her friends, and, she
says: “Helen and Guy really know how to throw
a fabulous wedding!” She also spent a wonderful
weekend with her parents in Maine where the
weather was terrific and the lobsters even better.
Kate Withers Oates writes: “I enjoyed seeing all
who came to the reunion. I thought the whole
weekend was wonderful and that our class party
at Dede’s was the best ever. Everything from her
new house (with wide screen tv in the basement
for the husbands [and many of us girls] to watch
basketball) to the fabulous dinner was spectacular. Only thing missing was a lot of our class. I
hope in five years (our 45th...yikes) we’ll have
more. Fortunately, all has been calm in my life
since then. My grandchildren are beautiful, and
life is great.” Sally Brydon Booth’s son Teddy
graduated in May from Virginia Tech Pamplin
College of Business with a degree in finance,
minoring in real estate. He started work as an
investment advisor for Elder Law Management
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on July 2. Sally is still
painting (watercolors) at Crossroads Art Center
once a week, which she greatly enjoys! She regularly exhibits her artwork with the James River
Art League in the Richmond area. In October
she hopes her artwork will be accepted into
the art show at “Art at the Mill” at the BurwellMorgan Mill in Millwood, Virginia, sponsored
by The Clarke County Historical Association. Sally says, “I enjoyed seeing those who attended
the 40th reunion dinner at Dede’s. My 40th at
St. Margaret’s was fun! I finally convinced my
roommate to return to SMS after 40 years. I told
her she wouldn’t be traumatized and she wasn’t. Of course, now we can drink! Cheers!” Judy
Halsey writes that she and her husband Steve
Vanze are very happy for their daughter Shaw
and her new husband Kenli Okada. Shaw is in
her second year of law school at the University
of Pennsylvania, and Kenli has recently returned
from the Peace Corps in Kenya. They were
married in early June at Judy’s home in Chevy
Chase. Judy’s son Griffin is in the Peace Corps in
Namibia, Africa. Steve planned to see Griffin’s
village and students, the mud hut where he lives
and maybe some animals on a visit in August.
Thanks to those who sent in news. Please know
that it is very helpful to us to have something
for the publications and we greatly appreciate
anything you write! For those in town over the
holidays, don’t forget our annual Boxing Day
luncheon at Miss Jennie’s. It is a great way to
relax after Christmas.
27
’69
40th REUNION April 17-18, 2009!
Correspondents: Catherine Stuart Bosher,
222 East Hickory Street, Hinsdale, IL 60521-3712
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Laura Leake Brown,
820 Pepper Avenue, Richmond, VA 23226
e-mail: [email protected]
We are sad to report the death of Melinda
Williams Davis’ husband John in December
2007 after a courageous battle with cancer.
We are also sad to report the death of Maria
Harrison Reuge’s mother Maria Sheerin
Harrison ’47 in August 2008. Tassie Bosher
has taken up golf when she is not taking care
of everyone else. Her husband Pepe spent the
summer training for an iron man in Columbia,
Maryland, in September - that is a 2.5 mile swim,
112 bike ride and a 26 mile run. Tassie checked
the numbers and these are not typos. Tassie
writes “I have no idea why someone would want
to punish themselves to do this!!” SHE is up to
walking five miles a day however! Kim Meyer
Ford sent this news long ago but it did not make
the notes—our apologies! Kim and husband Jim’s
three adult children are all over the world. Chris
has been in Baghdad as an Army 1LT, with a
degree in economics from Penn State. Dave is a
Fisheries Biologist with USGS in Columbia River
Gorge, Washington, using his Environmental
Science degree. Ann is in Thailand coordinating a group of students for Experiment in
International Living, using her M.A. degree in
International Relations. Kim wrote “I am still
teaching Special Ed and love my team.” Page
Murrell Woltz got two for the price of one –
grandchillin’s that is. Son William and Katie gave
birth to twin boys, Will and Jack Woltz in June
2008. They were certainly anxious to get here
as they were not due until September! As of this
writing (August 15) they are doing very well in
the neo-natal unit in Winston-Salem and are up
to three pounds and breathing on their own. The
prognosis is good. Doris Blackwell Stimpson,
Lisa Wickham Haskell and Susan Dabney
Smith traveled to Jackson Hole over the 4th of
July to visit with Doris’ son Thomas and Susan’s
daughter Hilary and grandson Sam. Lisa was just
along for the ride. Lisa and Doris also ended up
together at Squam Lake, New Hampshire, in late
July when they were visiting with their respective
families there. Girls we have a big reunion coming up this spring. Lisa Haskell, Holly Materne
Antrim, Andy Harrison Bennett, Lacy
Williams and your correspondent Laura met
at St. Catherine’s in June to start talking about
our reunion plans and to meet and hear from
class
notes
our new head, Laura Erickson. There are a lot of
things to be excited about as far as what is going
on there today and the education our young girls
are receiving. It will be fun to see and learn more
in April 2009 and it will be great to see everyone
again. Please e-mail any of us with any suggestions and/or plans. The in-town gals are happy
to organize the dinner for Saturday night. We
want to have a great turnout so please try to fit a
visit to Richmond into your plans for next April,
while you can still get here! A good time will be
had by all. To give you added incentive, word
comes to us all the way from England from Anne
Bell Parker: “My husband and I are planning to
visit Richmond as part of our vacation next year,
to include reunion weekend. It’ll be the first time
he has accompanied me to reunion, but not the
first time in Richmond. We are planning to spend
a fortnight away from home, and spend the rest
of our time touring Virginia and the surrounding countryside. Is it really 40 years since we all
walked down the Green! Looking forward to seeing you all next April.” So girls, if Anne can make
it from across the pond, won’t you make plans to
be with us too?
’70
Correspondents: Frere Sands French,
554 Hill Grove Road, Manakin Sabot, VA 23103
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Bitsy Perry Marshall,
113 Seneca Road, Richmond, VA 23226-2331
e-mail: [email protected]
Hello flashers. By the sound of your e-mails,
you are staying busy with family, jobs, parents,
children, grandchildren, dogs, cats...where does
the time go?? We are all nearing that age (except
for you, Tracy Charles Shenkman and Janie
Hall Armfield) when we are just beginning to
envision that light at the end of the tunnel. Our
kids are nearing the end of their college years
(and massive tuitions), some are married, some
have given us grandchildren; some of us are
PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY
We welcome your photos for the class notes,
either in digital or print form.
Digital photos must be of good quality: at
least 3 X 5 ’’ and 300 dpi. Please email class
notes photos to [email protected].
Prints will not be returned unless specifically
requested. Please mail them to:
St. Catherine’s School,
6001 Grove Avenue,
Richmond, VA 23226,
Attn: St. Catherine’s Now
still working but looking towards retirement
(as are some husbands), some of us are dealing with elderly parents...but no matter what, it
seems that we all enjoy dreaming back to our St.
Cat’s days and think of ourselves as those same
gawky, immature girls whose greatest nightmare
was getting rid of that pimple before the dance
Saturday night. Will we ever grow up? Not
likely!! Back in the real world, Tracy Shenkman
(who has a way of giving us a humorous twist
on our otherwise hectic lives) writes, “ Life at
the funny farm is just like always...hello to all of
my ‘old’ friends - how can H.E.ers be old!? Not
possible.” For those of you who have given up
your brain to Alzheimers like us, H.E. refers to
the hood excursion group at St. Cat’s...we think. Her children Ben, 19, and Mills, 16, certainly
keep Tracy hopping (she says, “I remember being
16- OMG”). Mills worked on a church mission
trip in the Dominican Republic last summer
which gave Tracy and her husband that window
of time to....relax in an exotic place!! Annabel
Moses Pougnier writes that her daughter Caroline graduated Phi Beta Kappa from
Stamford and now works for Boston Consulting
Group. WOW- talk about brilliance trickling on
down - congratulations!! And, while we are on
Boarders (which, Day Students please notice,
beat you by a mile in this issue), Kristin Rehder
writes that she is still based in Saratoga Springs,
New York, and has been working exclusively
with Marquette University in Milwaukee on a
series of campaign projects. She is planning to
take 2009 off to travel to Barcelona, Northern
Italy, and Paris. She writes “must brush up on
my French—Miss Kendrick, where are you when
I need you?” Our resident author Kate Horsley
Parker had a wonderful conversation with your
correspondent Bitsy last summer. She still lives
in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is working on a new book. She will be traveling with
Morgan (remember, her high school squeeze? He’s still in her life!!) to Italy to play and do some
documentation for her book. In her free time,
she volunteers with hospice and helps an elderly
neighbor. Never a dull moment with Kate!! On
to Richmond, Cinnie Condit Judd dutifully
writes that she is finally undertaking her life-long
dream of playing the piano (shooting for Molly
Carpenter Sprouse’s status) and is even composing some pieces. Cinnie, your creativity and
ambition never cease to amaze us!! You are our
hero, showing all of us that we are never too old
and that excitement and new challenges are the
name of the game. Cinnie was with quite a crew
last summer at a “St. Cat’s bookclub” dinner at
Tighe Easterly Antrim’s, joining Mary Palmer
Trice Legare and Bonnie Keyser Livick, among
others. Mary Palmer radiates happiness, showing
all of us that marriage certainly does agree with
28
her. Bonnie stays busy with her ever growing
family (and new grandbaby) near and far. She is
still very involved at her church, in the medical
arena and in the theatrical arena. Molly Sprouse
and her family traveled to the beaches of North
Carolina last summer for a fun reunion. Mary
Minor Satterfield Taylor is also radiating a
“new bride” aura and spent most of her summer
at Cape May while Kathy Barger Conrad and
her family vacationed at their new beach house
at Pawley’s Island. Tighe, always with a smile
to share, stays very busy with her precious new
grandson and is still teaching Bikram yoga. Your
correspondents Bitsy and Frere took a few days
during the summer to make their annual trek
to McLean, Virginia, to visit the “Sprouse Spa,”
so named because Molly and her husband Jim
wine and dine us so luxuriously every time we
visit. We even got in a little shopping!! For next
time, we would like a few of you to enlighten us
on the escapades of the “H.E.ers” in the good old
days, or maybe you boarders could share your
late-night excitement descending down the trees
to meet your “late date” from St. Chris. Look at
your Quair and live back to those moments, then
write us. We would love to hear from you!
’71
Correspondents: Julie Gamble Grover,
401 Overlook Circle, Lexington, VA 24450
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Rosamond Lawson,
342 Coinbow Drive, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
e-mail: [email protected]
On a hot July night in Richmond last summer,
Tricia Totty Sauer and husband Conrad hosted
a beautiful summer supper (every detail, perfection!) in honor of the visit of Robin Upchurch
Allen and her husband Steve from Savannah.
Susan Stevens and her husband Temple, Peggy
Spilman Crowley ’70 and husband Mike, and
Richard and Ann Fowle Rumble had such
fun. Topping the evening (not that you can top
Tricia’s cooking) was Conrad’s grandmother’s
carrot cake recipe, a surprise for Richard from
Ann’s recipe archives. Randy Anderson
Trainor’s new ski buddy is her 4-year-old
granddaughter Lily. Randy’s son is an aviation
officer in the U.S. Army at Fort Rucker, Alabama;
her daughter is headed to Colorado to teach skiing. Randy is the head of the Franchise Owner’s
Association for INTERIORS by Decorating Den.
After 30 years in Virginia Beach, Kathy Black
Powell and Rob moved to nearby Irvington
off the Rappahannock River two years ago.
Daughter Page lives in Virginia Beach and
daughter Nancy graduated from VCU and
class
notes
Her business Shades of Light now has three stores
— Richmond, an outlet store and Virginia Beach.
Sally Williams Wittkofski reports that wonderful clients with fun projects continue to keep
her busy as a landscape architect.
’72
Correspondent: Susan Stafford Kelly,
522 Woodland Drive, Greensboro, NC 27408-7532
e-mail: [email protected]
Tricia Totty Sauer ’71 and husband Conrad, Robin Upchurch Allen ’71 and husband Steve, Susan Stevens ’71 and husband Temple Cabell, Peggy Spilman Crowley ’70 and husband Mike, and Ann Fowle Rumble ’71 and husband Richard.
headed for the Big Apple last summer. Jane
Catlett and Mike enjoyed a trip to California last
summer to visit relatives and have fun! Polly
Dickinson Wall’s youngest is a 10th grader,
and she also has a freshman in college. It is fun
having her two older college graduates back in
Richmond. Polly has become certified as a massage therapist. Sarah Gayle Carter has moved
to Maine. She has been asked to write a journal
with weekly installments for a Web site geared
for women over 50 called Vibrant Nation. Go
to www.vibrantnation.com and find the link
for Sarah’s journal. Lina Gillies has been on the
road — to Chattanooga, Tennessee, New York
City and California for family weddings and to
Sydney, Australia, to visit her sister Patience
Laws ’76. She stopped off in Honolulu en route
to see her sister Tippy, a member of the Greater
Richmond Chorus Of Sweet Adelines, compete
in an international competition. Lina is now a
great auntie again, and sister Molly Sprouse ’74
has moved to Nantucket. Julie Johns Saunders
is a nanny for three kids, ages 4-9. The stepgrandkids enjoy school and summer camp.
Christine Kjellstrom Douglas writes that her
girls were taking trips last summer. One was in
Europe, and the other was in Africa! Christine
is playing tennis, teaching refugees English, and
is in the thick of the college search. Rosamond
Lawson entertained Boo Bugg Stauffer, Anne
Wilson Fafara and Julie Gamble Grover
at her family’s cottage on Sullivan’s Island,
South Carolina, for a long weekend in June.
Preston Lee Gomer has been really busy with
her interior design work. Daughter Charlotte
volunteered at Maymont and at the Valentine
Museum last summer. Charlotte is starting the
college search, and last summer they visited
Gray Thomas Payne and Tom in Maine. Chuck
and Preston have a new grandson—Matthijs
(Tace) August Park Wittink. Carrington Pasco
Brown’s oldest son Lawrence got married
in Bath County in September to a wonderful
Danish girl. Carrington is delighted to finally
get a girl in her family of five boys, four male
dogs, and four male horses! Louise Rennolds
Friday is running an outboard motor sales and
repair business with her husband in Urbanna,
Virginia. Her daughter graduated from the
University of Colorado in Boulder, and her son
is in Richmond working as an engineer. Louise
had a fabulous trip to Egypt last January. She
enjoys seeing the other river rats: Kathy Black
Powell, Elizabeth Parker Coughter, Polly
Wall, Lucy Higgins, and Gayle Lingamfelter
Miller. Elizabeth Small Lipscomb and friends,
including Jane Potts ’69, spent New Year’s Eve
in Cashiers, North Carolina. Following in friend
Rosamond Lawson’s footsteps, Liz passed her
national boards and received her certification as
a school counselor. Last summer she planned a
trip to Ireland at the end of July, where she traveled with her sister and her husband. Then back
at work with new students, new challenges, and
her favorite — college football! Marshall Souder
Lawson is proud to be a Co-Chairman of the
Garden Club of America’s 2009 Annual Meeting
in Providence, Rhode Island–her home for the
past 18 years. Retirement is still fun for Gray
Payne! After a snow-filled winter of skiing and
snow shoeing in Maine, Gray had a fun spring
in Virginia, where it was nice to connect with St.
C friends. She and Tom are back in Maine—sailing,
kayaking, golfing and gardening. Thomas, a rising
senior, played lacrosse for Sewanee on the inaugural D-III team and interned with a hedge fund
in Chattanooga before heading to Oxford to study
for the rest of the summer. Catherine ’02, still
works for Potomac School in development/
alumni relations and is working on her M. A.
degree in PR/Corporate Communications at
Georgetown University in DC. Ashton Williams
Harrison’s daughters are both in Virginia colleges –Aynsley is third year at UVA and Marsi is
an entering freshman at JMU. Ashton and David
like to travel and go to their home at Wintergreen.
29
My desperate, grovelling e-plea struck several
bull’s eyes. Thank you amigos and the rest
of you, feel remorseful and fret not: there are
some of us still alive and kicking, to wit... Sally
Blanchard Rawls has been remodeling an
old house (c. 1920) in Suffolk for over a year
and moved there in August. All three sons
are out of the nest: Matt is at Pepperdine in
Law School. Stephen is the area director in
Lexington, Virginia, for Young Life and Michael
is a sophomore at JMU. Gayle Johnson started
a new business called Ecobuilders of Virginia
LLC, and wrote, “When I first got out of college,
I got certified as a “Master Conserver” by the
Washington State Energy Extension and I built
a passive solar home addition. I’m now sharing my knowledge of alternative energy to help
other people build energy efficient, green, and
healthy homes. My website, www.ecobuildersva.com provides tools to help homeowners and contractors make informed choices.” Meanwhile, Holly Eason Holden reports that
their circa 1803 Farmington, Connecticut, house
has been included in Rizzoli’s book Great Houses
of New England (Blackburn/Gross, publisher). Holly’s going to be a first-time grandmother
(first grandmother in the class of ‘72 perhaps? Someone out there feel free to disabuse me of
this pronouncement) in November and is taking
Granny-ish name suggestions. Jane Blanton
Garland teaches at St. Catherine’s. Jane’s daughter Molly ’04 graduated from UVA in May and
is teaching for a year in Tampa, Florida, before
going to med school (hopefully). Son Rob is a
second year at Elon. Rae Ann Lindberg Puff
has just finished a run as Anna in The King and
I with a local community group, which proves
that apples don’t fall far from the high school
tree. Her son Adam is a financial analyst with
JanneMontgomeryScott, and married a forensic
scientist a year ago. Her daughter Tori graduated
cum laude from Muhlenberg College in May. A dancer, she’s now hitting the audition trail,
and Rae Ann writes, “If anyone has any contacts in the dance world, or the Disney world
(she’d love to work there) please have them
contact me!” New Yorker Leigh MacDougall
class
notes
Gage has a freshman daughter at Tufts and a
senior son at Earlham College. Connie Keyser
has two married children, Morgan and Taylor,
living in Frankfort and Lexington, Kentucky,
respectively, and her youngest son Landon lives
in Vero Beach, Florida. It will surprise no one
that Connie is still playing tennis, and is adding golf to her athletic repertoire. Sine Johnson
Anahita loves Alaska with double exclamation
points, but I’ll add another since she has been
awarded a National Science Foundation research
grant to research women in the science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines at the
University of Alaska Fairbanks, where Sine is
an associate professor of sociology, the elected
chair of the Department of Sociology and coordinator of the Women’s Studies Program... and
she thanks St. C for the “smart girl education”
that made her a feminist activist. She and her
partner own 70 acres on the edge of the Alaska
wilderness, and live in a real log cabin. Winter
temps are 40 below, but the summer days are
21 hours long. Sine writes, “The aurora borealis
dances overhead almost nightly from October
through March. Life in Alaska is definitely good
to me.” Anna Leake Smith is with M & T Bank
in Baltimore, overseeing Private Client Services
for Maryland and Greater Washington, despite
claiming that she barely passed math at St. C
(The teacher’s fault, no doubt). Her daughter Blanton has moved after graduating from
Denison University to Winston-Salem as marketing director for PRG Real Estate, and Wynn
Tanner has been a huge help with rolling out
the welcome mat. Son Middleton spent a year in
England coaching lacrosse and is now working
in commercial real estate in Baltimore. Kudos to
Sarah Herrick Naradzay, who has been promoted by nationally-based The Mentor Network
to manager of the Intensive In-Home Therapy
program for Moore County, North Carolina, a
program designed to promote family preservation for families with children having a mental
health diagnosis and who are at risk for out
of home placement due to behaviors/circumstances related to the diagnosis. This fall Sarah
will become a full Licensed Clinical Social Worker
and will then begin completing substance abuse
treatment certification. Liz Kern Nance reports
that she loves her job handling healthcare marketing in the Richmond area for the Bon Secours
Health System, is still singing in the bluegrass/
Americana band Oak Lane, and performing
Broadway, Irish and Holiday programs with a
pianist. Her older daughter Caroline is a senior
at VCU majoring in interior design, with a focus
in space planning, green design and interior
architecture. Younger daughter Mary Page is a
1974 Classmates Elizabeth Wagner Baskin, Jennie Wysor Hynson, Susan Bosher Amini, Elva Mapp and Jackie Harrison
Mason celebrated Elva’s birthday.
sophomore at the Purchase Conservatory of
Dance at SUNY-White Plains. Husband Charlie
still practices law with a special interest in
Eldercare, Trusts and Estates, but his real love is
the new garden he put in their back yard. Susan
Christian Coogan’s son Hank graduated from
University of Richmond where he played baseball for four years; he now works in Ft. Worth for
Texas Rangers Baseball. Her daughters Meg and
Emma are at UVA and St. C respectively, and
Susan has returned to work as development
director at Richmond Ballet. As for yours truly,
I have a daughter at UNC-Chapel Hill, two
sons working in Charlotte and Honduras, and
a plethora of neuroses and mid-life crises. My
fourth novel, Now You Know, will be out in trade
paper in February 2009, and despite suggestions
from several classmates that as a fiction writer
I just make up juicy news, to my knowledge
everything in this column is true.
’73
NEEDS CORRESPONDENT!
Please contact the Alumnae Office if you would
like to be a correspondent.
Ellen Gill Ball wrote to say what a wonderful
reunion everyone had last spring, and “thanks,
Gussie, for a great dinner!” Stacey Arnold Cox
agreed: “What a great time we had at our 30th
reunion! We missed those who couldn’t make
it. I would love to hear from any classmates,
especially if they are planning to visit the west
coast! [email protected]” Mary Crenshaw
Barbati sends word from Milan, Italy, that her
oldest son Andrea Barbati is attending Douglas
Freeman High School in Richmond this year as
an exchange student. He is living with his uncle
and aunt, Bill and Judi Crenshaw.
30
’74
35th REUNION April 17-18, 2009!
Correspondent: Kendall Thomas,
1206 Hyde Lane, Richmond, VA 23229
e-mail: [email protected]
The news is finally flowing from the Class of
’74! Mare Oliver Fromyer writes that she is still
(over 21 years) working at International Business
Government Counselors in Washington and that
her daughter Lucy is attending Ohio University,
while her son is a senior in high school. Scottie
Ginn and Pat have finished building a log home
in the Adirondacks and I am sure they would
welcome us all for a visit. Cyane Gresham and
her husband headed off on an international
journey, having sold their incredible house,
known as the Smylack House in Worthington,
Ohio. Betty Massie Jenkins shares the news
that her oldest son Thomas is a lacrosse playing
sophomore at Washington and Lee after spending the summer in Jackson Hole working at a
dude ranch. Youngest son Taylor is a senior at St.
Christopher’s where he too plays lacrosse. Betty
is holding down the fort as husband Matt travels
on business. And “who would have guessed it”,
Margaret Thompson Shinall is working as a
church administrator, “hardest job I ever loved”.
While visiting in Richmond from her home in St.
Paul, MN, Susan Bosher Amini just happened
upon the birthday celebration for Elva Mapp.
Susan plans to attend our 35th reunion in April
and says she can’t wait to see everyone! She
is currently publishing books on ESL, specifically geared towards those pursuing a nursing
profession. Jackie Harrison Mason enjoyed a
girls weekend at the beach in September with
classmates Anne Larus Hardwick and Barbara
Gralow. Jackie has recently taken up Early
American Colonial Dancing and loves pretend-
class
notes
care of people’s pets in their own homes. Kenan
Lewis White is celebrating by insisting that her
kids be more mindful of what it means to be
members of a family.
’77
Correspondent: Margaret Talman Corwin,
8009 Thom Road, Richmond, VA 23229
e-mail: [email protected]
The children of Lindsay Belew Paul '75 are Natalie,
Chappie and Sam.
ing to be a character in a Jane Austen movie
every Wednesday night! She’s excited about
reunion and hopes everyone will come! As for
your correspondent Kendall, I welcomed my
first grandchild, William Tucker Slabaugh, into
the world on April 28, 2008. My son Alan and his
wife Jen have not stopped beaming! Please keep
the news coming, and don’t forget we have a big
REUNION coming up this spring!
’75
Correspondent: Eleanor Deane Bierbower,
8101 Merrick Road, Bethesda, MD 20817-3835
e-mail: [email protected]
The class of 1975 is eagerly anticipating its big
35th reunion just around another corner in the
spring of 2010, so start planning girls! We want
a big turnout on the Green. In the meantime, we
have been busy. Lots of us are getting together
so regularly that it hardly seems like news these
days, but we do want to hear who has seen who
and what you are doing. Molly Fowler has
a documentary movie in the making that will
touch close to home for many of us. It follows
several high school seniors around the country
as they consider and apply to college. That is
another milestone! Lucy Leake reports that she
sees Mary Kincannon McDonald regularly at
the Boston Design Center and somehow Mary
has managed to shave a few years off her age. Mary, Lucy, Lindsay Belew Paul and Peel
Hawthorne were in Maine for the July wedding
of Judy Williams Carpenter and Peel’s brother
Dean. Talk about class unity! Word has it that
well after they left the reception and returned to
their place of lodging, some of those guests carried on until the wee hours dancing to Motown
tunes and reliving high school days. Nothing
like getting together with old friends to bring
out the fun! Although she was not able to be
at the wedding, Molly Elmer Wooden and her
husband Andrew were able to have a quick visit
The wedding of Judy Williams Carpenter ’75 to Dean
Hawthorne: Row 1 - Emory Gill Williams '36, Dabney
Williams McCoy '61, Judy Carpenter Hawthorne '75,
Melinda Carpenter ’08 and Annie Mackey ’08. Row
2 - Susan Williams Jones '73, Mary Mason Williams ’01,
Melinda Williams Davis '69, Lucy Leake '75 and Peel
Hawthorne '75. Row 3 - Mary Kincannon McDonald
'75, Carroll Blair Keiger '72, Lindsay Belew Paul '75 and
Kathleen Will Mackey '78. Row 4 - Maria Williams Swindell
'81, Anne Whitfield Kenny '51, Kathryn Kenny Codd '85,
Sarah Williams '83 and Debbie Andrews Dunlap '70.
with Judy and Dean just before the big event
in Biddeford Pool, Maine, where both Molly
and Judy spent summers as children. Joyce
Thompson was in Richmond in August and
had lunch with recently retired Howard Pugh.
Also in August, the newly minted Mr. & Mrs.
Hawthorne enjoyed the gracious southern hospitality and hilarity of Ceya Lowry Stevenson
and husband Leslie. The Stevensons’ beautiful
lake house in Camden, South Carolina, served as
Base Camp when Judy’s daughter Melinda ’08
was moving in at University of South Carolina,
in Columbia. It’s hot and humid in the midAtlantic as this is being written, and many of us
have been busy getting children packed off to
college, but when you read this it will be cold
and wintery. Warm up by sending an e-mail with
your news, thoughts and who you are wondering about from the 70’s at St. Catherine’s. ’76
Correspondent: Lisa Pratt, 299 Park Avenue, Belmont
Shore, CA 90803-1754 e-mail: [email protected]
Blazing a trail for ’76-ers is Dr. Indy Burke
who reports taking a job with the University
of Wyoming as Director of the Ruckelshaus
Institute of Environment and Natural Resources
and the Haub School of Environment and
Natural Resources. She’ll also have an endowed
chair in the Botany department. In this year
many of us are celebrating our 50th birthdays.
Sue Goodale celebrated by jumping off of
waterfalls in Havasu, Arizona. Ginny Williams
Poole is celebrating with a new business taking
31
’78
Correspondent: Missy Littleton Carr,
316 Indian Springs Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185-3943
e-mail: [email protected]
What a wonderful 30th reunion we had last
April! Events included Evensong in the chapel,
Head’s Reception at the Kenny Center, reunion
programs, and a lovely luncheon. These
events were organized in part by Kathleen
Will Mackey and Liz Williams Bisset,
both members of the Richmond Chapter of
Ellett-St. Catherine’s Alumnae Association.
Congratulations go to Kathleen as past president and to Elizabeth as president- elect. Great
job! We were also treated to a beautiful cocktail
party hosted by Anne Howell McElroy and
her charming husband, Mac. Many of our
classmates came from far and wide to attend
the weekend festivities. Among those who traveled the farthest were Carrie Coker Haley from
Dayton, Ohio, Meredith Owen Holbrook from
St. Louis, Missouri, Sarah Carter Grey from
Denver, Colorado, and Susan Dowd Barrett
from San Mateo, California. It was great to see
all who came - whether from down the street
(Terry Dorsey Dalton!) or across the country!
Mikyung Lee looked wonderful and very happy
at our reunion. No wonder! She and husband
Wayne were married on a private beach in Maui!
She said they chose the site the day before and
decided on a lovely spot with beautiful volcanic
mountains in the background. Mikyung had her
wedding dress custom made and it was finished
just in the nick of time before they jetted off to
Hawaii! Mikyung and Wayne make their home
in Vienna, Virginia, and both work at the Library
of Congress in Washington, DC. Mikyung is with
the Congressional Research Service. I am hoping
to meet Wayne when Mikyung brings him to visit
Williamsburg – her old stomping grounds from
law school days! It was great to see Stephene
Major as well. She is living in the big city of
Atlanta, Georgia, and is working with Wells Fargo
in the mortgage area. Mary Macintire Sanger
lives with her family in beautiful Boca Grande,
Florida. At the reunion, I loved seeing pictures of
her two very handsome and very blonde boys,
class
notes
Andrew and Jackson! Both are great athletes;
Andrew plays soccer and Jackson is a golfer. Mary
reports that she and her family spent summer
vacation in Maine and also visited her home town
of Lewes/Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. I enjoyed
chatting with Sarah about how she loves living
in Colorado. She recently completed a hiking
trip through the Grand Canyon. What a great
feat! Also on the active list would be Ann Morse
Abdella and husband Steve, who cross country
ski their way around snow covered Jamestown,
New York. They both look fit and trim! Missy
Way Goode was looking spry at the reunion
having just completed the Monument Avenue
10k! Way to go! I always enjoy seeing Missy and
her husband Tom at Camp Mont Shenandoah
where her daughter, Emmy attends summer
camp with my girls, Addie Rodes and Emaline.
Marty Pollard Easton’s girls Susie and Molly
also attend the camp. So it is a nice mini reunion
for all of us! Before hosting all of us in her lovely
Richmond home, Anne McElroy had completed
two mission trips with St Stephen’s Episcopal
Church. In November, she traveled to Oman,
Jordan, and Qatar. In March, she returned to
Jordan. The purpose of both trips was to promote
interfaith dialogue and reconciliation. The intent
was to build bridges of understanding and trust
between Christianity and Islam. Anne said it was
a challenging and fascinating journey. Suzanne
Gralow still enjoys living in our nation’s capital,
having just purchased a condominium in the
Tony McLean Gardens area. She is currently
director of recruiting and professional personnel
for Kelley Drye and Warren, LLP in DC. Suzanne
invited me to stay with her if I run the Marine
Corps Marathon! Hmm, I’ll have to think about
that invite! Post reunion, Carrie Coker Haley
spent some time in Michigan over the summer
with her family. Her girls, Elizabeth (eighth grade)
and Caroline (sixth grade) attended Camp Seafarer
in North Carolina. Her son Charlie is a senior at
Episcopal High School and son John is a sophomore at Woodberry Forest School. Ellen Efird
Gould sends news about her bevy of girls! Katie
is a junior at Wofford College and Lauren Ellen
is a freshman at Sewanee. Elizabeth is a junior at
PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY
We welcome your photos for the class notes,
either in digital or print form.
Digital photos must be of good quality: at
least 3 X 5 ’’ and 300 dpi. Please email class
notes photos to [email protected].
Prints will not be returned unless specifically
requested. Please mail them to:
St. Catherine’s School,
6001 Grove Avenue,
Richmond, VA 23226,
Attn: St. Catherine’s Now
Madeline Hutcheson Mayhood ’80 with new husband Clay at Waterfront Park in Charleston, S.C. St. C friends Agnes Frazier
Richard ’80, Sarah Martin Herguner ’77, Vicki Wickham Levering ’80 and matron of honor Susan Martin Mitchell ’80.
Spartanburg Day School, and Carrie is in eighth
grade. Lucy Leverty Bernard writes that she is
still working full time as an analyst for the State
of Virginia. She says her work is challenging and
never boring! Her lovely daughter Katie is in ninth
grade. Lucy says it just seems like yesterday that
she cried as she dropped her off at kindergarten.
Apparently Katie is quite the social butterfly. Lucy
had to buy a mini van just to accommodate Katie
and all her girlfriends! Boys are a whole other
problem, Lucy says! Please keep the news coming. I’d especially love to hear from those who
couldn’t attend the reunion.
’79
30th REUNION April 4-5, 2008
Correspondent: Lisa Galleher Claiborne,
102 Gun Club Road, Richmond, VA 23221-3308
e-mail: [email protected]
’80
Correspondent: Madeline Hutcheson,
4020 Chevy Chase Street, Richmond, VA 23227
e-mail: [email protected]
Kudos to classmate Vicki Wickham Levering,
who published her first children’s book
"Postcards from the Pound" last spring. Ever
the dog-lover, Vicki’s inspiration came from
neighborhood canines as well as the four-legged
members of her own family. She’s had a number
of book signings and readings in the area and
enjoys the challenge of promoting and marketing
her work. Many thanks to Jan Joel Starnes for
organizing an absolutely lovely spring luncheon
for retiring St. C teachers Barbara Robertson
Carper, Howard Pugh and Bob Hiett. A fantastic
class turnout, wonderful weather, delicious food
32
and more than a few strolls down memory lane
made for an unforgettable afternoon in Bacot
Hall. Susan Martin Mitchell and I have enjoyed
a bit of transatlantic travel recently. We landed
in London this spring and enjoyed the hospitality of Janie Larus McShane ’79 who lives there
with her family. On another completely selfish
note, your class correspondent finally tied the
knot in June! Yes, Clay Mayhood and I were
engaged on Valentine’s Day in Charleston, South
Carolina, in the most amazing, over-the-top,
Hollywood-worthy proposals ever scripted. We
returned there for an absolutely perfect summer
wedding with his three children Sean, 23, Colin,
21 and Carly, 17, and our loving and enormous
collection of family and friends in tow. It was
low-key and small...traditional and unusual, all
in one. My dear friend Chris Knapp (an EHS
and Williams College alumnus) came in from
Houston to officially walk me down the aisle;
Susan Mitchell was my matron of honor and
Clay’s daughter Carly was my maid of honor.
Vicki Levering, Agnes Frazier Richard and
Sarah Martin Herguner ’77 were also a part of
the festivities. Sarah won the award for traveling
all the way from Istanbul, Turkey! A month later
to the day, Clay and I had a big post-wedding
bash at my river house. Janie McShane and her
family came in from London; and my new sailing
pal, Janet Selph Moyers ’79 and her husband
Doug tooled over from their house in Deltaville
for the afternoon. And last but not least, my dear
Aunt Peggy (Margaret Hutcheson Dorrier
’40) and my father’s twin sister made the trip
all the way from Wilmington, Delaware, to her
beloved “Lone Acre” for the festivities at the summer house where she grew up along the banks
of the Ware River in Gloucester County. It was
an unforgettable day in many ways! Please send
your news—of any variety—to me. Your classmates would love to hear from you!
class
notes
’81
Correspondent: Maria Williams Swindell,
414 Alabama Road, Baltimore, MD 21204-4307
e-mail: [email protected]
What a great response! Thanks everyone for sending me your updates! Here we go… Definitely the
proud and excited mom, Welby Whiting Fairlie
wrote “I’ve finally got some news to report...it’s not
the same ol’, same ol’ around here anymore. We
came home March 8 with our newly adopted son
from Uralsk, Kazakhstan!! Hannah is now a big
sister! We spent six weeks in the country, learning
Russian when we could…which didn’t amount to
saying much more than hello, how are you?,
goodbye, and 5 p.m. (that’s fun to say in Russian,
just kinda rolls off your tongue!) So it was important to do things at 5 p.m. just so I could say it! Just
kidding. One of my husband’s proudest moments
was when he walked into the local convenience
store, and speaking only Russian, bought matches!
We all have our little achievements! So now we are
home with James Sabit Fairlie, who just celebrated
his first birthday June 16.” Congrats to the Fairlies!
Cecelia Faulkner Soscia and her family had a
wonderful Easter with her mom Martha Alsop
Faulkner ’54 at Cat Island in the Bahamas.
Cecelia also enjoyed a 4th of July camping trip in
Highland County, Virginia, with family and
friends including Julia Michael Given and her
family. Julia and Cecelia had so much fun participating in the Richmond Marathon and at Cecelia’s
Mom’s after party last November that they
planned to do it all over again this fall! Cecelia
(who enjoys running quite a bit, but admits she’s
not as intense about it as Julia) was happy to
report that she improved her time by about an
hour compared to her 1996 marathon run—you
go, girl! Susan Gaddy had a good time preparing
and planning her cross-training summer adventure of leading a team of Daniel Island tennis
women for the NYC Half-Marathon on July 27.
Speaking of running, y’all should be in touch with
Kelly Worth Mitchell whose triathlon/marathon apparel company, Athlete3, is doing great!
Kelly reports that although it flew by, she had a
great summer, spending time in the North
Carolina mountains as well as the coast. Mary
Margaret Smithers Kastelberg and daughter
Bridget were in Boston with the St. C fourth grade
this summer. Mary Margaret said that although
they didn’t get to see each other, it was great to
catch up over the phone with Nancy Jordan
Messina who lives in Concord, just outside of
Boston. Mary Margaret and her family also
enjoyed a cruise in the Mediterranean which
took them to many interesting places, including
the island of Santorini where “we rode donkeys
down a small mountain – a once and only once
kind of experience!” Lorre White enjoyed “visiting with Martha Prewitt Levy in Atlanta and
going out to her lovely yacht on Lake Lanier on
weekends. We have had some great laughs and
pulled out the old Quair for a trip down memory
lane.” Lorre is very busy getting the Luxury
Channel (Web TV) video podcasts going, and
said they can be found on iTunes and Zune. As a
result of a fun-filled family vacation to Sanibel
Island last spring, Emily Irby Grimes shared that
she now has a “granny like passion for shuffleboard” - in fact, she is the proud owner of her
own equipment! Emily and her boys (first and
second graders) started the summer early by
missing the end of school so they could follow
Dad to Canada for a Formula One race (work for
him, fun for the rest of the family). They loved
the “high class noisy race”, touring Montreal, and
visiting Vermont where they learned how to milk
a cow! Emily had a blast at a family reunion at
Fishing Bay in June where she got to see
Elizabeth Covington, her husband John and
son Marshall. The Grimes family enjoyed spending a good part of the summer at the river catching
fish and crabs, playing cards and games, swimming
and riding bikes together. Seeing St. C alums is one
of the bonuses of being in Fishing Bay. In addition
to spending time with her mom and sister, Emily
also got to see Susan Trigg ’79 and Honey Trigg
Sachs ’75. As I write, Emily is “bacheloretting it
(plus two kids)” while husband Tom is in China for
five weeks working at the Olympic Games sponsored by his company Lenovo. Simone Peyton
Smith was excited to announce that her boutique Peyton Hall was moving to Stony Point, a
luxury boutique mall in Richmond. Sarah
Gibson’s daughter Ella ’07 is now a sophomore at JMU, son Coleman, a freshman at Ole
Miss and daughter Sally is an eighth grader at
St. Catherine’s (reminds Sarah of her days in Ms.
Presson’s math class!) Sarah has only recently
taken up the game of golf, yet she has accomplished what most golfers only dream about….
yes, you guessed it - she had a hole-in-one! As
those of us who have been playing for years
know, this is no easy task­—Congratulations!!
Margaret Coker Galloway said “life is good!”
She is still living in Greenville, South Carolina,
decorating part time. Her daughter Eleanor
graduated from Episcopal and is at Vanderbilt,
and son Rob is in the 10th grade at Woodberry.
Coker said she and Stacy Benner Lendrim
have been in touch a lot lately. Elizabeth
Cabell Jennings said “Parents’ weekend at
Camp Mont Shenandoah was like a mini St. C
reunion; I saw Jen Cox Evans, Mary Coyle
Evans and Susan Crenshaw Cary—and that
was just from our class! All of our daughters
seemed to be having a fine time and it was really
33
something to see these relationships extend into
a second generation.” Elizabeth’s two older
daughters were there for six weeks while her
youngest enjoyed being Queen of the House for
the summer and had fun participating in all six
weeks of Cat’s Cap. Elizabeth is very enthusiastic about the recent renovations of Ellett and the
upcoming renovations of Bacot. She said there
is a wonderful plan for a courtyard to honor all
of the boarding alums and a very exciting plan
to renovate Washington, enlarge the dining hall
and enlarge and renovate Mullen Hall (the science building). Elizabeth is also enjoying working with Gib Brockenbrough Staunton, who
joined the Board of Governors of St. Catherine’s,
bringing her professional experience in school
admissions as well as her long-time attachment
to the school. Although I unfortunately wasn’t
able to make it to Gib and Platt’s daughter
Merrill’s June wedding, the report from Nancy
Messina was that it was a wedding which
“trumped all others.” Nancy said that everything
from the perfect setting at Goat Hill Farm overlooking the James River, to the spectacular tent,
to the perfectly choreographed thunderstorm,
and, of course, the stunningly beautiful couple
made it an unforgettable evening! Nancy and
her boys sounded like they were having a fantastic summer spending a lot of time on
Martha’s Vineyard with her husband Darren
and his family. Carrie Reid Russell and family
had a “glorious white water rafting trip down the
Salmon River in Idaho” in the midst of a great
summer of sailing, kayaking and weekend travels. She visited Liz Reynolds Daus in DC and
Cecelia Soscia in Virginia Beach. Mason Hester
Graham, husband Dave and daughters Mary
Wells, 13, and Ellie, 5, are happy living in Keswick
(just outside of Charlottesville). Mason just began
her sixth year of selling commercial real estate
which she has greatly enjoyed. She recently took
a trip to Las Vegas for the International
Convention for Shopping Centers and is working
on her CCIM designation, which is employing all
of the math talents learned from Mrs. Bass in
PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY
We welcome your photos for the class notes,
either in digital or print form.
Digital photos must be of good quality: at
least 3 X 5 ’’ and 300 dpi. Please email class
notes photos to [email protected].
Prints will not be returned unless specifically
requested. Please mail them to:
St. Catherine’s School,
6001 Grove Avenue,
Richmond, VA 23226,
Attn: St. Catherine’s Now
class
notes
’83
25th REUNION April 4-5, 2008
Correspondent: Lynn Broos Grassell, P.O. Box 6,
96 Willow Lake Road, Pinedale, WY 82941
e-mail: [email protected]
Matthew (center), Lucy and Chris are the children of
Annette Williamson McLaughlin ’82 and her husband
Michael.
high school! Mason said it was great catching up
with Janie Covington ’83 who happened to be
in her last class. Jen Cox Evans keeps in touch
with Mason and stopped by the Grahams’ on
her way to deliver her daughter Peyton to Camp
Mont Shenandoah. Mason said Jen seems to be
quite happy with her career, her three children,
and living in Louisville. Your correspondent
Maria spoke with Louise Sloan and hoped to
see her over the summer as we are only about 15
minutes apart in Maine. Louise has been the psychology editor at Ladies’ Home Journal since
January. Louise has a couple more book projects
in the works. She wouldn’t mind eventually
working exclusively from home which would
give her the flexibility to spend more time with
her son Scott, who turned 2 in June. As if her job,
writing books and Scott aren’t enough to keep
her on her toes, Louise told me she rented out
her apartment as a location for the cop film
Brooklyn’s Finest starring Richard Gere. She said
“My place is where Gere’s character, a cop, lives
in a loveless marriage with a banker wife. They
were shooting last Wednesday. I got to see
Richard attempt suicide in my bedroom. Nice.
Why not a sex scene, for crying out loud?! They
painted my bedroom to look all depressing, so
I’m breathing in paint fumes as we speak since
they had to paint it back. There were scenes in
my kitchen/breakfast nook and in my living
room, too. And my toothbrush (among other
belongings) appears in the film as ‘Richard’s
toothbrush’.” Now, for a small world story…we
were invited to a Baltimore friend’s house to
watch the Kentucky Derby along with some of
their “DC friends.” Well, we walked in and discovered that one of the “DC friends” was the one and
only Anne Douglas Freeman Levine! What a
great surprise to see her, and how exciting to find
out that we are lucky enough to have the same
great friends in common! The world gets smaller
and smaller every day! Who have you run into
that might have unexpected St. C connections?
Let’s hear from some of you quiet ones out there!
Lisa Pearse ’82, a medical doctor with the U.S. Army, and
her sons Sean (13), Patrick (10) and Michael (15).
’82
Correspondent: Maura Maguire Gaenzle,
1835 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA 23220
e-mail: [email protected]
Cassell Barnard FitzHugh had a very busy
summer after the May 7 birth of William Mason
FitzHugh. Mason joins his three sisters, Peyton,
Campbell and Cassell, and they are all so happy
and excited! While McKenzie Reed van Meel
was in Richmond visiting family and friends, she
caught up with both Norma Littleton Shepard
and Kathryn Thurman LeBey and their girls. Kathryn ran into Cassell’s husband John and
also Margaret Street Cochrane at Camp
Greystone in Zirconia, North Carolina, where
they all had daughters attending the August session. It turned out that Margaret’s and Kathryn’s
10-year-old daughters were even bunk mates! McKenzie is going to participate in a photography exhibit for breast cancer survivors in
Greenwich in the fall and continues to be a great
crusader for early detection. As part of this charity event, she is also going to be modeling as a
survivor in the annual fashion show sponsored
by a Greenwich retailer. Patty Eichner Mouer
has been staying busy. Along with all the activities for their two sons, Jim, age 13, and Wade,
age 10, Patty is the Rector of St. Luke’s Episcopal
Church in Asheville, North Carolina, and her
husband Joe is the Academic Dean at Christ
School, an Episcopal boarding school for boys
just outside of Asheville. Rick and I had dinner
with Annette Williamson McLaughlin and her
husband Michael and had a great time catching
up. Annette continues to work in New York City
as director of human resources, learning and
development for a professional recruiting firm. It was lucky that Annette happened to have a
photo of their children, Matthew, age 9, Lucy, age
7, and Chris, age 2-½, to share with all of you. Annette hopes you will call her if you get to the
Big Apple! Hope you have a great fall and please
send news and photos.
34
After bugging all of y’all with my e-mails your
correspondent was finally able to get just a small
bit of information from SOME of you! Thanks
for keeping me updated and NO…your lives are
not boring! The reunion was fantastic. We all
hope to see those who could not attend at our
next! Helen Hamilton Horsley says she and
Garrett thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone who
came to our class party. It was especially great to
have Cleland Moore Threipland and Anne
Brockenbrough join me as the three gals who
traveled the farthest (London, Texas and
Wyoming)! Cleland’s daughter Mary Carter is
now 7 and is in year three which is second grade
in America. Lewis is 4 and in Reception which is
pre-school. Over the summer vacation they
traveled to Scotland (Edinburgh) for 10 days and
then to Northern Germany (Hamburg and
Berlin). Glad your world travels brought you to
the reunion Cleland! Reunion thanks to:
Margaret Wood Atwood who worked hard to
make the wonderful DVD that helped us remember the “Glory Days” and Anne Noel Jones
Dawson for her tireless work fund raising for
our Reunion gift. Congratulations to Dina Farley
Foster who received the “Distinguished Alumna
Award.” She is so humble and deserving. Sallie
O’Connor Wright is very sorry to have missed
the reunion. Sallie says, “Funny you should mention ‘what are you reading?’ I’m actually reading
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld and it is really taking me
back to my St. Catherine’s days. Although, of
course, the school in the book is co-ed—that’s a
tad different. But still, so much of it boarders can
relate to. I have one daughter—she’s 7 and her
name is Sarah Clay. She’s an animal lover like her
mom and we have two dogs, Dixie and Molly, a
cat named Skittle and a fish named Spike. We sort
of live in the country-in-the-city. Our house is
on a 9-acre pond and we therefore have several
other informal pets throughout the year like
frogs, caterpillars, and the like. My husband
Ricky is quite the yard-guy (thank goodness!)
and loves this time of year with all his new planting projects, etc. I work as a knowledge administrator with Circuit City. I totally love my job, as I
get to write and edit all day long, and do a little
web design. Margaret Atwood says “Eric and I
are reading Christopher Moore—we fight over
who gets to start the new book from the library!
He’s reading Fluke, and I’m reading Lamb: The
Gospel According to Biff, Jesus’ Childhood Friend.
class
notes
Sallie O’Connor Wright ’83 and husband Ricky
Helen Hamilton Horsley ’83 and her family visited classmate Lynn Broos Grassell and her family last summer in
Pinedale, Wyoming.
Anne Noel Jones Dawson ' 83 (left) and her daughter
Katherine visited with Anne Kenny Urban '83 (center), her
mother Anne Whitfield Kenny '51 and her two daughters,
Amelia (2021) and Lily (2020) in London last summer.
PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY
We welcome your photos for the class notes,
either in digital or print form.
Digital photos must be of good quality: at
least 3 X 5 ’’ and 300 dpi. Please email class
notes photos to [email protected].
Prints will not be returned unless specifically
requested. Please mail them to:
St. Catherine’s School,
6001 Grove Avenue,
Richmond, VA 23226,
Attn: St. Catherine’s Now
Hilarious and very interesting...could have happened that way, who knows! I love to hear about
new authors. Have you gone through the Janet
Evanovich Stephanie Plum series (One For the
Money, Two for the Dough,...) set in New Jersey?
Stephanie is a really bad but lucky bounty
hunter. Can you tell I love fun action books?
One summer I went through the whole Nero
Wolfe series. I remember my parents reading
them — detective novels set in the 20s in NYC!
Spending my time playing with the boys (Mason,
3, Archer, almost 2, Eric, 44!) and photographing
weddings and special events. “ Anne Noel
Dawson’s life has been busy. Her mother had
major surgery in May but is recovering and is
determined to get back to “normal.” Anne Noel
has been in and out of Richmond a lot since
April, and is almost on a first name basis with the
people at the rental car place. She took a family
vacation to London for a week: “had a great time
and our kids really enjoyed it, especially all the
gory history stuff, saw several plays and went
shopping, mostly window given the exchange
rate, though somehow we seemed to come home
with about 20 pounds of books all purchased on
the last day. Several small world experiences my daughter ran into one of her classmates in a
store (being 8 they were very nonchalant about
running into each other), I saw a friend from college and most importantly ran into Anne Kenny
Urban and family on Jermyn Street (in the midst
of our book buying extravaganza.) It was our
last day and they had just arrived.” Liz Grymes
Anderson went on a wonderful family vacation
with husband Richard’s side of the family to Lake
Norris, Tennessee, in the mountains. They still
live in Charleston, South Carolina, and love it,
but had a great time escaping the summer
humidity and heat on that trip. She and daughter
Kate Lee had a visit to Richmond in August and
planned to see Kathy Belew Carr and Anne
Harp Vaeth and their families. Laura Waddell
Custer graduated from nursing school in March
and passed her state boards. She is working as a
registered nurse at Henrico Doctors on the general surgery floor and loves it. Her 16-year-old
son got his drivers license this summer and she
was a complete wreck with him out driving!
Time goes by so fast...he actually took behind the
wheel at St Catherine’s from Coach McGinnis do you all remember him? He taught many of us
some years back. Anne Kenny Urban writes that
her biggest excitement is that her younger
daughter Amelia joined her big sister Lily at St. C
this fall. They are in Kindergarten and first grade
respectively. Stephenie VanderMeer Brinson
finally e-mailed that she celebrated her 20th
wedding anniversary in Rome, Florence and
Venice, Italy for 10 days with her wonderful husband Ken. She continues to practice medicine as
35
a nurse practitioner in a practice that does not
deal with insurance— cash only —and she loves
not having to play by insurance rules. Her
youngest Cason is in middle school this year and
her oldest Kenneth started driving this summer.
Ken continues to teach at NC State University.
Jayne Honey had a great time catching up with
everyone at our reunion, and only wished that
more people could have made it back for the festivities. She is teaching Pre K instead of practicing
law, and lamented the end of another fun Florida
summer with her husband, and sons Thomas,
sixth grade, and Will, third grade. She took
another walk down memory lane when they
spent the fourth of July week with her family in
Virginia Beach (including Kyle Honey, class of
2010), and both of her boys learned to surf. Jayne
says she was a nervous wreck: “the waves were
extra large thanks to Hurricane Bertha, but they
had a blast!” If anyone travels through Tampa,
please give her a shout. Preston Berry
Blackburn says her 12-year-old kept writing her
from camp this summer telling her she wasn’t
writing enough. “Her letters are great, filled with
all the cool stuff she is doing — what am I supposed to tell her: ‘today we walked the dog and
then we went to the grocery store’??? How boring can I BE!!!???” Preston was at a family reunion
at her parents’ house on the Piankatank River
“when this beautiful enormous motor boat
pulled up to the pier — it was Frances Talley
Herrington and her husband Preston and their
three kids in their gorgeous new boat. Which I
feel partially like we ought to help pay for since
their 10 year ‘let’s get a new boat’ plan turned
into a ‘get one now’ plan when the last time they
pulled up to the pier, their old one conked out on
the way home. I think Frances and Preston
enjoyed a first weekend away in it for their anniversary going up the bay. You would think I
would see Channy Austin Franko more often
since our husbands work together, but we are
pathetic too.” Lisa Pearse says that her boys
(Michael, 15, Sean, 13 and Patrick, 10) keep her
busy. “They are hip deep in Boy Scouts, and
when they aren’t out on some adventure they
eat. And eat. And did I mention that they eat?
Kevin and I are both still working full time
(Kevin at Walter Reed, me with the Armed Forces
Medical Examiner System), if for no other reason
than to keep the groceries coming in fast enough
to keep up with the guys.” Thanks to Kathleen
Hubbard Erwin who wrote that she finished her
psychiatry residency and has opened a private
practice, as well as doing some hospital work and
VA outpatient (lots of recently-returned vets in
this area). Her family all moved to Carlsbad
(about 40 miles north of San Diego), and she’s
enjoying hanging out with her sister’s family
around the corner — including a toddler nephew
class
notes
who calls her “Va-Va.” “Maybe he knows I’m
from Virginia? My stepdaughters are 10 and 12,
honors students, becoming expert skiers and
beach bums. Upcoming plans include a trip to
New Zealand.” Lucinda Kellam Jones lives in
Winston Salem, North Carolina, with husband
Chris and three kids: Bennett, 15, Isabelle, 12, and
Emma, 7. She can’t believe that she is old enough
to have one in boarding school – Bennett’s a
sophomore at Episcopal High School. She keeps
in touch with Amy Watkins Tankard who lives
on the Eastern Shore of Virginia where she grew
up, and is very happy with her two girls and
horses. Ginger Broaddus and her husband
continue to cherish every second of daughter
Mary Blair Whytsell’s toddler-hood (although as
she turned 3 in November, that’s aiming towards
“little girl hood”!) She enjoys her work as assistant vice president for academic affairs at Trinity
in Washington, DC. Trinity is part of the
Women’s College Coalition, since the undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences is a women’s
college. On Ginger’s fridge, courtesy of Trinity is a
sticker with a picture of four young girls. The
caption: “Expect the best from a girl. That’s what
you’ll get.” It’s a constant reminder for them of
what to expect from Mary Blair, but it resonates
so with Ginger, “for after all, that’s what St.
Catherine’s expected from all of us and what, I
like to think, it got.” Janie Covington said she is
sorry she missed the reunion and heard it was
fun! She said she is just doing the same old thing.
Laura Custer and Anne Matthews Dailey got
together for drinks at the Jefferson Hotel with
Jeannie Lane Ballentine a few weeks after
reunion when Jeannie, who is currently living in
Australia, was in Richmond for a brief visit. “We
had a great time catching up and shared lots of
laughs -it was just like old times!!!” Jeannie
moved to Sydney six months ago. She lives
across the street from the beach, which is beautiful. They’ll probably be there for a few years, if
anyone wants to come visit! They are heading to
the Great Barrier Reef in October. Betsy Macon
Dotterer sent in a threat that I had better
include in these notes her thanks to yours truly
for being the sole representative for the boarders
at our reunion. Betsy’s dad took her family for an
idyllic trip to the Bahamas this summer.
Daughters Sara and Townsend (St. C seventh and
second graders) enjoyed getting up close and
personal with sharks! Dearest Scottie Guinn
has had a lot going on this past year, some of
which is very emotional, so she has stayed in
touch with who she can and is just trying to get
settled. She has moved back East from LA to
Richmond. She is studying landscape design and
plans to continue her career in production too.
Most of all she is happy to start a new chapter in
her life and live with a better quality of life surrounded by loving friends and family. Mary
Chapman Boyd has such wonderful memories
of her days at St. Catherine’s, especially now that
she has entered the teenage years with her children Austin, 15, and a sophomore at Episcopal
High School; Hugh, 13; Crawford, 11; and Anne
Morrison, 8. If anyone finds herself in South
Carolina, call her! Ellen Dennis Garrabrant
had a really great time at the reunion and was
amazed at how we have all changed since high
school. She is very glad that she decided to
attend for that reason, especially with being able
to spend time with Lisa Pearse and her family
briefly. Ellen’s son is in third grade at St. Chris
and was selected to be published in a young
poets volume for Virginia much to her surprise,
since English was never one of her favorite subjects. She and her husband are helping raise three
nieces so she has been frantically reading multiple parenting books including Lawrence Cohen’s
Playful Parenting that has been helpful in trying
to put play back in interactions with all of the
kids. She recently decided to “try the role of stayat-home parent with hopes of keeping our
domestic life cleaner, to no avail.” She is ready to
return to work as a mental health clinician with a
local jail population! Amy Tankard lives on a
farm in Virginia with two young daughters ages
5 and 7. Jenny Schuh Stallings is living in Las
Vegas and working with Mandalay Bay Resort
and Casino. She has had lots of visitors - way
more than when they lived in Virginia. She
guesses Vegas is more fun to visit. HA! Their oldest daughter is in her senior year at VCU in
graphic design and will graduate this spring. She
is already planning on moving out to Vegas as
soon as she graduates. Finally from Sarah
Williams comes this report: “I have been renovating properties in Washington, DC, mostly at
the Watergate Apartments but also up in Maine
where my family and grandmother’s family
(Fanny Braxton Miller Williams, Class of 1907)
has been summering for many generations…I
have committed to and am running a seasonal
restaurant in the property we have bought and
recently renovated in my summer hometown in
southern Maine... (never wanted a restaurant...
just inherited one with the property. It has been
quite a challenge to say the least, but, after St. C, I
think I have been prepared to face any challenge
thrown my way, although at the moment, I am
thinking being a neurosurgeon might have been
a bit easier!..My cousin Judy Williams
Carpenter ’75 was married here July 30. She
had a pre wedding party outside at our restaurant (with stunning weather!) and sunset overlooking the water and it was a huge success!
Between my breakfast and lunch shift, I made her
36
bridal bouquet out of hydrangeas from the garden, freesia, roses, and lilies. Numerous St. C
grads were here. After the event everyone dined
in the restaurant on shrimp martinis, lobster,
scallops, and steak with our famous fresh baked
Maine blueberry pie, (all cooked by me!) and
blueberry ice cream! The ceremony was beautiful
and culminated in the singing of Jerusalem
which all St. C grads happily and confidently
belted out!” As for your correspondent, my husband Chopper and I enjoyed an all too brief visit
with Helen Horsley and her beautiful family in
Wyoming this summer. We hiked, boated, ate…
and ate…and ate…and all had a wonderful time.
It was great to see them all! In a post-visit e-mail
Helen wrote, “We got our sweet puppy today!
Ella is an 8 week old black lab. Ali, our other lab,
is 5, and seems to love her as much as we do. We
got a call on Monday saying we could get her,
and the next call was from the rug company.
They were letting us know that all of the rugs we
sent to be cleaned and repaired in June were
ready. Garrett and I think we may leave them
there for as long as possible! (December sounds
about right!)…It’s 91 degrees here and I got
about 20 mosquito bites playing with Ella after
dinner. What a change from the 38 degrees our
car registered as we passed Granite Hot Springs
on route to the airport in the early a.m.” Chopper
and I are still enjoying the west with our children,
Will, 14, Megan, 13, and Mary Margaret, 8, who
are happy and healthy! We are treasuring every
minute! Let me hear from you for the next issue!!
’84
25th REUNION April 17-18, 2009
Correspondent: Elizabeth Camp Hanson,
6 Westham Pkwy., Richmond, VA 23229.
e-mail: [email protected]
Mark your calendars! Reunion is just around the
corner. Please make plans to join us the weekend
of April 17 for a grand party to celebrate our
25th. Thanks to everyone who has stepped up to
help out in some fashion. I’m sure more of you
will be called upon soon to help ensure this is
the best reunion ever. On the news front, Temple
McNeer reports that after a six-year hiatus, to
stay home with her daughter Lilly Grey, she is
back teaching elementary art in the Seattle Public
Schools and loving it. Additionally three lost
alums have been located. Jennifer Wyer Bull
is in Atlanta playing violin. Kit Flynn is running
her own design firm, Kit Flynn Creative, from
Portland, Maine. Talbott Hoskins Roche is in
California looking forward to all our reunion
plans. See you soon!
class
notes
Surf's up for Ashley Brinson Cusack '85 and Dede Keyser
Davis '85.
’85
Correspondent: Windy Campbell,
204 Seneca Road, Richmond, VA 23226
e-mail: [email protected]
Mary Rucker Sherman Radford and Michelle
Briere Finn met up in Washington, DC, in May
to walk in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
After training for four months, they walked 39.3
miles in two days, spending the night in tents
in between. Their team raised $42,000 towards
breast cancer research and programs in the
DC area, and the DC walk as a whole raised
$8.1 million. It was an incredible experience
for both of them, one that they shared with
Michelle’s daughter Caroline’s fourth grade
class at St. C. “We talked to the girls about the
importance of the St. Catherine’s motto,” Michelle
wrote. “We also wanted them to see how far
their St. Catherine’s friendships could someday
take them, telling them our story of our friendship over 30 years, and counting! The fourth
graders were extremely moved and wrote us
thank you letters of encouragement which we
shared with our teammates on the walk. Mary
Rucker and I are so grateful to all of our St.
Catherine’s friends who supported us for the
walk this spring, we could not have done it without them.” Ranjitha Kurup and her husband,
Robert Munn, celebrated their successful year
of their San Diego-based software development firm, Emergent Path (www.emergentpath.
com). They celebrated by taking a well-deserved
trip to Europe – while their daughter Shala
attended Cat’s Cap at St. Catherine’s this summer
while staying at the home of Ranjitha’s parents.
Ashley Brinson Cusack, Liza Kenan Howell,
Courtney Overcash Kilpatrick, Dede Keyser
Davis and their spouses celebrated the girls’ 40th
birthdays in Costa Rica last year. Courtney and
Liza were happy to be landlubbers while Ashley
and Dede braved the waves surfing. Dede says
Liza “daringly was the first to take off on the
world’s longest zip line while we all watched in
Basil ("Beau"), son of Sarah Spencer Hurst ‘86, was born
Sept. 2, 2008.
amazement. The size of her shadow on the trees
below was miniscule.” As Dede says, 40 IS the
new 20! Liza continued her adventures stateside
this past summer, when she and her husband
Drew took their four kids on a 21 day RV trip
through Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier
National Parks. “It was awesome and such an
incredible learning experience for everyone!”
says Liza. Kemper Williams Thornton has spent
the last 10 years volunteering for the Children’s
Home Society of Virginia – a statewide adoption agency – and they loved her so much, they
handed her a job in their development office this
year! Rosalyn Tanner Orr also is doing more
good deeds, running The Barnabas Network, a
nonprofit organization in Greensboro helping
families and individuals who are experiencing
a crisis or setback by giving furniture, transportation and job training. Thanks everyone for
writing in and sending pictures. It’s always fun
to hear what classmates are up to so please continue to write!!!
’86
Correspondents: Sally Yowell Barbour,
10346 Nash, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Ashley Power O’Connor,
207 South Lee Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
e-mail: [email protected]
Greetings classmates! Many thanks to all of you
who wrote to share your news. As our lives
get busier, with families and travel and writing and teaching, I know it becomes harder to
find the time, but for those who did write, your
classmates appreciate it! For your bookshelf:
Sara Ruffin Costello, the creative director at
Conde Nast’s Domino magazine, has written
The Domino Book of Decorating, published by
Simon and Schuster and coming out October
15. Out West: Pam Talley Lancaster and her
husband Geoff are living in Las Vegas. They
37
Harry and Bill are the sons of Amy Taylor Belcher ’88.
love the mountain scenery and are big poker
fans. She stays in touch with Cary Ballou and
Cary Marshall. In Los Angeles, Stephanie
Rosanelli Faul is adapting to her new last name
and enjoying married life, having recently celebrated her first anniversary. Her niece started
St. Catherine’s in the fifth grade this year. Time
marches on! Overseas: people are busy too! Liz
Gilbert is now living in Kenya, dividing her time
between writing a new book and working on
community projects at her fiance’s lodge. She
has just opened a new shop at the lodge working in partnership with the Maasai (check it
out at www.shompolecollection.com.) Deming
Herbert is still in Montpellier, France, and is
planning to defend her dissertation by the end of
the year. In the meantime, she continues to teach
English at the Université Paul-Valéry as well as
French to American exchange students through
the university’s International Relations department. And Mary Frances Overton Ludolph
brought her three kids back to Virginia for a
family reunion, and toured the state during the
summer before returning to Hamburg, Germany.
My co-correspondent, Sally Yowell Barbour,
manages to find the time to train for triathlons
with three kids. And as for me, my job at SOM
keeps me busy traveling around the world; when
I am home, I don’t train for anything, but rest
with family, which we all should do every now
and then!
’87
Correspondent: Leigh Wafle Stoffel,
109 Woodland Road, Fredericksburg, VA 22401
e-mail: [email protected]
Hi friends and fellow classmates turning
40. Copeland Sakowski Casati writes that
she is busy with her businesses: copeland casati
media c3, Green Modern Kits, Green Cottage Kits, “and…something launching this fall.” She is happy to have begun construction on her own netzero home. Congratulations! Copeland enjoys
seeing ReRe Lawrence Bernstein whenever she
class
notes
William Haynes is the son of Walker Wilson ’88.
Gray Hamilton is the daughter of Mallory Wood Norvell ’89.
is in town. Michelle Gelardi Carpino had a great
summer off from teaching world geography
and world history at Kempsville High School
in Virginia Beach. She spent extra time with
her four children: Richard, 13, Catherine, 12,
Caroline and Elizabeth, 9. She’s busy planning another girls’ outing with good friends
Justin Summey Yurkon and Crystal Cochrane
Stephen to top their last trip together! Clarke
Anderson Osborne shared that she and husband Nick spent baby Harry’s first birthday at
Wrightsville Beach. Wesie Liggett Sprunt
’88 and her three girls were eating cupcakes
with them and taking care of baby Harry. Clarke
also saw Julie Caldwell, Jennifer Cleveland
Elam and Dorothy Shuford Lanier ’89 at
a party. Clarke is still working at Nissan and
reports that Nick has a movie coming out
next March called All About Steve and starring Sandra Bullock. Jennifer is heading up the
St. Cat’s national Alumnae Board, the “Ellett
Board” this year, as well as working at her new
job as assistant director of St. Michael’s Parish
Day School (her daughter’s preschool). It is
part-time with most of the summer off, and
Jennifer basically runs the business end of the
school. As for your correspondent, I am great in
Fredericksburg, Virginia, where the most exciting
thing last summer was the discovery of the actual foundation of George Washington’s Ferry
Farm boyhood home. Come visit and see! big brother Harry is nearly 3. Both are really
busy — boys through and through – running,
jumping, climbing. Katy Dew Amling is doing
well, still splitting time between New York and
Palm Beach. Penny Penniston reports that
in May, Cammie Covington Mackie and her
family stayed with Penny for a Chicago visit.
They did a whirlwind tour of the city complete
with a Cubs game, a Chicago Improv show and
Millenium Park. Also last spring, Penny got to
see Grayson Gillespie Butterfield, Meridith
Rentz, Gaye Gregory and Sarah Paul Cabalu
for a weekend in Gloucester, Virginia. Back in
Chicago, Penny’s daughter Zoe is starting preschool in the fall. Penny optioned a screenplay
to a producer that she met through the Tribeca
Film Institute, and next spring, Theater Wit will
be doing the world premiere of her new play
Spin. Carrington Mangum Angel saw Meg
Brown Parobeck in Richmond this spring and
reports that Meg’s boys are adorable. Carrington
is now in private practice with Johnston, Allison
& Hord, a medium-sized firm in Charlotte. She
too has boys — Carter is now 5, and Davis is
almost 3. Also in “Boy-Land” is Walker Armfield
Wilson, whose son Jack is enjoying being the big
brother to new brother Wil, born in April. Jane
Hodges is living in West Seattle, not too far from
the water. She still enjoys being a freelance writer,
mostly writing about real estate and business
(Wall Street Journal, Seattle Times, MSNBC.com
and such) but also, occasionally, fun stuff (she
has an astrology column in Southwest’s airline
magazine). If anyone travels west, look her up!
[email protected]. Last, but certainly not
least Ann Rothrock Beattie has recently published a memoir called Tengwe Garden Club —
My Story of Zimbabwe. Ann was living in NYC
after college and went on safari in Zimbabwe,
where she met a guide, fell in love and moved
there a few months later. Ultimately she married
and had a son with her husband Dave, a tobacco
farmer, but with all the political unrest in the
country they had to return to the US. This is the
story of her time in Zimbabwe and the story of
how she and her husband met and fell in love,
’88
Correspondent: Susan Grymes Lafferty,
608 Beverley Drive, Alexandria, VA 22305
e-mail: [email protected]
Margaret Siewers Hunter got a vacation from
her three and headed to Bermuda this summer.
They got stranded there because of Hurricane
Bertha, but Margaret was not complaining!
Amy Taylor Belcher is just trying to keep up
with her two boys. Bill turned 1 on May 31, and
38
Sam is the son of Breene Farrington Wesson ’89 and
Mackenzie is the daughter of Key Giles Michel ’89.
Charlotte and Caroline are the daughters of Breene
Farrington Wesson ’89 and Giles is the daughter of Key
Giles Michel ’89.
and it discusses her life in Zimbabwe during the
tyrannical rule of a dictator. To find the book, go
to www.lulu.com.
’89
20th REUNION April 17-18, 2009
Correspondents: Mary Birgel Dehnert,
1201 Hammel Road, Greensboro, NC 27408
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Breene Farrington Wesson,
22 Plymouth Road, Summit, NJ 07901
e-mail: [email protected]
I have had the pleasure this summer of seeing lots of my St Catherine’s friends, and my
favorite thing is how we don’t miss a beat when
we see each other again, even if years have
passed. Regrettably each visit was too short,
but I loved seeing everyone and catching up. When in Richmond in July, I saw Melisa Dray
Hudson, who was visiting from her home in
Tokyo with her 2-1/2-year old daughter Adell. We met at the playground with Kennon Stout
Ibbeken and her two adorable little girls. I also
saw Elizabeth Davenport Edmonds, who is living in Richmond with her family (Jack, 7, Annie,
4, and Charlie, 1). I was sad to miss Suzanne
Wishnack Morris, since she lives in Richmond,
but she was away for a family vacation on a lake
class
notes
in Michigan. I was happy to see Eve Grandis
Campbell and her adorable new baby Hatcher
(big brother Walker was at home), Marshall
Trow Lynch, Jane Wright Hunter and Paige
Hazell Ames. Back in New Jersey, I am fortunate to see Key Giles Michel and her family
In attendance at the wedding of Brandy Wood ’89 and
Bart Lewis were Jennifer Toone Taylor, Lesly Shepardson,
Heather Morgan Zifchak, Brandy Wood, Blair Whitley and
Meghan Stone Thomas, all members of the Class of ’89.
Nora Penelope, born June 22, 2008, is the daughter of
Rebecca Britt Phelan ’90.
(Giles 3-1/2, Mackenzie, 1) often, and to see
Anne Rhodes Huneke down at the beach with
her children Reid, 3, and Ted,1-½, and husband Ben. I was also happy to hear from many
more of you than last time! Blair Whitley
reports that she recently started a new job at a
production company called BES Television in
Richmond and loves it! Blair and Katrin Cisne
Currens were extras in a movie called The Box
starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden,
which should be released later this year,
and Blair trained to run her third marathon, the
Richmond Marathon, in November. Meghan
Stone Thomas is now chasing three kids, 3 and
under as she had her third baby, Eliza Corbett
Thomas, who joins a big brother and sister. She
loves it. The family moved into a bigger home
in Arlington last summer too. Meghan has
enjoyed several trips back to Richmond including the Ampersand Reunion at St. Cat’s last
October. Brandy Wood is as colorful as ever! She got married on the 4th of July to her “long
time sweetheart” Bart Lewis in a fabulous dress
that had the stars and stripes on it. She was married in her father’s yard in a ceremony of their
own creation. St Catherine’s was well represented by our teacher, Jane Howells, and Meghan
Thomas, Jennifer Toone Taylor, Lesley
Shepardson, Blair Whitley, Ursula Howells
and Brandy’s super star bridesmaid, Heather
Morgan Zifchak. Brandy is an associate pro-
Katrina Elaine, daughter of Susan Tatum Hochgesang ’90,
was born April 24, 2008.
Sarah Jarrett Sweeney and Elizabeth Flynn Sweeney, twin
daughters of Sallie Smith Sweeney’90, enjoyed Memorial
Day Weekend 2008 in Cape May, N.J.
ducer on the Newport Jazz Festival and the JVC
Jazz Festival New York, and is also doing promotions for festivals in Whistler, Miami Beach and
Jackson Hole. Her husband continues to produce
and arrange albums and has been writing songs
for a new group in NYC which Brandy says
reminds her of all the wild hair metal bands she
used to see in high school. Heather Zifchak, husband Pete and daughter Mary Elizabeth still live
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She writes
that “life is a race when you are chasing a toddler!” She enjoys coming onto campus twice a
year for Ellett Alumnae Board meetings. Blanche
Toms Bruns and her husband Jon took their
children to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, last summer for a family wedding, and then took the
kids to Old Faithful in Yellowstone where they
got engaged nine years ago! They had so much
fun being there again and showing Sophie, 7,
and first grade, and Henry, 5, in kindergarten,
where Jon proposed! Biz Elder Read moved to
Richmond in the summer of 2007 from Culpeper,
39
Virginia. They had been in Tampa, Florida,
before that. Her oldest child Liza is a second
grader at St. Catherine’s. Liza, Ned and Mason
have made great friends with the children of
other ‘89 families, such as Donnan Thompson
O’Keefe’s children and Elizabeth Edmonds’ three.
Biz and Kirk enjoyed a UVA reunion with Key
Michel and her husband Rich at the beginning
of the summer and saw Dorothy Shuford
Lanier and Jane Molster Hines at the beach
in August. Dorothy and her clan also caught up
with Mary Birgel Dehnert at Figure Eight this
summer. Dos is still designing for DOSTY and
living in NYC with her husband Cliff and two
children. She has been spending some time with
Jane Hines and her clan since they moved back
stateside from London. Jane and her husband
Whitfield have four children and are living in
Manhattan. Leslie Abercrombie Noland
is still in Fairfield, Connecticut, where she also
has a chance to see Dos every now and again. Leslie’s husband Pat and their three kids William,
Hallie and Christopher have been in Fairfield
now about five years and love being so close to
New York. Leslie was in Athens, Georgia, visiting some old college friends and spent some
time with Donnan O’Keefe who was also in on
the girls’ weekend. Mallory Wood Norvell
is loving life with baby Gray who turned 1 in
September. Mary Katherine Owen Redd
has three children and lives in Memphis. She
still gets home to Tunica quite often when she
is not busy chasing after her brood. Cobby
Young Witherington and her husband John
are in the midst of building a new house in
Alabama, which is keeping Cobby very busy
along with working and raising three children. Mary Dehnert and her husband Rick are still in
Greensboro. Mary spent a week in France last
spring sightseeing with her sisters and visiting
old family friends. Mary’s daughter Anne is in
first grade at Canterbury School while Helen
has one more year of preschool. Mary also had
a chance to catch up with Walker Armfield
Wilson ‘88 while at the beach and meet her new
baby Will. Cindy Levinson Lefkoff and family
rented a beach house in Virginia Beach where
they saw Margaret Siewers Hunter ‘88
and her extended family. Cindy’s sons Jonah,
5, and Asher, 3, also had a fun play date with Eve
Campbell, her husband Hank and their two boys
Walker and Hatcher. Back in Richmond, they
got together with Suzanne Morris and her children Ramsey and Georgia. Cindy also enjoyed
a fun girls’ night out with Suzanne, Paige Ames
and Elizabeth Edmonds. Back in Boulder they
finished out a fun and busy summer with lots of
rock climbing and swimming. Cindy continues
doing development work for the boys’ school,
class
notes
Morgan Hardage Engel, Duval Reams Fisher, and Melissa Kennedy Whitley enjoyed an outing with other 1991 classmates.
and the whole family is gearing up for ski season!
Finally Jane Wright Hunter is still enjoying
Charlotte and the crazy life of raising three kids. She recently launched a new online gift boutique
called Organica Deluxe with a St. Chris alum and
his wife. Check it out at www.organicadeluxe.
com —they have some great stuff! ’90
Correspondent: Mary Kathryn Large Hoffmann,
12408 Chadsworth Place, Glen Allen, VA 23059.
e-mail: [email protected]
If you see a tired stork flying around, it’s because
our classmates have kept him busy over the
past year!! Lisee Goodykoontz Sherrill and
her family welcomed baby number four, a
boy named Mac, who joins sister Mimi, 7, and
brothers Gordon, 5, and Luke, 2. Lisee spent a
weekend this summer at Virginia Beach with
Caroline Wallace Delaney, where they met up
with Lee Addison Lesley and Francine Brown
Mathews. They enjoyed catching up while their
families played in the sun. Meghan McAuley
Davis, husband Paul and older brother McAuley
welcomed a baby boy Porter in November
2007. Daughters and first children were born
to: Susan Tatum Hochgesang (Katrina Elaine
in April) and May Mountcastle Webb (Grey
Winburn in March) and Rebecca Britt Phelan
(Nora Penelope in June). May and her family
still reside in NYC, and she returned to her job at
HBO in late July following her maternity leave.
Sallie Smith Sweeney is keeping busy with
14-month-old twin girls, Sarah Jarrett and
Elizabeth Flynn, and her daily commute from
Baltimore to DC, where she works for NASA.
Monique Cheng Joe was promoted last spring
to senior counsel at NBC Universal Studios,
and her son Dylan started walking this summer.
Both milestones are keeping her even busier! I
received a fascinating and extensive update from
Rosie Lokhorst, which I’ve had to condense so
that I could include news from other classmates!
Rosie currently lives in both Zug (Switzerland)
and Berlin (Germany). She works for Microsoft
as a global service executive for the company
ABB (Asea Brown Boveri – they produce energy
plants, robotics, etc. and have 100,000 employees). She writes: “It is very interesting, as my
customer is huge and all over the world, so I
travel a lot and have a large international team
that works with me, which gets me to use my
languages and experience new cultures.” When
Rosie isn’t working she busies herself with various other endeavors: “I also own a company on
the side that does international finance advice
for environmental and humanitarian projects,
i.e. in Africa…And lastly, I am part of some organizations that focus on enabling and motivating
more women to pursue information technology
careers. In Switzerland we are partly funded by
companies like Hewlett Packard and Microsoft,
and partly by the government, and are building up mentoring programs and are holding
speeches at schools and universities. I also
started to write screenplays. I have written a few
short animation stories that got published on TV
here and have spent three months working as a
production assistant on a children’s movie in Los
Angeles.” Your correspondent and family relocated to Richmond from Atlanta at the beginning
of last summer. It’s wonderful to be back in my
hometown, close to my parents and my sister
Elizabeth Large Lee ’89. I’ve reconnected with
a few classmates since my return and would love
to catch up with more of you!
40
Lilly is the daughter of Duval Reams Fisher ’91.
’91
Correspondents: Morgan Hardage Engel,
120 Kennondale Lane, Richmond, VA 23226
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Alice Gold Sharp, 4914 Evelyn Byrd Road,
Richmond, VA 23225 e-mail: [email protected]
Hi, Classmates - I hope you are all having a nice
fall! It has been a very busy one for your correspondent and family as we moved back to
Richmond, and spent the summer unpacking. It
has been so nice to be here, and I have run into
many old St. Catherine’s friends around town. I
am especially excited to report that my daughter Isabelle is in St. Catherine’s Kindergarten.
Even more exciting, she is joined by Vaughan
Sanderson (Lane Hoofnagle Sanderson’s
daughter), Ivy and Carrington Sharp (Alice
Gold Sharp’s twin daughters) and Lila Ford
(Hampton Harrell Ford’s daughter). I have
enjoyed meeting and getting to know these
adorable girls and catching up with their
mothers at the same time. I also ran into Cary
Jamieson at Lowe’s in late June. Cary was
married to Andrew Miller on June 14 and had
the reception at Berkeley plantation. I viewed a
few of her wedding photos on Facebook, and
she looks gorgeous (and the groom is cute too!)
I have spent some time with Larkin Willis
Nash in both New York and in Richmond.
She has been busy finding and moving into a
new apartment in Manhattan and getting her
2-year-old son Oliver successfully enrolled into
preschool in the Big Apple (both of these things
are huge accomplishments in New York - think
The Nanny Diaries!) Betsy Trible Reid received
her M.A. degree in educational leadership from
class
notes
VCU last June. This degree will allow her to pursue opportunities in school administration. She
is “thrilled about having no more night classes
and relieved that my kids and husband can have
real dinners again and not Ukrop’s pizza twice a
week.” Congrats, Bet-C! Betsy also got to have a
quick visit with Laura Underhill Norment and
her son Tait when Laura was on her way through
Richmond for a horse show last summer. Betsy
reports that Laura looks fabulous and seems very
happy in New Bern with her family and her horse
business, Graham Place. Duval Reams Fisher
says that she loves being a Mom to her daughter
Lilly, who turned 1 last April. One of Lilly’s favorite
playmates in Raleigh is Ben Brewer, the son of
Lucy Tanner Brewer ’93. Melissa Kennedy
Whitley and I got to go out with Maria
Spalding Hadlow for a Bon Voyage dinner in
mid-July. Maria and her family have moved to St.
Louis with Wachovia Securities. We were sad to
see her go! Maria says that Seth, her 5-year-old
son, has been a wonderful big brother to daughter
Parker Blair Hadlow, born on April 24. The move
from Richmond to St. Louis was a cross-country
car trip (including the dog) which was the acid
test of family togetherness. Elizabeth Ross
Fitzgerald reports that she had a fun summer
between a family beach trip and a trip with friends
to Northeast Harbor, Maine. Elizabeth and her
husband Rob have also started a program with
the March of Dimes and Seton Hospital in Austin,
Texas, to give all families who lose an infant a
special heart necklace and grief information. The
program is doing very well and just received a
$10,000 grant to help fund the NICU program for
2008. Thanks for all of the news and look forward
to hearing from you next time!
’92
Correspondent: Townshend Addison Fonville,
201 Santa Clara Drive, Richmond, VA 23229
e-mail: [email protected]
Thanks to those of you who have been keeping
your fellow St Catherine’s alumnae up to date on
your lives. Alison Monroe Martin made a career
move from practicing law with O’Hagan Spencer
to working for the Virginia Public Defender’s
Office. For many years Alison has been interested in working with the underprivileged and I
know we can all agree she’s just the person our
public courts need. Alison - Good luck to you!
After having her second son Douglas in the fall
of 2007, Lisa Page Vincent Carter has returned
to teaching. Lisa Page is working part-time for a
home school co-op, Westminster Academy, teaching biology. Congratulations to Lisa Page for both
little Douglas and for jumping back into teaching. I
Colin Charles and sister Avery are the children of
Rachel Easterly Gagen '94.
need to turn the direction of the class notes to our
dear classmate and friend Leslie Butrico Waff.
As most of you know Leslie and her husband Jud
lost their daughter Mary unexpectedly in May just
before her third birthday. Mary was the light of
their lives and brought joy to everyone who had
the precious opportunity of knowing her. Never
was a little girl so sweet and full of life and losing
her is nothing short of tragic. She will forever be in
our lives and I reach out to you to help her memory live on in the Mary Sivils Waff Scholarship
Fund. This important endeavor will provide the
opportunity for a young girl to experience St.
Catherine’s as we did, who otherwise would never
have had that chance. I can think of no better way
to honor the daughter of our fellow alumna than
to establish a St. Catherine’s Scholarship in her
name. What we keep we lose and only what we
give remains our own.
To contribute to the Mary Sivils Waff Scholarship
Fund, please send your contribution to: St.
Catherine’s School, Attention: Development
Office, MSW Scholarship, 6001 Grove Avenue,
Richmond, Virginia 23226. You can also go to
www.st.catherines.org, follow the links to “Giving”
and “Make a Gift Online,” and make a donation via
a secure server. Please be sure to type “Mary Sivils
Waff” in the “In Memory of” box.
’93
Correspondents: Page Boyette Curtin,
784 South Oakland Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91106-3723
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Nell Pittman Sutlive, 951 Dean Drive, NW,
Atlanta, GA 30318 e-mail: [email protected]
It was great to see so many folks in April
at Reunion. Despite the 15 years that have
passed, some things never change – what a
fun weekend! A special thanks to Mr. and Mrs.
Featherstone for opening up their home to host
41
the class party on Saturday evening; it was the
perfect venue to catch up with everyone. Class
of ’93 families are continuing to expand. Charles
Anderson Clark joined Dory Jenkins Clark,
her husband Chad and big sister Claiborne in
October. Coincidentally, Margie Ford Smith
and her daughter McLean happened to be in
Washington, DC, that weekend to cheer on
Mary Ford ’95, who was running the Marine
Corps Marathon, so Margie and McLean got to
meet Charles in the hospital. Charles also has
enjoyed meeting Anna Katherine, the daughter
of KK Harris McCart. KK and her husband
are back from their adventures in Italy and are
living in Alexandria, Virginia. Marion Basto
Stephens and her husband Harper also have
a new addition to their family, with Marion
Graham arriving in February. Marion, Harper,
baby Graham and big brother Harper moved
from Manakin-Sabot to Richmond over the
summer. Letitia Harris Amey, her husband
Glenn and son Logan welcomed another boy
Miles in June. Henry DeWitt Brewer, son of Lucy
Tanner Brewer and her husband Josh, also
made his appearance at the end of June, joining
big brother Ben. In addition to a new baby (Mary
Gaughan arrived in November, joining big sister Elizabeth), Page Boyette Curtin and her
husband Chris relocated to Palo Alto, California,
in late August. On a final note, a beautiful coffee table book, Private Gardens of Georgia written
by Helen Mattox Bost and her mother Polly
Mattox, is already in its second printing. It can be
found on Amazon.com for those of you who are
interested in checking it out.
’94
15th REUNION April 17-18, 2009
Correspondents: Armistead Talman Ramsey,
3060 Kenmore Road, Richmond, VA 23225
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Julie Ann Raymer Wash,
4106 Park Avenue, Richmond, VA 23221
e-mail: [email protected]
Guest correspondent: Megan Robertson
Lowden. Armpie sweet-talked me into compiling the class notes this go-‘round, so here’s
what we gathered: Lots of moving and babies.
Whitney Dalton Melton is in Richmond keeping
up with a very busy and adorable 18-monthold boy named Booker and second son Towles
English Melton, born in September. Whitney is
also a new member of the Richmond alumnae
board of St. C. Elizabeth Tilghman Valentine is
enjoying motherhood in DC with 9-month-old
Stella Tilghman Valentine who is quite a cutie.
class
notes
Rachel Easterly Gagen says son, Colin Charles
Gagen, born in June, seems to be adjusting well
despite the occasional “headbutt” from his big
sister, 2-year-old Avery. The Gagens are happily
settled in Lynchburg, Virginia, and in regular
contact with Martha Freitag Carpenter. The
Carpenters are living in Chattanooga, Tennessee,
with their two children. Mary New Dalton
is also feathering her nest in Lynchburg. She is
thoroughly enjoying the renovation of a beautiful old home, and putting her creative stamp
on every decision. Rumor has it that Ashley
McCowen will be joining the orthopedic group
in Lynchburg. Karrie Burnham Southall is in
Richmond, having dodged a move to St. Louis
with Wachovia. Instead she joined a start-up
registered investment advisory firm called
“Riverfront Investment Group.” She is enjoying
motherhood with her nearly 4-year-old son
Richmond, and her 1-year-old daughter Keagan.
Sarah Coffey Elliott and her husband Rhett
have found their way back to Charleston, South
Carolina. Sarah loves the travel perks associated
with her position as the sales manager for a local
catering service. Sarah also passed the first level
sommeliers exam. She enjoyed catching up with
many boarders at Christian Swiers Marini’s
fun wedding and bachelorette party. Heath and
Sara McGeorge Galloway’s son Wint, born
in May, is constantly showered with kisses from
his big sister, 2-1/2-year old Holland. Sara is
enjoying a break from her law career and loving
every second with her babies! Laura Ferrell
Gardner celebrated her graduation from U of
R Business School this spring and continues to
work at Davenport. She and husband David
have a gregarious terrier named Gruff who
keeps them on their toes. Julie Betts has finally
come back to the U.S. after a two plus year stint
in London. She is still working with the investment firm Greenhill & Co., but lives in New York.
Shelby Harrell Geyer has been in Jacksonville,
Florida, for a couple of years, but the family,
including two dogs, two cats, and 15-month-old
daughter Mary were readying for a big move
to Marblehead, Massachusetts. Shelby and her
husband Rory were trying to figure out how to
accomplish the move without losing their minds.
Elizabeth Marston Bollinger reports that her
family has also moved recently to the Houston,
Texas, area. Nina Luxmoore is “doing nothing exciting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.” Sounds
like an oxymoron to me! After seven years of
teaching at St. Catherine’s, Christy Fairman has
gone back to school. She lives in Williamsburg
with her adorable dog Weezie and is working on an m.s. degree in biology at William &
Mary. She is particularly interested in the history
of Williamsburg and feels a kinship with the
Colonials. Clair Parrish is unable to report her
own status as she is somewhere in the woods
out West. Not sure where, but rest assured, she is
having the time of her life as an instructor with
NOLS. Virginia Welford Taylor Miracle and
husband Jed have finally settled in Washington,
DC. They relocated so that Virginia could take a
job in Digital Word of Mouth Marketing, which
is what she has been focusing on for the last
four years or so. Jed is working at the National
Cathedral, and they are both enjoying keeping up
with 1-year-old Fletcher. The best part is that they
named their child after the Chevy Chase character “Fletch.” Virginia says that Jed pulled a “Jedi
mind trick” on her by calling the baby Fletch “in
utero.” Regardless, Fletch is a fabulous name. Julie
Ann Raymer Wash’s daughter Anne Kinsey
is a great help to her mom who is still managing
to successfully run a children’s clothing business, www.kikicollection.com. Anne Kinsey also
enjoys being a big sister to brother Ned, born in
July. Armpie Talman Ramsey is keeping herself
busy chasing 5-year-old Talman and 2-year-old
Shepard around. In early August, Anne Harper
Charity married James Christopher Hudley in a
special ceremony at her parents’ home in Varina.
Anne and Chris live in Williamsburg where Anne
is assistant professor of English and Linguistics
at The College of William & Mary, and Chris is a
child and family therapist. Anne was awarded a
three-year appointment as Sharpe Professor of
Community Studies that will allow her to focus
her teaching on service learning courses. She has
written a book chapter with her sister, Renee
Charity Price ’96, chair of the history department at St. Catherine’s, which suggests ways to
foster African-American girls’ participation in
classroom discussion. The chapter will appear
in an edited collection on African-American
women’s language. Anne is also currently coauthoring a book for educators with Christine
Mallinson on language variation and change.
You can learn more about Anne’s work here:
http://web.wm.edu/sharpe/faculty/sharpeCSminorprof.php?&=&svr=www. And I, Megan
Robertson Lowden, am thoroughly enjoying
living in Richmond with my wonderful husband
Vie and the light of our lives, 19-month-old
Francis Viele Lowden V, “V.” I started my own
business, Lowden Design Consulting in January.
I am working full-time as a design consultant
helping local interior designers with all aspects of
their businesses from office organization, marketing and corporate identity, to fabric and furniture
selections. One last note. It seems that most
people I heard from mentioned a love for/addiction to facebook.com...I won’t name any names,
but I will say that I think it is an excellent tool to
get back in touch!
42
’95
Correspondent: Sophie Milam,
1905 17th Street, NW, Apt. B, Washington, DC 20009
e-mail: [email protected]
Sarah Tune Price and family spent the summer
in the Adirondacks. They moved houses within
Richmond. Sarah is enjoying a bigger kitchen
and more yard for Kathryn, who is 2, and
Teddy, who is 4. Anne Wilkins is still working as a Pediatric PT in Richmond. She sees
Kelly Dalch Spraker and Anne Hulcher
Tollett periodically around town, as well as
Marie-Claire Bouquet Ayers. Anne just
competed in the XTERRA eastern championships with a relay team for the adventure
triathlon. Anne was the swimmer for the
team, covering a little more than one kilometer in the James River downtown in under 24
minutes. Her team of all “seal team” physical
training members came in third for women’s
relay teams. Congratulations Anne! Marie-Claire
and husband Mason’s son James is glad to be
in the same preschool with Kelly Spraker’s
son Charlie, and Laurin Merrick Armfield’s
daughter Hatherley. Sarah Wayland Bell,
who was married last May, lives with husband Geoffrey in Lynchburg, Virginia. Ashley
DiYorio Slemp has been teaching ballet at
the King George Ballet Company & School in
King George, Virginia, for almost two years. She has five classes of girls and boys ranging
in age from 2-1/2 to 9. Last December they
performed The Nutcracker. More recently,
Ashley’s students preformed The Little
Mermaid, for which Ashley choreographed
and taught four of the pieces. In addition to
teaching, Ashley has started taking classes and
performing again herself: she performed on
pointe for the first time in 15 years! Ashley’s
oldest daughter Adriana is one of her best
students and was in both The Nutcracker and
The Little Mermaid. Her younger daughter
Katherine is starting to pick up some of the
moves too. Talent runs in the family!
PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY
We welcome your photos for the class notes,
either in digital or print form.
Digital photos must be of good quality: at
least 3 X 5 ’’ and 300 dpi. Please email class
notes photos to [email protected].
Prints will not be returned unless specifically
requested. Please mail them to:
St. Catherine’s School,
6001 Grove Avenue,
Richmond, VA 23226,
Attn: St. Catherine’s Now
class
notes
Alice Buchanan ’97 was married to Ashley Scott.
’96
Correspondent: Laura Spratley Birdsey,
1575 Beau Pre Lane, Charlottesville, VA 22901
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Robyn Melzig, 1724 17th Street NW #26,
Washington, DC 20009
e-mail: [email protected]
With so many of us on facebook, your correspondent Robyn was able to find some long
lost friends and liven up the class notes. Anna
Martin Maas is living in lovely Louisville,
Kentucky. Her husband Ben is the rector of St.
Andrew’s Episcopal Church in the Highlands.
They have two sweet kids, Elliott, 3, and Lauralee,
1. She’s served on the board of the Louisville
Historical League for the last five years and edited
their publications. She recently served as assistant
editor and staff writer of Competitions magazine,
which covered international architecture competitions, but now works as an architectural
historian and preservation planner for John
Milner Associates Architects and Archaeologists.
Her nieces Mikaila and Sarah Casasnovas attend
St. Catherine’s in seventh and eighth grades;
Sarah had Renee Charity Price for a teacher
last year and Mikaila has her this year! Amanda
Menendez lives in Seattle where she helps small
artisan and trade based businesses grow through
her own consulting business. She loves her work
and her clients are amazing, brilliant and creative
folks who inspire her daily. She’s also launching
a second business (Dez Designs, Inc.) designing
and fabricating products. Before Seattle, Amanda
was traveling around China directing videos.
She ran into Georgia Heyward Youngquest
Henry James is the son of Abby Rhodes Brown ’97.
in the woods on the peninsula in Washington a
few summers ago. Georgia and her husband live
in New York City and she works as an elementary and ESL middle school teacher. Alexandra
Ellen Ebrahim is also in NYC and has been
traveling and entertaining visitors. At the end
of June she stayed with Louise Irwin Welch in
London before she continued on to a work trip
in Nice, France. Highlights were Wimbledon and
a concert in Hyde Park with Betsy Robbins
Michau. After that her sister Catherine Ellen
’98 visited her in NYC. They had a great time in
the city and also enjoyed relaxing in the suburbs
of Morristown, New Jersey, where Alexandra’s
in-laws live. After that Molly Starke Martin,
Elizabeth Cane and Maria Tucker Frostic
came to visit. They had a blast shopping in Soho,
dining in Central Park and touring the NYSE! If
anyone else plans on coming to NYC, please let
her know. Hobby Williams is still living it up in
NYC having left Charlotte Moss and started her
own interior design business, Hobson Design,
with projects in and out of the city. She moved
uptown and is so happy to be near my fellow
correspondent Laura Spratley Birdsey and
her husband Robert. Hobby loves catching up
with fellow STC girls over Facebook! Katherine
Austin Vest Smith and husband Sidney moved
back to Charleston last January and had twin
girls in February! Kendall Howard Tidey and
her husband Will also have a new little one
named Henry. Congratulations Katherine Austin
and Kendall! Emily Pastore Abell’s adorable
son Wyatt will be 6 in September. Austin Lane
Kane moved to Alexandria and is now a policy
specialist at the National Wildlife Federation.
Maria Tucker Frostic’s puffin film which she
shot in Iceland last year has aired on National
Geographic’s PBS show, Wild Chronicles. The
43
The wedding ceremony of Windsor Jones ’97 and Drew
Betts included Addie Wood (2019) and Frost Wood (St.
Chris 2017).
film is the result of a Fulbright scholarship that
sent her to Vestmannaejar, a tiny beautiful island
off the southern coast of Iceland, which happens
to have the largest breeding colony of puffins
in the world. Maria also has a short web video
on ocean dead zones up on her work website,
NASA.gov, check it out! Also see http://www.
inrich.com/cva/ric/search.apx.-content-articlesRTD-2008-07-22-0118.html
’97
Correspondents: Ali Braswell,
4008 B Brook Road, Richmond, VA 23227
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Whitney Dunlap, 8402 Spring Ridge Way,
Richmond, VA 23229-7269
e-mail: [email protected]
Brett Golladay Degnan and Dan’s daughter
Erin “loves her new role as big sister” to Leap
Day baby boy Keller John, who Brett says “is a
very friendly and easygoing baby.” Elizabeth
Chapman Arguelles graduated from VirginiaMaryland Regional College of Veterinary
Medicine with a DVM last May. She and Dave
welcomed their first child, Everett Chapman
Arguelles on August 23. Both mom and baby are
well. The first weekend in May was a blockbuster.
Asheley Ashbridge Jewett and Mathew’s
daughter Madison Elizabeth was born May 2,
and Abby Rhodes Brown and Dave welcomed
Henry James on May 3. Also on May 3, Alice
Buchanan married Ashley Scott at St. Stephen’s
Episcopal Church. They celebrated their nuptials at the Country Club of Virginia. Many St.
class
notes
Mona Amelie is the 1-year-old daughter of Leila Haddad
Abou-Assi ’98.
Catherine’s and St. Christopher’s alumnae were
in attendance. Jenni Grandy was a bridesmaid, Elizabeth Sartoris was maid of honor
and Elizabeth Green Blanton was matron
of honor. After the wedding Alice and Ashley
honeymooned in Costa Rica. Alice has left her
job at the University of Richmond to pursue her
MBA full time at the University of Richmond.
After Cameron Miller completed her first year at
UVA’s Darden School she interned for a venture
philanthropy firm in San Francisco. She is enjoying working with Whitney Parker Kestner
’94 on the Darden Admissions Committee.
Sara Litchult Spring and Ada Montague
made the trip to Fernie, British Columbia, in the
Canadian Rockies where Sarah Thompson
married Chuck Bird on July 12. Sara is working
as an Environmental Consultant for ENCAP,
Inc. in Sycamore, Illinois. Caroline Tilghman
married Trey Packard on August 2, and they
are living in Charlottesville while he attends the
business school at the University of Virginia.
Claudia Giacomini got married on September
27, 2008 in Bardonecchia, a small town in the
Alps. She moved from downtown to the hills
quarter in Turin with her husband Paolo Cavallo.
Carlene Kirby is happy that one of her reviews
was included in her college alumni magazine
(Haverford College). In addition to her internship/ course of sorts on the foreign exchange
market, she has been volunteering through New
York Cares in between catching up with friends
in the area. Jessica Jacobs Roussanov and her
husband love living in Philadelphia where he
is a professor at Wharton business school at
the University of Pennsylvania. She is working on her Ph.D. in medieval history. Their son
Peter Jacob Nikolaevitch turned 2 in September.
Archer is the son of Bettie Antrim Dansby ’99.
Catherine McCoy Driscoll and James moved
back to Richmond from Switzerland in October.
Stephanie Stahl is the senior relationship banker at RBC Bank in Atlanta, Georgia.
’98
Correspondent: Laura Tripp Philips,
215 W. 95th Street, Apt. 17 M, New York, NY 10025
e-mail: [email protected]
It has been a busy few months for everyone in
our class. The foundation that Rachel Hiner
started in San Diego called Sun Strides has
received nonprofit status! She and her group
went to Arusha, Tanzania, for their first project.
“The plan is to install solar panels on a school
and this trip is to get everything set to be completed in January 2009.” Kira Siddall was working with Rachel in Arusha for the entire two
month trip. Westbrook Johnson has moved to
Portland, Oregon, where she has a job with the
Multnomah County Circuit Court. She would
love to have visitors. Sarah Evans Hogeboom
lives in Austin, Texas, and works with corporate communications and public affairs for
the public relations agency, Edelman. Teisha
Smith-Harrison lives in Pittsburgh and has
one more year in law school. She worked with
immigrants this summer for a non-profit law
firm. Andrea Budzinsky Garvey got married to
a Navy Commander/Senate Foreign Relations
Committee staffer named Patrick Garvey in
Washington, DC last summer. She works for
Mayor Fenty in D.C. and is in charge of publishing all of the rules, regulations, laws, etc. for the
government of DC. “If anyone is in Washington
I would love to see them!” Sarah Redmond also
44
lives in DC and teaches at The Barrie School. She
worked last summer to create a new 12th grade
humanities curriculum based on the question
“What does it mean to be human?” Sarah took a
group of her students to India in May, directed a
production of Godspell at Shrine Mont’s Music
and Drama camp last summer, and enjoyed outside theatre productions in NYC. Burns Ackerly
and Weezie Hood spent a year teaching in
Honduras. Burns taught kindergarten and Weezie
taught first grade. It was an amazing experience for both of them that they will not soon
forget. Burns is now back in Richmond teaching
kindergarten at Beulah Elementary School in
Chesterfield. Weezie has moved to Wilmington,
North Carolina, where she teaches elementary
school. Ashley Holmes is also living in North
Carolina. She has been teaching, but is now
in law school at UNC. Annie Byrd Hamnett
lives in Charleston, steadily growing her PR and
marketing business, ByrdHouse PR. She is the
proud mother of a Bluetick Coonhound puppy
Birdie who is keeping her very busy. Ashley
Sauer Oswalt left Charleston and moved to
Mobile where she is a preschool teacher. Marnie
Wilson left Knoxville and moved to Richmond
to be a business development manager with The
BOSS Group. Audrea Watlington moved back
to Columbia, South Carolina, where she works
in public accounting and has bought a house.
Meg Roach is still living in NYC but started a job
at Columbia University working in undergraduate academic affairs advising students who are
applying for fellowships. Carrington Alvarez
also lives in NYC. She is teaching 10th grade
English, going to grad school at night, and loving
Brooklyn. Your Correspondent Laura is enjoying
life in Manhattan and excitedly planning overnight environmental ed. trips for my fourth grade
students. I hope everyone is enjoying the fall!
’99
10th REUNION April 17-18, 2009
Correspondent: Lindley Harding Stakem,
219 Hartmans Mill Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
e-mail: [email protected]
I’m proud to announce we have caught up with
the social networking revolution and
formed a St. Catherine’s Class of ’99 Facebook
group. Look us up and join if you haven’t
already! There will be announcements and info
as we prepare for our reunion this April. In the
meantime, we’re staying busy: Carrie Emerson
Coyner and her husband Matt welcomed their
second son, Mason Alexander, in August. Carrie
reports they are all very happy and adjusting
to being a family of four. While getting her M.A.
class
notes
degree in International Affairs at GWU, Sarah
White spent her summer in the busiest place –
Beijing. Lauren DuBois was married August 23,
2008 with three classmates by her side: Tucker
Bayliss was her maid of honor with Kathryn
Williams and Mary Catherine Bain as bridesmaids. Bettie Antrim Dansby and husband
David welcomed a baby boy to their home in
Washington, DC, in April 2008. (See photo.) Mary
Catherine Bain made the move to Washington,
DC, from Charleston, South Carolina, and enjoys
her job with US News & World Report as the
business development manager for health and
science. After graduating from UVA law school
in May, Abi Huitt Mackenzie and her husband
moved to Queenstown, New Zealand, where she
practices with a local firm. Lizzie Ellen had a
busy May, graduating from MCV with an M.D.
degree and marrying Alex Holtan, a J.D./M.B.A.
student at UVA. She’s doing her internal medicine
internship at VCU Health Systems and plans
to spend summer 2009 in Georgetown doing
her anesthesiology residency. Jessie Palmore
Yancey studied Shakespeare in Oxford, England,
for her master’s program last summer. She earned
her M.A. degree in August, and then headed back
to Nashville for another year of teaching English.
After four great years, Lara Gilman left her job in
Boston doing cost of living research and headed
to France for her business degree —- she might say
she’s going for the excellent cheese and wine in
France instead! Evie Grosenick is in her second
year of University of the Pacific law school in
Sacramento, California. Sarah Gillespie started
physical therapy school at MCV this fall. Ann
Chandler Pastore graduated from SCAD a few
years back with her M.A. degree in interior design
and historic preservation. About a year ago, she
moved to Charleston, South Carolina, to work as
a designer. She’s with Haute Design working on
projects for residential, small-scale commercial,
retail and some hospitality design for new, old
and/or historic construction. Between the writers’ strike and some tough decisions, Lassiter
Wall decided to end four great seasons working
on the set of One Tree Hill and moved back to
Richmond. She’s working at Rainmaker Studios
as the studio coordinator and really enjoys being
back in Virginia close to friends and family. Way
down south, Julia DuVal got a new gig running the marketing department at Paramount
Real Estate Services in Jupiter, Florida. It appears
Nashville, Tennessee, is suiting Kathryn Williams
quite well. Her book, The Debutante (published
by Hyperion Books for Children) hit bookstores
May 20 and she spoke to the Upper School on
May 16. In addition, her gift/humor book titled,
"Roomies: Sharing Your Home with Friends,
Strangers and Total Freaks," was published by
Chronicle Books in September. Tucker Bayliss
is at Style Weekly in Richmond as an account
executive and manager of Belle and Home Style.
Molly Bennett works in LA as a production
coordinator, mainly on feature films. This summer she wrote “I’m wrapping up a film right now
with Ashton Kutcher and Anne Heche. Not the
intelligent indie I got in the business to make, but
those come in between the paychecks!” Nan
Stikeleather is still in Charlotte teaching at
Trinity Episcopal School but graduated with
her M.A. degree in teaching in May and moved
from fourth grade back to second grade. Julia
Ogden is an HR generalist at VCU exhausting all
the school has to offer by taking classes towards
an M.A degree in adult education. She visited
Abi Mackenzie in New Zealand over Christmas
break. Carter Worrell moved to Charleston,
South Carolina, in early 2008 working for Garden
& Gun Magazine, but is on the move again. As of
August, she and her boyfriend are spending a year
in Australia while she’s training to become a certified Pilates instructor and working as a freelance
writer. Maggie McCaa married Leeland Simmons
last April and they are living in New Zealand for
the next three years. Margaret Crews finished
law school at Catholic College in Washington,
DC, and moved to Charlottesville. Also in
Charlottesville, Ann Whitham received her M.A.
degree in urban and environmental planning in
May 2007 from UVA and works as a transportation and community planner. Lauren Glass is in
New York working for an educational consulting
company. She’s taking in all the Big Apple has to
offer. “New York has been really interesting and
I am slowly starting to adjust to it. It is a good
place to be for now, but I look forward to eventually returning to a less crazy pace of life.” Laird
Roach is still in NYC, but has moved downtown
to the West Village. She’s coordinating PR/event
planning for Harrison & Shriftman. She has a
Pomeranian puppy named Charlie. Kathryn
Jefferson married Michael Pruitt in November
2007 at a beautiful ceremony and reception at
the Turks & Caicos Islands. Katherine Jennrich
finished up grad school in May 2008 after completing a dual-degree program with an M.A.
degree in Environmental Management from
Duke University and an M.B.A. degree from UNC
Chapel Hill. She was quickly hired by Wal-Mart
“at their headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.
I’m on the Energy team, doing sustainability and
energy efficiency, primarily working with our
supply chain.” Jill Hutchens graduated from
University of Richmond Law School in May, then
spent the early summer preparing for the Virginia
Bar in July...”not sure what I will be doing after
that, but that’s about all I can handle right now
anyway!” As for your gossip consolidator, I’m
safely settled in Charlottesville with the hubby,
dog and cat. I’m still traveling to Princeton, New
Jersey, and NYC every other week for work, so
look me up. I never know where I’m gonna be!
45
Class of 2000 Friends Ibbie Hedrick, Elizabeth Irwin and
Catie Keiger spent last Memorial Day together.
’00
Correspondent: Elizabeth Sinclair Irwin,
95 MacDougal Street, Apt. 3A, New York, NY 10012
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Grey Hardin Taylor, 118 Torrington Avenue,
Fletcher, NC 28732 e-mail: [email protected]
After spending several years in Atlanta with fellow
classmates Maggie Temple, Nicole Dicharry
and Molly Leatherman, Becca Logue flew
the coop and moved to Charlotte with her
chocolate lab Mowgli! Still working with Lee
Addison Lesley ‘90 for TurqJewelry, Becca
is planning a trip to Puerto Rico this fall – too
bad that Ashley Taylor will no longer be there
to show her around! Ashley moved to NYC at
the end of August to participate in Columbia’s
Teachers College. She can be sure to run into fellow classmates, as Elizabeth Irwin and Lindsay
Cowles have been talking about organizing
a St. Catherine’s mini-reunion of sorts! After
being promoted to senior account executive at
Alberta Ferretti at the beginning of 2008, Lindsay
is managing sales for all of the U.S. retailers and
managing their own mono-brand stores in New
York and Los Angeles. Even with her adorable little
French bulldog named Mimi, Lindsay has been
a traveling fiend – Milan for Fashion Week in the
spring, summer weekends out in Amagansett at
the beach, LA to see Kate Marshall, Charleston
to see Megan Gross, Atlanta/Charlotte to see
Becca Logue... Lindsay is everywhere! Oh, and
her hairless hamster business has taken off as
well – where does she find the time?! Lindsay’s
not the only one who spent the summer traveling. Irwin spent Memorial Day weekend in
Richmond and hung out with Catie Keiger
and Ibbie Hedrick. Two weeks later she was
in Bethesda, Maryland, with her mother Dede
Deane Irwin ‘68 and aunt Eleanor Deane
Bierbower ‘75 for cousin Ricky’s graduation
from high school. Irwin completed her first (and
potentially last!) sprint triathlon in Philadelphia
at the end of June, heading the next weekend to
Breckenridge, Colorado, to hike up the 14,265
class
notes
feet of Quandary Peak, then out to Chicago for
a week away from the office before spending
a weekend in Debordieu, South Carolina, with
her dad and his family! In August Elizabeth was
in Richmond to celebrate her mom’s birthday
and then back again in September to see Louise
Irwin Welch ‘96 during her vacation to the
States from her home in London. Still based out
of NYC, Elizabeth Clinard spent the summer
doing a production of Bye Bye Birdie at North
Shore Music Theatre outside of Boston. As
though that were not enough, Elizabeth also set
up a website that includes photos and info about
all of the shows she’s been working on – www.
elizabethclinard.com – check it out! When Katie
Brinkley Persson wasn’t kept busy tracking
a viral outbreak in NY about an hour outside
Manhattan, she’s been working on the condo she
and her husband Jonas bought in West Philly.
See, the day after they got it, they gutted the
kitchen themselves... and ever since they’ve been
putting it back together again! Helena Bell came
to visit the happy couple in late July, becoming
fast friends with Katie’s adopted pit bull Belle.
Katie and Alex O’Keefe headed back to their
second year of vet school this fall. Camilla Wells
celebrated her April move to Alexandria, Virginia,
by getting her very own puggle puppy in July. I
can confirm that Leela is about as cute as can be
(I saw pictures) though Camilla could work a little
on the photo distortion software she was using!
Camilla is working as the program manager
for Outreach for the NSEP Boren Scholarships
and Fellowships at the Institute of International
Education in DC. There are lots of St. C classmates
in DC for Camilla to hang out with. After putting
on a successful World Taxpayers Associations
conference, Elizabeth Terrell joined the David
All Group, L.L.C., a modern media strategies
agency. During her first week, Elizabeth ran into
Catherine Mason (on her way to the Center
for Strategic and International Studies) on the
metro. While Stephanie Sharer still enjoys
bopping around town in her Rav4 listening to
Fighting Gravity’s greatest hits, she spends most
of her time working at the U.S. Department of
PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY
We welcome your photos for the class notes,
either in digital or print form.
Digital photos must be of good quality: at
least 3 X 5 ’’ and 300 dpi. Please email class
notes photos to [email protected].
Prints will not be returned unless specifically
requested. Please mail them to:
St. Catherine’s School,
6001 Grove Avenue,
Richmond, VA 23226,
Attn: St. Catherine’s Now
Members of the Class of 2001 and other alumnae gathered for the wedding of Ginger Tripp ’01 and Judson McAdams.
Row 1 – Kendall Priddy, Alexis Martirosian, Natalie Martirosian and Olivia Cronly Wages. Row 2 – Linda Southworth,
Debbie Andrews Dunlap ’70, Sally Brydon Booth ’68, Lucy Trice ’05, Laura Tripp Philips ’98, Ann Tripp ’04, Ginger Tripp
McAdams, Ginny Sutton, Kit Murphy, Molly Newcomb ’06, Sloan Howell ’03 and Margaret Norfleet ’02. Row 3 – Ann
Souder ’68, Anne Taylor Leitch Moorman ’68, Elsie Dickinson Hovis ’68, Sally Cooke Newcomb ’65, Blair Dunlap, Ida
Trice, Helen Harrison Tripp ’68, Jackie Harrison Mason ’74, Laura Moore Harrison ’35, Meredith Williams Squire ’73, Dee
Dee Butler Sutton ’76 and Mary Atkinson Stone ’68.
State in Consular Affairs, focusing in Passport
Services - Office of Legal Affairs. Ibbie Hedrick
has been keeping it real in DC, working hard
but having fun. She took a 10 day break in July
to go to Krakow, Poland, for her brother’s wedding — Nazdarovia! Last May, Adrienne Taylor
received her M.A. degree in education from UVA
with Laurie Douglas ‘99 sitting just two seats
over! Ceremony couldn’t compete with alma
mater camaraderie, and the two had a quick chat
mid-procession! Adrienne is very excited about
her achievement, and not just because she doesn’t
have to drive to Charlottesville each week! After
five years in Charlottesville and a brief stint in
Philadelphia, Ann Robertson Vaughters and
her husband Charlie are back in Houston, Texas,
and loving it! Ann started her pediatrics residency
at Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s
hospital in June. For the next three years (and
perhaps for a fellowship after that!) that’s where
they’ll be! Ann loves working with her co-residents and the children, and she’s really excited to
have moved into this career path! Anyone who
wants to come down for a some real Tex-Mex, or
maybe even to catch a country music show and
go line dancing, give Ann a call! Moving back to
Birmingham in April was great decision for Katie
Rutledge, who is now working at the University
of Alabama at Birmingham as a genetic counselor.
Her grandmother gave her a grand welcome with
parties to make sure she felt right at home and
met lots of people... including, apparently, the
unofficial Elizabeth Irwin fan club comprised of
college friends who are long-overdue a visit – it’s
a good thing that Katie has a guest room, because
Irwin might need to come down for a visit sometime soon!
46
’01
Correspondents: Evan Garrison,
670 Wyndham Woods Circle, Harrisonburg, VA 22801
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Ida Trice, 2218 Tunlaw Road, NW, Washington, DC
20007 e-mail: [email protected]
Congratulations are in order for many 2001
Saints. Britt Childs and Brendan Staley married at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church followed
by a reception at The Country Club of Virginia,
James River Clubhouse. After a honeymoon at
The Homestead, Britt and Brendan are living in
Rosslyn, Virginia. They are considering visiting
Mary Childs ’04 in Egypt as their Honeymoon
Part II. Your correspondent Evan really enjoyed
seeing several old classmates at Britt’s wedding
and watching Brendan and his groomsmen
perform a choreographed dance to “Soldier Boy.”
Holly Dew and Tommy Roper were married at
Historic Christ Church in Urbanna, Virginia, followed by a reception at the Indian Creek Yacht
Club. Bridesmaids included Emily Valentine,
Blair Dunlap, Mary Davenport Williams,
Kathleen Gehring, Meghan Durham, Louise
Hallberg, Sarah Lawson and Virginia
Satterfield. Mary Williams and husband
Neal went to Bermuda for their first wedding
anniversary. Tess Leppert is in the Accelerated
Second Degree Nursing program at VCU School
of Nursing. Ida Trice bought a condo in Glover
Park in DC and started in the Family Nurse
Practitioner Program at Georgetown this fall.
Candace Domayer is finishing up her last year
of grad school at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.
class
notes
’05
Correspondents: Cameron Brickhouse,
8353 Charing Lane, Glen Allen, VA 23059
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Elizabeth Taylor Jeffreys,
817 Mill Road, Goldsboro, NC 27534
The wedding of Mary Frances Newton ’03 and Preston Bannard: Row 1 - Gussie Johns Bannard ’73, Elizabeth Lahendro
’03, Mary Frances Newton Bannard, Carter Southworth ’03 and Whitney Adams ’03. Row 2 - Julie Johns Saunders ’71,
Ruthie Hill Klinck ’80, Jeanne Johns Cassin ’70, Page Cassin, Preston Bannard, Scottie Caldwell ’03, Emily Jumet ’03,
Keenan Caldwell’03 and Maria Blackwell ’03.
Blair Dunlap changed jobs at the beginning
of the year and now works for the advertising agency RTC Relationship Marketing in
Washington, DC. She thoroughly enjoys her
job as an account executive and working in the
heart of Georgetown. Julie Griffith as always
has either a new show or project going on. Mary
Williams, Laura Fiery and I loved her fundraising show Underworld which spotlighted
many of Broadway’s understudies.
’02
Correspondent: Courtney Keriann Boone,
1101 Haxall Point, Unit 602, Richmond, VA 23219
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Margaret Norfleet, 222 W. 20th Street,
Apt. 15, New York, NY 10011
e-mail: [email protected]
Sara Kane has just returned to Washington,
DC, from a stay in Ireland and Italy. She visited
Aline Rau in Dublin, who is currently studying
at the Royal College of Surgeons. In Italy, she
studied and performed opera. There, she saw two
fantastic operas, and the Verona Opera Arena,
where Carmen was performed in an old gladiator
arena. She is teaching music at St. Thomas More
Cathedral School and singing at Stars Bistro on
weekends in Dupont Circle. Caitie Mattingly
moved to Carrboro, North Carolina, and is in the
third year of graduate school for a joint M.Ed.
degree in community and school counseling. She also works as a school counseling intern at a
local middle school. Karen Rossi got married to
Miguelangel Burdier on September 7, 2007. Last
May, she received a B. A. degree in psychology. She’s back at graduate school for an M. Ed. degree
in special education and general education while
working as a teacher and therapy coordinator
for children with developmental disorders.
Caroline Harmon is in her second year of law
school at University of Virginia. In July Thursty
Taliaferro began working as a media planner
at Special Ops Media. She had been working
on the advertising accounts of Digital Universal
Music and First Look Cinemas. Laura Bojarski
continues to work for Accenture and lives in
Charleston, South Carolina. Kristy Matthews
served as a board substitute in Henrico County
in spring 2008. Now, she is excited to be teaching her first full year of kindergarten in Henrico
County. Sarah Garnett married Jonathan
Winks (St. Chris class of 2002) in March. Mary
Chandler Touhey has published a novel!
The Lady and the Moon was published by
PublishAmerica last summer. As for me, Keriann
Boone, I traveled to Thailand in April/May, and
then finished up my year living and teaching
English in Okayama, Japan. At this writing I am
planning to return to California in September
and apply for law school there. Last May, Elspeth Berry graduated with
honors (general & departmental) from Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Elspeth received the Woodrow Wilson Research
Fellowship Medal along with 15 other scholars
during a special ceremony at the Johns Hopkins
University Club. She returned to Hopkins in
the fall to begin graduate school in the Classics.
Katie Boykin led a group of William and Mary
students on a mission trip to Honduras. The
group taught Bible stories and health education
in secluded villages in the country. Let us hear
what exciting things the rest of you are doing!
’06
Correspondents: Janie Coleman,
17 Clarke Road, Richmond, VA 23226
e-mail: [email protected]; and
Jennifer B. Taliaferro, 1444 Tanglewood,
Abilene, TX 79605 e-mail: [email protected]
’07
Correspondents: Charlotte Harvey,
832 Wren Road, Gastonia, NC 28056;
and
Margaret Shaia, 11413 Barrington Bridge
Court, Richmond, VA 23233.
e-mail: [email protected]
’03
Not much news from our class other than a
few transfers. Eliza Blackwell is at Clemson;
Ashley Davey and Maria Wyllie are at UVA;
and Katherine Gray is now at the University of
Richmond. Please send us your news!
’04
Correspondents: Caroline Kasper, Dennison
University, 7204 Slayter Union, Granville, OH 43023.
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Andrea Williams, 941 Morton Street,
Camden, NJ 08104.
Correspondents: Whitney Adams,
1410 North Scott Street, #742, Arlington, VA. 22209
e-mail: [email protected];
and
Vaughan Gallins, 5100 Pecos River Trail, Apt. 1907,
Fort Worth, TX 76132 e-mail: [email protected]
5th REUNION April 17-18, 2009
Correspondents: Joan Barnard,
4807 Pocahontas Avenue, Richmond, VA 23226;
and
Mimi Kennedy, 3020 Belvedere Avenue, Charlotte,
NC 28205 e-mail: [email protected]
47
’08
Correction: Allie Baylor is at UVA this year. (St.
Catherine's NOW apologizes for incorrectly listing
her in the Summer 2008 issue as being enrolled at
Sewanne University.
for the
record
Marriages
1975 Judith Williams Carpenter
to Dean Hawthorne
1984 Selene Kaye Deike
to Christopher S. Swezey
1989 Elizabeth Ranson Wood to Bart Lewis
1991 Judith Cary Jamieson to Andrew Miller
1995 Margaret Alice Reynolds
to Richard M. Livingston
1997 Claudia Giacomini to Paolo Cavallo
Sarah Binford Thompson to Chuck Bird
Caroline Harrison Tilghman
to Trey Packard
1998 Andrea Alexis Budzinsky
to Patrick Garvey
Births and
Adoptions
1986 Sarah Spencer and Basil Hurst, a son,
Basil Leonard IV “Beau”
1987 Shannon Conner and Megan Holley,
a son, Samuel Nowka
1988 Walker Armfield and Christopher Wilson,
a son, William Haynes “Will”
1989 Mallory Wood and Frank Norvell,
a daughter, Gray Hamilton
Meghan Stone and James Thomas,
a daughter, Eliza Corbett
1990 Meghan McAuley and Paul Davis,
1993 KK Harris and Kevin McCart,
a daughter, Anna Katherine
1994 Martha Freitag and Christopher
Carpenter, a daughter, Caroline Marianne
Rachel Easterly and Ryan Gagen,
a son, Colin Charles
Whitney Dalton and Tad Melton,
a son, Towles English
Julie Ann Raymer and Paul Wash, a son,
Paul Edward III “Ned.” Ned was incorrectly
listed in the last issue as the son of Alice Sharp ‘91.
1996 Katherine Austin Vest and Sidney
Smith, twin girls, Effie Robinson
and Mary Motley
Kendall Howard and Will Tidey,
a son, Henry William
1997 Abby Rhodes and David Brown,
May Mountcastle and Brad Webb,
a son, Grey Winburn
1991 Vanessa Howells and Tony Lin,
a daughter, Alice Lishu
1992 Courtney Page and Wortie Ferrell,
a daughter, Rosie Page
Leslie Butrico and Joseph Waff,
a son, George Judson
Susan Cunningham Judd ’58 on the death of her
husband.
Ann Lemon Mumford ’58 on the death of her
husband in August.
Harriet Dick Brown ’59 on the death of her mother.
Nancy Winters Mullins ’61 on the death of her
husband.
Asheley Ashbridge and Mathew Jewett,
a daughter, Madison Elizabeth
Susan L. Klaus ’63 on the death of her mother.
1999 Carrie Emerson and Matt Coyner,
a son, Mason Alexander
Memorials
Alumnae
1931 Norma Bryan Brawley
1933 Virginia Thomas Bell
1936 Elizabeth Gregory Gephart Gardiner
1947 Maria Sheerin Harrison
Sallie Smith and Bill Sweeney, twin girls,
Sarah Jarrett and Elizabeth Flynn
Norma Brawley Dugger ’57 on the death of her
mother, Norma Bryan Brawley ’31.
Beth Flowers and Jason Byrd,
a daughter, Alice Elizabeth
Missy Rainey and Jay Ferguson,
a son, Gordon Blair
Lisee Goodykoontz and Richard Sherrill,
a son, Richard McKinnon “Mac”
Janet Trevvett McGrath ’53 on the death of her
husband in May.
Elizabeth Boyden Eagles ’59 on the death of
her mother.
1943 Nene Cowan Davis
Rebecca Britt and Matt Phelan,
a daughter, Nora Penelope
Patricia Moncure Sharpe ’50 on the death of her
husband, who was the father of Betse Sharpe
Trice ’73 and Ashby Sharpe ’77 and the grandfather of Ida Trice (2001) and Lucy Trice (2005).
a son, Henry James
a son, Owen Porter “Porter”
Susan Tatum and Volker Hochgesang,
a daughter, Katrina Elaine
Sylvia Gregory Foley ’41 and Catherine Gregory
Wood ’45 on the death of their sister, Lib Gregory
Gephart Gardiner ’36.
1951 Joan Waddell Martin
1955 Mary Child Latimer
Faculty and Staff
Missy Jenkins Ryan ’64 on the death of her mother.
Maria Harrison Reuge ’69 on the death of her
mother, who was the sister of Elizabeth Sheerin
Palmedo ’53.
Florence Augustine Chaffin ’70 on the death of
her mother, who was the grandmother of Carter
Augustine (2004).
Hilary Heistand Long ’71 and Virginia Redmon
Heistand ’79 on the death of their father.
Anne Wrenn Poulson ’73 and Ellen Wrenn ’76 on
the death of their father.
Lyles Neal Perkins ’76 and Virginia Neal ’87 on
the death of their father.
Kate Roberts Henry ’79 on the death of her father
last year and her mother in July.
Julia Jeffreys Gill ’80 on the death of her father.
Milorad Miljevic
Leslie Abercrombie Noland ’89 on the death of
her grandmother.
Board of Governors
Rt. Rev. Joseph T. Heistand
Condolences
St. Catherine’s was saddened to receive word of the deaths
of many members of our extended community. We
extend our deep sympathy to the following alumnae:
Susan Gibson Davenport ’34 and Gay Gibson
Pinder ’39 on the death of their brother.
Helen Thomas Roberts ’39 on the death of her
sister, Virginia Thomas Bell ’33, who was the
great grandmother of Cameron Dickinson (2003).
48
Melissa Schutt ’93 and Anne Schutt Loveless ’96
on the death of their grandmother.
Helen Walker ’96 on the death of her grandmother.
Lindsay Jessee ’98 and Sara Jessee (2003) on the
death of their grandmother.
Alexandra Wurlitzer (2003) and Katherine
Wurlitzer (2006) on the deaths of their
grandparents.
Cecelia Sompayrac Parrish (2008) on the death of
her grandmother.
s t. c at h e r i n e ’ s
legacies
Kindergarten Legacies Row 1: Mary Carter Curry, great-granddaughter of Henrietta Massie Williams ’27 (deceased); Amelia Whitfield Urban, daughter of Anne Kenny Urban
’83 and granddaughter of Anne Whitfield Kenny ’51. Row 2: Ivy Julia Sharp, daughter of Alice Gold Sharp ’91; Maria Harrison Claiborne, granddaughter of Maria Sheerin Harrison’47
(deceased) and Catherine Robertson Claiborne ’46 and great-granddaughter of Virginia Christian Claiborne ’12 (deceased) and Mary Taylor Robertson ’17 (deceased); Olivia Betts
Wallace, daughter of Liza Betts Wallace ’87, granddaughter of Lucy Davenport Wallace ’55 and great-granddaughter of Mary Dunn Wallace ‘25 (deceased); Lila Covington Ford,
daughter of Hampton Harrell Ford ’91; Flora Blair Ukrop, granddaughter of Barbara Berkeley Ukrop ’58; and Isabelle Morgan Engel, daughter of Morgan Hardage Engel ’91. Row
3: Alexa Louise Macaulay, granddaughter of Amanda Tevepaugh Macaulay ’56; Mary Chandler Franko, daughter of Channy Austin Franko ’83; Alice Carrington Sharp, daughter of
Alice Gold Sharp ’91; Elizabeth Vaughan Sanderson, daughter of Lane Hoofnagle Sanderson ’91, granddaughter of Mikal Bralley Hoofnagle ’64 and great-granddaughter of Jacqueline
Moore Hoofnagle ’32 (deceased); and Elizabeth Campbell Miller, daughter of Ashley Stout Miller ’86. Row 4: Anne Claiborne Rhodes, granddaughter of Anne Gregory Rhodes ’60;
Elizabeth Lucille Dennison, daughter of Susan Perrin Dennison ’90 and great-granddaughter of Archer Coke Miskimon ’33 (deceased); Katherine Annelise Hanson, daughter of
Elizabeth Camp Hanson ’84; Mary Madison Bowles, granddaughter of Jane Southall Bowles ’53; and Margaret Claire Cole, daughter of Claire Cockrell Cole ’88.
Lower School Legacies Peyton Anne Randolph, daughter of Jane Anne McJunkin
Randolph ’87; Charlotte Vaughan Dudley, daughter of Isabel Frischkorn Dudley ’83;
and Helen Bryan Turnage, daughter of Natalie Bocock Turnage ’79, granddaughter
of Roberta Bryan Bocock ‘55, great-granddaughter of Gertrude Hobson Bryan ‘28
(deceased) and Elizabeth Scott Bocock ‘19 (deceased), and great-great-granddaughter
of Gertrude Skelton Hobson ‘02 (deceased).
Middle School Legacies Mary Buford Turnage, daughter of Natalie Bocock
Turnage ’79, granddaughter of Roberta Bryan Bocock ‘55, great-granddaughter of
Gertrude Hobson Bryan ‘28 (deceased) and Elizabeth Scott Bocock ‘19 (deceased),
and great-great-granddaughter of Gertrude Skelton Hobson ‘02 (deceased); Blair
Neil Cavanaugh, daughter of Lynley Rosanelli Cavanaugh ’80; and Sarah Randolph
Doss, daughter of Mary Spratley Doss ’78 and granddaughter of Virginia Harrison
Spratley ’47.
More Legacies Olivia Barrett Ruffin, granddaughter of Elizabeth McMullan
Ruffin ’50 (deceased); Virginia Lee Blackmer, daughter of Amy Jackson Blackmer
’81; Georgia Bass Morris, daughter of Suzanne Wishnack Morris ’89; and Elizabeth
Hollandsworth Akers, daughter of Shelly Clinger Akers ’80.
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More
Beyond
More Beyond. St. Catherine’s first school ring depicted the
We welcome your submissions. If you would like to submit an
Gates of Castile and was engraved with these words. Translated
essay for More Beyond, please send it to St. Catherine’s School,
Plus Ultra in Latin, it was an early motto that Miss Jennie chose
6001 Grove Avenue, Richmond, VA 23226, or email it to Cathe
for herself and for her students. We’ve chosen this pithy pair
Kervan, the magazine’s editor, at [email protected].
of words for a new column in St. Catherine’s NOW: one final
We are looking for personal essays (600-800 words) that
thought from the perspective of an alumna, parent, student or
touch on some aspect of St. Catherine’s.
faculty member.
Peers and Friendships
The chapters dealing with the effects of peer relationships reveal some
interesting facts.
Michael Thompson, Ph.D., co-author of Best Friends, Worst Enemies,
Understanding the Social Lives of Children, says “friends broaden our horizons,
share our joys and secrets, and accompany us on journeys to ever-wider
worlds.” Friendships can be a safe place to explore identity, practice
autonomy, and learn social norms. Friends motivate girls to study harder,
become community volunteers, play sports, join a performing arts group,
or participate in affinity groups that focus on passion for the environment,
politics, entrepreneurial adventures, the world of visual art and more.
• Many of the successful women in the study did not view
themselves as socially successful during middle school and
high school.
• Many indicated a feeling of loneliness and a feeling of being
different.
• Several described their high grades as a “social cost” they
had to pay.
• More than half of the women reported that the friends they
did have valued learning and good grades, just as they did.
Friends accompany us on
journeys to ever-wider worlds.
• 60% of the women indicated a fairly homogeneous peer
group in terms of religious and cultural values, as well as
achievement level.
• Many women in the study alluded to the social sacrifices
they made to maintain their intellectual integrity.
Observing these patterns over the course of more than 25 years in the
Middle School, the value of friendship between girls is well documented.
In fact, this is one area of Middle School life that remains relatively
unchanged. We understand that friendships allow students to practice and
foster the social skills necessary for future success while also reinforcing
character values and support during periods of adolescent challenges.
In their second book, a how-to guide for girls, the Rimms reviewed their
research findings and concluded that peers matter for better or worse
because the friends described by successful women tend to be like-minded
peers who value learning and achievement.
Peers who become friends tend to have lots of things in common. Friends
with similar interests and similar academic standing enjoy doing the same
things and tend to gravitate toward one another. In 1999 and again in 2001,
Dr. Sylvia Rimm, noted child psychologist and contributing correspondent
to NBC’s Today show, collaborated with her daughters Dr. Sara RimmKaufman, assistant professor of educational psychology at UVA, and Dr.
Ilnna Rimm, a pediatric oncologist, to research and publish two books, See
Jane Win and How Jane Won. They reported on their three-year survey of
1,000 successful women, exploring in detail the women’s childhood and
progression to adulthood. The results of their work have been helpful in
guiding girls through the turbulent middle school and high school years.
At St. Catherine’s, friendships develop
and endure for a lifetime. Traditions
shared through various developmental
stages help define us as a community.
Collaborative learning activities, team
sports, leadership opportunities, and
membership in a wide variety of interest
groups draw us closer to those with
whom we work toward common goals.
We are connected in ways that empower
us to succeed, and the friendships that
grow are among our most cherished
memories of this school.
Sue Baldwin, Middle School Director
50
Charitable Gift
Annuities:
A Good Option for Today’s Investor
At uncertain times like these, remember that you do have options.
One thing St. Catherine’s teaches is critical thinking, how to evaluate alternatives.
Many alumnae and friends have long wanted to make a substantial gift to St. Catherine’s,
but are waiting for the prudent time to do so.
If prudence also makes you want an alternative to watching the markets, then a charitable gift annuity may be for you.
A gift annuity is a transfer of cash or property to the St. Catherine’s School Foundation,
in return for the Foundation’s promise to make fixed quarterly payments, for life, to you
(and your spouse) or someone you name.
Gift annuities bring you stable and substantial payments, equal to a fixed percentage of
the amount transferred (see table below), plus:
• An immediate and significant income tax deduction,
• Partially tax-free annuity payments (more if the gift annuity
is funded with cash),
• Avoidance of capital gain tax on appreciated stock used for the gift
annuity, and
• A chance to provide major, long-term support to St. Catherine’s.
Annuitant Age
at start
Rate for
individual
Rate for couple
of same age
65
70
75
80
85
5.7%
6.1%
6.7%
7.6%
8.9%
5.4%
5.6%
6.0%
6.6%
7.4%
Please seek professional advice to maximize the satisfaction provided by your gift annuity.
For more information, including a
personalized illustration of what a gift
annuity can do for you, please contact
Deborah A. Dunlap, 1970, Director of
Planned Giving, tel 804-281-7141,
email [email protected]
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PA I D
6001 Grove Ave. • Richmond, VA 23226
Richmond, Virginia
Permit No. 1750
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