OA-Spring 2023

finally the news that surgery is NOT needed, her vocal cords are healing! Unfortunately, she has now crushed some bones in her foot, so will be spending lots of time reading and watching TV until healing takes place. If she is up to it, she and Mark spend an afternoon on personal defense training. Mary Lynn Laufer shared that her dear husband, Gary Bushorn, passed away peacefully Christmas morning during his second night at Hospice of Cincinnati. Mary Lynn and Gary’s daughter were with him. Gary had been struggling with a third occurrence of cancer, and although his spirit remained strong and he was his usual kind self, his body was simply worn out. It is sad but also a blessing that he finally gets to rest. Tel yo Yoshida writes from Japan, sharing her concern over climate change and the turmoil in the world, but noting that she is doing well and has avoided Covid so far. Her latest news is that she has started wearing a hearing aid. Happiness is listening to natural sounds, such as birds twittering and a stream flowing, AND better TV listening. Noreen Gorman Perrone , tells of granddaughter Mia, on the Clemson volleyball team, one of nine named to the Atlantic Coast Conference freshman team. Grandson Jack, only a junior, plays on the Loyola Academy Varsity Football team. To cheer on her grandson at a varsity game, Noreen rode a school bus for fans, getting back home at 2:25 a.m. She continues to help out her husband with his consulting business. Beverly “Bev” Snyder Thompson spent time with daughter Jill in NOLA and enjoys time in Florida with Bill but always finds time for grandson Tyler as he finishes his baseball season and graduates from Penn State. The Schenk Family Reunion was the highlight of July, followed by Grandson Jerad’s wedding in November. Joining classmates at the mini in September was very special. Bev continues involvement in the Equestrian Therapy program. Jane Rehorst Lobo recounted that after meeting Tony, who is from India, way back when it was only five months before they were married. Sadly, Tony died ten years ago. Their daughter, Mary Kay, is a neuroscientist, and this summer, Jane and Mary Kay celebrated Mary Kay’s birthday in Aruba. Back home in California, Jane’s two sons hold down the fort when Jane takes off on her travels. Clara Anne McKenna has had a hospital year, including trips to the hospital for cardiac ablation and, within 48 hours, back to the ER for cardioversion! Now, one necessary medication keeps her from taking what would help her spinal pain. Clara is grateful for the support of classmates while going through this. Happily, needlework is back in the picture, and time with John and CK is treasured. Patricia “Pat” Burckell Steinbronn , who lives near Lake Lure, North Carolina, has been in contact with Clara. Pat is looking forward to showing Clara an area in North Carolina that holds family history for her since she is looking forward to traveling from Colorado for a visit with Pat. In the meantime, Pat is off to New Zealand and Australia for a month. Frances “Fran” Froelich had her 80th birthday celebration on Monhegan Island, Maine. Their rental had a 180-degree view of the ocean. A friend, recently retired as head of the Boston Audubon, was their “live-in-birder” who was able to identify numerous birds. Unfortunately, Fran’s partner, Mary Anne, fell and dislocated and fractured her shoulder. She is doing ok but frustrated with not being able to use her dominant arm for anything! Lois Fenlon Brinkman had a second knee replacement in April with a goal to dance at weddings of three granddaughters. There were family gatherings for the holidays and for her 80th birthday celebration! Lois leads a Small Church Community for St. Mary Student Parish and loves the dynamism of the students. C L A S S N O T E S

Giannina “Gini” Lombardo Hofmeister-Connolly and husband, Jim take good care of each other but ask for prayers for patience and strength as they cope with health issues. Gini is happy to report that her ongoing MRIs are showing good results, and her incredible grown-up family is producing grandbabies galore, providing many happy family occasions. Gini is still involved in opera but has cut back on involvement in many programs. Helen “Dickie” Talbot Rubin reports all the family is well. She spent two weeks in Israel in May. In July, there was a large family reunion in Delaware. Unfortunately, Covid spread through the group, and Dickie got sick on the last day. November brought hospitalization with pneumonia and RSV, but she is now back to the same old aches and pains. Duplicate bridge is an everyday activity for Dickie. Elaine Sowko Babcock and husband Harry, report that 2022 has been a very good year. They love the holidays with children and grandchildren. They had a summer vacation in Maryland, including all their family and Elaine’s brother and family. The grandchildren are growing up, graduating from university and starting their own careers! Elaine is back to her favorite in-person activities: book club, garden club and a gourmet group. Constance “Connie” Kramer, SP ’s two oldest sisters, Mary Kramer Leonard ’52 and Susan “Susie” Kramer Devlin ’54 , died this year, leaving Connie the only living one of her siblings. Traveling includes a Florida trip to visit her oldest nephew and a trip to Oregon to visit a longtime friend. Connie is excited to be moving to The Woods in August, taking her ministry to the grieving and homeless, now mostly online with her. Just changing residence. Not retiring yet! Margaret Ann Mathews O’Neill loved the December family cruise that included all the grandchildren. Their herb business moves into full swing in February, and Patrick is already planning their seed beds. Besides their business, Margaret Ann finds time for reading, especially knitting, making hats and scarves for the homeless, as well as delivering them to a school with mostly low-income children. Barbara “Babs” Reder, SP was expecting the regular, but usual, sibling dinner, but when she arrived at her brother’s house, he announced that it was Babs’ birthday celebration with a lovely dinner and dessert. But then, through the front door burst approximately 15 of her nieces and nephews and their spouses for an even bigger celebration. It was great to hear all their news and be with them. Sheila Nolan Whalen reports that she is back in physical therapy for her hand and wrist. The PT is prompted by a fall, plus arthritis. She tells a tale of missing the last step on the stairs, but instead of just falling, she managed to crash into a table, resulting in a black eye, broken bones, and multiple bruises. Sheila wants to claim the title “Queen of Klutz.” Pauline Gattie Busby has now moved to her new “interim” home in Chicago, Illinois. Every day is a new adventure, exploring the neighborhood and discovering some wonderful food spots. We are all anxiously waiting for our forever home to be ready for us. Pauline shares that Myron has been in the hospital, awaiting a transfer to a nursing home. Prayers appreciated. Denise King Maddux doesn’t have anything exciting to share. She’s still using her beloved, specially monogrammed walker, but she has a new physical therapist who has been very encouraging. Denise had a wonderful Christmas at her sister, Suellen’s condo, near Santa Monica. Suellen King Coleman ’76 , and her husband love to cook, so Denise says every day was a feast. Gay Gallagher Scherrer insists that she has nothing new to share except she’s looking forward to spending

She helped with a retreat for women in recovery and goes monthly to a residential treatment facility. Rachel Eberle Ambros e took trips that had been planned in advance of the COVID pandemic. This included the Oberammergau Passion Play in Germany, followed by Italy, Croatia, Serbia and the rest of the Baltics. Then a Christmas Marketplace riverboat cruise that stopped in Germany, France and Switzerland. There also was time for a trip to The Woods and Juliet Muro Oeffinger’s big 80th birthday party in Lexington, Kentucky. Rebecca “Becky” Caulfield Peloff loves still being in her own home and having her daughter Beth and son-in-law close by. She and Beth traveled to The Woods to join classmates for the Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of our Woods Ring and the dedication of PK’s Parlor. Joyce Schumacher Toothman was able to visit family in New York, join the mini in St. Joe’s, have a brief time with Jerry, join Gay Gallagher Scherrer in Indianapolis for book club, celebrate Juliet’s 80th in Kentucky, celebrate her own birthday in Point Reyes with family, and Christmas in Coronado with her grandson. Hoping to visit granddaughter, Kate, in Tokyo this spring. Played lots of golf with Gary. Gloria “Gigi” Wegman Coen is very active with line dance (four classes a week) and continues to love it. She also takes her daily early-morning walk of two to two-and-a-half miles, hoping to keep her mobility. She continues her involvement at her parish. Gigi and Jerry survived what seemed to be almost an organized anarchy of antagonistic appliances, but they are doing as well as can be expected dealing with “new fangled” technology! Marcia Zeeck Spranger and Bob keep active with two walks a day that their precious dogs demand. Their dogs always remind them it’s time to get out and enjoy the beauty of nature that is right in front of them. Marcia did a three-hour showcase at home this year, featuring her hand-crafted jewelry. Marcia’s goal in 2023 is to begin a weight training regimen to help her bones stay strong. Stella “Sally” Cratty Bryant loves that her “new” car doesn’t look like a granny car because of the spoiler on the back. She and her daughter hadn’t done much traveling but did drive to Galesburg, Illinois, to attend Sally’s high school reunion. Sally has returned to teaching an introductory Taoist Tai Chi class. This keeps her motivated to stay in shape to conduct the class. Marianne Lautner Jones says that she and Tom alternated taking care of each other as they survived unnamed viruses, but now she is coping with a broken wrist and finding that you need BOTH hands to do the simplest tasks. Via Zoom, Marianne, Stella “Sally” Cratty Bryant, Gloria Wegman Coen and Marcia Zeeck Spranger continue to connect with each other for a chat every third Thursday of the month. So wonderful. Juliet Muro Oeffinger says that her wonderful 80th Birthday Party, hosted by her three daughters, is the best thing she has to report. Juliet was surrounded by the people that she loves. Grandchildren outings included taking Carson skiing in Colorado and taking Cameron and Nicolas to Indoor Skydiving and going to Boston for Alex’s graduation from Northeastern University, Keeneland in April with Gay Gallagher Scherrer , followed by Switzerland in May for a wedding. Karen Humphrey Deeter is still working for MSW Consulting as a part-time Senior Consultant and singing in a chorus that gives two concerts a year. Hopefully, she will be returning soon to her volunteer “job” of tutoring at-risk young men in an after-school program. Due to Covid, she stopped tutoring but hopes to be there regularly this year. They were lucky not to be affected by Hurricane Ian.

16