Onyx Anneau Spring 2021

C L A S S N O T E S ’78 Elizabeth “Betsy” McDonald Moore 10015 E Sapphire Cir Traverse City, MI 49684 734-657-8361 Cell betsy-moore@charter.net Who would have thought our lives would be upended with COVID? Each has been touched in some way by the pandemic. All are grateful for the silver linings: surviving and spending more time with family. Although non-COVID related, our era lost several major contributors to our Woods experience in 2020 and 2021: Barbara Doherty, SP, ’53 , Ellen Cunningham, SP, ’61 , and Emily Walsh, SP, ’52 . Their influence lives on! Mary K. Stadler stepped up when needed and generously served as our Class Agent and is ready to pass the baton. Any takers? This is an annual commitment. You receive supplies and appeal letter support from the Office of Advancement. Contact me above if interested. Thanks, Mary, for your tenure! Loretta Ryan Tuegel, MD , and Eric welcomed granddaughter, Maggie, in 2019. Daughter, Erin, graduated from the Transitional and Access Program at The University of Cincinnati. They all celebrated with a Mississippi River cruise. Erin won silver in the Southern Indiana Special Olympics bowling tournament, and then placed 7th at state! Michelle Tesar Barrentine ’16G started a new job as executive director of Beginning Experience International Ministry, a grief support group she’s belonged to since her husband’s death. She’s bought a new home, and in 2021, hopes to see family, cruise with her little sister and attend an overdue grade school reunion. Mary Beth Brinegar , my freshman roommate, married her longtime love, Robert Alkire, in June 2019. She raises goats on their farm just west of Indy and also sells items at local flea markets. Look for her! Cheryl “Cherrie” Hummel Buckley and her lawyer husband, Al, farm in Lafayette, Indiana, and own home and rental condos in the Cocoa Beach area. Daughter, Anna, is married and lives in Lafayette. Son, Wesley, is in Denver. Cherrie founded a charity serving those in recovery with housing needs and more. Anne Franklin and Mike Flak squeezed in travels to Russia, Iceland, all the Nordic states and Estonia before COVID impacted travel. They switched gears to assist homeschooling their three grandchildren. Anne’s been concerned about her 89-year-old mom, Joan Birchler Franklin ’53 , in the time of COVID. Prayers for your mom! Geri Leliaert Garrard sold her house in July 2019 and relaxes with maintenance-free apartment living. She’s counting down the months until retirement and hopes to move south. “I no longer enjoy the cold weather ad nauseam,” she says. “I want a place that has spring sooner.” Geraldine “Gerry” Bush MacLeod embraces the motto, “One day at a time,” never more so than during COVID. She adjusted to online teaching with help from Ken — a pro! They visit son, Greg, in Asheville, North Carolina, where he works in the

’79 Judith Anne Gilberti 300 Compass Ct Place yourself gently into the hands of Providence. -Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Sending you “social distanced” greetings from the New Jersey Shore! I hope our Class Notes column finds you and your family safe, healthy and enjoying the company of one another at home. Although Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College was a quiet campus in the spring 2020 … SMWC has become a lively campus filled with academia, activities and a quiet space for reflection and prayer. Our alma mater is the perfect example of a college community succeeding with the challenges of everyday life in 2020-2021. Many special people have touched our lives and their memories will forever be in our hearts. The Reverend Father Lucien Bernard “Bernie” LaMontagne (August 24, 2019) arrived at SMWC during the same time as Class of 1979 — August 1975. His last visit with us was at the 35th SMWC Reunion Weekend in 2014. He served as teacher, chaplain and Faculty Emeriti at SMWC. We celebrate and remember the life of our WED classmate, Wilma Hendrix Dohner who died on July 10, 2019. Wilma was an active contributor to the Woods Fund and our annual Class of 1979 Class Notes column in Onyx magazine. Please remember Wilma in your thoughts and prayers. Our deepest sympathy and caring thoughts are sent to Ellen Murphy (emurphygirl@sbcglobal.net) and her family on the passing of her sister, Patricia Murphy, on Dec. 3, 2019. Siblings who leave us with sweet memories live forever in our hearts. Susan “Sue” Montgomery Miketo (smiketo@ aol.com) and family reside in Columbia Station, Ohio. Her journey over the last 41 years has been filled with many happy blessings…family, health, career, travel and friendships. Guess who has a new address? Magdalena Hennel (mthennel@aol.com) relocated from Newburgh, Indiana, to Avon, Ohio, to be near family. She now resides in Independent Living at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Avon, Ohio. Magdalena sends her best wishes to one and all. She enjoys keeping in touch with classmates through the Onyx Anneau magazine. Deborah “Debbie” K. Lary (dietitian@bsodhi. com) continues to work on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic as she provides services to patients in the dialysis center as a renal dietitian. Due to the pandemic, Debbie has not had the opportunity to participate in her annual worldwide travels. However, being at home initiated the adoption of a 1 ½ year-old Maltese Poodle named Marlo who is her joy. Leisa Utsler Anslinger (leisa.clf@gmail.com) and Steve purchased a travel trailer in September 2019 as a first step toward Steve’s retirement next year. The camper turned out to be a real gift, as they were able to be outdoors and self-contained. Neptune, New Jersey 07753 732-869-4156 megaphonemaniac@aol.com

restaurant industry. Son, Tommy, is a college senior in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Barbara “Barb” Eggert Maloney and husband, Steve, keep busy in Skokie, Illinois, I enjoy a fun Facebook friendship with her and hope to see her since my elder son and daughter-in-law live nearby. Jill Spooner , a social worker, lives nearby in Glenview, Illinois. I hope to meet up with her as well. Rev. Cathy Behm Minor and husband, Kerry, feel blessed that their children and grandchildren are doing well. They treasure their family and many friends. She “thanks all wonderful Woodsies for your love and friendships!” Keep Cathy in your prayers as she lost her dad in November. Cynthia Noe decamped full time to Columbia County in Upstate New York since March where she and hubby, Charles Grice, opened The Roaring ’20s Brewery. Their first beer: a Pandemic Pale Ale, of course! Meanwhile, daughter, Kathryn, is weathering COVID restrictions in downtown Toronto with happy, well-adjusted Canadians. Cheers, Cindy! Susan Record retired after 20 years with the University of Illinois and enjoys a variety of hobbies all year long. She continues infusion treatment to keep “The Big C” away. Her latest echocardiogram prompted her doctor to confirm she has a “good heart.” None of us can argue with that! Mary Grace Sylvester touched base from Tokyo and feels fortunate to be there where COVID cases and deaths were lower. Here’s hoping she’s able to travel back to the farm in Sylvania, Ohio, in 2021! Mary Melanie “Mel” Waller, MD , and Cynthia “Cindy” Ackil said goodbye in January 2020 to their beloved Ellen Cunningham, SP, ’61 who was such an inspirational part of their lives while at The Woods and beyond. Melanie’s youngest daughter, Taisa, married on a Charleston, South Carolina, beach in July. Mel transitioned to part-time in her urology practice and she’s doing a lot more telemedicine, but adds, “We were doing that in the ’80s when we communicated with Navy ships at sea.” Philomena “Peggy” Bowling Zitzer switched to remote as a special education teacher in the Chicago Public Schools during COVID and looks forward to being back in the classroom. She and Dave are proud of daughter, Ellen’s, completion of her Purdue online degree. She’s teaching special education in the West Chicago District. Kevin and I get outdoors as much as we can even in Michigan winters. Hitting the trails during COVID saved us. We’ve upped Zoom calls with son, Kyle; daughter-in-law, Caroline; and grandson, Liam, in Wheeling, Illinois. We’re thankful our younger son, Aidan, still lives and works here in Traverse City. I hope everyone received my plea for Class Notes. Please confirm any changes in your contact information, especially email addresses! I urge you to reach out to classmates and encourage them to join us at our 45th Reunion. Our days are numbered! See you in May ’23! Stay healthy and safe!

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