Onyx Anneau Spring 2021

icy weather they were having! She is grateful for heat from the living room fireplace. She has two grandsons at the University of Notre Dame. In 2020, Angela Miller McNamara celebrated two new grandsons and Mary Howard Brown , another great-grandson. Mary was unable to participate in her grandson, Andrew’s September 2020 wedding in the state of Washington because of the pandemic. I learned that Sheila Sullivan McIntyre’s son is planning to ‘rebuild’ her house on the lake. She now lives in Castleton, Vermont, year-round. Marilynn Burdick Stadtmiller is doing well. However, she missed being able to be with her sons’ families for Christmas. She keeps busy on a bowling team and enjoying the time for reading, especially the history of World War II, and the company of her two cats. “I am at peace.” Shirley Walter Wuertz says she is coping, ready for a defeat of COVID-19! I am OK, seem to keep busy with some writing of Ursuline history, helping the Ursuline Sisters Office Staff with various project, and ‘tutoring’/helping a Dominican Sister from Vietnam with English. She is living with us while studying at Bellarmine University, Louisville. Our message to each other is the same! Be careful and stay well. For better news, Carole Marzano Bersinger has recovered from COVID-19, and is playing golf. Her last visit with her family was December 2019. Mary Ellen Bendel Hudson also saw her family then and met her great grandchild, Margie Hudson. Her sister, Ruth, had the virus but has recovered. Mary Ellen and Lew are praying for the end of the pandemic. Kathleen Petrunick Lendzion and I phone each other and she is doing well, misses her family — especially her grandchildren. Bernice “Bernie” Schmitt Ridgway’s family live in Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia and they worry about storms as well as the virus. Sylvia Dickas Coma’s husband, Bob, has health issues but is holding his own. They are looking forward to the mountains of North Carolina this summer. Nancy Mertz Thorson’s husband and children are well and virus free. Marilyn Caserotti Kostenski is in good health but husband, Elmer is showing his age of 92. Jim and Carole Lattus Liggett have gotten their first vaccine shot and all is well. She is in touch with Ellen Narolewski Lau who misses her husband, Reid, but is otherwise doing well. Sandra Chabot Landay sent an update. She and Jerry moved to Rhode Island in 2002 and she began teaching voice and conducting choir at St. Michael’s Church. Jerry died in 2013 and is greatly missed. She is grateful for health, family and singing. David and Letizia “Tish” Fiore Lowman have gotten their first vaccine shots and are all right. One of their grandsons had a mild case of the virus but ’58 Virginia R. Reed (773) 477-6836 Vergrose@aol.com 2850 N Sheridan Rd Apt 1221 Chicago, IL 60657-6145

has recovered. She gets fresh air in their yard but finds creative juices are not flowing much. Janice “Jan” Lauber Hummel keeps in touch by phone with Jane Ordovensky Avil and Jane Schneider Krempp . Jane Krempp’s extended family takes good care of her. Jane Avil is busy as a grandmother and loves it. Jim and Jan are going to be vaccinated soon. Virginia Senicka Wirtz’ son also lives in Savage, Minnesota but her other children live in Stillwater. I am well but lost a niece to the virus. My sister, Betty, is well and her daughter, Carol, lives with her. This certainly has been a very different year and so many of our lifestyles have been altered. Our hope and prayer is that we can resume some normalcy in 2021. Thirteen classmates attended the June 2019 reunion. Since Onyx was on sabbatical, we were unable to share our class news. Mary “Maggie” Burns Gage lives on the same property in the middle of the woods with her son and family. During spring and summer, Maggie spent numerous hours climbing up and down the hills in the woods pulling invasive plants and identifying woodland plants and flowers. It was good therapy following her second knee replacement in mid-January 2020. Our thoughts and prayers are with Rosemary Burke Ciaudelli on the sudden death of her son David on Aug. 30, 2020. Daughter Maria Ciaudelli Cholak ’90 , teaches in the Cincinnati, Ohio, schools. Her daughter Megan is a pre-med student at Chicago’s Loyola University. Daughter Catherine is in a nurse practitioner program at the University of Cincinnati and son Joshua is in high school. Kathleen “Kitty” Farrell Zink is thrilled 2020 is behind us. She has generally stayed home but spent three weeks at their Michigan cottage. She noted that winterizing the cottage in the fall was more work than leisure without George. The main event was the wedding of grandson Isaac who married Claire in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in August, originally scheduled for April. Son Jim organized a Zoom meeting every Saturday calling it the Zink Happy Hour. Marilyn Bosler Henley was diagnosed with vascular dementia. During the COVID pandemic, her condition deteriorated and now resides in a memory care unit in West St. Paul, Minnesota. Her husband and son are able to visit frequently and agree that she is receiving good care. Elizabeth “Liz” Merry O’Daniel and Roger are moving into a new townhouse in Bloomington, Minnesota, after 50 years in their house. Daughter Kari is a frontline nurse and hero. Children Lee, Marie, Dillon and Erin are busy with work and distance learning. Daughter Merry Beth, keeping busy at her business and loves being a grandmother. Steve and Toni Marie are building ’59 Agnes Piszczek 6410 N Leona Ave Chicago, IL 66046 773-763-4775 (home) agnespiszczek@icloud.com

a new house on their property and enjoy their grandchildren. Carolyn Stower Edelmann had a trying year with sister Marilyn and family members contracting COVID-19. All had serious cases but survived. Carolyn enjoys hiking, kayaking, writing poetry and works to preserve wetlands. She is still working as community and media relations director for D&R Greeenway Land Trust and recently reached a milestone; 21,000 acres in highly populated New Jersey are saved in perpetuity. Jeanne Cowden Meyer and Paul spent a year of non-events. Trips were canceled as well as other activities but looking forward to resuming travel in 2021. Margaret Mulhollan Quinn usually winters in Orlando with daughter Karen Quinn Walsh ’82 , but has chosen not to travel this year. She will miss spending time with her two great-grandsons but may go in the fall. Her daughter Maureen lives in St. Johns, Indiana and daughter Mary resides in Clarendon Hills, Illinois. Laura “Lolly” Trauscht Holland had a busy year caring for husband Dave. In November, he was placed in a memory care unit. He has adjusted well and appears very happy. The holidays were spent with daughter Jennifer and son Christopher and his family. In January, Lolly fell on ice and broke her pelvis but did not need surgery. Our thoughts and prayers extend to Lolly on the death of her sister Mary Ann in September. Mary Ellen Gase was unable to receive visitors this year. Usually Elizabeth “Liz” Merry O’Daniel visits each spring, but plans changed due to the virus. They do communicate via telephone and Mary Ellen enjoys hearing from former students. Patricia “Pat” Needham Burns and John stayed close to home in a bubble of two following all rules and regulations. In June, workers could safely complete some house projects while they completed projects such as cleaning closets, desk drawers, etc. Their families remained in their individual homes for Thanksgiving but enjoyed a Zoom meeting arranged by son Ian. It was wonderful visiting with family. Jacqueline “Jackie” Chott Carey and Tim became great grandparents for a second time in November 2020 but have not had an in person visit. Their son and family moved to Portland from Hong Kong and enjoy frequent visits. A granddaughter is a freshman at the University of Portland and her sister is enrolled in an accelerated nursing program at St. Louis on track to get her BSN in one year. Jackie and Tim have two grandchildren studying for their Ph.D.’s. Joan Mellican Dickson witnessed her eldest granddaughter’s wedding May 1 on Zoom arranged by the pastor to enable family and friends to witness the ceremony. Only her parents, Kevin and Sheila, and sister Morgan attended. The couple, Elisabeth and Paul, hope to renew their vows May 1, 2021, followed by a reception. The couple visited her grandparents. The trip offered Paul, from Scotland, an opportunity to tour the U.S. The Dickson’s three college grandchildren did well with classes. Joan loves having everyone so close.

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