Onyx Anneau Spring 2021

parish sanitizing for daily Mass. She continues to serve as sacristan. And like the rest of us, she continues to pray for an end to the pandemic. Barbara Saj wrote that “doing a whole lot of nothing” wasn’t working so Facebook provided social diversion and being a big reader was a definite plus. More entertaining activities included inventing new cocktails — “not a daily activity” — and finding new eating places. Since she lives in New York City, that was a problem. Barbara Pusateri Gaynor posted that the highlight of a strange 2020 was Christmas with her family. Her grandkids came after all of them tested negative for COVID-19 and had a fun filled reunion. A heart failure report prompted new and improved nutrition and she now enjoys a whole- foods, plant-based diet and its health benefits. The Westhoven lifestyle changed considerably with the elimination of big family dinners — though warm weather allowed outside gatherings. Unfortunately, two grandsons’ college graduation celebrations were cancelled as well as the high school and grade school graduation celebrations of two granddaughters. The quarantine inspired me to get busy and finish a large quilt for a grandson. I have four more to finish but hope to find inspiration elsewhere. As always, I thank you all and am grateful for your continued faithfulness in responding to the prayer requests and to my pleas for news. Please keep praying, keep well and keep in touch. C L A S S N O T E S Greetings and Happy New Year dear class of 1963. I wish you and your families a healthy, COVID-free 2021. Sadly, we have lost two classmates this past year, Nancy Henneberger Duncan and Sue Moegling Meister . I know you join me in offering prayers for them and their families. Theresa Rosner White is well and able to keep active. This was her first summer living in Florida without a trip North. She managed as everybody else did, in an independent living facility with assisted living and rehab nearby. She enjoys doing puzzles in her local paper and playing the piano. Patricia “Patsy” Lewis Wisler, MD says she has received the first of two Pfizer vaccine injections because she has direct contact with elderly patients. Joan Costanza Meister is happy no family member had the virus. Fortunately, her sons and daughter live close by, her grandchildren though scattered, were in town for Christmas and shared “love bumps” as well as gifts. She and Dick take walks for exercise and Joan has been reading many books. Mary Eppig Kelling spent January and February, with face shields and masks, in Florida. Sadly, she had to miss their granddaughter’s wedding, but Mary is delighted the bride and her husband will be moving to the Chicago area. She ’63 Anne Lenhard Benington 2564 Birchview Dr Kewadin, MI 49648-9205 albenington@aol.com

will be an advanced nurse in Intensive Care at Lurie Children’s Hospital. Margot Rudge Sullivan happily says her family has not been sick. She and Brian have been decluttering, trying new things like making grape jelly from grapes growing in their yard. She adds, “It is really good!” They also take walks along the beach, watch the sunsets and attend morning Mass outside. Janet Scoggin Kerner and her husband are well. They miss their four children and 10 grandchildren but are staying away for now. She retired after 40 years as choir director for her Catholic church but is still a cantor. Bill still works at his law practice from home. Rosemary Lawler Wong and Aileen McGrath Jenner usually spend Christmas together, but not this year. Rosemary and her husband spent a first Christmas alone without their four children and seven grandchildren. Her oldest teaches high school math, the youngest teaches nursery school. In the summer family visited, masked outside on her deck. Jane “Janie” O’Rourke Anderson wintered in Florida but got to Connecticut for Christmas and saw their four grandchildren. Granddaughter Gretchen was the No. 1 recruit for swimming in the country and will be going to the Olympic trials in June in Omaha. Janie said she and her husband played golf during the pandemic. Sue Lindeman Card‘s writes one granddaughter recovered from the virus. A big downside, no family gatherings for the holidays! Two joys, a new great grandson and a great granddaughter! Sue’s son- in-law, Joel, remarried this summer; his wife Mary has been gone nine years and the family is happy for him. Mary Sue “Suzie” Bachman Renn wishes everyone a Happy New Year and says her family survived 2020 with no virus. She promises to get the vaccine as soon as it is available and looks forward to a healthy 2021. Lydia Treadwell Blecksmith writes that she and her husband are fine but “bored out of our minds” as the virus continues. They are sticking to the stay-at-home order and their girls and families are following the same routine. She adds that her sister Louise Treadwell Conlon and her husband are well also. Michelene “Mickey” Barraco McCormick is well and fortunately, no one in her family has contracted the virus. She hopes to get the vaccine as soon as possible and adds that social distancing has been hard on her grandchildren who were not used to inactivity. Holidays were especially hard. Susan “Sue” Wise , while driving to Dallas for a production of “Come from Away,” learned of its cancellation; then “Harvey,” the play she had been rehearsing, was suspended, as was another play, in which she had a bit part. Sue’s new routine, reading all night and sleeping all morning. Patricia Clancy was outdoors spring and summer working in her vegetable garden and areas where she planted Illinois natives under the trees. In the winter she got rid of outdated items, old papers and updated her computer. Her son lives with her

and helped with shopping during COVID. Mary Jo Carney Johnson’s son Jim drove from Denver for birthday celebrations and she is looking forward to a visit with her first granddaughter. She walks every day, Zooms with friends and book clubs, works on grants for St. Clare Centre in Meru, Kenya where she visited and taught. Kathleen “Kathy” Ennis Pantinkin fell and broke her femur and had emergency surgery. With physical therapy, she now walks normally. Then in October, she was diagnosed with colon cancer and had surgery. Fortunately, she fully recovered, needing no chemo. Kathy is grateful for so much support, especially her best friend Nano Cloghessy Dubish who was there “every step of the way.” Nano Cloghessy Dubish writes that she misses tutoring the little children and the theatre. She is still doing lots of outdoor activities, hiking, walking in the parks, and pickleball at the YMCA. A few of their family had the virus but so far, nothing serious. Elise Shirmer George’s daughter Emily was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and is undergoing chemo. Elise also had some health problems and was admitted to the hospital with a kidney working only at 20%. A stent was inserted. She also needed carpel tunnel surgery. She asks for prayers. Margaret “Peggy” Buber Mello n wrote a very inspiring letter during COVID that I shared with our class members in a January email. One part is memorable still: “Listening has become our new apostolate. After reading our pope’s new book, I discovered that listening to others can actually be an apostolate! After being married 56 years, we have to admit that it is often harder to listen to each other than it is to a stranger. Yet, there we were together 24 hours a day during COVID! ” Peggy writes that another classmate is in need of our prayers. Joan Kroll Sadlowski had a stroke and is slowly improving according to her husband, Ron. Mary Ellen Schneider Backer retired after 38 years in the brokerage business. Five of her eight grandchildren are in college. Once COVID is controlled, she hopes to go to Cancun. She volunteers at a local museum, is on its board and the board of Crisis Connection, an association helping abused women. Theresa “Tracy” Alig Dowling says that with many activities on hold, including travel, she hopes to move them to the front burner. She misses her husband but fortunately has her daughter, son and grandson nearby. Tracy exclaims what most of us feel! “I’ll be 80 this year! How did that happen?” Judith “Judy” Scoggin McManmon escaped the virus and felt having time to read was wonderful. Another saving grace was water aerobics, five days a week. A bright spot was her daughter’s second marriage in September, and the family traveled safely to celebrate. Her husband had two surgeries during isolation but is fine. Margaret McElroy has been busy as a member of the Works of Mercy Committee initiated by her parish three months into COVID-19. Its purpose is to serve elderly and homebound parishioners through such actions as praying, sending cards and notes, conversing via phone, and visiting when possible.

14