Onyx Anneau Spring 2021

because of COVID quarantines, Mary’s daughter Julie and husband had left their home in Bali, Indonesia, and were staying in Brownsburg, Indiana. It was disappointing for Mary that Julie was that close but they could not enjoy visiting in person. When Steve and I were in Tokyo in 2006, we often saw residents/Japanese wearing masks and learned that it became part of their “culture of consideration” after the 2002 SARS outbreak. I’ve sewed a few masks for family-and purchased some that fit better. Stay safe! Reading the “Letters of Mother Theodore Guerin” led Midge Maroni to write the inspiring class appeal letter we received in May 2020, but she credits Ellen Morley Matthews for facilitating the production and mailing. Thanks to both of you for promoting our annual Woods Fund! C L A S S N O T E S ’69 Karen Erazmus McNeal 66 S Country Squire Rd Palos Heights, IL 60463-1227 karen.mcneal@comcast.net It’s been two years now since we had our Golden Reunion. It was wonderful to reminisce about our younger days, renew old friendships, and see the competent contributing women our classmates have become since we left The Woods fifty years ago. A few years ago, several of us celebrated our 70th birthdays at The Woods Reunion. Our 75th will be coming up for many of us in 2022. Maybe a great way to celebrate together would be to attend the Reunion in 2022. Let us all think about making some plans. After being distanced from so many family and friends with the pandemic, it would be nice to spend time with each other and celebrate a life made richer by our days at The Woods. In spite of the isolating situation this past year and limited traveling, many of our classmates have kept busy pursuing new interests, working remotely, and keeping in contact with family and friends. Margaret “Marge” Hanson Sleght is part of a walking group. Her daily walks are a nice chance to socialize. She is happy to report that her family and friends are all well and have remained free of COVID-19. She really missed her annual summer visit with Mary Anne Walker Rahm in Cape May. Hopefully they can reinstitute this tradition in 2021. Barbara “Barb” Wahnsiedler Klein and her husband Rich have been staying pretty much in the house, following pandemic protocols. Her job ended last March, but Rich has been one of the essential workers at a grocery store. They are both looking at the vaccine as a saving grace since they lost some family and friends. Therese Connor Benken had a pretty rough year medically – pneumonia in January, vertigo in April/May, new right knee in June, vertigo again in October, and a chemical heart stress test in December. Her youngest daughter who is Type 1 diabetic did have COVID-19 over Thanksgiving, but fortunately, no one else in the family did. Therese is still substitute teaching between everything and looking forward to a healthy 2021.

Nancy Butler Bruck has been doing a lot of cooking, baking bread, and reading. She has been subbing at some branch libraries, but she does enjoy staying home. She misses getting together with the Cincinnati Lunch Bunch once a month. Her oldest daughter’s family gave Nancy a year adoption of Providence Tracy Dawn, a beautiful alpaca from the herd at the White Violet Center. Ellen Gildea Douglas began 2020 with a fun visit to Tucson, Arizona, with Suzanne Sainz Bouwens and her husband Jerry who were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Life “inside” took on new meaning for Ellen when she was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in late May 2020. Early detection, a lumpectomy in July, followed by radiation in September and prayers from family and friends helped Ellen to embrace the beauty, remembering what her sister Janet taught her during her cancer battle. Suzanne Sainz Bouwens and husband also celebrated their March 14 anniversary with her sister, Debbie, brother Ken and son Scott. Their son made a special orange and white cake, the colors from Suzanne’s wedding. She is so grateful that Ellen and others related to our class have beat their cancer. Marylin Seibert Leinenbach submitted her retirement papers and will be officially retired at the end of the spring semester, May 31, 2021. She has been teaching for 49 years and will have the title Professor Emerita. Both Marylin and her husband Larry are doing well. Darlene Skibinski Marchina and her husband has been adjusting to the new “normal,” staying home and staying safe. They have not been frequenting restaurants, grocery shop once a month, live-stream weekly Mass, and Zoom gatherings with their sibling and four sons. They hope to have their vaccine by the time you read this news and plan to visit their sons in Florida and California. Darlene thought our 50th Reunion was the highlight of 2019. Susan Starr Tomaszewski retired from teaching in the summer 2020. She really misses the students. She hopes that 2021 will give her a chance to resume visits to her family and friends. Cynthia “Cindee” Catalano has been busy since graduating from The Woods, attending Law School at Western Reserve and getting her JD. She went to work at Catalano’s Stop-N-Shop. In 2007, Giant Eagle bought out the store and Cindee became self-employed as an accountant for businesses in Chagrin Fall, Ohio. She currently lives there with her rescue dog. Timothee Maloy Keys spent the majority of 2020 staying safe by staying home, wearing a mask at the supermarket, and trying to stay six feet away from the cart in front of her. Timothee is glad to be retired and not having to relearn how to teach through a Zoom screen to 24 wiggly third graders. Luckily her family has been COVID-19 free and they have been celebrating birthdays and holidays via Zoom. Her hair is almost long enough to donate for cancer wigs. Emily Franco has had a difficult year dealing with family and inheritance issues. She has been

spending a lot of time remodeling her condo and that of another unit for a professor who moved to live with her niece for health reasons. Emily is considering moving and has been looking into the advice given by International Magazine on the cost factors of living in different international locations. Georgette Harber Schraeder has sad news. On Oct. 3, the Feast of the Transitus of St. Francis, Georgette and her husband Don were headed for a retreat at their local Franciscan Prayer Center when he had a stroke. He passed away on Oct. 13. Georgette is appreciative of the comforting words she received; Cynthia “Cindy” Evard Hodapp , Suzanne Sainz Bouwens , Ellen Gildea Douglas , and Anita Redoutey Bowlin . I hope all our classmates will keep Georgette and her three sons in their thoughts and prayers. She is thankful for 51 years of joyful memories and laughter she got to share with him. Kathleen “Kathy” Truffa Cowperthwait is glad to be retired. Not much is new in her life except that she had knee replacement surgery and dealt with all the things involved with recovery. Anne Becherer Hambly can add to the bad news of 2020. She was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. She has finished chemotherapy and radiation and her prognosis is excellent. She is a survivor and is looking forward to visiting and hugging her Colorado grandchildren. Our class will keep you in our thoughts and prayers too. Judy Sadler Nelson made a big move in June 2020, from Texas to Greenville, North Carolina. Judith “Judy” Cronin Krugman was delighted with the birth of her third grandchild on Jan. 11, 2020, a day after Judy and her husband returned from a Caribbean cruise. Judy did have a mild case of COVID-19 mid-October. Her husband was having rotator cuff surgery and she went to be tested because of a cough. Since she tested positive, her husband’s surgery was delayed three weeks and then the surgeon contracted COVID-19 and the surgery was delayed. Judy’s case was mild. Ann Purcell Kuick has been spending her time as a caregiver for both her husband Paul and daughter Meg. Joan Wylie Hall has retired after teaching English for 40 years at the University of Mississippi. The on-line instruction from March through June of 2020 was the final challenge. Joan has enjoyed Facetime visits with her 3-year-old granddaughter from Atlanta. Joan has enjoyed recent phone calls with Judith “Judy” Curtin , Mary Ann Gibbons Rennels , and Catherine “Cathie” Rodefer , before her passing away on Feb. 21, 2021. We know that many of her Woods classmates will miss Cathie. Marsha Speth, SP has been staying home or very close to home to keep her SP community safe. One of her new volunteer jobs is helping to carry meal trays at Providence Hall since the Sisters are no longer allowed to have buffet style meals. It is a joy for her to be able to see them in person even if briefly! Mary Anne Walker Rahm has been staying home and getting bored, but finishing a few pieces

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