SPRING-OA 2022

That about covers the news from our class. Personally, I want to thank Karen Swartzlander Fountain for her years as co-secretary! If she had hung around my classmates might not have received my first, last and desperate plea for Onyx news two days before the deadline. It is a good thing I am a day ahead in Australia and will still make the USA deadline. Karen Kelly Kiss. The 6th of February, 2022, I clocked up my 48th year since I first landed in Australia. Now for news on the Kiss family: Christmas 2021 we finally gathered together in Geelong, Victoria, Australia for the first time since Christmas 2018. Limited social outings also expanded my obsession with genealogy and family DNA matches. David and I are well but have certainly curtailed a significant portion of our social life during COVID. So, folks, keep well and healthy and hopefully the Reunion goes well. If I get there, I think I might deserve a prize for traveling the most miles (kilometres in Australia). LOLs! Kelly Hello Class of 1971! What a wonderful time we had at Reunion for those able to make it or watch virtually. I hope those unable to come in person try to connect with roommates and dear friends on your own. This Woods connection is a treasure not to be missed! Let’s go friends…here’s the latest. The very first Woodsie I heard from was Christine Mackey-Mason from California. She says she and Sheila are doing well. They are moving back to Pasadena from the East Bay to be closer to old friends. Patrick was transferred to Norfolk, Va. This will be his last assignment before retirement from the Coast Guard. Robert is now working full time at home. She hopes all of us are doing well and wishes all a Happy New Year! Joan Vincent O’Connell writes that she had to leave her job at school due to COVID and she really misses teaching and being with colleagues and students. Joan’s oldest son got married in Thailand at the end of December, so that was a very good way to end 2021 and greet 2022. Working through the Visa process is challenging, but they are determined to make it work. Marjorie “Marnie” Luken reports that it was delightful being at our 50th Reunion and seeing everyone! Her father always said we had such a nice class, and that holds true to this day! Other than reporting that her daughter Aimee had her fourth baby (fourth boy!) in early August, she says there is not that much news to report. She’s heading to Scottsdale, Ariz., soon. Hopefully, Mary Jo Trainer Pazak and Betty Maggio are on her agenda for visiting. Patricia “Patti” Williams Essig wants to share her news with us, but first is taking this opportunity to reach ALL of our classmates with the following information. “ Catherine Mickey Saunders ’98 from SMWC shared this information with me last fall. If you remember at our Reunion, we decided to donate to the SMWC Ring Scholarship Fund. “The Ring Scholarship Selection Committee awarded your class’ $300 scholarship to a very deserving student! You may remember him from Reunion. Hunter Reed was one of the student workers that helped you and your classmates. He is a nursing student, a member of the student senate and serves as the Junior Class Vice President. He is being notified today that the committee selected him to receive the Class of 1971 Ring ’71 Judith Larkin 4732 Lost Creek Ln Bellingham, WA 98229 360-319-6522 snowboundgordons@aol.com

Scholarship. Your class gift will make a huge difference in Hunter’s Woods experience.” Now for Patricia “Patti” Williams Essig … She felt such gratitude to connect and have lunch with her roommate Glenna Crews Orr and Mary Botti Greenberg . She still teaches two yoga classes a week and journey with individuals in their lives as a Spiritual Director. She agreed our 50th Reunion was divine, filled with many memories, especially singing the Ring Song as we gathered on the stairway at Le Fer. She sends blessings and good health to each of you. Glenna Crews Orr in her own words… “Family, friends, my faith and the on-going initiatives for intergenerational activities/programs continue to guide me on my adventures and journeys. Writing books, working with foundations that speak to the needs of children and their families, and volunteering with America’s Finest, Veterans who reside at The Armed Forces Retirement Home, Washington, D.C. are activities that fill my heart. Please visit my website, www.thekindkids.org!” She loved seeing her SMW roommate Patricia “Patti” Williams Essig . Giovanna “Vanna” Looney Gorham sent a great letter with her news. Writing is easier as her arthritis is very bad in her hands. That doesn’t stop her, though. This past year she had to give up skiing because of her osteoporosis. Her daughter has taken her around Colorado and Wyoming stopping at Vanna’s favorite places, Great Sand Dunes, Ghost Towns and Cemeteries. Vanna’s optimistic sense of humor shines through. She loves babysitting her grandchildren three days a week. Next, we heard from Margaret “Meg” Deisher who still happily resides in Phoenix, Ariz. Meg keeps busy taking care of her dogs and travelling with her sister, Muffet. They went to visit Muffie’s old college friends in West Virginia and then went off to Pennsylvania to see family still living there. Of course, like all of us, Meg loved going to Reunion. It was wonderful getting together and sharing memories with the rest of us. Mary Add Wilson Baker “And a good time was had by all,” to quote the old society columns, and it is how I would describe Reunion! I can’t wait for our 55th and hopefully we will have a really big turnout!” Mary Add tells us that all is well in the Baker household and that calm is good! The only news Mary Add shares with us about our class is that Rita Osowski Tatum , who passed away before Reunion, had her cremains interned at the Providence Community Cemetery/ columbarium in October. Rita was also a Providence Associate. Mary Add hopes all is well with us and she looks forward to seeing us for our 55th! Edna Hannon Wintermantel is so very sorry she couldn’t make it to the Reunion. She says she enjoyed seeing the pictures and “Everyone looked great.” She lost her brother-in-law in January of 2021. Edna has completely retired! “No more Nutrition Education from me!” she says. She would like to do some more traveling but will wait for things to calm down. She reports she walks and does some cross-country skiing occasionally. She sends her best to all. Angeline “Angi” Dvorak Ishida , like the rest of us says, “That was a great Reunion we had, wasn’t it? So many good things happened that allowed us to visit mostly mask-free. Though things have been changing a lot on campus, it was still wonderfully peaceful and calm.” Everyone got together at the Ishida home in Denver, Colo., for a truly thankful Thanksgiving for health and a bountiful table. Juliann “Juli” Smiley Thrush reports that the year 2021 was the year for coming home in her family. It is such a joy to be with their four youngest grands. Only one snag in 2021 for her was a four-day hospital visit

in December with two coronary arteries blocked. Juli hopes all is well for our Woods Family. A special note: “Thank you, Ruth Kolcun Noack , for your news in the last Onyx. Bev and I have been wondering how you are doing.” She sends blessings to you all. Ladies….we have a “first-timer” writing to us. Welcome, Susan “Sue” Connell Connor ! She lives in Indianapolis, Ind., and retired six years ago as a first-grade teacher. Sue has a retired show dog, Quinn, who is a Barbet (French water dog) who now serves as a therapy dog. They are affiliated with Eskenazi Hospital and have worked with children and adults. She says, “It also gives me a reason to put a bra on a couple times a week.” Sue hopes everyone has a healthy 2022. Jo Anne Henry is doing well and is still training her dogs for Obedience trials. She says that has not stopped because of COVID. She cannot do much Therapy Dog activities because the nursing homes around her still do not allow volunteers. She writes that she really loved Reunion. She really enjoyed seeing everyone and just walking around the campus. Jo even rode one of the bicycles! AH….a name we haven’t seen here. You are very missed Rita Potocny Krider . In 2016, she made a big move from Chicago’s northwest suburbs to Georgetown, Texas, located just north of the state capitol in Austin. In 2019, Rita retired from Sears, Roebuck and Co., where she was working as a paralegal for thirteen years in Sears’ corporate law department. She now enjoys time with her family. Sadly, she noticed the passing of Rita Osowski Tatum . She and Rita shared many communications classes together. She was also sad to read of Joanie Genovese’s passing... God bless them both and hope they are watching over us. Helen McLaughlin Hinshaw and family are all surviving the cold and low snow winter in Cadillac, Mich. Husband Les is slowly recovering from omicron and a small surgery. Helen and Les hope to travel down south for a few weeks in early March. Helen loved seeing everyone at our 50th! She says it was a blast from the past and into the future at SMWC. Helen sends thoughts and prayers to all for health and many more blessings! Mary O’Malley Kratofil sends greetings from Kansas. She reports 2021 was busy! After five unsuccessful chemo cocktails, she finally qualified for a CAR-T cell procedure. She and Greg celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July. She’s connected with Carol Conway, Linda Fowler Voyles and Theresa Tighe who left after freshman year. The loss of Genie Hogan and Lynn George Crotty triggered memories of the fun they had at SMWC. Although she was not able to attend Reunion, she enjoyed the pictures posted by The Woods. Christine McCauley Stremel sends her greetings from Texas! She says all is well there…except that she sees her mother in the mirror more each day. She still talks to Mary Ann Murphy Atkins and she loved the zoom calls that Carol Conway coordinated. She prays each of us are blessed in 2022 and hopes “we vacation and or staycation with family and friends realizing that each moment we are alive is a gift. Being a Woodsie is one of our greatest.” Barbara “Barb” Weber Michael related that in addition to our 50th Reunion last year, she and Greg celebrated their 50th anniversary in June 2021. Barb was blessed to have her dad there at 101 years old, and he loved every minute, including a bit of dancing with his three girls! Barb’s dad peacefully passed away on September 2. Barb hopes we have been staying healthy & warm this winter! She sure enjoyed seeing everyone at Reunion.

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