Please enjoy the '73 Class Notes for Winter '10 from Class Secretary Joanne Rubin. Thanks and keep your news coming by emailing Joanne at JRubin610@aol.com.
I recently completed a high profile murder case involving a 15-year-old who punched a bicyclist in order to separate him from his bicycle, which the youth then stole. The victim, a well respected community activist, fell, struck his head on the curb, and was knocked unconscious. He lingered in a coma for over two weeks before dying. The youth, who had never been in trouble with the legal system, faced being tried as an adult and the possibility of life in prison. Despite intense media and community pressure, I succeeded in having him tried as a juvenile. He will now be incarcerated until his 21st birthday. This month, I am being installed as president of the Lucas County, OH, Bar Association.
Barbara Mintzer Good continues working as administrator of a home care agency in Poughkeepsie, NY. Two of her children live and work in Boston, one is a magazine editor and the other an engineer. Another child returned to Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, to begin her sophomore year as a music major. Her oldest child works in home remodeling. Husband Howie published his first full-length collection of poetry, Lovesick, which is available at Amazon.com. Barbara wishes she and Howie could spend more time at their getaway place in Cape Cod. Sweetie, their family dog of 16 years, passed away last spring after a long, happy life. The Good’s have welcomed a frisky pup named Dewey into the family.
Principal of Hyde Park Elementary School Kate Blossom successfully challenged her students to reach new goals in Read Across America. They read 14,000 and were rewarded by the opportunity to dunk the principal.
Helen Halpin and family have moved to Saint Saturnin les Apt, a beautiful village of 2500 located in the Luberon Parc Region of Provence in Southern France. Her 10-year-old son is attending the village school. She absolutely loves living there. She is still conducting her research for UC Berkeley and returns to California for a week once every three months. “Life is good.”
Cheryl Bonini Ellis took an early fall trip to Paris and the South of France, where she attended the l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamps, one of the most prestigious thoroughbred races in Europe She is in her fifth year as a business and executive leadership coach. “It keeps getting better. I don’t miss the large corporate grind one bit (well, except the money).”
Sue Garlock Lesser and Timi Carter had their own reunion in August at Timi’s home in Maine. They enjoyed mountain climbing, canoeing in Casco Bay, and laughing and talking. They are also planning an encore for later this year.
Connie Terry Ferguson’s daughter, Abby, received a doctorate in psychology this past October She and husband Bo traveled to San Francisco for the ceremony.
Zoe Vose Morsette was awarded a major prop contract on The Addams Family, The Musical, starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth in August. She also bid on a few more props that were added later. Zoe also built four props for 30 Rock and will work on The Grinch again for Broadway. Zoe, who created “Broadway bear” for Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights Aids, costumed her teddy as Lord Farquaad from Shrek this year. He was showcased at the big flea market in Shubert Alley last September and later auctioned off. Zoe was thrilled that fall was so busy. She also attended her 40th high school reunion in Falmouth on Cape Cod over Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately, Sally Amend Larmon was unable to make it.
Anne Hill Horwitz had a busy 2009. At the beginning of May she became a grandmother to Elizabeth Lila, daughter of son Adam and his wife, Caera. At the end of May, her daughter Julie was married. In August, Julie graduated with a PhD in clinical psychology from the SUNY Albany. She is now doing her post-doctoral training in neuropsychology. Both children are in Boston. Husband Jim is in his 23rd year as general counsel at Glens Falls Hospital. Still an RN with the county, Anne thinks her hours will be reduced due to budget strains—“a good way to ease into retirement.”
Anne Pouch is still living in Hopkinton in Metro-West Boston. Her kids are both in college (one is a junior at NYU and the other is a senior at Northwestern). Both children studied abroad in the past year (Florence and Buenos Aires). Anne had great trips to visit both of them. She also graduated from Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Ed with a certificate in web design this past summer. She has her own web design business (www.annepouch.com). She keeps up with Mira Fish, who lives in Wilton, ME, Boston, MA resident Annie Alger, Margot Woodworth, who resides in Long Meadow, and Nina Brazil.
Lauri Landau took a cruise in late fall and later visited with good friend Kyle Caparosa and family. Kyle has also invited Ellen Favino Ahearn and me to join with them for some fun times and a chance to visit.
Kyle Caparosa spent the summer looking at colleges for her daughter Wallis. Wallis spent a week in June at the University of Florida at their Summer Journalism Institute. Wallis’s dad is pushing hard for his alma mater, the University of Texas. Kyle, who is secretary of the PTSA at Suncoast High School, is constantly encouraging students and parents to consider Skidmore.
Donna Kurkul has recovered from several accidents and after six months of physical therapy—just in time, for her and husband Stuart to spend time celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary and 30 years together in Newport, RI, back in September. Donna says that it is good to be able to garden, drive her Miata again, and simply lift a plate! They also spent some time in Truro back in June.
Doug Gray was production supervisor for the Broadway opening of Superior Donuts by Tracy Letts. Doug’s spouse, Leslie Koch, was profiled in a nine-page New Yorker feature for her role as president of GIPEC, the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation.
Bibsy Nace’s daughter graduated magna cum laude from Ithaca College in music education this past May. She started teaching middle school band in Texas in mid August. “It is certainly a change for the whole family and we are very proud of her.”
says that after 34 wonderful years of classroom teaching in Niskayuna, NY Randee Hartz retired on July 1, 2009! She had taught fifth grade, a K-5 gifted and talented program for 13 years, and did staff development. The transition has been quite interesting, especially as they have an 11-year-old son, Michael, who started Middle School last year! He is a talented pianist and a real joy in their lives. Randee is thoroughly relishing her new-found free time with adult piano lessons and T’ai Chi and trips to Saratoga Springs for lunch and shopping She will continue to offer Kids Yoga afterschool programs as well as tutor some favorite former students. Meanwhile, husband Eric made a change-of-life decision; he is at SUNYA pursuing a physics degree, a longtime passion. A prosperous part-time remodeling business gives him the flexibility he needs.
Cynthia May, Jenny Pearman Lammer, Cathy Offinger, and Anne Blodget Holberton gathered at the Cape in September. A good time was had by all and everyone hopes to make it an annual event and get other classmates to join them.
Donna DeLorenzo is enjoying life back in St. Augustine, FL, where she as an administrator and advisor of entrepreneurial programs at Flagler College. Her children have grown into 19 and 24- year-old men. Donna has enjoyed watching Skidmore evolve and maintain its commitment to creative thought. Old friends please email her at ddelorenzo@flagler.edu.
Last January Mary Ellen Thompson accompanied her son, Alex, to Copenhagen, where he began a semester studying there. Mary Ellen stayed with him for a couple of days exploring Copenhagen until the other students arrived. She then set off for Bergen, Norway, a delightful fishing village on the west coast and in reality the country’s second largest city. It has an amazing outdoor fish market there where they sell things like whale sandwiches! She spent a night in Bergen before taking a two-hour train ride heading northeast. Mary Ellen boarded four-hour ferry trip through a fjord, arriving at the small town of Flam. She viewed snow-capped mountains with waterfalls cascading down the sides, then traveled up the mountain by train before arriving at Oslo. She capped the trip with a stay at Kiruna, Sweden’s Ice Hotel, a dogsled ride over a frozen river, and a snowmobile ride to view the Northern Lights. It was a great trip to do as a single woman. Everyone spoke English, and Mary Ellen felt very safe everywhere during her amazing adventure!
Keep the news coming! Just email me at JRubin610@aol.com.
Joanne
Joanne Rubin, Class Secretary
6743 Monarch Drive
Sylvania, OH 43560-3177
