Class of 1963

Oh, Gold Class,

Here we are again, our Sixtieth Reunion heading toward us like a freight train.  Where did the years go?  Where did last year go?  It’s time again to catch up with each other and to comment on what might have helped you get through the last few years, which have been quite unusual for reasons I don’t need to enumerate.  As I write, several of our classmates, including Muff Lorentz Richardson and JoAnn Smith Adler were cleaning up after Hurricane Ian.  Muff had just flown down from Maine where she and Dave had spent the summer and got there just in time to be joined by Ian.  Everyone seems to have survived although the cleanup will go on for some time.   I’ll be coming back later to Muff, but first let me catch up with a few of you who wrote to share your news and your thoughts.

Kathy Mauceri Kelly was pleased to see that our old traditions continue with the Class News as she was surprised by the changing schedule of Reunion.  Despite a few health battles, Kathy doesn’t feel her age, unless she looks in the mirror.  She still enjoys golf and her volunteer activities.  Her girls are doing well and grandson, Thomas, just started his first year at Drexel.  Kathy feels gratitude for all the good in her life. Joan Mafongelli Umholtz notes that keeping equilibrium can be difficult what with Covid and the swirling political currents.  She notes that her friends have been invaluable in these years, especially with Warren gone, adding “We have supported one another in ways I never dreamed. Joan has ended up devoting time and energy to a lot of meetings and events, particularly those sponsored by the Tewksbury Historical Society.  Her talents have been recognized and she has ended up writing the publicity for all of them, which has led to a growth in her technical skills.  She adds, “There are small blessings in every adversity.  Pat Hickman Livingston and husband Howard have been keeping the health care system a little busier than they would like but all is well.  They enjoyed a trip to see Pat’s three kids and their families who all live east of Tampa and hopefully all are safe and sound. Pat notes that what helps her keep her head when all about her are losing theirs is superb medical care, loving time with family and focusing on goodness in the present moment.

Brenda Fettig Murphy is sporting a new right knee and is grateful that she and jeff are “upright, mobile, and conversant”.  To answer the question, she notes that she finds joy in making art, doing volunteer work, playing golf and tennis, and spending time with friends and family.  Spending less time on Cable News helps her keep focused in unsettled times.  She regrets the loss of civility and simple respect for people from all walks of life that seems to have become so prevalent.  Turning 80 was a bit of a shock for Brenda as it remains hard for her to believe that we are old ladies.  Connie Urciolo Battle has found herself somewhere between deep gratitude, restlessness, and boredom with the sameness of the last few years.  Through a set of coincidences beyond her control, Connie was asked to fill the term of the President of the local ARC of Montgomery County.  Although she had previously enjoyed the freedom from deadlines

and pressures, she finds herself feeling nourished by outside connections.  Her daughter, Ursula, who many of us met at a bygone reunion, lives with Connie and Charles and, although profoundly disabled, is fully engaged with life.  While for Connie, life seems, different, yet still the same, she notes the nation and the world do not seem to be in the same holding pattern, with threats on so many fronts.

Sad news of the death of the death of Judy Mannion O’Hara.  Judy’s courage in the face of a devastating disability was a beacon to many of us at our 50th Reunion.  She had lived valiantly for many years, with the support of her loving family, and is greatly missed. Her family and friends were there to honor her at a celebration for her life at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament.  The Mass program with a photo of Judy and a favorite poem, The Lake Isle of Innisfree, captured the spirit that lived within.

Bonnie Doherty Delay has added pickleball to her tennis routine.  She continues to work part-time at BH and as a docent at BC’s McMullen Museum.  Bonnie’s museum duties fill her with regret that she didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to learn from Dr. Ilonger when she was in school…who knew that would come in handy later in life and was also a topic of regret for several of us who got together at the Cape..see below.  Kids and grandkids are flourishing.  Bonnie continues active at Glastonbury Abbey, her faith community and her duties there provide the motivation to stay abreast with technology to keep up programming since Covid.  Ellen Malone Padden downsized to an apartment in an over 62 community near her former home.  She loves the simpler lifestyle, noting that despite the necessary purge of possession, she hung on to her copies of the Alumnae Journal, so she could re-read what is a journal of our journeys over the past six + decades.  She is looking forward to hearing how the rest of us have handled the stress of the last few years.  For herself, she follows safe health precautions, contributes to organization that save resources, and promotes listening to others instead of criticizing their ideas, adding hopefully, “small things might add up!”

Janice Nocera Fornier is still living in the home she brought her beautiful baby boy home to 52 years ago.  Her oldest grandson is off to DC to study at GW.  Janice lost her brother Bob last year….Bob had been at Georgetown when we were seniors and was often on campus.  His loss has been painful for Janice as she realizes she is now the sole repository of a lifetime of shared memories.  She is still a “church lady, serving as Lector and Eucharistic Minister in her home parish and the Thomas More Chapel at Yale.  She finds retirement offers more quiet time and prayer time which help her to stay balanced.  She is grateful for her father, her family, her friends, her education, her travels and all the other experiences which have contributed to who she is today.  She notes healing and reconciliation are so needed in today’s world and she shares with Ellen the belief that the way to healing begins with listening.

Hilda Basora King was still on the sunny side of 80 when she sat down to write, but that will change on Halloween.  She and Neil continue to enjoy trips with their skiing club, and she looks forward to the only perk that comes with turning 80…free ski lift tickets.  She credits daily Jazzercise for keeping her head on straight.  She has a granddaughter in college, another in high school, and two preteen grandsons.  It can get pretty noisy at the Kings’ when everyone is together but Hilda wouldn’t have it any other way. Dorothy Tanck continues to spend time at El Collegio de Mexico, working on her magnum opus, a history of the Jesuit primary schools in colonial Mexico, an educational venture Dotty believes was unique among the Jesuits far flung educational endeavors..  She is planning a trip to the US later this fall to visit her several of her children and grandchildren. Cathy Johnson sends greetings to all.  She notes she is continuing to provide support to her partner and keeps grounded in turbulent times by paying less attention to cable news. Very sad news from Eleanor Durkin Berger, whose daughter, Lorie, died suddenly earlier this year.  Lorie was very much looking forward to the future, had worked a full week and walked home from work only four days before her sudden illness and death.  She was a gifted and accomplished physician, with degrees from Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, Pittsburgh, and BU. She is much missed by her sisters, Rosemary, Maria, and Natalie, Eleanor and Paul.  As usual, classmates were there for Eleanor with Maria Masturzo Penman and Carol Bicknell Chapman coming to support her.

In September, I joined several classmates on the Cape due to the inspiration and efforts of Brenda Bennett Scannell, who made a wonderful old seaside home available to those of us who could come for a night or two to share memories and just be together. I drove down with Muff Lorentz Richardson, shared a room with Char Fitzmaurice Luddy, and shared good times, good conversation, and good food with Joan Formato Ferrante, Annie Frossad Pufall, Ann Davitt, Arlene Venerri Post, Brenda and Neil…Bonnie had come a little earlier, but couldn’t stay to join the group.  The setting was beautiful, the company was good, the weather was fine and Brenda and Neil pulled out all the stops to make sure we had a memorable weekend, including providing an incredible cake with the Trinity seal created in frosting…it tasted as good as it looked! Ann and I took advantage of proximity to go and visit Nancy Roach. Nancy has downsized to a lovely independent living community and continues to enjoy time with family and friends on the Cape as well as all things Irish.   As usual, the years fell away as we talked together. Brenda had imposed a “no politics, no religion” limit on conversation which made it a comfortable weekend for all…something to consider for Reunion as staying away from conflictual topics and confrontation and finding a way to connect seemed to be a common theme in your responses. Brenda was on to something…no hearts and minds would have been won during a weekend of wrangling!  In what passes for my real life, I am engrossed in my teaching and clinical role at Portsmouth Hospital and working on academic rank at Tufts. Kids and grandkids come to visit, with my oldest grandson now in college at Curry and my middle grandson starting high school at Xavier in New York, where Dotty Tanck’s nephew is a senior.

It is a small world.  As always, thank you for your thoughtful responses and what you bring to your communities and those you love.  Trinity, our lives are living you.

Is mise,

Mary Alice O’Dowd

Oh, Gold Class,

What a year!  2020 and 2021 have presented challenges to all of us and I asked those of you responding to share some of your thoughts and experiences of the last year. This was the first year that the request for news came only through email and the time frame was abbreviated. I hope we can do a little better in terms of responses next year.

Susan “Bonnie” Doherty Delay is pleased that she has stayed healthy and socially distant and is hoping to get out a little more now that she’s vaccinated. BC called and Bonnie ended her second retirement. She is back working part-time in the world of computer programing and space weather. Grandkids are thriving despite dealing with COVID and quarantines. Bonnie met Janice Nocera Fournier at an on-line fundraiser for Hope Community, which was founded by Sr. Ann Kendrick ‘66 and other SNDs. She also found herself “somehow” in the role of Chair of the Glastonbury Abbey Institute, which puts on a yearly series of educational programs. The Institute and Bonnie had to make the leap into taking the program entirely virtual…a piece of cake, I’m sure, for someone used to dealing with “space weather!”  She continues to enjoy occasional Zoom get-togethers with Margot Shandoff Towl, Margaret “Marge” Hilsinger Mulkerin, Missy O’Brien Brown, Sydney Woomer Galloway, Ann Davitt, Nancy Roach and Annie Frossard Pufall

Marion Dee Rogers settled in Florida after the death of her husband Larry several years ago. Over the past year, she has found great joy in a relationship with a gentleman who remains very active in his career as an architectural designer. Kids are all well with daughter Helen, living lakeside in Chicago. Brenda Murphy Fettig hopes we are all well and vaccinated. She notes the past year has been surreal on many levels but that all in her family survived and figured out how to cope. Her art played a major role in her own coping strategy and her year ended with the publication of a book entitled “Squiggling through Covid-19: How This Artist Kept from Going Nuts During the Pandemic!” Brenda enjoyed turning a time of challenge into an art project and was interviewed on PBS about the process. She and Jeff did break out of quarantine for a brief visit with their son in Grosse Point over Christmas. She notes feeling grateful for being in the Midwest during this time as the news from her native New York seemed so sad. Helen Berezowski Cadden, one of those besieged New Yorkers, notes she and her family just hunkered down and stayed safe. She made good use of Zoom for both education and fun!

The events of 2020 reminded Patricia “Pat” Hickman Livingston more poignantly than ever how precious “ordinary” life is and how interconnected we are with the whole human community. Pat is grateful that all her extended family stayed well and she, like many of you, is looking forward to gathering with family in the months ahead. Patricia “Pat” Cliggett Vacca will be eternally grateful to the staff at her senior retirement community who stepped up and took on a myriad of new roles to make sure all the residents remained safe and healthy, smiling through their masks as they did so. Fortunately, the community has its own television station, which provided a wonderful way to keep everyone informed and connected as well as providing stimulating activities for mind and body. The experience reminded Pat of the importance of socialization on so many levels, not just engagement in shared activities but even those every day casual contacts, which perhaps we didn’t realize were such a part of the fabric of our days until they were gone.

Our hearts go out to Mary Peterson Cushmac, whose son, Robert, died at age 44, during Holy Week. Bobby had suffered a spinal cord injury in a motor vehicle accident when he was only 10 and had accepted his disability, even at that young age, with an indomitable spirit. He led an accomplished and inspiring life and faced his death with grace and courage. Mary, George, and Bobby’s siblings, Anne, Ed and Michael feel blessed by God’s gift of Bobby’s presence in their lives. Mary and George have adopted Bobby’s dog, which gives them an excuse to get out and about. She met Constance “Connie” Urciolo Battle for a post- vaccination visit and is hopeful that she and her daughter Anne will be able to join parishioners from Connie’s parish in making the Camino de Santiago in Portugal this summer. Kathleen “Kathy” Mauceri Kelly doesn’t feel any older, except when she looks in the mirror or sees her 16 year old grandson towering over her. She continues to volunteer in her parish’s Social Ministries and is Secretary for a volunteer agency working to meet the needs of individuals with developmental delay, mental health and substance abuse issues. Kathy enjoys the continued opportunity to work with these populations, a mission that was for so long part of her life. She worries about the added challenges those with special needs face without the option of in-person learning, despite the boon Zoom has turned out to be for us all, and hopes we can all be vaccinated as soon as possible.

Eleanor Berger Durkin feels fortunate that she and her family are healthy and mostly vaccinated. The events of the past year have made her more aware of the role that privilege plays in our lives as well as the very real presence of inequality in our society.  She keeps in touch with Cecilia “Ceil” Bicknell Chapman and her old roommate, Maria Masturzo Penman and looks forward to seeing them in person after these months of distancing. A Christmas letter from Eileen Corey Sadisav expressed her gratitude for being “safe, warm and dry with enough to eat, but….” she is reminded that human contact is so precious and Zoom gratefully employed, with such joy in small blessings, contacts with family and friends by internet and phone. Grandchildren are growing and flourishing, with milestones including a first Presidential vote and finishing high school. She ends her letter with the old Irish salutation, ”May we all be together next year.” In another Christmas letter, Hilda Basora King noted that COVID has made things a little dull although time for family dinners remained a source of pleasure. Hilda is grateful that everyone in her family is still working and still safe, even if the ski season was cut a little short this year.

Mary Ellen Murphy Borja is working full time, but her law practice has moved to 100% virtual. She had actually been thinking about cutting back and traveling to spend time with her six kids, twelve grandkids and two greatgrands. COVID made that a non-starter, so she’s still at work and actually looking forward to getting back into the courtroom.  All of this has Mary Ellen describing herself as “masked, distanced, not traveling and sulking!”

My year, well, I was working remotely for three months due to COVID, which entailed quickly adopting a lot of technology (and I’m no expert in space weather!) so as to be able to care for patients safely.  Upon returning to in-person work, I was informed that after 40 years I was being replaced by someone much younger (of course) and cut to half time.  It was really quite shattering and since I wasn’t ready for either retirement or to stay in a place where I was not valued, I will be starting a position as Program Director for a new Psychiatry Residency in Portsmouth, NH, near where Barbara “Barby” Donohoe Newton and I spent so many happy childhood hours. We had always wanted to live here, sometimes life is funny that way. Kids are fine and vaccinated and grandkids are moving in that direction. And, yes, Hilda, I did go skiing and next year, lift tickets will be free when I turn 80…sort of a “good news, bad news” situation but better than the alternative. I keep in touch with Nancy Roach, who sold her home on the Cape and moved into a nearby Independent Living facility. She hasn’t had a chance to get to know her neighbors and take advantage of the opportunities for social activities yet due to COVID but is looking forward to doing so in the near future “and the food is good!”  Good times with cousins remain a priority for the year ahead.

Like many of you, Ellen Malone Padden is looking forward to getting together with family later in the year. Let me close with some thoughts from Ellen, who started by noting that she had had a lot of time for introspection in 2020, time which had reminded her of how important family and friends become when externals are stripped away. “Home came to mean safety, a haven from harm. Meals became an activity, including planning and preparation. Neighbors became friendlier, waving, since smiles couldn’t be seen behind masks. Moments became precious, because we all knew they could end.  People became so generous to those who lost so much. Let’s hope we remember all these lessons as we begin to resume some former activities. Let’s move slower and smile more.”

Catherine “Cathy” Johnson remembers her mother saying she would learn how to cook when she needed to and I guess this was the time for her.  Cathy and her partner muddled through, despite the cuisine, and continue to focus on making good choices and staying safe.

A highlight of the year for Martha “Marty” Murphy Schweiters was a great welcome back to in-person church attendance, sharing the experience with a Rehoboth Beach neighbor, President Biden. Her personal blessings of the past year including relishing the memories of the trips, gatherings and performances enjoyed in more normal times as well as binging on the fun TV shows that she never had time for. Time with family in Maryland, Toronto, and Hungary had the drawback of being virtual but the advantages of no cooking and cleanup! Marty is looking forward to better times ahead for the National Symphony and the Washington Ballet, both of whose boards she sits on. She keeps in touch with Karen O’Brien Risher whose work with St. Vincent de Paul was more needed than ever, with so many families experiencing financial difficulties. Marty, Karen, and Anne Conroy Bader were looking forward to a “coming out” luncheon in April.

Thanks to those of you who figured out how to send your thoughts and checks. I hope we’ll all get a little better and remember to watch out for that email from Trinity at Class News time next year!  If we don’t have your email address, send it to Trinity now!  As always, you are the ones who write this letter and I continue to marvel at the women you are. Trinity, our lives are living you.

Is mise

Mary Alice O’Dowd, M.D.
maodowd@gmail.com

Gold Class of 1963

Oh, Gold Class,

Another year, another chance to check in with our classmates.  Many of you took advantage of the opportunity to meet and chat in person at Reunion last year. For others, we’ll have to make do with this “virtual” reunion.  I also asked you to share your thoughts on whether the “golden years” have brought wisdom to us, golden girls, whether we really are older and wiser.

  Eleanor Durkin Burger enjoyed seeing so many classmates at Reunion and claims they have changed very little over the years.  She even reports a member of a younger class commented on how youthful our class looked….nice to hear!   She is enjoying retirement and the feeling of doing only the things she wants to do, which includes a reasonable exercise routine and time with friends and family.  Last summer, she and Paul visited Germany and Austria with their daughter, who had a Reunion of her own to attend in Berlin.  As far as “older and wiser, she would say “yes’, hoping that she has profited from experiencing life all these years, although she notes that the evening news doesn’t confirm that living longer confers wisdom on everyone!  For Pat Hickman Livingston, the heart of wisdom in the Golden Years is to focus on goodness, anything that encourages gratitude and light-heartedness, to avoid drowning in the tidal wave of negativity that can surround us.  She treasures the insight of author Anne La Mott:  “Laughter is carbonated holiness.”  Pat continues to give retreats and write for Catholic publications.  She is looking forward to the arrival of her second great grandchild/first great granddaughter. Eileen Corey Sadisav is proud and grateful to be a Gold of ’63 and marvels that God has given her so much, including a fantastic education and mostly the woman who guided us then.  She enjoyed Reunion, where she found President McGuire very impressive and Trinity very vibrant.  She tries to stay active and is confident that she can entrust the world to her children and grandchildren and that they will find new ways.

Marie Caruso Stiefel believes that we have had a more complete education, in part because we lived through such interesting times, including the Civil Rights and Women’s Movements, Vietnam, and  the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK, as well as the more traditional sex, drugs, and rock and roll.  She leaves it to others to decide whether all of this has led to more wisdom.  She is having fun as a grandmother and is challenged by her role as President of the Laura Riding Jackson Foundation, focused on the preservation of the home of Ms. Jackson, a 20^th century poet, as well as promoting  activities related to literature, philosophy, and history.

Carol Lombardi Cozzalino is also not sure whether older is wiser.  She was hoping to make life simpler for herself and eventually for her sons by moving into a 55+ community, but then found herself plunged into a complete renovation of her new home, while trying to time completion of that project to the sale of her prior home.  Despite all the delays, running around, and frustration, everything did work out as planned. Carol is happy with the end result but hopes to limit new experiences to the Lifelong Learning classes she has been enjoying for the last few years at NC State.

Cathy Johnson feels her choice of activities reflects growing wisdom, as she has given up cleaning the roof, but continues her volunteer work with special needs riders.  She’s enjoying the growth of her extended family which has expanded to the “great-great” level and has a “special occasion” greeting card list of more than 100! She feels sadness at the state of much of the world and has growing concern for our own country’s well-being.  Pat Cliggett Vacca continues to take an active role in the retirement community that has been her home for close to 4 years, serving as an Ambassador to potential residents, volunteering at the community thrift shop, and playing “Hand and Foot”, a card game which she describes as “canasta on steroids”!  She also coordinates monthly luncheons for a large group of seniors, but perhaps Pat’s most impressive achievement of the last year was losing 30 pounds through diet and exercise…that is an accomplishment!  She continues to treasure holidays spent with her in-laws and friends.

Kathy Mauceri Kelly expressed her happiness at being part of the Trinity family, especially the best part, the Class of 1963!  She admits to being older but has observed that being wiser depends on the day and issue.  Kathy notes that maintaining the ability to keep learning about ourselves and others keeps us going and that continuing to strive to function at our highest level is better than the fountain of youth in terms of achieving wisdom.  She enjoys time with her daughters, son-in-law and grandson and remains on the Board of a local mental health agency.  She is pleased to report that, despite Ms. Durbin pointing her out as a vivid example of what not to do in every sport, she actually plays golf and enjoys it!

Sad news from Joan Maffongelli Umholtz, who lost husband Warren, the love of her life, last April after 48 years of marriage.  Joan’s brother, Joseph, was helping her wind up Warren’s business and get her own affairs in order when he died suddenly just six months later.  Joan credits her strong bonds of friendship with her classmates as well as friends in her community for helping her get through some difficult days.  She believes we are older and wiser in terms of the strength and fortitude we developed at Trinity and as our lives have unfolded.  Mary Miller Paskewicz was with Joan when she met Warren so they felt a special bond and Mary and her late husband Tony enjoyed many good times with the Umholtzes over the years.  Mary’s mother, Mary Driscoll Miller, Class of 1937, also passed away last year, just a few weeks short of her 103^rd birthday.  Mary and her siblings are grateful for their mother’s full life and for the many years they had her with them.  Mary continues volunteering with the NYC Ballet, the Ladies of Charity, and the Women’s National Republican Club (but, no, if you’re wondering, she didn’t!)  She notes that a good time was had by all at Reunion.  Helen Berezoski Cadden enjoys lunches and Ladies of Charity activities with Mary, as well as time with her family, although she adds that her grandson is now a teenager and seems to have less time for Grandma.  Helen laughs when she hears herself commenting that she wishes she had known at 70 what she knows now and considers herself at least more prudent, if not wiser.

Maureen Sullivan Koseff thinks she has gained in wisdom, especially when she compares herself to younger folks (even those middle-aged ones) or to things she hears and sees on TV.   She is sometimes amazed at how some people seem to think, and their inability to understand how the world really works.  Margot Shandoff Towl is also in the older and wiser column, noting that she is still involved in life and learning.  She enjoys seeing classmates at Char Fitmaurice Luddy’s home every January, with time spent catching up on each other’s lives as well as reminiscing about their time at Trinity and discussing a little politics.  “Without question, we are grateful to have shared our journey with one another and our other Trinity sisters.”  She enclosed a photo of Char, Sidney Galloway Woomer, Ann Frossard Pufall, Missy O’Brien Brown, Bonnie Doherty Delay, Marge Hilsinger Mulkerin, and Ann Davitt at their most recent gathering. Reunion confirmed for Joan Formato Ferrante that our gold never tarnishes and that five years is too long to wait, so she traveled to Cape Cod to spend time with Bonnie and Annie at Brenda Bennett Scannell’s lovely home.  Nancy Roach joined them all for the Campus on the Cape luncheon.  Joan knows we are growing older, but for her that is only a number and wisdom, with a large dose of LOVE, dominates.

Janice Nocera Fournier continues to enjoy babysitting for grandson William, who is at that lovely age, just learning to read, and also volunteers at a local soup kitchen. Like many of us, she has had to deal with the closure of her local parish and is now “bi-parochial”, attending her new merged parish as well as attending and writing for the journal at St. Thomas More chapel at Yale.  She traveled to Williamsburg and DC last year with daughter Liz and her family, enjoying the many fond memories brought back.  As for wisdom, she has learned that gratitude sustains and nourishes her and that simplicity is a gift as we age.  Mary Ellen Murphy Borja is working full-time in her law practice and is also mediator.   Three of her six children are in the DC area, which gives her an excuse to visit our old stomping grounds.  She is also active on Bar committees, sings in the church choir and loves solo road trips.  Despite having 12 grandkids and her first great-grand in January and what the calendar tells her, Mary Ellen doesn’t feel old.

Arlene Venneri Post was disappointed that so many familiar faces were missing from Reunion and by the sense that politics crept into every discussion and presentation, something we  experience too often in all sorts of gatherings, even family occasions, in these troubling times when differences in opinions can make people feel unwelcome.  She isn’t sure if age brings wisdom, but it has brought her a heightened awareness of the value of time and the need to treasure every moment, which perhaps is wisdom.  She enclosed a photo of her 10 beautiful grandkids, with the oldest off to college last September.

Kathleen McGovern McGuire notes that getting older is humbling, accepting that she was never as in charge of her life as she had thought she was, that all good things ultimately come from the Lord.  She sees her role now as ballast for her children and grandchildren, providing stability in a chaotic world.  She is grateful to her Trinity education for giving her the critical thinking skills to seek the truth daily and notes that our Catholic faith remains her firm foundation.   Her always roommate, Ellen Malone Padden, feels she has become wiser and better able to put things in perspective.  She is frustrated that we seem to struggle with the same problems in the world for decades without resolution, but that the vantage point of age may help us to see the swing of the pendulum in religion, politics, world view and lifestyle.  A broken ankle has Ellen hopping around and looking forward to regaining her independence in the near future.

Christmas brought the usual letter from Hilda Basora King, full of ski trips and good times with her sons, grandkids and Neal and Hilda’s extended family and family of friends.  The Kings keep very fit.  Hilda has been a fan of Jazzercise for 40 years and still likes jumping and shouting with all her friends every morning and sometimes twice a day, while Neal is starting his second year as a volunteer Park Ranger and hiked more than 1000 miles last year while helping other hikers.    

Dorothy Tanck de Estrada was another correspondent and sent a wonderful photo of herself surrounded by her four daughters, spouses, and grandkids.  She still writes and attends the occasional conference and, of course, Reunion!  Past roommate and Song Leader, Joanne Naegele, wonder how we got to this age so quickly and marveled at our journeys.  She is a little envious of the current crop of Trinity students, with such a different world open to them and also is proud of how Trinity has grown and become more relevant, educating a diverse population.

Mary Meehan moved to Western Maryland 15 years ago and enjoys the small town atmosphere and being near the Alleghany Mountains.  She’s still a freelancer writer, writing on local history and culture as well as being a regular contributor to the Human Life Review, a quarterly journal.   While she is not sure that we have all grown wiser with age, she does believe that we have grown in patience.  A last-minute note from Mary Peterson Cushmac, with no news, but a check.  Just a reminder for next year…I always give you a little leeway on the deadline, so even if you’re a few days/weeks late, drop me a line, or news can be sent directly to the college at https://www.trinitydc.edu/alums/class-notes-submission-form/

Looking at that, on second thought, maybe it’s easier to write to me!  Diane Lamothe McCoy believes wisdom comes through the acquiring of simple truths.  She felt so grateful to have been among you at Reunion and hearing the “shared spoken life stories of many honest and brave women, united in compassion and feeling our shared strength.”  She regrets that some of us were reluctant to attend earlier reunions, perhaps fearing judgment or doubting their relative value.  She feels grateful to have arrived at a place where she is able to speak her truth and is appreciative her parents’ gift to her of the Trinity education which has been a mainstay of her life.  All the trials and tribulations of life have led her to a place of contentment, with no regrets.  For Diane, opposition to legal infanticide and those who support it is a truth to live by.

Although I may be older and wiser, I don’t seem to be more organized and I’m always a little apprehensive that between the letters and the emails, I might have misplaced a few of you, not to mention the checks!  I noted in your letters more of an appreciation of the importance of good health, an awareness that is perhaps a marker of wisdom. Unfortunately Reunion just wasn’t in the cards last year as I was off to Italy a little later in June for both a medical meeting and a visit with friends.  In August, I met with Bonnie and Nancy on the Cape for fried clams…what else could it be?  Like Mary Ellen, I’m still working and still enjoying it although I can see retirement looming a little larger on the horizon.  Like Diane, I am amazed by your stories, by the courage which you all have brought to your lives…which is why I always end with the line from our Alma Mater,” Trinity, our lives are living you”, because I believe it, because I’ve been privileged to see those words lived every year through your letters.  That’s what makes being your scribe for 42 years (eek) an honor, to have traveled with you and witnessed your journeys.

Is mise,

Mary Alice O’Dowd
515 West End Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10024
maodowd@gmail.com

Oh, Gold Class,

It’s time once again to catch up on what’s been happening with the Class of 1963.  This year I asked you also to share your thoughts on what issues you would like to see addressed as part of the Presidential campaign (which will thankfully be over by the time you read this).  Although only a few of you endorsed a particular candidate, many of you expressed your hopes for sensible discourse and sensible directions for our country’s future.

Ruth Ditchey Brill hopes the candidates and parties will address the economy, national security, global warming, renewable clean energy and immigration reform, in that order.  She and Walt attribute their good health to exercise, attention to nutrition, a supportive network of family and friends and good genes.  Equally significant for them is their gratitude for the presence of the Lord in their lives.

Eileen Corey Sadisiv is grateful for her excellent academic preparation and the inspiring paths to spiritual life  shown by the wonderful women who dedicated their lives to instructing and guiding us at Trinity.  She rejoices at having lived to see a woman nominated for president.  In discussing the critical issues which face our nation, she notes that it is difficult sometimes to understand the viewpoints of those who have access to the same knowledge and data that she does, yet see the world so differently.

Joan Formato Ferrante is proud of Trinity for continuing to give the world the gift of educating so many worthy women.  She hopes that the next Mr. or Mrs. President will get our country and our world on a peaceful track so that our grandchildren can grow up surrounded by love, not fear.  She counts her blessings, enjoying children, grandchildren and friends.

Ellen Malone Padden describes herself as “a willing taxpayer”, the price of continuing to enjoy the blessings of living in “a quality country”.  She also believes that we have a duty to help other countries attain the same goals.  She hopes the candidates will address day to day concerns such as keeping Social Security solvent, maintaining and improving the National Health Care Plan, reforming the immigration system and improving our infrastructure.  She continues to be busy with friends, kids, and grandkids and enjoyed a visit from old roomie, Kathy McGovern McGuire, in May, when they each had a grandchild graduating from high school in Colorado.

Lenore Papendick De Blasio sent photos of her 4 children and 7 grandkids, ranging in age from 12 to 2 months.  Lenore was sorry to miss our 50^th but she and Art had booked a cruise to Bermuda for that time.  They just celebrated 51 years of marriage, despite Lenore’s father’s gloomy prognostication that the marriage wouldn’t make it to the five year mark!  Lenore has been retired from the Piscataway Township Department of Aging for nine years.  She sings with a choir, serves as a cantor and teaches Religious Ed in addition to serving as a Reading Buddy at the library.  She is afraid she would need more space than allowed to address the fiasco of the current political campaign.

This year’s prize for making the most connections with classmates goes to Carol  Lombardi Cozzolino.     Carol had a weekend visit from her roommate Alice Lyman, who stopped in North Carolina on her way to Florida in June. She enjoyed two Trinity gatherings, the first in Boston in the fall with Mary Miller Paskewicz, Joan Maffongelli Umholtz, and Anne Schaeffer Olsen.  Ceil Bicknell Chapman and Eleanor Durkin Berger joined them for lunch and Eleanor brought along Maria Masturzo Penman, the first time many of the “girls” had seen Maria since college.  A good time was had by all and Maria was inspired to bring the group back together at her home in Westport, joined this time by Amelia Alexander Lopano.  Eleanor and Paul celebrated their 50^th anniversary with a trip to Portugal.  Eleanor also described the mini-reunion in Westport, noting “It felt like we were back in our college days.  You can’t put a price on that kind of friendship.”  Eleanor wonders why anyone would want to be President in this day and age, but hopes issues of income inequality, terrorism, gun violence, the opioid crisis and immigration are at the top of list. When not busy with her Trinity friends, Carol continues to enjoy good health and her life in NC, with bridge and classes at NC State.

Helen Berezoski Cadden is celebrating 17 years of retirement from the federal government.  She enjoys time with her son and 12 year old grandson and just returned from a week in London, noting “I’m going because I can still do it!” She sees Mary Miller Paskewicz at Ladies of Charity functions and they enjoy the occasional lunch or movie.  She hopes the candidates address the issues of affordable and relevant education for young people as well as promoting career opportunities, education and training for mid-career, middle-aged folks.

Pat Hickman Livingston is still writing, and giving retreats and other lectures around the country.  She is happy that husband Howard is “practically dancing around Tampa” after successful surgery.  Pat is trying to absorb the strangeness and wonder of being a great grandparent since Grayson, a grandson for class baby Kaydee, arrived in 2015.

Hilda Basora King continues to feel that retiring 13 years ago was the best decision of her life as it gave her the opportunity to spend time with her sons and her four grandkids and to travel. Hilda and Neal visited Puerto Rico, Hilda’s first trip there in more than 50 years.  She enjoyed seeing cousins and tasting familiar foods, as well as the kayaking diving and sightseeing.  Her son, Glen, has been involved in fighting some of the forest fires that we read about, so keep Glen and all the crews in your prayers.  Hilda would like to see the candidates talk about education, fixing our crumbling infrastructure, and our security, both domestic and international.  She’d also like to hear how they plan to create jobs that will pay well.  She hopes sane minds prevail.

Pat Cliggett Vacca is glad she downsized to a continuing care retirement community, especially when she saw the staff weeding and mulching and realized she could enjoy life without the cares of home ownership.  She remains as President of a non-profit charity, Widowed Persons Service of Montgomery County and finds her work, including assisting with a support group, very rewarding. Despite attending regularly since 1999, Pat is surprised by how much she enjoys deep water exercise classes, since she doesn’t like exercise and doesn’t like getting wet.  She reminds us all to use sunscreen.

Cathy Johnson keeps in shape by volunteering at a local horse farm for therapeutic lessons for kids with disabilities, doing yard work, walking and hiking.  She and her partner provide transportation services for older neighbors to MD appointments and add on lunch outings to make it a more social occasion. She enjoyed a get together with Mary Jane Sams Bentz and Frank.  As for the election, Cathy is concerned for our country’s future as well as that of the entire world.  She found the Olympics reason to be proud of our athletes and those who support them.  One of those Olympic athletes was Mary Jane’s grandson, who was part of the Gold Medal winning swimming relay team.  I think that’s a first for our class! Mary Jane and Frank were able to attend the swimming trials in Omaha where Gunnar qualified for the team.  Congrats to Mary Jane, Gunnar and all his teammates!

Carol Stann Scott doesn’t want to vote for either candidate, but realizes she’ll have to choose one in November.  She has been enjoying travel, most recently to Spain.  Her whole family is now nearby, although Carol will miss the trips to Brazil that she enjoyed during daughter Kathy’s time there.  Grandkids are growing, with two in college and the youngest almost a teen. Carol stays active in the Church and several other organizations.

Writing in August, Martha Murphy Schwieters believed the outcome of the election seemed predictable, although she didn’t make a prediction.  She hopes the lack of suspense will help candidates to focus on policies that offer encouragement to the less fortunate here as well as abroad and the adoption of practical measures to help our threatened environment.  She continues on the board of the National Symphony Orchestra, is a docent at Historic Londontown and travels to see kids and grandkids in Hungary and Toronto. Marty enjoys having classmates Karen O’Brien Risher and Anne Conroy Bader nearby and had a chance to catch up with Sue Hurley August and Marie Caruso Stiefel, when Marie was in town to attend a conference on restoring the culture of Afghanistan, a cause to which she is dedicated. Marie describes her life as simple.  She is grateful that the blessing of good health allows her to continue to be able to the do the things she loves, including spending time with family and friends and volunteering with a local literary foundation.    As always, Sue reports that her Trinity “sisters” continue to be an important part of her life.  She had a nice visit with Elaine Webber Billingsley in May, when she came east for her grandson’s graduation from William & Mary.  Sadly, Elaine’s husband, Frank, a decorated Air force veteran, passed away in July.  Our sympathies go out to Elaine and her children and grandchildren.  Sue also got together with Mary Maroney Corman for a “frolic” in New York and recommends that we all frolic more while we can.   She keeps in phone contact with Karen Strobach and hopes to visit her in St. Louis soon.  Sue is planning a Pilgrimage to Israel with her pastor and a church group this fall.  As for the election, she is frustrated that the media focuses on the negatives and ignores anything sensible and well thought out.  She wishes the politicians and the media would accentuate how much we are alike all over the world. As to the election, Mary Jo Chapppen Dranttel wonders, “What are the people of this country thinking?  Oh, wait, I get it.  They aren’t thinking at all!”  Mary Jo and Jack are based in Florida, while their five kids and their grand kids, who range in age from 26-5, are spread from coast to coast.  Having son, Tim, fly for Delta, helps the Dranttels get together and keep in touch, with one of those events they gathered for being the wedding of granddaughter, Randy.

Dolores Goryska Springer reports all is well in the sunny, hot and humid South.  Retirement was turning Ron into a couch potato so he has gone back to part –time work, while Dolores is doing some private ESL tutoring and working out at the Y.  Their six grandkids are involved in sports, but fortunately they all live nearby so travel time to games is kept down a bit.  As a former economics major, Dolores would like to see a focus on the economy as she knows people who have dropped out of the labor force after years of trying to find work.  Security at home and abroad is a close second.

Bonnie Doherty Delay finally bit the bullet and retired, enjoying three wonderful retirement parties.  Although she started volunteering to help a math teacher at an inner city school and enrolled in a course in art history at BC, Bonnie still found that she missed the feeling of having contributed something at the end of the day.  Fortunately, her director called and Bonnie will be heading back to BC part-time in the fall.  She is part of a wonderful welcoming faith community at a small monastery in Hingham, and frequently sees Linda McCoy Lesko there.   Daughter Katie remains in Denver, where she added another Super Bowl ring to her collection.  Kids are doing well and “grands are fun, fun, fun!”

Janice Nocera Fournier bumped into Sydney Galloway Woomer at a lecture at Yale and followed up with a lunch date and “good conversation.”  Janice babysits for grandson, William, and describes watching him grow as one of the great joys of her life.  She’ll be taking on more babysitting for her older grandchildren, Ryan 9 and Isabel 7, as daughter Liz is now working full time. Janice has just begun tutoring the children of a Syrian refugee family, sponsored by her parish.  She also continues to volunteer as a Eucharistic minister and lector and audited a class on Women Mystics at her second alma mater, Yale Divinity School.  Book club and Long Wharf Theatre remain sources of great pleasure. She is thrilled that a woman has been nominated and hopes the issues of income and racial inequality will be a priority.

Maureen Sullivan Koseff would like to hear from the candidates how they intend to bring about real change for the middle class. She and Alan are planning a second honeymoon in Hawaii for their 50th anniversary, but this time they are bringing the kids and grandkids along.

Nancy Leyendeker Kaye is a dual citizen and will be able to vote absentee, but she acknowledges getting inquiries from American friends who want to know if they can move to Canada if Trump wins. She came down to Washington to attend the Memorial Service for Nancy Brown, who was beloved by her English majors and all those who took her courses.  Our Nancy stayed in the home of Eniko Molnar (1962), sister of our late classmate Emese Molnar Bagley, along with Tessa Merdler Mehalek (1962) and they enjoyed time together and conversations in which they were able to solve the problems of the world.  After the service, there was a dinner party with Mrs. Brown’s nephew and Marianne Novi (1964) who is now a Professor at Univ. of Pittsburgh.  Ironically, Mrs. Brown’s other nephew was barred from entering the country by Homeland Security because he had taken part in a charitable project in the Sudan.

Dottie Tanck de Estrada and Fernando moved from their home in an old colonial part of Mexico City to be nearer to their daughters on the outskirts of the city.  She is still working part-time at El Colegio of Mexico, teaching a course every other year and continuing her research.  Last year Dottie went to Spain where she gave several conferences and, more importantly, could be with her daughter Dophy for the birth of her daughter, Elena.  Dottie and Fernando have five grandchildren.

Marion Dee Rogers is a Facebook friend, so I have followed her adjustment to creating a home for herself after Larry’s death as well as a joyous trip she took to Ireland, Scotland, and England with her family.  The trip was mainly for fun, but also continued Marion’s quest to understand her roots.  Her search for her birth family and her integration into that family has been very meaningful to Marion.

As for me, I’m still working full-time, toying with the idea of retirement, although the combination of patient care and teaching remains enjoyable on many levels.   In 2015, I shared with several classmates the sad occasion of the memorial service for Barby Donohoe Newton, my friend from earliest childhood.  Barby’s husband, Bill, passed away a few months ago. They will both be missed.  I traveled with friends to the Galapagos and to Patagonia and look forward to time at the beach in New Hampshire with my sons and grandsons. I’ve bought a house there for retirement, when that happens, and spending more time there now allows me to be a part-time choir member.  I sit beside my 84 year old cousin in the choir loft, sharing our sheet music, something I find very meaningful.  Nancy Roach usually visits me in New York in the spring and fall for a busy whirl of catching up with friends, museums, and theatre and spends the rest of her year on her beloved Cape Cod, with an occasional side trip to Florida. She continues her studies of things literary and Irish.

Thanks as always for your kind words and your contributions, both thoughtful and financial. As always, I am touched by the women you were and the women you’ve become, thoughtful, caring, giving to each other, your families, your communities.  Trinity, our lives are living you.

Is mise,

Mary Alice O’Dowd

Remember when our class day switched from spring to fall in senior year so we could study for comps? Well, here we are again, making changes, this time from a summer date for collecting class news to a winter date. I think we might need a little practice to get used to the new schedule as my mail box was a little light. For my first winter news gathering, I asked for Christmas memories and some of you obliged.

Pat Cliggett Vacca remembers a Christmas many year ago when she found the perfect gift for her mother, making it a very special Christmas for them both, and, more recently, the warmth with which her in-laws reached out to her the first Christmas after Fred died. Pat was elected president of the Widowed Persons Services of Montgomery County and is getting more accustomed to speaking in front of groups. She is working at de-cluttering after 40 years in the same house and enjoyed getting away to see family and friends in North Carolina and Philadelphia.

Shopping for new Christmas tree ornaments every year with her father is a cherished memory for Cathy Johnson, who still enjoys using the ornaments they chose together. “They are fading, but not the memories.” Cathy volunteers with a therapeutic riding program for disabled kids and finds keeping up with her house and garden takes up much of her free time.  She isn’t sure how many more years she’ll be able to get up on the roof to clean the gutters. What about us elderly snow shovelers in the Northeast this year!

Mary Miller Paskewicz is looking forward to the 100th birthday of her mother, Mary Driscoll Miller ’37 in June. I think Mary gets the prize for getting together with most classmates in the most different settings, although there is some stiff competition. She joined Joan Maffongelli Umholtz, Pat Horgan Lambert and Amelia “Amy” Alexander Lopano for two different mini-reunions then traveled to Michigan with Carol Lombardi Cozzolino. When she’s home in New York, Mary volunteers at the New York City Ballet and keeps busy with the activities of the Women’s National Republican Club and the Ladies of Charity. She spent time with Jack and Mary Jo Chapin Dranttel on a visit to Florida. Mary Jo is still basking in the memory of our wonderful Reunion. Her favorite Christmas memory comes from 1980, right after the birth of her youngest daughter, Jennifer. The Dranttels had had the foresight to enlist their three teenage children as elves on Christmas Eve, tasking them with assembly of all the toys and things for their new baby sister, while Mary Jo and Jack sat on the sofa supervising, wine glasses in hand. Jennifer will be starting studies at the School of Art and Design in Savannah, while the Dranttels’ oldest granddaughter will be getting married in April, leading Mary Jo to wonder whether she is not much too young to be a great-grandmother.

Carol Lombardi Cozzalino continues to enjoy bridge and classes at NC State. She finds bridge has been a good way to meet new people and keep up with friends. Still following the thread of Mary’s contacts, Helen Berzoski Cadden sees Mary at the Ladies of Charity and Boomers and Beyond meetings. Helen is currently chair of the book club for the Boomers. She spent part of the Christmas season with family and friends in DC and was with her son and his family for Christmas day. Her grandson (10) gives her a good excuse for exploring New York.

Hilda Basora King’s Christmas letter was full of celebrations and ski trips with family and friends. Hilda and Neal had 21 for Christmas dinner, embracing the idea of the extended family. Son Scott and his wife, Emily, have moved to a house less than a mile from the Kings, offering lots of baby-sitting opportunities with Reed (3) and Graham (1).

Nancy Leyendecker Kay enjoyed splashing in the pool with Elly Fiocchi Trianello,  Linda Lesko McCoy and Brenda Bennett Scannell at a 4th North mini-reunion hosted by Arlene Manos Hughes. Nancy had to cut the visit short to return to Toronto for tryouts for her Winter Tennis Team…of course, she made the team! Her travel plans focus on time with her kids and grandkids in San Diego and British Columbia as well as Toronto. Nancy keeps up with the grandkids’ reading, the Twilight series, Hunger Games, and Nancy’s favorite, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and follows her own literary interests by attending crime fiction conferences in the US and Canada.

Susan “Bonnie” Doherty Delay continues at Boston College 20 hours a week and is happy to have found a place of worship in Glastonbury Abbey. She occasionally sees Linda Lesko McCoy there as Linda’s daughter, Deirdre, and her family live nearby. She gathered with other classmates for lunch at Char Fitzmaurice Luddy’s in November and had no other words except that kids and grandkids are “well, happy and very busy!”

Sad news from Marion Dee Rogers, who reported the death of husband, Larry, after a short illness right before Christmas. Marion’s three daughters and grandkids are a source of support to her and, over the holidays, they recalled a cherished memory of Christmas past, when Larry dressed as Santa and popped out from behind the fireplace screen to surprise the grandkids.  Marion and Larry had planned on moving to Florida next year and Marion hopes to follow through with that plan as it is a place where they both had felt comfortable. Sue Hurley August valued the support of her Trinity sisters in times of need over the years and reports that she and Marty Murphy Schweiters reached out to Karen Strobach and Elaine Webber Billingsley who have both faced some difficult health issues in the past year. Sue spent four days in Schenectady with Mary Maroney Corman and notes they had a wonderful time just sitting at the kitchen table for hours, talking about life. The Schweiters celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year and Marty was also looking forward to a trip to Vero Beach to visit Marie Caruso Stiefel.

Mary Ann Erhardt Hauser and John traveled in Europe with their son and daughter-in-law to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. The trip was a nice ending to a year in which John also had needed medical treatment.

Eleanor Durkin Berger is pleased to report no changes, same family, home and part-time job, although, “it’s just that everything seems to take a little longer these days, so less is definitely more!” She reunited her far-flung family of twelve at Disney World last winter and also spent several weeks in the south of France and Paris. Eleanor included a photo of herself dwarfed by mountains of snow, perhaps that’s the theme of a winter class notes!

Mary Peterson Cushmac and George enjoy time with family, traveling a bit and participating in a fitness program with other seniors. Mary joined a weekly faith and fellowship program for women in her parish, Walking with Purpose. The program is designed for women of all ages seeking spiritual growth and enrichment. She finds herself looking forward to each week’s meeting and recommends it highly. Eileen Corey Sadasiv notes that her grandchildren, Arvind (14), Ravi (11), Ruari (10) and Tecumseh (4) are “taller, with more accomplishments every time we hear of them.” Her husband was in and out of the hospital a few times last year so he and Eileen celebrate each day.

Pat Hickman Livingston reported her own Christmas miracle—her husband Howard getting out of the hospital in time for a champagne toast of thanksgiving at the New Year. Kids and grandkids are doing fine.

Janice Nocera Fournier is enjoying retirement after 33 years at Yale. Her favorite Christmas memories, old and new, are the formal Christmas party that she and Dick hosted the first year they were married and the birth of her fourth grandchild, William Quincy, three days before Christmas in 2013. She babysits for William three days a week and marvels at how the old rhymes and songs come back. She keeps busy as lector, Eucharistic minister and hospital volunteer, as well as taking advantage of concerts and lectures as part of the Yale community. She’s extra-proud of daughter Liz, who was honored for her contributions to the town of Hingham, where she lives.

Ellen Malone Padden shared a Christmas memory of renting a remote cabin with her family and the pleasure of a simple celebration, enjoying nature and time together, making do with what they could find to make their Christmas special, in the days before family life was dominated by the electronics which bring us together and drive us apart. Ellen is another contented retiree.

Barbara “Barby” Donohoe Newton and her family came to visit a few times at the beach this summer. Her grandson Will is very proud of being the biggest baby ever born at the hospital in Providence and is a fine broth of a lad. Both Barby and Bill have been dealing with health issues, so I’m sure our thoughts are with them and all our ailing classmates.

Nancy Roach spent a couple of weeks with me in the spring and fall, slaking her thirst for life in the big city.  We spent a fun evening alternately reading entries from our diaries that we had kept during the summer we spent in Europe with Ann Davitt in 1965. We clearly had different recollections of the trip as Nancy’s diary entries made use of the cultural insights she had gained from Dr. Ellinger to guide our travels while I seemed more focused on, well, boys and beverages! Nancy continues to pursue her interest in things Irish at the Cape, although she spent a good deal of time snowbound over the winter. Some of her favorite Christmas memories are of the Well Sings at Trinity at Christmas, including the singing of Maybe it’s just too early in the game as a harbinger of the New Year. She claims to look forward to my singing phone call every New Year!

As for me, I’m still enjoying work but am thinking more of retirement in a year or so. I spent a week in Ecuador and the Galapagos, but managed to get back to New York in time for all the snow. Christmas memories…can anything beat waking up early on Christmas morning and the anticipation of running to see what was under the tree? In adult life, a new baby under the tree is always nice and this year it was Jesse Elian, a first child for my son, Michael, and a third grandson for me.

I guess it’s winter postcards for the Gold Class from now on…no more Gold Class Day in the spring for us! I can tell you now that next year’s question will have to do with the 2016 election, so pay attention, pick your candidate and be prepared! As always, thanks for the donations to the Class Fund, for your participation and your kind words. Trinity, our lives are living you.

Is mise,

Mary Alice O’ Dowd