Class of 1966

The year 2020 – a whole new vocabulary appeared. The year 2021 “zoomed” into life, so very different in so many ways.

Several Green classmates shared their experiences, some in the Before Time.

Sister Anne Kendrick organized a zoom meeting for her HOPE Ministry to raise needed funds.

Jeanne DuPont Dutra noted the death of Mary Wilson of the Supremes, a mainstay of our musical memories. “We have restrictions in our current situation, but the resources to keep safe.” And “hurray for curbside delivery!”

Irene Ryan Shaw “found her old missal, with holy cards and a Georgetown prom photo.” Looking closely, she concluded that Norah O’Donnell of evening news fame is the daughter of Frank O’Donnell (Irene’s date) and a 1995 Georgetown grad. Irene was probably “sorting out” as so many are doing.

Carol Tobin vacationed in Hot Springs, AK before travel stopped. Virtual doctor visits and Zoom encounters turned into new skills for many of us.

Virginia Lopez Begg enjoyed a trip in 2019 to Asturias in northern Spain, the home of her great great grandparents. “A dream of a lifetime, spectacularly beautiful with ocean, mountains, history, culture and fabulous food.” At home, her book club met in a church parking lot, not so strange these days.

Sarah Murray Mahoney, while “still at the helm”, feels the isolation of the past year but “counts her blessings.”

Who knew vaccinations would arrive for us first? Hopefully we are all covered by now. Our family has followed all the protocols and managed the demands of the past year.  I feel so badly, though, for all school children nursery through college. “Online” does not compare to “in class.”  All the exciting events of growing-up are shared in the rectangle of a screen. Irene’s prom would not happen now!

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo in “The Fellowship of the Ring.”  But it did and we are all changed as we are for much of life. Let us hope for better times and remember to enjoy them and hold them dear.

Valerie Quandt Sperber
Valerie 42@gmail.com

Green Class of 1966

Responses came from up and down the east coast and then from friends “out west.”

Jeanne Dupont Dutra (South Dartmouth, MA) reports “nothing earth-shattering – no trips, cruises or boyfriends” but excitement as grandchild number three arrives in June.

Sarah Murray Mahoney (Dedham, MA) “responsibly sold our home of 50 years.” She mentions a visit with Mary Ann Power McDonald. Sarah is “thankful for the spiritual and educational grounding begun at Trinity that has helped in this voyage of life.”

Chris Donovan (Upper Eastside of NYC and a champion of city life) laments the “fortress of skyscrapers sprouting up. There is a lack of affordable apartments in these mega-buildings – who really owns these residences?” On a very personal note, Chris questions Botox treatments for young women. Anyone with thoughts, please contact her.

Sue Berry Eberhardt (Hartsdale, NY) and Peter will be visiting their daughter and her family in Haarlem, Netherlands. Sue published an Amazon book “When I Heard My Father’s Voice.” Her dad was an American pilot missing in France in 1944. In 1945 the Army notified his family of his death. Fifty years later the family learned more about his death and brings his voice to life through his letters.

Peg Harrington Macneill (Tinton Falls, NJ) saw Boodie Christian (’67) and Maureen MacDonald Cronin and Joan Gordon Waks at a Trinity luncheon in NJ. Peg’s husband has “downsized” his work to one day a week.

Eileen Davis (Washington, DC) had a glorious trip to Tuscany and the hill towns and visited with Anne Clark who was studying in Rome.

Jane Dammen McAuliffe (also in DC) traveled with her granddaughter to India (a 12^th birthday present trip). Jane is senior advisor to the Librarian of Congress and has a new book due in 2020. “I am impressed with what Pat McGuire is doing to make Trinity a life-changing experience for women from DC and beyond” writes Jane.

Evie Sweeney Naranjo (Silver Spring MD) still enjoying retirement community life has traveled from Branson, MO to Greece and Turkey, Florida and NYC. Evie’s son was one of two diplomats expelled from Venezuela following a prisoner release agreement. He had been there for four years and lived under very tight security.

Elsa Schwarz Labonski (now in Silver Spring after 22 years in south Florida) is now at Leisure World and enjoys being close to children and grandkids nearby. They are an Acela ride to son Peter and family in Westport, CT. Zaberu and wife Fatu have 3 under 3 so Elsa “plays” with them regularly. Crew, lacrosse, soccer all help acclimate Elsa and her husband to life up north.

Diane Tarantino North (Hendersonville, NC) teaches upper division courses for U. of Maryland Global Campus. She recently traveled to Australia and has won several teaching awards.

Jeanne Schuerholz Rosenwald (Savannah, GA) sends “warmest wishes to all our dear Greens.” She volunteers with the local police department and will leave “hot” Savannah for Oregon and then London this summer.

Cross country reports arrived.
Kathy Carey (Nichols Hill, OK) still teaches at Oklahoma City University and also at a Montessori school and co-edits “Montessori Life.”

Helen Dudzinski Schorr (Chesterfield, MI) travels to Florida and enjoys her two daughters and three grandchildren. Helen’s comment “I feel akin to Nancy Pelosi” had no further comments or explanation.

Maureen Patrick (Denver area) is near her son and his family. Her husband Robert Selig passed away in September 2018 and she is “bereft” at her loss. He was a NY native and taught English literature at Purdue. His scholarship centered on George Gissing, an English novelist of the late 1800’s, and authored several other works.

Jane Hetherington (Davis, CA) says “Life is good.” She continues with the Threshold Choir dedicated to comforting the sick and dying and is a hospital chaplain as well. She is sorry she missed the 50^th but hopes for the 55^th.

Carol M. Tobin reports that she has been taking some small trips, fixing up the house, etc.  Now her nieces and nephews are having kids so there are lots of grandnieces and nephews, though unfortunately none live nearby.

Joe and I keep up with the daily-ness of life. Our travels are more “northeast” but we do enjoy some time in Sarasota Florida. Keeping up with our sons’ families, including 10 grandchildren, almost requires a spreadsheet. My mother who is 95 still lives at home nearby so she shares in the attention as well. I have tried to keep up with Sally O’Neill Meyer and we always enjoy our lengthy conversations.

I write this on St. Patrick’s Day, our day of fun and festivities. How nice to recall the “green” years and to live the lessons we learned under the Red Roof and its campus. And I say “you’re very welcome” to all who thanked me for continuing with this not-so-herculean task.

Sincerely,

Valerie Quandt Sperber

Valerie42@gmail.com

Diane Tarantino North (Hendersonville, NC) teaches upper division history classes, especially World War I and American West online at U. of Maryland University College and has written “California at War: the State and People During World War I,” due out in June 2018.

Barbara Drygulski Wright (Willimantic, CT) traveled to Riyadh to participate in accreditation of a private university there. She and Pat hope to move to California to be closer to family but the fires prevented a “look and see” trip.

Peggy Harrington MacNeill (Red Bank, NJ) downsized from New Providence, NJ, to help with her daughter’s family. Peggy continues on the Board of Trustees for her alma mater Benedictine Academy, now urban college prep for girls, in Elizabeth, NJ. She and Jay also have a son and family in Longmeadow, MA. Peggy is “almost” a gold through her friendship with Boodie Christian (’67) and her group.

Jeanne Schuerholz Rosenwald (Savannah, GA) and Bob volunteer in groups preserving quality of life in the tourist mecca of the Landmark District. Jeanne also works with the local police department to advance the principles of Intelligence Led Policing. Jeanne and Bob celebrated their 50th anniversary and have a special trip planned to visit Germany. A historian there has published a book about Bob’s mother’s family and town. She escaped Nazism in the late ’30s but her family did not.

Carol Tobin (Charlotte NC) enjoyed Reunion and keeps active with her husband at the local Y and in their community association.

Coral Schneck Gubler (Jacksonville, FL) loves FL but travels nationwide to visit her own children and family members (Coral was one of 10).

Another of 10 is Sally O’Neill Meyer (Verona, NJ) so those folks, her own five and grandchildren keep Ted and her busy. They, too, celebrated their 50th with family and enjoy visits to FL.

Kathy Carey (Nichols Hills, OK) works part-time teaching at Oklahoma City University master’s program in Montessori education and teaches 2 ½- to 5-year-olds involved in that program. She spent three weeks in 2017 in Taiwan and will go again this summer as the program was approved there. She co-edits “Montessori Life” magazine with her daughter in CA. Her son and family live near Kathy.

Christine Donovan (NYC) continues her community efforts for better services and quality of life in an “over-burdened, over-developed and under-served NYC.” She enjoyed trips to China in ’09 and ’14 and the Dordogne region in ’16 and ’17, “land of castles, caves and culinary delights.” Christine has discovered the “mindfulness meditation method,” a fine way “to accept and let go, thwart anxiety and arthritis.”

Eileen Davis (DC) wishes everyone “a year of real, personal, individual peace and insight.” Eileen attended the very sad funeral of Kathleen Mary Murphy Battle in January 2018. Kathleen, a Trinity Belle, was “a lively soul, full of personal kindness and charity, with a fun spirit.”

Aikya Param (Eunice Diehl, Oakland, CA) writes of the northern CA fires that raged, but missed her home. In June she will graduate from Holmes Institute for Consciousness Studies. She will then be a licensed minister with Centers for Spiritual Living. She looks forward to ordination in 2021. She loves her church community in Vallejo and serves prison inmates nationwide via an affirmative newsletter and correspondence from 200 helpers.

Jane Hetherington (Davis, CA) volunteers as a hospital chaplain and teaches an ESL conversation class for adults. She sings with the Threshold Choir, whose ministry is to sing at the thresholds of life. Her grandsons and “finally” a granddaughter keep her busy as well.

Jane Dammen McAuliffe (DC) and Dennis remain busy at work with Georgetown University and the Library of Congress. She recently published a book on the Qur’an. She sees Patti Magee Vaughan, a new docent at the Library. One of Jane’s granddaughters will be performing with the Chautauqua Festival Dancers this summer.

Evie Sweeney Naranjo (Silver Spring, MD) has moved to an Erickson retirement community and enjoys various classes and activities there. Her son and family will return to the US from two years in London with NATO. Son Brian returns from Caracas and will be at the US Embassy in Ottawa. She is happy to have all her family on one continent.

Catherine Kirby (Provence, France) has “one husband, two girls, four grandchildren” all within 20 miles. Reunion sparked interest to film the Belles singing and surrounded by classmates. The idea was good but distribution difficult. Cathy’s history major was revived when she found that old newspapers are being scanned and worked over with OCR software so they can be searched easily. Family secrets are revealed. Cathy wonders if someone could write the story of the experiences of black women at Trinity. A history major then or today?

Jeanne Dupont Dutra (South Dartmouth, MA) counts her week as swimming day, gym day, Friday with Ann Marie’s children, Ruby and Conor, and is very happy that “in the morning she feels good to go and face a fine new day.”

Elsa Schwarz Labonski shares, “I taught middle school science in Broward County public schools for several years. With weekly science experiments, the Hazmat team interceded only once.” She retired to help care for her mom, who recently passed away. Elsa tutors several children and volunteers twice weekly in the local public school. She also attended the Women’s March and the Science March in 2017 with family members. She and Dick have been married for almost 52 years. He plays violin in a string quartet. They plan to leave South FL and will soon move back north to be closer to their children. Their son Rich is the sales director for eastern US and the UK, doing gigabit optical networks. Peter is a partner in a NY law firm and Zuberu is a master chef in DC. “We have 11 grandchildren – altogether a great family,” she says.

Virginia Lopez Begg (Andover, MA) enjoys her seven grandchildren and is still “deeply immersed in historical research and writing.”

No pay raise and no politics either for your scribe. I continue volunteer work at our parish kindergarten, my book club readings and the various tasks of “life” and “living.” Joe and I enjoyed a wonderful 50th anniversary celebration with sons, their wives and 10 grandchildren and my 94-year-old mother. On vacation in FL, Joe and I visited Barbara Custer in St. Petersburg. Barbara Ballentine Sinnott came from her home just around the corner and it seemed like 50 years ago was yesterday. I hope everyone enjoyed these small but certainly varied stories of our lives. I close with Jane Hetherington’s words: “I truly have a grateful heart for the many riches in my life, one of the most important being a Trinity woman – and a ‘green’ one at that.” May our lives continue to embrace and reflect our Trinity heritage.

Love,

Valerie Quandt Sperber

Pat Aiken-O’Neill is a first responder with news of her first winter in Naples, FL, and finding “peace and well-being.” She traveled to France for a friend’s 70th, “hard to believe/accept this milestone.” Tessa Bielecki continues her life’s work of retreats, writing and preaching from the hermitages in Crestone, CO. In complete contrast, Chris Donovan volunteers in NYC as part of Community Emergency Response Team and Office of Emergency Management, dealing with storms, trees, sanitation and other issues of city life. Chris enjoyed a fascinating trip through the west and southeast Silk Road of China.

Joan Gordon Waks and boyfriend are off to China with a cruise on the Yangtze River. Joan retired from her family law practice and now does guardianship cases for adult protection services in Passaic County, NJ. As part of a European cruise in 2012 she attended the canonization of seven saints in Rome. More travels to London, Paris and a Danube cruise were on the itinerary. Carol Frenzel Cradock and husband (both retired) traveled to Egypt (“loved the pyramids”), Israel, Cyprus and Turkey. Russia is next. “Entranced by WWI history,” they also visited the battlefields of Belgium. That number 70 popped up again: Carol reminded everyone to have plenty of cake and ice cream and a glass of wine.

Nancy Clemens Rimkus and Bob cruised through the Panama Canal and up the west coast of Mexico. Son David is now teaching in FL. Nancy has been “remodeling, entertaining guests and wishing the world was more peaceful.”

Eileen “Timmy” Davis mentions a lovely shopping complex at Michigan and Monroe near the Brookland Metro complete with Barnes and Noble, an outdoor cafe and luxury condos. She volunteers to find homes for stray cats in various DC neighborhoods. Anita Brady O’Sullivan helped Claire Pilliod Brown celebrate her 70th in Tuscany.

Virginia Lopez Begg has become interested in genealogy and family history. Son Ian and Kimberly are expecting number five; Eric and Caroline and children are in CA. Grandchildren and world politics give us pause to agree with Virginia who says she is a “great believer in prayer, so prayer is what I do.”

We send prayers to Evie Sweeney Naranjo whose husband, Milo, died suddenly on April 3rd. He and Evie had enjoyed a vacation in St. Kitts and she had participated in a walking convention in Orlando just prior to his death.

Retirement news arrived for several classmates. Aikya Param (Eunice Diehl) in Oakland, CA, retired from medical research at Kaiser Permanente. She “may need to retire” from her volunteer work with two prison ministries and a monthly newsletter. She completed her first Sketchbook Skool online class. Jane Dammen McAuliffe retired from Bryn Mawr and began a year-long residency at the Library of Congress to finish her book on the Qur’an. She has moved to Georgetown and visits daughter Meg in Rome. Carol Tobin has retired and sold her house in Chapel Hill to live full-time in Charlotte, NC, with her husband. Fortunately the closing was not postponed by a tree falling on the house!

Helen Dudzinski Schorr in Plainwell, MI, enjoys visits from daughters and grandchildren, exercising with water aerobics and Pilates and vacationing in FL and the Bahamas.

Jeanne Schuerholz Rosenwald and Bob have moved to the historic area of Savannah and love its activities and restaurants. Jeanne writes that a distant cousin of Bob’s created the Julius Rosenwald Fund for African-American students, which established over 5,000 schools in the South. Jeanne and Bob helped restore one in VA.

Irene Ryan Shaw summers on Long Island with family nearby. Irene received the Patrick Healy Medal from Georgetown for non-alumni service and support in April in Miami Beach with a great gathering of friends and family. Irene sees Kathy Mahon Doyle and Cathie Black.

Joe and I traveled to Sarasota, FL, this winter and then enjoyed his 50th reunion at Notre Dame. The university scheduled a wonderful homecoming experience for the alumni. Ten grandchildren spread across Alexandria, VA, Rumson, NJ, and Long Island entertain us with birthdays and activities. I continue to volunteer at our parish school.

I want to say “you’re welcome” to you classmates, who thanked me for this annual endeavor.

I close with a line from Chris Donovan: “Thinking of you and classmates and hope we are celebrating our youth while adventuring into unknown ideas and explorations, in depth and/or breadth. I am thinking about choices and what makes sense.”

Seventy is just a number; 1966 is what defined us.

Sincerely,

Valerie Quandt Sperber