In six months, we will all be preparing top travel to Northampton for our 50th Reunion Weekend. The reunion committee is hard at work on the plans as we meet via Zoom, text, and email.
I am sad to report the death of Deborah Merrick Estes in August 2022. A lawyer, Deborah had a long career on Capitol Hill where she made significant contributions to landmark legislation relating to public lands, natural gas, and energy efficiency. Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2013, Deborah is survived by a daughter, a son, two stepdaughters and two grandchildren. Her husband of 25 years, Charlie Estes, passed away in 2015. Carol Robinson, a member of our class who transferred to Hampshire College after two years at Smith, had remained friends with Deborah and sent this information to me.
Beverly George retired from teaching in Sumter, SC in 2020 and has been actively writing novels and poetry. She is happy to announce the publication of her poetry collection called First Light. Two of her grown children, and three grandchildren ages 8, 14, and 2 months, live in upstate NY, and one son lives in New Orleans. Beverly stays entertained and stimulated by two book groups, writing classes, church activities and involvement with the monthly gathering of the Smith Alumnae Group in Columbia, SC.
Janice Wolf is still working full time as CFO/CAO of a nonprofit organization in Atlanta, GA. She is looking at a five-year horizon for retirement. Her first adorable healthy grandchild was born in August, reminding her that caring for an infant is not for the faint of heart!
Evelyn Smith Firshein finds it incomprehensible that our upcoming reunion celebrates so many years since graduation, and looks forward to seeing everyone, particularly the CUSHING CHUGGERS! She and her husband continue to practice in their respective fields of medicine with no plans to retire, but they do take more time away. They have a beach house in Rhode Island and spend as much time as possible with their children and “delicious” grandchildren.
Carolyn Roundey is happily relocated to Santa Rosa, CA and enjoying retirement managing chickens and bees. She married her sweetheart, Candace Matson, on October 9, with their adult children officiating and reading in a backyard ceremony in front of 75 guests.
Caroline Dodge Fisher has completed two cataract surgeries …saying that has been the next best thing to completing menopause. Cally will finally move into her new little house in Holden, MA after having downsized mid-pandemic, and awaiting her first grandchild in late September. Good times!
Anne Ellison Mickey retired from the practice of maritime law in January 2022, after forty-five years. Anne and her husband Frank have moved permanently to Royal Oak, MD on the Eastern Shore. She isa active with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM). As one of her projects for CBMM, Anne has worked on the ship construction contract for the “MARYLAND DOVE”, a representation of the late 17th century trading ship that accompanied the first European settlers to what is now Maryland.
Anita Henderson notes that these past 50 years since graduating have been both fun and challenging. Anita graduated from UVM College of Medicine and practiced family medicine in NC until retirement in 2017, first in Greensboro and then in Boone. Her and her husband Bill Young’s son Stephen teaches at Appalachian State University in Boone and lives there with his wife Deborah and their three children. Sadly, Bill has been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) and they now live in a continuing care retirement center in Winston-Salem, NC.
Margie Stanford Hunt traveled in India for 3 weeks in the fall, she checked off a bucket list item by riding an indigenous Marwari horse at the heritage hotel of Rohet Garh outside of Jodphur.
Jess Tava continues her ceramics work and held a sale in November, and donated 100% of the proceeds to Friends of Guest House. Guest House, located in Alexandria, VA provides formerly incarcerated women with the structure, supervision, support and assistance they need to move beyond who they were to become who they want to be.
Our own Kathleen E. Toomey is one of four 2023 Smith Medalists honored on Rally Day in February. Kathy was appointed commissioner and state health officer of the Georgia Department of Public Health in March, 2019, and lead the state’s public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please keep us all updated…drop me a line anytime!
Lolly Mixter