Nancy Frey Pettenelli spent the holidays near Philly with her youngest son’s family and two grandchildren.
Shirley Rosenbaum’s grandchildren attend Columbia and Barnard. Shirley participates in a virtual book club and takes a senior class at West Virginia University. She keeps in touch with her daughter via Zoom.
Tom Holman spent the winter in Naples, Fla. rather than St. Maarten.
Marian Newton Knight is still involved with church activities that are mostly on Zoom. She saw the Van Gogh exhibit and visited the Frick Museum in NYC. Marian spent Christmas with her three children.
Joyce Zanchelli and Joe’s three children rented a large house in Saratoga Springs for a family gathering at Christmastime. 15 of the 21 family members attended and a great time was had.
Class Councilor: Joyce Leavitt Zanchelli, jjzanch@yahoo.com
A note from your class councilor:
Hello dear members of the Class of 1953! Soon, we will be thinking of our 70th reunion!
In late September Louise Petfield Burns took what used to be a “semi-annual” trip back East to see family. This time it had been three years because of the pandemic. The delayed trip turned out to be a blessing because her first great-grandchild, Shirleigh, was born in February 2021 and in normal times Louise would have missed out on seeing her the year before. Baby Shirleigh “is a real sweetie and loves the family dog, Moxie, who, fortunately, is well-trained and very gentle with ‘her’ baby.” Louise visited all three daughters and three of five grandchildren in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. It’s been a few years since she’s seen her granddaughter who lives in Minnesota. Another lives in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, where she is an archivist. Louise also visited her brother in the Brant Lake area of the Adirondacks. In July, Louise celebrated her 90th birthday with two of her daughters who together created a wall hanging featuring family signatures and baby Shirleigh’s footprint.
Twelve members of the Class of ’53 participated in a virtual gathering on Zoom in July, with the help of Loida Vera Cruz from the Alumni Association. One of the attendees, Kay Sinclair, passed away just three month slater. In addition to Kay, those who attended were: Ifigenia (Iffi) Aliferis Boulogiane, Lita Krumholtz Braundien, Louise Petfield Burns, Betty (Coy) Coykendall Hart, Rose Mary (Rosie) Keller Hughes, Linda Hopkins McGrath, Douglas (Doug) Nielsen, Herbert (Herb) Thier, Margaret (Peg) Hebert Wernette and Martha (Marty) Nevlezer Zonneville. Rosie encourages other classes to do this – it’s a lot of fun!
Rosie Keller Hughes welcomed her second great-grandchild, Brooks, last year. “Ahhh, there is such a wonderful feeling when one holds a great grandchild! So many generations are present! ”Rosie celebrated turning 90 with multiple smaller gatherings – one with family from Vermont and Pennsylvania, another hosted by her eldest granddaughter in Pennsylvania and a party with Rosie’s fellow building residents. “It was a happy and festive time, and then I became 90. Now people want to hold my elbow when I’m walking anywhere!” Rosie says there are other ‘take care of mom’ or ‘grandma needs help’ moments and she’s come to the conclusion to let them help. “When they are gone I continue to live alone and do what needs to be done all by myself.” Rosie has decided not to drive anymore. She had a driving incident in which no one was hurt, but knowing there could have been led to Rosie’s decision not to drive anymore. “I’ve discovered several local services that help the elderly get to appointments and to do shopping, etc.”
Let your class councilor know if you hear anything about our classmates via email. And stay tuned! You’ll be hearing about another virtual meeting of the Class of ’53. “You know you are getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.” - Bob Hope on turning 90
Class Councilor: Rose Mary Keller Hughes, rosemaryk.hughes@gmail.com
Naoshi Koriyama of Sagamihara City, Japan, writes and translates poetry. One of his poems, “Unfolding Bud,” was included in a secondary English textbook used in Pakistani schools. His latest translation was a book of poetry, The Angel of Suffering Zeami, written by Saburo Moriguchi. Mr. Koriyama donated a copy of the book to the Alumni Association.
John “Jack” Cooper passed away March 29, 2021 in Portland, Ore. at age 88. He graduated from the New York State College for Teachers (NYSCT),served in the U.S. Army, and later earned Master’s and Doctorate degrees from Yale. Jack taught English at the University of Chicago, where he published The Art of the Complete Angler. He then taught English literature at Penn State University 1970-1999. At PSU, Jack served as English department chair and faculty senate president, and received the Hoffman Award for Faculty Excellence in 1997. In retirement he authored and published Wit’s Voices. Jack volunteered for the Oregon Food Bank and Meals on Wheels. He was a member of the MAC, the Elizabethan Society of Yale, and was named Outstanding Retired Faculty Member of PSU in 2007.
Class Councilor: Joan Paul, fpaul1@nycap.rr.com
Mort Katz of Columbus, Ohio is still teaching chemistry and enjoying his music.
Jan Champagne McGrath has lived in Windward, Oahu for 30 years. She re-retired from HPU when she reached 80. She is still involved in acting and playwriting. Her book, Home: Four Plays by Jan Shiarella McGrath was published last winter and is available on Amazon. Jan’s children live in Honolulu. She enjoyed visits from her grandchildren and met her first great-granddaughter.
In October Sheila Lister Bamberger and husband Hank travelled to Cincinnati to visit their daughter. Along the way they visited Mort Katz ’56 and wife Carol.
Marilyn DeSanta DeLorenzo and Berenice O’Connor Ormsbee visited Marilyn Leach Causey ’58 in Schenectady in early November. Marilyn, Sheila Lister Bamberger and June Burrows Studley viewed a special exhibit of paper dresses at Munson Williams Proctor Museum of Art.
Sheila Bamberger corresponds with Joan Macholl and Barbara DeMarco Schacklinscky on social media. Barbara shares wonderful cartoons.
I wish one and all a relaxed and healthy 2022. Hopefully life will have returned to some normalcy as you read this.
Class Councilor: Sheila Lister Bamberger, bambergersheila@gmail.com
Alice Lockwood Say gave up skiing but continues to golf when possible.
Marilyn Leach Causey lives in Schenectady
