Shirley Wiltsie Dunn is living in a geriatric unit in Troy. She was editor of State College News. Shirley and Jerry Dunn ’49 married a few days after Shirley graduated from NYSCT. She taught for four years, raised their four children, then returned to the workforce in the 1980’s. Shirley spent nearly a decade in the Department of Parks and Recreation and founded the Dutch Barn Preservation Society. In recognition of her research on Dutch farm locations, she was honored as a Fellow by the Holland Society of New York. A scholar of the Mohicans and early Dutch, she is the author of The Mohicans and Their Land, 1609-1730 (1994), The Mohican World, 1680-1750 (2000) and co-author of Dutch Architecture Near Albany: The Polgreen Photographs (1996), and The Mohicans (2008). Three of Shirley and Jerry’s four children are retired; one is still teaching. They have nine grandchildren and two great-granddaughters living in California, Virginia and New York.
Harold Sparky Vaughn is in great health which he contributes to heredity and a healthy lifestyle. An active member of the Rotary Club of Washington D.C., he is involved in anti-human trafficking work in cooperation with a club in Bangkok. As of this printing, Harold is still seeking a publisher for Bacco’s Song, set in Western Europe and Thailand. In the meantime, he is writing a historical novel.
Lila Lee Charmaine lives at the Ranch Estates in Scottsdale, Ariz. She enjoys yoga, Tai Chi, Zumba and mobility classes and daily walks. Lila became a great grandmother. Her granddaughter Emily of Raleigh, N.C. gave birth to twins and all are doing well. Lila was able to attend Emily’s wedding in February 2020.
Class councilor: Harold “Sparky” Vaughn, vaughnha@aol.com
Marilyn VanDyke moved into the Terrace at the Glen in Queensbury, N.Y. She celebrated Mother’s Day by visiting her daughter in Clifton Park. Marilyn is proud of all of her grandchildren, who earned college degrees.
Shirley Rosenbaum is still involved with the League of Women Voters. Her children and grandchildren are following in her footsteps: her son operates a non-profit bicycle shop and her daughter, a Julliard graduate, teaches piano. Shirley’s grandson was accepted at Columbia and will join the Columbia Symphony Orchestra.
Vickie Eade Eddy of Olean, N.Y. enjoys her grandchildren although distance keeps them far away. Two of her grandchildren attend colleges in New York State.
Nancy Pettinelli’s oldest granddaughter graduated from Ringling Art School and then left immediately for a job in Vancouver, Canada.
Tom Holman enjoyed time in Naples.
Joyce Leavitt Zanchelli and Joe ’49 moved to a lovely senior residence, and celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in June.
Dr. Gerald R. Firth passed away June 7, 2021 at the age of 90. He was Professor Emeritus of Educational Leadership at the University of Georgia. George’s great-niece, Kathryn Agan, started at UAlbany in Fall 2018.
Class councilor: Joyce Leavitt Zanchelli, jjzanch@yahoo.com
Hello Red Devils of 1953! A beautiful note was sent by Barbara Van Horne Smith, wife of our classmate Hal “Smitty” Smith. Smitty retired from serving as a Director of Guidance at Starpoint Central School after 33 years. The year after, Barbara retired from an elementary education position. They had three children, five grandchildren, and 11 greatgrandchildren. Barbara and Smitty visited two former exchange students while touring Europe. They spent winters at Jekyll Island in Georgia. Smitty was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment that has progressed to Alzheimer’s. They have a supportive family, but covid-19 has kept them apart. Hal and Barbara, you are in our thoughts.
Louise Petfield Burn’s middle daughter visited for two weeks. Since vaccines were not yet available, they wore masks everywhere – including in the house – and instead of going out for an occasional meal they enjoyed pickup meals from local restaurants. This July Louise and her eldest flew out to help Lousie celebrate another one of those birthdays that end in a zero! Louise resumed playing piano once a week for a small group of seniors at church who love to sing the old hymns. Louise’s congregation is getting younger, so she prefers the newer praise songs complete with drums and guitars. Louise attended church virtually for several months, but is going back in person again. She became a great-grandmother to a baby girl in February, and is anticipating traveling back east this fall to meet her. The Covid-19 restrictions kept Louise from her yearly visit back home with her family. Fortunately, she had a delightful visit from one of her granddaughters, an archivist, before the pandemic.
The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society featured Joyce Dawn Turner Ogden in the Spring 2021 issue of New York Researcher. The full-page article entitled “In Other Lines” detailed Joyce’s genealogical discoveries of New York ancestors. Joyce said, “I think they found my Olympia Washington address in their list of members and wondered why somebody so far away bothered with a membership to a New York-based organization.” Congratulations, Joyce! Doing genealogical research is time consuming and requires lots of dedication!
Millie Foote Sheerin talked with Ruth Dunn Benishin recently. Ruth is still writing but is hampered by her poor eyesight. She hasn’t lost her chutzpah! though and is fun to talk with. Joan Allen Balfe and Millie talk frequently and do their best to visit one another at least once a year. Both manage to live fairly active lives. Millie walks 2½ miles each day and volunteers as a docent at the Town of Brewster’s Museum. She has six children, 16 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. After getting fully vaccinated, Millie and husband Jim completed a 2K-mile road trip to visit five of their children, some cousins and best friends. Millie sent out a “Best to all!” message to her former classmates.
Betty Hart-Coykendall loves being 89. “It is a Fibonacci prime as well as the sum of the square of two Fibonacci numbers (5 and 8).” Betty reflected on the pandemic, saying: “It has been an interesting and challenging year but haven’t they all been that? We deep depression babies have been through many world shattering events. Our numbers are down to about 37% of those of us born at that time. The health care givers, I believe, have had the most challenging situations.” Betty’s daughter works in the Newborn Nursery at Strong Beginnings Birth Center, University of Rochester Medical Center. Betty repeats the following mantra to herself when she gets anxious: BT, BAP, BITM (B = Be Thankful; BAP = Be At Peace; and BITM = Be In The Moment). Each day Betty swims a kilometer at the Webster Aquatic Center, does two miles on an elliptical machine and weekly yoga. Betty taught virtual math labs on Google.
Just like so many of you, Rose Mary (Rosie) Hughes struggled with the loneliness of the quarantine. She felt lucky that her apartment had a balcony on which she could go and feel she was part of the world around her. Rosie continues to read jokes on Facebook each day in her attempt to bring some laughter into the lives of friends who are feeling depressed. Before lockdown Rosie was in an exercise class. When it closed, Rosie and two friends in her building decided to do their own classes in the hallway, with adequate space for social distancing. Rosie has since returned to the normal class. Rosie is now the great grandmother of two darling little fellows. She loves being a grandparent! Like a good number of you, Rosie turned 90 this year. It just doesn’t seem possible! “I can remember when we were still at State and there were alums celebrating their 50th reunion.” Rosie was stunned that people could still walk at that age! As class councilor, her hardest part of the job is to hear about the passing of another classmate – people like J. Paul Ward, Jordine Skoff VonWantoch, and Louie Vion. We are only two years away from a 70th reunion. Joe Lombardi has asked who will attend. Rosie hopes she can make it! She and Betty Hart Coykendall attended their 70th high school reunion. Stay well dear classmates! Keep moving. And laugh – it’s the best medicine! Share any news with Rosie (please note her new email address).
Class Councilor: Rose Mary Keller Hughes, rosemaryk.hughes@gmail.com
It’s time to think about how to celebrate the 65th anniversary of our graduation. One classmate suggested a luncheon in Albany. Please share your thoughts, as well as class notes, with your class councilor.
Sheila Lister Bamberger connected with Janice Champagne McGrath through email. Janice mostly taught in Newburgh with a one-year sabbatical in Nairobi in 1970. She attended a couple of reunions in Albany including our 25th while living in Maine, and attended another of our reunions after she moved to Hawaii. Janice retired in 1992 and moved to Windward Oahu to be near her son and grandkids, both of whom flourished. Janice worked part time training tutors for Hawaii Pacific University before “re-retiring” three years ago. She still enjoys acting and playwriting. Her plays have been read and produced in Honolulu’s theatres and some were published in a collection entitled Home: Four Plays, available on Amazon. Janice hopes all of her classmates are doing well, and she loves reading everyone’s news in the UAlbany magazine.
Class councilor: Sheila Lister Bamberger, hsbamb@verizon.net
