sweet briar magazine inside - Sweet Briar College

Liz Seacord and husband Adam are
travelling through Switzerland and Germany
“hoping to see lots of modern
art!” Liz and family will go to Long Lake,
NY, during Aug.
K Ellen Hagan sent sad news. Her father,
Forrest L. Hagan, died on 7/5 at
the age of 83. If you would like to get in
touch with K, her address is PO Box
346, Commerce, GA 30529.
Tracy Drake Hamilton is living in
Pompano Beach, FL, and writes, “I’ve
retired from teaching due to effects
from the radiation I had.” Tracy’s volunteer
work keeps her busy. So does
keeping up with 2 teenagers, stepchildren,
and grandchildren, Lauren (4) and
Aiden (1). Tracy looks forward to Reunion.
Anne Grosvenor Evrard writes from
France, “Things are always busy over
here, especially with our antiques and
art gallery doing well. We’re in the midst
of preparing for a fair in Biarritz, where
we’ll be exhibiting our entire shop for 5
days. Art deco, Chinese and African antiques
and artisanal works as well as
contemporary art! The children are fine.
The 2 oldest are working women, middle
2 in masters programs, number 5 in
dramatic art, and the ‘baby’ just graduated
from h. s.!” Anne would love to see
alumnae travelling in France...
Allison Roberts Greene is looking forward
to seeing everyone at Reunion
next yr. Mackenzie is headed to school
in PA in fall. The family has enjoyed
some wonderful vacations this yr., and
Allison is planning a trip to Tanzania for
a safari next summer. She is still involved
with Walk On Equine Assisted Activities
non-for-profit program.
Sharon Resener Miller and husband
Toby, son Bailey and 3 Jack Russell terriers
live in Orlando, FL. Sharon writes,
“Bailey (17) is starting his senior yr. in
h. s. and is busy evaluating colleges;
way harder now than it was in our day!”
Mary Hedley Sipe is a nurse practitioner
in Richmond, VA. Hedley writes,
“Daughter Edie is a sophomore in h. s. I
see Holly Silsand Ulrich often and had a
visit with Wendi Wood Macaffee and
Bobin Bryant.”
Sandra Meade Turturro and husband
Michael hope to be at Reunion. “We live
in Pinehurst, NC, love life. Our kids are
all grown and it’s only us and our 2 yellow
labs, Leo and Lily. I’m going into my
30th yr. teaching and still going strong.
Any SBC golfers who end up in our neck
of the woods, please call!”
John and I have been in Annapolis,
MD, for 20 yrs. Daughter Mary (16) is a
junior and Lizzie (13) is in 8th grade.
Both girls love field hockey. Mary is a
goalie and looks like a transformer all
dressed up in her gear. I was in Pittsburgh
for a wedding and got to see Liz
Winson Sweeney, which makes visiting
my hometown more fun.
Mary Kate Ferguson and Brendy Reiter
Hantzes and I are working on Reunion,
May 20-22, 2011. If you’d like to
be on the committee, please contact
one of us. Also, if you’re on Facebook,
please join the Sweet Briar College
Class of 1981 30th Reunion group. I’m
not FB savvy, but Brendy is. Thanks
again for writing and put our 30th on
your calendar in pen!
1982
Consuelo Michelle Martinez
7007 N. Tripp Avenue
Lincolnwood, Illinois 60712
Consuelomichelle@yahoo.com
Molly Finney Grenn (Alexandria, VA)
visited Jean Von Shrader Bryan and
Lynn Martin while they were en route to
their h. s. reunion at St. Margaret’s.
Lynn is a holistic healer and Jean excels
as a sales executive at Virginia Peanut
Company. Molly’s daughter Gracie attended
her 1st overnight vacation bible
camp. Husband Mike is working towards
his Ph. D. The family will vacation at the
beach for a week this summer.
Rosemary Hardy thoroughly enjoyed
the summer break from work at the
Shawnee Mission Schools where she is
a behavior specialist. Summer trips included
a visit to NC, as well as a relaxing
retreat in Nantucket with family including
time with her nephew (6 mos.).
Rosemary celebrated her 50th birthday
with a surprise party. She takes water
aerobics a few times a week. The
youngest in the class by about 20 yrs.,
she enjoys the exercise and socializing.
Heather Pirnie Albert and family are
enjoying a lifestyle change in Nashville
after NYC. Daughter Samantha spent a
semester in Spain and will be a junior
this fall at U. of the South, Sewanee
with a double major in economics and
Spanish. Older sister Rebecca enjoys a
career is a paralegal in Atlanta. Industrious
as always, Heather is developing a
tax service business for an insurance
company. The economy hasn’t helped,
but this has certainly not deterred
Heather. Husband Mike teaches 7th and
8th grade history. The family managed
to take a Caribbean cruise, followed by
a week in New Orleans. Heather plans
to travel to Orlando on business later in
the summer.
Empty nesters, Carol Searles Bohrer
and husband will be busy traveling between
Greensboro, their river retreat in
Tappahannock and Lexington. Son Price
graduated from Woodberry Forest
School and will attend W&L U. in fall.
Daughter Emily is a sophomore boarder
at St. Margaret’s School in Tappahannock.
Carol looks forward to returning to
former SBC stomping grounds.
Marie Engel Earnhart and daughter
Mary Whitney will enjoy a vacation to
Spain this summer before Mary Whitney
begins her freshman yr. at SBC, where
she’ll play soccer. Son Chandler is in
11th grade and equally athletic as his
sister.
Lucie Stephens Holland celebrated
her 50th birthday in Paris with son
Carter (14). She works part time at The
Potomack Company auction gallery in
Alexandria, while husband Steve, a
White House correspondent for Reuters,
is covering his 4th president. Lucie
would be happy to extend special service
in helping any of our classmates
managing their parents’ belongings
while they downsize from a larger to a
smaller home at the auction gallery.
Deborah Price Bowman continues
her “full-time job” tennis as well as pursuing
a part-time (non-athletic) position.
Daughter Katie starts h. s. in fall while
son Kessler is in 4th grade. Deborah enjoyed
a family trip to Cabo San Lucas,
Mexico, as well as to SBC to see niece
Lauren Miller graduate along with
Priscilla Ream McPheeter’s daughter
Heather.
Monika Kaiser Neheim writes from
the Loire valley in France, the family is
visiting husband Richard’s relatives,
then travel to Germany to visit her family.
Daughter Alexa (20) will start her junior
yr. at The Frost School of Music, U.
of Miami, while son Julius (15) will be a
sophomore in h. s. Monika continues to
be a stage mom as Julius’ acting career
flourishes. As in the past, Monika volunteered
in the German dept. 3 times a
wk. Unfortunately foreign language
classes fell victim to budget cuts, with
no classes next yr. Richard enjoys his
global position with Pepsi, though
changes could come any day.
In the interests of honesty and news
worthiness, Gracie Tredwell Schild
asked that I also write “bad” news, too,
as she and husband Georg decided to
split. They will stay together in the
house for another yr. until son Christoph
(12), finishes 8th grade, then she and
Christoph will move to the States, probably
back to home town of Santa
Fe. Gracie writes starting over at 50 and
trying to find a job won’t be easy, but explains
“better happy and broke than living
in a gilded cage.” By the time of our
2012 reunion, she hopes to be settled
in after 17 yrs. as an ex-pat.
This fall, Alice Dixon enters the
world of academia as a biology teacher
and thanks Dr. Simpson for inspiring
her! Alice visited Miss Garner, professor
of religion emerita, last spring on her
90th birthday. “She’s exactly the same,
very sweet and sharp as a tack!” If
you’d like to write her, contact the alumnae
office.
Brianna Boswell Brown and husband
Randy will celebrate their 25th anniv.
with a trip to France. Spectators at Tour
De France, they’ll then drive to Provence
to visit Jill Steenhuis ’81. Proud owners
of several of Jill’s paintings portraying
the Provence countryside, they look forward
to seeing it firsthand.
Nancy Howell has lived in Houston
for 15 yrs. Her daughter is a sophomore
in coll. and she and her husband look
forward to celebrating their 20th anniv.
next Mar.! Nancy was happy to reconnect
with alumnae on Facebook. Active
in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism)
and puts her history degree to
use.
Patricia Whelan Schenck and family
celebrated eldest daughter Lillian’s, and
my goddaughter, graduation from U. of
CA, Berkley. Accepted to the “Teaching
For America” program, Lillian will teach
middle school mathematics in the New
Orleans area. Younger brother Gus will
be a junior yr. at AZ State U. going for a
degree in education, while daughter Helen
will be a sophomore at Loyola U. in
Chicago. Twins Marion and George will
be seniors at Sandia H. S. in Albuquerque
and have mother Tricia as their
Spanish professor. Bobby is the medical
dir. of the Dept. of Orthopedics at the U.
of NM. We enjoyed getting together with
both he and Patricia while they were in
Chicago for a medical conference.
Cathy Miller and family moved 3.8
mi. to a house on the water with a
swimming pool. Daughter Madeline (17)
works at husband David’s dental office
for the summer. Daughter Ali will be 16,
but not quite ready to drive yet. Cathy
will travel to Boston for a short weekend
visit for a family wedding and
reunion. They’ll also start looking at colleges
for Madeline.
While I was in New Delhi and Mumbai,
India (for work), Jean Von Schrader
Bryan, Nancy Daugherty Davidson, Brianna
Boswell Brown, Marie Engel Earnhart,
Lele Frenzel Casalini, Molly
Finney Johnson and Leslie Hertz Firestone
were celebrating at the JW Marriott
resort in San Antonio, TX, to honor
Jane R. Dure’s recent graduation from
St. Mary’s Law School in May. I did
manage to sneak a gin (Bombay) and
tonic at the Oberoi Hotel bar toasting
Jane on her most recent and very impressive,
accomplishment.
1983
Cary Cathcart Fagan
329 Kelford Lane
Charlotte, NC 28270
cary1983@bellsouth.net
I want to share an adventure with all of
you. On the drive back to Charlotte after
our mini reunion with Deirdre Platt at
SBC in Apr. (wonderful to meet her and
family), husband Chris and I decided to
visit Natural Bridge. I never went while
at SBC. We get to the main tourist building
and they want $18 per adult to walk
down 128 stairs then get bused to see
a big rock. We bought a souvenir magnet
and left. Determined to do something
fun, we pulled off at a local vineyard.
As we drove west into the Blue
Ridge, we never saw another grape road
sign and I swear the further into the
mountains we drove our GPS started
playing Dueling Banjoes! We turned
around. Heading back to civilization, we
came to a small town — can’t even find
its name on the geology.com map). We
saw a sign: Civil War Reenactment Today.
We were captivated! A vendor near
the tented camp ground said the battle
was “just down the road a click.” We
drove the click, paid the $3 each and
walked to the roped-off part the field. I
thought reenactments were only in
movies — real cannons, horses,
swords, etc. A man in full Confederate
general attire was standing in the back
of a pick-up truck narrating the battle on
loud speakers. Women in period
dresses cheered on their fighting husbands.
A man next to me said this was
an annual event. When they had asked
him to participate, he replied, “at age
62 if I do participate I want to die first.”
I asked if they really played dead. He
said eventually they’ll get tired and start
falling down. Priceless! We stayed until
several died. It was obvious that we 2
Yankees were in the minority. Thank
goodness we have NC license plates!
We also noticed Foamhenge, another
tourist attraction we plan to visit. Yes,
Stonehenge made of Styrofoam. What a
riot! Definitely worth a 3 ½ hr. drive this
fall. Here we go …
Alicia Nygaard Formagus and family
enjoyed summer in Dallas. Son William
was at USMC Officer Training School in
Quantico, VA, and graduated in Aug. Son
Thomas transferred to Texas A&M this
fall.
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