magazine

Class Notes
much news to tell: “Except I am getting older,
which I see clearly when I watch my nine
(well-behaved) grandchildren growing up.
The oldest is a doctor of 31; the youngest is 11
years old. And I am thankful for good health.”
I look forward to seeing you all next
spring at our 60th Reunion!
1957
Barbara Stagis Kelliher
As I (Barb) write this [early September], it is
78 degrees and sunny outside. As you read
this, I think the view outside is going to be
quite different. Anyway, here’s the news:
Trina Buckelmueller Gale moved from Roswell,
GA, to Seabrook, TX, when Charles, her
husband of 56 years, died last May. “Charles
valued Wheelock greatly and helped me
attend Reunions after I had a stroke 33 years
ago,” she writes. She is near her sister and
would enjoy a visit from anyone visiting
the NASA area. Shelley Reiss Safirstein now
lunches with Judy McMurray Achre ’58
often, ever since they ran into each other at a
Shelley Reiss Safirstein ’57 (left) and Judy
McMurray Achre ’58 proudly displaying
Wheelock wares at a recent lunch
Wheelock Sarasota luncheon. “We have been
meeting monthly, each driving an hour to
meet in a restaurant between cities for lunch
and a long, long visit,” Shelley writes. They are
both still married to their Wheelock beaux!
Harriet Weil Hodgson sent news that she
and John are enjoying their new wheelchairfriendly
townhome. John practices walking
with his walker each day and is making a lot
of progress. Harriet had two books come out
in the fall, The Family Caregiver’s Guide and
Affirmations for Family Caregivers. While we
are all enjoying the snow, she is working on
two more books: Journal for Family Caregivers
and Family Caregiver’s Feelings, due out
in the fall of 2016. They live in Rochester, MN.
The other class overachiever is Jan Wright
Freelove, who writes: “I am still subbing [K-5]
two or more days a week. I do it because I
enjoy working with the kids and fellow teachers.
Maybe I can be the oldest sub at 80-plus
and break somebody’s record.” (Well, Jan, you
have certainly broken mine!)
Anita Stulgis Chouinard, Sue Waters
Shaeffer ’56 and I (Barb) are still enjoying our
busy lives in a senior complex here in Nashua.
How lucky we are to live in such a busy and
stimulating city.
Joan Patterson Brown’s caring companion,
Mac, sent Ruth Bailey Papazian ’56 an
update on Joan late last summer: “She is well
and happy and enjoys hearing from friends
and family. The letters, cards, and emails
lift her spirits. May was particularly nice for
her not only because it was her birthday,
but also because she was able to connect
with her brother. There were also visits from
friends both local and out of state. The daily
routine of ours continues, leaving Windsor
Reflections in the morning and going to
our place in Palm Aire for most of the day.
The combination of naps, relaxing to music,
walks before it gets too hot in the day, and
conversations about everything fill our time.
As always, her friends and family play a big
role in her daily life.”
This, from Francine McNamee Shea, is a
perfect end to our news: “Thank you for the
reminder of our wonderful years at Wheelock.
Time has passed so quickly that I can remember
wonderful experiences in the classrooms.
Teachers like Mr. Herrick, Miss Abbihl,
and Mr. Wurtz; Abby downstairs in the snack
bar; the telephone switchboard, where I
learned the operation of the board; the Commuter
Room, a favorite for three years; and
Longwood. Great Days of my Life. Now I am
living in Lake Nona, part of Orlando, FL. Any
graduates nearby: It would be such a treat to
visit with you. One of my twins lives nearby
with his family. Ahhhh, the memories!”
1958
Margaret “Maggie” Weinheimer Sherwin
Laura Lehrman sends best regards to all and
reports that, after a two-year adjustment
period, she is finally feeling a bit at home in
her “building for the well elderly on a nice
quiet street and ‘hood’ near Central Park with
very friendly folk and some ‘amenities.’” She
says that means “on-site social work students
from Hunter College, a podiatrist, a hair fixer
person, and four BBQs in the ‘garden’ behind
the building.” Laura is thinking about spending
a few weeks in Puerto Rico – “[her] island
in the sun” – this winter instead of going to
Sarasota. She adds: “The big news from the
BIG Apple is that Kelly, a granddaughter of
Carol Yudis Stein, will be teaching young’uns
at Brearley, one of NYC’s finest (and therefore
most costly) private schools. I am looking
forward to organizing the welcoming parade
(joke!), but we are all so thrilled that Kelly got
a job teaching, and we all know that to teach
young’uns is a very high calling as we, in
the mind, body, spirit community, say.” Carol
Yudis Stein’s volunteer work since moving to
Florida has included leading a reading group
in a third-grade class at a local public school,
being an entrance registration worker at a
local hospital, and registering and escorting
women to their medical exams at a women’s
health center. She has also been on the board
of the local chapter of Pap Corps, Champions
for Cancer Research, and is currently helping
them run a Caribbean cruise on a Celebrity
ship as a fundraiser. In September, Carol
also wrote about her granddaughter: “I am
definitely in an education mode as one of
(L-R) 1958 classmates Judy Littlefield Bateman,
Sandy MacDonald Ingmanson, and Liz Sturtz
Stern after a “catch-up lunch” in Littleton, MA,
last June
my granddaughters graduated from Marist
this past May and is beginning her first year
of teaching at the Brearley private school in
NYC. Love hearing how things are changing
from her.”
Liz Sturtz Stern writes of a visit she had
with Sandy MacDonald Ingmanson and Judy
Littlefield Bateman late last spring, when she
was in Massachusetts to visit her brother’s
family. She took part in a line dancing class
Sandy was teaching, and then the three of
them got caught up over lunch.
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