Sweet Briar College Magazine - Spring 2017

Betsy Colwill Wiegers: I have
very little news to report which at our
age is good news. Have finally tired of
the snow and ice in Vail after 23 years
of winter there and am now in Palm
Beach, Fla., for a few months. Last fall
Di Doscher Spurdle, Jackie Hekma
Stone and I had lunch in NYC. As usual,
we laughed so much that we drove
everyone else out of the restaurant.
Laughter heals!
Pat Davis Sutker: All is sunny
and good here in Naples, Fla. The best
move we ever made. Naples used to be
a sleepy little town, but not anymore. In
the past 15 years, we have a beautiful
cultural arts center in Artis-Naples,
many art museums, live theatres
and more book groups than any one
person could attend, though that is
my passion, and I am in four different
programs.
After a scary experience where my
husband spent five days in a hospital
in Sorrento, Italy, in June, flew back
to Florida and had emergency lung
surgery in Tampa, all is well!!! But I am
sorry to say our days of traveling out
of the country are over. So, California
here we come!! Exciting news
for our 18-year-old granddaughter,
Rachel Cooper. She was accepted
early decision at Wake Forest in North
Carolina for the coming school year.
She is so happy! So it seems the family
that came from Illinois back in the 50s
is moving its way South. One family
is in Marietta, Ga., and the other in
Columbia, Md.
Penny Fisher Duncklee: I will be
doing an Open Studio two weekends in
February and a driving trip to Wisconsin
in late May and early June. I am glad I
finally updated my website. Ed. Note:
check out Penny’s website (www.pennydunklee.com)…I
found it delightful.
This picture of hers is named Morning
Star. Penny (my former roommate), is
coming out to visit us in March…..I
haven’t seen her since we stopped by
in Colorado just about a month after
we were married and were moving to
California back in 1959.
Meriwether Hagerty Rumrill:
Sad news that Evelyn Moore Horton
died April 2015. I’ve been in touch,
Elizabeth Johnston Lipscomb
Liz Lord’s family
Gay Hart Gaines and her entire family, 21 total, on New Year’s Eve at
The Greenbrier hotel in W.V.
Fleming Parker Rutledge’s grandchildren—Dabney, 26, and Riley,19,
marched on Jan. 21.
Mary Blair Scott Valentine: We attended the white coat ceremony
for our granddaughter, Mary Grace Bowers in nursing school at UVa.
Stukie and I are very proud of her entering this noble profession.
Class Notes
but it didn’t register in my somewhat
chaotic life that I didn’t hear back from
her in 2015. So I just got notice from
her second husband, Bob Richert. She
was a devoted godmother to my third
son, Charlie. It feels terrible not to be in
closer touch with friends.
Susan Hight Rountree: The
Rountrees are settling into our new
place in Kings Mill, a golf community
outside of Williamsburg. We have had
a busy winter so far starting out with
decorating the Christmas tree at the
Williamsburg Inn. Thirty years ago they
decided to put a tree in the lobby, and
I was involved in designing ornaments
based on details found at the Inn
(fabrics, Georgian furniture details,
urn designs, etc.). We use the same
ornaments each year, and several of
my friends have been doing this from
the beginning. A few days after tree
trimming, our statewide unit of the
Herb Society of America arrived. This
group comes here for a wonderful
Christmas themed luncheon every year.
We also are involved with the big herb
sale at Maymont House in Richmond in
late April.
I’m still making miniature
furniture based on objects from the
Colonial Williamsburg collection. Each
mid-January we have a five-day study
program here with members of the
International Guild of Miniature Artisans
(IGMA). We have five instructors and
each “student” selects one of the five
classes and makes a miniature of this
object....amazing things are done in
these few days! Summertime finds us
in New Hampshire at our place in North
Sandwich (we love visitors!) Local quilt
and knitting shops along with the New
Hampshire League of Arts and Crafts
shops are fun. Joe is a guide at an historic
house up on the mountain outside
of Wolfeboro on Lake Winnipesaukee
called Castle in the Clouds. It offers a
beautiful view of the lake, wonderful
restaurant, and it’s a fascinating house
with an interesting history. I’m supposed
to spend my free time making
miniatures for Colonial Williamsburg,
but it’s a great place to do puzzles and
read, too! We have a beautiful view
of the Sandwich Range Mountains.
We stay through the October foliage
season, happily avoiding the heat back
in Virgina. As for family, children and
grandchildren (five) are in Richmond,
Va., and Jupiter, Fla.
Elizabeth Johnston Lipscomb:
Lloyd and I continue to enjoy a full life
at Westminster Canterbury Lynchburg.
I’m currently serving as a resident
representative to the Board. We are
looking forward to spring visits to our
children and grandchildren in North
and South Carolina and New Mexico.
Nita Mixson Cox: No exciting or
great information coming from south
Georgia. Have just been busy trying to
SWEET BRIAR MAGAZINE | SBC.EDU 45