Gari Paticopoulos and Eleanor Alland recently celebrated Gari’s birthday and discussed the Class of 1948 70th-year reunion, set for Homecoming in October. Eleanor recently met her first great-grandchild, Ada Jean, at a family reunion held in Newbury Park, Calif. Eleanor attended the Veteran Memorial Plaques Rededication Ceremony at the downtown campus in May. Eugene McLaren and Donald Sayles also attended the ceremony. WWII veteran Paul Ward ’53, ’54, spoke about Edward Eldred Potter ’19 during the program.
Joan Sittner Sherwood traveled to Phoenix to visit her great-granddaughter, Petra, and contacted Bob Kaiser, who lives in nearby Scottsdale. Joan remains active in her church and at her local library.
Annalee Levine Ginsberg lives with her husband in an assisted living facility in Voorhees, N.J.
Estelle Siegel Reisner is a proud blood donor and still works two or three days a week. As a district justice, she performed the marriage of her son. Estelle’s daughter is a New Jersey Appeals Court justice.
Donald Sayles enjoys his sailboat, the Dulcinea.
Vera Chudiak Smith has traveled to Europe and volunteered as a tutor at Literacy Suffolk. She has three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Ruth Seelbach Elmore and her husband live in Florida and travel north by Auto Train to visit friends and family.
Eileen Abrams Pettersen lives independently at Coburg Village in Rexford, N.Y., and stays in touch with Wanda Tomasik Methe.
Ruth Doran and her brother live together in Baldwinsville, N.Y.
Wilma Diehl stays active in the Massapequa Historical Society in Long Island.
May Giovanniello Henderson of Auburn, N.Y., is doing well.
Clara Sylvestri Beninati resides in assisted living in Sandy, Utah.
Class notes councilor: Eleanor Holbig Alland, [email protected]
Betsy Franks Schuhle celebrated her 90th birthday in May with five generations of family members. She and Jake celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in September. Their grandson, T.J., got married in March. T.J. took the Albany Firefighter exam and is waiting for an opening.
Ursula Neuhaus Schiff of Sarasota, Fla., was devastated by the death of her dog, but acquired a purebred Birman cat named Prince Harry. Ursula’s son David and his family visited from California.
Anne Sulich Raser received an update on the California Teachers Study she has participated in for 23 years. It is one of the largest studies in the country.
Freddy Laemmerzahl Miller celebrated her 90th birthday in June with family in Delaware and Pennsylvania.
Bob Kaiser celebrated many milestones in August, including his 40th wedding anniversary with wife Aviva and his son Bob’s 65th birthday.
Bob Kittredge’s wife, Diana, is recovering from a broken arm due to a fall. Bob completed his two-year stint on the North Fresno Rotary Club Board of Directors in June. His granddaughter Hannah graduated with California teaching credentials and a master’s degree in English in June. The Kittredge family reunion was held at Pine Mountain Lake near Yellowstone Park in July.
Jack Kirby of Florida writes that he is “finally getting his summer vacation,” which means no choir rehearsals and no Suncoast concert band rehearsals.
Jean Pulver Hague retired last December. Her family is still growing; her granddaughter recently married, and two great-grandchildren are expected in November.
Elsa Moberg Cox was hospitalized for three days last March after a serious fall. She is healed well enough to drive and attend exercise classes four days a week. Elsa’s three granddaughters are all college graduates; one is a Pepperdine Law School grad. Elsa’s grandson will graduate from Arizona State in 2019.
Bonnie Lewis Adkins and Lee celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary in June. They will welcome three more great-grandchildren this year, for a combined total of seven. Bonnie and Lee are enjoying their home at EastView Senior Community Center in Middlebury, Vt.
Joe Zanchelli and Joyce ’52 celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary in June. They held a sesquicentennial birthday celebration in May for Joe’s 90th and their son’s 60th. Twenty-nine family members attended. Try to stay healthy for our 70th class reunion in 2019! A letter of interest will be mailed this fall.
Class notes councilor: Joe Zanchelli, [email protected]
The Warren County Historical Society resource center was recently named in honor of Marilyn Van Dyke. Marilyn also is a 2018 recipient of the Fort Edward Historical Association Riverside School Bell Award. Marilyn’s granddaughter Reilly earned a bachelor’s degree in English from UAlbany in May and will attend graduate school at Leeds University in England. Marilyn’s grandson Cameron is majoring in public administration at UAlbany.
Bert Jablon and wife Myra vacationed at the Villa Roma Resort in the Catskills. Bert finished first in the 90-year-old category in his latest road race. He still mentors Empire State College students.
Nancy Frey Petinelli of Missouri traveled east in April for her granddaughter’s confirmation and enjoyed time with family. Nancy’s two oldest grandsons competed in the second round of the NCAA lacrosse playoffs this spring.
Marian Newton Knight and husband Dave relocated from Stratford, Conn., to Lawrenceville, N.J., to be near their son, Paul. They also have a home in Lake George where they spend their summers. Marian is doing well, but Dave, 92, has some medical problems. While living in Stratford, Marian sang in the Fairfield County Chorale for 33 years and performed at Carnegie Hall three times. Dave recently wrote a book about his hypothesis of the expanding earth. They have three children: Richard, a retired Navy man and nurse; Paul, who lives in Lawrenceville, N.J.; and Elizabeth, an IT program manager. They also have three grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren.
Dorothy (Thea) Simmons Vanderven’s grandchildren are doing well. Cobus works for a federal judge in Portland, Maine; Iloma and significant other Dave moved to Alaska in August; Ian is stationed with the Navy at the American Embassy in Kenya; and Grace is a geologist in Boston.
Mary Anne Lanni and Joan Barron enjoy a monthly lunch with a group of retired librarians. They call themselves “Ex Libris.” Mary Anne attends author talks with Helene Gordon and recently heard from B.A. Shapiro at the Schenectady Public Library.
Vickie Eade Eddy became a great-grandmother in April. Her son Jeffrey is an avid mountain climber, having recently climbed Mount Rainier in Washington. Vickie’s granddaughter is a veterinary technician in Seattle. Vickie’s 12-year-old grandson won the Junior NBA Southeast Regional Skills competition in Atlanta for the second year in a row.
A tornado damaged Jeanne Seymour Earle’s property in Westchester County. She hopes to have restoration complete by the fall. She’s looking forward to vacationing in Maine with her son and daughter-in-law.
Shirley Rosenbaum stays busy playing violin in the local community orchestra and is part of Life Long Learner, a book club. Her son was elected president of the West Virginia League of Women Voters. He also is the president of a non-profit bicycle collective. Shirley’s granddaughter graduated from high school with an International Baccalaureate degree and will attend Barnard in 2019.
Joyce Leavitt Zanchelli and husband Joe celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary in June. The Zanchelli family held a sesquicentennial celebration in honor of Joe’s 90th birthday and their son Michael’s 60th. They were both born on the same day of the month.
Class notes councilor: Joyce Zanchelli, [email protected]
Linda Hopkins McGrath plays golf frequently.
Herb Their is still involved in his field of study.
Betty Coykendall-Hart returned to work after missing her time teaching in the classroom.
Unfortunately, Herb Egert will not be able to attend the 65th reunion in October. He and several other classmates are facing health issues that limit traveling.
Priscilla Jones Bour lives close to Rosie Keller Hughes in an independent-living facility for seniors in western New York.
Linda Hopkins McGrath leads an active life in Florida. She and Rosie reconnected during Linda’s recent visit to see family in Rochester.
A close friend of Leona Quigley reported that Leona had been retired from teaching high-school history for 10 years when she returned to work as an aide, and then as a substitute teacher, before passing away at the age of 92.
Tina Nicastro Beck enjoys being a literacy volunteer, visiting family, and traveling all over the world. She’s traveled throughout the U.S., Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand, and has studied in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Doug Nielsen and Gail enjoy time with family. Their grandson joined the constabulary and serves as a court official in Lyons, near Newark, N.Y. Doug still volunteers at the local library and is active in church.
Louise Petfield Burns is still “alive and kickin’” and stays busy with Bible study, church, and working out at Curves a few times per week. Not too bad for 86! She plays piano weekly for a group of seniors and enjoys knitting hats and scarves for charity.
Rosie Keller Hughes is busy with genealogy and assisting those who have difficulties in the research process. Her granddaughter was married in Brooklyn in July. Rosie will fulfill a bucket-list item by going on a Panama Canal cruise and land trip at the end of October.
Joe Lombardi is having a busy fall with Congressional elections coming up in November. He will be working to unseat an incumbent. He recently went on a 12-day trip to Iceland and Germany and stayed in AirBnB housing in both countries. Joe still volunteer teaches at the Center for Lifetime Studies at Marist College. He looks forward to reconnecting at the Class of 1953 65th-Year Reunion!
Asked to share their fondest and/or funniest memories at Albany, our classmates offered feedback. Here are some of their responses: Linda Hopkins McGrath remembers making lifelong friends, particularly in Sayles Hall. Tina Nicastro Beck recalls the festive Italian dinners she and her classmates prepared at Newman Hall. Louise Petfield Burns’ memories include Big Fours; plays and operettas; singing groups; the Gamma Kappa house; and Mrs. Nye, the housemother. Rosie Keller Hughes has fond memories of participating in Rivalry, plays, and student government; she also remembers the great friends she made and her outstanding professors. Evi Iglauer enjoyed being among peers. Madelon Avallone Knoerzer remembers dramatics with Agnes Futturer, literature with Catherine Walsh Peltz, and French with Dr. Shaw. Owen Smith calls his time at NYSCT “a lifelong experience,“ and Jordine Skoff Von Wantoch said she enjoyed being involved with Red Devil activities.
You can post messages and photos on our Facebook page.
Class notes councilor: Rose Mary Keller Hughes, [email protected]
In April, John and Rose Mary Zongrone celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary and visited their granddaughter, Sara, in Germany. Their family has grown to 33 members following the arrival of two great-grandsons.
Bonnie Dodge Brousseau’s husband had quintuple bypass surgery in January and has recovered well. They will not be traveling this year. They enjoy time with their two great-granddaughters, ages 2 and 4.
Nicole Chiudina and Heather Leary-Hanaburgh are recent recipients of the Class of 1955 awards. Both are enrolled in the School of Education graduate program in special education and literacy. Nicole, who holds a bachelor’s degree in communication disorders and sciences, has experience in teaching children with autism. Heather holds a bachelor’s degree in English and deaf studies, and hopes to work among academically and culturally diverse students.
Our classmate J. Rubén Garcia was a professional dancer and performed internationally with his wife as Tito and Corinne Valdez. Their daughter Francesca recently published Two Lives, Many Dances. Her memoir of her parents’ private and professional lives includes Rubén’s personal notebooks.
Class notes councilor: John Orser, [email protected]
Robert Bowes is doing well. His grandson Joe is a UAlbany student-athlete.
June Frankland Baker lives in Richland, Wash.
Helen Konefal Baker visits her son in Alaska frequently and stays busy with a variety of activities.
Class notes councilor: Sheila Lister Bamberger, [email protected]