1966 CHPEBUH JOTTINGS for 2020
DONALD CAMP was very lucky to schedule a family vacation in India just before the pandemic hit. It was his (grown) children's first trip even though they'd heard about India their whole lives. They did the houseboats in Kerala and the palaces of Rajasthan ending up with a few days in Delhi. They contemplated Woodstock but ... January? He raised his kids right - they went for idli and dosa with a vengeance and loved spicy chili pakoras from roadside stands.
CLAIRE BLICKENSTAFF BEERY and husband Bill enjoyed a month-long visit to the mid-west and eastern Canada, Fall 2019 with a wonderful two days with Phil and Susan DeVol on their beautiful farm and an afternoon with RAJAN KOSE, RUTH and Harvey PAIGE. The pandemic has given Claire time to dig into family genealogy including the history of the Blickenstaff family in India. 2020 marks 100 years since her grandparents arrived and cousin Lynn is now a permanent resident.
RICHARD FRIEDERICKS and SUZY MCCULLOCH FRIEDERICHS say that their lives continue to be good and fulfilling. They've stayed well during the pandemic, enjoying gardening, daily walks and a new puppy. Richard is writing his second novel.
MIRIAM HAQQ PRABHAKAR was the US in Minnesota in September and had a reunion with Mary (Merchant) Anderson after 49 years, since her wedding as Mary was a part of it. It was just so great to see her and catch up. Miriam had a health issue, requiring surgery, but recovered well. Two of her sons are in North Carolina and one in Alabama and all are doing well.
CARLTON HOKE’S news this year was the birth of another grandchild. Alexis Yufei Hoke was born on January 2nd. Her maternal grandparents came to meet her from China and were not permitted to return for eight months because of COVID-19 travel restrictions. They express joy to have another grandchild after an eighteen year gap!
RUTH MORRIS PAIGE and husband Harvey are staying close to home but do have a wonderful bike, walking trail to giving them access to nature. The sun is shining, their daughter works at a nursing home nearby and they are doing a good job, keeping their faces covered and at a good distance from the residents. It is wonderful to have Rajan Kose in the village, even though they haven't seen each other lately.
Frances and Margie in 1955
Margie Holdereed and Frances Hillard at
graduation July 1966.
FRANCES HILLIARD DAWSON observes that over the couple of weeks of enforced confinement there have been some interesting trends in social media. One, expressed by acquaintances of a certain demographic is frustration with ‘emoji culture’. Maybe with time on our hands we are more keenly aware of limits to dialogue imposed by most social media. Our parents’ generation wrote letters. And there is something different about putting pen to paper. It seems to encourage more reflection. So thank you Cate for getting us started on e-mailing messages to one another. Michael, who has the introvert advantage, is doing well and though I find myself pacing off and on throughout the day am so grateful that we are secure on many levels as are our children and grandchildren. This virus will leave many populations, devastated. Hopefully we will learn from this experience.
Andrea McDearmid, Ruth Yoder, Marcia McKelvey, Ruth Morris
RUTH YODER DYAL, alone since her husband Jim's passing, says it has been difficult with Covid, but she adopted a second rescue dog, and the two are fun to come home to! She has kept working through the pandemic-a very difficult and confusing time for her pregnant patients since so little is known re long term effects. Had emergency surgery last week for a possible cancer that turned out-incredibly- not to be!! But as a result both her sons have been able to take a little time off to drive to be with her! Too bad when you have to have surgery to see family. She is doing great- and hopes to get back to work in 2 weeks. She says she will retire January 1, 2022.
EVELYN BRYANT PITTS is glad she retired from teaching at Washburn University last year so she didn’t have to do all the additional work to change all classes to be done remotely. Dan is a partner with several others from US, Australia, Canada and England. He works from home. Obviously all trips have been cancelled but they can still have meetings remotely. The only things they’re doing outside is walking and an occasional trip to the grocery store. But most everyone is trying to stay 6 feet apart. They watch church online and Sunday School, Bible Study and book club have been meeting using Zoom. Their 6 year old granddaughter is doing kindergarten from home. She is missing her friends. She was quite excited because the school gave her an IPad to help her see the teacher remotely and do her homework. Thank goodness for technology so they can FaceTime their kids and grandkids
FRITZ GOETH lives 20 miles south of Portland, so are at a distance from the riots. Very sad to see what has happened to that beautiful city. The virus, so far, has passed them by and they’re all healthy and getting through it OK. The fires came close—a house burned to the ground less than a mile from them. They were all packed up and ready to evacuate but the order never came. Their hearts break for those whose lives were devastated. With all the turmoil around they are thankful for safety and health and family and home.
KATHY COLEMAN YORK and husband Pat are safe and following self isolation rules in Kingston, Ontario. They arrived back from the home they sold this winter in Sarasota, Florida on March 15, so theyre on quarantine for 14 days. Thank god for wonderful friends who delivered food and supplies to our front steps they’re life savers. They now do ordering online, pay that way and then drive to grocery store and they put things in trunk for them. They are thankful for our essential workers at this time, praying they stay safe!
PHIL SCHOONMAKER thinks he is probably in the minority of those of us who still work because his work is who he is (a musician and piano virtuoso), but the future of Steinway sales in Boston is certainly in grave jeopardy. Boston is the fourth worst on the national COVID-19 list and half of the store’s staff has been furloughed (in all likelihood permanently). They are all hunkered down at home of course, and the future of luxury goods rebounding any time soon, even worldwide, is extremely grim. Many piano makers and piano merchants will not survive.
MARY FRITSCHLE NOGGLE as for many this year 2020 has been one of challenge and loss as well as some sweet times. Several physical issues and one major surgery happened but she is in recovery and ready to get back to "normal" whatever that looks like. In the first 6 months of the year 3 of her sister-in-laws died, 2 unexpectedly and 1 from cancer. She was blessed to finally visit her children and grandchildren this summer. She drove to Minnesota for one group and then took the train out to Seattle to visit the group out there. India gave her a lifelong love of train rides and she got a sleeper bedroom round trip and was very pampered and enjoyed the journey and the visit. She is so glad none of us have gotten the virus. She jokes with her kids that after India nothing can really survive for long in her system. Her prayer is for a better end of the year and blessings to all.
BECKY HILL is watching the humming birds and mud-dobbers out in the yard. Praying that the school will be safe for her granddaughter. She is wishing to go to Abu Dhabi, or Simla for some cool. Her daughter is treating COVID patients and comes home heart broken and mad because many of her patients thought COVID was a hoax or Armageddon is coming. Lucky she lives in the wilderness - not sure if coyotes, armadillos, deer, or skunks can pass on the virus.
MARY MERCHANT ANDERSON has been retired from nursing 2 years. Husband Keith is still working as visitation pastor to senior adults at their Bethlehem Baptist church in Minneapolis. They also lead Griefshare, mission trips and tours to Israel. She has 10 grandchildren and 1 great grand. God is good!
WARREN REES During the first couple of months of the pandemic his boys took voluntary leaves of absences, however his daughter's store was shut down as non essential, however she was still being paid. They stayed in touch by taking family walks through a nearby park. His annual birthday retreat however has to be changed, because his daughter's store was permanently closed due to a merger with another company. His granddaughter got very sick two weeks before the retreat, but tests for the flu and COVID-19 were negative. The week before the retreat her fever went away, so she and his daughter were able to join us. They had a great time!
JANET EDLEFSEN has managed to stay healthy and reasonably sane during these long months of the pandemic. She and husband John Silkwood get outside every day and enjoy long walks in the neighborhood, make occasional trips to the grocery store, and stay in touch with friends and family via Zoom, calls and email. They’ve also had frequent getaways on their boat, which has been ideal for having a change of scene while still being safe and socially distanced!
LINDA GARST GUPTA’S husband, Dr. Ashwini Gupta and other doctors in the family, worked through most of the pandemic summer. Their youngest had a baby girl in July so now they have six grandchildren! They haven’t traveled this year but added a hot tub to the back garden and enjoyed just being at home. Two of their children live here in Atlanta so they can visit them. MEGHNA, their oldest and Sage’94, lives in Florida. She is staying a bit busy with CMC Ludhiana Board but not at all busy like Cate. She is doing a phenomenal job! It’s a pleasure to work with Cate and Lee serving as well. Trying to keep out of COVID’s way and hope all of you are well. Last year she “jotted” about finding her biological family! This year they continue to grow and learn...catching up on a lifetime of not knowing each other! She just had a visit from two sisters!
PHIL DEVOL and his wife Susan had plans to spend part of the summer in Spain, Morocco and Portugal. Instead they spent their money on the house and barn. Gin & Tonics on the lawn with cousins from across the pasture became a feature. They got to see Rajan, Ruth, and Harvey once this summer and hope to make another visit soon. Last September Claire and Bill paid a visit. It was great to catch up with them. Phil is still working….virtually. Susan is busy with the local Democratic Party, Master Gardeners, Zoning Committee, and her yoga group. Like everyone they stay in touch with the kids and grandkids through social media.
KAREN SMYRES WOLNER and husband John have managed to survive Covid19 with little fanfare. Son-in-law does the grocery shopping for them. As things opened up a bit they were finally able to meet up with their son and his family after not having seen them in 6 months. Daughter lives locally so they have been able to interact fairly often. Now that school has reopened, they worry about the grandkids but trust that they will be safe.
SHERRY SERGEANT COX’s biggest news for this past year is both daughters have moved, Sarah and Tony to Stuttgart, Germany with the Air Force and Stephanie and John with their 3 girls about an hour away in the country. At least they still get to see the granddaughters frequently. The other news is she and husband Steve had an amazing trip to Israel in late Feb, early March. They got back just 5 days before everything shut down with COVID!
JOHN CHAFFEE has experienced a move into solitude. He can't complain, for with no financial worries and plenty of living space (outdoors as well as indoors). But everything is now virtual: virtual socializing with family, virtual church and choir, virtual meetings, and virtual teaching. The last has been challenging, for he would much prefer to seeing his students face to face, but he has found that it can be done effectively.
ARUN KAPUR has been at his second home in Kumaon , Shyamkhet since the beginning of March, fairly quiet with Coco, his Jack Russel, who greets everyone very warmly. Restricted to visitors mainly from Delhi who have naturally had the full COVID test done. The weather is now autumnal and glorious- the snow views of the Himalayas should now be clearly visible- his plan is to go out and see them soon.
CATE WHITCOMB, and husband JACK HINZ (S), are weathering the pandemic at their home in Evanston, IL. In January they managed an exciting trip to India for the wedding of ARADHANA ROBERTS (?) in Mussoorie. They arrived in a heavy thunder-snow storm. The weather disrupted the festivities but not the wedding held at St. Paul’s. Life in Evanston since March has been routine daily walks, with many, many meetings and family contacts via Zoom. Cate is ending her first year at the Executive Director of the Ludhiana Christian Medical College Board USA, Inc. and finds the work rewarding and challenging.
Cate Whitcomb, Class Secretary (indiacate@gmail.com)
