Class Notes

NEWS OF 1949

From Norma Boldt Wynne:

Many thanks to Kathryn Knopf Kricks for representing MCW's Class of 1949 at its 55th reunion in May. Katie has been a faithful attendee at the reunion luncheons.

Gloria Roth wrote that she lives in Emmaus and thoroughly enjoys her retirement from Air Products and Chemicals. She hasn't been able to travel, as her 105-year-old father lives with her and can't be left for long periods of time. However, she enjoys needlework and working outdoors in the garden.

Charlotte Bassett Crosby is working in a new profession. She studied at the Gemological Institute of America, where she has received her C.G. (gemologist's diploma). Charlotte also gives her time to the American Museum of Natural History, where she works on field notes about a 30-year study of terns. Charlotte is a widow now and shares her apartment in New York with two fancy cats.

Audrey Kirchman Tostevin wrote that she and her husband are very involved in community theater. Ron does the technical work and Audrey acts, directs, and serves on the governing board. They are enjoying their grandchildren: James, who lives close by, and Helen, who lives in Big Sky, Mon. Audrey and Ron divide their time between Ligonier, their house on the Jersey shore, and a condo in Sanibel, Fla. They also are active in St. Michael's Episcopal Church, where Ron is a lay reader and Audrey directs the altar guild. Their three children are busy with jobs and families: Ron III in New Jersey, Laurie in Montana, Cindy in Ligonier.

From Tom:

Alumni Day 2004 was very successful. Many thanks to our committee: Bill Rosenberg, Pat McArdle, Jim Dundon, Robert Frick, Clark Apgar, Charles Barner, Len Storch, and me. In addition to the committee, Ivan Backer, Erwin Boettcher, Delbert Edelman, and Frank Weaver attended. I was there in a wheelchair after foot surgery a week earlier. My granddaughter and John Williams from the Development Office pushed me around and saw that I was in the parade.

Charlie Barner came Friday but left the next day for a cruise to Alaska. Clark keeps busy golfing and caring for his wife, who has health problems. Frank, now retired from his medical practice, also golfs, fishes, and spends time with his wife, four children, and grandchildren.

Harold Allen could not attend but still spends a lot of time on his hobby, stamp collecting. He has given slide presentations to various philately clubs. I will write about classmates who sent in their reunion surveys next time.

NEWS OF 1948

From Jean Baxter McCracken:

The big news is that we are finally online! I hope I'll get some e-mail from classmates for the next issue!

I had a knee replacement in February and now look forward to a trip to Glacier National Park in Montana with a daughter and a son. I hope to do at least a little hiking.

We had a visit from a World War II vet who was in Charley's crew on a bomber in England. They hadn't seen each other for 60 years! Reliving those missions was emotional for them, but they had a good time together.

NEWS OF 1947

From Mary Jean Spangenthal:

Peg Loveless Browne loved her 14-day cruise of cities in the Baltic states. The 2,000 guests enjoyed nightly entertainment and wonderful food, along with exciting experiences in their ports of call. Since Peg's husband is ill and unable to travel, she partnered with a friend.

Peg also managed a trip to Iowa, one of four this year, to visit a granddaughter on a varsity sports team at the University of Iowa. With all those comings and goings, it's surprising to hear that Peg is battling osteoporosis in her neck and shoulders.

Bob and June Urffer Moyer made their annual pilgrimage to their cottage in Pennsylvania, where they were joined by their children, Kathie and David. It was a time for much celebration as June and Bob marked their 56th wedding anniversary, Kathie had her 50th birthday, and it was Father's Day!

They spent a week at their time-share in Puerta Vallarta in May and are dabbling in the history of the Urffer and the Moyer families.

Since recovering from winter illnesses, Barbara Miller and her husband have traveled to Houston, Texas, to visit their son and his family. They enjoyed the talent of their two granddaughters, who both play the violin. The girls participated in a "Coffee Concert" in a private home while they were there.

In June, the Texas family joined the Millers in this area to attend the wedding of another granddaughter, who will be moving to Mississippi.

Jean Schrader wrote enthusiastically about Muhlenberg College's graduation. She and Jack were there to see granddaughter Jessie receive her diploma in business administration and accounting. Jean listed an impressive number of honors and achievements for Jessie, as well as for a second granddaughter who is a junior at Saucon Valley High School, where Jack is still a volunteer coach.

Janet Weinland had family news, but her main item was the Elderhostel she attended in San Diego (her third). It was on filmmaking, and it included a tour of a boat museum. One of its old sailing vessels was featured in Master and Commander, which they then saw.

June Kuhns was excited about a church project for July 4, and it's clear she is very busy with responsibilities all year long. Of her grandchildren, Chris graduated from high school and entered the University of Florida, where he will study dentistry, as his father did.

NEWS OF 1946

From Ileen Whitehead Birnbaum:

Ada Zellner Flower attended an Elderhostel in Eagle Creek, Ore., in April. Then she took a riverboat cruise up the Columbia River and down the Snake River to Hell's Canyon. She followed the path of the Lewis and Clark expedition, of very special interest to her. In May, she attended a grandson's graduation in California.

Marian Emig Hoffman wrote from Fairbanks, Alaska, where she enjoys life very much. Her summer ventures were to Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands. It is connected with the Alaska Lifelong Learning program, a mini-Elderhostel. She spent time with her sons, Tom in Fort Wayne, Ind., and Philip at the Fort Wayne airport. On August 6, she attended a family reunion in Allentown.

Jean Mandell Litow is very busy with family, holidays, and the wedding of her granddaughter, Amira.

I have been doing some camping. I enjoyed a few days at the industry open house in York, which included Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Utz Potato Chips, and the Pfaltzgraff china factory. The most interesting thing I saw was the robotic farm for milking cows. For their special comfort, the ladies had waterbeds! I will be meeting our son Rae and his wife for camping in Canada. Dave and I will be going to Jean Litow's granddaughter's wedding in Annapolis, Md.

NEWS OF 1945
Reunion May 20-21

From Jane Smith Ebelhare:

Jackie Haas Bauder has been suffering from a fungus infection in her lungs at least since May and probably before that. It took some time and a biopsy to diagnose it, but at the end of July she should have been off the costly medication and feeling better. Jackie's son Doug came to visit her on June 18 for a belated birthday celebration. The next day he took her to the closing of the Synod to visit friends. To honor her retirement from the choir after 54 years, "College Hill [Moravian Church] started a rose garden with three bushes I chose and dedicated it to me, with the idea that others might want to plant roses for a loved one."

In May, Jackie met with Janet Moyer Paulus and her husband, Dick, and Florence Drebert Fritts and her husband, Warren, at Cabela's near Hamburg for a shopping and luncheon date. During Alumni Weekend, Jackie learned that the College has someone who works once a week on the archives and history of the school. [It is James Tyler, son of the late professors Dorothy and George Tyler.] So Jackie has volunteered to help.

She passed along the sad news that Jane Shirer '44 died several days before Alumni Weekend.

Janet Moyer Paulus' month of June was full of graduations. She and Dick attended two high school ceremonies and one "moving up" program for various grandchildren. They heard "Pomp and Circumstance"over and over as they watched a total of 1,221 teenagers march into auditoriums.

Janet was surprised and delighted to receive a phone call from Rheta Adams Weidenbacker '44, who has been confined to her home in Philadelphia since 1999 because of a lung obstruction. Janet says Rheta's spirit and interest in life has not been dampened, and her devoted husband, Bob, has helped her to make the best of it all. They spoke sadly of Jane Shirer, a lifetime friend of Rheta.

In April, Dorothy Stump Lied accompanied friends to Florida. On the way home, they stopped in Summerville, S.C., to see Helen Van Wye Somers. Helen spent her freshman year at Moravian with our class. Dottie planned to spend a few days at her church's annual conference in Charleston, W.Va., in July.

Beryl Harrison e-mailed that she is still well and active with golf, bowling, and yardwork. The highlights of the year are her golf trips to Florida and to Wildwood Crest and Stone Harbor, N.J.

The last church for which Al Harke was pastor, in Hope, Ind., held a big celebration in June and invited Lois Moser Harke to join them. The members were observing the 174th anniversary of the congregation, and also the dedication of a large space that had been added to their Christian education wing. It is called the Moravian Outreach Center and can accommodate basketball games and large groups for meals or meetings.

By the way, Lois is still pursuing line-dancing lessons.

Gloria Gately Chipman wrote from Atlantic Beach, N.C., where she and Frank have a beach house. She said it was extremely hot and sticky, and they were hoping for a thunderstorm to cool it off even if it interfered with the July 4 fireworks. They were to go back home to Kinston, N.C., the next morning and drive to Baltimore for a flight to Iceland and a 10- day tour of the island.

Alice Joyce Yeager and her husband, Bob, moved last year to Westminster Shores, a very nice retirement home in Bradenton, Fla. After seven months, however, they needed to be independent again. So in January they moved back to their old neighborhood. Alice had some skin cancer cells removed from her nose. She and Bob planned to visit their daughter in Tennessee.

Andy and I are enjoying our summer in Colorado and storing up energy to carry us through next winter.

NEWS OF 1944

From the Alumni House:

We are very sad to report that your class correspondent and good friend, Jane Shirer, died May 18. She will be missed by many.

Jane was a faithful correspondent, and we now need someone to take over her job. We are sure she would want you all to stay in touch! Please contact Pat Hanna in the Alumni Office, 610 625- 7874, if you can help us.

NEWS OF 1943

NEWS OF 1942

From Mary Kuehl Concevitch:

On Founder's Day in May, our class, including secretarials, was represented by Helen Grote Detthof '40, Alma Kirkhuff Kuehner, Sally Magargle Gery '44, Doris Dieruff Loux, Phoebe Arnold, Mary Ellen Binder Orben, and me. We enjoyed the reception at the president's home, the Lovefeast in Peter Hall with Sue Lenius Dreydoppel '73 as speaker, and the lovely luncheon in Clewell Hall. But only one of us appeared Saturday when class pictures were to be taken!

NEWS OF 1941

From Ruth Hemmerly Kelly:

Barbara Bastian Uhrig says she is preparing to move into a retirement community in Tucson in October.

Thelma Scheifele Heiberger and Bob also are preparing for a major move: to live with their daughter Roberta in Midlothian, Va. Their grandson Ashley recently received his law degree.

Letty Cliff Shurskis was in Bethlehem for the Eastern District Moravian Synod in June and luckily escaped the tornado in Lebanon County.

I have been using up frequent flyer miles before I get too decrepit or the airline goes bankrupt. I was in England in May and California in June, visiting friends. I will be spending a week in Maine for a family reunion. Now I'm getting ready for a move to Moravian Village in Bethlehem this fall.

Ruth Reitz Balish writes from Mineral Bluff, Ga., her new home, that she had some difficult health problems, but she's better and pleased to be nearer her children and grandchildren.

NEWS OF 1941-46 Men

NEWS OF 1940
Reunion May 20-21

NEWS OF 1939

From the Alumni House:

We regret to announce that class correspondent Elizabeth Batdorf Hummel died on November 27. We extend our sincere condolences to her family.

NEWS OF 1938

From Christine Roberts Fraley:

Olivia Musselman Barnes, Mary Fabian Strock, and I represented the Class of '38 at reunion weekend in May--our 66th! On Friday, we went to Founder's Day events and on Saturday the Alumni Day programs. On both days we left after luncheon. It was great to go back to the old campus, but we no longer run up and down all the stairs. They were a challenge.

Olivia and Mary still live in their homes and manage very well. I am enjoying life here at Luther Crest. I've made friends and become part of this community.

I am sad to report that Anna Moyer Koller passed away August 17. She also lived here at Luther Crest in the nursing facility.

Kyle Penick sent a note in June that his mother, Ruth Smith Penick, had died not long before at the age of 88. She had lived in Flagstaff, Ariz., since 1963.

From the Alumni Office:

We are very sad to report that Evalyn Adams Hawk died September 10. She was a loyal class correspondent for many years and will be missed.

NEWS OF 1937

NEWS OF 1936

From the Alumni House:

Paul Clay died in May. He has two daughters, Judith Clay '61 and Susan J. Smith '69, as well as a grandson, Clay '01 and a granddaughter, Caroline '96. His son, Tom '55, also is a Moravian. Paul went to almost every Moravian sporting event as long as he was able.

NEWS OF 1935

From Wilma Kistler Uhrich:

After 67 years of a very happy marriage, my beloved husband passed away May 12. I'm very grateful to be living in Willow Street because I'll be taken care of for the rest of my life.