Class Notes

NEWS OF 1983
Reunion Homecoming 2003

NEWS OF 1982

From Lori Vargo Heffner:

Well, classmates, it’s been 20 years since we’ve all been together on Moravian’s campus—and since I’ve written this column. I’m back in the Lehigh Valley and writing as your new class correspondent. I was lucky enough to serve on the reunion committee and to participate in this year’s Homecoming celebration. It was great to see those of you who were able to attend and sad that others could not be there. I hope to hear from those who weren’t able to get there.

Checking in for this year’s event were Joanne Belletti Molle, who is now serving on Moravian’s alumni board, and her husband, Dean ’83; Judy Mazzucco Oerhle and her husband, Chris ’83, who have two very active sons; Cindy Baird; Pat Murray Hanna and her husband, Ken ’81; Fred Smollinger; Mark Kluk; and Russ Bennett, all members of the reunion committee.

Russ offered to share his New Jersey shore home with us anytime, except that he’s so busy flying with Continental Airlines that I wonder when our schedules will meet.

Jeff Bartlett, also on the reunion committee, attended with his wife, Camille, and their two children. Jeff recently was hired as the first township manager of Lehigh Township and also serves as a zoning officer.

Liz Stevenson Warnock was the digital photographer of the day and was very helpful in babysitting my daughter. It’s no wonder—she has four children of her own and works as a teacher’s aide.

Christine Heske Taunton works as a human-resource consultant and is the mother of two children. She has the same energy and effervescence as ever. She gets together with MoMo alum Darcy Kardos Hahn, Mary Ellen Gallo Holland ’81, Jackie Lystash Hartnett ’81, and Nancy Gillinder Bruno ’81.

Leading the effort to raise funds for the family of Noel Foster (he was lost on September 11, 2001) were Christy Paul and Darlene Petrilli Gilly. Christy is a nurse-manager at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in N.J., and Dar is part-owner of a dance studio in Absecon, N.J.

Susan Prause Martin was there with her husband and two boys, who had won awards at the Halloween parade in the morning. They live in the Lehigh Valley, and she is an incredibly creative seamstress, as noted by her donations to the Foster fund. Speaking of which, we raised $350 for Noel’s children by raffling off donations from class members.

Carol Sampson came up from North Carolina; Carol married Dan Sweeney, an Air Force pilot, in September 2000. Laurie Riley Brubaker and her husband, Lloyd, flew in from Texas. Karen Sloat-Olsen is a park ranger in New Jersey and the mother of two.

Sherri Lou D’Autrechey and Rich Schaeffer and their daughter were there. Sherri is teaching eighth-grade English and Rich is chief financial officer of Le Gourmet Chef Inc.

Other attendees were Jeff and Janet Gomes ’84 Feakes, Mary Ellen Kollman, Dave Sommers, Nancy Miller Fisher and Don ’83, Mary Yavorski Bender ’81, Lisa Coutts ’83, and Rich Caracio ’85 and his wife, Catherine.

The day was a great success in spite of the cold. Some of us retreated to Beerbellies after the game (the former Little Big Horn or Mickey Kelly’s). My ears gave up around 7:00 p.m.—I wonder how we managed to stay till 2:00 a.m. back then? Times have changed.

I heard from Debbie Rengel Laverty ’83, who said she and her husband, Jim, could not attend. Jim travels a great deal with his job and was flying in from overseas Friday. They live in Bethlehem and have a daughter who is a cheerleader, keeping them very busy on the weekends.

I work full-time in Flemington, N.J., as an adolescent therapist at Hunterdon Medical Center. I’m married to Emerson Heffner, an old high school friend, and parenting our 17-month-old, Melina, who is cute and constantly on the go.

I attended another reunion of sorts recently. Over the holidays, we visited Linda Allocco and Tim Mas ’80, who hosted a get-together with Mark ’80 and Donna Dickinson Tryon ’81, and Glenn ’80 and Joan Orlemann Passman ’81. It was great catching up with them and watching the Eagles-Giants game.
I hope to hear from more of you.

NEWS OF 1981

NEWS OF 1980

NEWS OF 1979

From Steve Vanya:

Jayne Merlo Bray writes with some happy news. She was married June 13 to Robert H. Trent of Lopatcong Township, N.J. Jayne continues to work as an assistant book buyer at the Moravian Book Shop. She says they are adjusting to rural life in New Jersey. We hope so, because they spotted a black bear in their yard not long ago.

I am glad to report that Christopher Neeven and his family are doing just fine in Sandwich, Mass., on Cape Cod. My wife, Maryann, and I made our annual visit over July 4. It was great to get together, and the fireworks over Hyannis Port Harbor are hard to beat! Chris is vice president of commercial production for Allied American Insurance in South Yarmouth, Mass. His wife, Jeanette, a native Cape Codder, is a real-estate agent for Century 21. Their beautiful twin daughters, Lindsay and Haley, 13, are both honor-roll students. Lindsay plays soccer, field hockey, and basketball. Haley is in the Boston Ballet and also plays field hockey and soccer. That sure keeps everyone busy. It is great to continue a friendship that dates back to Moravian and has endured more than 25 years. And Chris lives only 3 mles from one of the best spots ever to fly-fish for striped bass!

From the Alumni House:

Wendy Bauder Lukehart is the coordinator of children’s and young-adult collections for the District of Columbia Public Library, and she recently was a contributing editor for the September 2002 edition of School Library Journal. She wrote an article entitled “One Year Later: A Look at a Few of the Books That Have Been Published in Response to September 11th.” Throughout her career, Wendy has been interested in literature with themes that nurture children and help them grow.

George Kurtz Jr. has been appointed vice president/financial advisor of the Trust Company of the Lehigh Valley. George is a certified trust and financial advisor and a certified financial-services counselor. He has been president of the Estate Planning Council of the Lehigh Valley and serves on the boards of several other organizations in the valley.

Kidsfest organizer Jen Renninger Fielding ’91 helps alumni and their children enjoy the moonbounce during Homecoming Houndfest 2002.

Photo: Gregory M. Fota '69