1955
Class correspondent:
Helen Varady Keyser
2038 Kemmerer Street; Bethlehem, PA 18017
Posted 6/26/19
We are sad to report that Ann Hentschel Cutler passed away on February 26, 2019.
Posted 5/27/18
We are sad to report that Rev. John Giesler passed away on June 7, 2018.
Posted 1/29/19
We are sad to report that Rose Mandic Donchez passed away on January 13, 2018.
Posted 3/30/17
We are sad to report that Theodore Houseknecht passed away on February 23, 2017.
Posted 2/23/17
We are sad to report that Barbara Cocklin Althouse passed away on January 25, 2017.
Posted 1/14/16
We are sad to report that Janet Shallcros Siecke passed away on November 19, 2015.
Posted 12/21/15
We are sad to report that Peter Pezzuto passed away on December 5, 2015.
Posted 10/27/14
We are sad to report that Michael Lutkus passed away on July 10, 2014.
Posted 10/31/13
Classmates attending our 59th Reunion on Founder’s Day Friday May 17, 2013 were Shirley Beck Dutt, Lauretta Dikon Adams, Sister Millicent Drake, and, your class correspondent.
Kathy Thomforde welcomed us at Payne Art Gallery where the day’s events began with the Reception. Knowing our college’s colors, Kathy noticed I was without my purple and gold sash while she adjusted my two college pins. During the reception I chatted with Rita and Bob Adams who live in Allentown since moving from Bath and from their 42 years in New Jersey where Bob was a teacher and principal. Their email address is: rradams@pts.net. Bob has had several surgeries, using a cane and Rita has recovered from an edema attack she experienced before leaving last year’s luncheon in Clewell. Cas and I also enjoyed lunch with them in Clewell Dining Hall along with Sister Millicent Drake. Earlier she read the scripture passage during the Lovefeast which included a talk by Kathy Thomforde who received a framed memento of four Moravian scenes.
Our 15th college president shared again what Peter Hall, our former chapel, and its restored stained glass windows has meant to him. That led me to want to know more about the window restoration.
Lois Lutz Geehr wrote me since then about the reason for her noted absence on May 17. She and Fred with assistance from their children moved May 16 to a retirement community, Spring House Estates, in Lower Gwynedd, Pa. They are adjusting, but regret to have been unable to attend Founder’s Day; however, she has in mind our 60th next Founder’s Day. In the spring issue of the Moravian are the names of classmates Mary Jeane Moser Romer and Elizabeth Kuss Erney are listed among those in memorism. I welcome any information about Mary. Betty Kuss Erney made the trip from Texas twice for our 40th and 45th reunions and kept corresponding until a few years ago. Her ‘dink’ was on display in 2004 among other alum memorabilia. The loss of classmate Dorothy Ruyak, in August, is felt by those who knew her at Moravian and from high school. At Liberty High School she participated in several sports, the yearbook, drama club, and described as “efficient” in the yearbook. At MCW she was a business major, “little girl with red hair, and efficiency plus,” active in theatre and class sports, YWCA, the Belfry, was on the Dean’s List and worked at the Chamber of Commerce.
From 1958-1962 she was alumnae director at Moravian. She received a Master’s Degree from PSU. She moved to Maryland. In 1979, she was in her 7th year as career counselor at Goucher College, Baltimore MD. Later she was employed as subscription account manager for Williams and Wilkins, a publication firm in Baltimore’s Camden Yards, home of the Orioles baseball team, from which she retired Dec. 30, 1997. Semi-retired, she returned to work there 2 days a week while continuing her activities in Baltimore League of Women Voters, the council in her Lutheran church, maintaining friendships with her two sisters, Connie and Betty, and with Moravian and PSU. A member of 1950 class of Liberty High School, she attended her 35th and 40th reunions as well as MCW’s 30th, 45th, 50th, 52nd, and 55th. At our 30th while standing below our 1954 plague she said “our class is the last all girls’ class.”
Her letters told of yearly highlights. Her ascent in a balloon over Baltimore in 1983 took “her feet off the ground and her spirits lifted.” She enjoyed the Inner Harbor, the theatre and performances in dinner theatre productions.
Posted 3/11/13
From the Alumni Office:
We are sad to report that Paul J. Price passed away on February 24.
Posted 2/5/13
Bam Justice has recently moved to a retirement home in Sarasota Florida. She is thrilled to be there.
Posted 9/3/12
We are sad to report that James Evanko passed away on August 19, 2012.
Posted 12/14/11
We regret to announce the death of Anne Collins Frey on November 3. Her daughter wrote that her mother was very proud to be affiliated with the college throughout her life.
Posted 8/1/11
From the Alumni Office:
We regret to announce that Gerald Bartholomew passed away Monday, July 11, 2011.Posted 10/29/10
From the Alumni House:
We are sad to report that Donald Weaver passed away on September 26, 2010.
Kathryn Cressman writes, “Dr. Cressman and I went to Neurosurg Convention in Philadelphia, then flew to Jackson Hole, then Tetons, and Yellowstone this summer.”
Posted 2/5/10
From the Alumni House:
Joan Landrock Schlegel writes “ 2009 was a not a good year for me. Although faced with a possibility of being paralyzed, I still opted for spinal surgery in January. I ended up with eight screw and metal plates holding my back bone together. I also spent two weeks in therapy practicing to walk. While I can walk, there was nerve damage to booth feet, so I can only walk with the aid of a walker. I find comfort in what my doctor stated, “The fact that I can stand up straight and walk at all is a miracle.”
Posted 8/3/09
From the Alumni House:
Kathryn Moyer Cressman enjoyed visiting Moravian area in June while attending the 50th reunion of doctors Doctors who got their M.D. at Hahnemann Med. School, now Drexel University, in Philadelphia.
Posted 4/20/09
From Helen:
The Allentown alumnae group and some Bethlehem alumnae meet several times a year for lunch. In November we met at the Hanoverville Roadhouse, where we encountered President Christopher Thomforde having lunch with Peter Caputo, vice president of institutional advancement, and Attorney Charles Peischl. In our lunch group were Marsha Stiles ’99, director of alumni relations, Julia Gasdaska ’07, assistant director of alumni relations, Patti Price, director of planned giving, Mary Fabian Strock ’38, Gladys Koder (Mary’s friend), Alma ’40 and Margaret Albright ’43, Beverly Bell ’56, Nancy Zeleski Frantz ’53, secretary, Helen Desh Woodbridge ’54, Joan Landrock Schlegel, and I.
In December, we joined the Allentown alumnae group for lunch at the Best Western (former Holiday Inn). Present were Marsha Stiles, Julia Gasdaska, Patti Price, Alma and Margaret Albright, Ruth Hemmerly Kelly ’41, Helen Desh Woodbridge, Mary Strock, Gladys Koder, Nancy Zeleski Frantz, Joan Landrock Schlegel, and I.
A tea was held in Colonial Hall, organized and hosted by Carol Traupman-Carr ’86, associate dean for academic affairs, and Kathy Glick Weil, whose husband is Gordon Weil, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty. Some alumnae present were Shirley Beck Dutt ‘54, Helen Desh Woodbridge (wearing a purple hat and gold and purple attire to represent the colors of the Moravian College for Women), Beverly Bell, Polly Rayner ’53, Marsha Stiles, Julia Gasdaska, Bertie Francis Knisely ’69, director of leadership giving, and Nancy Zeleski Frantz. We all enjoyed the wonderful food; we cannot forget the Moravian sugar cake and the fellowship. It reminds me of our college days when we also had teas! It was interesting to talk to Kathy Glick-Weil—she told us that Dr. Weil and she lived in the Frueauff House on Church Street (the Rokke’s former residence and the original Wolle Hall), where many music courses, including the music appreciation we had), were offered. I had English classes on the second floor with the late Jean Moore Beecher.
My husband, John, and I had lunch with John and Mary Ann Williams. John, the director of seminary advancement, is happy to be back at Moravian as are we.
Many alumni and friends attended the advent breakfast held at the Moravian Village retirement community. At our table were Nancy; John; Connie Glagola ’60, owner of Benchmark Realty in Bethlehem; Ruth Kelly; and Betty Milander, secretary to George Hurd, former Bethlehem Steel attorney and husband of Priscilla Payne Hurd, former chair of the board of Moravian College.
Nancy and I attended an advent concert at Central Moravian Church, where we met up with Helen Woodbridge. After the concert, we walked up Church Street and enjoyed the beautiful Christmas lights in our Moravian buildings.
The College Vespers were beautiful as usual. I especially enjoyed the women’s chorus singing a Hungarian selection, “Esti dal” (“Evening Song”) by Zoltan Kodaly, since I speak the language. Afterward, when John went to “find” our car, I met President and Mrs. Thomforde walking up Church Street. President Thomforde graciously helped me get through the slippery ice and snow; thank you again President Thomforde. It topped off my evening!
Nancy received phone calls from classmates Margaret Czipoth Underwood of Costa Rica and Mary Lou Brachman Watchman of from Florida.
Gladys Smith Winkelmann ’53, sec., writes their 66-lb. boxer, Casey, is head of the household. Gladys says he can be sleeping, but when she and Howie are talking about him, he awakens instantly. I often say that dogs, including our Siberian husky, Tasha, are smarter than people.