Greetings XCI #2 - Wayland Academy

newsandnotes
Seven women from the Wayland class of 1962 reconnected at their 35th reunion and now hold biennial mini-reunions all over North
America. Their most recent destination was Rio Caliente, a spa about an hour from Guadalajara, Mexico. First row (l-r): Susan
Stebbins Adams, Joan Godshall Dudley, Lynn Fitzpatrick Dean, Virginia Seeman Drabbe, Jan Bowman Sparks; second row: Lynne
Peters Alexander, Kathleen Burns Haller.
1960s
Hugh Nielsen `61 writes, “I have
retired from Emigrant Bank in New
York City as of May 1, 2009. My
current activities revolve around the
retirement community in which we
live as well as traveling to various
locations for vacation.”
Mr. Jeffrey R. Lasher `64 writes, “I
am enjoying retirement in a fantastic
but changing country — Costa Rica. I
volunteer weekly at a dog shelter and
the local school. I have travel planned
for Central and South America.”
John F. Fisher `65 asks, “What
alumni in the past have been from the
Merrill/Wausau area? I met several
people in Mexico from Merrill and
wondered.”
Grace Baldwin Doherty `65, died
October 27, 2008.
Dr. Elizabeth Gay Hooker `67
writes, “After many years in Florida, I
have left the mainland. I am enjoying
my new life on beautiful Kauai!! Me
Ke Aloha Keakua.”
36
wayland academy greetings
Dr. Annette E. Sampon-Nicolas `68 is
a Hollins University Professor of
French in Roanoke, Virginia. She has
been named Knight of the Order of
Academic Palms (Chevalier dans l’Ordre
des Palmes Académiques) by France’s
Ministry of National Education for her
exceptional record of teaching,
publication, and promotion of French
culture through a multitude of
activities. “To be named a Knight of the
Order of Academic Palms is the greatest
honor,” says the Belgian-born Sampon-
Nicolas. “I owe everything to my
parents, who were both French teachers
[at Wayland]. Their love for French
language and culture inspired me to
follow in their footsteps. French has
always been at the heart of my life.”
1970s
John Lyle `71 writes, “I am taking
classes again at the University of
Denver, where I graduated in 1975,
and have classes in the very same
classrooms as in the 70s. It is hard to
have to do homework again!”
Elizabeth Traut Bosio `73 writes, “I
just read the notes from others from
our class. It’s great to hear from so
many of you. It’s amazing how far we
have spread around the country from
Beaver Dam. I’m still in Broomfield,
Colorado, which is just outside of
Boulder (26 yrs now). We should all
try to mark the date in our memories
for 2013 and try to get back to
Wayland for our 40th. God knows if
we’ll all be able to negotiate the trip
and campus for our 50th! Come to
Colorado and ski; I have a place near
Breckenridge and would love to ski
with anyone who heads this way. I’ve
met up with Karen Sorenson `73 in the
past and had hoped to ski last winter
with Eric Gefvert `73, but a bad storm
prevented me from getting up to the
mountains.”
Julie Batchelder `73 writes, “I have
been a guidance counselor at a high
school for the last eight years. My days
go very fast as I multi-task often, and
no two days are the same. I work at
Palmer High School in Colorado
Springs, Colorado, which has about
1,800 students. I truly enjoy working
with adolescents, particularly in
helping them prepare for their life after
high school. I am married to a
wonderful man, David Truitt, who
cooks at a nice restaurant in downtown
Colorado Springs. My son, Jason, is
now 25 and has a son of his own (yes, I
am a grandma to a 22-month-old
named Justin). My daughter, Sammy, is
11 and will begin middle school next