Susan Holroyd Shumaker, Class Rep
After 59 years, I received a note from Frances Ligon Gravatte, so she really did not drop off the face of the earth. She writes ”I’ve become lax about writing – I don’t email or text -still use land-line (540-668-7075). We spend time between two homes – one here in Purcellville, VA and one in Bethany Beach, Delaware. Our son lives near us in VA. His former wife and the two grandboys do also. I’m very close with the boys’ mother. Charles Jr. remarried a year ago. We’re still getting to know his new wife and her two girls. Our daughter lives in Delaware (near us) with her daughters and husband.”
Katie Thomason Ballenger and Isam have recently returned from a week with Caravan Bus Tours in Costa Rica. She said “Covering 900 miles by bus in one week is a bit much, but it is the only way that one is able to visit many places of interest. We enjoyed the beauty of the land, the variety of terrain, unusual plants and animals, the taste of different foods and coffee, the friendliness of the people of Costa Rica and interesting fellow travelers. Being so near the equator, we found the heat and humidity of Costa Rica quite different from our Maryland temperatures! Air conditioning was welcomed!”
Helen Kolb Chambless has had a stressful year. First she had two accidents resulting in ER visits. She spent 5 weeks on crutches as the result of a riding mower accident and then she had a large cut on her leg from a rake. (Time to stop yard work.) Second, she had Hurricane Matthew causing quite a bit of damage to her properties and more yard work cleaning up the debris. While this was going on, she sold her house in Springfield, VA and bought a lake house in Lavonia, GA. We are all hoping and wishing for you to have a great rest of the year.
Linda Gause Connor is still dealing with the loss of her husband, Neuman. Her Christmas Card this year had a beautiful painting he did of the Barnwell Grammar School where he attended. It was built to resemble the “Alamo”. The painting is hanging in the Barnwell County Museum. Linda writes, “This year has been challenging for me. I have had all the usual problems that others have when they lose a spouse. In addition, I have made the decision to move closer to my daughter Cheryl in Cornelius, NC. That has led to my having to clean out a home where we have lived for 50 years. Needless to say it has been difficult to make decisions as to what to keep. I am excited that I will be close to my daughter and her family. My new address is 8939 Rosalyn Glen Rd., Cornelius, NC 28031.”
Virginia Hall Brinson Caine reports that Drury is much improved to the point that he can work a little in their food pantry. Their family of 10, plus the Labradoodle, spent Thanksgiving in a 6 bedroom, 6½ bath rented house on Lake Hartwell. They roasted their turkey in the Big Green Egg. They enjoyed being on a pontoon boat and some of them attended the Clemson/Carolina game. Her children and grandchildren are all happy and doing well.
Please send me your email addresses so we can keep in touch. I have a lot of old ones, so my messages just bounce back to me. There are not that many of us left. Our 60th Reunion will be next year. Can you believe it? I hope most of you will make plans to attend. It will be so good to see everyone again.
Susan Holroyd Shumaker
315 West Meade Drive, Nashville, TN 37205
615-352-5732; susan.shumaker@comcast.net