Class of 70 news: April 2021
Eight members of the Class of 1970 met on Zoom Saturday April 10th, to catch up, share memories and just see each other. This was the third chosen date for our reunion to be held in person but because of Covid, once again our date was moved forward a year. We decided to meet on Zoom on this date. The attendees were: Ginger King Hilderbrand, Nell Cutts Daniels, Ginny French Lyles, Jane Brown Riechmann, Judie Cooper Camak, Becky Tuten Varner, Gayle Buchheister Sawyer and Brenda Thompson Stewart. Classmates that were unable to meet and contacted me were: Anne Bodenheimer Bell, Jane May Gable, Myra Cato Coffey and Genevieve White Sharpe.
We had a wonderful time remembering events like the “Jug band”, slamming doors to begin study hour, and a unlucky transom break due to a slammed door! We were so lucky to be able to use this marvelous tool to meet even if we can’t meet face to face. We do hope to meet again on Zoom before our next projected reunion date.
Ann Bodenheimer Bell was not able to attend our zoom gathering because they were in Sarasota watching their granddaughter compete in a swim meet. She is the swimmer of the year for the state of Colorado high school Class 5a swimming. She is also going to the Olympic trials for swimming this summer and is on the Junior National swim team. They are very proud of her and can’t wait to watch her compete. They don’t get that opportunity very often since she lives in Colorado. Her dad, Ann’s oldest son, is a professor of meteorology at Colorado State, just put out the hurricane forecast for the year today. His specialty is hurricanes and is part of the team that makes the yearly predictions. Unfortunately it looks likely to be another busy hurricane season.
Jesse Markley Lee was sad not to be able to attend the zoom meeting! She had her three grandchildren, ages 6 years, 4 years and 1&1/2 years old!!!!
Needless to say she was quite busy all day! The older 2 are girls and the baby, a boy who’s into everything!!! Her older daughter has had Covid and had it twice. She is an RM in the ER at Lexington Hospital. Jesse’s younger daughter is too busy with 3 young children to return to the classroom.
Jesse is in the process of finalizing a new house….She says they are crazy to have done this…. and hope to move in the first part of June fully. We have moved some items into a “barn” on the property to keep from doing too much at one time. In June her new address will be 3425 Sawmill Drive, Sumter, SC 29150. She is praying we will have a gathering in 2022, and very excited to be able to see everyone!!
Candace Constable Craven writes that she was also sorry to miss our zoom meeting. She Hoped it went well and everyone is healthy and safe. They have both been vaccinated and hugging our grandchildren was THE best! They just returned from visiting their son and his family in Denver. They are remodeling the master bath and asked for some assistance – it was so much fun taking a hammer to that tile – we made a huge mess, but we managed to get it down to the studs! I could have done without the 14 hour drive, but our new dog was with us so we drove! We will have the kids for 2 weeks in July and we sure are hoping things are open a little more than last summer. Thank heavens our cabin is on a lake and everyone enjoys swimming, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, etc.
Gayle Buckheister Sawyer and George attended graduation ceremonies at Coker this spring in the DeLoach Center on campus. As we look toward our 50th class reunion on April 1 – 2, 2022, be sure to take advantage of the campus tours to see the Center if you didn’t at our 45th reunion when it was brand new. The Sawyer and Buckheister families celebrated a BIG birthday for George via Zoom in May. What delightful chaos to have the siblings and cousins together from around the US. Although we have canceled plans to travel in 2021, we are planning adventures for 2022. We hope to see, in person, our family and some of you on our way.
Jane Brown Riechmann sent news of a busy summer. They will be enjoying Crescent Beach, FL for a week in June with younger son Tim, his wife Kate and two grandchildren, 4-year –old Nora and 21 month old Shep, celebrating their 50th anniversary in Palm Beach in mid-July, attending Jane’s 55th Laurens High School reunion on August 21 and then off to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone with elder son Rob and his wife Tina the following week. Maybe September will bring some relaxation!