Association news & class notes
Winifred Wareheim Conner is now a resident in White Oak Manor, a long-term care facility. She uses a wheelchair but is still alert and interested in knowing about the latest happenings.
Helen Lavin Bell enjoyed a regional bridge cruise with her middle daughter, Sharon, and played morning, afternoon, and evening — a total of 492 hands in two weeks! What fun ... made some gold points! Her contemporary art is still being shown at A Gallery Fine Art on El Paseo in Palm Desert, California.
Dan Honemann manages to keep busy pursuing his parliamentary law avocation, serving, now as senior member, on the four-member authorship team writing current editions of Robert’s Rules of Order, and responding to questions about parliamentary law on the internet. It’s interesting to note that Dan Seabold ’88, another McDaniel grad, is also a member of this team. Children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are all doing well.
Dale Townsend is very fortunate to report that he is still healthy and shares his home with his son, Scott. He volunteers once a week at BWI airport as a pathfinder at one of the five information desks, answering whatever questions passers-through may ask. His wife, Millie Mackubin Townsend ’58, passed away in 2013 and some years after that he reconnected with a lady he had dated a short while in 1954 who now lives in San Diego. They regularly visit back and forth and chat every evening. He feels very lucky to still be alive and active and is saddened to note the passing of so many of his WMC classmates.
Ward Glasby writes that his wife, Betty Brandenburg Glasby, passed away at the age of 88 on Nov. 6, 2019, from a stroke and complications. Their son, W. Patten, passed away from a virus on Jan. 6, 2021, at the age of 67. Ward is 95 and works at Glasby Maintenance Supply Company in Anaheim, California, where he’s been in the business for 48 years. He’s a graduate of Talbot School of Theology with a master s degree and has taught God’s word for 65 years. He also hosts a house church in his Chino Hills home every Sunday called Growth in Christ Church (should be quite a league away from any Gamma Beta Chi’s frat drinking). He’s in good health and very active in marriage and family counseling. He’s too busy for golf but was on the WMC golf team 1950-52. He has many fond memories of WMC, where he married Betty Lou Brandenburg on June 4, 1952. He survived the Korean War and was discharged from the U.S. Army as first lieutenant in 1954.
Roland Fleischer, Hon. D.F.A. ’93 entered WMC as an Art major with the intention of becoming a high school art teacher. But with the encouragement and guidance of Visiting Professor Allan MacDonald, his interest shifted to Art History, and he went on to a Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University and a Fulbright at the University of Amsterdam. His principal interest has been Dutch paintings of the 17th century. He held faculty positions at the University of Miami and The George Washington University before going to The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), where he enjoyed greater opportunities for research and publications. WMC awarded him an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts (D.F.A.) in 1993. He has never felt more humbled and honored! After he retired as professor emeritus in 1996, he and his Dutch wife, Polly-Anne, spent time in the Florida Keys, but now are happy at home in State College, Pennsylvania, enjoying the warmth and friendliness of a small town and the gorgeous rural surroundings. They live in a very fine retirement community, aptly named The Village at Penn State. Quite unexpectedly, he’s made friends with a fellow he competed against when the WMC soccer team played the national championship Penn State team in October 1950. They beat WMC 3-1!
Janet High Lewis is still living independently and driving her car. She got a new Cavalier puppy last year that is keeping her very busy.
Ashby Collins had written that he was living alone in his cottage with care from hospice, family, neighbors, and friends while fighting Stage 3 liver cancer. He ended his note by saying, “Stay positive!” We are sad to report that he passed away on April 5.
Vernon Fox celebrated his 96th birthday with a rescue dog, two cats, and a six-pack of Coors. He has the usual aches and pains but no major health problems. He exercises daily, eats modestly (mostly vegan), and weighs the same as he did in 1953. He does not drive a car, but does drive a tractor or ATV to feed a herd of deer, gaggle of squirrels, and fill bird boxes on the farm. He reads the newspapers and biographies in large print. He has no family or relatives, but the lady from the local health department visits to see if he s behaving himself.
Geneva “Ginny” Laver Huber reports that she lives with her daughter in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. She stays busy knitting and reading with her trusty walker by her side. She loves talking to her good friend Dee Friedrich Alff, who she met on the first day of college.
For the past 10 years, Nancy Wagner Phillips has lived independently at Collington, a continuing care retirement community just outside the Washington, D.C., beltway. The community has 120 acres of woods, trails, and ponds; wildlife; and lots of smart seniors, ranging in age from baby boomers to 105 years old. She enjoys book discussion groups, arranging flowers for the dining room, lectures, parties, concerts, and new friendships with folks who have lived and traveled all over the world. Her mind is still pretty good, but her body is falling apart, and she needs her rollator to get around these days.
Ella Maie “Skip” Edwards Richardson writes that it s hard to believe that 72 years have passed since she graduated from McDaniel College (WMC)! A lot has happened in those years, including marriage to Bob Richardson ’50, two daughters, teaching and living in the states of Maryland, Wyoming, Colorado, and California before moving away in 1962. For the next 21 years they traveled and taught in Indonesia, Peru, and Saudi Arabia. While in Saudi Arabia, she and Bob started a travel group with many tours that included Egypt, Syria, Cyprus, China, and Turkey. Retirement in 1982 from the oil company brought them back to the U.S. in 1983 to live in Cody, Wyoming, where they bought an RV campground/store and later a motel. Yes, life has been busy, exciting, and good to her. She does regret that she hasn’t kept up with her college classmates, but now at 92, her travel days are over. She is enjoying life where her two daughters, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren live with all their varied interests.
Betty Louise Herbert Saltmarsh spent three summers on the Hill as a Methodist youth living in the dorms and singing on grassy hills, riding the Baltimore train to the campus. She graduated high school in February 1950 and started college the second semester of that year. Dean Howery asked, “What is your major?” When Betty didn’t know what that meant, Dean Howery asked if she liked to read. The answer was yes, so she became an English major. She went to summer school for two years and graduated in 3 ½ years. She met her husband, Arthur Avery Saltmarsh from New Bedford, Massachusetts, the first year of summer school. They graduated in June 1953. He was an Economics major and captain of the tennis team. He spent most of his career as a salesman for the United Oil Company in Baltimore. She was an elementary school teacher and librarian. They were married on April 17, 1954, and lived in Pikesville, Sykesville, and Walkersville, Maryland, over the years. Their family included four biological children (two girls and two boys) and two adopted girls from Seoul, South Korea. Art passed away in 1996 at 67 years. In 2021, she relocated from Walkersville, Maryland, to Vero Beach, Florida, to live near her brother and swim in the pool and ocean. After Art died, she spent several years taking trips around the world with Dorothy Stackhouse and Gwen Blohm Tisdale. Both have since passed. Betty is 94 and has a condo in Frederick, Maryland. She used to travel back and forth, but the past few years, she s stayed mostly in Vero Beach. Her second-oldest daughter and husband moved to Vero Beach five years ago and provide assistance to her. One of her adopted daughters lives in Orlando, and most of the rest of the family lives in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. She has 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
John Wilhelm is alive and well at 93. His wife, Ann, is also doing well. They reside in La Plata, Maryland. John was forced into retirement after 57 years by the pandemic in 2020. His son, Eric Wilhelm ’85, continued the dental practice. They went to Greece last summer. John putters, tinkers, and gardens. Three stepchildren are in Washington, D.C.
Patricia “Pat” Herman Douglas is a widow living in Bedford Court Retirement Community in Olney, Maryland. Her three sons James “J.D.” Douglas ’79, M.S. ’91; John Douglas ’85; and David Douglas ’87 all graduated from Western Maryland College and so did David’s wife, Maria Filshie Douglas ’89. After years of teaching 4-year-olds, she still misses being with small children. Her six granddaughters are all out of college and out in the world. She stays in contact with Lois Cermak Runnels, her Phi Alpha sister at WMC, who now lives in Pennsylvania near her daughter. They sang together in WMC choir and for many years in their local church choir. Pat celebrated her 93rd birthday in July.
Arthur Gernand continues his interest in the revival of the American chestnut tree. Although less active with the American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation than in the past, he monitors the chestnut trees on the family property near Sabillasville, Maryland.
Ethel Coffman Trevethan is blessed to be living with family. On her 90th birthday, she relished seeing slides of their days in France, Germany, Japan, and the U.S. She writes and reads to escape the chaos!
Eugene “Gene” Goll has lived in Easton, Maryland, for 54 years. He and his wife, Mary-Beth, have slowed down but still enjoy visits from family and friends. Looking back, he realized that McDaniel was a critical influence. Education is change; it made a great difference in Gene’s life. His parents were German immigrants who met in Philadelphia, married, and bought a bakery in Havre de Grace, Maryland, where Gene grew up. Everyone in the family worked; Gene played football in high school. His coach felt Western Maryland would be a good fit. Gene played some — Mary-Beth still wears his football sweater — and completed ROTC. He served two years in South Korea in the demilitarized zone as a platoon leader. He earned a Ph.D. from Penn State and later formed Education News Service, covering preschool through college education in Maryland. Gene retired in 2016.
Bob Green and Lyn Hazelip Green ’59 live in a retirement community in Williamsburg, Virginia. He can’t believe he’s 90 — until he realizes some tasks that were routine now take a little longer and more concentration. Emphasis has shifted from looking forward to travel to maintaining good balance, not falling, and enjoying the many activities in this area. They are fortunate to have their children’s families in nearby Richmond, Virginia, and see them often.
Priscilla McCoy LaMar decided when she turned 90 that she should look for a retirement community for her coming years. She selected Brightview in Hunt Valley, Maryland. She has been in independent living, and only time will tell if she’s made the right decision. She was happy in the condo purchased 25 years ago that she shared with Jay “Gus” LaMar ’55, but felt it was time to move on as Jay passed almost 20 years ago. Help is outstanding and the residents are pleasant. Charlie Phipps ’55 and Ginnie Tull Phipps ’57 are also there, so they talk about their years at WMC. She would enjoy hearing from any classmates.
Patricia Krell Yates, (aka Pitty-Pat and Pattie-Poo) writes that there are no big changes in her life (widow, retired social worker, cat lover, resident of downtown D.C. in a senior high-rise, playgoer, etc.) except that she has largely and reluctantly given up travel to wonderful places all over the world, including all parts of India during seven separate trips. One exception to the travel bit: She can easily transport herself back to her college years by closing her eyes and listening to music of the 1950s, when the jukebox was king. She is back in the wonderful grill with its oiled wood floors in the building they called “Old Main.” She and Tom “Dubes” Davies ’59, Bill Wardlow ’59, and Ann “Rusty” Maryanov are playing bridge, drinking black coffee, and smoking while feeding coins into the jukebox to listen to Della Reese belt out “And That Reminds Me” over and over and over again. Later, they are down the road at Baugher’s Restaurant crammed into a booth feeding yet more coins into a jukebox for “Blueberry Hill,” stamping their feet with Fats Domino while they wolf down burgers or ham salad sandwiches. Oh, so many memories of moments like this — no, no, they can’t take those away from her! But where did they get all those coins? And were they nickels or dimes?
Janet Brozik Biles is enjoying her life at Carroll Lutheran Village, where she has many friends. Janet and her daughter went to Florida in October 2024 for her great-niece’s destination wedding. Lynda Robson Astle was gracious enough to let them stay at her vacation home in Palm Coast. She is also in touch with Lois Schurman Donaldson and Linda Fabre Barnes. Her two grandchildren are in college.
Streett Broadbent is doing great! He keeps busy with family, friends, and especially the Power Squadron. He had open heart surgery (triple bypass) in May 2023, but was bleeding too much internally so they took him back in the next morning, opened him up again to fix that. He’s “ticking” just fine now! He’s been battling prostate cancer since 2009, when he had it removed. In 2017, he underwent 39 radiation treatments, and in 2022 the cancer recurred. He is now on hormone treatments and says, “Ladies, I can now empathize with you,” as he has hot flashes, but not too bad in the winter. He gets together with some WMC friends quarterly for lunch.
John Dudley and his wife, Diane, live in St. Petersburg, Florida. They love to travel and have visited each U.S. state, often in a travel trailer. They’ve traveled around the world, most often by trips from tour companies or on cruise ships. John has sung in three barbershop choruses and been to a spring training baseball game in each Florida Grapefruit League site. His shuffleboard team just won first place out of 36 teams. They are healthy and very happy. WMC buddies are invited to visit and chew some fat. Be happy!
Barbara Holland-Eytan writes that not much has changed, but life seems very different. Three years ago, she and Allan added a mini goldendoodle to their family, which brings a new focus. They are still snowbirds, enjoying winter in Boynton Beach, Florida, and summer in Rehoboth, Delaware, but planning takes more time now. They sold the house in Baltimore at the height of COVID-19, so 46 years of accumulation had to go to Rehoboth (you couldn’t donate or sell anything at that time). They continue to deal with the boxes and extra furniture. Life now has less beach walking and more afternoons spent in the dog park. The grandchildren are teenagers, so they very much look forward to whatever time they can share with them. An occasional afternoon at the ballet with her granddaughter or a day with her grandson make for highlights in their week. All in all, life is full and fulfilling and they are enjoying it.
Rita Anne Jones states that nothing much has changed since the last reporting, and she’s still in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Since the church library closed, she s now volunteering with the Friends at the public library. Rita Anne is still doing Volksmarches, but fewer and slower. She enjoys reading and finding books by old and new authors. She misses family and friends as they disappear from her life.
George “Bud” Knefely is still practicing internal medicine, running, and playing tennis. He is most proud of his Ph.D. chemist daughter who works at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the country’s largest multiprogram science and technology lab. He has two grandchildren: Charlie, a travel baseball player, and Haley, a competitive cheerleader. Unfortunately, his wife of 48 years died, and he misses her dearly! He’s in touch with his dear friend Barry Lazarus and his wife, Fran. They mean the world to him.
Diane Simpson Krell is enjoying condo living in Solomons Island, Maryland, near her daughter, son-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter. She’s very proud of her daughter, who is a principal urban planner for Calvert County, Maryland. Her activities include walks around her home’s marina setting, singing in community choir, and participating in their local book club. She stays in touch with Kay Wilson Groninger ’65 and Bob Kruhm. Kay lost her husband of 60 years a few years ago, but her daughter and husband are doing well. Bob and his wife are living with their daughter in North Carolina, and Bob golfs all the time!
Barry Lazarus has lived and played in Colorado for the past 28 years. He and Fran continue to enjoy the outdoor life, including pickleball, biking, some skiing, and lots of walking. Fortunately, their health remains vigorous except for a few glitches here and there along the way. Travel remains front and center; they have visited more than 115 countries, including a cruise of Western Africa to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. Both of their children and all four grandkids live abroad. Visiting their grandchildren in Copenhagen, Denmark; Bangkok, Thailand; and Luxembourg remains a priority.
Lois Chilcoat Meszaros, M.Ed. ’72 enjoyed the beautiful scenery and weather on Kauai, Hawaii, in February. She works two days a week in her clinical practice in Severna Park, Maryland. She s on the executive council of AARP Maryland, and they are working on legislation involving mental health, scams, nursing home reform, and lowering drug prices, among other issues that impact older adults. She also volunteers with Partners in Care, an organization that helps older adults stay in their own homes. She has been able to do a lot of traveling, which she enjoys. Lois lives in Severna Park on Cattail Creek, where she watches the herons, eagles, geese, and ducks that come to visit. She is in good health and loving life.
Doris Miller Nickoles writes that things are proceeding in Ashton, Maryland, but much more slowly. They are still in the house that they have lived in for over 50 years. They have wonderful neighbors including wandering deer, foxes, geese, and many other birds. Doris and Ken Nickoles ’60 have been married 60 years, which she thinks is totally amazing. Now, their schedule is filled with medical appointments, not travel locations. They are blessed to have their family within 20 minutes of them.
Sue Ann Allport Tabler, M.Ed. ’69 reports that it was such a joy to attend her 60th Reunion last year. Kudos to the planning committee for a job well done! She traveled to Florida this year, as well as to Belgium and the Netherlands to view the beautiful tulips in bloom. She is looking forward to spending more time with her daughter, Deborah Mathews, who retired from the Howard County Public School System after 35 years teaching elementary students.
Joe Wenderoth and Cassie are still traveling, but now a little less far and wide. They joined a social dance group to meet some more folks and go to regular dance events. Their oldest just retired from teaching at University of California, Davis. His retirement makes them feel older though! At least he relocated to the Crystal Coast of North Carolina so they can now just drive there to visit. The 60th Reunion gathering in 2024 at Carole Richardson Baile’s house was a great chance to catch up with classmates in a relaxed setting.
Rhonda J. Myers ’88Honor Class Reporterrhondaj_myers@hotmail.com