Elisabeth “Coxie” Green Hair ’41 died peacefully in her sleep on March 19.

A St. Louis native, Coxie lived in Beebe, was editor-in-chief of the Wellesley News, and belonged to Shakespeare Society. Liz was a leader in politics and business in Charlotte, N.C., serving as chair of the County Commission and serving on boards for UNC, Piedmont Natural Gas, and Nationsbank. The Liz Hair Nature Walk honors her service to Charlotte. She leaves four inspired daughters, who think WWMD (What would Mom do?). “If you can swim in three feet of water, you can swim in 300 feet of water.” “Go where you are afraid to go; do what you are afraid to do.”

Elisabeth Hair DeMarse ’76

Marion Jennings Hollis ’41 died on July 24, 2013.

Marnie, a lover of books, babies, and gardens, was an entertainer even from her bed! She took the road less traveled countless times, often making her well ahead of her times. She told me a story about how she took a nutrition class at Wellesley and began promoting “you are what you eat” at dinner parties in the ’40s. Friends and family roared when she tried to explain the virtues of vegetables and whole grains! She was wise, passionate, and charming. My mom was my best friend. She is also missed by her sons, Nick and Ben, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Mary Jennings Eaton

Patricia Bamman Norland ’42 died on May 20.

Already an internationalist at 16, Patsy won a London trip for writing about the Merchant Marine. At Wellesley, she penned essays on foreign affairs that were remarkably and wisely prescient. Falling in love with a diplomat, she shared a life of devotion to the Foreign Service, making friends for America in countries including Morocco, France, Botswana, and Chad, where she taught English. She treasured her lifelong friendship with roommate Virginia Reid Bowman ’42. She was fond of antiques, literature, music from Puccini to Elvis, history, and little parties. Two life lessons she passed on with passion were “everyone should have a dog” and “no more killing.”

Patricia “Kit” D. Norland

Carol Moore Smith ’44 passed away on Aug. 7.

Originally an English and music major, Carol switched to chemistry with the hope of contributing to the war effort. She received a master’s in biochemistry from Stanford and fell in love with California, making homes of both Los Angeles and the Central Coast. She was a faithful choir member, always had stacks of books and magazines that she was working through, and never turned down a game of bridge. She was a loved and gracious member of the communities she belonged to and will be missed.

Ashley Richardson ’06

Anne “Johnny” Johnson Banks ’46 died peacefully on Sept. 23, 2013, with her family singing songs by her side.

After Wellesley, she went to art school in Honolulu and mastered many forms of art. A member of the “color school” of abstract art, her favorite themes were the sailboats she sailed on with her husband, circus clowns, and abstract forms of Jungian archetypes. She was a founding member of Gallery 10 in Washington, D.C., and established the fine and commercial art department at Northern Virginia Community College, which she chaired for 35 years. She is terribly missed by her family and many friends. She was my best friend.

Ellison Banks Findly ’71

Mary Burnham MacCracken ’47 died peacefully on July 23 at Kendal at Hanover, N.H., from a melanoma.

Mary treasured Wellesley, where she majored in English and made lifelong friends, with whom she remained in touch through a round robin newsletter. She and her second husband, Cal MacCracken (who predeceased her in 1999), an inventor, had a wonderful relationship, supportive of each other’s work. Mary taught autistic and learning-disabled children and wrote four books about her experiences; she was pleased her books are being republished this year. Asked recently what mattered most to her, she replied: “Family, friends, and writing.”

Susan Thistle

Helen Louise Kuehn ’48 died on July 3.

Her major in chemistry led her to a Hamm’s Brewing Company laboratory, then promotion to San Francisco to head all Hamm’s labs. She joined Heublein’s wine division, moved to Hartford, Conn., and then spent five years in Lisbon, Portugal, as one of the first quality assurance experts in the spirits field. Following retirement, she returned to her childhood home in Minneapolis, where she displayed her Portuguese tiles and held innumerable parties. She was a music lover, generous volunteer, and enthusiastic aunt. A friend’s description: “fun-loving, competent, intelligent, one of the smartest women I knew. A true Renaissance woman.”

Susan Kuehn Boyd ’47
Barbara Kuehn Belew ’52

Pauline Moller Kolenda ’49 passed away on March 15.

Originally from New Hampshire, after graduating from Wellesley, Pauline received a Ph.D. in anthropology from Cornell University in 1953. Pauline met her husband, Konstantin Kolenda, a professor of philosophy at Rice University, on a blind date in Michigan, married, and then moved to Houston in 1962. Pauline was a professor of social anthropology at the University of Houston from 1962 until her retirement to California in 1999. Pauline is survived by her sister, Mary, of Florida, her son, Christopher, of Texas, her stepdaughter, Helena, of New York, granddaughters Cassandra of Texas and Chloe of New York, and nephews Bruce, Barry, and James.

Helena Kolenda

Margaret “Peggy” Bowers Allison ’50 died on Nov. 29, 2013, lovingly surrounded by her four children.

Wellesley was enormously important throughout Peggy’s life. She was active in TZE, lived in “Pom,” and was on the Tree Day Court. A favorite Wellesley story occurred long after graduation, initiated by a memorable quip from Peggy’s husband, Les, to the husband of classmate Lila Barbash Horwitz, at their 25th reunion. It later resulted in Peggy’s daughter meeting, and eventually marrying, Lila’s son, linking two ’50 families forever! Peggy was profoundly grateful for all the blessings that Wellesley brought into her life—enlightening experiences, cherished and enduring friendships and, ultimately, a treasured son-in-law and three (of her seven) grandchildren.

Shelley Allison ’77

Jean Gans Kleinman ’50 died on May 8.

Jean’s long, tortuous battle with Alzheimer’s disease began almost 20 years ago. She remained at home under the loving care of her husband, Allan, who passed away several years ago without her knowing it.

When early rheumatic fever limited physical activity, Jean found the piano. Her Wellesley major was music; she was an honors scholar. After graduation, she taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music and also instructed pupils at home while raising two children.

Jean is survived by daughter Amy of Chicago, two grandchildren, and son Jon Kleinman of Los Angeles. A dear friend is finally at rest.

Nancy Becker Way ’50

Phoebe Cover Thomas ’51 died on March 27 in Oxfordshire, England, after a long illness.

Phoebe was a native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, but eventually made her home in England with her British husband, Duncan, a hematologist. They had three children and two grandsons, who were very dear to her. A social worker at the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in London, she loved reading, art, music, and the garden at their house in Kirtlington, near Oxford. Wellesley was always important to her, and she attended several reunions. Phoebe was a dear and loving friend whose friendship enriched my life. I miss her very much.

Ellie Rubinstein Weld ’51

Gail Holmgren Bickford ’51 died on April 15.

Gail arrived at Wellesley a skilled cartoonist, a dancer (later our Junior Show jester), and writer, adapting the Norse mythology of her family’s Scandinavian heritage in her fiction. Unable to resist poking gentle fun at pretentious nonsense, her serious efforts went into advanced French and beginning Russian. She received a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania; her dissertation was on Chaucer. The Bickfords, with children Geoffrey and Alison, settled in Dennis, Mass. Gail taught at Cape Cod Community College. Gail loved Freedom, N.H., welcoming our visits to her family’s wonderful old house. Later, she returned permanently and initiated a publishing company, the Freedom Press Associates.

Jane Lancefield Hersey ’51
Janice MacMahon Aldrich ’51

Alice Gutmann Brandfonbrener ’52 died on May 31 at home in Chicago of leukemia, which she battled with fierceness and intelligence for years.

A very accomplished physician, Alice invented her field of medicine for performing artists and was director of that program at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (see our 50th reunion record book). An avid music fan, she combined art and science into a long, distinguished, fulfilling career.

Alice loved Wellesley. Smart, innovative, knowledgeable, caring, warm, adventurous and fun, she treasured time with her family and was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother, and a special friend of many of us.

Wendy Altschul Rolland ’52

Carolyn Ward Fleming ’54 died on July 26, 2013.

A quiet, gentle, smiling woman, Lyn graciously but firmly upheld her personal beliefs and standards without ever being judgmental of anyone else. Stoic facing adversity, kind, loving, loyal and thoughtful, Lyn was devoted to her family, friends, and lifetime hometown of Wellesley, Mass. She was a beloved and outstanding teacher, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. A passionate advocate for the mentally ill, Lyn served as the president of the Alliance for the Mentally Ill in Newton, Mass. She was also a past president of the Wellesley Junior Women’s Club. She enriched our lives significantly.

Lyn Gallagher ’54
Norma Raffaele ’54

Mary Breck Lyon ’55 died of cancer on June 30 in Newport, R.I. The loss to Pro, her husband of 58 years, her children and grandchildren, her many friends, and to our class of 1955 is overwhelming.

I roomed with Mary our freshman year in Navy and enjoyed a close friendship ever after. Throughout the years—in Pomeroy, as class secretary, in Connecticut and Newport—she remained a pure joy. Her uniquely good-humored and tireless ministering unto ranged from church and community outreach for Vietnamese refugees and Newport’s homeless to Salve Regina’s bookstore, St. Michael’s School, and always to her loving family.

Sally Stowell Kreitler ’55

Joanne Dorrance Stillman ’55, the multitalented, curly-haired beauty from New Hartford, N.Y., died on May 3 of complications of cancer.

At Wellesley, Joey was a part of our Bates first-floor gang, but carved her own path majoring in music and singing with the Tupelos. Her master’s from Syracuse reinforced the foundation for a successful teaching career.

After graduation, Jo married her devoted high-school sweetheart, Paul, and enjoyed a 58-year marriage, splitting time between New York and Hilton Head, S.C. Life centered around their four children, seven grandchildren, Wellesley clubs, and Junior League, and a host of successful rounds of championship golf.

Lura Allen Mountford ’55
Mary Munroe West ’55

Kathryn Greer Hall ’55 died on March 18.

From the first day I met her at Wellesley until the last good-bye, my wife was a wonderful lady, full of life, and devoted to her family.

After graduation, she worked at the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard and traveled alone to the Harvard field station in pre-Castro Cuba. This spirit was evident in her eight-year battle with Alzheimer’s.

She leaves her husband, three children, and three grandchildren. Family and friends attended a memorial service for her at the Salisbury National Cemetery in Salisbury, N.C., on May 30.

Dudley A. Hall

Carol A. Sweeney ’55 died on Feb. 18.

Carol was intelligent, witty, and strongly opinionated, and a dear and caring friend. She loved music and was a member of the campus singing group the FreeBateEight.

The focus of her life beyond family and friends was NASA and the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space projects. She was proud to be part of the program. She wrote in a 1967 letter, “You have to bear with my strung out thoughts! NASA tends to breed a sense of involvement that the Jesuits would envy.” We remember her warm heart, sense of humor, and passionate spirit.

Betty Crosby Breslin ’55
Jeannette Ffrench McInnes ’55
Joy Sallick Rogers ’55
Lee Strauss Strong ’55

Nancy Collins Collins ’56 died on Feb. 16.

Nan grew up on Nantucket in Massachusetts. It was there that she met and married her husband, Allen. They settled in West Hartford, Conn., where they founded Allen Collins, Inc., a clothing store. Nan ran the store’s women’s division and took a certain delight in chiding Al when her division outperformed his. Her quiet demeanor belied her competitive entrepreneurial spirit.

Nan’s primary joy throughout her life was her family. They gathered each summer on Nantucket. Nan never lost her beautiful smile or friendly, considerate manner, even as her disease robbed her of her memory.

Barbara Gelder Kelley ’56

C. Anne Kinnamon Magnuson ’58 died on July 20.

Anne was truly a lifelong learner. While in hospice for 22 months, she mastered the iPad, researched effects of pesticides on honeybees, and participated in conference calls with the League of Women Voters. In earlier years, Anne wrote articles about the environment and reported for local newspapers, telling me, “Some people like to interview famous people, but I like to interview ordinary people.”

Anne was an avid bridge and tennis player, a proud mother and grandmother, a gracious friend, and a loyal alum, savoring Wellesley reunions with her husband, Jim.

Carolyn Rowe Flint ’58

Jackeen Kelleher Churchill ’59 died on June 26 of a rare disease of the immune system, which she endured with great courage for many years.

Jackeen and Jim, her husband of almost 56 years, lived in New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Tokyo, where Jim practiced law and Jackeen either immersed herself in the culture or devoted herself to volunteer activities, including becoming a cofounder of the Louisiana Nature Center and a docent at the Pacific Asian Museum in Pasadena, Calif. Her long confinement was relieved by regular visits from members of a book club she had enjoyed for years.

Jackeen and I met in Navy, were roommates in Caz, and best friends for 50 years.

Linda Hadley Vaughn ’59

Sully McCauley Bogardus ’59 died at home on July 26 in New York City from breast cancer.

Sully, a Charlestonian, and I, the only two ’59 South Carolinians, roomed together junior year in France.

Through her, while she was dating her future husband of 54 years, I met my husband. Sully was my bridesmaid. Graduating summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and a May Day queen, Sully had a distinguished career at Credit Suisse First Boston. She was keenly intelligent and devoted to her three sons and Sid, who predeceased her. Sully’s unfailingly gentle, respectful, and courteous manners set her apart. Adieu, dear friend.

Nan Tull ’59

Linda Dubinsky Skrainka ’61 died on June 2.

Linda was a talented painter who could capture everyday things with a heightened reality that held an uneasy truth: Each moment must disappear. The white flowers on a white tablecloth would wither, the glass of red wine might topple. Painting allowed her to hold that moment, that light, that clarity of vision. (See lindaskrainka.com.)

St. Louis was home. Her rooms gave strong color to Steve and their three children, her remarkable garden carried that vibrant spirit out to her studio.

Serious artist, passionate gardener, opera lover, generous supporter of the underprivileged, her capacity for friendship was treasured by many.

Elizabeth “Tizzie” Goddard ’61

Margy Henderson ’63, our dear friend, died peacefully on June 25 after facing cancer with courage and faith.

The mother of three, Margy delighted in six grandchildren, sharing her last seven years with her husband, Dave Ware.

She loved Wellesley, sang in the choir, and attended reunions faithfully. A chemistry major and Harvard M.A., she taught and worked in the corporate world. International travel and camping with her family in Acadia were favorite adventures.

Margy was one of five Caz freshmen who’ve remained lifelong friends, meeting regularly around the country. We especially remember her contagious enthusiasm for anything she undertook.

Betsy Arnold Tipper ’63
Beth Hage Ronka ’63
Carol Franklin Stinson ’63

Louise Ladd ’65 died peacefully on July 11.

Louise “Doodle” was surrounded by her children and loving partner of 38 years, Doug Taylor. She had battled her “wild type” gastrointenstinal tumor for 17 years, enduring pain and not giving up to the very end. She relished a lobster dinner when I visited her in June. The strength of her spirit was awe-inspiring.

Louise married Calvin Cordulack after graduation, and they had three children, Christopher, Julianne, and Jeffery. Louise enrolled in Taylor’s Acting Workshop in the ’70s and her creative juices flowed. She was a successful novelist, actress, producer, and teacher. She was dear, funny, warm-hearted, talented, and full of smiles and compassion for all. I’ll miss her.

Barbara Bolln Monsler ’65

Caroline V. Meirs ’66 died on Feb. 28 in Rochester, N.Y.

She bravely fought her rare salivary gland cancer for nearly 12 years. Caroline, an Alexandria, Va., resident, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. She joined the United States Information Agency in 1968 and had postings in South America, Africa, and Europe. After retirement, she worked for FEMA as a spokeswoman from 1997 to 2009. She was fluent in six languages and twice served as the editorial board chairwoman of the Foreign Service Journal.

Caroline loved skiing, scuba diving, swimming, animals, jazz, traveling, theater, and writing. She is greatly missed by her family and all her friends.

Victoria Koo Hitchins ’66
Robin Ladd McEntire ’66

Leslie Benton Bjorncrantz ’67 died on July 3.

It wasn’t a surprise to learn in a Wellesley report that Leslie gave to the College days before she died of cancer.

Leslie was loyal in her loves: husband Ed, son Bill, family, friends (especially Wellesley friends), Wellesley, and her lifelong employer, Northwestern.

Les enjoyed dishing the dirt. Ever the librarian, she catalogued all books read, movies viewed, and CDs heard in a personal reference book, perhaps her post-college “valuable.”

She never hesitated to initiate the call. The phone won’t ring as often, yet the dialogue will continue.

Kristin Elliott ’67

Janet Packer ’70 died from complications of cancer on June 20.

Janet was an outstanding concert violinist and educator. A thoughtful, intelligent musician, she chaired the Conservatory string department of Longy School of Music in Cambridge for 12 years and was on the faculty of the Rivers School Conservatory. She was president of Pro Violino Foundation, which she founded to support the creation of new violin music. We remember the enthusiasm she showed while at Wellesley for the MIT Orchestra. Janet is survived by husband Sam Rechtoris, brother Alex Packer, father Leo Packer, and the many students and friends who will miss her fine playing, quiet poise, and loving heart.

Marcia Howe Adams ’70
Shelley Cross ’70

Martha Fenn ’81 died on May 27.

Martha was an intellectual who studied languages (Greek, Chinese) and history. She and I came from Oregon, and I loved seeing her around campus, bouncing along in her beloved Birkenstocks, always ready with a funny quip or deep insight. I admired how she remained steadfast while so many of us shapeshifted on a regular basis. Martha returned west to Tucson, Ariz., and after graduating from law school, instead of practicing, she stayed on to focus on enriching student life. Given her unique joy, warmth, encouragement, and interest in all things people, this was a perfect match. She leaves a thousand mourning friends.

Holly Abernethy ’81

Jennifer Dowd Boivin ’00 died on May 31.

When Jen went from small-town New Jersey to Wellesley, she dove headfirst into French with a fervor that allowed her to share her joie de vivre with the rest of the world: French House led to Wellesley-in-Aix, which led to Peace Corps in Mauritania and a Belgium wedding to husband Peter. Her main feature was an unforgettable smile that would ignite at the mere hint of adventure, grand or small. Jen, we’ll miss trying to unlock your delightful mystery.

Joy Bashew Rosenberg ’00
Katherine Hagadorn Luppo ’00