Alumnae Memorials

Elizabeth “Blee” Andrew Horton ’48 passed away on Feb. 24, 2022. As a freshman, she lived with 20 women who became lifelong friends. Every year, they “published” a newsletter, keeping up with each other’s lives, families, and thoughts on books and events in the world. Blee raised her family in Bolton, Mass., and later, as a widow, built a home overlooking the water in Harpswell, Maine, where she found joy in the coastline, her church, more friends, creating fabric art, and enjoying good books, music, and the Red Sox. When she died, she was still living in her home, with the companionship of her beloved dog.

Robin Horton LeBlanc, daughter

Vivian Wille Wheeler ’48 died peacefully on Dec. 27, 2024, at 97. She entered Wellesley at age 16, earning a B.A. with honors in mathematics and chemistry. A science editor at Harvard University Press for over 20 years, Vivian’s career highlight was working with Jane Goodall. She traveled to Africa in the 1980s to edit Jane’s first technical book and met the chimpanzees. Vivian credited Wellesley with launching her STEM career during a time when women in STEM were rare. She treasured her Wellesley connections—her close College friends, her daughter Katie Wheeler’s work at Wellesley Centers for Women, and the graduation of her granddaughter Alexindra Wheeler ’23, 75 years after her own.

Katie Wheeler, daughter

Barbara W. Carlson ’50 died on Jan. 11. Barbara—aka “Bobbie” or “Barcar”—was the 1950 class secretary for decades and a prolific writer for Wellesley magazine. After graduation, she made the intrepid choice to become a journalist. She joined the staff of the Hartford Courant in 1957, where she reported for years, and did a stint at the Louisville Times. She wrote from locations as far-flung as Afghanistan and China. Barcar had a healthy skepticism about editors—people who might mess up your writing. But I enjoyed the challenge and the hilarious repartee that came with editing her pieces.

Alice Hummer, former editor, Wellesley magazine

Carlyn Ring ’51 died in her sleep on Jan. 15 at age 95. Carlyn had lived in Washington, D.C., New York City, Wellesley, Mass., and Sun Valley, Idaho. She immersed herself in her local community as well as in national and international causes, and she remained active in Wellesley alumnae groups. Carlyn was generous, demanding, intelligent, funny, and independent. An avid world traveler, collector, and dinner-party host, she never missed an opportunity to show off her garden. She is survived by her three children, seven grandchildren, and a great-grandson.

Debe Holland, daughter

Helen Hays ’53, who received Wellesley’s Alumnae Achievement Award in 2009 for her work on seabird conservation, died on Feb. 5. Helen was a gifted scientist internationally recognized for her work with the common tern and the endangered roseate tern. Chair of the Great Gull Island Project at the American Museum of Natural History, she had worked since 1969 to protect and increase the numbers of terns nesting on Great Gull Island on the eastern end of Long Island Sound, N.Y. Beyond her work with the terns, one of Helen’s greatest contributions was her inspiration of generations of students. Many have themselves gone on to distinguished careers in such varied fields as biology, environmental science, medicine, education, and literature. Read her New York Times obituary at bit.ly/3R4vlkZ.

Jill Hamilton ’81

Sarah “Sally” Hawes Cassidy ’54 died peacefully on Oct. 20, 2024. She studied French at Wellesley, where she made many lifelong friends, enjoyed her junior year abroad in France, then spent years as a French teacher in England and the U.S. In 1983, having married and raised three children in London, Kingston, Mass., and Oxfordshire, England, she returned to Wellesley, where she took regular walks around Lake Waban, attended events at the French House, and taught at Noble and Greenough School before moving to Cambridge, Mass., in 2005. She is survived by her children, Julia, Adam, and Susan, and is lovingly remembered by dozens of friends for her kindness, curiosity, and love of nature.

Susan Cassidy, daughter

Constance Ludcke Huebner ’54 died on July 16, 2024, in Kennebunk, Maine. My friendship with Connie began when she rushed to greet me at Homestead all those years ago. We roomed together for four years, and during those years we had a deal: I did her typing, she did my laundry! Connie and her family moved to the San Francisco area in the late 1960s, where she raised her three children and was a very successful real estate broker. We visited many times over the years and always met at reunion! She was all ready to come to our 70th, but could not make it. I had a wonderful visit with her a few days later in Kennebunk.

Janet Lauck Blakeman ’54

Martha Stern Solow ’54 passed away peacefully on Feb. 8, after one last folk singalong with her family. She was a dedicated environmentalist, good-government activist, and beloved role model to her children, grandchildren, and many others. In addition to folk music, her interests included gardening, poetry, outdoor activity, and public service. A longtime resident of Hanover, N.H., she was the first woman in town history to be elected to the board of selectmen. She served as a representative in the New Hampshire State House and held leadership roles in the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, and the New Hampshire Environmental Coalition.

Barbara Solow, daughter

Elinor Charlotte Rickles Eisemann ’54 died on Feb. 22. Born in New Brunswick and raised in Roselle Park, N.J., she grew up with music (playing piano and glockenspiel) and attended Wellesley to major in music. It was a non-credit seminar, the History of the Book, that ignited a passion for book collecting, ultimately shaping her life’s work. She donated the crown jewel of her collection—rare incunable and other first editions of Flavius Josephus—to Yale University’s Divinity Library in 2019. She also donated unusual engineering and technology books to Kansas City’s Linda Hall Library, where she volunteered for years. Elinor is survived by three sons, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. A complete obituary is available online at bit.ly/3FmfR9y.

Leslie Mark, daughter-in-law

Janet Ayres Coles ’55 was born on Dec. 1, 1933, in Worcester, Mass. An avid skier and golfer, she enjoyed 88 adventurous years before passing on Jan. 11, 2024, in Bend, Ore. Her health was good and spirits were always upbeat—even through COVID. Her sudden passing was consistent with her general approach to life: Keep things simple and minimize the drama. She is survived by her four children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Scott Coles, son

Anne Abramovitz Winograd ’56 passed away on Oct. 3, 2024. After Wellesley, she worked as an editor for the University of Michigan Press and then as office manager for her husband’s orthodontic practice while settling in Marblehead, Mass., to raise a family. She was a member of the Wellesley Club and a lover and supporter of the arts and literature. Anne traveled the world, read, played bridge, and did the New York Times crossword puzzles. She enjoyed museums and attending the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She will be remembered for her keen intellect, her gentle and loving counsel, and for always being a faithful friend, wife, mother, and grandmother to confide in and seek wisdom from.

The Winograd Family

Lee Brown Ramer ’56 died on Dec. 1, 2024. Lee was a dear friend. In 1990, our elder daughter moved to Los Angeles and Lee and I met frequently. Her quiet manner belied her strength and capability. Her appearance was always simple and elegant. Lee and Larry were involved in many charities. They established the American Jewish Committee Berlin Institute for German-Jewish Relations — designed to fight antisemitism and extremism in Germany. My husband’s family was forced to leave Stuttgart, Germany, as the result of the Nuremberg Laws. For us, Lee and Larry’s contribution is both personal and important, and a lasting memorial to them.

Laura Ginsburg Strauss ’56

My sister, Madeline “Mady” Tiger ’56, died on Dec. 6, 2024, right after celebrating her 90th birthday. After Mady’s years at Wellesley, she earned a master’s degree at Harvard and an M.F.A. from Columbia. Her poetry was published in both books and literary journals. She taught high school English and participated in poetry-in-the-schools programs. Active in the fair housing movement in the 1960s, she co-founded the Coretta Scott King Fund at Wellesley. She and our mother, Elinor Hamburg Tiger ’30, paved the way for me to attend the College. Survived by four of her five children and seven grandchildren, Mady will be missed.

Barbara Tiger Rubens ’59, sister

Leslie Brown Zedd ’60 passed away on Dec. 6, 2024. I met Leslie and her twin sister, Lynn, the night before orientation, when our families stayed at the Framingham Motor Inn. We became roommates and continued a lifelong friendship. Leslie studied zoology and moved to San Francisco to conduct laboratory research at UC Berkeley. While there, she met and then married Mort Zedd. They moved to Richmond, Va., where she earned a master of humanities degree from the University of Richmond. Travels with her family were highlights. An inveterate letter writer, Leslie was kind and gracious and adored her three children and seven grandchildren.

Nancy Dessoff Colodny ’60

Geraldine “Geri” Marchi Perry ’60 died on Dec. 25, 2024. She was looking forward to reconnecting with friends at her 65th reunion. After Wellesley, Geri had many different careers, but her most cherished was working as head children’s librarian at the Groton (Mass.) Public Library for 27 years. Groton proclaimed Nov. 19, 2002, Geri Perry Day. After retiring, she was rehired in a part-time position she held until 2018. She enriched the lives of countless children during her tenure. Geri will be remembered for her graciousness and kindness by everyone whose lives she touched. Her husband, Lawrence F. Perry, Jr., died in 2000. She is greatly missed by her two children, three grandchildren, and loving extended family.

Maria Perry Kozul, daughter

Mara Cepuritis Reynolds ’61 was born in Latvia and passed away peacefully at home in Stevenson, Wash., on Feb. 20, at 85. Mara’s family fled Latvia in 1944, spending six years in Germany (four in a displaced persons camp) until sailing to Michigan. She graduated from high school and received a scholarship to Wellesley. She treasured Wellesley, staying connected with classmates. Mara married, had two children, earned her master’s in library science, and was head librarian in Stevenson for 24 years. She also taught Latvian language. Mara cherished the Columbia River Gorge and nature, mushrooming, and music, and she was equally happy at tea parties or bonfires. Mara’s was a life well lived.

Kris Reynolds, daughter

Agnes “Dee” Dawson DeBra ’63 passed away on Feb. 7. Dee grew up in Washington, D.C. She majored in French and minored in Russian at Wellesley. She married Don DeBra in 1963; they were married for 50 years. She taught French in the Cleveland public schools, and later, ESL in Atlanta. Her interests included playing balalaika, quilting, running the Atlanta Wellesley book award program, and doting on her two grandchildren. She was active in the Atlanta Friends Meeting. Dee is remembered for her compassion, fun-loving nature, and love of languages, which Wellesley developed. She is survived by daughter Elizabeth DeBray ’91 and son Edward DeBray.

Elizabeth DeBray ’91, daughter

Nancy Harter ’73 died on Jan. 20. My dearest, darling Nancy, 39 years is far too short a time married to such an extraordinary and wonderful woman. From the very first date, I knew that you would be the love of my life. We built a great life together. While I was traveling the world building a horticultural company, you quietly applied your enormous talent and energy into raising our three extraordinary children and helping me run a large business. You gave up a brilliant banking career to dedicate your life to your family and community. The last four years have been quite difficult. Watching your most vibrant asset, your mind, fade, was enormously painful. Humanity has lost a truly good human. I will always love you, sweetheart.

Kerry Herndon, husband

Wendy Parker Knudsen ’73 died on Dec. 18, 2024. She is survived by her husband, Mark, her daughter and son-in-law, and three grandchildren. After graduating from Wellesley, Wendy attended Stanford Medical School and then trained in anesthesia at Oregon Health Sciences Center. Wendy worked for Kaiser Permanente for 28 years, focusing on high-risk obstetrical care and pediatrics. Wendy highly valued her time at Wellesley. She liked and respected those classmates she knew well. She was grateful for the financial support provided by the College, as well as the encouragement she received from faculty members.

Mark Knudsen, husband

Elizabeth “Libby” Verduzco Buehler ’87 died peacefully on Jan. 6 in Colorado. Libby was a radiant light for all who knew her; her infectious enthusiasm, kindness, and fun-loving nature attracted lifelong friends from all walks of life. She was a geology major at Wellesley, spent junior year at CU Boulder, and received her M.B.A. at UC Berkeley. Eventually Libby returned to her home state of Colorado, where she had successful careers in finance, real estate, and insurance. Libby loved the outdoors, dancing, skiing, being with friends, and travel. Most of all, she loved people, and nobody more so than her beloved sons, Sam and Paul. Libby is also survived by her mother, adored sister, Molly, and beloved brother-in-law, Danny.

Laura Kupperman ’87

Christine “Chris” Pierce Johnson ’90 of Lakeside, Calif., died on Jan.19 after battling lung cancer compounded by COVID-19. She was 56. Chris valued lifelong learning. After graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in sociology, she earned a master’s in clinical psychology from the University of Hartford in 1998; a multiple-subject teaching credential from National University and a teaching license in 2003; and Contracting Officer’s Representatives certification via the Federal Acquisition Institute every two years from 2016 onward. Chris proudly served our nation’s veterans as a management and program analyst for Veteran Readiness and Employment for the VA in San Diego, Calif. Chris is survived by her son, Kim; spouse, Tony; father, Norman; brother, Matthew; and niece, Nova.

Kim McAdams, son

Mary Jane Ertman, age 94, associate editor of Wellesley magazine from the 1970s through the 1990s, died peacefully at Mt. Auburn Hospital on Oct. 14, 2024. At her memorial service, Wellesley President Emerita Nannerl Overholser Keohane ’61 praised her meticulous edits of class notes and engaging articles and photographs. Mary Jane had great loyalty to women’s colleges, having graduate Phi Beta Kappa from Sweet Briar College in 1951. Upon her retirement, Wellesley made her an honorary alumna. She continued to engage after retiring, auditing courses, attending Authors on Stage, and participating in the Wellesley alumnae teas at the retirement community where she and Keohane both lived. Her husband, Gardner, predeceased her in 2018, and she is survived by her five children.

Martha Ertman ’85, daughter