Janet Callahan Kreider ’41 died in Cincinnati on April 15.

Janet is survived by daughters Anne and Carol, son-in-law George, granddaughters Laura, Diana, and Rachel “Tova,” and three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas. Janet was born in Tulsa, Okla., raised in Tulsa and Cincinnati, spent her adult years in Berea, Ky., and her retirement at Marjorie P. Lee Retirement Community in Cincinnati. Janet earned a degree from the Columbia Journalism School. She worked at the Cincinnati Post and for Berea College as a teacher, faculty advisor to the Pinnacle (the student newspaper), and in its public relations office. Janet was very active in the League of Women Voters.

Erika Kreider

Louisa Talcott Grogan ’41 died of pancreatic cancer on Jan. 23, 10 weeks shy of her 100th birthday.

Born and raised in New England, she was very much a New Englander: frugal, down-to-earth, practical, loyal, opinionated, and outspoken, with a subtle sense of humor and ample time and love for her family and many friends. After Wellesley, she became certified as an occupational therapist and worked in that field until her marriage to Clarence. Later, she worked in the local library, very fitting as she was a voracious reader.

She leaves behind two daughters and a son-in-law, a granddaughter and her husband, two great-granddaughters, and a multitude of nieces, nephews, greats, and great-greats. We miss her terribly.

Susan Whitehouse Linch ’66, niece

Elizabeth Gorman Parmentier ’43 died peacefully of natural causes on April 11 in Palm City, Fla.

Betty majored in French and minored in Spanish. After raising four children, she received a master’s degree in French from the University of Delaware and taught French in local schools. Betty enjoyed vacationing on Cape Cod, sailing the local waters, traveling to far-off ports, and playing the flute. She is survived by sister Constance, brother Edward, children James, Robert, Jacqueline, and Carol, and five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was a loving wife and mother and will be sorely missed.

Jacqueline “Jackie” Parmentier ’73

Helen Antoniades “Toni” Vamvas ’46 died at her son Paul’s home in Kensington, Md., on Dec. 15, 2017. Her son, Paul Vamvas, daughter Maria Vamvas Utevsky, and daughter-in-law Mary Masters were with her at the end.

Toni was a “Wellesley girl” to the end. Her years there were among her favorite. She spoke of them often to her family and loved to see old friends from the class of ’46 whenever she could. She had a long and wonderful life. She was loved and loved in return. She is missed by all who knew her.

Paul Vamvas

Mary Sleator Temperley ’46 died peacefully at home on April 11.

Mary was a teacher of English as a Foreign Language at the University of Illinois, co-authoring an influential practical guide to it. She was beloved by her students, staying in touch with some of them over decades. In 1986, Mary spent six months teaching English at Fudan University in Shanghai. Mary traveled regularly from Illinois to Scotland, England, and Rochester, N.Y., to be with her three children and seven grandchildren. She loved Wellesley reunions, attending in 2016 at age 91. Mary loved singing and knew the words to more songs than just about anybody. Her voice, her laughter, her warm heart, and her zest for life will be sadly missed.

Nicholas Temperley, husband

Gwen Stose ’51 died peacefully on Feb. 10 after a short illness.

Gwen became an instructor in the modern dance programs at Hood, Wellesley, and Bryn Mawr colleges. She served as director of recreation at Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute. While raising her children, she earned a master’s of education from the University of Florida, followed by advanced training at the Margaret Byrd Rawson Institute, which enabled her to tutor children with learning disabilities. Gwen retired to New Hampshire and the mountains she loved, where she was active in the Mount Washington Observatory volunteer program and at the AMC Cold River Camp. She is survived by her daughter, Emily Fisher ’89, two sons, and her brother, Willie.

Mary Toohy Hyson ’51

Margaret Curtis McKinney ’52 of Chapel Hill, N.C., died peacefully in her home on April 4.

She and husband Ross were together for 66 years, living in San Antonio, Texas, Wellesley, Mass., and Lawrence, Kan., before moving to North Carolina in 1996. Margaret was a valuable contributing member to the communities she lived in—working as a volunteer in multiple organizations and supporting causes that were important to her. She was also an avid gardener, reader, movie watcher, and lover of family celebrations.

She is survived by her husband, Ross, and her four children: Ross and his wife, Holly; Margo (Wellesley ’77); William and his wife, Laura; and Susanne; and six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Susanne McKinney

Mimi Kayden ’55 died on April 16 in Stamford, Conn.

At Mimi’s high-school graduation, she was nominated to speak about American democracy and remarked “we are on the threshold of a new world.” Mimi’s new world at Wellesley combined scholarship, friendship, and lasting memories, which she treasured and nurtured.

Mimi’s career was centered on the publishing industry, where she became a director of marketing for children’s books, and made friends with librarians and children’s book authors.

Mimi enjoyed travel, Wellesley events, opera, movies, and time discussing politics. She was always respectful of different views and knew that yes, she had been on the threshold of a new world. She will be missed by her many friends.

Andy Kieffer Kirkman ’55
Katie Allen Pfaff ’56

Jeanne Pollock Robertson ’55 died of pancreatic cancer on March 3.

As a single mother of her twin boys, she was resilient. She worked as a teacher, then for a publishing company, and finally started a nonprofit learning center involving 70 teachers. After moving to San Francisco and marrying Sandy Robertson, she turned her many talents to philanthropy and fund-raising. She was prized as a board member of organizations lucky enough to get her.

Jeanne swam laps daily, took long walks, attended barre class, was an accomplished skier, and more recently took on kayaks and paddleboards. As a warm and wonderful hostess, she provided happy times for family and friends. She will be missed by all whose lives she touched.

Diane Thys Prioleau ’55

Mary Carlton Croghan ’60 died on March 9.

Mary and I bonded during our sophomore year over a shared love of music. She played the piano beautifully, and I have happy memories of our attempts to sing Bach fugues while occupying adjoining shower stalls in Stone Hall. We shared an apartment in New York during her year there, where one memorable experience was entertaining a college friend and her husband and watching in horror as a mouse ran across the living room floor. In later years, Mary switched her passion from the piano to the flute and became a founding member of the Raleigh Flute Choir. She will be remembered for her elegance, her impeccable sense of style, and her delightful sense of humor.

Peggy Jackson Sweeney ’60

Carol Brown ’62 died on April 4 in Richmond, Va.

Carol was born and raised in Philadelphia. After Wellesley, she earned a master’s in English from the University of Minnesota. While there, she took the first step in her life’s work in music by working in a small record store. That part-time job led ultimately to her being placed in charge of classical records for the West Coast for RCA Records. She was especially passionate about opera and traveled the world to hear it. As her nephew said upon her passing, she was blessed that she could live a life with work that she loved. She spent those years of working with her partner, Joan Joy, in San Francisco, and is survived by her brother, Bob, and his family.

Bob Brown, brother

Marilyn Brennan Schwam ’67 died on July 2, 2017.

Marilyn met her husband in NYC in 1972 and moved to Idaho where she practiced law until she retired in 1999. She was a pilot and for a time commuted to work in her airplane. Marilyn skied and played volleyball but loved travel. She visited more than 40 countries on five continents. It was fitting that the signal that the ovarian cancer she fought for 3½ years was finally going to end her life came as a seizure in Spain. She returned with her husband to her home in Pullman, Wash., (Washington has a Death with Dignity law), where she refused fluid and died peacefully in her sleep. She gave her body to a medical school. She is much missed by her husband, Andrew, and son, Alexander.

Andrew Schwam

Patricia “Tia” Taaffe ’74 died at her Beverly Hills, Calif., home on March 26, 2016.

Tia graduated from Melrose High School, was editor of the yearbook, and voted most likely to succeed by her classmates. She loved the Red Sox, politics, and Cape Cod. Patty was very sweet, intelligent, patriotic, and loyal. After college, Patty moved to Beverly Hills and worked as a VP and legislative analyst for a large bank after receiving her master’s in public administration from Harvard. Patty spent the remainder of her career as an executive at ABC television. She will be missed!

Mary Zorbas Lacourciere

Eileen Callahan Perini CE/DS ’84 passed away on March 31.

Eileen’s kindness and grace shined through from the moment I met her in 1985. She had recently graduated from the Continuing Education Program and was pursuing a master’s degree at Boston College. Her concern and compassion for those around her was awe-inspiring. After the tragic loss of her son David, Jr., in 1990, Eileen moved forward with strength and resolve. She and her husband established the David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Clinic at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She leaves husband David, daughters Jennifer, Kristin, and Andrea, son Tim, 10 grandchildren, five sisters, and a brother. Like so many others whose lives were enriched by Eileen, I will miss her bright blue eyes and remarkable spirit.

Nancy Lewis Davis ’87