Mary Simpson Smart ’37 died on June 10, 2019, at 103. She followed her mother, Tusanelda Nusbickell Simpson, class of 1904, to Wellesley. Mary was a coxswain on the rowing team and fell in love with writing and botany. Seeking to be a writer, she lived in Greenwich Village and worked at Time, Inc. Later, moving to Hollywood, Calif., she became personal secretary to Joan Fontaine. Finally, she returned home to Lyons, N.Y., married, and raised two children on a beautiful farm. At 55, she began a biography of American sculptor Frederick MacMonnies. She was 81 when the book was published. At 101, she spoke at the 2017 Seneca Falls Women’s March, exhorting the crowd, “You almost elected a woman president—now just keep going!”

Sarah Smart Phillips, daughter

Eleanor Fisher Kaplan ’42, of Boston, died on April 6 at age 103. Beloved wife of the late Judge Sumner Z. Kaplan, Ellie was a revered family matriarch, a friend to countless individuals across all ages, an astute political adviser, a teacher in Boston, and a prolific writer. Ellie worried about the world we are leaving our young people, urging Wellesley alumnae to serve as positive role models to provide hope so that future generations “will be able to build a better world than we left.” The Wellesley motto to Ellie meant: “Don’t get pushed around. Get out and act.”

Ruth Kaplan ’70 and Marjorie Kaplan, daughters

Hyla “Heidi” Ames Troxell ’50 passed away on Feb. 27 in Sykesville, Md., at the age of 95. Hyla graduated from Wellesley with a B.A. in chemistry and earned an M.A. in classics from NYU. Hyla then worked as a chemist at Ciba Pharmaceuticals and subsequently as a consultant at the American Numismatic Society, writing several books on ancient Greek coinage. Hyla will be remembered most of all for her curiosity, kindness, sense of humor, and being a loving wife and mother to Thomas Troxell Jr., and their four children, John, Sara, Matthew, and Emily.

Sara Troxell Winokur, daughter

Marcia “Billie” Smith Close ’51 died on Sept. 30, 2023. Following graduation, Billie began working at the nascent Central Intelligence Agency. She soon met the love of her life and husband of 58 years, Arthur Condit Close, a career CIA officer. They were posted in Syria, Tunisia, and Libya. In between and following foreign postings, they raised their family in McLean, Va., where Billie taught third grade and ultimately served as headmistress of Langley School. Billie was predeceased by Arthur and their two sons. Her daughter-in-law and three grandchildren survive her, as does her best friend, Jane Richards Mosher ’51. Billie and Jane met on their first day at Wellesley in 1947 and immediately embarked on a lifelong friendship.

Jennifer Eisele, niece

Estella “Tellie” Groom Bray ’52, a beloved mother, wife, and member of the community, passed away on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23, 2023, at the age of 92. She was married to David Bray and is survived by her children, Beth, Cindy, Doug, and Robert. Estella was a proud alumna of the class of 1952 and lived in Ithaca, Syracuse, and Potsdam, N.Y. She had a passion for quilting and spent many hours creating beautiful pieces of art. In addition to her love for quilting, Estella taught at family computer camp at Clarkson University in the ’80s. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Doug Bray, son

Hope Raymond ’52 died peacefully on March 12 at age 94. Hope was a woman of courage, integrity, and grace. During her life, she earned four degrees, taught every grade level, led spiritual seminars, traveled the world, and authored three books. Hope was a proud Wellesley alum and often shared stories and spoke of the students and teachers who became, and remained, her lifelong friends. Even in Hope’s final weeks, she proudly sported her Wellesley sweatshirt and beanie cap, and was captured on video enthusiastically singing “The Wellesley Cheer.” Our family thanks Wellesley College for playing such an important role in helping to shape the wonderful woman our mother became.

Carol Ames and Nancy Ames Swan, daughters

Dorothy Lewis Goldberg ’53 died on Feb. 18. She contributed to many local organizations, including reading from the Torah at Temple Beth Avodah in Newton, Mass., on Sunday mornings. After graduation, she was an assistant to the Framingham, Mass., court psychiatrist. She obtained a master’s degree while teaching swimming to children at the Newton, Mass., YMCA. We met at Harvard Hillel in 1955 and married in 1958. Of all her achievements, she was most proud of being a Wellesley graduate. She is survived by our daughter, Sara Elkin, our son, David, our granddaughter, Lucie, and me.

Richard Thayer Goldberg, husband

Perry Organ Carroll ’54 died on April 14 in Santa Barbara, Calif., where she had lived most of her life in a hilltop house overlooking a leafy canyon. As Perry wrote in our 50th year record book, “Art has been a grounding force for me—painting, music, literature, the lot.” Accordingly, she didn’t miss many intellectual activities in the area. Perry taught English and advised students in the University of California Education Abroad program. She played tennis for decades, long after others her age had quit. She wrote two novels. Not surprisingly, Perry faced the developing disabilities of old age with great poise and courage.

Joy Hallum Winer ’54

Jane Allen Piehl ’54 died peacefully on Aug. 14, 2023. Jane loved Wellesley as a student and beyond. In each new city she said she “always joined the Wellesley club because I knew I would make great friends.” Her late husband also loved Wellesley club events, saying, “The men I met there were far more interesting than in any other setting.” Wherever Jane found herself, she dove in, from Seattle school levy and political campaigns, nonprofit work, chair of Seattle’s first recycling advisory committee, and president of her retirement community’s residence council. Activism + love = A life well lived.

Janet Piehl ’89, daughter
Nicole Anderson ’18, granddaughter

Ann Hunt Street ’57 died on Nov. 23, 2023, at age 88. She and John, her husband of 66 years, had resided at Covenant Living in Keene, N.H. since 2019. Previously, they had lived since 1962 in an 1835-era Greek revival home on 101 acres in Honeoye, N.Y. They raised three daughters and a son while restoring the house. Ann was active in the Honeoye United Church of Christ, where she helped start a nursery school, sang in the choir, and chaired a building committee. She served 10 years on the Honeoye Board of Education, including as president. Her pastimes included reading, quilting, caring for pets, and all things outdoors—camping, canoeing, cross-country skiing, swimming, waterskiing, and walking the trails in Honeoye.

John Street, husband

Martha Michal “Mike” Wood Schroeder ’58 died on April 21 from ALS. Mike obtained her master’s at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and taught elementary school for 25 years. She married Pete Schroeder and raised two children, Richard Schroeder and Avery Wood, M.D. In retirement, she and Pete moved aboard their boat and sailed between Maine and the Bahamas for four years. On land, she loved gardening and studied to become an amateur botanist. She strongly advocated for the protection of ecosystems and served as a docent, including at the Wellesley Botanic Gardens. She lives on in the plants she shared with her friends and family.

Avery Wood, daughter

Sallie Shaffer Annett ’58 of Hockessin, Del., died on March 8. Sallie was born Sallie Anne Shaffer to George and Anne Shaffer on Jan. 27, 1936. Music was a big part of her life. Her husband, Sandy, died in 2012. Sallie is survived by her sister, her children, and their families. She graduated from Wellesley with a degree in history and a minor in French in 1958. Her father created a needlepoint wall hanging for her, with the word “Wellesley” being the largest element among other reminders of her time there. It was hung where she would always see it.

Jim Annett, son

Kathryn “Kitty” Davenport Bernard ’59 died on March 18. A zoology major, she earned an M.A. in teaching from Bank Street College of Education and subsequently taught in the NYC public schools and at the Grace Church School. While at Wellesley, she met a young sailor named Peter Bernard. They were married in 1960 and built a fun-filled life in Greenwich Village before moving to New Jersey and having three daughters. After Peter’s retirement, Kitty planned travels around the country and the world, including a “grand journey” boat trip up the Mississippi River in their 36-foot trawler. Kitty will be hugely missed by her three daughters, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Tricia Bernard ’85, daughter

Jane Sneddon Little ’64 died peacefully in Cambridge, Mass., on March 13, from Parkinson’s disease at age 81. Jane had a 44-year career at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, starting as a research assistant and retiring as a vice president and economist specializing in international macroeconomic research in 2010. She joined the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement, taking classes in cognitive science and cosmology, and exploring her lifelong passion for poetry writing. Jane will be remembered for her quiet resilience, her boundless generosity and kindness, her insatiable thirst for knowledge, and her deep belief in making the world a better place for humanity.

Forbes Little, husband

Susan Grossi Forsyth ’65 died on Nov. 17, 2023. Though her last years were shadowed by Alzheimer’s disease, Susan will be forever remembered for her joy, candor, warmth, strong will, and sharp wit. Her fellow Wellesley alumnae remained dear to her throughout her life as did the school’s emphasis on public service and leadership. She spent 25 years as a lawyer for the New York City Corporation Counsel, proudly serving the city she loved. She is survived by husband Allan Forsyth; her daughter, Katy Forsyth, son-in-law David Gearey, and grandson, Aidan Gearey; her son, Andrew Forsyth, and daughter-in-law, Jessica Potter Forsyth.

Katy Forsyth, daughter

Katherine Kersten Wallman ’65 died on Jan. 17. From 1992 until 2017, she served the federal government as chief statistician of the United States. Katherine was twice honored as a presidential meritorious executive. She was an elected member of the International Statistical Institute, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a founding member of the International Association for Official Statistics. She was a leader in the American Statistical Association, serving as president in 1992, and receiving its Founders Award in 2007. She is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Davis, and her grandson, Alexander Davis.

Elizabeth Davis ’90, daughter

Alice Van Aken Boelter ’67 died on Dec. 19, 2023. After Wellesley, Alice taught school at Battle Abbey in England. She later earned a master’s in public policy at the University of Michigan, and held positions with the Boston Redevelopment Authority and Massport before establishing her own environmental consulting business, Boelter & Associates, in 1985. Alice always made time for things she cared about: historic preservation; the environment; responsible governance and development of Wayland, Mass.; women’s issues; disability access; and of course, Wellesley College, serving as class officer and reunion organizer of tributes to 1967’s departed angels. Alice remains a light in our lives. She lived the Wellesley motto: Non Ministrari sed Ministrare.

Mary Haddad DeGarmo ’67
Betsy Pulaski Mertens ’67
Marcia Knoff Donald ’67
Victoria Schilling ’67
Tamar Babayan Hajian ’67

Kristin “Kristy” Mullaney ’75 passed away on March 13. Kristin was proud of her family lineage of Wellesley graduates: grandmother, Elizabeth Platt Carlson, class of 1927; mother, Ruth Carlson Mullaney ’52; aunt, Joyce Carlson Leavitt ’57; and sister, Martha Mullaney Sibley ’82. Kristin and her partner of 44 years, David Ertz, shared a love of gardening, traveling in Europe, spending time at their log cabin in Vermont, and spoiling their many dogs! Kristin loved sharing her talents of sewing, knitting, quilting, and cooking. After a successful career in architecture, she became a high school math teacher to help underprivileged students in Philadelphia. Her caring heart, her big smile, and her big laugh will be missed by many.

Martha Mullaney Sibley ’82, sister