Marcia Lane Feakes ’45 died in her Worthington, Mass., farmhouse on May 26, 2018.

A true Valentine, Marcia was born on Feb. 14, 1924. She shared many fond memories of college life at Wellesley during the war. She went on to study public health at the University of North Carolina. An avid reader with a keen, inventive mind, she pursued a life of education, travel, politics, and gardening. No one loved a lively political debate more than Marcia. She treasured her beautiful perennial garden at the farm, a legacy she passes on to her children and her husband, Frank. She is deeply missed.

Lyn Feakes, daughter

Joy Bailey Osborne ’50 died on Sept. 29, 2018, at her home in Monterey, Calif., peacefully, of natural causes.

After earning her Wellesley chemistry degree, Joy worked in research labs in her native Cleveland for eight years before moving to California, where she went on to earn a master’s in biology. She fell in love with the ecosystems of the California coast and made the Monterey Bay area her permanent home. There, Joy put her scientific knowledge to work in support of conservationist causes, serving for more than 30 years as a docent for Pt. Lobos State Reserve. She was well known among Wellesley alumnae in her area for her work with the club’s annual book sale.

Nancy Joy Allchin, niece

Leticia “Letty” Ramos Shahani ’51 died on March 20, 2017.

I was a Munger friend of Letty’s. When she died, I contacted the Philippine Consulate and learned there was a memorial planned in her honor. I attended. Most of the speakers had known her through bureaucratic contacts. I spoke in particular about her life at Wellesley, where she had been obsessed with the poetry of Coleridge and Wordsworth. Many listeners seemed quite moved to learn of her complexity.

A short documentary showed her in her country residence, where among other retirement pursuits, she was overseeing cattle breeding. She seemed very happy. I always felt her Wellesley education helped her reconcile her complexities.

Mary Evans Richie Smith ’51

Anita Aspen ’52 died on June 25, 2018.

After Wellesley, Anita earned both her master’s and Ph.D. in biochemistry from Tufts. She worked at the National Institutes of Health, the University of Illinois, the St. Louis Medical School, and later at the Worcester (Mass.) Foundation for Experimental Biology. In the 1980s, she became a health information technologist, working in this field until she retired in 2016 after a 60-year, multifaceted career.

Anita also enjoyed researching local history and the history of the women’s movement. She remained connected to Wellesley, and family events were often celebrated at the College Club. She will be missed.

Deborah Aspen, niece
Richard Aspen, nephew

Phyllis Smith Tezer ’55 died on Oct. 29, 2018.

I first became friends with Phyllis when we were sophomores in Munger. After we graduated, Phyllis taught English in Istanbul, where she met her husband of 62 years, Cafer Tezer. They raised two sons while working in Turkey, Iran, and Italy, before settling in Dana Point, Calif. Phyllis and I resumed our friendship at our 50th reunion. We visited Phyllis and Cafer often, sharing what they loved—their ocean vista, their garden, walks by the water, and discussions of world events. Phyllis, with her inquisitive mind, her writing and linguistic skills, her graciousness, and her unflappable nature, was a dear friend for all seasons of life.

Cathie LaGuardia Petersen ’55

Bernice Ann “Boots” Wilson Munsey ’56 died at her home in Leesburg, Va., on Nov. 23, 2018.

Boots had a lifelong devotion to political activism, education-rights advocacy for those with special needs, and to friends and family. She volunteered for numerous campaigns while pursuing appropriate education for a daughter with special needs. Her work contributed greatly to passage of legislation in Virginia and nationally that secured rights and access for special-needs populations. She turned to educational counseling, earning a master’s degree and a doctorate. Boots is survived by her husband, Everard, four children, seven living grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

Everard Munsey, husband

Lynn English Ritchie ’65 died peacefully on Aug. 31, 2018, at her home in Hexham, England.

Following her childhood in Summit, N.J., graduation from Wellesley, and a year working in the State Department in Beirut, Lynn landed in Newcastle, England. There she raised two daughters and married her second husband, Chris Potter, her true soulmate. Working as an archivist at Newcastle University, Lynn did pioneering research on Gertrude Bell, a 19th-century English traveler and writer who was one of the architects of the modern Middle East. Lynn contributed to articles, a biography, and a Hollywood film about Bell. Lynn was beloved by all who knew her. We will miss her lilting voice, easy smiles, and perpetual optimism. Her generous spirit lives on in our hearts and minds.

Suzy Russell Strauss ’65
Suzi Flaxman Greenman ’65

Mary Virginia “Ginny” Neil Donahue ’66 died on July 13, 2018.

Ginny will be remembered as an enthusiastic alumna, class officer, and reunion organizer (not to mention a lead in our junior show).

After college, Ginny volunteered and then taught in the Maryland public schools, instructing a generation of students in English composition. Ginny had a lifelong curiosity about music, books, politics, and travel. She was especially known for her razor-sharp wit. She is survived by her husband, Jay, four sons, and six grandchildren.

A loan fund has been established in her name at the Wellesley Students’ Aid Society.

Amy Bright Unfried ’66
Melissa Fox ’66
Ann Gilbert Wylie ’66
Judith Peller Hallett ’66
Paula Thomsen Dalessio ’66
Henry, John, Matthew, and Mark Donahue

Kathryn Whitehead Tohir ’81 passed away on June 24, 2018.

My mother was the true embodiment of a Wellesley woman—ambitious, kind, and ever curious. After graduating from Harvard Law School, she had a successful legal career, but her proudest years were those spent being a full-time wife, mother, and volunteer in New Canaan, Conn. Wellesley was a treasured part of her identity—she was a devoted alumna and maintained close relationships with her Severance friends until her final days.

Her Wellesley spirit continues to live on through myself (’14), her sister, Nancy (’80), two nieces (’14 and ’21), and her beloved Wellesley friends. Her wit, humor, intelligence, and generosity will be missed by all.

Emily Tohir ’14, daughter

Ruth Scott CE/DS ’83 passed away in Wellesley, Mass., on Sept. 12, 2018, after a long illness.

Ruth began at Alderson Broaddus College but later transferred to Wellesley. Her hard work and dedication were rewarded with a membership to Phi Beta Kappa, and again in 1983 when she graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts in philosophy. Ruth then earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1986. She worked at Hale and Dorr, then served the City of Boston as special corporation counsel. Ruth then joined the administration of Massachusetts Governor Weld, serving as associate general counsel of the division of capital planning and operations. She retired in 1997.

Arnold Scott

Betty Lou Marple died on Nov. 25, 2018.

From 1970 to 1980, Betty Lou was director of the Continuing Education program (CE), now the Continuing Education/Davis Scholar Program (CE/DS). Betty Lou’s love for learning showed in her 40 years working in higher education, but also in the degrees she earned: a Vassar B.A., a Harvard Ed.M., a Boston College Ph.D., and a Northeastern University M.B.A. She was a warm, elegant woman students remember for unhesitatingly clearing the way for their successes. Her generous heart still gives in the form of the Betty Lou Marple Continuing Education Scholarship Fund.

Katie Slezas Durant CE/DS ’11