Class Notes & News
1960s
Kenneth Emil Scheck '63 and Maggie Newsome Scheck, writing as MK Scheck, announce the publication of "The Deadly Pearls of Josephine" the second in the Hippolyte Maxwell Mystery Series. Find it on Amazon where books are sold. Hip Maxwell never knows who'll wash up on the island of Martinique next. This time it's a woman with a problem she can't take to the police — her valuable pearl necklace and her no good boyfriend have disappeared. Join Hip for a mayhem, sunshine and run-soaked adventure in the French tropics. Follow them on facebook as MK Scheck and on Instagram as m k scheck. (8/23)
Linda Kosek Daly ’65 received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National American Society of Interior Designers. She had done Hospitality Design of Ye Old Temperance House in Newtown PA and the Doylestown Inn and restaurants in Doylestown PA. Linda had studied Historic Preservation and applied what she learned when designing the Inns. More recently she has been designing interiors for “high end” residences. She is currently being asked to design Transitional and even Contemporary interiors. Linda loves what she does and has no plans for retirement. (6/24)
A group of 1969 AOPi’s gather yearly on Cape Cod. From left: Cissie Martin Willets '69, Karen Brown McCahill '69, Susan Thomas Denton '69, Linda Ayres '69, Bonnie Strayer Leach '69, and Marjorie Jones Madera '69. (6/24)
Peter and Ginna Joslin ’69 are retired and split their time between their North Ga. mountain home and Isleaway — the family farm on an island off the coast of Maine. They enjoy sailing, pulling lobsters out of the pots, organic gardening, watching the grandkids play sports and being active in their church. They hope this update finds everyone well and look forward to their next class reunion. (11/23)
1970s
Former teammates Peter Boggs '72 and Greg Lane '74, 4x MVP's, 2x National Championship Runner's Up, met up in Inverness, Scotland. Boggs was recognized as the Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Foundation, Honorable Saltir Lacrosse Laird of Scotland. Peter's wife Gail McPherson Boggs '73, another WC alumnus, joined them. (6/24)
Suzie Duffin '76 has "finally" moved to St. Augustine - her place in the sun! She is looking forward to seeing all her WC friends in '26 at their 50th reunion. (6/24)
1980s
Leslie Lighton-Humphreys '82 was recently promoted to Senior Manager, Compliance and Process Management at Cencora, the 2023 Fortune 11 company. She leads the global ISO IT CSV & SQA team responsible for ensuring internal secure supply chain computerized solutions affecting or in support of patient health and safety are compliant with pharmaceutical industry GxP regulations. (11/23)
Forty years of Fabulous! Kelly Hardesty Phipps '84 and her father Bernard "Bo" Hardesty '62 recently celebrated the 40th Anniversary of their restaurant The Narrows, in Grasonville Maryland. Friends, family and favorite customers came and celebrated this momentous occasion. Kelly started working at the restaurant when it very first opened in 1983, even bartending on her graduation day immediately after convocation! She has been going strong ever since and now manages the family owned and operated business. (6/24)
Mary Helen Sprecher '86 has written three textbooks on the construction and maintenance of sport-specific facilities which, as everyone knows, makes for fascinating cocktail party conversation. But she also caught this great fish on a business trip. (12/23)
Lynn (Burris) '89 & Tony Caligiuri '90 celebrated their 32 wedding anniversary this year after meeting at WC in 1986. They both work in land conservation in Colorado where they relocated in 2014, enjoying a new chapter living in the Rocky Mountains. (12/23)
1990s
Erin Murphy '90 published a new book of poetry, Fluent in Blue (Grayson Books) in April 2024. Murphy is the author or editor of thirteen previous books. She is professor of English at Penn State University, Altoona College, and serves as Penn State's inaugural Mellon Academic Leadership Fellow for the Big Ten Academic Alliance. Website: www.erin-murphy.com (6/24)
Rich Wood '91, John Kircher '91, Cliff Schroeder '91, and Chris Deegan '89 gather for a picture in celebration of Rich Wood's son enrolling at WC. (5/23)
Roxanne Beaver '93 published her first Middle-Grade fantasy book! Sasquatch is available online via Amazon and in select Barnes & Noble stores. Additional locations and languages to come! (11/23)
Yvette Hyson '93 was just signed to JaMaAa Love Records as a recording artist, and her single, "More Than Yesterday" was released in May 2024. (6/24)
Ciaran O'Keeffe '94 is Head of School at BNU (Buckinghamshire New University). He is responsible for all undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Psychology; Education; Social Science; Sport & Exercise Science; Criminology; Sports Therapy. He also leads Parapsychology research and teaching — a subject which he frequently discusses in the media. Recent media projects have included BBC Radio 4's "The Battersea Poltergeist"; "The Witch Farm"; "Uncanny" and an upcoming series, "Uncanny TV" for BB2 (due out in the Fall). He'll also be touring live in the Fall with the "Uncanny Tour." Many of these paranormal media projects have come off the back of his successful co-authored text on haunting experiences, Ghosted! (6/23)
Anna Gruber Kiefer-Douglas '99 moved to Winston-Salem, NC, and remarried in 2021. She's an English teacher and newspaper adviser at Mount Tabor High School-- and she continues to adjunct (online, History) at Laurel Ridge Community College in Virginia's lower Shenandoah Valley. (6/24)
2000s
Kristin Van Eron Erdman '01 is working as a Programs Manager at the Ed Snider Center for Enterprise and Markets at the Robert H. Smith School for Business at University of Maryland. The WC Career Center, specifically Georgina Bliss, was pivotal in helping her comb through jobs and prep for her virtual interviews. (6/24)
Stephanie Fowler '01 is working on her third book and hopes to publish it before the end of the year. Her independent publishing company - Salt Water Media in downtown Berlin, Maryland - just celebrated its tenth anniversary and Stephanie and her team are looking forward to their eleventh! (6/24)
Jackie Smith Kuleszynski '04 is enjoying life as a mom of two; her daughter Laina turns 4 in June and her son Leon will be 18 months old in July. Jackie celebrated 6 years working at Hearst Magazines in March. (6/24)
Jennifer Daley Nesaw '04 was recently promoted to Program Manager at the Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth. She manages the Math Academy for Promising Scholars which is an acceleration remediation program. She also just adopted the cutest little fur baby, Henry River Nesaw. (6/24)
Kirby-Lynn Shedlowski '04 completed her Masters of Science in Organizational Leadership at the University of Colorado, Boulder this summer. She's working in public land management as the Deputy Communications Director for the Bureau of Land Management Colorado State Office. (6/24)
Erin Kube '05 completed her PhD in Counseling Psychology (2016) and became board certified in Geropsycholgy (2022) through the American Board of professional Psychology (ABPP). She also got married on June 5th, 2021 to Jordan Snittjer. They currently live in Chicago with their yellow lab, Douglas. (6/24)
Darren Colananni ’07 and his wife Kristen welcomed their second daughter, Gianna, to the world on December
17, 2022. In addition to reporting mega girl-dad power, Darren was just named Partner
of his wealth management firm, Centurion Wealth Management. He was recently named
a Top Wealth Advisor in Northern Virginia Magazine and awarded the 5 Star Wealth Advisor
again. For the last year he has been featured in Yahoo Finance, Forbes, and other
news publications on a variety of financial topics. (8/23)
Hilary Sama Wagner '07 moved from Chicago to Los Angeles last year. She and her husband, Nick, have a two-year-old son, James (Jamie). Hilary completed her master's in public health at Johns Hopkins University in 2017. She works for a public policy research firm and specializes in helping the Federal and state governments improve food assistance programs. (6/24)
Carin Janet Golze '09 was recently appointed as Magistrate for the Circuit Court for Frederick County, Maryland. She presides over domestic cases, juvenile delinquency, matters, and Children in Need of Assistantance (CINA) cases. (6/24)
2010s
Genevieve Macfarlane '10 was named Partner at the Law Offices of Stevens Palmer, LLC in Centreville, Maryland. Her practice areas include real estate and land use law. (6/24)
Daniel Pierce '10 finished his first full Ironman distance triathlon in Sacramento, CA in October 2022, along with 18 fellow Golden Gate Triathlon Club members. (6/24)
In January 2024, Tina Gardner '11 adopted a 1 year labrador/coonhound puppy named Elroy! Elroy comes from a rural shelter in South Carolina where adoptions are scarce. Since joining the family, Elroy has gone through puppy school at Sit Means Sit and has made so many new friends. He is such a good boy and Tina is so happy Puppy Paws Rescue Inc- Maryland brought them together. (6/24)
Kelsey Newborn Chapman '12 completed her PhD in Rehabilitation Therapies and disability inclusive research methods at Griffith University on the Gold Coast in Australia, where she is now working as a research fellow. (6/24)
Kyle Dixon '13 was recently recognized for ten years of full-time service with Harford County Public Schools. He teaches grades 6-8 life skills special education at Southampton Middle School. Before that, he taught at Havre de Grace High School for several years. In May 2023, he was appointed to the City of Havre de Grace Historic Preservation Commission. He was also recently interviewed in connection to his senior capstone thesis, which he had written while attending Washington College, titled "Standing in the Schoolhouse Door: The Desegregation of Public Schools in Cecil County, Maryland, 1954-1965." Joe Piner is creating this documentary, which tells the story of students who attended Elkton, Maryland's formerly segregated George Washington Carver School. (6/24)
Katie Bradley McShane '13 and her husband, Charlie McShane '13, now have three beautiful daughters! (6/24)
Erin Veloso Franco '13 has gone back to school to become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner! Her projected graduation date is spring 2025. (6/24)
Gabriella Rojas '13 and her husband welcomed their first baby! They also started a business designing and installing Ponds & Waterfalls! They are Oasis Water Gardens. (6/24)
In the past 3 years, Becca Fenzel Blazejak '14 and her husband have built their forever home on the Shore. She found a wonderful job where she is proud to say that she can make a difference, her and her husband had a beautiful baby boy and they will be expecting a baby girl the end of the summer. (6/24)
Amanda Boyer '14 started a new job as the Facilities Assistant at County College of Morris. She will be holding this job in tandem with her Office Manager position for a roofing contractor she started last year. (6/24)
After receiving the Fulbright Scholarship at WC, Charllotte Costa '14 lived in Mexico for the past 9 years working as an English teacher and English Coordinator in various private schools. Charllotte and her family have recently relocated to Buckhannon, West Virginia for Charllotte's husband's job. They just welcomed their second baby to the world on December 5th. Charllotte is now a stay at home mom who helps a school in Mexico with its English program in her free time. (6/24)
Nearly 10 years after graduating, Christina Eliades '14 decided to go back to school and in two years she's going to be a veterinarian! (6/24)
Katie Ridgeway Kropkowski '14 is married and a mother to two beautiful little girls, Gracie and Lilliana, born in June 2021 and July 2023. She has been working for the United States District Court for the District of Maryland for 10 years. She and her family are Harford County residents. (6/24)
Olivia Hughes '15 has a new job! She started working for the Washington Department of Natural Resources as an IT Application Developer in January of 2023. She moved to Washington for this job and has been really enjoying the Pacific Northwest. (6/24)
Dede Eveland Pardee '15 started a new job with Affiliate Sante Group as a Crisis Intervention Specialist. (6/24)
Nicole Schuyler '15 got engaged, moved to Florida, and started a new job. (6/24)
On her birthday, November 15, Jenna Chirico-Berman '16 and her husband, Marc, welcomed their beautiful daughter Sophia to the world! (6/24)
Anna Windle DiPaola '16 received her PhD from the University of MD Center for Environmental Science, aarried Joe DiPaola '15, and is doing postdoc at NASA Goddard. (6/24)
Brianna Jehl '16 earned her PhD in child clinical psychology from UMBC and completed her residency at Indiana University School of Medicine. She will be completing a fellowship in pediatric pain psychology at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. (6/24)
Patrick Thomson '16 got married in June 2024! (6/24)
Ali Nolan Colby '17 has a lot of news - she graduated from law school in 2020, married Harrison Colby in 2021, and they welcomed a baby boy, Tommy, in 2022, and a baby girl Madison in 2023. In 2023, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer while she was pregnant with Madison and out on bed rest. Now they are both totally healthy and Ali is cancer free! While she was on bed rest she continued working as an attorney and won a case in a published opinion from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and then won again at the Supreme Court of the United States. Ali started a new job as a commercial construction and development litigation attorney with a law firm based out of Houston this week. She says she misses WC all the time and wonders how everyone is doing. She hopes to connect with some WC alum soon. (6/24)
Kristin LaLone Kelley '17 bought her first house in Sudlersville with her husband, David Kelley, a Kent County native. They were married September 24, 2022 at Great Oak Manor. (6/24)
Ellen Maxwell '17 of the women's swimming team, and Brian Wilkinson '17 of the men's soccer team, who were both captains of their respective teams, got married October 28th 2023 with many members of both teams in attendance. They made so many forever friends at WAC and even had a teammate (Pat Elliott '17 of the men's swimming team) as their officiant. (6/24)
Nicholas Stewart '17 is excited to have been promoted to Director of Competitive Employment Services for Abilis in Greenwich, CT. Nicholas and his team support adults with intellectual developmental disabilities from birth to death. Nicholas specifically supports those adults who are working, volunteering or seeking employment. (6/24)
Autumn Spence McCloskey '18 got married & had a baby boy! (6/24)
Jeffrey Wrobel '18 recently competed in the B More Global Patterson Park home brew competition along with Max Ruehrmund '13. They entered an Apricot Pale Ale for the category of specialties and fruit beers. The beer name was the Star Spangled Sipper. They came in Second place. (6/24)
Kelly Valette '18 moved back to Maryland and got her dream job working at a private high school in Annapolis as a high school college counselor! She wants to say thank you to the WC admissions office for preparing her to take on this role! (6/24)
Matt Aubin '19 completed a Masters in Autism at Towson University. He became a special education teacher in Howard County Maryland. He is the Wilde Lake Soccer head coach and the Atholton High School head baseball coach. Matt won special education teacher of the year, and coached in two Maryland state championship games (baseball & soccer). (6/24)
Amanda Clem '19 won the "Outstanding Contribution to Student Life" Award from the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership at Salisbury University. (6/24)
2020s
Vincent Pacheco '21 moved back to Baltimore, and is working in government affairs for the department of human services.
Caitlyn Creasey '20 got a new job teaching dance! (6/24)
Alexis Young '20 graduated from law school this past May, took and passed the Pennsylvania Bar Exam in July, and began her legal career in November as an associate at a law firm in Philadelphia! (6/24)
The summer after Nathaniel Neuland '21 and Najeyah Altamimi '21 graduated from Washington College, they got married. Nathaniel is now a medical student at George Washington University and Najeyah graduated with her Masters in Environmental Biology from Hood College. She has now achieved her dream of working as an Environmental Biologist for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission! They would like to thank Washington College for where they are now. (6/24)
Nina Daddario '22 recently started a new job at Guardant Heath. Her company provides minimally invasive liquid biopsies to breast, lung, and colorectal cancer patients and have reached over 550 million patients. (6/24)
Teresa Draves '22 has been attending the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America in DC for the last year and a half. She is officially halfway done with Law School! While in DC she has volunteered at ProBono clinics and worked at the US Office of Special Counsel. Recently, she accepted a Law Clerkship for the 2024 summer with the Department of Navy's Office of General Counsel, which she is very excited for. She has engaged in many exciting opportunities since moving here, and said she owes WAC a huge thank you for preparing her. (6/24)
Emily Dunsmore '23 started a new job as one of the Chesapeake Conservation & Climate Corps Members at the American Chestnut Land Trust in Prince Frederick, MD! (6/24)
Faithlin Hunter '23 recently moved to San Jose, California with her partner Evan McCarthy '22. They met at WAC! Faithlin is excited to announce that she started her first position post-graduation! She is the Office Coordinator for West Valley College's MESA program. Evan is working in Silicon Valley for a Japanese networking manufacturer, Allied Telesis. (6/24)
Gabriella Scorsone '23 is currently a Case Manager at Bright Harbor Healthcare. She is pursuing a Master in Social Work this fall at Stockton University. (6/24)
Leann Standridge '23 is a horse back riding instructor and trainer in Chestertown. She loves her job and the relationships she gets to build with her kiddos. In her free time, Leann is still riding at home and spending time with her horses, dogs, and family. (6/24)
Cristal Wright '13 and her husband eloped in August 2021 to Ireland for an intimate wedding ceremony. They were married in Minard Castle by an Irish officiant who has been performing traditional Irish wedding ceremonies for decades. (6/24)
Ryan Mckim '20 and Natalia Nagy '20 got married in April 2023! They are currently living in Cincinnati with our dog, Max. (6/24)
Wilson Bothwell Watson '60, passed away on April 24, 2023. He was a member of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity at Washington College and graduated with a B.A. in English. Read a tribute in his memory.
Colin Campbell Dickson, Professor Emeritus of French, died on May 21, 2022. Colin taught at Washington College from 1971 to 2003. After graduating from Amherst College (1959) and earning an M.S. in Physics from the University of Pennsylvania (1961), he switched disciplines, eventually earning a Ph.D. in French studies (also from Penn, 1972). His dissertation was a study of imagery in Montaigne’s Essays.
Colin was thoughtful and kind—his family remembers him as “gentlemanly.” He was a true Renaissance man, equally at home in the worlds of physics, geology, and mycology; crabbing on the Chester River; and introducing generations of Washington College students to the joys of French language and culture. Colin was promoted to associate professor in 1982 and to full professor in 1991. He served on numerous college committees and boards, and as chair of what was then called the Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.
Colin is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Janice Lind, his daughter Erica Dickson (Keith Hupperts), and many grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other family members.
Donations in his memory may be made to Kent County Public Library, 408 High Street, Chestertown, MD 21620; to Amherst College, P.O. Box 5000, Amherst, MA 01002; or to Friends Central School, 1101 City Ave., Wynnewood, PA 19096.
John Peter Rolewicz ’12, of Odenton, Maryland, died July 24 after a courageous eight-month battle with a rare and aggressive cancer. He was 30. A natural athlete, Rolewicz was a two-time captain of the Shoremen baseball team and was proud to contribute to two playoff seasons, including one final playoff. After graduating cum laude with a double major in business management and economics, he worked as a financial analyst for Booz Allen Hamilton for seven years before starting a new position at Northrop Grumman last fall. He kept his love for baseball alive by umpiring for local high school and American Legion games on evenings and weekends. Among his survivors are his wife, Emily, his parents, two siblings, and numerous close friends who supported him through his illness. The family has requested memorial donations in support of the College's baseball program.
Scott Taliaferro' 87 passed away unexpectedly on July 18 in Baltimore, Maryland. He was 58 years old. Read a tribute in his memory.
Kurt Keller '86, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, husband of Cheryl Dianne Clagett Keller, entered into eternal rest on Saturday, September 10, 2022. Read a tribute in his memory.
Linda M. Benson '83 died on March 7, 2023. She was vibrant and effervescent, welcoming, often irreverent and always ready with a witty, slightly outrageous, imaginative comment. Read a tribute in her memory.
Robert McLain "Lain" Hawkridge Jr. '80 died Oct. 29, 2020. He was born on May 12, 1958, in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He
attended St. Andrews Academy and St. James Academy. Seven years after graduating from
Washington College, he settled in Kent County and never left. He worked for UPS and
received his master’s degree in education from Widener University. His career as a
teacher included teaching in the Baltimore City and Kent County public schools before
joining the faculty of Radcliffe Creek School, where he was an Orton-Gillingham teacher
for 10 years. He retired from teaching to care for his parents, Robert McLain Hawkridge
and Sally Middleton Hawkridge, who both predeceased him. During this time, he tutored
and coached people with learning disabilities primarily through Washington College
and Bowman Educational Services/LINKZ.
Hawkridge married Arlene F. Lee '82, his college sweetheart, in 1984 and again in 1999. He is survived by his wife and
two sons, Ian McLain Hawkridge and Jennings Lee Hawkridge, and Ian’s partner, Sarah
Bradham; his sister, Sally Hawkridge, and nephew, Tim Beken; his godsons, Will Wood
and Art Mason; and his many beloved Middleton and Hawkridge cousins.
During his time as a UPS delivery driver, Hawkridge marched in the 1997 Teamster’s National Strike, an expression of a lifelong passion for economic, social, and racial justice. In recent years he became a founding member of the Social Action Committee for Racial Justice (SACRJ) in Kent County. He was a primary organizer of the SACRJ food delivery program during the COVID-19 pandemic, extending vital food aid to schoolchildren and seniors in need during the shutdown of regular services. He personally delivered food to the seniors in the Baywood community, whom he came to call his friends.
Hawkridge was deeply committed to family, community, young people, and equality for all. He loved chess, music, history, and books of all kinds. He was a dedicated member of Lani Parks’ book club. Hawkridge started an afterschool Scholastic Chess Club with Michael Harvey that taught students in every Kent County school. He was devoted to his Library Chess Program every Wednesday afternoon and the Thursday Night Chestertown Chess Club. For years he played chess at the Tea Party Festival as Ben Franklin and served as a Tea Party Festival Committee member. He made many friends in his journeys throughout the county, including during his weekly trips to the Chestertown Farmers Market.
His fascination with music began as a child in the Holy Trinity Church choir and was evident every Thursday night during his Musicology Show on WKHS. He spent hours each week preparing to share his love for different artists and genres of music with his listeners. But he loved WKHS mostly for the opportunity to work with KHS students like “Johnny Rocker” and his fellow adult DJs. His most recent contribution to Kent County’s music scene was his work as a board member for the Chestertown Jazz Festival.
The family requests that those who wish to express sympathy consider making a donation to the Social Action Committee for Racial Justice in Lain Hawkridge’s name.
Patricia Owings Sinclair ’74 worked as a retired French teacher in the Howard County Public Schools. She is survived by her husband Tim, daughter Shelly, and grandchildren Austin and Cali.
Jack Copeland '73 died in February 2020. A great lacrosse player, Jack was captain of the 1972 team. Read a tribute in his memory.
Nancy Elizabeth Dailey Anderson '72 died suddenly at her home in Newport News Virginia on February 25, 2021. After raising her daughter, she received her master's degree in Special Education from the College of William and Mary in 1991 and taught high school in Yorktown (VA) for 26 years. She is survived by her husband, Daniel, a daughter, Jennifer, a step-son, Daniel, several grandchildren, and a brother, Tom.
Dr. John Alexander Conkling passed away in Austin, Texas on Saturday, December 18, 2021. He will be remembered
not only as the world's leading expert on fireworks, but as a devoted husband, loving
father and beloved grandfather.
A proud native of Baltimore, John was a 1961 graduate of Baltimore City College. He
received his B.S. degree in 1965 from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland,
and in 1969 his Ph.D. in chemistry from Johns Hopkins University. Upon graduation
from Hopkins, Dr. Conkling returned to Washington College as a chemistry professor,
where he and his wife Sandra made Chestertown their home. During this time, he began
consulting with Dr. Joseph McLain in energetic materials and pyrotechnics, which ultimately
led to his storied career in the fireworks industry which spanned almost 50 years
(with more than 40 trips to China).
Dr. Conkling is widely regarded as one of the world's foremost experts in pyrotechnics.
He served as the Executive Director and Technical Director of the American Pyrotechnics
Association for over 30 years, and was instrumental in drafting many of the nation's
fireworks regulations. He holds 8 patents and conducted Pyrotechnic Seminars at Washington
College for nearly 3 decades. He is the author of The Chemistry of Pyrotechnics: Basic
Principles and Theory, and BOOM! America's Ever-Evolving Fireworks Industry.
A recipient of Washington College's Distinguished Teaching Award, Dr. Conkling retired
from Washington College in 2012 and was awarded its Alumni Service Award in 2013 for
his numerous contributions to the college. He and his wife were active in the Chestertown
community supporting the college and local charities.
He is survived by his wife, Sandra, and their children – Melinda Conkling Hart and
her husband Ed Hart of San Antonio, Texas, and John Conkling, Jr. and his wife Tavia
Conkling of Austin, Texas. He is the beloved grandfather of John Maxey Hart, Edward
Austin Hart, Julia Valliant Conkling, and John Alexander Conkling, III.
Nothing made "Poppy" happier than fishing with his close friends (the Fish Hawk Angling
team), watching his grandchildren play sports, and enjoying the beautiful sunsets
on the Chester River from his backyard surrounded by his family and many friends.
His kindness, humor, generosity and keen intellect will be greatly missed.
Services will be held in Chestertown in the spring 2022. If desired, friends may make
memorial contributions to Washington College or the Boy Scouts of America.
Richard James Carrington '67 of Accident, MD, passed away on Sunday, October 30, 2022, at the University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, where he spent his last days surrounded by his loving family.
Mortimer Vincent Lenane '60, passed away on May 26, 2022 in Columbia Maryland. Mort was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, uncle and friend to many. He was born in Baltimore Maryland and grew up in Harford County where he excelled as a three-sport athlete for the Bel Air Bobcats, earning a scholarship to Washington College. He gained All American honors in Baseball and Soccer and was inducted into the Washington College Hall of Fame and later graduated from the University of Baltimore Law School. Mort married his college sweetheart, Antonia (Toni) from Long Island NY and they settled in Maryland to raise their two sons, Brad (Denver Co) and Kevin (Sun Valley Id).
Mort had many interests, he traveled the world always immersing himself in the people and their cultures. He spent endless hours landscaping his beloved home on Amherst Ave. He loved Maryland seafood to the very end, especially Blue Crabs in the back yard. He volunteered for many years at the Maryland Special Olympics, loved his big and little dogs and believed in giving every one an equal chance.
Mort is survived by his wife and two sons, his brother Thomas "Pat" Lenane and sister Katherine "Kate" Smith of Street Md, two grandsons, Kyle and Brandon and granddaughters, Taylor and Kana, great granddaughter, Kaila and daughters in-law, Fran and Ann Lenane. A celebration of life will be held in his honor date TBD. In lieu of flowers, you can donate to the Alzheimer's Association or Maryland Special Olympics in Mort's name.
David Allen Sorflaten '60, age 88, paddled off into a final sunset peacefully on Oct. 9, 2020, from the shore of his home in Rock Hall with his life partner of 37 years, Pam Sine, by his side.
Born Jan. 23, 1932, in Sykesville, he was the son of the late Alvin Obert Sorflaten and Judith Vance Barton Sorflaten. He graduated from Sykesville High School and briefly studied voice at the Peabody Conservatory of Music before enlisting in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Sorflaten served from 1952 to 1956 as a Navy hospital corpsman and x-ray technician aboard the repair ship USS Amphion, AR-13, and later on the heavy cruiser USS Des Moines, the flagship of the Sixth Fleet, which operated in the Mediterranean region.
After his honorable discharge, he moved to Chestertown, where he attended Washington College under the G.I. Bill while working part time at Kent & Queen Anne’s Hospital. After college graduation, Sorflaten married Anita M. Brown, raising three children together during their 19-year marriage.
From 1960 to 1972, Sorflaten worked for the Campbell Soup Company in Chestertown, where he was active in the First Methodist Church, Boy Scouts, and the Rock Hall Yacht Club, where he crewed for several years on the log canoe Mystery.
After returning to Carroll County in 1973, he worked for Telemechanique (later bought by the Square D Company) for 17 years. For several years during this time, he also wrote a weekly outdoor column for the Carroll County edition of the Hanover Sun.
In 1990, Sorflaten moved back to Rock Hall, on the Eastern Shore, where he was in sales for the Tri-State Electric Company for an additional five years. He enjoyed boating and fishing, and was an avid nature photographer. He was a member of the Rock Hall American Legion and an active volunteer with the Friends of Eastern Neck Island at the Eastern Neck Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Jane Rayner Massey '59 passed away on February 2, 2023, at the age of 85.
Bob Tyson '59 died October 4, 2022. He is survived by his wife Helen Hull Tyson '57.
Beatrice Clarke Griffith '58 passed away on February 8, 2022.
Marguerite May Kimbles '56 of Chestertown, MD died on October 1, 2021. She was 87.
She was born in Queen Anne's County near Church Hill on May 16, 1934, the daughter of the late John Seney and Eva Anderson Kimbles. She was a 1952 graduate of Centreville High School and in 1956 she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Washington College.
Ms. Kimbles worked as a teacher for 11 years with Stevensville Jr. High and Church Hill Elementary School until 1970. She lived the majority of her life in the Church Hill and Price area. Ms. Kimbles was active with her alumni class at Washington College and enjoyed her biannual luncheons with the "Girls of '52" graduating class of Centreville High.
She was a member of Washington College Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, a former member of the National Teachers Association and the Maryland Teachers Association, and was also a member of the Price-Bethany United Methodist Church.
Anne Matthews Childress ’60, a former News American editor and freelance writer, died Sept. 23 from heart failure. She was 81. Childress graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English. Because her grades were the highest ever recorded by the College, she was the first recipient of the George Washington Medal, created to recognize this academic achievement. She also received the Alumni Medal, B. Fox Medal, and a medal from the College’s Board of Visitors and Governors. She began her career in journalism as a $40-a-week "copy girl" working for the News American and eventually became a reporter; a feature writer in the paper’s Sunday Department; and a second-string music, film, and drama critic.
In 1964, Childress was named film critic and columnist, and later became editor of the Sunday entertainment section and women’s page editor. In 1974, she left the newspaper and became a freelance writer and consultant whose major clients included the U.S. Treasury Department and Health Care Financing Administration.
Eleanor "Anna" May Sewell DeVaux Briggs '59 passed away on September 5, 2021. She is survived by her husband Arthur Briggs.
Bill Litsinger '58 died peacefully in his sleep April 13, 2022.
Kathleen J. Brackett White '58 M'80 passed from this world on July 20, 2022 at her home in Queenstown MD.
Joseph Keller '56, passed away peacefully January 2, 2022.
Joan Vanik Grim ‘56 died Dec. 18, 2020, in Berlin, Maryland, as reported by Joshua Carey ’57.
Janet Middleton Macera ’56, who earned dual degrees in sociology and psychology, passed away at her home in Waterville, Ohio, on April 16, 2020. She was 86. She was married to Sam ’57 and the mother of Andy ’83. She was very active in community theater, where she served as secretary-treasurer for 19 years, and was a skillful bridge and pinochle player and avid bowler for 40 years. Sam and Janet were married for 63 years.
Saylee May Urig Kerr ’54 died peacefully May 24, 2020, surrounded by family. She was born Sept. 4, 1932, in Baltimore, the daughter of Saylee Engel Urig and Joseph Logan Urig. She attended Amherst Central High School in Buffalo, New York, and at Washington College studied English, was president of AOPi sorority, and made lifelong friends.
Her daughter, Mary Lee Kerr, said in a note: “My mother's years at Washington College were some of the best of her life. She loved her AOPi sorority and enjoyed her excellent professors. She spoke of her college years fondly until her death. One of her best friends was Sigi Whaley '54, who still lives in Chestertown and volunteers at the College.”
After working for Hutzler’s Department Store and the Noxema company, she worked in the placement office at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. There, she met Robert Kerr, whom she married in 1959. They lived in New Jersey, California, and Alabama before settling in Durham, North Carolina, where they lived for 55 years.
When Kerr moved to Durham, she joined the Duke Campus Club and was a founding member of the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. In spite of having multiple sclerosis most of her adult life, she cheerfully and tirelessly cared for her family, her home, her beloved cats, and her garden. She was a devoted and caring daughter, wife, mother, and friend.
Kerr is survived by her husband, Robert Kerr; her daughter Mary Lee Kerr; son-in-law Timothy Bralower; and grandchildren Alex and Kate Bralower.
Thomas "Tom" Lowe Bounds '55, 88, of Timonium, MD, passed away peacefully at home due to heart failure on January 4, 2022. Tom was unfailingly kind to all, had a wonderful
sense of humor, and was well-liked by everyone. Tom grew up in Mardela Springs, MD, and graduated
in a class of 12 from Mardela High School. He graduated from Washington College in 1955,
where hemet Sue, his wife of 66 years. Tom was drafted into the Army in 1957 and stationed
in Frankfurt, Germany, where his official duties included traveling around Germany and Europe playing
third base for the 8th Armored Division baseball team. After the Army, he moved back to
Maryland's Eastern Shore and lived in Salisbury, MD where he managed the Farmers Bank of Mardela
Springs for more than 20 years. He loved to travel and instilled that love in his
children and grandchildren. Tom was fortunate enough to see most of the U.S. and many beautiful
places in Europe, including his favorite, Switzerland's Bernese Oberland, where he celebrated
his 50th wedding anniversary surrounded by family. Tom loved baseball and coached Little League
teams in Salisbury for many years. He also enjoyed watching baseball, soccer, and other
sports on TV.
Tom's intellect, inquisitiveness, and memory made him a master of geography, trivia, and statistics, and he could beat most people at Jeopardy. He was a member of the Freemasons for over 50 years. He is survived by his devoted wife Dorothy "Sue" Reichlin Bounds, his children Kathleen Bounds Smith of Timonium, MD, William (and Diana) Bounds, of Pasadena, MD, and 3 grandchildren Andrew Warren Smith, Rebecca Ann Smith, and Arianna Sienna Bounds.
James Metcalf ’53, passed away on April 19, 2019. He was 86. While at Washington College, he graduated with a degree in biology and minors in English and chemistry. He was a member of the Vernon Literary Society, earned a Mary Lu Chamberlain medal, and was a member of the Science Club. He was also active in the Washington Players, on the staff of the Pegasus, and leader of the band “The Washingtonians.” After graduation, Metcalf served in the U.S. Army, and then was a stock broker and financial planner. He and his wife of 50 years, Colette, retired to the Eastern Shore to enjoy life by the water.
James R. Wright '48 of Silver Spring, Maryland, passed away on February 21, 2022.
Born July 7, 1922 in Shawsville, Maryland, he was the son of the late James G. and
Rose A. Wright, both lifelong residents of Harford County, Maryland.
Surviving are his sons James A. Wright (Patricia) and Ronald K. Wright (Susan); grandchildren
Nicholas R. Wright, Nolan C. Wright, Rebecca Zulema Wright, and Gina Valdes; brother
Kenneth R. Wright and a number of nieces, nephews and their families. He was predeceased
by his beloved wife, Blanca Guerrero Wright.
He attended public schools in Harford County, Maryland. His undergraduate years at
Salisbury Teachers College (now Salisbury University) were interrupted by World War
II when he enlisted in the U.S. Army (1942). He served as a commissioned officer in
Tank Destroyers and in the Infantry in the European Theatre of Operations in the Second
Infantry Division. He was a Purple Heart Veteran, and wounded in the Battle of the
Bulge.
Following his discharge from the Army in 1946, he again became a full time student.
He earned degrees from Salisbury (B.S. Ed), Washington College (B.S.) and the University
of Delaware (M.S. and PhD). His major academic field was organic chemistry. Subsequently,
he completed the Harvard Business School Program for Management Development and was
a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute.
He was married to Blanca Zulema Guererro of San Marcos, Texas in 1950.
In his professional career, he first spent eight years as a research chemist in the
laboratories of Standard Oil Company of California (now Chevron). Following that,
he accepted a position with the Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards
(now NIST) in Washington, D.C. first as a senior research chemist and subsequently,
as a manager of research programs. His final position in NBS was that of Deputy Director
of the National Engineering Laboratory. He retired in 1985.
He was a Charter Member of the US Senior Executive Service, an Emeritus Member of
the American Chemical Society, a Fellow in the American Institute of Chemists, an
Honorary Member and past President of the International Union of Laboratories for
Research on Materials and Structures (Secretariat, Paris, France) and a Member of
the Loyal Order of Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He was awarded the Department of Commerce
Gold Medal for "Distinguished Achievement in The Federal Service"
Power boating on the Chesapeake Bay with family and friends, travel throughout the
USA and many foreign countries, the Antique Car Hobby (Buicks) and family genealogy
were all activities he pursued over the years.
He was a Charter Member of Saint Mark Presbyterian Church in North Bethesda, Maryland
where he served in various capacities for more than 50 years.
Betty Ann Lussier ’43, of Rock Hall, passed away on Nov. 30, 2017, at her home. She was 95.
Lussier was born Dec. 20, 1921, in Alberta, Canada. Her family moved to the United
States when she was 4. Her father had been a flying ace for the Royal Air Force in
World War I, and after the war, he became a farmer. Lussier grew up in Rock Hall and
Chestertown, and briefly attended Washington College. She transferred to the University
of Maryland to study journalism but was anxious to join the war effort. She hopped
a freighter to England in 1942, where she joined the British Air Transport Authority
as a pilot.
After a year, she joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency, and served there as a counter-spy until the end of the war. She recounted her wartime experiences in a book she wrote five years before her death, "Intrepid Woman." Lussier married Ricardo Sicre, a captain in the U.S. Army, in England at the end of World War II (1945). At the time, they were both assigned to the OSS in Europe, where they met.
After the war, Lussier moved to Spain and started a family with her husband, who had founded an import-export business with some wartime friends. However, she grew restless as a housewife, and after the birth of her fourth and last son, she moved to Morocco, where she started a corn farm and championed workers' rights. Her activities got her expelled from the country. She recounted these experiences in her book "One Woman Farm."
As her children grew older, she moved to Switzerland, where they were studying. Concurrently she finished her B.A. degree at the University of Maryland. When her sons moved to the states for their college studies, she moved with them to New York and got a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University. Upon graduation, she separated from her husband and became a social worker in the New York area, alternating with similar work in Africa for the United Nations and for Christian charity organizations. She also worked for AID in Senegal and in Morocco, where she spent three years teaching single and divorced women how to make a living and lead independent lives.
Lussier divorced in 1975, but she and her husband remained best friends; neither ever remarried. Sicre died in 1993.
After retirement, Lussier lived in Staten Island, New York, for a number of years
before settling in Pacific Palisades, California. She spent most of her later years
there, active in community affairs and busy writing her wartime memoirs. She was a
frequent visitor to Rock Hall, where her older sister, Jane Strong, lived, and moved
there in 2015 after developing Alzheimer's disease. She was cared for by her niece
Joan and her two daughters, Rosalind and Holly.
Lussier was predeceased by her eldest son, Ricardo Sicre, in 2011. She is survived
by three sons: Emile Sicre, of Mallorca, Spain; Jay Sicre, of Madrid, Spain; and Penn
Sicre, of Santa Monica, California. She had nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Dr. Frederick William Shillinger '43 passed away on January 31, 2022 at his residence in Charlottesville, VA. He was a lifelong member of the Catholic Church. He attended Washington College for two years at the age of 16 before being selected for the U.S. Navy's V-12 College Training Program because the war had accelerated the need for physicians. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he specialized in pathology, and later returned to government service working as Chief of Pathology at Bath, NY, and Martinsburg, WV. He is survived by his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Virginia Nock Hague '41 of Millington, MD, died at her home on February 5, 2023. She was 102. Read her obituary.
Paul Noto '77 P'10 '14 and his wife Jennifer recently became grandparents to two future Shoremen. Sonny and Theo Carter. (6/24)
Katie Blaha Foster '09 and Walter Smith Foster IV welcomed John "Jack" Walter Smith Foster V on November 9,
2023.
Lindsay Haislip Mehta '13 and her family are happy to announce the birth of their baby boy Cameron Alexander
Mehta on October 12, 2021.
Darren Colananni ’07 and his wife, Kristen, welcomed their baby girl, Alice "Ali" Colananni, to the world on March 12, 2021. Darren was also named to the board of Chance for Life, a nonprofit charity that raises money for pediatric cancer research.
Jeanne Clark ‘07 and Travis McCormack M'05 are happy to announce the birth of their son James Sutton. Born July 29, 2020, in Rockville, Maryland, James joins his 2-year-old brother, Patrick. (7/20)
Nick Faherty '04 announces the birth of daughter Hazel Sunflower "Sunnie" Faherty, born April 3, 2020. Faherty
and his wife, Bridget, moved from the East Coast three years ago to Seattle, where
he is currently a global business director at Xenon Arc Inc.
Jonathan '04 and Amy Lange '04 are happy to announce the birth of their son, Hudson Charles Lange. Hudson was born
July 25, 2020, and welcomed with open arms by his big sister, Henley.
Greg Ordile '04 and his wife, Kathleen, welcomed Annaliese Barbara on Dec. 6, 2019.
Katie Juromski Kennedy '08 and her husband Brian Kennedy welcomed Rory Andrew Kennedy on September 22nd, 2023. Big sister Evelyn Grace is over the moon. (6/24)
Mollie (Shipley) Smith ’13 married Garrett Smith on Oct. 27, 2018, with her Washington College women’s lacrosse teammates attending and participating in the wedding. The couple welcomed a baby girl, Collins Frances Smith, on Oct. 21, 2019.
Casey Frisch Cameron '14 and Ben Cameron '14 welcomed their daughter Charlotte Eliza Cameron on January 26, 2024. (6/24)
Summer Smith Hendrie '15 had a baby in September! Caroline Jane Hendrie was born in 9.15.23 at 8:22 pm. (6/24)
Allison Halt Donehower '16 welcomed her second child, Brian Donehower, at the end of December 2023. (6/24)
Sadie Robertson '16 and her husband, Frank Unger, welcomed their son, Franklin (Finn) Unger, on January 4, 2024. (6/24)