1991–Fall ’18 Class Letter
1991
Tracy Maher
401-225-9189 / [email protected]
Samantha Bailey
612-978-4124 / [email protected]
Greetings, Class of 1991!
Hope you had a great summer and are enjoying the abundance of pumpkin flavored foodstuff that seems to begin earlier each year. Don’t forget about the Annual Fund—if you get your donation out of the way now, you can ignore my exhortation in the spring letter! So many juicy updates—but if you missed getting yours in, send it right now and I’ll tuck it away for next time. Now on to the good stuff:
Class Notes:
KAREN MILEWSKI DYMOND ’91 writes, “I just completed my second year of teaching 4th grade math/science. Next year I will teach 4th and 5th grade math and science. I love what I’m doing! Teaching is an amazing and rewarding profession. My son just graduated from Christopher Newport University, and got married two weeks later. And my daughter graduated from high school. She will be attending University of Lynchburg in the fall. Lynchburg reminds me so much of Ripon. I’m very excited for her. ABE DYMOND ’90 continues to work at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.”
SAMANTHA BAILEY ’91 writes, “I spent the last two years building a team of 12 and redesigning a flagship software product, only to lose my job just after the product launch last fall. So that was…miserable. I got to spend lots of time volunteering at my son’s school while job hunting, but all in all I don’t have anything positive to say about unemployment. Happily, I’ve accepted a role as User Experience Director at Optum, which is part of UnitedHealth Group, and I’m delighted to be back at work.”
RACHEL FERRER ’91 writes, “I moved to Colorado last fall. I work with veterans to provide medicine.”
TIM FINNEGAN ’91 writes, “Just looking forward to Timmy’s Kindergarten graduation this week. I’m still living in Hope, Rhode Island working as a school counselor at La Salle Academy in Providence.”
KRISTEN GRAY ’91 writes, “I divide my time between San Francisco and Denver. I continue to love working in Assistive Technology and Augmentative Communication. I have a great mix of one-on-one therapy, supporting school teams, and developing materials. I’m very excited to be going on a small vacation with Ripon friends at the end of the month. Hopefully we will manage to get a picture of everyone to share in the next newsletter.”
BECKY HUSTAD ’91 and BRIAN FREY ’91 write,
“It’s been 25 years since the wedding in the woods and the reception in my dad’s hay barn. We may have unwittingly revived that whole “barn dance” theme. It was not a fancy barn, but it held the 300+ family and friends who were able to attend, and no one fell through the floor! I am grateful every day for my patient and thoughtful husband. We are so fortunate to still be on this journey together. Here is a photo from the wedding in 1993 and a few others from our marriage.”
THOMAS GREVE ’91 (freelance news writer and occasional sports producer) lives in Chicago. His oldest daughter just finished freshman year at the University of Kansas in Lawrence…his 12- year-old son is headed to junior high and already claiming that he wants to “blow through Ripon” next time he heads north. Here’s hoping.
AMY ANDERSON KESSLER ’91 writes, “I’ve joined the development staff of the Merola Opera Program in San Francisco.”
MEAGHAN MAHONY MATHEWS ’91 writes, “Our oldest is off to High School in the fall, next two will
be in junior high. JOHN MATHEWS ’89 and I still live in Riverside, just outside Chicago. We are off to Ireland this summer for vacation.”
MAURA MURPHY ’91 writes, “My oldest is heading to high school and my youngest will be a 7th grader. During the short Minnesota summer, my husband Steve and I are enjoying spending time with the kids at our new family spot on Lake Vermilion. Looking forward to catching up with dear friends at the end of June in the mountains of West Virginia, courtesy of Karen and Abe Dymond.”
HEATHER THIEME ’91 writes, “I’m looking forward to seeing my fellow Smith Hall babes in just a couple of weeks in Virginia at KAREN MILEWSKI DYMOND’S ’91 posh cabin!! I am a surgical oncologist, moved my practice to the Geisinger Cancer Center/general surgery this year and I’m the site director for the Geisinger Surgery Residency in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. My boys turn 6 and 9 this year, and my husband still has his restaurant in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.”
ELIZABETH LAKE ’91 writes, “I just finished my 1st year “back to work” after 10 years as a fulltime mom, working as a library teaching assistant at my kids’ school. I really love spending the time with the kids inspiring a love of reading. PHIL TROBAUGH ’88 and I just celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary, which is crazy because that doesn’t seem possible. Our kids are 8 and 10 and keeping us young.”
RICHARD WHIPPLE ’91 writes, “About a year and a half ago I quit my riverside community care job to become a full time stay at home dad. Nancy went back to work. I am trying to write the memoir of Alexander’s short life and being a grieving father. If any classmate would like to help with this project, please Facebook message me.”
HEATHER KLITZKE WISEMAN ’91 writes, “My twins just graduated from high school and I look forward to visiting them at Wofford and Berry College. I decided I was not ready to be an empty nester and have two foster children, ages 5 and 6. They are making me feel old and young at the same time!”
SUE KUTSCHENREUTER YOUNGS ’91 writes, “After 20 years in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, BILL YOUNGS ’89 and I are moving down to Wisconsin. I am moving back into my childhood home in Pewaukee, so life has pretty much come full circle for me. Looking forward to this new adventure as we both settle into new jobs and a new life as homeowners! If all goes well, rescuing and fostering cats and kittens will be a part of that new adventure.”
LORI KOMETER ’91 writes, “I work as a Capital Mitigation Specialist in Phoenix. Basically, I am a biographer for individuals charged with capital murder so I can try to convince juries to spare their lives of the death penalty and give them a life sentence instead. (Because Arizona still has the death penalty even though it’s barbaric). I have twin 1st graders and an amazing co-parent who shares 1/2 custody with me, so I get to rejuvenate my patience and clean my house every-other-day. Look me up if ever in the Phoenix area. I love a dinner out with old friends!”
Don’t Forget About Our Facebook Group
If you’re on Facebook, please ask to join our Class of ’91 group for updates and Ripon news. Alternatively, send your email address to [email protected] and I can add you to the group that way.
Warmly,
SAMANTHA BAILEY, TRACY MAHER