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CREATIVE THOUGHT Freedom and responsibility


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n 1973, the year of Roe v Wade, Betty Stras - burger Serotta ’54, then age 41, had a legal hospital abortion. Now, fielding calls from women agonizing over an unwanted pregnancy, she does not judge. As executive director of the Colorado Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice for 32 years, the recently retired Serotta devoted her career to helping women with personal crises that she says should be “between a woman, her doctor, and her god,” and to pro- moting aware- ness of repro- ductive-health rights and responsibilities. Alongside


faith leaders from many reli- gions, Serotta, who is Jewish, has coordinated efforts ranging from individual counseling to public advocacy


for a wo man’s right to make an in tensely personal choice without interference from the state—what she calls “reproductive justice,” a term she says has replaced the stigmatized “abortion rights.” “You wouldn’t believe how many women start


our conversations with, ‘You’re going to think I’m a terrible person…’” the Maryland native says. “The coalition fights this attitude.” Clergy— in cluding a nun, an Episcopal priest, and a Jew - ish cantor—bring the organization’s message to students, the media, legislators, and other groups. “What is needed most is education,” Serotta ar gues, “so that young people know how to be sexually responsible. It’s not just about pregnancy prevention. AIDS can kill you.” Serotta worries that access to a safe abortion


may be eroded by those “who want to take us back to the 17th century,” and she prays that President Barack Obama will have the opportu- nity to appoint a Supreme Court justice who will stand up for reproductive choice. Undeterred by controversy, Serotta empha-


sizes that she has “no agenda other than to help women live with their decisions and, by working with clergy, to assert that no one religious per- spective should be forced on anyone.” —Helen S. Edelman ’74


PATRICIA GRUMMON CLEGG 4670 CARLTON DUNES DRIVE, #14 AMELIA ISLAND, FL 32034 PATRICIACLEGG436@GMAIL.COM


visit their Connecticut home on the weekends. They have three children and five grandchildren. Warren is still em - ployed, and Sandy often travels with him. They recently returned from a trip to Italy. After Skidmore, Sandy worked for a lawyer, had children, taught school, and then worked for her husband until she retired.


’52


Carolyn Wood Halleck writes from Lewes, DE, with “grandma news and geri- atric ramblings.” Her seven children are scattered around the country, and two of her grandchildren spend summers with her as sailing instructors at the local Lewes Yacht Club. She says she is a “de - voted beach bum” and occasionally hitch- es a ride with her sailors. She also is the great-grandma of two. Caring for stray and feral cats is an important part of her life, as is driving and volunteering for the local senior center. Flora Shoemaker Taylor and her hus- band enjoy the gorgeous mountain views from their home in Kimball Junction, UT. They still take cross-country drives once or twice annually to hunt: deer in the fall and turkeys in the spring. Getting a new hip and attending the wedding of one of her four grandchildren were highlights of the year. Flo enjoyed a visit with fellow nursing major Jackie Pinover Mulrow in Ohio during a trip back east last fall. Flo welcomes friends any time, and although she did not get to our 60th, she plans to celebrate at our 65th! Eva Brunner Cohn and Don still live in


the NYC house they moved into in 1960. Eva says they have too much stuff to move, so have decided to stay put. They feel lucky to have three of their children close by in Manhattan and one in Albany, NY. They so enjoy their two grandchil- dren. Eva has joined others in our class in the knee replacement club. Arizona resident Sallie Walstrum Her -


man Bailey’s husband, Bob, passed away in 2012. She sponsored a Bob Bailey Golf Tournament for the Leisure World Foun - dation and raised more than $8,000. She still plays duplicate bridge, mah jongg, and lots of golf. One grandson, an Anna - po lis grad, is flying F-18s off of the air- craft carrier Ronald Reagan, and her other grandson, a Coast Guard Academy grad, is flying helicopters.


34 SCOPE FALL 2013


Sandy Emerson Kurzrock and husband Warren live in NYC and


Dawn Rylander Spitz and Eric spent


the winter in Sarasota, FL, but were glad to be back on Cape Cod this summer. In Florida they sang in two musical revues. Dawn published an e-book of verse this past year called Voices of Dawn and also had a story about our Skidmore lily gar- den included in an anthology titled Hot Chocolate for Seniors. She and Eric have eight grandchildren and two great-grands. Kit Cetrule Kenyon’s husband, Tip, informed me that Kit has been in a nurs- ing home for the past three years. She is in good physical health but has had Alz - heimer’s disease for eight years. Tip visits with her daily, feeds her, and loves her beautiful smile. He sends his best to all of her Skidmore friends. Judy Schwarz Mossman recently en -


tered the Wesley Health Care Center in Saratoga Springs. She too is suffering from Alzheimer’s. She still remembers all of her family members and the fact that she is a Skidmore graduate. Her four children, husband Al, and the staff at Wesley are so attentive to her. After selling her house, Ann Brown Abdalla moved into a new apartment complex where she does not have to worry about upkeep. She adds that she kept her local Stewart’s shop busy with almost daily visits to the make-your-own sundae bar! Sallie Bailey sent me the sad news that Arden Weyde Somers passed away on May 19. The two were close friends for more 68 years. Bridesmaids in each other’s weddings, they married men who had known each other most of their lives. They stayed in touch even though Sallie lived in Arizona and Arden was on the East Coast. Sallie recalls, “Arden had a special artistic gift. Her knowledge and appreciation of fine antiques made her home so very beautiful.” My husband, Bill, and I had a wonderful


trip on the Seine River from Normandy to Paris last March. At a beautiful ceremony at the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach, Bill was the only WWII veteran in our group. What an emotional event! We also visited Houston, TX, to visit a grand- daughter who is teaching in a Knowledge is Power Program public charter school. BETTY JOHNSON BOOTHE 14 HEEGEONG DRIVE DENNIS, MA 02638-2220 508-385-5735 BETTYBOOTHE@GMAIL.COM


amazing warm weather (a record 95 ’53


What a stellar reunion! Our 60th was all we could have hoped for:


AT WORK


GERALD SCHUSTER


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