Denver Sisters
The last Chapter meeting was in October. November’s Thanksgiving dinner was cancelled due to heavy snow here in Denver, but our crazy Colorado weather gave us a beautiful December and we were able to meet at
President Elly Danko’s for a lovely Christmas social.
Gennie McCloskey resigned officially this year, but has visited her sorority sisters many times, weather permitting.
Betty Shea has been busy this year caring for her husband but after a successful surgery, he is now 100% better. His renewed health has allowed them to travel this year and they paid a visit to their son’s alpaca farm in Illinois. They were greeted by three new baby alpacas; one of them was born pitch black to a pure white mother! Betty also mailed our Christmas donations to the Salvation Army and the Denver Rescue Mission.
Elly Danko is doing great now, but had quite a year full of medical issues. She was unable to make her yearly trip to Germany, but is already looking forward to next year’s visit. Around the November timeframe, she finally started feeling better and was able to bake her famous Christmas cookies. She was even well enough to join Isolde and her daughter for the Madrigal dinner.
Walburga Salazar continues to help the elderly and disabled people in her apartment building by running errands for them or driving them to various appointments. Walburga suffered two losses this year: one of the residents passed away, and she also lost her beloved cat. Good news also came to Walburga when she received news that her son, Richard, underwent a successful quadruple bypass surgery.
Isolde Meyer was also slowed down this year with a broken vertebra. She stayed with her daughter, Melissa, for five months, but is now back in her own home and doing great. She recovered by December and managed to bake 16 different varieties of Christmas cookies totaling over 1400 pieces! Isolde also suffered the loss of family and friends this year.
VICKSBURG ALPHA CHAPTER
Lucille Ables went to Georgia to see her newest great-grandson and her granddaughter’s beautiful new home in Senoia, GA. She saw her sister in Canton, GA, and her sister from Ft. Payne, AL. All went to the Apple Barn and brought back lots of “good eats.” She had a great time.
Pam Gee has been on the road once again. She hasn’t had time to sort through her 620 photos from her trip to Ireland in late September because she flew to Richmond, VA, to celebrate her oldest grandson Michael’s 11th birthday. Soon after came a church retreat, then a wonderful week in Virginia getting acquainted with her new granddaughter, Addison. It was back to Virginia for Christmas where son Scott and his family joined them for a few days after Christmas.
Frances Koury writes: “I am glad to report some "happy news". Kathy spent a week with me at Thanksgiving. She always brightens the corners----Granddaughter Dayna, spent Christmas and my grandson Aaron Koury and his bride, Elizabeth of Dallas, Texas, spent a few days after Christmas with me. I was able to be a part of all of the festivities surrounding their beautiful wedding ceremony in Dallas on October 24. They spent two weeks in Ireland on their honeymoon and haven't come down out of the clouds yet! What a joy it was to have them here. I am trying to again help coordinate "A Day With The Symphony" with The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Friday, January 29, 2010, at 7 p.m. at the convention center. A Free Concert courtesy of generous sponsors. Please plan to attend.
Twenty-eight joined
Jean McKnight for Thanksgiving dinner, including three children plus grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Sue Rowlett and her son traveled to Bossier City, LA, to visit Sue’s sister, Opal Hill.
It was a quiet Christmas for
Bernett Tucker and her husband, Guy. They spent the week at the beach at Gulf Shores with daughter Debbie and her family.
Lois Waldbauer threw a few snowballs up in northern Ohio over Thanksgiving. Loved it! They had 28 for dinner, so there were no leftovers.
Christmas was very good for
Illma Williams and her husband, Milton. They spent time with family and friends and were blessed with good health.
VICKSBURG BETA CHAPTER
Margharita Davis and hubby Bill enjoyed their 3 children: son Key and his daughter Megan of Vicksburg; daughter Margaret and her husband Billy Smith with sons Trey, Aubrey and Hunter from Brandon; son Lee with friend Rachel Micklethwait from Austin, Texas for Thanksgiving at their home on Redbone Road. They were celebrating also their son Key’s continued good health. He has had Chronic Leukemia since October ’08. Everyone returned for a joyous Christmas of much love, good health and great food.
Marie Hernandez spent Thanksgiving holidays in Birmingham with son Bob and his wife Joy. She also visited with Granddaughter Susan Ray and great grands Walker and Mary Douglas Ray. Bob was named one of the FAB 40 as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the School of Health Professions at UAB. Bob will go to Armenia in February to teach for several weeks at the American University. All of that is the good news. The bad news is that she had to replace the heating and cooling system in the house two days before Christmas. Then her microwave went out and she had to get a new one. It was a hectic time but son Bob came and brought presents and Marie was invited to share the holiday with our sister Kalar Fultz. They talked about our old memories of PAK and shared a few laughs along with some misted eyes. Kalar is doing well for someone 97 years old. Kalar's son Kent and his wife Linda come from Brandon to be sure that Kalar has a wonderful celebration. I hope you have a wonderful 2010. Along with our problems God has richly blessed us.
VICKSBURG DELTA CHAPTER
Helene Benson and husband Rich enjoyed our Christmas in Savannah, GA. She does have new PAK pins available if anyone would like to purchase. They are $20.15 each.
Tricia Copelin and her husband, Larry, have a lot going on right now--they are adding a big addition onto a house they have in Oxford, and will soon be moving up to Oxford for retirement. (They bought the land when they were seniors at Ole Miss in 1973, with the long-range plan to retire there!) They plan on using their handy-man skills to do a lot of the inside finish work on the new addition themselves. Other exciting news for the Copelin family is the expected arrival this spring of their first grandson, due in March to their youngest son, Jamie Copelin, and his wife, Michelle. The Copelin's youngest granddaughter, Carley Copelin, will be 10 years old on January 7, 2010. Carley's parents are Tricia and Larry's oldest son, Dirk, and his wife, Melissa Copelin. Both sons and their families now live in Vicksburg. Jamie moved back to Vicksburg with Michelle from Denver in August.
Joan Morgan and her husband entertained visitors from India. Hal stayed with them in February while leading a Rotary Exchange Group. In October their daughter Michelle, treated her dad, brother, and mom to a long weekend in St. Louis. They saw a St. Louis Cardinals game, enjoyed an Italian dinner on The Hill, saw where she first lived, and visited Grant's Farm, which included the Clydesdale horse farm and Ulysses Grant's home. Hal and Joan visited Savannah for a reunion of officers who served in Germany in the late 60's, followed by a stop in Charleston to visit her nephew and family. She is recovering from another hip replacement and hopes to soon be gardening again.
Josephine Peterson accompanied by her twin sons, John and Will, spent Christmas with Richard, Jodi, and their four children in South Carolina. It was John’s first visit home at Christmas since moving to Arizona three years ago. It was wonderful seeing Christmas through the eyes of four excited little ones. After Christmas, “the men” and Josephine took an excursion to Helen, Georgia, for a day. Helen is a quaint little German town with interesting shops and delicious food. We enjoyed a carriage ride and learned the town’s history. It was fun to be together. Before leaving for South Carolina, Josephine hosted the Delta Chapter in her home for their annual Christmas party.
Joann White reports that she attended the Fall Choral Concert on November 5 at the WCHS Auditorium where she enjoyed her grandson Paul singing with the Madrigals, the Concert Men’s Choir, and Total Sound. She writes, “Family gathered for Thanksgiving. I cooked for twelve and I have just learned to cook for one! I spent two weeks in December with my sister, Tannie Bryan. We attended a Christmas Tea given by Bells and Books on December 5. On December 6, I attended First Baptist Church’s Dinner Theatre for their presentation of “Only Love.” We enjoyed shopping in Oxford, MS, and Collierville, TN. December 12th, I attended Singe Feaste at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center with my son, Ronny. It was delightful! On December 24th, family gathered again for celebrating our Savior’s birth. Happy New Year!”
VICKSBURG OMEGA CHAPTER
John Matthew Hossley was born November 24, 2009 at Woman's Hospital. John weighed 7 lbs 9 oz and was 20 1/4 inches long. He is the son of Matthew and
Katie Hossley, Omega Chapter. John is also the grandson of Anita Hossley, Omega Chapter and is also welcomed by an older brother, James. Congratulations to the new parents and grandparents. Anita Hossley traveled to Ocean Springs, MS after celebrating Thanksgiving at home. She and other family members attended the wedding of her niece, Stacie Zorn who was married Nov. 28.
Marian Love Phillips and her husband Bob were invited to the Christmas Place Plantation and Hunting Club in the MS Delta near Eden, MS, for a hog hunt on December 5, 2009. Marian did not see a hog while her husband, Bob, shot a 145lb. boar hog. This was his first hog to ever harvest. Congrats to Bob! Marian’s husband, Bob, also suffered a mild heart attack on December 9 and is recovering well. Marian flew to Fredericksburg, VA, on December 22 through the 29th, to spend Christmas week with her youngest daughter, Marian “Suzi” Suzanne, her hubby, Dennis and granddaughter, Emma who is 2-½ years old. This was their Christmas gift to her. Marian's brother, Marion E. Love, Jr., was hospitalized for congestive heart and kidney failure on New Year's Day. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Katherine Turcotte and her husband, Roy, became great grandparents again - Paisley, born August 19, 2009 in Albuquerque, NM. Congrats to the parents, grandparents and great grandparents! Roy had shoulder and hand surgery on October 6th and he is still slowly but surely recovering from his stroke he had in 2007. In August, Katherine was elected Regional Vice President for the Southeast Region of NAADAC - The Association for Addiction Professionals.
Joan Donovan and her husband, Mike, traveled to the Smokey Mountains in October. The leaves were at their peak and were beautiful. They also saw three cub bears playing in a tree. Her husband, Mike took a lot of pictures of them and two were published in the Vicksburg Post.
Myrtle Alvarado and her husband, Bobby made a trip to Charleston and Chapel Hill for his Citadel "mini-reunion" in September, then drove on to Washington, DC, where we had a wonderful time sightseeing - the National Cemetery and Tomb of the Unknown for the changing of the guard - so very moving; Smithsonian Space and Science Museum; National Holocaust Museum; took the train into New York, visited the Museum of Natural History, and were able to see a number of plays. They ate at some wonderful restaurants and experienced almost every mode of transportation - great experience! They weren't back in Vicksburg but a few days when Bobby had emergency surgery for gallbladder removal. He breezed right through and is having no problems at all with diet - how lucky can he get! Looking forward to another grandchild in February. Her youngest son, Jerome and his wife Caroline are expecting a little boy, and she can’t wait to baby-sit!
Connie Greer fell and suffered a broken hip in her home in Marion Park and is recovering slowly.
General Omega Chapter News:
Elizabeth Smith, Curator, at the National Park Museum, spoke to Omega Chapter at their November meeting. Elizabeth's topic was preservation of cherished items, photographs, and collectibles. Her presentation was not only interesting but also very helpful. Ms Smith distributed handouts with further information on her topic.
During October members brought Halloween items and school supplies to the meeting for Olivia Lee's kindergarten class at Warrenton Elementary. Members of Omega chapter brought nonperishable food items for the Storehouse Community Food Pantry at the chapter's November meeting. For their December project, members adopted needy children from a list provided by DHS.
Our Christmas Party was held on Saturday, December 12, at 7:00 p.m. at Eli's Treehouse Restaurant & Sports Grill on Cherry Street. We ordered off the menu and afterwards opened our presents and the husbands/guest played dirty Santa. You can view photos of the event at oour PAK blog site at: http://pakomegachaptersnapshots.blogspot.com. Omega Chapter would like to take this opportunity to wish all our Sisters in PAK a very Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year!
Alpha Chapter is busy planning for Founder’s Day in March. Stay tuned for details!
**** Deadline for the next Keynote – March 26. ****
Our meeting is this coming Wednesday, February 3, at the Senior Center. Hostesses are Vera, Katherine, Pat, and Ina. Our philanthropic is Haven House Family Center. They need personal care items, gift cards, dishes, pots and pans, etc.
