July 25, 2014, was the designated date for gathering classmates from the Rocky Mountain Time Zone, specifically Colorado and New Mexico. Turned out that was just the beginning.Amy Bright Unfried came from Jackson Hole, WY; Barbara Wolff Rogers from Cheyenne, WY. Marjorie Siegel Greenberg joined us from Washington DC, and Gail Jackson came from Santa Fe, NM. Eva Youngstrom Knight drove in from northern Colorado and Ellen Jaffe from Toronto. Judy Peller Hallett, who actually lives in Maryland, stopped by on her travels between New York and Aspen. Suzanne Speaker, in town from Steamboat Springs, played chauffeur for the out-of-towners. Jan Watkins Beattie and host/anchorperson Phyllis Gottesfeld Knight were the only Denver denizens in the pack. (Sheri Moore Linnell, currently of Fort Collins, CO, was sidelined at the last minute for heart surgery.)

Our reunion began Friday evening with a delightful meal served up at home by Phyllis Knight. Afterward conversation explored how we are adjusting to getting older and how we deal with medical issues. Ellen Jaffe shared some terrific poems from her new book, Skinny Dipping with the Muse. Eva displayed a splendid quilt she had created which traces the arc of a woman’s life. Amy offered brochures from her latest sculpture show, and Gail displayed photos of her paintings. Jan shared several photographs she and her husband had taken of travels within Colorado and abroad. (She was elected official photographer of our mini-reunion, but everyone was well equipped with smartphones and cameras, so there is an embarrassment of riches.)

On Saturday morning we drove in convoy out to Phyllis’s family’s mountain home in the foothills above Black Hawk. After a refreshing pause to avoid the threat of lightning from a passing squall, Jan led us on a wildflower hike on a nearby trail. Phyllis had ordered box lunches for everyone, and lunchtime conversation, which centered mainly on favorite travels, revealed the astonishing fact that of the six people seated at the table, three had climbed Macchu Picchu, some more than once.

Sunday morning found us all at the Denver Art Museum, where we brunched at Pallettes. Afterward, some toured the Clyfford Still Museum, some hit the Art Museum, some visited the gift shop. Final goodbyes were said as we all began to scatter, much enriched by the experience. A favorite benefit was what we called the “Reading List”, compiled for the most part by Amy, and shared by one and all in the blizzard of e-mail that followed our return home. Judy is also cranking up to assemble a film festival composed of movies that all feature Wellesley, and to persuade a friend at the American Film Institute to sponsor it.  

Many thanks to all who participated, in whole or in part. We look forward to seeing you in 2016!

Reported by Suzanne Storey Speaker