Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Welcome to the Theta blog!

Welcome to the Theta Phi blog!

This blog has been created to allow us to share what's been going on in our lives and communicate with each other in an open forum. 
 
There are two ways you can add news or comments to the blog:

• You can email your comments (and photos) directly to me (azpook@gmail.com).

• You can also add news (but not photos) by clicking on "comments" at the bottom of each posting.  Be sure to check for comments left by others!
 
Whenever there is a new posting, I'll send word out to everyone.
 
Spread the word! Please pass this site along to any Theta sisters you may be in touch with.
 
Looking forward to hearing from you!

 
Yours in Theta,








"Pook" Siprin Bellini
1967 Pledge Class President

Sunday, December 3, 2023

HOPE THIS FINDS YOU ALL WELL!

Dear Theta Sisters, 
 
It's been a VERY long time since I last posted on the blog and I send apologies to anyone who sent info that didn't get posted.  If you sent me something and it's not included in this posting, please send it again! 
 
Thanks to Pat Withers for sharing this photo from this year's luncheon which was held on October 21st at Maggie Mae's in New Paltz. 

Thanks to Laurie Spiegel for the following information which was shared by some sisters who couldn't attend the luncheon:
 
From: Petrina(Tantillo) Tersillo ‘60
 - Sorry I cannot make it this year. I will be on a cruise.  Tell everyone sorry and am sending many hugs.

From: Nancy (Arcoleo) Erikson ‘59 
- So sorry I'm unable to attend this year's luncheon. Medical issues keep me away unfortunately. Wishing all sisters a great time.

From: Carol Hearst Brott '63 
- I will be in town for my Class Reunion but have another commitment for the same day and time. Please send my sisters in Theta my best along with special memories.

From: Priscilla (Tesone ) Tortorella ‘61 
- Timing is everything…& mine is off! We’ll be in Florida by then so will not attend this year’s luncheon. However, I still conduct a zoom session every two weeks with Ann, Chris, Ruth, Carole, Roni & Nancy…a practice we began during the Pandemic! Enjoy the luncheon & give those attending a big Theta hug!
 
From: Nina (Friedman) Lazar - '66 
So sorry I won't be able to make it.  Two other family events are planned for that date.  Perhaps next year... Please give my warmest regards to all who attend.  Be happy and stay safe!
 
From: Carmella (Lagano) Alfano ‘66
 - Thanks for the reminder. I wish I could be there. I have commitments on both Friday and Sunday of that weekend, and it’s too late to change either. Regards to the class of 1966!
 
From: Bobbi (Burns) Murray ‘71
- Regretfully, I am not able to attend the Theta luncheon this year. I just learned a few days ago that I need to be in Chicago that weekend.  I will be meeting my son's "intended" in-laws. I am sending my RSVP today. I admire the job you're doing. I miss that Long Long line of Thetas...🎢 Sending purple πŸ’œ
 
From: Donna (Mastroianni) Kubovic ‘72 - 
I will not be attending this year’s luncheon. I am having cataract surgery in October the week before and the week after the 21st. Please send my good wishes to all the Thetas who will be attending. Thanks to all the members who keep Theta going strong.
 
From: Carol (Cooper) Sonenblum ‘72
 - Sorry, that I won't be able to attend. Please send my love to all my Theta sisters.
 
From: Linda Kvam ‘72
 - I was really touched by the “Theta Phi” newsletter that I received over a month ago. I was especially surprised to see my name included in the list of “news” makers. Please tell Janice that she does a terrific job, and her efforts are appreciated by me and probably by everybody! I really enjoyed the luncheon last year and hope that you have a good time this year.

From: Ann (Bonventre) Van Damm ‘74
 - Sorry I will have to miss this year’s get together.  It’s my granddaughter’s 5th birthday and we are babysitting for the 3½ year old twins while mom and dad are in London.  Busy weekend.  Hello to all!!

From: Celeste (Silvers) Reingold ‘74
 - Well, I will be back in Florida by the annual luncheon. Maybe next year-hope all is well- I look forward to seeing the news of all the Thetas. I am in St. Pete Beach Florida is anyone comes down my way.

From: Linda (Yatchie) Goncher ‘75
 - I regret I won’t be able to attend. Have a great time Thetas!
 
Also, we received 2 individual donations towards the luncheon from:

Bob Mahoney, husband of Lolly Cox Mahoney ‘58. After Lolly passed away in 2021, Bob asked that we continue to send him the newsletter. He enjoys the connection to sisters he knew from when Lolly was at New Paltz. Last year he also sent us a donation.
 
Flo Ferguson Brandt ’68. Flow said that commitments keep her from attending luncheons but she wanted to help out.

Financial Update – Laurie Spiegel, Treasurer

2022: Last year, we began the year with $10,272.34 in the bank. Last October, we had twice the number of sisters attend the luncheon compared to the previous year and each plate was more expensive. So, we finished the year with a net luncheon expense of $558.70. With additional expenses for the newsletter and NY State income taxes, we ended the year with $9324.55 in the bank, a reduction of $947.79 from 2021. The 2022 financial statement is available here for anyone interested.

For this current year, with fewer sisters joining us today, our net expense for the luncheon will be around $175. Added to the typical newsletter and taxes expenses, Laurie expects the year to end with a reduction in assets of about $500. This will leave us with about $8800 in the bank.

The bottom line is that we have enough money to continue on, and we would like to plan for a luncheon next year.

Now this is the BIG news: 
 
With our NY State Certificate of Incorporation dated April 24, 1933, 
we are officially celebrating our 90th anniversary 
as a SUNY New Paltz sorority!  
Congratulations to each and every one of us, 
and everyone who came before us for this achievement!! 
Happy anniversary Theta Phi Gamma!! 
Let’s toast to that!!!
 
Thanks to Janice Oehler for sharing the following news about Lynn Heyman (68).

Janice said that Lynn sent her a bookmark from her latest novel, Paris Moments, which she wrote during the pandemic. 
 
Olga Vezeris (‘68), a dear friend of Lynn’s, has worked in publishing for over 30 years & helped with the editing in addition to giving Lynn support while she worked on her novel. Lynn has been invited to Paris & the French Riviera to do presentations of her book. She stated, “I am so happy to have a major following in France as well as here in the United States and around the world.”

According to the bookmark, Lynn has been a French teacher and has studied & spent years in Paris & throughout France.


Wednesday, July 26, 2023

We Mourn the Passing of Linda Whitaker Megdanis

Maryanne Herzog has shared the following news about the passing of Linda Whitaker Megdanis:

Linda’s husband reached out to me a week ago to share of Linda’s passing.

My heart is brokenπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œ

Linda Megdanis Obituary

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

2022 LUNCHEON

Dear Theta Sisters-

In case you missed our annual newsletter via snail mail, here are the details on the upcoming luncheon.

THETA PHI ANNUAL LUNCHEON

Date: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2022

Time: 12:00 NOON

Place: THE CREEKSIDE BISTRO – 1128 ROUTE 32, ROSENDALE, NY

MENU (Please select from the following):

ENTRÉE (CHOOSE ONE):

GRILLED CAJUN SALMON WITH CILANTRO

CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH GREEK MARINADE

SAUTEED BEEF TIPS

VEGETARIAN DISH

SIDES (CHOOSE TWO):

RICE

SALAD

FRENCH FRIES

CHIPS

POTATO CROQUETTES

COLESLAW

THERE WILL BE AN ASSORTMENT OF DESSERTS, COFFEE, TEA, AND SOFT DRINKS.

THE PRICE IS $25.00. Please reply to this email with your RSVP and food selection. Then send your check payable to Theta Phi Alumnae Association to Laurie Spiegel, 11 Murphy Circle, Florham Park, NJ 07932. THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 25.

Many thanks to Rosarie for planning this wonderful luncheon. QUESTIONS??? CALL PAT WITHERS 631-669-2018. We hope to see you all there.

Yours in Theta,

Laurie Spiegel,

Theta Phi Alumnae Treasurer

 

Friday, July 1, 2022

Alumnae News

This page has been reformatted to allow each new posting to be listed separately. Since there is a limit to how many postings appear on a page, you will need to click on "older posts" (lower right corner of each page) to see previous posts. There are lots of posts hiding there... don't miss them!  Alternatively, you can go to the BLOG ARCHIVE at the bottom of the left sidebar and search for postings by date and title.
 
In most cases, you should be able to click on a photo to enlarge it.

Monday, February 28, 2022

We Mourn the Passing of Four Theta Sisters

 Laurie Spiegel has shared this information about the passing of four of our Theta sisters.


Ruth Niesen Samuel

Ruth Samuel (Class of 1942) of Brick, NJ passed away in 2015 at the age of 94. Born in 1920, she was the oldest member on the Theta Phi roster. Ruth was one of the first women inducted into the US Coast Guard SPARs serving from 1943 to 1946. A charter member of Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation, she is one of the female WWII veterans featured at the memorial in Arlington. Ruth was a second-grade teacher and worked as a substitute before her retirement.

Ruth Samuel Obituary (1920 - 2015) - 94, Brick, NJ - MyCentralJersey (legacy.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nancy Keller Kelly

Nancy Kelly (Class of 1951) of Valatie, NY passed away in 2018 at the age of 89. She was a former kindergarten teacher at Kinderhook (Ichabod Crane) Central School District for over 20 years before working at the N.Y.S. Department of Taxation and Finance in Albany.  An avid golfer and volunteer, Nancy was “an extremely independent woman who continued to live at home by herself right up until her recent illness.”

 Nancy Kelly Obituary (2018) - Valatie, NY - Albany Times Union (legacy.com)

 

Eileen McFetridge

Eileen McFetridge (Class of 1953) was born in Oyster Bay, NY and lived in Greenport, NY when she passed away at age 85 in 2018. Eileen was a supporter and activist for affordable housing in the North Fork of Long Island worked to spearhead the Initiative for Community Land Trust of Southold Town.

Eileen McFetridge Obituary (1932 - 2018) - Greenport, NY - Newsday (legacy.com)

New groups seek to create affordable housing on the North Fork - The Suffolk Times (timesreview.com)

 

Alice Foley Martin

Alice Mary Foley Martin (Class of 1957), a lifelong resident of Warwick, NY, passed away at home in 2014 at age 78. Before retiring, Alice was an Art Teacher with the Monroe-Woodbury Schools in Central Valley, NY for 38 years and was an artist in her own right. She was a Supervisor for Student Teachers at SUNY, New Paltz.  She spent her life with horses and was an avid rider.

 

In Memory of Alice Foley Martin (lsvpmemorialhome.com)

 

Monday, October 18, 2021

2021 THETA LUNCHEON

 

  1. Rosanne Senatore Adams ‘69
  2. Virginia A. Esser ‘59
  3. Carol Zimel Cohen ‘72
  4. Rosarie (Beads) Mastropaolo ‘73
  5. Rosalie Meunier Pahel ‘71
  6. Pat McKeown Withers ‘70
  7. Holly Anderson Van Such ’75
  8. Laurie Chase Spiegel ’75
  9. Barbara Nawroth Fatjo ‘68
  10. Marie Sabia Martin ‘61
  11. Maryanne DeGennaro Herzog ‘72
  12. Chris Brown, SUNY New Paltz Director of Alumni Relations

Ann Bonventre Van Damm ‘74 – not in photo

Thursday, September 2, 2021

Old Theta Photo

 Thanks to Laurie Spiegel for sharing this photo from the New Paltz archives.


Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Message from Nina Lazar

Hi Sisters... I'd love to make it to the luncheon on the 16th.  Barring any unforeseen reason to prevent it, I'll see you then!  Please put me down as a YES!  Thanks to Janice and Pat for their efforts. 

All stay safe... I'm still masking up when in closed areas.  Wish we could turn this thing around, but for now, better safe than sorry!

Warm regards - Nina xox

I don't have pics of me alone in recent years, so sending this along from a number of years back - maybe 12 or so.  Here I am in Salonica, Greece (birthplace of my maternal grandparents, but at that time Thessaloniki [the Greek name for Salonica] was under Turkish rule). The photo is right in front of the Aegean Sea. 

We Mourn the Passing of Lolly Cox Mahoney ‘58

 

Lolly's husband, Bob, recently contacted Janice Oehler and shared the news of Lolly's passing on May 26,2021.

"Mary Jane “Lolly” Mahoney peacefully passed from this earth at home surrounded by family at the age of 84 following a lengthy illness. Words alone cannot do justice to the good life she lived. Lolly was an amazing and extraordinarily capable woman, a true partner in marriage to her husband Robert “Bob” Patrick Mahoney, devoted to her brood of five, her faith, and each community to which life led her."

Lolly's Obituary