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)

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

Old Theta Photo

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

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

Message from Jean Ward

Hello all!

I would love to be with you, but I recently was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and will be undergoing treatments but am very optimistic about my outcome.  Paul and I have enjoyed many travels - to Portugal just before the Covid, and this spring in the US to Graceland, spending a few days in Memphis,  traveling as far north as Indianapolis, then on to Nashville, visiting friends and family along the way.  If you like ribs, you just have to try them at BB King's! restaurant!  Hope you all have a wonderful luncheon.  I'm looking forward to the next one!

Take care, 

Jean Ward, Class of '64

 

Theta House 2021

Thanks to Pat Withers for sharing this photo of Theta House taken a couple of weeks ago.  It sure looks pretty!

Notice the color of the shutters!

Click to enlarge.

2021 LUNCHEON NEWS

Thanks to Pat McKeown Withers and Janice Oehler for sharing news of a Theta Luncheon in New Paltz on October 16.  At this time, they would like to get a headcount to see how many would be interested in attending.  

 

Please email Pook and she will get the information back to Pat and Janice. 

We Mourn the Passing of Liza Kosel '74

 Laurie Spiegel has shared the following news about the passing of Liza Kosel.

I got word the other day that Liza Kosel (class of 74) passed away last week from a combination of cancer, COVID, and pneumonia. Liza was 68. There was no funeral -  her ashes are to be scattered in Colorado. Liza's sister, Ellen, shared the sad news and I let Ellen know that I would pass this on to the Theta alumni to be included in the next newsletter.

Liza was at the last luncheon in 2019 and I'm attaching a picture of her, along with Jayne Brown Wynne and myself. It was a great day to be all together. Liza was my big sister and was protective of me from the start. She will very much be missed. May her memory be a blessing!!

Liza leaves behind her husband, Persy Ramos, and her sisters Leslie Eckstein of Tampa, FL and Ellen Zarcone of Monsey, NY . Donations may be sent in her memory to the ASPCA. Liza loved animals and she took in rescues.

We Mourn the Passing of Fran Monahan '50

Janice Oehler and Shirley Gordineer Townsend have shared the news of the passing of Fran Freer Cooke Monahan. Theta Sorority Graduating class 1950.  A wonderful person, friend, beloved teacher, soft spoken, kind.   She will be missed by family and friends.