News | Gallaudet University Class of 1957

Jack Hathway who was with Class of 1957 for a year in his preparatory year is now at Columbus Colony Elderly Care. Because of lack of communication in some places where he was placed in Wisconsin, his wife, Ann Marie, and children decided on Columbus Colony for the sake of communication. Jack was stricken with a stroke several years ago, and he has dementia. He needs to be placed in nursing home for assistance, and he is very happy where he is now instead of some places in Wisconsin.

Ann Marie and her children would like for you to send him some letters and cards from time to time to cheer him up. Here is his mail information: Jack R. Hathway, Columbus Colony Elderly Care, Room 312, 1150 Colony Drive, Westerville, OH 43081. Jack’s birthday date is December 23rd.

On behalf of Class of 1957, we hope Jack will find continuation of happiness in Columbus Colony, and we pray for Ann Marie and the family.

FYI: www.columbuscolony.org

Kay Francis and Joe

Karin Joan Polzin, Deaf daughter of Marlys and Robert “Bob” Scribner also graduated from Gallaudet with a BA in 1988 and a MA in 1992. Karin got her second MA in Guidance Counseling in 2005. She is presently employed at Maryland School for the Deaf, Columbia Campus as Mental Health Counselor. Bob, thank you for getting our attention that we, the Class of 1957, have another Deaf Gallaudet graduate whose parents are members of Class of 1957.

May 24, 2010

1957 Classmates

We are very happy to share a newsworthy note from Al and Sally Pimentel with you. They have a hearing daughter, Carolyn, who received her Master’s at Gallaudet in 1981. She graduated with School Psychology as her major, and she has been with Indiana School for the Deaf as school psychologist ever since 1981.

THE TALLY:

We, the Class of 1957, have two deaf and three hearing children who enrolled and graduated from Gallaudet.

Deaf children:
Carlene Thumann-Prezioso in 1980 (BA) and 1984 (MA)
Judy Diot Pfau (ex-1982). Graduated in 1983 from Oregon College
William Jacobs in 2010 (BA)

Hearing children:
Carolyn Pimentel in 1981(MA)
Helen Thumann in 1991 (MA)
Mary Thumann in 2006 (MA) and August 2010 (PhD)

We hope we have made an accurate report.

Hugs,

Kay Francis and Joe

May 18, 2010

Class of 1957

CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS

The other day we emailed reporting Judy (Diot) Pfau was the first child of Class of 1957 classmates to be graduated from Gallaudet. We were wrong, and we want to apology to Miriam (Bredahl) Thumann who reported her daughter, Carlene Prezioso, graduated in 1980 with BA and she got her MA in 1984.

Judy’s mom (Virginia Luke) reported Judy did not graduate from Gallaudet as we thought she did. She, a member of Class of 1982, left Gallaudet and graduated from another college near Salem, OR. Right now she is a third-grade teacher at Maryland School for the Deaf, Frederick Campus.

Therefore, William (Bill) Jacobs nailed down as the second deaf child of Class of 1957 classmates to be graduated from Gallaudet.

And, we would like to mention that some of the hearing children of Class of 1957 classmates went to Gallaudet, and they earned their degrees at Gallaudet.

They are as follow:

Helen Thumann, MA in Deaf Ed in 1991.
Mary Thumann, MA in Linguistics in 2006 and is on her way to receive PhD this August.

Helen and Mary are members of Gallaudet faculty/staff along with their sister, Carlene, who is working as Special Assistant to the Dean of Graduate School and Professional Programs for Research/Institutional Review Board Coordinator.

Okay, corrections have been made. Please help us if we need additional corrections.

Please feel free to send us any news about you and your family. We will be very happy to announce the news to CLASS OF 1957.

Thank you.

Hugs,

Kay Francis and Joe

John and Judith Jacobs were in town (Washington, DC) for few days recently. They were here to attend graduation event at Gallaudet and witnessed their son’s (William) big day on Friday, May 14.

William, heartfelt congratulations to you from Class of 1957. We also extend the congratulatory message to John and Judith, too.

We had an opportunity to visit with them on Saturday, May 15, and showed the town to them. We learned William is going to take up masters’ work at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD for two years.

NOTE OF INTEREST:

William Jacobs is the second Gallaudet graduate whose parents are members of Class of 1957. Guess who was the first? Judy (Diot) Pfau, daughter of Virginia Luke and deceased Truman Diot, was the first one, and she graduated in 1982.

Kay Francis and Joe

Hi Classmates:

Yesterday (Wednesday, May 12, 2010) some of the local classmates witnessed a beautiful ceremony honoring T. Alan Hurwitz.

The ceremony, The Inauguration of President T. Alan Hurwitz, was held at Gallaudet Field House before a good capable crowd. The tenth President of Gallaudet University was honorably bestowed by speeches given by some greeters from various organizations and groups along with some outstanding performances by Kendall students.

The afternoon program was an outstanding event, and President T. Alan Hurwitz made an excellent inaugural address.

President T. Alan Hurwitz and his wife, Vicki, are well-liked couple, and they are going to do great deeds in the coming years for Gallaudet and the Deaf Community.

Please watch the entire program by viewing video show in http://atweb.gallaudet.edu/videoevent/2010/inauguration/source.asp

Enjoy!

Kay Francis and Joe

Classmates:

We were notified of the death of Sherman Robertson who was one of seven students from Alabama School of the Deaf attending Gallaudet College in the fall of 1952.

We believe Sherman left Gallaudet at the end of 1952-53 school year.

We have an obituary article about him, and the message was sent to us from Kay Francis’ friend in Alabama.

The obit article states (in brief):

“Leland Sherman Robertson, 75, passed away on February 12, after suffering a brief illness. He was a long-time resident of San Antonio {TX} where he was a member of San Antonio Deaf Mission.

We, the Class of 1957, have lost another member of our classmates, and we want to express our sympathy to Sherman’s family.

Kay Francis and Joe

With deep regrets, we have learned about the death of our dear classmate, Betty (Johnson) Battle, on January 24, 2010. Betty passed away a day after her birthday, and she came to Gallaudet College in fall of 1952 from Alabama School for the Deaf. We, the class of 1952, wish to express our deep condolences to Betty’s husband, Neil, and to her family. For further information, please read her obituary.

Link: Betty Battle Obituary: Betty Battle’s Obituary by the Knoxville
News Sentinel.

BATTLE, BETTY JEAN – age 78 of Knoxville passed away Sunday, January 24,
2010 in the compassionate comfort and care of the physicians and staff
at Brakebill Nursing Home. She was a loving wife for 54 years, as well
as a loving mother and grandmother. Survivors include husband, Raymond
Neil Battle; son and daughter-in-law, Jeffery Mark and Stephanie Carroll
Battle of Farragut, Tennessee; grandson, Joshua Andrew Battle of
Atlanta, Georgia; sisters, Peggy Hudson of Montgomery, Alabama, Ann
Crumpton of Montgomery, Alabama, Pat Hodge of Jack., Al.; brothers,
Bobby Johnson of Opp., Al., Harry Johnson of Opp., Al. and Jim Johnson
of Columbus, Georgia; as well as a number of nieces and nephews and many
caring neighbors and friends. Bets was an active member of the deaf
community and served on many community boards. She also served the city
of Knoxville as a member of the mayor’s advisory council on disability
services. Among her many awards, Betty was recognized by the YWCA as a
finalist for the 2008 Volunteer Community Service Award. The family will
receive friends on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at Berry Funeral Home,
5:00-7:00 PM. A chapel service will follow at 7:00 PM with Rev. Greg
Johannsen presiding. Graveside services will be conducted on Thursday,
January 28, 2010 at 10:00 am at Green Hills Cemetery, Etowah. In lieu of
flowers the family requests donations be made to the Knoxville Center of
the Deaf. A guest book and additional information are available
at www.berryfuneral-home.com. You are invited to share your thoughts
and memories of Betty at her memorial website at www.MeM.com.

The 10th biennial conference of DSA came out a success with tentatively reported 2000 plus attendees. A contingent of 17 Class of 1957 classmates attended the conference, and we had an opportunity to get together while dining at Paris Hotel & Casino’s Le Cafe restaurant one evening.

We had 22 patrons (classmates and some spouses) at the restaurant, and they are as follow: The Roses, Keith Thompson, Julian Singleton, Toni (Kaess) Eidson, Bob Scribner, Allie Joiner, The Wildings, Ken and Rita Holland, Herb Pickell, Laurence Plate, Alice Hagemeyer, Alice and Larry Obray, Ron and Kay Hirano, Henning Irgens and her friend, Mary and Connie and Don McCune. It was great for us to be together in large number once again, and we enjoyed our evening.

A short meeting was called for during the dinner. It was reported that the class fund, after the payment of $500 for the Gallaudet Museum project, was estimated to be a little over $200. We deliberated and agreed to donate $200 for the same museum project. Thus, $700 will be the amount of money donated by Class of 1957 for the worthy project.

We are looking forward seeing you all at Chicago/DSA 2011 conference if not anytime before then.

Hugs,
Kay Francis and Joe

Here are some messages from classmates re: The Brick and Endowed Museum Fund

Allie Joiner: Hands wave, wave, wave, wave. Thank you very much for representing us so well. Hugs.

Ruth Ann Wilding: Way to go!!!! Yayy!!! for Class of 57!!!

Norma Seaton Nelson: Thanks. Wow, it is so nice.

Eugene Landyshev: Many thanks for this informative notice, and the time it took you to share it with all of Class of 1957 . . . see all of you there (LV/DSA 2009 Conference).