February - March 2009 2008 – Reflections · February - March 2009 2008 – Reflections “It was...

February - March 2009

2008 – Reflections “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” - Dickens.

On this page, and page 8, we will show some of the BEST OF TIMES at Vinson Hall.

LCDR Joe Parks Capt & Mrs. Peak, & Guest at the Gala.

GALA Guest of Honor; GEN Colin Powell with the Crew of the USS Carl Vinson

The Winners, Putting Tournament

Casino Night Memorial Day Picnic on the Lawn

2008 Reflections 1

Treasure Shop Move/VH Updates 2

New Resident: Bets Carnahan 3

New Resident: Bill Chipman 4

New Resident: Eleanor Barron 5

Entertainment - Events 6

Now Hear This 7

Reflections, continued 8

The Gardens - The Scoop 9

Linda Leaving / Marie Leath, 105 10

The Last Word 11

Chapel - Coffee with Mike - Cafe 12

February - March 2009 Page 2

VINSON HALL NEWS & VIEWS

6251 Old Dominion Drive

McLean, Virginia 22101

(703) 536-4344

Published monthly by Vinson Hall, a Con-tinuing Care Retirement Community owned and operated by the Vinson Hall Corpora-tion.

Administrative Staff

Production Editor: Tashia Campbell

Resident Staff

Editor/Copy Editor: Luella Morgan Assistant Editor: David Chewning, Photographer: Don Heile Biographies: Ann Dietrich

Editorial Board/Resident Staff Luella Morgan, David Chewning, Rosemary Hogg, Edward Kasnicki, Katharine Maugans, Ann Myers, Verner Utke-Ramsing

Only signed, original articles will be accepted for News & Views,

Items should be left at the Front Desk for News & Views mail box. Thank you!

TREASURE SHOP CLOSED

MOVING TO NEW LOCATION

On the 20th of February 2009, the Treasure Shop closed its doors at Vinson Hall, marking the end of an era. Its new location will be across the street in the Chesterbrook mall in space last occupied by the exercise center, “Curves.” The opening is not expected to happen until late March.

VHRA JANUARY MEETING NOTES

VHRA officers for 2009 were installed: Pres. Karl Fontenot, Vice Pres. Ana Malerich, Secretary Joe Gildea, Treasurer Don Heile; Members at Large: Andy Mansinne, Martin Schaffer and Verner Utke-Ramsing; Committee Chairmen: Dining Room Barbara Siple, Health & Fitness Sheila Gildea, Operations Helen Anderson. VHRA meetings are held on the last Thursday of the month. The next dates will be 26 February and 26 March.

REMINDER NMCGRF ANNUAL

MEETING

You are cordially invited to join NMCGRF and attend the annual meeting on Monday, March 9 at 2:00PM in the Auditorium. You will be briefed on matters concerning the Foundation.

NMCGRF 23rd Annual Golf Classic

Reston Golf Course Tuesday, May 12, 2009

For information call: 703-538-2318

Great raffle prizes! Sponsorships available!

ANNUAL CHAPEL MEETING

The Chapel Congregation held its annual meeting on 21 January with about 40 members present. The new officers are: Chair Ida Mary Boyd, 1st Vice Chair Dorothy Smith, 2nd Vice Chair Marion Fontenot, Secretary Margaret Marder, Treasurer Ted Poling, Asst. Treasurer Alease Lawson, Protestant Coordinator Ann Vliet, Catholic Coordinator Martin Schaffer, Episcopal Coordinator Luella Morgan, Flowers Chair Milly Martin. David Chewning, Chairman Emeritus, reported that the Chapel calendar year has become January 1 to December 31 and there are changes to be made in the by-laws as a result.

IN MEMORIAMIN MEMORIAMIN MEMORIAMIN MEMORIAM

Julie DiLorenzoJulie DiLorenzoJulie DiLorenzoJulie DiLorenzo

Rosannah HuffRosannah HuffRosannah HuffRosannah Huff

Elivia MayElivia MayElivia MayElivia May

Virgie ZimermannVirgie ZimermannVirgie ZimermannVirgie Zimermann


BETS CARNAHAN

Bets grew up in the Pittsburgh suburb of Mt. Lebanon. It was in high school there she met her future husband, Ralph Carnahan.. Their romance was interrupted when her family moved to Connecticut. Bets returned to Allegheny College for one year and Ralph was a student at what is now Carnegie Mellon, and so they kept in touch. She transferred to the Yale Drama School and he was appointed to the Naval Academy. She went on to New York to pursue an acting career working for several months with a repertory company, and then went to CBS television. But when Ralph graduated in 1946 (with the wartime class of 1947) they were married. When Ralph was selected for Submarine School, they became part of that close knit community. Their son Steve was born in 1950 at the Mare Island Ship-yard Hospital, but the family soon returned to the East Coast and to excited grandparents. Their duty stations were in New London, Norfolk, Hawaii and the Air War College in Montgomery.. When shore duty brought Ralph to the Pentagon in 1966 they bought a home in McLean. When Ralph made flag rank in 1975 he was ordered as Commandant, Washington Navy Yard and they moved to Quarters A, Tingey House, built in 1804, the navy’s first house built for a naval officer. It is now an “Historic Landmark” and quarters of the pre-sent CNO. It was an exhilarating time to be in Washington. The Navy’s 200th Birthday was celebrated with many ceremonies and festivities. Then, the Bicentennial in 1976 brought exciting pageantry and celebrity visitors, many of whom the

Carnahans entertained. They also were involved with the foreign attaches and many embassy events.. It was a “storybook” tour to end Ralph’s naval career, as he retired in 1978 and they moved back to their home in McLean. Bets volunteered for many years with The Women’s Committee of the National Symphony and still volunteers with T.H.I.S.(The Hospitality and Information Service) where the volunteers meet and entertain foreign diplomats, helping them learn and get acclimated to American customs and culture. Bets also enjoyed working as a guide with Guide Service of Washington D.C. and it contributed to her interest in and love for our capital. Tragedy had struck in 1982 when their son Steve died at age 32 of a heart attack. He left a lovely young wife, Christine, and two little girls, Erin 3 and Kelin 1. She and her now adult daughters live in North Carolina. Ralph retired again in 1985 as Vice Pres. of the Navy Relief Society. He continued as Capital Area Commissioner of the Boy Scouts of America until ill health forced him to curtail his activities. He died in February of 2001. Bets stayed in their home as long as she could manage, but extensive back surgery in May of last year and the offer of a great apartment in Vinson Hall convinced her to make the move. She’s still getting settled, but is sure that Vinson Hall is the place to be. - Ann Dietrich

~~~~~~~~~~

“ALL IN THE FAMILY:

THE RANDOLPHS OF VIRGINIA

Alice McKenna, J.D.

Alford Auditorium Thursday, 12 March, 7:00 PM

sponsored by Sons of American Revolution

ALL VINSON HALL RESIDENTS INVITED

This influential family was related to most of Virginia’s illustrious patriots (including Washington

and Jefferson) by blood or by marriage.


when he and Pat retired in 1989 there came a pe-riod of what Bill refers to as “deferred gratification”. They traveled far and wide. He had always loved skiing and encouraged Pat to take lessons. Thus many of their trips took them to great skiing venues in the United States and Europe. Beyond that they also ventured to England, Scotland, Turkey, Japan and last to China. One highlight was an overnight visit to a Buddhist temple at Koya-san south of Kyoto. He remembers delicious vegetarian food and colorful Buddhist ritual. In Turkey they saw an excavation of a city dating from 7,000 B.C. (As the guidebook said “there is old and there is old!”) For more travel anecdotes catch Bill in the dining room. When Pat died three years ago he kept up with the routine of taking care of their house, but ulti-mately decided that a retirement community would be a good answer. He sold his house in Arlington and at the suggestion of his children looked at Vin-son Hall. He says he is very happy to be here. - Ann Dietrich

FT. MEYER LUNCHEON Northern Virginia Chapter, MOAA

Wednesday, 18 March

“Ft. Myer, Construction Projects and Retiree Affairs”

Col. Laura Richardson, Garrison Commander

Bus departs 10:00 AM (includes stop @ PX) Sign-up sheet in Lobby

Please confirm your reservation with your check for $17, made out to: “NoVa Chapter, MOAA” to Paul

Peak (X7306) by 16 March .

BILL CHIPMAN

Bill Chipman grew up in Madison, Wisconsin. He started his college level studies at the University of Wisconsin. He then received an appointment to the United States Military Academy but decided that a full blown military career was not for him and came home to the University of Wisconsin as a junior studying engineering. He included courses in music and art history which he points out were very useful in later travel in Europe. He then studied and graduated in law and worked for a small firm in Madison. Wishing to keep at least a part time connection with the military he had enrolled in an ROTC course in UW and spent some years in the Army Reserve. Then the Asst Dean of the Law School, Carl Runge, recruited Bill for the National Guard where he spent ten years. Carl then started up a National Security Studies Seminar and Bill found himself helping in a multitude of ways, “as the asst. cook, bottle washer & (as they say in English) general “dogs-body” . A Carnegie Foundation Grant supported a research fellowship for Bill in which he did a dissertation (he remembers well 600 pages single spaced) on non-military defense i.e. civil defense, continuity of government, and defense mobilization. This laid the foundation for his work of the next 28 years. Under the JFK administration he became state director of Civil Defense, and in 1963 was recruited to the Federal Agency, which at that time and for the next 16 years was in the Department of Defense. He was Deputy Director for Plans in that agency. Early on he tried to raise a concern for “terrorism“, but with little success. In 1979 his group was uprooted from DOD and became part of FEMA. Bill’s first marriage to Shirlee ended in di-

W ELCOM E N EW R ESI D EN TS!

M ar y A lice H ungate

Joan U r banczy k


VH Campus Renovation & Expansion: An Update

Auditorium

David Slack, Financial Consultant, will give an over-view of financial strategies.

RADM Kathy Martin and RADM Bill Houley will dis-cuss zoning processes and progress of architectural

partners, SFCS.

Friday, March 13th (check bulletin board for times)

ALL RESIDENTS INVITED

~~~~~~~~~~

McLEAN ORCHESTRA

“Great Awakenings”

Saturday, March 14th, 8:00 PM

Bus departs at 7:15 PM

(Tickets available at the box office if you do not have a Season Ticket)

~~~~~~~~~~

HAPPY HOUR Sylvest er Lounge

Thur sday, 19 Mar ch

A St . Pat r ick’s Day Celebr at ion!

4:30 PM t o 5:30 PM

Will ye come a-wear in’ a’ t he

Gr een??

ELEANOR BARRON Eleanor McDonald was born and grew up in Manhattan. She graduated from Hunter College High School and Hunter College. She did graduate work in economics at Columbia University. One evening when washing dishes to help her sister, who was hosting a party, she was rewarded by meeting John Barron, a guest at the party. They were married in 1948. He had graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1945. He later re-signed his commission and went to school at night at Cooper Union and studied to become a registered professional engineer. They had two chil-dren and she was a “stay at home” mother when they were little, and also, when possible, helped her husband with his studies. They lived for a number of years in Chappaqua, New York, and then other places on the East Coast. Eventually her husband’s work brought them to Ar-lington. Eleanor retired from Verizon and Jack from Rockwell International. They loved travel and have been in almost all of the states and to Europe. But her favorite trips, she says, were made to China and to Japan. She and John lived in an apartment in Crystal City for more than 20 years and liked the conven-ience of getting easily to so many interesting places. She stayed on for a few years after his death. But in her words, she is “ecstatic” to have found Vinson Hall. She is very happy with her apartment and with the nice people she has met here, both residents and staff. Among her strong interests are bridge and crossword puzzles. Her children are nearby; Susan, a Vassar gradu-ate, who lives in Arlington and John, a graduate of Hamilton, who is in Rosslyn. Eleanor has not finished with traveling. This spring she will be going to Palm Springs.

ENTERTAI NMENT Auditorium

Thursday, February 27, 7:00 PM – “Four Hand Piano Duo” featuring award winning Canadian-Israeli Michael Berkovsky and award winning Chinese-American Jiayin Shen,

Thursday, March 5, 4:00 PM – The Levine School of Music’s New Horizons Band playing big band music!

Sunday, March 22, 4:00 PM – The Levine School Fiddlers (in the Lounge)

Monday, March 30, 7:00 PM – “Richard and Pat Nixon” as portrayed by William and Sue Willis, part of an ongoing series of dramatic “portraits” of presidents and first ladies.

EVENTS (“Bus” = departure time)

(Look for sign-up sheets in Lobby for all events. See “Big Book” for details)

Wednesday, February 25, 9:30 AM (Bus) – Art Show Reception for works by Vinson Hall residents in Richmond

Wednesday, February 25, 6:15 PM (Bus) – “Beneath the Jungle and Beyond” (Mesoamerica), Alden Theater

(If you’re not a Season Ticket holder, you may purchase a ticket at the box office.)

Sunday, March 1, 1:00 PM (Bus) – Marine Band at Marine Barracks

Sunday, March 15, 6:15 (Bus) – “Hawaiian Treasures” at Wolf Trap

Wednesday, March 25, 6:15 (Bus) – “In Search of Shangri La,” Alden Theater (if you’re not a Season Ticket holder, you may purchase a ticket at the box office.)



NOW HEAR THIS LOW VISION SUPPORT GROUP

Conference Room

3rd Wednesdays, 10 AM

Marta Harkins (x7075) for info

~~~~~~~~~~

MEMOIRS GROUP Library

Meets 2nd & 4th Saturdays 10 AM Come, listen and join!

Call Toni Balcaen (x7239), Jane Peak (x7306) for

info

ALL RESIDENTS WELCOME

~~~~~~~~~~

BINGO!! Auditorium

2nd Mondays, 7 PM

$1 per card. Win big bucks!!


~~~~~~~~~~

“DO DROP IN” BRIDGE” Penthouse Lounge

Tuesday Evenings, 7 PM Bring.50 cents!

Contact Marty DiBerto (x7211)


VINSON HALL RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

MEETING Auditorium

Thursday, February 26 , 10:00 AM

Thursday, March 26, 10:00 AM

ALL RESIDENTS ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND

~~~~~~~~~~

PROGRESSIVE BRIDGE Penthouse Lounge

3rd Friday of the Month 7 PM


Call Eileen Coulter (x7221) or Barbara Mackin (x7273) for info

~~~~~~~~~~

GENEALOGY GROUP

In a Special Meeting, will be the Guests of Mary Anna Roche at her apartment on

Wednesday, 25 February, 4:00 PM

for a demonstration of how

www.Ancestry.com can work for you.

Call Jane Peak (x7306) or Mary Anna Roche

(x7426) Interested residents invited, light refreshments will be

served.


2008 – Reflections, cont’d

- Reflections Photos by Philip DuBois, VHC Marketing

Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre, The Victim

Retreat at Meadowkirk

Verner Utke-Ramsing & Tom Donnelly as Paul E. Tischian and the Farmer. In the Murder Mystery.

CDR John Budzik laying wreath at Navy Memorial C.E.C. Annual Christmas Party & the Young Musicians who play for the residents every year.


AND SO IT GOES A sad little story, but we will survive….. We had a garden crop failure!!! Not that it was the gardeners’ fault. Of course not! First the rain gods did us in. Then we had a very wet spring and a dry summer and fall. There was also a lack of sunshine, not in the sky but on our gardens. Our gardens are nested in an area of beautiful, tall trees. Since the gardens are two years old the branches have grown out enough to reduce the amount of sun getting to them. Then, much to our surprise, and for the first time, we became victims of a squirrel invasion. As feeble as our tomato crop was, they waited until the tomatoes were green tomatoes about to turn red, and IN THEY CAME…. They nibbled many while on the vine. Others were clenched firmly in their mouths as they were carried to their tree homes, surely to have a family meal. What does the future hold? The rain is manageable. We have water hoses. Each gardener needs to be diligent, and if nature doesn’t provide timely moisture, the gardener must fill the shortfall. As for sunshine, it’s a manageable matter. There is no need to cut down those majestic trees or any need to denude the trees by cutting branches at the tree trunk. Judicious and careful trimming will help a great deal. This has been done before and needs to be done again. Now we get to the squirrels – these big trees by our gardens are their homes. This year when some gardeners realized the extent of the squirrel infestation, they procured plastic netting made for situations of this type. It is cumbersome but it did keep the squirrels out. (Personal note: I learned to like fried green tomatoes. They are delicious and I beat the squirrels to the fruit!!) In summary: This year we will seek Federal Crop Insurance. - Ferd Schiavi

“The Scoop” Over the long winter holidays, Lois Evans took her family to the Mexican resort, Cozumel. Every one had a great time and Lois came back with a bit of sunburn so we know they had good weather! Also in celebration of the holidays, the McLean High School Orchestra’s Framboise Trio gave a performance in the Sylvester Lounge. Among the attentive audience, a couple of very proud grandparents, Ted and Martha Poling, were there to cheer them on, particularly the cellist, granddaughter Anna Kobylski. She celebrated for several days, and well she should have, for Jo Wilson recently celebrated her 100th birthday! Still looking smart and, better still, is as smart as ever! Congratulations and many happy returns, Jo. Marta Harkins was asked if she would be interviewed for the “SourceBook – Your Guide to Retirement Living “, specifically about Linked Senior, an innovative resource available at Vinson Hall for over a year. The writer did a full page article, a great deal of which was devoted to Marta and her activities, which are many, as we know. She was embarrassed that not more was said about Linked Senior, as it was their owners who had arranged for the interview! (If you don’t know about Linked Senior, ask Marta.) Again, over the holidays, the Knitwits,” (who meet every Tuesday, 2PM in the Lounge) a group whose ‘products’ go to Navy Relief, were privileged to be invited to an “All Volunteers” party at Qtrs. B, Navy Yard. This is the home of the Commandant, RADM Patrick Lorge and his wife, Donna, the house that dates back to 1804 and the only building left standing whole at the Yard after the battle there in the War of 1812. ADM Lorge gave many interested listeners some of the history of that time in that place. He pointed out that the wooden floors were the original and that even the floors in the attic were so carefully made. It was a delightful day, enhanced by a very bounteous buffet!

- Luella Morgan

February - March Page 10

A LIFE WELL LIVED …AND NOT FINISHED YET!

Marie Kaufman Leath just celebrated her 105th birthday! Last year she gave up living in her home, which she and her husband had built in 1950, to live in The Sylvestery. She is in very good health, doesn’t even need to use a cane, and keeps very active and busy. Marie was born on Feb. 4, 1904, in the small town of Paris, IL, and finished high school there. She attended college in Illinois but didn’t graduate until after she was married. She married Harold Kaufman in 1925 in her church, the Methodist Episcopal Church, in Paris, IL. She’s been playing the piano since the age of 6 and her favorite music is Ragtime, which she plays well and often. Her favorite tune is “A Good Man Nowadays is Hard to Find” which she will play for Chaplain Scott Harrison whenever she sees him! Not only does she play the piano, and plays by “ear”, but also the organ which she played in her church. Marie gives very precise histories of herself and her siblings. She says of brother Joe: “He kept running away with the circus.” Of her sister, Grace Priscilla Kaufman: “She liked big bows on her clothes.” Of herself: “I was a tomboy who liked to climb trees, play ball and ride my brother’s bicycle.” And she had a horse named Daisy. She describes herself as once being a “flapper”..in the 1920s, of course and played the piano in some band combos. She finally received her college degree. It was from George Washington University, given to her by President Harry S. Truman at graduation ceremonies in the DAR Constitution Hall. She’s been around the world six times – touring all over Europe, South America, Asia, including China. And she and her husband once lived in Alaska.

Linda. Leaving.

T h e l a s t w o r d

MYSTERIOUS WAYS

Many believe that God sometimes works in mysterious ways. But this one is a real puzzlement, at least to me. I was chatting recently with Lt. Col. Karl Fontenot, President of our Residents Association. Somehow, we got on the subject of my deficient left hand finger. It curves toward the palm and no amount of pulling or stretching seems to help. A hand specialist has been monitoring this condition for two years but is reluctant to operate. Good. I re-spect prudent physicians. However, I now see a possible cure. Karl told me that in Hawaii some years ago, in a chemistry class, a glass stirring rod broke in his son Keith’s hand and stabbed his palm. In a few days one finger began to curl. His doctor advised against an operation because of the risk of significant nerve damage. The Fontenots were dismayed at the prospect of a permanent injury. And then, a mysterious intervention. Some weeks after the accident Keith went horseback riding with a friend. The accompanying Marine Corps ornery horse bit Keith’s hand. In a few days the afflicted finger uncurled and began to look and perform like a finger should. As for me, I intend to check the Internet to see if perchance a few of those Marine Corps trained mounts might still be in service somewhere. I’ve heard that they often display an “attitude,” perhaps because of the rigorous dis-cipline imposed on them by the old Gunnery Sergeants who usually managed the base equestrian programs. Horse revenge, some say. Get your cure where you find it, I say.

- Tom Donnelly

[Do you have an amusing, original story or adventure for the “The Last Word”? Leave it at the Front Desk for the News & Views mailbox. Please sign your name and give your apartment # on all submissions. Thank you!]


Vinson Hall Corporation

6251 Old Dominion Drive

McLean, Virginia 22101

CH APEL SCH EDU LE

Protestant Services Sundays, 10:30 AM

Catholic Mass Saturdays, 4:00 PM

Episcopal Communion Service 2nd Tuesday of the Month, 11 AM

~~~~~~ Ecumenical Bible Discussion

Conference Room

1st and 3rd Mondays, 3 PM

~~~~~~~~~~ OA SI S

Activité Centre (Resource Room)

LAST Monday of the month, 3:00 PM

For info call Chaplain Scott Harrison (x 2122) or Beverly Moe (x7276)

COFFEE WITH MIKE Dining Room

4th Wednesday, 2 PM

Mike Solari, Director of Food Services, was very pleased with the great attendance at his last meeting. He was also pleased to announce that the Café menu has been revised and that 11 –eleven - hot food items

are now available for lunch every day of the week! The Dining Room continues to serve a Continental

Breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. Tea is now served in the Lounge on Tuesdays and in

the Lobby on Fridays. Coffee for Residents available in the Lobby

7:30 AM – 10:00 AM.

CA F É de Solar i Activité Centre

Weekday Hours, 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday & Sunday, 9 AM – 3 PM

To place an order for pickup call Ext. 2984 Full breakfast M-F only 7:30 – 9 AM

February - March 2009 2008 – Reflections · February - March 2009 2008 – Reflections “It was...

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