Karen Petersen Adkisson
At Mount Holyoke, Karen was a biology major, and in 1970 received her Ph.D. in zoology, specializing in genetics, from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.  She was a Professor of Biology at Roanoke College, Salem, VA.  In addition to being a fine teacher and advisor to biology students, Karen was a loving mother and wife, a devoted homemaker, with extraordinary gifts and love for cooking, sewing, and gardening.  Another passion was hiking and cross-country skiing, especially in Colorado where her ancestors were pioneer settlers. 

Marilyn Claire Lefevre
Marilyn’s close Mount Holyoke friends write:  “It is ironic that someone with the biggest of hearts had, biologically, a weak one.”   For most of her career, Marilyn worked in London and Lausanne, Switzerland, first with the marketing division of Proctor & Gamble, and later, with Nestle and Philip Morris.  Marilyn had a special place in her heart for her friends’ children. While in Lausanne, Liliane Menzi Barry asked her to be godmother to her two children, and they will always remember her generous, outgoing, and always creative and non-conformist spirit.  We shared many long conversations, beautiful trips, and her hosting of memorable gatherings for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other celebrations in her warm and lovely Lausanne apartment.  Marilyn forged special bonds with other ’64 progeny, always opening her doors to them when they reached traveling age.  Lois Young Friedrich’s daughter captured the essence of what we treasured about Marilyn: a very cool, brilliant, whacky lady who always loved us and showed she cared every way she could.   In 1995, Marilyn returned to the United States and settled in Chicago where she lived near the lake so she could easily take Saydi, her beloved Labrador Retriever, for early morning walks and a swim.  She built a network of dog lover friends and babysat many neighbors’ dogs.  A lovely celebration of life ceremony, organized by her friends in the neighborhood, was held by the lake after her death..

Ellen Mahoney McLanahan
Ellen died in 2006 after a long battle with ovarian cancer.  Believing that education was the most important way that she could make a difference in children’s lives, Ellen became a longtime volunteer and teacher of English as a Second Language (ESL) at Center School in New Canaan, CT.  Ellen was devoted to her family, who returned the love as evidenced especially in their care for her during her long illness.  In the final month of her life, Ellen joyfully oversaw the marriage of her son, Jeremiah, at their Adirondacks summer home.  Equipped with a walkie-talkie, Ellen operated out of a “command post” from her bedroom, which enabled her also to attend and enjoy the ceremony.  She will always be remembered for her love and devotion to those closest to her – her parents, sisters, friends, and later, Bruce her husband of forty years, and their three adored children, John, Jeremiah, and Elizabeth.  We have a mental picture of Ellen – tall, long blond hair, freckles, and a big, warm smile.  We will miss her.

Barbara Saam Wojciechowski
A small bundle of fire and intellectual curiosity, Bunny Saam was my freshman roommate.  I was in bed by half past ten; Bunny studied into the wee hours of the morning.  From our first semester on campus, Bunny focused her energy on learning Russian; Mrs. Bogojavlensky was her professor (years later, I taught Mrs. B’s grandchildren and her son was my doctor).  One thing Bunny and I shared was our love for water ballet.  After receiving her Masters in Russian from the University of Pennsylvania, Bunny joined the CIA and served for 27 years as an officer in Geneva, Paris, Brasilia, and Vientiane, Laos, retiring for the first time in 1994 and then returning to service after 9/11.  In retirement, Bunny nurtured an interest in gardening, and along with husband Gene, also a retired CIA agent, brewed maple syrup and raised mallard ducks!  Bunny’s zest for life is an enduring memory.

*Note: These are composites of what several people have contributed.