Update from Anne

I had promised to provide an address for those members who remembered Mary and wanted to send a note of sympathy to the family. This is the address:

David and Sherry Childs, 520 Woodland Lane; Lawrenceville, GA 30043. David is the youngest of three sons and the one who came to help his mother with her TO--DO list every second Saturday. They must have had a very loving, meaningful relationship and I thought he should be commended for that. It is beautiful to contemplate the peace of mind that he brought to her. Mary continued to live in her home in Morrow, but whenever she had to be in the hospital for treatment, it was to David and Sherry's home that she would go to recuperate until close to the end when she went to a personal care home for therapy. Mary's leadership skills were very helpful during the mid-1960s when the sorority was being chartered, began having annual conventions, moved to a new chapter room and started to expand by forming other chapters. She dropped out for a while but came back as a member of Atlanta Alums. At the service celebrating Mary's life achievements, the sorority was represented by Pat Robertson, Caroline Wilson, Faye Hall and Gerrelldine Addy, with her new husband! Anne has sent a message of sympathy to Mary's family on behalf of Atlanta Alums, but the family would be pleased to hear from others, as well.

Have not been in touch yet with Deirdre Russell who emailed to say that she was having to undergo a hysterectomy about a week ago at what seemed to her, at least, a young age. We send Get Well greetings to her with caution about picking up their adorable little girl until she has fully healed. It was probably robotic surgery or laproscopic and maybe she didn't have many stitches.

The Booth Western Art Museum

*Click on picture to visit website.
Please mark your calendars for the next adventure for The MRS Group:
On Saturday, September 25, we are going to the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville. We are planning on being at the museum at 10:30. Directions at a later date.
*Seniors $8.00; Adults $10.00
*The fees need to be collected in advance in order to present one check to the museum.
*Wheelchairs are available upon request.
*Plans are being made for lunch.
More details closer to the event.

Mary Childs Update

Pat Robertson has called to let our members know that one of our own, Mary Childs is seriously ill. She has been in ICU at St. Joseph Hospital for several days. Her heart condition worsened but Mary is not a candidate for heart surgery, so, other treatment had to be devised. Also, she was not eating; it was the family's decision to have a feeding tube inserted. For those who may not remember Mary, she was among the very active members in the mid-1960's, a time of change and growth for Mu Rho Sigma Sorority. They moved to a new chapter room across Courtland St. in the (then) new student center. Also, the sorority was incorporated, making it possible for them to form chapters in other colleges. With incorporation, the group at GSU became Alpha Chapter. Mary was active right away in the formation of Beta Chapter at UGA. She served as president of Alpha Chapter, and, later when Atlanta Alumnae Chapter formed, she served a term as president of the alumnae group, and also as convention planner. Our prayers and thoughts are with her family members. An update will be posted soon.

ALSO, this from Alice Young--she had a fall recently--she was standing too close to an automatic door at Park Springs and lost her balance when someone came charging through. She sustained a head injury and spent a night in Emory U. Hospital. They patched her up again and sent her home with instructions to use her walker (rolater). This coincided with her eye doctor appointment so it has been rescheduled for July--a long time to wait to find out why the Botox applied to the eyelid isn't working very well yet, making it difficult for her to see as well as she needs to. One good thing happened--daughter Cheri came from CA and spent four days with her mom.

From Anne

Thanks, Susan for filling us in on your family vacation at Saint Simons Island. You made it sound so appealing that we were ready to take off and join you but that would go beyond family. So, treasure these times together. The Larcoms certainly do--on Saturday we will travel to Tampa to attend our granddaughter's H/S graduation events. Susan, we do appreciate that you stay in touch even when traveling. Keep updating us on your happenings.

Best wishes from Anne and the gang.

ABOUT THE TRIP (FINALLY) TO BARNSLEY-- not many of us made the trip, eight altogether including three of the husbands. We enjoyed the day, walking between points of interest in a perfect-weather day. Almost everything seemed to be in bloom and many trees and shrubs had identification markers. We were impressed with the museum, created in parts of the ruins. Almost a century and a half have passed since Barnsley stood in regal splendor, unaware of the fate that awaited it. Still, curators have been able to come up with documents, photographs and pieces of furniture that tell a story of a much earlier time. We were fascinated to learn that when war, disease and other bad happenings took the men away, strong-minded women emerged to carry on, to save what they could, and to feed and care for the children.

Our last stop before departing for Red Top Mountain and the restaurant was the rose arbor where many climbing rose bushes had been trained over an overhead, curving frame work that seemed to go on for ever...the entrance was a good place for picture-making (with Judy Baer's I-phone and Caroline's disposable camera) as had been the fountain in front of the ruins, rising out of the parterre garden with boxwoods which had been planted in the 1840's when the mansion was young. Barnsley remains a place of history, intrigue and romance as was evident in preparations for a late afternoon garden wedding the day of our visit.

And, to Nola, if you had made it to Barnsley as you had planned, you would have been given a long, lost sister's welcome! We don't give up on our members, we are always waiting to welcome them. Bye for now.

From Nola

I hope everyone had a great time at Barnsley. I wasn't able to attend after all. Please click on link below:
http://www.kennesaw.edu/alumni/association/assoc.htm

From Susan Bennett

Dear Sisters,

I'm sorry to miss our reunion trip to Barnsley Gardens, but I am on St. Simons Island with my family for our annual Spring trip to the beach. We are staying in a wonderful four-story house right on the beach. At high tide, half of our steps to the beach are under water. It's more like being on a ship than in a house at some times of the day. David and I are here with our son Davis, his wife Helen and our two precious grandsons , Grayson, 6, and Candler, 5. We just love this week of non-stop fun and games - and arguing over who gets to punch the buttons on the elevator. Our days are filled with swimming in the pool, playing on the beach, arts and crafts, playing in the village playground, playing putt putt, and eating whatever we want whenever we want. We just hope that we can keep this tradition going forever.

We're really lucky to be here this week. We had quite a scare last week when David passed out at a church picnic and took a fast ride in an ambulance to Emory Hospital. It turned out that he had a complete electrical heart block, which the doctor said could very well have been fatal, but a pacemaker implanted last Monday fixed the problem. He's bruised and tired, but a very lucky man, and the doctors agreed that a week of rest and recovery at the beach surrounded by those who love him is just what he needed. How blessed we are! Just another reminder what a fine line we walk on all the time and how important it is to live life to the fullest every day. We know how fortunate we are that this happened five minutes from Emory Hospital and not two months ago when we were in Antarctica.

I hope everyone enjoyed the visit to Barnsley Gardens and being together. I look forward to the next Mu Rho Sigma event. I'm so happy that we decided we just couldn't let our association with each other end. Here's to a happy and healthy summer for everyone.

Susan Bennett

Deirdre Russell Comment

Just wanted to let you know that I cannot come to the reunion/meeting/event at Barnsley Gardens this Saturday. I am having all four wisdom teeth extracted on Thursday and I don’t think I will be up to much on Saturday.

You ladies have fun and take lots of pictures. Speaking of photos – here is a new one of my sweet baby girl Ginny.

and one of me AND Trish Early at a recent women’s conference (Trish is on the right, I am on the left)