Donna Huron Kearney

Graduated from Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, L.P.N. School , Hanover, N.H. along with my classmate, Marie Foster Angell. The year before I married Bud I worked in Pediatrics at Springfield Hospital. Bud and I were married on August 5th,1961 and immediately moved to Watertown, MA. because of his job at Honeywell. It was at the time of the Boston strangler - the timid Vermont farm-gal was terrified, plus, no wide open spaces - I sure felt fenced in!! Anyway, a year later we moved to Norwood, MA. - a little more space between houses ( we were still renting )- so I felt a little better about not being so close to Boston. It was at that time that I worked for the Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Norwood Hospital as his nurse and office manager. He had 15 children and wrote a book called "Secure Rhythm" - you guessed it - he was Catholic, but I guess he forgot to read his own book!! He was the best boss I ever had, but I was too young to realize it at the time!! His sweetest request was, "Try not to book me after 4:30 - I want to get home to the bride!!"
Many other jobs along life's way and then a move to Walpole, MA. - rented until our daughter, Valerie, was ready to start 1st grade when we bought our first and only home - a small ranch which we've added on at both ends (a master bedroom and bath on one end and a second bay on the garage at the other end) - so now it's a long-g ranch!!
Another job that I'm proud of - (because of my Mom) - but don't ask me how I switched careers - I was a telephone operator to a 4,000 patient Health Care Facility in Norwood, MA. We had 55 employees, plus a Marketing Division - a very busy switchboard, but I LOVED IT because I'd rather chat than type - I'm not too good at this E-mail stuff, but I'm learning. My Mom was THRILLED when I had this job because I was sort of following in her footsteps, except she was a telephone operator to the town of Springfield when you were asked "Number, please?" - Then your call was connected by plugging cords into a huge switchboard. Anyone remember party lines? I still have some pretty amazing pictures from that era - a time in our history. I'll try to find those sometime so I can add them here.
Our daughter, Valerie, was married to Jeff Nickerson in May of 1991 - a great son-in-law!! Then, the BEST OF ALL, seeing our lives come full circle when our grandchildren, Erik and Sarah, were born!! Joy and unconditional love - it's the best fun being a Mimi and Poppy!! Erik is now l5 - just about to complete his freshman year. He's very heavy into Marching Band and Winter Percussion at his school, and we're enjoying his performances. Last year and this, Erik performed in the international competition out in Ohio - in their division last year, "The Pride and the Passion of King Philip" took 5th place, this year they finished in 3rd place winning a bronze!! We're SO PROUD of him - and a GREAT KID anyway!! Now sister Sarah is trying to follow in her brother's footsteps and has joined band in her 5th grade class. She turned 11 in February, and she's definitely a "girlie-girl"with lots of vitality!! FUN!!
I lost my Mom in 1997, sadly before Sarah was born. At that time we brought my Dad to live with us here - he couldn't have stayed alone in Springfield with increasing health issues. We made many CHERISHED MEMORIES in the two years that he lived with us before I lost him. I always have felt it was so wonderful for him to be near his great-grandchildren and watch them grow.
Since that time, we've fortunately been able to maintain my family homestead in Springfield - we still love heading up the road to the farm situated next to the Crown Point Country Club. (HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS!!) I jokingly say, if I should get a "little tipsy" at our reunion, I can just crawl over the stone wall and get home!! CHUCKLE!!
Let's see - Fun things to do!! I belong to two Red Hat chapters - Princess of The Whimsical Women of Walpole and Queen of Vice of The Roaming Red Rascals of Mansfield. Love flower gardening - the Vermont farm girl in me - bird watching and feeding our nocturnal flying squirrels. We have two kitties who have been making the trip to Vermont with us since they were babies. My dream-come-true trip to Disney World and first plane trip when I was 40 - then followed by a trip to California to visit my best elementary school friend, Carole (Norris) Whitelaw and her darling husband, Jay. Sadly, Carole lost Jay suddenly in 1997 - perhaps read Carole's guest profile because I'm DELIGHTED to say that she'll be joining us for our 50th. It will be about 30 years since we've seen each other - it's AMAZING what the internet can do - ask Wink!?!?
Then a FABULOUS cruise to Alaska with dear friends whose son happened to be the lead male vocalist and entertainer on that particular Celebrity Ship.
Now, I think the only thing I have left to say is the message to our class which was part of the questionnaire:
As my Mom and Dad used to say, “Once a Vermonter, always a Vermonter!!” Then I found this plaque for them with this beautiful verse – “You never truly leave a place you love – you take a part of it with you while leaving a part of you behind!!” I believe it’s true that, the older we get, we always come back to our roots – our Springfield, Vermont – SO WELCOME ALL CLASSMATES, BOTH NEAR AND FAR – it will be SO WONDERFUL to see you again as we celebrate this milestone in our lives!! I have only one question – how could this be our 50th reunion when we’re ONLY 39?!?!

MANY, MANY THANKS TO ALL OUR CLASSMATES WHO HAVE WORKED SO DILIGENTLY TO MAKE ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE - YOU'RE TERRIFIC!!

Roller skating the night away with my friend, Gertrude (Skip) Williams Tallman and my first boyfriend, Dick Jones. Wearing short shorts sometimes meant skinned knees, and we always went home with blisters on our feet – and that was called a great night!!
Horseback riding up at the farm with Dick Jones – sweet memories, still and always!! Thank you, Dick – we had fun!!
J.J. Newberry’s – hot dogs and cherry cokes with friends.
Kent’s Drugstore – ice cream sodas with friends.
Freshman Prom with Dave Yesman – I still remember my gown in detail – fond remembrance, still and always!! Thank you, Dave!!
Car-hopping at The Diamond F on the Chester Road with my friends, Gertrude (Skip) Williams, Marie Foster, and Patty Snide – meantime, my other friends, Ruthie Foster and Gail Carpenter, worked down the road at The Dairy Queen.
Meeting Martin (Bud) Kearney - (Class of 1958) - in my sophomore year – married my high school sweetheart in 1961, and here we are 48 years later!!
Double-dating with my cousin, Dortia Brown, and future husband, Phil Davis. We still share good times together to this day!!
Record hops with Bud, especially in Charlestown, N.H. – the D.J. was Ed Ellis from our Springfield radio station, WCFR. Anyone remember the derby hat Ed always used to wear?