Dear CHS Alumni,

I'm sure you remember Lorna Christ, the Choral Music teacher from 1944 - 1964. She is now living in Washington, PA in an assisted living facility. My wife, Bev (Heyworth) Hilty, CHS '55 and I (CHS '53) live nearby and have visited Lorna many times over the past 25 years or so. After leaving Chatham, Lorna married and moved to Canonsburg, PA (south of Pittsburgh). Her husband passed away a number of years ago (before we made contact with her in the early '80's). She did not teach choral music after leaving Chatham, but gave private piano lessons for a number of years.

Lorna is 94; She'll be 95 on September 12. As you may imagine for someone of that age, she has some physical problems: She lost a leg to cancer in the late '70's and gets around by wheelchair (both manual and motorized); She is now suffering from macular degeneration and is quite hard of hearing. However, her mind is very sharp, and she loves to talk about Chatham with us, especially telling us stories about faculty members! She recently acquired a TV-type magnifier to help her contend with the macular degeneration.

Don Calbick (CHS '53), his wife Cynthia, and Bev and I visited her last Saturday. These pictures were  taken then. The first shows Lorna demonstrating her "reading machine" to Don. The second is Lorna with Don, Bev and myself.

If you or your classmates would like to contact Lorna, her address is Mrs. Lorna Smith, Apt. 117, 319 Wellness Way, Washington, PA 15301. Her phone number is 724-228-0460. (However, we recommend you write rather than call her; she has an awful time hearing over the phone because of her deafness.

I am writing to you since your e-mail address is listed on the Class Coordinator List on the CHS Website. If you plan to be at the Great Reunion 2008, please share this information with those in your class and others. If someone else should receive it rather than yourself, please pass it on.

Dave Hilty
CHS '53