In 1966 and 1967, during their freshman and sophomore years, these women formed friendships that have weathered the test of time for more than 40 years. At first, they gathered every five years to celebrate the “big” birthdays and gradually added their spouses. Soon they decided to meet every year, picking different places for their gatherings. They shared the good—marriages, babies, careers, and the bad—divorces, death of loved ones, and illnesses. For the past several years, the women have traveled to Manchester, Connecticut in the spring and fall to spend time with one of their own who was battling a debilitating neurodegenerative illness. The weekends were filled with laughter and tears. They wore their Ship t-shirts and would talk about their younger days when life was simple and the future bright. Daryl Bagley-Morrison ’70 lost her battle on December 24.

Front: Daryl Bagley-Morrison. Standing, from left: Doreen Beatty Lauver, Linda Adams McLaughlin, Doris Carson Leach, Hilda Lewis Romano, Andrea Bottaro Morrison, Louise Bobbin Gibbs, Peggy Carpenter King, and Connie Cable Clancy.